The population of wild animals—particularly wild boars and Rhesus monkeys—has gradually increased in Bijulikot Community Forest, and has become a source of menace for the residents of Bijuli, Raspurkot, Pakala, Baraula and Dangbang areas in the eastern part of Pyuthan for the last four years.

The animals have been destroying fields, causing financial loss to locals. Yet, concerned stakeholders have remained silent spectators, locals say. Yanka Bahadur Rayamajhi, a local of Madai, said that they have been adopting various measures to keep the wild boars and monkeys from their fields, but to no avail. “Wild boars and monkeys have destroyed our ready-to-harvest corn, whereas hares and ghorals have been destroying our wheat and peas crops,” said Rayamajhi, adding that they have started to leave their land barren due to the wild animals.

Most of the farmers have constructed fence-like structures to stop wild animals from entering their farmlands. “Even this method has not worked here. We don’t know what to do now,” Rayamajhi said.

A majority of farmers in Baireni, Madai, Chitipani, Chiurapani and Hattipaila of Bijuli have been affected due to the menace of wild boars. Parbata Rayamajhi, a Chiurapani local, said there were few wild boars in the forest some four years ago. She said, “Now, there are herds of wild boars in the forest. We have been facing difficulties to collect fodder and firewood from the forests due to wild boars.”

Farmers, who used to grow vegetables in commercial quantity in the past, said they have no other option than to leave their farmlands barren. Kamala KC, a local of Bijuli, said that they have frequented the rural municipal office regarding their problems. “But none of the officials paid heed to our day to day problem,” said KC, adding that they have no other option than to shift their settlement.

Nabil Bikram Shah, chairman of Airawati Rural Municipality, said that the rural municipal office has been receiving complaints of farmers on a daily basis. He said, “Wild boars and monkeys have been troubling the villagers for a long time. But we cannot do anything to control them due to lack of human resources.”

According to him, the rural municipal office has also notified the Division Forest Office about the problem. Hari Paudel, a ranger of the Division Forest Office, wild animals cannot be killed or captured. “But we have a provision to compensate farmers if their crops or vegetables are damaged by wild animals. We will inspect the areas and evaluate the destructions made by the animals to compensate farmers.”

Shah said most of the settlements lie between forest areas. “This is the main reason why wild animals enter farmlands frequently,” said Shah.