Tiger Attacks!

In the more Northern districts of Nepal, the winds stay chilly as they bounce off the mountain bowls and scatter through the valleys. Even though a majority of snow is built up on the hilly peaks of the landscapes, villages who find home in the valleys still have to fight off the cold.

Keeping Warm

Over the years there have been different methods used to keep from freezing during the long winter season in Northern Nepal. As it is often too cold to grow anything during these three months, or even go outside, the only jobs assigned are typically just to keep warm and wait until the growing season starts again. Gas is often used through the summer, however, the cost of the pricey import proves too much for most. Due to this, wooded jungles between mountain peaks become very important for survival. Jungle wood is collected to burn, not only for the heating of houses, but also to cook food and boil water.

Actually, the jungle proves even a greater purpose than just keeping the locals warm. Many villages send their animals out during the winter months so they can pursue their own warmth. The cost to heat animal barns is much too high for many to afford. From cows to horses, bulls to oxen; every animal parades back to their owners in the warmer months for food. Some villages label their animals, while some just let the animals remember who their original owner is. This 500-year-old tradition has yet to cause disputes between any owner as they say, “Animals are smarter than we give them credit for.”

More than Just Cows Trying to Survive

Visiting the beautiful village of Thini in Upper Mustang, we learned a bit more about this type of farming. Implying every animal parades back in the spring is actually a little off base. Just because the jungle provides warmth, does not mean it provides safety. There are also predators lurking in the area.

In Thini and similar villages, Tiger attacks are the main cause of animal loss, not the winter cold. About 3 horses go “missing” (are eaten) every winter season in the jungle. That means about 3 unlucky farmers lose most of their worth and investment every single winter. The smaller animals fortunate enough to stay closer to the village, only remain fortunate as long as food is available to these tigers in their own territory. If the cats are hungry enough, it is not abnormal for them to leave their jungle abode and attack the closest villages for the remaining meat.

One would assume that after living in the same area for generations, there would be better strategies to fight off the predators. This is where it gets tricky. Most of Lower and Upper Mustang lies in the Anna Purna Conservation area. Animals, plants, rocks and anything else that finds home in the diversified terrain is strictly protected. Just as a trekker cannot take home a monkey or kill a fish for dinner, the locals are regulated by the same rules. This means tigers cannot be killed even if they are attacking the villages. After all, no one wants to spend time in a Nepali prison.

The Solution Is??

So every winter the same cycle continues. The wooded area provides warmth for the houses as the farm animals find survival the same way. The tigers typically mind their own business in their dominated realm. They eat the food provided to them. The farmers take back the animals who survive, and those that lose their living, do what they can to recover. Sometimes the only strategy is to hope and pray for a smaller loss the following winter when the icy winds rattle through the valley once again.