Sarlahi, Nepal - The appearance of two wild elephants in Sakhuwamauja of Haripur Municipality-2, Sarlahi, over the past two days has left local residents living in fear after the animals damaged crops, orchards, and community infrastructure.
According to local residents, the elephants destroyed a paddy nursery belonging to farmer Lok Bahadur Karki, which had been prepared for the ongoing rice transplantation season. The animals also damaged mango trees in the orchard of local farmer Gopal Mishra.
Residents reported that the elephants caused further destruction in the Nilkamal Community Forest, damaging a hand pump and other structures while trampling crops in nearby farmland. Local resident Dhruva Prasad Prasai said the incident has intensified concerns among farmers who are currently occupied with rice planting and other seasonal agricultural activities.
The affected area borders the forest managed under the Sagarnath Forest Development Project, where wild elephant movements have become a recurring challenge. Local communities say elephants frequently enter settlements from nearby forests, causing significant losses to crops and creating constant fear among residents.
Farmers have expressed concern that travelling during the evening, early morning, and nighttime has become increasingly risky due to the presence of the elephants. Similar incidents of wild elephant movement have been reported in several parts of Sarlahi, including Janakinagar, Ghurkauli, Murtiya, Raniganj, Sagarnath, Shrinagar, Harkathwa, and Bhaktipur.
Santosh Kumar Jha, Chief of the Divisional Forest Office, Sarlahi, said the elephants continue to return because the area lies along their traditional movement corridor and natural habitat. According to him, the animals typically remain in the area for a period before moving back toward Parsa National Park.
Despite repeated crop losses and property damage caused by wild elephants, local residents have complained that they have yet to receive compensation or adequate assistance from the concerned authorities to manage or drive the animals away. The incident highlights the continuing challenge of balancing wildlife conservation with the protection of rural livelihoods in Nepal's forest-edge communities.
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