The World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) and UNEP have released a report which studied the escalating human-wildlife conflict (HWC). The study revealed that over 75% of global wild cat species suffer from human-related killings, including a myriad of terrestrial, marine carnivore species and large herbivores.
Understanding Human-Wildlife Conflict
Human-wildlife conflict refers to situations where wildlife behavior or presence poses real or perceived threats to human interests or needs. This conflict usually results in disagreements between groups of humans and has detrimental impacts on both people and wildlife.
Reasons behind Human-Wildlife Conflicts
There are a multitude of factors contributing to these conflicts:
1) Lack of Protected Areas: Only 9.67% of areas globally are protected, leading to endangered species like African lions and Asian elephants living outside these areas.
2) Wildlife-borne Infections: Unregulated consumption of wild animals and close contact with livestock increases the probability of animal microbes transferring to humans, as evidenced by the Covid-19 pandemic.
3) Urbanization and Industrialization: The rampant growth of urban areas has led to a reduction in wildlife habitats.
4) Expansion of Transport Networks: Roads and railways often lead to animal accidents.
5) Increasing Human Population: As human settlements encroach on forest lands, pressure on natural resources intensifies.
Adverse Effects of Human-Wildlife Conflicts
The conflicts lead to several negative impacts:
1) Damage to Wildlife and Ecosystems: Retaliatory or pre-emptive animal killings could potentially lead to species extinction.
2) Impact on Local Communities: Loss of life, livestock and crops due to wildlife conflicts poses significant threats.
3) Impact on Equity: The costs of living near wildlife often rest on the local communities while the benefits of species survival are distributed elsewhere.
4) Social Dynamics: Conflicts can create blame among different stakeholders, leading to strained relationships.
5) Sustainable Development: Human-wildlife conflicts are strongly linked to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Solution: Moving From Conflict towards Coexistence
The primary goal of HWC should be to ensure the mutual safety of people and wildlife. This requires holistic HWC management approaches to maintain ecosystem health and full participation of local communities to reduce conflicts.
Human-Wildlife Conflict in India
India faces a growing challenge in human-wildlife conflicts due to development pressures, increasing population, high demand for land and natural resources, which results in loss, fragmentation, and degradation of wildlife habitats. Data from the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change shows that over 500 elephants were killed between 2014-15 and 2018-19, most of them related to human-elephant conflict.
Indian Initiatives Towards Resolving Human-Wildlife Conflicts
Several measures to mitigate these conflicts have been introduced:
1) Advisory for Management of HWC: The Standing Committee of National Board of Wildlife (SC-NBWL) issued an advisory on dealing with problematic wild animals.
2) Empowerment of Gram Panchayats: The advisory encourages empowering gram panchayats in managing wildlife.
3) Insurance provision: Crop compensation against crop damage due to HWC is being covered under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna.
4) Augmentation of Fodder and Water Sources: The advisory also recommends increasing fodder and water sources within forest areas.
5) Proactive Measures: Reactive mechanisms like inter-departmental committees, early warning systems and toll-free hotline numbers are being put in place.
6) Instant Relief: Immediate payment of ex-gratia as an interim relief to the victim or family is being ensured post HWC incidents.
Some state-specific initiatives have also been employed. In Uttar Pradesh, man-animal conflict has been included under listed disasters in the State Disaster Response Fund. In Uttarakhand, bio-fencing with various plant species has been implemented. The Supreme Court affirmed the right of passage for elephants and closed resorts in the Nilgiris elephant corridor. Lastly, Odisha’s Athagarh Forest Division started using seed balls to enrich food stock for wild elephants as a preventive measure against man-elephant conflict.
Last Modified: February 15, 2024