Living in floodplains: Livelihoods and vulnerability - Madhuban Tigerscape

Mainstream conservation efforts often undermine the knowledge and culture of marginalized communities, as seen with the Sonaha, an Indigenous fishing community in Nepal. Spread across Bardiya, Kailali, and Kanchanpur districts, the Sonaha live along the Geruwa River bordering Bardiya National Park. Historically semi-nomadic, they relied on fishing and gold mining, but their way of life has been disrupted since their territory became a royal hunting reserve in 1969 and later a national park. This led to the criminalization of their livelihoods and displacement. In 2008, the park issued restricted fishing permits after community pressure, but these were revoked when two Sonaha were wrongfully accused of poaching. Conservationists argue for fishing bans to protect endangered species like the Gangetic river dolphins, despite evidence that the real threats are water level changes and dam constructions. The Sonaha's traditional knowledge is often dismissed by conservation policies dominated by "expert" knowledge. They are not recognized as an Indigenous group in official lists, denying them certain rights and benefits. Today, they face harassment, poverty, and loss of cultural identity, struggling to maintain their way of life against modern conservation and development pressures.