Landscape predictors of human elephant conflicts in Chure Terai Madhesh Landscape of Nepal

• Human elephant conflict (HEC) is increasing across Nepal. • HEC differed significantly between ethnic groups, types of houses, and family size. • Landscape predictors are major determinants of HEC. • HEC is higher in the areas with fragmented forests and vicinity of protected areas. • HEC probability is higher in certain areas - Jhapa, Koshi, Chitwan-Parsa and Bardiya. Human elephant conflict (HEC) is rapidly increasing throughout the Asian elephant range countries including Nepal. HEC occurs in the form of human deaths and injuries, and crop as well as property losses. We compiled 10,798 incidents of HEC including attacks on humans, crop and property losses caused by elephants in the Chure Terai Madhesh Landscape, Nepal, between January 2001 and June 2020. We interviewed 10.3% of the total households affected by HEC using structured questionnaire. We used multivariate analysis to identify landscape predictors associated with HEC. The intensity of HEC was high in the areas with higher forest fragmentation, vicinity to forests, protected areas, and larger coverage of seasonal surface water. Landscape heterogeneity, effective mesh size and altitude also contributed in HEC. Socio-economically marginalized communities living close to forests are more vulnerable to HEC. The spatial risk map of HEC identified Jhapa and Koshi in the eastern region; Parsa and Chitwan in the central region, Bardiya and Kanchanpur in the western region as HEC hotspots. Restoration of forests and corridor functionality in these hotspots could reduce HEC. The comprehensive understanding of HEC from this study provides important insights to devise strategies and actions for mitigating the HEC at the landscape level.