Human-Wildlife Conflict and mitigation measures
Dr Sharad Kumar
Assistant Professor
Human-wildlife conflict
• Conflict between humans and wildlife – which takes many forms,
and varies greatly in intensity – is one of the most serious threats to
India’s wildlife
• Not only does conflict directly threaten individual species (through,
for example, revenge killings) and their habitats, it also indirectly
exacerbates other factors (the illegal trade in wildlife, for example)
that threaten the continued existence of wild India
• Further, the causes of human-wildlife conflict are, in many cases,
themselves factors that independently threaten wildlife
• It is essential, therefore, to place instances of conflict within a wider
context of habitat destruction, population growth, poverty, and a
largely unresponsive legal/administrative climate
Causes of Conflict
1. A reduction in the size and quality of available habitat due to
encroachments, deforestation, denotification of Protected
Areas (PA), expansion of cultivation and habitation
2. Easier availability and/or greater abundance of palatable food
and other resources to a given species outside a PA than inside
3. Behavior and social organization of a given species-
individuals and groups may be forced to split from the main
population, and thereby establish themselves on PA fringes,
close to (or within) human settlements
4. Poverty and other constraints-force disadvantaged humans to
enter protected areas and to exploit natural resources
5. High rates of human or wild animal population growth,
which increases the number
Conflict as threat
• Threaten individual species through revenge killings-
poisoning, electrocution
• Destruction of habitat of wild animals
• Human-wildlife conflict heightens antagonistic feelings
towards wildlife, thus exacerbating other threats
• Close association exists in particular, between human-
wildlife conflict and the illegal trade in wildlife
Linear infrastructure
• Roads, highways, power lines, railway lines, canals,
pipelines (water, gas, petroleum), electric fences, and fire
lines-have highly detrimental ecological impacts
• NH72 and 74 crossing Rajaji National Park, NH 67 and 212
passing through Bandipur National Park
Impact
• Habitat Loss- clearance of vegetation, dumping of
excavated earth and materials, movement of heavy
vehicles etc.
• Habitat Fragmentation-Road and railway lines dissect
contiguous habitat patches
• Degradation of Habitat quality- adjacent to rail and roads
often suffers from various detrimental impacts from
invasion of exotic species, pollution due to liquid solid
wastes and emissions
• Noise Induced Psychological and Behavioural changes in
animals- significant psychological and behavioural issues in
animals especially birds
Traffic noise directly interferes with birds’ vocal
communication and consequently their territorial
behaviour and mating
• Injury and mortality- Govt. sources 49 elephants were
killed in Railway accidents between 2016 and 2018 in
India; highest deaths occurring in Assam and West Bengal
Overhead transmissions lines, electric fences-electrocution
for birds, arboreal animals and even bigger mammals like
elephants
Barrier to movement: restrict, or filter animal movement-
barrier effect on wildlife may arise from traffic noise, vehicle
movement, pollution, human activity and physical
hindrances
Increased human-wildlife conflict: Road and railways may
disrupt normal habitats of animals forcing them to move out
to human habitats
Conflict mitigation strategies
• Changing crop patterns
• Agro-forestry
• Green fences
• Trenches around agricultural lands
• Elephant Proof Trenches (EPT’s) & Walls
• Power Fencing
• Elephant Scaring Squads
• Compensation
• Removal of problematic individuals/herds
Initiatives to reduce dependence of people on forest
resources
• Forest department and NGOs are working to reduce
dependence of local communities on wildlife habitats
• Vocational trainings
• Promotion of energy efficient stoves and LPG
• Promotion of high yield livestock and breed improvement
• Promotion of stall feeding
• Value addition in traditional farming
THANK YOU
