Communities bordering Nepal's Chitwan National Park are contending with repeated appearances of dangerous snakes in their homes and yards, a trend that is worrying residents across the buffer zone, according to The Kathmandu Post.
The animals being spotted are king cobras and cobras — both highly venomous species — turning up in areas where human settlement and wildlife habitat increasingly overlap.
What's happening?
Park teams were called to houses and residential compounds across the buffer zone during fiscal year 2025-26 and removed five king cobras and 17 cobras.
The pattern was especially clear on June 1 and June 2.
A king cobra was reported on June 1 inside a house in Barauli, Ward 17 of Kawasoti Municipality in Nawalparasi East (later released in a forest near Kasara), and on June 2 in Kawasoti's Ward 10.
Dev Prasad Pandey, a snake expert whom the Post said completed PhD research in Germany on venomous snakes, warned that delays in care can make king cobra bites fatal.
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"There have not been many confirmed human deaths from king cobra bites in Nepal, partly because they often do not release all their venom," he told the Post.
"But the presence of king cobras and cobras in villages is a serious concern because these snakes are highly venomous and are easily noticed by people rather than hiding from them."
The Post cited park records that break down the five king cobra rescues as two in Kawasoti, two in Meghauli in Chitwan, and one in Madi.
Why does it matter?
For people living nearby, the threat is immediate.
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Pandey told the Post that cobra bites can become deadly if treatment starts more than three to four hours after the bite, making fast medical care especially important in rural communities.
The sightings also hint at a larger problem: wildlife and people coming into closer proximity more often as animal habitats are disrupted or reduced.
With villages spread along the park's buffer zone, Pandey said forest fires and monsoon flooding can force snakes out of forests and into nearby settlements.
A large venomous snake in a yard can cause panic, put children at risk, and leave residents relying on volunteer rescuers because a fully developed response system is not yet in place.
Because these snakes are protected wildlife, responders also have to keep people safe without harming the animals.
What's being done?
Abinash Thapa Magar, Chitwan National Park's information officer, said calls about snakes and pythons in settlements are answered by staff at the Gharial Conservation Centre, with support from trained volunteers from buffer zone forest user committees.
The park says it also plans to expand its rescue work with technical support from ranger Yam Raut, a snake specialist.
"Rescue work requires training and proper equipment. We have not had a dedicated program until now, but we plan to develop one," Thapa Magar said.
Volunteers are also helping cover some of the gaps.
Manesh Limbu, whom the Post identified as a professional nature guide from Meghauli, said he has spent 15 years rescuing snakes from villages and bought his own rescue gear.
"Even when I rescue king cobras or cobras, I do it entirely on a voluntary basis," he said.
Experts say improving the situation will require stronger awareness, more scientific rescue protocols, faster treatment for snakebite victims, and closer coordination among park authorities, local governments, and communities.
"When people see such a huge snake inside their yard, they panic. The relief on their faces after the rescue is the biggest reward," Limbu said.
"People are doing rescue work with good intentions, but it needs to become more scientific," Pandey added.
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