Ecological and Social Dimensions of Human--Bear Coexistence in Nepal's Gaurishankar Conservation Area

The increasing incidents of human-black bear interactions in the Nepal Himalayas threaten both livelihood and bear safety. Understanding human-black bear coexistence has become increasingly important due to rising conflicts driven by habitat overlap, negative perceptions, and habitat degradation. Given the limited studies on the Asiatic Black bear in the country, particularly in the Gaurishankar Conservation Area, our research provides essential insights into its distribution, conflict patterns, and community perceptions. This study assessed the habitat suitability of Asiatic black bears, human-black bear coexistence in the Gaurishankar Conservation Area, Nepal, through integrated ecological modelling and social analysis. Species presence data (n = 172) were collected between September and December 2023 and analysed using the MaxEnt algorithm on the Wallace platform to map habitat suitability. Additionally, 188 households were surveyed to assess the nature of conflicts and local perceptions toward black bears. The MaxEnt model performed well (AUC = 0.83 training; 0.73 validation), identifying 805.9 km² (35.4%) as suitable habitat, primarily between 1,000–3,000 m elevation. Habitat suitability was positively associated with forest diversity, precipitation during the driest quarter, and moderate human presence but declined sharply with increasing elevation and road density. Among the survey respondents (n=188), 86% indicated that human-bear conflict was increasing. Ordered logistic regression of perception data revealed that gender, ethnicity, elevation, and perceptions of ecological value and threats significantly influenced attitudes toward black bears (Pseudo R² = 0.56). Indigenous and female respondents, often living near forest edges, reported higher conflict levels, while those recognising the ecological importance of black bears expressed more tolerance. The study underscores that black bear conservation in Nepal requires both ecological and social interventions. Habitat conservation, coupled with community-based awareness, livelihood support, and conflict mitigation programs, is essential to foster long-term coexistence.