Mustang, Mar 2: The growing conflict between snow leopards and humans in Upper Mustang in recent days is putting the region’s centuries-old livestock farming tradition at risk. The increasing attacks by snow leopards on local livestock have threatened the livelihoods of farmers in the area.
There is no exact data on the snow leopard population in the district. However, the predators frequently attack grazing areas, herding grounds, and even livestock shelters, causing significant losses. The Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP), which manages Upper Mustang, has reported that climate change is shrinking pastures in the high Himalayan regions. This has forced blue sheep—the primary prey of snow leopards—to descend into lower altitudes in search of food, inadvertently bringing snow leopards closer to human settlements. Experts have differing opinions on why snow leopards are now appearing near roads and villages more frequently.
In the past two years, snow leopards have been spotted near roads and settlements in Upper Mustang. Last year, two snow leopards were seen near Kagbeni village, raising concerns among local herders about the safety of their livestock, including horses, mules, yaks, and sheep.
Two years ago, in Dhakmar, Lho Ghekar Damodarkunda-2, a farmer named Mingmar Gurung lost 79 goats when four snow leopards entered his fenced enclosure. Similarly, in the first week of February this year, four of Navin Kumar Gurung’s 33 goats were killed in Waragung Muktikshetra-3. Many other farmers in Lhomanthang, Lho Ghekar Damodarkunda, Waragung Muktikshetra, Gharpajhong, and Thasang have suffered similar losses due to attacks by snow leopards and other wild animals.
According to Umesh Paudel, head of the ACAP office in Lho Manthang, snow leopards have killed 13 livestock in the past ten months, including three horses, six goats, and four yaks. Last year, the total number of livestock losses due to snow leopards in Lho Manthang and Lho Ghekar Damodarkunda rural municipalities reached 180, including 154 goats, 14 horses, and 12 sheep. In the fiscal year 2079/80 BS, 13 households across Mustang’s five municipalities lost a total of 65 livestock to snow leopard attacks.
Livestock farming in Mustang is not just an economic activity but is deeply intertwined with the region’s Himalayan culture. Farmers mainly rear yaks, horses, and sheep. ACAP provides compensation for losses caused by wild animals, but many affected farmers do not report their losses or claim compensation. This makes it difficult to collect accurate data on snow leopard attacks.
“We encourage the community to report cases of wildlife damage. We have conservation area management committees and police units to assist in the process,” said ACAP Lo Manthang Chief Poudel. “We deploy staff to document the cases, complete the necessary paperwork, and facilitate compensation distribution.” He added that funds for compensation would soon be disbursed to affected communities.
While ACAP’s Lho Manthang office has not provided compensation to wildlife-affected farmers in Upper Mustang for the past two years, the ACAP office in Jomsom has been consistently distributing relief funds. Compensation is determined based on damage assessments conducted in the presence of ACAP officials, police, conservation committee representatives, and veterinary experts.
To streamline the compensation process, ACAP has implemented the Wildlife Damage Compensation Directive 2080 BS, under the authority of the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 2029 BS. The new directive aims to make relief distribution more efficient and accessible for affected livestock farmers. #ACAP #nepal #leopard
