Why wild animals attack human beings
There has been a recent spike in human-wildlife conflicts in Kerala, particularly in hilly areas like Wayanad, Munnar and Palakkad, where carnivores and pachyderms are crossing human-made barriers and entering human habitations. Tragically, innocent people are often caught off guard by these rampaging animals, putting their lives in danger. Prolific breeders such as wild boars and bonnet macaques are now ubiquitous in villages bordering forest areas. Additionally, the increasing presence of peacocks—previously uncommon in agricultural fields—has emerged as a new threat to farming.
Human-wildlife conflicts have existed since the advent of settled agriculture. It is believed that early nomads cleared and burned large tracts of pristine forests to practise shifting cultivation. As soil fertility declined, they moved to newer areas in search of arable land, repeating the cycle. After several decades, they would return to their original locations, where soil fertility and vegetation had naturally regenerated.
Kerala’s forest cover spans approximately 11,309.47 square km, accounting for 29.1 per cent of the state’s total geographical area. Human-wildlife conflict is particularly prevalent along the forest fringes, home to around 725 tribal hamlets with a population exceeding 1,00,000. Additionally, about 5,00,000 non-tribals live in enclosures and settlements within these forests.
With population growth, large-scale deforestation has taken place for food production and infrastructure development. River valley projects, encroachments and the diversion of forest land for non-forestry purposes—including high-voltage power lines, railway lines, highways, townships, industries, mining and pilgrimage routes—have led to the fragmentation of wildlife habitats. People displaced by these projects were relocated to new areas without adequate consideration of wildlife presence or animal behaviour, exacerbating the problem.
https://img.theweek.in/content/dam/week/week/news/defence/images/2025/10/4/deaths-due to-man-animal-conflict.jpg
Notably, intolerance towards human-wildlife interactions is highest among settler farmers living along forest fringes, whereas indigenous tribes residing deep within the forests tend to be more accustomed to such encounters. Even snakebites—historically common—are now being classified as human-wildlife conflicts in the state.
The introduction of fast-growing exotic tree species for raw material production (such as for newsprint), afforestation programmes and avenue plantations has become a major ecological concern. Extensive monocultures of eucalyptus, acacia and wattles have degraded ecosystem quality. The absence of natural predators or biological control measures has allowed invasive plant species such as Chromolaena odorata (commonly known as communist pacha or eupatorium), Lantana camara (arippochedi) and Senna spectabilis (manjakkonna) to spread unchecked. These invasive species now smother native flora, reducing available fodder and water sources for wildlife.
Whenever a wildlife attack occurs, there is public outcry demanding the immediate killing of the offending animal. A long-term solution requires a thorough assessment of wildlife population dynamics, including the prey-predator ratio, particularly concerning large carnivores. Population statistics of different wild animal species need to be obtained and studied.
In Wayanad, for instance, many people claim that the increasing frequency of carnivore incursions is due to rising wildlife populations-an outcome of strict forest protection measures, improved intelligence gathering and effective action against wildlife traffickers. These claims, however, require validation through scientific and statistical studies.
https://img.theweek.in/content/dam/week/week/news/defence/images/2025/10/4/loss-due-to-man-animal-conflict.jpg
It is generally accepted that injured carnivores often stray out of their natural habitat in search of easy prey, such as domestic cattle grazing near forests. Similarly, “floaters”—young animals seeking new territories—frequently encounter humans, leading to conflicts.
People collecting minor forest produce or non-wood forest produce often come face-to-face with wild animals, sometimes resulting in attacks. In Munnar, for instance, wild elephant herds have been known to fatally attack tea estate labourers who unwittingly encounter them in the early morning mist.
Changes in land use and cropping patterns also play a crucial role in attracting wildlife. The cultivation of jackfruit, tubers, sugarcane, banana and even cash crops like rubber has drawn herbivores closer to human settlements. The rising populations of wild boars, spotted deer, bonnet macaques and peafowl—protected under existing wildlife laws—further exacerbate the issue.
Elephants, wild boars, sambar deer, spotted deer, bonnet macaques and gaurs are responsible for significant damage to plantains, coconut, areca-nut, coffee, pepper and paddy fields in Kerala. Predators such as tigers, leopards and wild dogs are major contributors to livestock depredation.
Elephant-proof trenches, solar power fences, bio-fences, agave hedges can deter wild elephants. Hanging solar power fences, with closely knit wires, are effective against other animals, too, if properly maintained. Their maintenance can perhaps be entrusted to MNREGA workers.
Wild elephants usually avoid hedges of agave sisalana plants. Some other deterrents are plantations of lemon, chili, date palm and xerophytes.
Dense planting of thorny species like sappan (Caesalpinia sappan) has been effective in keeping out wild boars and mouse deer. Highly pungent green chili varieties can ward off herbivores. Palmyra palm plantations have been attempted in northern Kerala, though their effectiveness remains uncertain due to slow growth.
The forest department has rapid response teams in each district to handle human-wildlife conflicts. There is also a programme, called Nava Kiranam, that offers substantial compensation for voluntary relocation of non-tribal residents from forests and forest fringes, thus preserving the continuity of wildlife habitats.
The department recently launched a mission that aims at ensuring the availability of water and fodder in forests, reducing herbivore incursions and indirectly securing food supply to carnivores.
Timely disbursement of adequate compensation for victims’ families, property damage, crop loss and livestock depredation is crucial. Sensationalisation of human-wildlife conflicts in the media often fuels public panic. This can be mitigated through the timely dissemination of accurate information.
(The writer is a former Deputy Conservator of Forests, Kerala.)
Pages:
[1]