Upsurge in human-animal conflict

 

 

Human-animal conflict is an unfriendly situation between animals and humans, leading to negative consequences such as loss of livelihood, property and even life. The aftereffects are loss of crops, livestock predation, injury or death of humans as well as wildlife. These human-animal conflict has gargantuan consequences not only on humans and animals but also on the entire ecosystem and socio - economic systems of the affected areas. We are not averse to headlines like, ‘Wayanad elephant kills man in Kerala’ or ‘A tiger killed a seven-year-old boy in Ranthambore’ and a leopard setting foot in a newly constructed building in Bhandewadi at Nagpur.

 

These incidents are not isolated occurrences. Human-animal conflicts are not only seeing an upsurge in India, but are rising globally due to factors like human population growth, climate change, infrastructure development and increased urban presence. The news of lions and leopards killing livestock in Kenya, wolves and coyotes attacking livestock in North America, bears raiding garbage in human settlements, elephants trampling and killing people in India and Kenya and hippos attacking humans who approach water resources, rattles us. In retaliation, humans may persecute wildlife leading to further conflict.

 

Now is the time for some appropriate action. Our aim at this hour should be to mitigate the human-animal conflict to secure a bright future. The Forest Minister of Maharashtra Shri Ganesh Naik has issued instructions to officials to implement a dedicated mitigation plan in the Tadoba Andheri Tiger Reserve (TATR), which includes large scale bamboo plantation along the forest land conjoining agricultural fields and the construction of a 500-feet-long protective wall at censorious locations.

 

The aim of these steps are to prevent crop raids and unsafe encounters between villagers and animals. As responsible and learned citizens, we should come forward in support of organisations who conserve wildlife, launch afforestation drives, restrict ourselves from buying accessories made from animal by-products and educate the people at large about the peaceful co-existence of humans and animals.