Four people have been killed in leopard attacks in Bardiya since mid-July, underscoring the growing dangers for communities living near the forest. The latest victim, Dinesh Tharu of ward 10 in Barbardiya Municipality, was killed by a leopard on Wednesday afternoon.

Earlier incidents include the death of Gopi Tharuni on November 28 while cutting grass in ward 11. On August 15, Jagat Rani Tharu was killed in ward 12 of Gulariya Municipality, and Kabita Muktan, also of ward 12, died on September 14 after a leopard attack, according to Gopal Chaudhary, senior officer at the Bardiya Division Forest Office.

During the same period, seven people were injured in leopard attacks, and one person was injured in a tiger attack.

Fear of such attacks has kept locals away from forests, affecting farming and fodder collection. “We are too scared to go into the forest to cut grass or tend to fields because leopards can attack anytime,” said Radhe Shyam Tharu of ward 4 in Barbardiya Municipality.

The forest office has captured two leopards this fiscal year, but without proper enclosures, the animals were released into Bardiya National Park, said Sarojmani Paudel, senior conservation officer. “Problematic leopards often return to nearby settlements, increasing risks for residents,” he added.

Officials said managing captured leopards is difficult due to limited infrastructure and budget constraints. Vijayraj Subedi, head of the district forest office, said the park is often reluctant to take in captured leopards. Paudel said that while leopards are routinely sent to the park, the lack of proper enclosures remains a serious issue.

Forest authorities said resources are available for managing problematic tigers but not for leopards, and they called on the government to establish enclosures and allocate budgets for leopard management.

Ajit Tumbahamphe, head of the Bardiya Conservation Programme under the National Trust for Nature Conservation, said public awareness campaigns in community forests could reduce human-leopard conflicts. “Tiger attacks around Bardiya National Park have declined due to increased awareness,” he said. However, he added, there is no accurate data on the leopard population in Bardiya, making planning for both safety and conservation challenging.