 The Tharu and Maithil faced an influx of people fleeing land and food deficits in the hills.Conversion of forest and grassland to cropland and prohibitions on hunting shifted the Tharu and Maithil in the east and west away from land-based hunting and gathering, toward greater use of fish, freshwater crab, prawns and snails from rivers and ponds.Tharu raise chickens and are reported to employ dogs to hunt rats in rice paddies and then roast them whole on sticks.