Human–elephant conflict is one of the main
threats to the long-term survival of the Asian elephant
Elephas maximus. We studied the nature and extent of
human–elephant interactions in the buffer zones of
Chitwan National Park and Parsa Wildlife Reserve in
Nepal, through household questionnaire surveys, key informant
interviews, site observations, and analysis of the reported
cases of damage during January –December
. During this -year period  incidents of damage
by elephants were reported, with a high concentration of incidents
in a few locations. Property damage (%) was the
most common type of damage reported. Crop damage was
reported less often but household surveys revealed it to be
the most frequent form of conflict. There were also
human casualties, including  deaths and four serious injuries.
More than % of the human casualties occurred
during –. More than two thirds of the respondents
(%) perceived that human–elephant conflict had increased
substantially during the previous  years. Despite
the increase in incidents of human–elephant conflict in
the area, % of respondents had positive attitudes towards
elephant conservation. Our findings suggest that public
awareness and compensation for losses could reduce conflict
and contribute to ensuring coexistence of people and
elephants in this human-dominated landscape.