Context
India is witnessing a sharp rise in human–wildlife conflict as expanding infrastructure, shrinking natural habitats, and increasing fragmentation push wild animals into human-dominated landscapes. Recent data shows a surge in elephant deaths, crop damage, livestock loss, and danger to human life, raising urgent concerns for India’s conservation framework.
Key Highlights
Rising Incidents of Conflict
- Wildlife is increasingly straying into farmlands and towns, leading to property loss, human fatalities, and retaliatory killings.
- States like Odisha, Karnataka, Assam report some of the highest elephant deaths annually.
- UNEP and MoEFCC note that India’s infrastructure growth, expanding rail footprint, and mining activities worsen habitat shrinkage.
Elephant Casualties & Data
- About 186 elephants killed by train accidents between 2009–10 and 2020–21.
- Assam accounts for 62 deaths, West Bengal 57, and Odisha 27.
- India holds one of the highest numbers of elephant casualties on railway tracks globally.
Other Species at Risk
- Several wild species face population declines:
- Vultures: >95% decline due to poisoning from veterinary drugs like diclofenac.
- Scavenger species across Asia suffer silent population drops.
- Species experiencing habitat degradation show behavioural changes pushing them into conflict zones.
Drivers of the Crisis
- Habitat fragmentation due to roads, railways, deforestation.
- Agriculture near forest edges, forcing elephants and carnivores into fields.
- Human settlements inside or near corridors.
- Climate change altering food/water availability.
- Poisoning, electrocution, and roadkills.
- Disturbance around traditional feeding and breeding areas.
Government’s Response
- Centre launched the National Human–Wildlife Conflict Mitigation Strategy and Action Plan aimed at:
- Addressing key drivers such as habitat fragmentation, land-use change.
- Promoting coexistence models.
- Expanding early-warning systems & corridor protection.
- Strengthening vulture conservation and restoring scavenger ecosystems.
Relevant Prelims Points
- Human–Wildlife Conflict (HWC):
- Occurs when wildlife requirements overlap with human settlements, leading to competition for space and resources.
- Project Elephant (1992):
- Conservation programme under MoEFCC for the protection of elephants, corridors, and human–elephant conflict mitigation.
- Elephant Corridors:
- Natural pathways connecting habitats; essential for migratory species.
- Fragmentation leads to conflict.
- Vulture Decline:
- Mainly due to diclofenac, a veterinary drug banned in 2006.
- UNEP Reports:
- Highlight impacts of rapid urbanisation on biodiversity.
- MoEFCC:
- Nodal ministry for wildlife protection under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
Relevant Mains Points
Conservation Challenges
- India’s economic expansion has increased:
- Road & rail density
- Linear infrastructure in forest zones
- Mining and quarrying
- Encroachment in wildlife habitats
- These reduce core habitats and increase edge effects, enhancing conflict probability.
Ethical & Ecological Dimensions
- Human–wildlife conflict undermines:
- Biodiversity stability
- Ecological balance
- Food chain integrity
- Loss of keystone species (e.g., elephants, vultures) disrupts entire ecosystems.
Governance & Policy Gaps
- Lack of:
- Scientific land-use planning
- Dedicated ecological corridors
- Compensation and insurance reforms
- Community-based conservation models
- Railways require:
- Speed regulation
- Thermal/AI-based animal detection
- Elevated tracks in key corridors
Socio-Economic Impact
- Crop damage, livestock loss, human casualties create resentment.
- Retaliatory killings rise, further threatening species survival.
- Tourism revenue gets affected.
Way Forward
- Adopt Landscape-level Conservation rather than isolated protected areas.
- Strengthen Early Warning Systems using drones/AI sensors.
- Implement Habitat Restoration and remove invasive species.
- Promote community stewardship, eco-tourism incentives.
- Enhance compensation schemes and conflict-prevention infrastructure (solar fencing, trenches).
- Scientifically plan linear infrastructure using wildlife-sensitive design (underpasses, overpasses).