Why Wild Animals are turning to be Wild?

Lots of studies have been conducted on the topic Man-Animal conflict within India and abroad. But still, this topic remains in headlines without a permanent solution. None of the deliberations, expert panels or studies could suggest an effective and fool proof mechanism to control the man animal conflict. The simple reason for this failure is that, each case is unique, either geographically, nature of encroachment (either way), type of conflict etc. The different state and central governments are clueless about the solution, and end up in establishing more sub committees for studying the topic, and investing in infrastructure which are already a failure.

This topic is back in news, during the last couple of weeks in Kerala, and last day it turned to a violent protest. Within two weeks, three lives have been taken by the wild animals, in different incidents, in Wayanad District of Kerala. Also during this period nearly a dozen of incidents have been reported from other places in the state. Again, all these three incidents are unique, not identical in nature of the conflict, type of attack, the location or the animal.

So, what are the major cause or causes that leading to the man-animal conflicts?

Generally, the wild animals are ‘quiet and shy’, they are not invaders, or violent. They generally tend to confine to their territory. But they are not harmless. They react. why they are turning to wild? The reasons are many:

1.????? Shrinking Forest Areas

The wild animals, usually prefers to confine to their territory. But there is a marginal decrease in forest area year by year. This is results in shrinking their territory and they tend to go / come out of the forest areas.

2.????? Vanishing Buffer Areas

Earlier, there was a buffer area between the forest area and human habitat area/ agriculture area. These areas were covered with small bushes or shrubs, used to act as a buffer area between the forest area and agriculture/habitat area. These buffer areas used to act as a barrier for the wild animals to enter into the agriculture land / habitat area. Now due to the expansion of agriculture area, population expansion, demand for more crop/agriculture production, we have moved to those buffer areas. Also, we started building houses in those areas. So, whenever the wild animals get out of the boundary, they are entering to human habitat area.

3.????? Reduction in green cover and livestock in the forest area

Due to many reasons like climate change, increase human activities etc., the forest cover is reducing year by year. This has resulted in reducing the natural resources which are the food for the wild animals. So, they tend to out of their territory in search of food.

Areas which were buffer earlier, have turned to agriculture fields now, this also attracts the wild animals to the agriculture fields as the crops are easy (also tasty) food for them.

Similarly, the predator animals are attracted by the livestock in the houses.

4.????? Reducing water sources

Like the green cover, due to the increased temperature and reduced land cover, the water sources in the forest are drying up. This is also resulted in wild animals coming out of the forest area in search of water sources.

5.????? Increased human activities within the forest area

Recently the human activities have increased even within the core forest areas. These includes, the patrolling by the forest officials, creation of forest roads, increased research activities, increased tourism etc. The forest area which usually are quiet turns to be a disturbed area. This changes the natural habitat area of the wild animals. They start wandering out of their natural habitat, and enters the agriculture and human habitat areas.

6.????? Fragmentation of forest areas

The construction of highways and corridors through the forested area leads to fragmentation of forest land. The increased vehicular movement upsets the wild animal and they move away from these noisy areas. Thus, they enter to the nearby areas, which are agriculture and human habitat areas also.

7.????? Drop in Prey Animals

The climate change, declining biodiversity and increased human activities, have reduced the number of many species, especially the prey animals in the forest. This has disturbed the food cycle withing the forest. Result of that is that the carnivorous animals started coming to human habitat areas in search of domestic animals.

8.????? Increase in number of animals.

Studies are showing that, in many forest the number of larger animals has increased, especially animals like Elephant, Tiger, Lion etc. This is counter effect of initiatives to protect their species. This has resulted in more number of animals within a forest, than the forest can accommodate. This increases the competition for the resource and forced them to wander for new territories.

So, how can we control their invasion? The solution lies in treating the cause than the symptoms.

1.????? Regenerating the forest cover

This will ensure enough resources for the wild animals, and will bring back the food circle. Thus, the tendency of the animals to invade into human areas will stop.

2.????? Reviving the water bodies in the forest

Just like enriching the green cover, reviving the water bodies in the forest areas are also important. This includes the natural ponds, streams and rivers, and also constructing artificial ponds if required. This will serve two purposes. Ensure thicker growth of the forest plants and drinking water for the wild animals. So, they don’t have to come out of the forest areas for food and water.

3.????? Controlling human activities in the forest

The human activities will definitely disturb the wild animals, which will tend them to move into fringe areas. Wild animals, generally, are afraid of human activities, and vehicle sounds. That’s why they used to stay away from human habitat areas. The increased vehicular movements within the forest, make them used to the vehicular sounds and human presence. They will be more courageous to invade into main road including market areas.

The solution is controlling the human activities in the forest. This includes patrolling activities, researchers and tourist and trekking.

Nowadays, technology has improved considerably. No need to continue the old-fashioned patrolling by jeeps. We can make use of satellite imageries and drone surveillance. There are many advantages, cost effective, more precious, reach to interior areas, less requirement of resources (man, vehicle, fuel) and most importantly lesser disturbance to wild animals.

Similarly, the research activities also should be controlled. Only essential research projects should be allowed and that also with restrictions.

Tourism activities including safari, trekking should be completely stopped. Grazing also should be completely stopped

4.????? Maintain Buffer areas

Buffer areas should be developed between agriculture / human habitat areas and forest areas, and this area should leave undisturbed.

5.????? Surveillance and warning system

At buffer areas, 24 hrs. camera surveillance and warning system should be established. Now, there are camera surveillance at some points, but it should be covered all vulnerable areas. There is no warning system present now. There should be a control room with 24-hour monitoring and warning system by SMS, public announcement

6.????? Non-Lethal deterrents in place in all vulnerable points. ?

There should be watch point/tower, check posts in all vulnerable points, equipped with full man power and non-lethal deterrents like crackers, electric fencing, power torches, sound system, motion activate lights etc.

The general nature of the wild animals is that, they will avoid places where they feel it is dangerous. Elephant herds can be chased away by crackers or sound, tiger can be sent back by lights or sound. So, there will not be any casualty on either side and they will not return if they sense the danger.

7.????? Community participation

While implementing all these measures, involvement of community should be ensured. They should be educated about the importance implementing these measures. Frequent meeting should be convened jointly by Forest department, Local bodies, Police Department, Community leaders etc.

8.????? Trained persons in the police and forest departments

Persons trained in man-animal conflicts, the situation management and control should be deployed in vulnerable forest stations and police stations (which are situated in the boundary of forest-habitat areas). They should be aware of immediate measures to be taken and equally important what should not do.

Training is also essential on what should not do, once an animal entered into human habitat area. What we are seeing now a days is that, large group of uniformed persons, escorted by the local people and media person with camera is chasing the animal for days. This will only create panic in the animal and turn it to be more violent, endangering the lives of the people and the animal.

As our father of nation, Gandhiji said: “To my mind, the life of a lamb is no less precious than that of a human being. I should be unwilling to take the life of a lamb for the sake of the human body. I hold that, the more helpless a creature, the more entitled it is to the protection by man from the cruelty of man.” An animal entered into habitat area is not an enemy country soldier. They are our fellow being on this earth. Also once captured / tranquilized, it deserves food, water and medical attention. Even War of Prisoners are their rights.

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had said “ The only alternative to coexistence is codestruction”

????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? =====?