Human-wildlife conflict remains a growing concern in most parts of the country. Although the government and donor agencies are implementing projects to mitigate human-wildlife conflict, the issue has never been resolved completely. So, the World Wildlife Fund, WWF office in Bhutan is collaborating with the government on a strategy to provide a holistic approach on how to address and manage human-wildlife conflict. The strategy is expected to be launched soon.
According to the WWF, human-wildlife conflict is a critical issue at the heart of its conservation efforts.
The country director of WWF Bhutan said that the organisation is providing both physical and non-physical support to the government’s advocacy.
This includes implementing electric fencing initiatives and other measures while also building community capacity to cope with human-wildlife interactions.
However, he added that current solutions focus primarily on conflict resolution and do not fully address the comprehensive needs of affected communities.
To tackle this, the WWF is collaborating with the Department of Forest and Park Services on an upcoming Conflict to Coexistence strategy, which aims for a holistic approach to manage human-wildlife conflicts while addressing the socio-economic challenges faced by farmers.
Chimi Rinzin, the Country Director of World Wildlife Fund Bhutan said “We are going to work with the government on the aspects which have not been explored quite well in Bhutan. We have ecotourism, bird watching, fishing, and high-end fishing. But there is a full spectrum of other wildlife tourism opportunities which Bhutan has never explored. Wildlife tourism globally is valued at more than 100 billion. In addition, I think it generates direct or indirect benefits to communities through supply chain management, and that amounts to 300 plus billion.”
According to the WWF Bhutan annual report, the organisation’s initiatives have benefitted over 5,000 people in the southwestern parts of the country, engaging more than 3,000 youths in conservation advocacy programmes.
Devika Pradhan
Edited by Tshering Zam
