Human-Wildlife conflict in Kerala: Over 100 deaths in the past year, experts cite Climate Change as a factor

By Aayushi Sharma

Recently, K C Venugopal, Member of Parliament, Alappuzha raised an important issue of human-animal conflicts in Kerala during Zero Hour in Lok Sabha. He mentioned that in the past year over 100 people had lost their lives in Kerala in such incidents. The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests reported that approximately 486 people died from wild animal attacks in Kerala between 2019 and 2024. In the year 2023-24 alone, there were 94 deaths related to wild animal attacks. The highest number of deaths, 114, occurred in 2021-22, with 35 attributed to wild animal attacks. 

“With over 100 lives lost to wildlife attacks in the past year, immediate action is needed. Demanded amendments to the Wildlife (Protection) Act, the declaration of wild boars as vermin, and the establishment of Smart Early Warning Systems and Strategic Rapid Response Teams. Emphasized the need for community involvement, timely compensation for affected farmers, and inter-state coordination. There is an urgent need for a harmonious balance between wildlife conservation and the imperative of protecting lives and livelihoods.”, MP Venugopal wrote on X on July 22, 2024.

Status of human-wildlife conflict in Kerala

A study by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) estimated that between 2007 and 2011, human-animal conflicts in India resulted in 888 human fatalities, 7,391 injuries, and 14,144 instances of livestock being killed (Kuttoor 2017). During this period, approximately 80,900 cases of crop destruction by wild animals were also reported.

Recent data shows an increase in these conflicts and associated human deaths. In the years 2016-17, 2017-18, and 2018-19, elephants were responsible for 516, 501, and 494 human deaths, respectively, in India. Tiger-related fatalities during 2016, 2017, and 2018 were 62, 44, and 29, respectively. Thus, elephants accounted for the majority of human deaths due to human-animal conflicts.

Kerala, characterized by its eastern mountainous forest line, has a long migration history, settled cultivation, early plantation agriculture, and high population density. In 2019, the State’s forest cover spanned 11,520 sq km, comprising about 29 percent of its total geographical area.

Given these conditions, Kerala frequently experiences wild animal attacks in forest-adjacent areas. Although all forest divisions in Kerala are susceptible to human-animal conflicts, the northern regions face the highest conflict rates. In 2020-21, 10,095 human-wildlife incidents were reported in Kerala, more than triple the 2,922 incidents reported in 2009-10. From 2009-10 to 2020-21, there were 319 human deaths due to wildlife. 

There have been no reported human deaths from tigers or leopards after 2015, but elephant attacks continue to cause several fatalities annually. In 2021-22, wild animal attacks resulted in 52 human deaths in Kerala, with elephants causing 25 of these fatalities. Tigers and leopards frequently kill domestic animals such as goats, cows, buffaloes, and poultry. Additionally, many people are crippled or disabled by wild animal attacks. 

Climate Change also playing a role

As the world grapples to deal with climate change, its impact is being felt across the planet in various ways. Extreme weather conditions are definitely affecting the ecosystem and often leading to repercussions such as human-wildlife conflict. 

In the case of India, climate change is significantly influencing the increase in human-wildlife conflicts in India. Climate change is accelerating the degradation of natural habitats, forcing wildlife to move closer to human settlements in search of food and water. Rising temperatures and changing weather patterns are leading to more land being cleared for agriculture and urban development, further encroaching on wildlife habitats. Changes in temperature and precipitation are also disrupting traditional migration routes and breeding seasons, bringing wildlife into closer contact with humans. Extreme weather events are also displacing both humans and wildlife, increasing the chances of interaction and conflict.

Dr. Uma Ramakrishnan, Senior Ecologist and Professor at the National Centre for Biological Sciences told CFC India that, “These species are affected by human impact like building of roads, destruction of habitats, direct hunting, etc. However, Climate Change which is triggered by human action also affects the ecosystem as a whole and thus, directly and indirectly, is responsible for the loss of biodiversity in the region.”

Crop losses because of the conflict

Apart from human fatalities and injuries, Kerala experiences significant crop losses annually due to attacks by wild boar, porcupine, elephants, gaur, monkeys, wild pigs, and deer. Elephants, bonnet macaques, and wild boars cause the most crop damage. Approximately 45 species of edible and commercial plants, including paddy, coconut, areca nut, rubber, banana, plantain, tapioca, sweet potato, coffee, oil palm, pepper, cardamom, ginger, jackfruit, mulberry, mango, and pineapple, are regularly destroyed by wild animals in the state. Elephants also cause substantial damage to physical property such as cow sheds, irrigation structures, and huts.

Compensation claims data points to the same

The government of Kerala compensation claims data confirm these issues. The government received 10,095 applications for ex-gratia payments related to wildlife attacks, paying out Rs 8.5 crore as compensation. In the same year, 2416 applications were for ex-gratia payments for human deaths and injuries, resulting in Rs 3.7 crore in payments; in 2015-16, there were only 513 such applications. Additionally, 538 applications for livestock loss compensation resulted in Rs 72.3 lakhs in payments; in 2015-16, there were 355 such applications.

References:

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2035046

https://ras.org.in/index.php?Article=public_policy_and_human_animal_conflicts

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/Cruelty-against-elephants/article13308869.ece

https://spb.kerala.gov.in/sites/default/files/inline-files/Human%20wildlife%20conflict.pdf

Banner Image:

https://www.pexels.com/photo/elephant-walking-321526

Photo by Quintin https://www.pexels.com/photo/four-elephants-eating-grass-8258340/