Claws in the Capital: Human-Leopard Conflict Hotspots and Community Perceptions in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

In areas where forests and human-dominated landscapes intersect, humans and wildlife compete or collide in their efforts to utilize natural resources. The Kathmandu Valley hosts a suitable habitat for several wildlife species, including the leopard (Panthera pardus), which inhabits the surrounding forest patches. Over the past few years, there has been an increase in human-leopard interactions that have raised concern for the increase in human-leopard conflicts. To better understand and visualize the conflict within the valley, this study modeled human-leopard conflict using leopard conflict data and environmental variables influencing those conflicts. A human-leopard conflict hotspot map was generated using the MaxEnt modeling approach, identifying the high-risk zones primarily near forest edges and expanding settlements. The analysis highlights key factors, such as canopy cover, the human influence index, slope, and proximity to water bodies, influencing human-leopard conflict. Additionally, ordinal logistic regression was used to understand people's attitudes towards leopards, which remained largely positive despite rising conflicts between humans and leopards. The results showed an encouraging sign for governmental bodies seeking to mitigate conflicts through targeted, individual-level awareness programs in the near future.