Youth for Human-Wildlife Coexistence

New partnerships including WildTiger collaborations with the Jane Goodall Institute (Nepal) and other organizations to be announced mean fresh thinking and dynamic approaches going forward. Human-wildlife coexistence has never been at a more crucial and important stage so the initiative of the Youth for Human-Wildlife Coexistence (YHWC) is an example of where we are headed in our action. The YHWC is using film as the medium for change, some of the personnel involved are below with others to be added as we progress.

Chitra hails from Bardiya in west Nepal and is currently a first year student at the Institute of Forestry in Pokhara, central/west Nepal. Chitra, like Nana (below), understands the challenges and complexities of human-wildlife conflict first hand, Bardiya District witnesses human fatalities after encounters with leopard, tiger, elephant and rhino as well as the issues around crop raiding, livestock depredation and retaliation against wildlife. Bardiya is a hotspot for such incidents and this brings the seriousness of the situation in Chitra’s thinking as she looks to play her part in providing solutions.

Nana, seen here with part of a group of children who took part in a program we organized for International Leopard Day, is one of the new wave of youth taking responsibility to ensure that coexistence strategies are being constantly worked on to ensure the safety and well being of both people and wildlife. Based at Bardiya National Park in west Nepal, Nana is one of the young people who will be profiled throughout this year as the YHWC network gains traction.

Summit Gurung lives in the mid mountain district of Tanahun in Nepal. The district has seen fifteen children killed by leopards in just over half a decade and unknown number of leopards killed in retaliation although combined with government sanctioned shoot to kill orders and relocation of leopards to national parks, the figure is thought to be between forty and sixty during the same time period as the human fatalities. Summit lives with his family in a highly affected area, he understands the feelings of his community as they struggle in their coexistence with leopards.

In the image above Summit tends to an early warning system device which is part of LeopardEye. Technology, alternative livelihoods are education/awareness are part of the safety strategies in this area of Tanahun and in 2025 will see further developments to reduce conflict including input from YHWC.

This page will be updated in mid April 2025 to combine with Education initiatives.