Determining Spatial Patterns of Human-Tiger and Human-Leopard Conflict across South Asia through A Multi-Scale Regional Approach
- 1Think Wildlife
Abstract
Over the past two decades, significant population recoveries of tigers and leopards have driven a substantial rise in human-carnivore conflict across South Asia. Sustaining the long-term conservation of both species demands effective, adaptive conflict management. However, existing research is largely confined to isolated landscapes or protected areas, hindering the identification of spatial conflict drivers across broader, heterogeneous regions. To address this gap, this study compiled 4,457 human leopard conflict (HLC) and 2,563 human tiger conflict (HTC) records spanning 2000 to 2024 across Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal. We evaluated conflict locations against 33 landscape, anthropogenic, climatic, topographic, and hydrological predictors across three spatial scales using binomial generalized linear regression models and three alternative background sampling methods. Model performance peaked at the largest spatial scale for both species and remained consistent across sampling strategies. HTC correlated positively with forest fragmentation and proximity to human settlements, but decreased with higher overall anthropogenic disturbance. Conversely, HLC concentrated in highly productive, high-precipitation, human-modified landscapes. These contrasting spatial patterns highlight distinct ecological responses to habitat modification and carry unique conservation implications. Ultimately, this study underscores the need to integrate carnivore abundance, wild prey densities, and socioeconomic factors to achieve a holistic understanding of conflict dynamics.
Related
- Spatial and temporal patterns of human-elephant conflict and compensation in Nagaon District, Assam, India
- Mapping spatial colleague connectivity patterns from individual-level registry data to inform regional pandemic interventions
- Offensive unpredictability and defensive tracking in intergroup conflict show sex-differentiated patterns
- Determining cellular phylogeny and migration at high resolution in spatial genomics
- Modeling resource conflict and inequality in fragile systems: A spatial agent-based framework with a Uganda case study
BibTeX
@misc{banerjee2026determining,
title = {{Determining Spatial Patterns of Human-Tiger and Human-Leopard Conflict across South Asia through A Multi-Scale Regional Approach}},
author = {A. Banerjee},
howpublished = {bioRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.64898/2026.09.26.754692},
url = {https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.26.754692v1},
note = {CC BY-ND},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Determining Spatial Patterns of Human-Tiger and Human-Leopard Conflict across South Asia through A Multi-Scale Regional Approach
AU - A. Banerjee
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/26
PB - bioRxiv
DO - 10.64898/2026.09.26.754692
UR - https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.26.754692v1
AB - Over the past two decades, significant population recoveries of tigers and leopards have driven a substantial rise in human-carnivore conflict across South Asia. Sustaining the long-term conservation of both species demands effective, adaptive conflict management. However, existing research is largely confined to isolated landscapes or protected areas, hindering the identification of spatial conflict drivers across broader, heterogeneous regions. To address this gap, this study compiled 4,457 human leopard conflict (HLC) and 2,563 human tiger conflict (HTC) records spanning 2000 to 2024 across Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal. We evaluated conflict locations against 33 landscape, anthropogenic, climatic, topographic, and hydrological predictors across three spatial scales using binomial generalized linear regression models and three alternative background sampling methods. Model performance peaked at the largest spatial scale for both species and remained consistent across sampling strategies. HTC correlated positively with forest fragmentation and proximity to human settlements, but decreased with higher overall anthropogenic disturbance. Conversely, HLC concentrated in highly productive, high-precipitation, human-modified landscapes. These contrasting spatial patterns highlight distinct ecological responses to habitat modification and carry unique conservation implications. Ultimately, this study underscores the need to integrate carnivore abundance, wild prey densities, and socioeconomic factors to achieve a holistic understanding of conflict dynamics.
ER -