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Do habitat occupancy factors drive conflict with leopards (Panthera pardus) in the Mid–Hills region of Nepal?

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Název: Do habitat occupancy factors drive conflict with leopards (Panthera pardus) in the Mid–Hills region of Nepal?
Autoři: Sigdel, Srijana, K.C., Rabin Bahadur, Karki, Jhamak Bahadur, Giordano, Anthony J., Neupane, Dinesh, Thapa, Arjun
Zdroj: European Journal of Wildlife Research; Dec2025, Vol. 71 Issue 6, p1-16, 16p
Témata: LEOPARD, LIVESTOCK losses, FOREST canopies, NEPALI people, ANIMAL behavior, SPECIES distribution, CONSERVATION of natural resources, GEOGRAPHIC spatial analysis
Geografický termín: NEPAL
Abstrakt: Large carnivores are increasingly present outside Protected Areas, creating both conservation opportunities and risks of conflict. In Nepal's mid-hill region, leopards (Panthera pardus) are the primary species involved in human–wildlife conflict. However, the ecological and anthropogenic drivers of these interactions remain poorly understood. This study provides the first integrated assessment of leopard habitat use and conflict in Tanahun district, based on field occupancy surveys, conflict records (2015–2024), and spatial modeling. Leopards were widespread, with high occupancy (Ψ = 0.83 ± 0.03) and moderate detection probability (ρ = 0.40 ± 0.007). Forest cover was the strongest predictor of occupancy, underscoring its role in sustaining leopard populations in human-dominated landscapes. However, conflict, was shaped less by leopard occupancy than by proximity to settlements (β = – 0.0039, 95% CI: – 0.0062 to – 0.0016), while distance to water had only a weak effect. Between 2015 and 2024, we recorded 264 conflict incidents most of which were livestock depredation (89%), along with 14 human fatalities and 15 nonlethal injuries. Spatial risk mapping suggested conflict hotspots were mostly in northeastern municipalities, whereas western areas presented a relatively low risk. Our findings indicate that conflict is driven more by human settlement distribution and land-use patterns than by leopard presence alone. Mapping of risk zones such as these can help prioritize management interventions to reduce conflict while maintaining habitat connectivity. Effective mitigation should focus on livestock protection, improved husbandry, and community-based initiatives in high-risk zones, alongside long-term strategies to restore prey and sustain forest cover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Abstrakt:Large carnivores are increasingly present outside Protected Areas, creating both conservation opportunities and risks of conflict. In Nepal's mid-hill region, leopards (Panthera pardus) are the primary species involved in human–wildlife conflict. However, the ecological and anthropogenic drivers of these interactions remain poorly understood. This study provides the first integrated assessment of leopard habitat use and conflict in Tanahun district, based on field occupancy surveys, conflict records (2015–2024), and spatial modeling. Leopards were widespread, with high occupancy (Ψ = 0.83 ± 0.03) and moderate detection probability (ρ = 0.40 ± 0.007). Forest cover was the strongest predictor of occupancy, underscoring its role in sustaining leopard populations in human-dominated landscapes. However, conflict, was shaped less by leopard occupancy than by proximity to settlements (β = – 0.0039, 95% CI: – 0.0062 to – 0.0016), while distance to water had only a weak effect. Between 2015 and 2024, we recorded 264 conflict incidents most of which were livestock depredation (89%), along with 14 human fatalities and 15 nonlethal injuries. Spatial risk mapping suggested conflict hotspots were mostly in northeastern municipalities, whereas western areas presented a relatively low risk. Our findings indicate that conflict is driven more by human settlement distribution and land-use patterns than by leopard presence alone. Mapping of risk zones such as these can help prioritize management interventions to reduce conflict while maintaining habitat connectivity. Effective mitigation should focus on livestock protection, improved husbandry, and community-based initiatives in high-risk zones, alongside long-term strategies to restore prey and sustain forest cover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:16124642
DOI:10.1007/s10344-025-01999-0