The primary culprit behind human-animal clashes is human-induced encroachments and habitat destruction
Animal conflicts have been on the rise in many parts of the country in recent times. The main culprit behind this is the human-induced encroachments and destruction of habitats. In the region surrounding the Western Ghats, especially in the Wayanad and Idukki regions in Kerala, there have been rampant animal attacks taking human lives in recent times. Every time when there is an attack from wild animals, conflict arises between the forest departments and the public.
Most of the time, the forest department catches the wild animals and rehabilitates them in deep forests surrounding the state borders between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. If the forest department cannot protect either wildlife or human lives, what is the duty of forest officials?The culprit of all wildlife attacks is human beings themselves. We often forget the scientific fact that we are one among the thousands of other animals inhabiting this planet and act as if we are superior beings. All our developmental activities and policy decisions are made in an anthropogenic-centric manner. In this, we have neither empathy nor concern towards our fellow species.
This is the root cause of all animal conflicts.Animals often establish territories rather than borders in the human sense. These territories serve various purposes, such as mating, foraging, or defending resources. They may mark these territories through scent marking, vocalisations, or physical boundaries like fences or natural landmarks. While these territories may overlap with those of other animals, they're not always fixed or as clearly defined as human borders. Wildlife populations are dynamic and can fluctuate based on various factors such as food availability, climate conditions, and predation pressure. Designating fixed borders for them would not account for these fluctuations and could lead to mismatches between habitat availability and population sizes.Attempting to designate fixed borders for them would be impractical and not align with their natural behaviour.
When they roam in the forest, these animals never check whether they have crossed Kerala, Karnataka or Tamil Nadu. Instead of designating borders, conservation efforts focus on preserving and restoring habitat connectivity, protecting key wildlife corridors, and implementing measures to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts. The whole wildlife area should be protected as national property, and all state forest departments should function in unison. There should be frequent interactions between forest officials of neighbouring states for proper tracking of wild animal movements. They should also evolve mechanisms to provide enough food to animals in their range, They can construct artificial water reservoirs and food resources inside forests for wild animals to feed. When these animals get enough food materials, they may not venture into human dwellings.
Involving local communities in conservation efforts fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility for wildlife protection. It also provides opportunities for alternative livelihoods, such as eco-tourism or sustainable agriculture, that are compatible with wildlife conservation. Protecting and preserving natural habitats ensures that wildlife populations have sufficient space and resources to thrive without direct competition or conflict with humans.
The forest department should also implement early warning systems using technology such as sensor-triggered alarms, camera traps, or drones that can alert forest officials and local communities to the presence of elephants or tigers in the vicinity. Over the years, animals have evolved to a level where they know how to evade humans' protective measures, like electric fences, trenches, or deterrents like chilli smoke. Only a good researcher focusing on animal behaviour could evolve mechanisms to tackle this.
(The writer is an adjunct faculty at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru, views are personal)
