Year-end summary: Karnataka battles a surge in man-animal conflicts

The forests in Western Ghats of Karnataka, that once cradled with the coexistence of farmers and animals, have now been witnessing a surge in man-animal conflicts due to increased human settlements

The forests in Western Ghats of Karnataka, that once cradled with the coexistence of farmers and animals, have now been witnessing a surge in man-animal conflicts due to increased human settlements and encroachment on traditional elephant corridors in the region.

In 2023 this menace was not confined to rural areas alone; even urban centres like Bengaluru are experiencing an increase in incidents, particularly leopard attacks on the city’s outskirts. (HT Photo)

The threat posed by wild animals has long been a concern for farmers, who bear the brunt of such encounters. However, in 2023 this menace was not confined to rural areas alone; even urban centres like Bengaluru are experiencing an increase in incidents, particularly leopard attacks on the city’s outskirts.

In November, a 12-year-old leopard was seen roaming in AECS Layout and Kudlu Gate near the Singasandra area for over three days. Unfortunately, the big cat died during the course of state forest department personnel attempting to capture it. The personnel had to resort to gunfire after the leopard attacked four people during the operation.

The presence of the leopard, captured on CCTV cameras as it roamed residential streets at night and explored the basement of an apartment, heightened anxiety among local residents. Additional instances of leopard sightings were reported in Chikkathogur of NICE Road and Soladevanahalli. In response to the increased leopard sightings in the city’s residential areas, the state government took action by establishing a dedicated rapid response task force for leopards in Bengaluru.

In Mysuru and Chamarajanagar districts have seen over eight attacks by leopards and the department says the actual numbers are much higher.

While the leopard caught the headlines, the elephant attacks claimed more lives. According to data provided by the principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) of the state forest department, during the last four years, at least 160 people have lost their lives due to elephant attacks in the state. In the year 2020-21, at least 26 people were killed by elephants; the number increased to 28 in 2021-22, and the number rose to 31 in 2022-23. Until December 20, the number went up to 32. There could be more casualties as we are three months away from the financial year end, the officials said.

On September 4, a forest department temporary worker was trampled by a pachyderm. The incident occurred when a 30-member rapid response team (RRT) of the forest department had reached the village to control the menace created by a wild elephant, resulting in the death of K Girish (32).

On October 19, a farmer was killed in a wild elephant attack near Bandipur National Park in Mysuru district. The deceased farmer, 65-year-old Chikke Gowda, was working in his maize field when the incident occurred. Another farmer in Allikeredoddi of Kanakapura was trampled to death by a wild elephant on December 18. According to villagers, around 10 wild elephants from the Bannerghatta National Park area had entered Alliker Oddi and trampled to death Thimmappa (62), while he was working on a banana plantation. The incident took place at around 3 am when Thimmappa was on the way to his farm. His family found that the tusker had trampled him on his chest, back, and face.

On September 1, in Hassan district, an elephant chased and killed a sharpshooter hired to tranquilise it. When 64-year-old HH Venkatesh, a retired forest official from Honnavalli village, was about to fire a dart at the tusker, it ran towards him, trampling Venkatesh after chasing him for a while. Despite several efforts to revive Venkatesh, he succumbed to his injuries.

“Though the forest department provides ₹15 lakh compensation to the family members of the deceased, does it give back the life?” questioned an angry farmer, Cheluve Gowda of Hediyala in Chamarajanagar district. Speaking to the reporter on Tuesday, he said, “We are facing multiple problems; one is wild elephant menace, the second one is tiger menace, and the third one is drought situation. How could we survive?” He asked. The department provides meagre compensation for crop loss, that too after wandering post and pillar of the forest department for months.

Harish Madappa, a farmer in Srimangala in Ponnampet taluk in Kodagu district expressed similar concerns.

“Instead of taking control measures, the department should plant fodder saplings for elephants as they come to villages in search of fodder. If the fodder and water problem is solved, the elephants would not come to human habitats,” he said.

The farmers residing near wildlife sanctuaries are facing tiger menace along with man-elephant conflicts. In Chamarajanagara’s district bordering Tamil Nadu, more than five people lost their lives due to tiger attacks.

“The main cause of the menace is the increasing number of the wild elephant population and shrinking forest area,” retired forest official and wildlife conservationist KM Chinnappa said.

In recent times, wildlife experts discovered railway track fencing is the only effective measure to prevent the entry of elephants into human habitats. But it would cost around ₹2 crore per kilometre, and governments have a shortage of funds.

The recorded forest area of the state is 43,356.47 sq. km, as per the annual report of the state’s forest department for the year 2020-21. State’s forest area is about 22.61% of the state’s geographical area. It accounts for around 6.18% of India’s total forest area of 701,673 sq. km.

Interestingly, the state has recorded 6,399 elephants in its forests and is home to the country’s highest population of wild elephants. The elephant population has gone up by 350 since the last census conducted in 2017, according to data. India is home to about 30,000 elephants. This is also one of the causes of escalating human-elephant conflict.

Bandipur Tiger Reserve field director AB Ramesh Kumar said that recent tiger attacks are due to the aged tigers which could not hunt, hence attacking humans as it is easy prey. “The human-elephant conflict has seen a surge in recent years, resulting in a significant number of casualties. According to statistics from the forest department, 155 fatalities have occurred in the last five years in the state,” he said.

Forest, ecology, and environment minister Eshwar B Khandre detailed the recent cases of human-wildlife conflict. To address this pressing issue, the department has sought financial assistance of ₹500 crore from the chief minister for the construction of approximately 640 km of rail barricades to prevent such conflicts.

Currently, Karnataka has 312 kilometres of railway barricades in place, with an estimated construction cost of ₹1.50 crore per kilometre. The minister stressed the urgency of the situation, citing increased fatalities. He emphasised the need for swift action to prevent further loss of life, attributing the heightened conflict to diminishing forest areas, an increase in the wild animal population, and below-average rainfall affecting food and water availability within the forest.

The escalating human-elephant conflict not only results in the death of humans, but the deaths of elephants are also rising in significant numbers. According to data obtained by the forest department, at least two elephants in the state die every month. Many deaths are caused by electrocution from illegal power connections to the fencing of fields by farmers.

The deaths are not only restricted to humans. As per data, an average of 16-17 elephants die in a year in the state. Since the last four years till December 20th, 63 wild elephants have died in the state. The majority of deaths include Mysuru, Kodagu, Chamarajanagar, Shivamogga, Hassan, and Chikkamagaluru. In the year 2020-21, 16 elephants died; the number rose to 17 in 2021-22, and in 2022-23, the number recorded was 16, and in 2023-24, in 9 months, 14 elephants died in the state. According to officials, the majority of elephant deaths are caused by electrocution, mainly by illegal power connection to the fence of agriculture fields.