COURSE: ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
TEACHER: Dr. DEEPMALA SATPATHY
CLASS: BA PROG SEC-B (THURSDAY- 12.30-01.30AM) (30/04/2020)
MAN AND WILDLIFE CONFLICTS
INTRODUCTION
A new concept termed ‘man and wildlife conflict’ also variously referred to as ‘human and wildlife
conflict’. What exactly does this concept signify? The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has
officially defined human and wildlife conflict as ‘any interaction between humans and wildlife
that results in negative impacts on human social, economic or cultural life, on the conservation of
wildlife populations, or on the environment’. The basic idea is very simple to understand.
Generally, humans try not come in contact with wildlife in the places they dwell, i.e. human
settlements are as far away from wildlife as possible. This serves to prevent either species from
harming one another. However, due to an arising need, such as explosion of the population and
exploration of food or other resources, humans may invade the forest area and carry out measures
such as deforestation, thus disturbing the plant and animal wildlife of that region. This not only
harms the jungle flora and fauna and consequently the environment, but in turn, also exposes the
human beings to certain perils such as human casualties, crop damage and loss of subsequent
economy, loss of property or livestock, and even zoonoses (diseases can be transmitted from
animals to humans). Hence, the term ‘çonflict’ has been preferred to the more subtle ‘interaction’.
Unsurprisingly, manwildlife conflict has now arisen as a matter of global concern, and hence; a
subject of extensive research. Wild animals can attack humans and such attacks can be broadly
classified as – territorial, defensive or predatory.
Territorial attack – When wild animals attack other animals or humans that invade or trespass
their territory
Defensive attack – When a wild animal perceives danger from a human and attacks him/her in
order to protect itself
Predatory attack – When a wild animal attacks humans as a prey for food. This is usually seen
among tigers that become too old or injured and hence, cannot prey on other animals that are too
fast or too swift for it. Thus, they begin to prey on humans, which are easier to hunt than other
animals. Such tigers are termed as ‘man-eaters’.
CAUSES OF HUMAN-WILDLIFE CONFLICT
1. Increase in Human population
The expansion of urban and rural parts, also increase in requirements of people as a result of
increasing population has led to many settlements coming up near the peripheries of protected
areas, encroaching the forest areas and using it for their own benefit. Moreover, land is also
required for agricultural and horticultural purposes. This is first and most important cause
giving rise to conflict between man and wildlife.
2. Encroachment of forest lands
An increase in human population obviously leads to increase in the requirements of the
population. The construction of hydroelectric power plants as well clearing for forests for
mining and industries also contributes to encroachment of forest areas. Such human
activities can fragment large animal habitats into smaller patches, threatening their
existence and increasing their conflict with the humans.
3. Livestock grazing
Livestock grazing owned by humans in forest areas can affect wildlife in multiple ways.
Firstly, the livestock compete with the wild herbivores for palatable plant species and
water, thus creating a scarcity for the indigenous herbivore population. Secondly,
livestock mainly feed on the young saplings, affecting the regeneration of plant and tree
species. Moreover, the presence of livestock attracts the carnivores, thus exposing them
to retaliatory trapping and killing by humans so as to protect the livestock. Lastly, an
increased contact between livestock and wildlife can aid in the spread of communicable
diseases from domestic to wild animals and vice versa. Scientific studies in the Bandipur
Tiger Reserve indicate that the population of wild ungulates declines in areas where the
grazing pressures are high. Over grazing also harms the environment indirectly by
increasing the rate of soil erosion.
4. Road kills
With increase in industrial development, road construction has increased exponentially.
The traffic density in India is estimated to increase at the rate of ten percent annually.
Some of the roads developed to handle this traffic pass through forest areas. Apart from
fragmenting the natural habitat of the wildlife, driving at high speed combined with poor
eyesight or poor reflexes on the part of the animal contribute to a high incidence of road
accidents. The common victims of such accidents are the nocturnal animals such as mouse
deer, civet cats, black-naped hares, leopards and sambars. There have been several reports
of tigers, elephant calves or elephants, chitals, dholes, sloth bears, wolves, blackbucks and
other large mammals killed in numerous road accidents. Death of an animal in a road
accident may indirectly impact the ecosystem immensely. Death of herbivores may
deplete the carnivorous animals of food. Death of a female tiger may starve her cubs.
Thus, various precautionary measures, as discussed later, need to be implemented to
reduce the incidence of such road accidents.
EFFECTS OF CONFLICTS
Mortality and injuries to human beings
Mortality and injuries to endangered or threatened animals
Loss of livestock
Crop damage
Loss of property (Buildings, vehicles, equipments etc.)
POSSIBLE REMEDIES
The solution to human wildlife conflict cannot be carried out at an individual level; it
necessitates the co-operation and co-ordination between different stakeholders and
coordinated and regulated measures that should be implemented on a large scale. The
following measures can be attempted –
1. Improvement of habitat –
The Ministry of Environment should shoulder the responsibility of improving the
natural habitats for the wild animals. Studies should be conducted to indentify the
ideal or the best possible habitat for a particular animal and its living in that particular
habitat should be encouraged. For instance, a recently conducted study (yet to be
published) has identified the Palamau region in Jharkhand, India as a suitable habitat
for the Asian elephants. The availability of food and water in these natural habitats
should be augmented so that the animal excursion into human settlements can be
reduced.
2. Barriers between humans and wildlife –
Physical barriers such as boundary walls, solar fences or trenches can be constructed
to minimize animal movements into human settlements. Regulations should be in
place to restrict the human habitation and farmlands to within a certain area of forest
lands so that direct contact between man and wildlife can be avoided as much as
possible.
3. Training programmes –
The forest officers, police and the local population needs to be trained to avoid
humanwildlife conflict. They should realize the importance of not extending their
settlements or agricultural land deep into the forests and should avoid over grazing of
livestock in the forest areas. Moreover, they should also be trained to avoid animal
excursions into their hands in a way that least harms the wild animal, or in other words,
avoidance of retaliatory killing or injuring the animal. Local co-operation is
imperative to reduce the incidence of humanwildlife conflict. A list of ‘Do’s’and
‘Don’ts’from the Ministry shall be helpful with strict punishments to deter any
violations of these regulations.
4. Technical support –
Infrastructure and necessary medical facilities should be provided in case any wild
animal or human gets injured in case of a conflict. Hospitals should be established,
both human and veterinary to attend to these. Measures should also be taken to
rehabilitate the injured animals in rescue centres and release them back into their
natural habitats.
5. Regulations for traffic
Construction of roads within forests or natural habitats for wild animals should be
avoided as much as possible. If any such road is constructed, measures should be
adopted to their save movement by constructing natural corridors. Speed regulations
should be imposed for drivers driving through the forest roads, especially during night
time and violators should be strictly punished. Speed calming measures such as speed
breakers, road humps, rumble strips or chicanes can also be constructed at appropriate
locations.
