The tragic incident in Wayanad, Kerala, where a radio-collared wild elephant chased and trampled a 47-year-old man to death inside a gated property in a residential area, highlights the escalating human-wildlife conflict in the state.
However, Kerala's struggle is just one chapter in a broader national narrative. In regions like West Bengal, human-elephant conflict is rampant, while in states like Gujarat, the Asiatic lion poses challenges. The Sunderbans are notorious for tiger attacks on humans, and in the northern states, conflicts with leopards and the endangered snow leopard are rising.
A 2018 study by Dehradun's Wildlife Institute of India and the Periyar Tiger Conservation Foundation in Kerala identified two primary drivers of human-animal conflict in Kerala:
Decline in Forest Habitat Quality: The cultivation of alien plants like acacia, mangium, and eucalyptus on 30,000 hectares of forest land for commercial purposes has degraded natural habitats and food sources for wildlife, particularly affecting elephants. These species also deplete water resources. Efforts to ban these cultivations started in 2018, but restoring natural forests is ongoing, with 1,115 hectares reclaimed through eco-restoration.
Changing Agricultural Practices: Shifts in farming practices, with farmlands left uncultivated due to low profitability and high labor costs, attract wildlife to crops like bananas and pineapples. This, coupled with the rise in animal husbandry, especially in Wayanad, has increased vulnerability to attacks by tigers and other predators.
HUMAN-Wildlife CONFLICT:
Human-wildlife conflict (HWC) occurs when animals pose a direct and recurring threat to the livelihood or safety of people.
HWC affects most large carnivores, as well as many other species groups including elephants, pigs, deer, primates, sharks, birds of prey and rhinos.
India is one of the most affected countries because it has the world’s largest human population as well as large populations of tigers, Asian elephants, one-horned rhinos, Asiatic lions and other species.
WHY THEY ARE INCREASING?
Increase in interface:
As human populations and demand for space continue to grow, people and wildlife are increasingly interacting and competing for resources, resulting in increased human-wildlife conflict.
For instance, in regions such as West Bengal and Odisha, the encroachment of human settlements into elephant corridors has led to increased incidents of elephant attacks on villages.
Habitat fragmentation:
Developmental activities such as roads and railways track through animal habitats have resulted in fragmentation of natural habitats and loss of animal life.
For instance, according to Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), a total of 186 elephants were killed after being hit by trains across India between 2009-10 and 2020-21.
Changes in land use:
Developmental activities like creation of reservoirs and construction of settlements around forests have altered the natural habitat of animals, resulting in them changing their behavior and migratory routes.
For instance, one major reason for elephant attacks in Nilgiri region is the illegal constructions along Nilgiri elephant corridor.
Climate change:
Climate change has led to increase in floods, forest fires and droughts, forcing animals to leave their natural habitats in search of food and shelter.
For instance, during monsoons, the water levels rise inside the Kaziranga national park, prompting animals to move highlands. This leads to an increased human-wildlife encounter due to heavy settlements in the Karbi-Anglong Hills.
Lack of protected area:
Marine and terrestrial protected areas only cover 9.67% globally. Hence, a majority of the species live outside protected areas.
Eg: In India, 35% tiger ranges currently lie outside the protected areas.
Rise in Invasive alien species:
Infestation of forests by invasive species like Lantana camara and Prosopis juliflora have resulted in decreased availability of food for wild herbivores. As a result, herbivores come out of forest area and forage on agricultural crops.
Success of conservation efforts:
In some cases, successes in species conservation have resulted in creating new HWC.
Eg: The prohibition of hunting under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 has led to population explosion of vermin such as Wild boars and Nilgai. This has resulted in them encroaching into farm lands, resulting in massive crop damage.
Poaching:
Illegal poaching reduces the prey base of carnivores, which forces them to roam into nearby villages in search of food. This leads to the killing of cattle by these carnivores, thus bringing them into conflict with humans.
IMPACT OF HWC:
Loss of life and livelihood:
Human-wildlife conflict result in the decline of species, while communities experience threats to health and safety, livelihoods, food security, and property.
Eg: Data from the MOEFCC indicates that 2,361 people and over 500 elephants were killed between 2014-2015 and 2018-2019, mostly due to human-elephant conflict.
Loss of biodiversity:
According to a report by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), conflict between humans and animals is one of the main threats to the long-term survival of some of the world’s most iconic species.
Spread of diseases:
Wild animals are host to numerous zoonotic diseases. Rise in HWC can result in the spread of new diseases, similar to COVID-19, to humans.
For instance, the Nipah virus outbreak in Kerala is believed to have originated from fruit bats.
Challenge to conservation efforts:
Recurring conflicts alienate people from wildlife and forest conservation, thereby affecting the conservation efforts.
