Livestock sheds guard Upper Mustang animals

By Hari Krishna Sharma,Muktinath (Mustang), July 20: Traditional livestock sheds in Upper Mustang continue to suffer heavy losses from wildlife attacks, prompting conservation authorities and local governments to promote improved animal shelters to better protect livestock.

Khazab Gyatso Gurung of Chunjub of Lomanthang Rural Municipality-4 lost all 25 of his chyangra (Himalayan mountain goats) after a snow leopard entered his traditional shed by climbing over its fenced wall. 

Several injured goats later died during treatment. He received Rs. 219,500 in compensation from the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP).

Similarly, in the fiscal year 2023/24, farmer Mingma Gurung of Dhakmar of Lo-Ghekar Damodarkunda Rural Municipality-2, received Rs. 1.085 million in compensation from the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, ACAP and the rural municipality after 77 chyangra kept in a single shed were killed in a snow leopard attack.

Sheep and chyangra kept in traditional sheds in Upper Mustang are regularly targeted by snow leopards and wolves. During the fiscal year 2025/26, the ACAP Area Conservation Office in Lomanthang distributed Rs. 1.36 million in compensation to 35 farmers whose 69 livestock were killed in attacks by wild animals.

According to the office, wildlife has damaged livestock in most of the nearly 100 traditional sheds across the rural municipality. 

Angyal Gurung, a chyangra farmer from Chhoser, Ward No. 1 of Lomanthang Rural Municipality, said traditional sheds offered little protection because predators could easily enter them. “Only the improved sheds are safe. Snow leopards can wipe out all the goats kept in the old village sheds in a single attack,” he said.

Umesh Poudel, chief of the ACAP Area Conservation Office in Lomanthang, said improved sheds use modern construction techniques, including chain-link fencing, preventing snow leopards and wolves from entering.

“So far, most livestock losses have occurred in old sheds built using traditional methods. We have not recorded any losses from sheds built according to the approved standards,” Poudel said.

He added that ACAP had distributed nearly Rs. 6 million in compensation over the past three fiscal years, with almost all affected livestock having been kept in traditional sheds.

To control livestock losses, ACAP has been supporting habitat improvement for wild prey species in grazing areas, better pasture management and the construction of predator-resistant livestock sheds through grant assistance.

In Lomanthang and Lo-Ghekar Damodarkunda rural municipalities, ACAP, local governments and farmers have begun constructing improved sheds in accordance with the prescribed standards.

Last fiscal year, the ACAP Area Conservation Office built a community livestock shed in Chhoser of Lomanthang Rural Municipality-1, at a cost of around Rs. 600,000. The facility is shared by local farmers on a rotational basis.

According to ACAP, following repeated wildlife attacks on livestock, improved sheds have been constructed in the Chhoser area, which borders China's Tibet Autonomous Region. Each shed costs between Rs. 400,000 and Rs. 1 million.

Every year, ACAP also constructs community livestock sheds in Baragung Muktichhetra Rural Municipality-3 (Chhusang), Lomanthang and Lo-Ghekar Damodarkunda rural municipalities, all of which border Tibet.

Local governments have also been supporting farmers by providing corrugated roofing sheets and other construction materials for building improved livestock sheds.