WWF on the Ground in Nepal - Threats

A country with a rich heritage and serious problems

The plains of the Terai have seen an immense change during the past 50 years. Today, the area faces many challenges affecting people and wildlife alike: deforestation, poaching, pollution of rivers and, on the political front, armed conflicts because of insurgency.

Protected by mosquitoes until the 1950s!
Terai was infested with malaria until the 1950s and very few settlers were able to live in the region. The sparse human population consisted of indigenous people, like the Tharu, who were resistant to malaria. They cultivated their land in small patches in a sustainable way.

Things changed when mosquitoes were largely eradicated in the Terai with the heavy use of DDT. Many migrants from the northern hills have since settled in the fertile plains as the population of Terai has more than doubled in the last 30 years.

Large areas of jungle and grassland have been turned into fields to meet the needs of the growing population.