Wildlife victims in Mustang are still waiting for compensation for livestock losses, even two years after submitting application recommendation letters to the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) office. Despite completing the required process, many farmers have yet to receive any relief. The ongoing human-wildlife conflict, particularly with snow leopards, is putting Mustang’s traditional livestock farming under serious threat. Farmers say the main challenge is finding a balance between conserving wildlife and sustaining their livelihoods.
While the government does provide compensation for wildlife-related livestock damage through designated agencies, the process is lengthy and burdensome. Farmers have voiced frustration over the delay in receiving relief payments.
Sakendra Gauchan, a farmer from Thasang-2, Naurikot, said he has not received compensation for two goat kids lost in fiscal year 2023/24. “It would have been better if we could get compensation shortly after the incident,” he said. Likewise, Purna Bahadur Nepali from Gharapjhong-4, Jomsom, reported that he has been waiting for over two years for compensation despite submitting all necessary documents to the ACAP office.
It has emerged that most livestock farmers in Mustang have not received any compensation for damages caused by wild animals over the past two fiscal years. The ACAP Mustang office acknowledged that while all damage reports have been forwarded to the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation for approval, the government has not yet released the corresponding funds.
In total, 280 livestock from 76 households were reported as damaged by wild animals in fiscal years 2023/24 and 2024/25. Of these, 119 livestock from 39 households were reported under the Jomsom office and 161 from 37 households under the Lomanthang office.
According to Rajesh Gupta, Chief of the ACAP Jomsom Office, 56 livestock from 27 households were lost to wildlife in 2023/24, and 63 from 12 households in 2024/25. This year alone, households in Jomsom (six), Muktinath (one), Kobang (one), Kunjo (one), Marpha (one), and Kagbeni (two) have suffered livestock losses. A total of 54 yaks, eight buffaloes, and one horse were killed. Gupta added that in the previous fiscal year, 30 yaks, two horses, 19 more yaks, and five chickens were also lost to wildlife attacks across 27 households in Kobang, Marpha, Muktinath, and Kagbeni.
The Jomsom office did distribute Rs 550,000 to 12 households last year for 31 livestock losses incurred in fiscal year 2022/23. However, no funds have been received for claims filed for the last two fiscal years. Similarly, in the Lomanthang area, no compensation has been provided for two consecutive fiscal years. Umesh Poudel, Chief of the ACAP Lomanthang Office, confirmed that 27 households had submitted relief applications for livestock damages in 2023/24.
