Jhapa, July 31: Over the past 20 years, elephant attacks have claimed 97 lives and injured more than 100 people in Koshi Province, according to the Province Forest Directorate in Dharan, Sunsari. The same period also saw the deaths of 41 elephants.
Most human casualties occurred in the districts of Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Udayapur, and Ilam, with Jhapa alone accounting for 72 deaths. Officials attribute the high toll in Jhapa to elephants crossing the border from India. Morang reported 17 fatalities, Sunsari seven, and Ilam one.
Injuries during elephant encounters have also been significant—87 people were seriously hurt and 15 sustained minor injuries.
Elephant deaths were reported in Jhapa (25), Morang (9), Sunsari (6), and Udayapur (1), raising concerns about the growing conflict between humans and wildlife.
“A significant amount of government funds are being spent on wildlife conservation, compensation for human casualties, and damage to crops,” said Dr. Indra Prasad Sapkota, chief of the Directorate. “Local communities must also remain vigilant in reducing human-wildlife conflict.”
The federal government offers Rs 1 million in compensation to families of those killed by elephants, and Rs 25,000 to Rs 100,000 for medical care of the injured.
In response, the Koshi Province government has allocated Rs 5 million this fiscal year to implement a crop insurance program in high-risk areas. The initiative is being coordinated through the Division Forest Office and local governments, with plans to seek additional federal support based on its effectiveness.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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