With rising human-animal conflicts in Idukki, the District Collector has requested a detailed mitigation proposal from the Forest Department.

Human-Wildlife Conflict in Kerala

• Rising Fatalities : Increased human fatalities due to wild animal attacks in forests, forest-fringed habitations, and villages. Human-wildlife conflict escalating amid political, social, and environmental concerns. 
  • Kerala, with nearly 29% forest cover, faces criticism for ineffective wildlife management.
• Political Pressure Dry spell and extreme summer expected to worsen the conflict. Farmers’ groups like Kerala Independent Farmers’ Association (KIFA) and sections of the church demand culling, citing a wildlife population boom.
  • Forest Department data contradicts these claims, showing stable or declining animal populations.
• Wildlife Population Trends:
  • Elephants: Linked to 18% of human fatalities, but their population has declined by 7%.
  • Snakebites: Cause 75% of wildlife-related deaths but decreased from 113 (2012) to 34 (2023).
  • Overall Fatalities: Dropped from 146 (2018) to 57 (2023).
• Impact on Tribal Communities: Many victims belong to Kerala’s 36 tribal communities, traditionally skilled in coexisting with wildlife. 
  • The government plans to document and assess their traditional knowledge for better conflict management.

Causes of Human-Wildlife Conflict

• Habitat Fragmentation: Elephant corridors like Aralam Farm (Kannur) and Chinnakkanal (Idukki) are disrupted, pushing wildlife into human settlements.
• Unregulated Human Activities: Tourism, cattle grazing near forests, and encroachments worsen conflicts. Food waste dumping on forest fringes attracts animals to human habitations.
• Ecological Disruptions: Invasive species (e.g., Senna spectabilis) and monoculture plantations alter wildlife feeding patterns.

Government Measures

• Wild Boar Control: In 2022, local bodies were empowered to cull feral wild boars damaging farmland.
• Disaster Classification: In 2023, human-wildlife conflict was declared a State-specific disaster, enabling Disaster Management Authority intervention.
• Participatory Management: Emphasis on community-led forest and wildlife management to counter extreme views. 5,031 hectares of natural forest restored, along with pond and check dam construction.

Challenges

• Industrial Plantations: Restoring eucalyptus and acacia-dominated landscapes remains difficult.
• Incomplete Projects: ₹52-crore elephant-proof wall at Aralam, one of 12 conflict-prone areas, is unfinished.
• Mixed Success of Barriers: While solar fencing has shown some effectiveness, long-term solutions are needed.

Way Forward

• Prioritization of Conflict Mitigation: Kerala’s 10 ongoing missions must be accelerated.
• Multi-Agency Collaboration: Coordination between Disaster Management, Revenue, Local Self-Government, Tribal Welfare, Agriculture, Health, and Forest Departments is crucial.

Conclusion

A balanced approach is needed to ensure human safety while maintaining sustainable wildlife management.