Syllabus
GS Paper 3 – Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.
Applications where to apply?
When asked about
– Man – Animal Conflict
– Wildlife Protection
– Biodiversity Conservation
Context
The recent incident in Wayanad, Kerala, where a wild elephant tragically killed a man, sheds light on the escalating human-animal conflict in the region
Source
The Indian Express | Editorial dated 13th February 2024
Behind escalating human-animal conflict in Kerala
India, known for its rich biodiversity and dense forests, is witnessing an alarming increase in human-animal conflicts, primarily involving wild elephants, tigers, bison, and wild boars. The escalating conflict not only poses risks to human lives but also threatens the agricultural sector, leading to significant crop losses and fatalities among domestic animals.
Human-Animal Conflict
Human-animal conflict is a negative interaction between humans and wildlife that can result in losses of life, property, or resources.
Case Study – Kerala
Rising incidents of human-animal conflict in Kerala:
- 8,873 wild animal attacks reported in 2022-23, of which, 4193 were by wild elephants, 1524 by wild boars, 193 by tigers, 244 by leopards, and 32 by bison.
- Wayanad, Kannur, Palakkad, and Idukki districts most affected.
- Beyond posing risk to humans, these attacks also devastated Kerala’s agriculture sector. From 2017 to 2023, there were 20,957 incidents of crop loss due to wild animal raids which also killed 1,559 domestic animals, mainly cattle.
- Wildlife attacks lead to 98 reported deaths, with 27 attributed to elephant attacks.
Factors contributing to human-animal conflict
- Decline in forest habitat quality:
- Cultivation of alien plants like acacia, mangium, and eucalyptus for commercial purpose. Eg. 30,000 hectares of forest land in Kerala is being used for cultivation of these species, animals are deprived of their natural habitat and food sources. Moreover, these water-guzzling species also strain the forest’s natural water resources.
- Invasive species hindering natural vegetation growth.
- Changing agricultural practices:
Changing agri-practices were also responsible for drawing animals out of forests, which do not find enough fodder in their habitats.
- Abandonment of farmlands owing to:
- Poor returns and high wage costs
- Increase in wildlife attacks has further pushed people to safer settlements away from their farms.
- These abandoned forest hence attracts wildlife.
- Shift towards dairy farming, making domesticated animals vulnerable.
- Human activities:
- Waste disposal near forests.
- Habitat fragmentation due to construction.
Government Initiatives
Management of wildlife and its habitats including population assessment and control of poaching is primarily the responsibility of the respective States/Union Territories. The important steps taken by Government for protection of wildlife and management of human-wildlife conflict are as follows:
- The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 provides for stringent punishment for violation of its provisions. The Act also provides for forfeiture of any equipment, vehicle or weapon that is used for committing wildlife offence(s).
- Alerts and advisories were issued by WCCB on poaching and illegal trade of wildlife to the concerned State and Central agencies for preventive action.
- The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has released species specific guidelines for mitigation of Human -Elephant, -Gaur, -Leopard, -Snake, -Crocodile, -Rhesus Macaque, -Wild Pig, -Bear, -Blue Bull and -Blackbuck Conflict.
- Guidelines for cross cutting issues such as cooperation between the forest and media sector in India; occupational health and safety in the context of human–wildlife conflict mitigation; crowd management in human-wildlife conflict related situations and addressing health emergencies and potential health risks arising out of human-wildlife conflict situations.
- Government of India has issued Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)/guidelines to manage Human-Tiger/Human-Leopard /Human-Elephant conflict.
- A network of Protected Areas namely viz., National Parks, Sanctuaries, Conservation Reserves and Community Reserves covering important wildlife habitats have been created all over the country under the provisions of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 to conserve wild animals and their habitats.
- The Central Government provides financial assistance to State/Union Territory Governments under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes ‘Development of Wildlife Habitats, ‘Project Tiger’ and ‘Project Elephant’ for management of wildlife and its habitat in the country.
- The activities supported under the scheme include construction/erection of physical barriers such as barbed wire fence, solar powered electric fence, bio-fencing using cactus, boundary walls etc. to prevent the entry of wild animals into crop fields.
- The local communities are involved in conservation measures through eco-development activities which help the forest departments in protection of wildlife
Measures taken by Kerala
- Kerala has initiated various schemes aimed at preventing animals from entering human settlements, including the construction of:
- Elephant-proof trenches
- Stone walls
- Solar-powered electric fencing.
- Eco-restoration programs and efforts to acquire land for forest conservation are underway, albeit at a gradual pace.
- Thus far only 782 families have been relocated paying a compensation of Rs 95 crore to convert their farms into forest land.
- Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) have been established to address immediate conflict situations, with plans to expand their presence in high-conflict zones.
Challenges and Responses
- Despite efforts, the scale of the problem remains daunting, necessitating innovative solutions and increased financial support from both state and central governments.
- Kerala’s request for central assistance to the tune of Rs 620 crore underscores the severity of the crisis and the need for collaborative action.
Conclusion
The human-animal conflict in Kerala demands a multi-pronged approach, encompassing habitat restoration, community engagement, and sustainable land-use practices. Timely interventions, coupled with robust policy measures and resource mobilization, are imperative to mitigate the conflict’s adverse impacts on both human communities and wildlife.
RELATED TOPICS
Wild Life (Protection) Act, of 1972
The Wild Life (Protection) Act, of 1972 provides a legal framework for the protection of various species of wild animals and plants, management of their habitats, regulation, and control of trade in wild animals, plants, and products made from them.
- The act also lists schedules of plants and animals that are afforded varying degrees of protection and monitoring by the government.
- Schedules under the Act: The Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act 2022 reduces the number of schedules from six to four:
- Schedule I: Animal species with the highest level of protection, including those that are critically endangered
- Schedule II: Animal species with a lesser degree of protection
- Schedule III: Protected plant species
- Schedule IV: Specimens listed in the Appendices under CITES
References
Practice Question
Comment on Human-Wildlife conflict in India. What are the measures taken by government to counter this issue. [150 words]