By Siraj Khan
Nepalgunj, Feb. 28: Conservationists have demanded to expand the Banke National Park (BaNP) area for the conservation of tigers as man-eaters started entering human settlements.
They have pointed out the need to expand the park to protect humans from tigers and end the wildlife-human conflict.

Chairperson of Kohalpur Intermediate Zone Sabitra Pun said that at least 32 tigers are inhabiting in BNP and added that it was necessary to expand the park now as the number of tigers has increased.
She said that if the expansion of the park was not done on time, the number of human-wildlife conflicts would increase. Due to the scarcity of water resources in the park, the conflict between wildlife and humans has increased when animals go out to drink water.

Harka Bahadur Bista, chairman of the Raptisonari Intermediate Zone Consumer Committee, said that immediate attention should be paid to the expansion of the park area along with the increase in the number of tigers.

“People in the buffer zone are living with the fear of tigers. They live in constant fear that tiger will enter the settlement at any time, and they eat loose quadrupeds, so the expansion of the park should not be delayed,” he said.

According to Bista, it is necessary to pay attention to the proper management of the Rapti River as the water resources inside the park are drying up.
Chairman of Raptisonari Rural Municipality Lahuram Tharu also said that the danger to human beings is increasing as there are more tigers than the BaNP can sustain.

The Chief Conservation Officer of BaNP, Shyam Kumar Sah, said the need for expansion of the park has increased with the rise in the number of tigers.
There is a need to study where to expand and how much? Tiger victims have also demanded that the government take immediate action.