Impact on Sustainable Development:
Though it is not explicitly mentioned as one, HWC is an important theme in attaining the goals of biodiversity conservation, particularly SDG 15 (life on land).
Affects societal morality:
HWC can occasionally result in social outrages and question the trajectory of human growth and development.
Eg: The death of a pregnant elephant in May 2020 in Kerala from eating pineapples filled with fire crackers resulted in a nationwide furor.
GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES:
Wildlife Protection Act of 1972:
Under the Act, the government has created Protected Areas like National Parks, Sanctuaries, Conservation Reserves and Community Reserves and imposed punishments on those indulged in illegal act of hunting.
National Wildlife Action Plan 2017-2035:
Assigns roles to MOEFCC, NGOs, and scientific bodies for conflict management plans and post-conflict relief. Aims for data collection for local action plans.
Advocates for professional rapid response teams and local community involvement in human-wildlife interaction management.
Insurance cover for farmers:
Farmers facing damage to their crops due to attack by wild animals can get insurance coverage under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) for such crop loss.
Culling of vermin species:
To control vermin population and reduce conflicts governments occasionally adopts mass culling of vermin species in select regions for specific time periods.
Eco sensitive zones:
Eco-Sensitive Zone means the fragile area that exists within 10 kilometers of protected areas like National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries. The purpose of marking an Eco-Sensitive Zone is to create a kind of shock-absorber around the protected areas.
Project RE-HAB (Reducing Elephant – Human Attacks using Bees):
Launched by Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) to reduce elephant-human conflicts using honey bees.
This initiative, part of the National Honey Mission, utilizes bee boxes as fences to deter elephant attacks, enhancing safety for both humans and elephants. The pilot project was launched at four locations around village Chelur in Kodagu district of Karnataka in March, 2021.
Regional efforts:
State governments and forest officials have taken several measures to mitigate HWC.
Eg: Citing the increasing number of roadkill and disruption of animal life due to vehicles, night traffic has been banned since 2009 on the 19-km stretch of a National Highway passing through Bandipur Tiger Reserve.
WAY FORWARD:
Promote Coexistence: Aim to enhance the safety of both humans and wildlife, focusing on mutual benefits. For instance, India's Project Tiger integrates local communities in conservation, enhancing both human and tiger safety.
Boost Socio-economic Development: Enhance livelihoods for forest communities to lessen dependence on forests, incorporating strategies supported by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and similar entities.
Encourage Community Participation: Support community-led coexistence planning, leveraging organizational and technical assistance. For instance, Joint Forest Management (JFM)( National Forest Policy of 1988).
Update Conservation Strategies: Adapt strategies to address current and future conflicts, with a forward-looking approach that aligns with the CBD’s goals.
Utilize Interdisciplinary Approaches: Employ cross-disciplinary methods for comprehensive conflict mitigation, involving insights from ecology, sociology, economics, and more.
Develop Strategic Partnerships: Create alliances between governments, NGOs, conservation groups, and international bodies like the CBD to strengthen human-wildlife conflict management. For instance, the Global Tiger Initiative brings together governments, NGOs, and international organizations for tiger conservation.
Adopt One Health Approach: Embrace a collaborative approach that recognizes the health interconnections among people, animals, plants, and their shared environment, advocating for its inclusion in global health and conservation policies.
Global Integration: Integrate human-wildlife coexistence into sustainable development goals and the CBD’s 2050 vision of “living in harmony with nature”, making it a specific target for global conservation efforts.
CASE STUDY:
Sonitpur Model:
Implemented by WWF-India in Assam to mitigate elephant threats.
Training locals for ‘Anti Depredation Squads’ using searchlights, firecrackers, and kunki elephants.
Developed a low-cost, single strand, non-lethal electric fence for crop protection.
Resulted in zero crop losses in Gohpur, Biswanath district, over four years, reducing human and elephant deaths.
Valparai Elephant Information Network:
An early-warning system in Valparai plateau, Anamalai hills, for elephant movement via SMS alerts and display boards.
Utilizes local observations and Elephant Task Force information.
Features warning lights activated by mobile phones at night.
Significantly reduced human deaths in the area.
Delhi-Mumbai Greenfield Expressway:
A 1,380 km expressway featuring Asia’s first animal overpasses, designed for wildlife movement.
Includes three underpasses and five overpasses totaling 7 km in length.
Aims to protect wildlife in the Ranthambore Wildlife Corridor between Ranthambore and Mukundra sanctuaries in Rajasthan.
PRACTICE QUESTION:
Q. Examine the causes behind the increasing instances of human-wildlife conflicts in India and propose comprehensive measures that could be taken to mitigate these confrontations. (15 marks, 250 words)
