The government has compensated 104 affected farmers after culling more than 835,000 birds, while officials say fresh claims could require another Rs100 million.

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• Bird flu hits 162 poultry farms; Rs507 million paid in compensation

Prakriti Dahal

Published at : July 23, 2026

Updated at : July 23, 2026 11:25

Kathmandu

Bird flu outbreaks have affected 162 poultry farms across Nepal over the past four months, with the government distributing more than Rs507 million in compensation to affected farmers, according to the Department of Livestock Services.

The department said compensation totalling Rs507.1 million has been deposited into the bank accounts of 104 affected farmers and poultry farms.

Senior Veterinary Officer Mukul Upadhyay said the Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Environment allocated Rs500 million for compensation at the end of the last fiscal year, and the entire amount has already been disbursed. The department has been allocated Rs20 million for compensation during the first four months of the current fiscal year.

Upadhyay said additional claims are expected, and the department estimates it will require around Rs100 million more to meet compensation payments.

“Since mid-July, all test results have been negative,” he said. “Farmers are receiving compensation, and we expect infections to continue declining.”

He clarified that compensation is provided only for birds culled by the government as part of disease control measures, not for birds that die from the infection.

“Not every affected farm is eligible for compensation,” Upadhyay said. “In many cases, birds die before culling takes place. Compensation is paid only for birds destroyed by the government.”

According to the department, authorities culled 835,563 birds to contain the outbreaks. They also destroyed 1,225,536 eggs and 264,213 kilograms of poultry feed.

Bird flu was first confirmed in the last fiscal year 2025-26 on February 16 in Sundarharaicha-4 and Urlabari-8 of Koshi Province. By the end of the fiscal year, the disease had spread to 162 farms across 12 districts.

Bhaktapur recorded the highest number of infected farms, with 45 outbreaks. Kathmandu reported 32 affected farms, followed by Kavrepalanchok with 27, Sunsari with 23, Lalitpur with 15, Morang with 11 and Jhapa with four. Cases were also confirmed in Chitwan, Nawalparasi West, Bara and Mahottari.

The highest number of birds was culled in Sunsari, where authorities destroyed 285,531 birds. A further 135,158 birds were culled in Bhaktapur, 111,407 in Kathmandu and 104,659 in Morang.

The Kathmandu Valley and neighbouring Kavrepalanchok together accounted for 119 confirmed outbreak sites.

Under the Bird Flu Control Regulation (Fourth Amendment), 2017, owners are entitled to compensation of up to 75 percent of the assessed value of birds, poultry products and related materials destroyed under official disease control measures.

The Standards for Relief for Items Destroyed During Bird Flu Control, 2022 provide that each district forms a compensation committee chaired by the chief district officer. The committee assesses losses, determines compensation rates and authorises payments. Compensation is available only when birds and related materials are destroyed under the committee’s supervision.

Tilchandra Bhattarai, a member of the Nepal Poultry Federation, said he received around Rs100 million in compensation after authorities culled 150,000 chickens at his farm in Sunsari.

“My total losses were between Rs180 million and Rs200 million,” Bhattarai said. “The compensation arrived only recently. It will certainly provide some relief to the business.”

Although the outbreak has largely been brought under control, the Department of Livestock Services warned that the risk of further infections remains.

The department identified several major risk factors, including poultry farms located near tall trees that attract wild birds, farms situated close to wetlands, poor compliance with biosecurity standards, unrestricted movement of vehicles and visitors, and the reuse of egg crates without proper disinfection.

New population model estimates the state wolf population is 34 percent lower than previous counts. Critics argue the hunting quota is still too high.

by Nick MottJuly 22, 2026

• After lower wolf numbers Montana FWP proposes limiting wolf hunt

After half a decade of expanding opportunities to hunt and trap wolves, Montana officials are proposing a lower harvest this fall. The proposal comes after a new population model suggested state wolf numbers are significantly smaller than previously believed. 

The new figures released Friday are part of the state’s annual wolf report and estimated Montana’s wolf population to be about 725 wolves — roughly 34 percent fewer than previous estimates which placed wolf numbers at 1,094. The findings, which are yet to be peer-reviewed, also suggest the population is declining. 

