Relief compensation worth 3.8 million NPR to farmers affected by wildlife

Dhorpatan (Baglung), Dec 18: The Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve has provided Rs 3.862 million in relief compensation to farmers affected by wildlife in the last three years.

The hunting reserve has provided relief compensation to the affected farmers of Baglung, Myagdi and Parbat district. Farmers have been suffering losses due to the killing of their domesticated cattle including horses, mules, sheep, goats and cows by wild animal from the reserve.

The hunting reserve provided relief to farmers worth Rs 2.492 million in the fiscal year 2079/80, Rs 1.2 million in 2080/81 and Rs 1.70 million in 2081/082, shared Sagar Subedi, ranger of Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve.

“Farmers have been raising a large number of livestock in the vicinity of the hunting reserve area. Every year, farmers have to bear the losses caused by wild animals attacking, injuring, and killing them, so the hunting reserve has been providing some relief,” Ranger Subedi said.

Wild animals from the reserve have also been destroying crops planted in the fields adjoining the reserve. However, the hunting reserve has not been providing relief compensation so far to farmers for crop damage.

Every year, wild animals from the reserve destroy crops including potatoes and beans, said Tam Bahadur Sunar, a local of Dhorpatan Municipality-9. He said that wild animals including wild boars and monkeys feed on and damage various crops while leopards and other animals pounce on sheep and goats.