Regulation to ease herders' financial woes

A new regulation in Xizang autonomous region aims to ease the financial burden on herders living alongside wild animals by increasing compensation for livestock losses and property damage and streamlining claims procedures.

The regulation on compensation for damage caused by terrestrial wildlife, which takes effect on Jan 1,2027, will raise compensation standards by 10 percent from 2025 levels and shorten the government compensation process from around three months to one month, according to Nyima Drolkar, deputy chair of the regional people's congress legislative committee.

The changes address a recurring problem in pastoral communities, where wolves, bears and snow leopards can threaten the livestock on which families depend.

In Amdo county, Nagchu, wolves are the most frequent predators, according to Wangchen Drolma, a local village official. An affected household typically loses seven or eight animals a year, with losses exceeding 10 in severe cases. Tibetan brown bears also occasionally enter settlements, damaging homes, furniture and stored food, she said.

In May, a brown bear entered a herding site in Rutog county, Ngari prefecture, damaging facilities and attacking livestock. Police drove the animal away using nonlethal measures and helped residents document their losses and contact insurers, according to local police.

The new regulation, adopted by the regional legislature in September, builds on compensation standards for wildlife-related injuries and property damage introduced in January 2025. It clarifies compensation responsibilities and streamlines claims procedures.

Nyima Drolkar said the legislation was designed to address complaints about lengthy procedures, inadequate payments and difficulties obtaining compensation.

Under the new rules, county-level forestry and grassland departments will be responsible for verifying claims, making compensation decisions and issuing payments, replacing a process that previously involved reviews at several administrative levels. Applications can be submitted orally or in writing, and township authorities can help investigate claims.

The regulation covers personal injuries, livestock losses, crop and property damage, including homes, furniture and livestock enclosures. For eligible livestock deaths, compensation will be calculated at 50 percent of the market-based loss. Repairable property damage will be compensated at 70 percent of average repair costs, subject to the conditions stipulated in the regulation.

Policy-backed agricultural insurance remains a separate channel for compensating insured losses. In Amdo, existing livestock insurance arrangements provide 5,000 yuan ($750) for a yak and 500 yuan for a sheep killed by wild animals. However, local officials said insurance payouts often take seven to eight months.

The one-month timetable under the new regulation applies to government compensation, not insurance claims.

Wangchen Drolma welcomed the shorter timetable but said practical hurdles remain for herders in remote communities.

"Given the limited conditions in pastoral areas, I hope the application procedures can be made as simple as possible for herders," she said.

She also called for clearer compensation rates for damage to homes, furniture and food supplies, as well as greater public awareness of the policy through village meetings, messaging groups and household visits.

In Tashigang village in Lunang township, Nyingchi, where many households farm and raise yaks and horses, wild animals occasionally attack livestock. Resident Tashi said compensation sometimes arrives within months but can take much longer.

"This directly affects our livelihoods. I hope the new regulation will help ensure compensation reaches affected families promptly," he said.