Temporal and spatial pattern of wildlife attacks on human in Chitwan National Park, Nepal

Human fatalities from wildlife attacks in Chitwan National Park, Nepal, are disproportionately caused by elephants and tigers. A study analyzing 12 years of conflict data (2009–2020) found that while rhinos were the most frequently involved species (38% of cases), elephants accounted for an average of 3.75 human deaths annually—nearly 16 times more likely than other species to be lethal (odds ratio = 15.2). Tiger attacks also carried high fatality risk (odds ratio = 8.41). Attacks clustered in winter and near settlements, with a marginal but significant annual increase of 3.97 incidents per year. The findings underscore the need for targeted mitigation strategies to reduce human-wildlife conflict, particularly involving high-risk species like elephants and tigers.

Kandel, S., Silwal, T., Yadav, S. K., & Dhakal, S. (2023). Temporal and spatial pattern of wildlife attacks on human in Chitwan National Park, Nepal. Nepalese Journal of Zoology, 7(1), 7–13. https://doi.org/10.3126/njz.v7i1.56305