Crop raiding and conflict: Study of Rhesus macaque-human conflict in Shivapuri-Nagarjun National Park, Kathmandu Nepal

Abstract

Crop raiding is one of the causes of conflict with Rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) mainly associated with farmers. Crop raiding depends on many factors such as season, spatial and temporal distribution of wild food resources, crop varieties, and distance from the forest. The objectives of this study was to compare the level of conflict and the attitudes of the respondents in two villages with high (Goldhunga) and low (Jhor Mahankal) crop raiding pattern. Three hypotheses were tested. First, the more crop raiding in Goldhunga area creates more negative attitudes towards the Rhesus macaques, second with the increase in distance from National Park boundary there is a decrease in crop raiding pattern, third, Rhesus macaques raid each crop equally. Results supported the first hypothesis but the last two hypotheses were not supported. Maize (Zea mays) was the most raided crops in both areas while the crops such as Turmeric (Curcuma longa), Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia), Chili (Capsicum annum), Ginger (Zingiber officinale ) and Mustard (Brassica nigra) were least raided. The difference in level of crop raiding in the two study areas was due to more human activity and disturbance in Goldhunga area. Crop raiding is the foraging strategy of Rhesus macaques with small costs and great benefits. Rhesus macaques are clever at selecting sites where they can get more food. Rhesus macaques are pest species and persecuted by farmers in Nepal so they need fair management by the Government. Keywords : Crop raiding, Rhesus macaques, Attitudes, Shivapuri-Nagarjun National Park