In response to the revised estimate, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks proposed lowering this year’s wolf-hunting and -trapping quota from 452 last year to 250 during the upcoming season, which runs from September to March. 

“It’s a refinement of our modeling process,” said Quentin Kujala, FWP’s chief of conservation policy.

The new estimate marks a major shift in wolf management. Since the federal government removed wolves from Endangered Species Act protections in 2011, Montana has been in charge of regulating hunting and trapping seasons. In 2021, the state Legislature directed FWP to reduce the statewide wolf population. In the years since, the state has allowed aggressive new hunting and trapping methods like night hunting and neck snaring, and taken steps toward a statewide quota for wolf harvest.

None of the liberalized hunting and trapping methods made a dent in the number of wolves, according to FWP’s state population modeling through last year. Now, with a new model showing a smaller, declining wolf population, the agency says the new population estimate warrants a more conservative approach to the hunt. 

Wolves are sneaky and elusive, and notoriously difficult to count. The old model known as iPOM, or “integrated Patch Occupancy Model,” combined field monitoring, hunter observations and nuanced statistical modeling to estimate a statewide wolf population. But science is never static, Kujala says, and the state will always have to adjust how it measures the wolf population as it hones its data and techniques. 

The discrepancy between the old and the new model — dubbed iPOM 2.0 —  stems from some “under-the-hood” coding, as Kujala puts it, along with a curious discrepancy the agency noticed developing on wolf counts in the field: Not all sightings of the human-wary canid are created equal.

The state divides its wolf observations into good, moderate and poor quality. In recent years, “moderate-quality” observations began depicting noticeably smaller pack sizes than the “good-quality” counts. The previous iteration of iPOM relied only on the highest-quality observations. But in order to reflect the downward trend in on-the-ground pack-size data, the agency incorporated “moderate-quality” counts into iPOM 2.0 as well.  

“That’s not the only piece, but that’s one of the bigger pieces that then resulted in a lower predicted pack size,” Kujala said. 

Fewer wolves in a pack equates to fewer wolves in the overall population, the model suggests.

“I think FWP’s announcement about the updated population model is incredibly significant,” said Lizzy Pennock, carnivore coexistence attorney at the nonprofit environmental advocacy organization WildEarth Guardians. “And about five years later than I would like.” 

Since 2021, Pennock said, advocates and independent scientists have warned the state that iPOM could be overestimating the wolf population. The claim is part of an active lawsuit against the state still working its way through the courts. 

Hunters and trappers took a total of 247 wolves last season, the lowest number since 2016. An additional 43 wolves were killed last year by the state, federal government and landowners related to conflicts with livestock. On top of that, another eight were poached, seven died from vehicle and train collisions, and six more perished from other causes, according to the state’s new wolf report. With so much human-caused mortality, Pennock worries the new proposed quota is still too high. 

“Despite the quota they’re proposing being numerically less, proportionally it’s not,” Pennock said. “Two-hundred fifty wolves out of 725 is still a third or more of the population. This tells me that FWP is still managing wolves for the absolute bare minimum.”

Chris Morgan, president of the Montana Trappers Association, said the new model brings a lot of questions to the table. “Makes a guy wonder what changed so much to the point that now it’s drastically different,” he said.

If 725 is the most accurate population estimate, Morgan says he supports the new proposed quota. That harvest level would keep wolves above the state’s minimum population level of 450. But from the field, he adds, the state’s new estimate doesn’t line up with his own experience. Where he hunts and traps, the wolf population seems relatively stable. Ultimately, he says more “boots on the ground” FWP employees could make for improved counts overall.

“We get a bad rap all the time, people on my side,” said Morgan, pointing to the perception that wolf hunters look to kill as many wolves as possible. “No, we just want them managed appropriately. And maybe that’s killing wolves and maybe that’s not. But having the data to be able to do that is key.”

Public comment on the state’s proposal runs through August 12. The Fish and Wildlife Commission holds its annual meeting to set the upcoming wolf hunting and trapping regulations on August 19.

KYUK | By Evan Erickson

Published July 21, 2026 at 4:19 PM AKDT

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The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has announced an emergency permit hunt for Alaska residents to harvest muskoxen stranded on an island near the Nunivak Island coast. The hunt opens on July 22 and closes on Dec. 1.

The tiny island, known locally as Paamiut Island, is located less than half a mile from Nunivak Island’s southern coast and roughly 40 miles from the Kuskokwim Delta mainland.

According to the state’s emergency order, at least five muskoxen are stranded on the island. There is no source of fresh water on the island, forage is limited, and the survival of the muskoxen is unlikely.

One muskox may be harvested per person. Resident locking-tag fees are waived for the hunt.

Hunters can apply for a permit beginning at 9 a.m. on July 22 by visiting hunt.alaska.gov.

The state has provided a handful of opportunities in recent years to harvest muskoxen stranded on islands or ice floes. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game opened hunts on islands off the Nunivak coast in 2017 and 2020. In 2021, residents had the opportunity to harvest muskoxen stranded on late spring ice floes.

State opens emergency hunt for muskoxen stranded on island off Nunivak coast

• Seth Padilla
• Jul 21, 2026 Updated Jul 21, 2026
• Wisconsin offers up to $75,000 in grants to recruit new hunters and reactivate former participants | Wisconsin News | news8000.com

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LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) — Wisconsin’s hunting population is declining, and the state is taking action to reverse the trend.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is offering grants through its Hunter R3 program — standing for Recruitment, Retention, and Reactivation — to help bring new hunters into the sport and encourage experienced hunters to return. The program provides up to $75,000 in total funding, with individual awards capped at $25,000.

The money supports organizations and individuals who provide hunting education and work to eliminate obstacles that prevent new hunters from participating in the sport.

“Hunting has traditionally played a big role in how we conserve wildlife and habitat natural areas and ecosystems overall,” said Emily Iehl, hunting program specialist for the Wisconsin DNR. “There is a lot of good benefits and research out there and getting outside and getting exposed to green spaces impacts your mental and emotional health.”

The grant program has already funded several projects designed to make hunting more accessible. Previous recipients have used the money to renovate archery ranges in urban schools and establish scholastic clay target programs.

Applicants interested in pursuing funding should visit the Hunter R3 section on the Wisconsin DNR website for more information and to submit their applications. The deadline to apply is September 15, 2026.

Organizations and individuals eligible for the grants include those developing new hunting education programs, creating mentorship opportunities for beginning hunters, and addressing barriers such as access to land, equipment costs, or lack of knowledge about hunting regulations and safety.

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Hi Jim,Thank you for being a vital part of the Animal Hero community. Because you have stood up for animals in need before, we knew you would want to be the first to know about this urgent petition.    8,501SIGNED9,400NEXT GOAL SIGN THE PETITIONA wounded coyote was pulled from the brush by his tail, kicked, dragged, and stabbed – until he died.The entire attack was caught on video.According to reports, the man in the footage is hunting influencer Aron Snyder. The video appears to show him pulling the injured coyote from the brush, throwing him across the ground, chasing him as he tried to escape, kicking him, and stabbing him.This is not hunting. This is sadistic torture.An injured animal should never become someone’s sick version of “entertainment”. And now, there is a real danger that this case could fall through the cracks.Initial reports pointed to the video being captured in Wyoming. Snyder later claimed the video was filmed years earlier in Texas. That matters because Texas law is unfortunately more lenient towards torturing wild animals.If officials fail to act, it will send a dangerous message: a wild animal can be tortured on camera and no one has to answer for it.We call on the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and all relevant prosecutors to:Investigate the incident shown in the video and determine exactly when and where it occurred.Publicly identify which agency has jurisdiction.Refer the case for the strongest criminal charges supported by the evidence.SIGN THE PETITIONThe video is already public. Now officials must prove that cruelty this blatant has real consequences. Sign now to demand justice for this coyote and make it clear that wildlife torture will not be tolerated!Thank you for being a hero, The Animal Hero Team