Human-Animal Conflict | 13 Mar 2024

Source: IE

Why in News?

Amid repeated deaths from animal attacks and rising anger over them, Kerala has declared the Human-Animal Conflict as a state-specific disaster.

• This declaration signals a significant shift in how the government addresses this pressing issue, altering the responsibilities and authorities involved.

How State Handle Human-Animal Conflict as a State-Specific Disaster?

• As per section 71 of the Disaster Management Act, no court (except the Supreme Court or a High Court) shall have jurisdiction to entertain any suit or proceeding in respect of anything done by relevant authorities in pursuance of any power conferred by this Act.
  • Section 72 of the Act says that the provisions of this Act will have an overriding effect on any other law during the specific period that a disaster has been declared.
• Other State-Specific Disasters:
  • In 2015, Odisha declared snakebite a state-specific disaster.
  • In 2020, Kerala declared Covid-19 as a state specific disaster.
    • Besides, heat waves, sunburn and sunstroke have been declared so in 2019, the phenomenon of soil piping in 2017, and lightning and coastal erosion in 2015.

What is Human-Animal Conflict?

• About:
  • Human-animal conflict refers to situations where human activities, such as agriculture, infrastructure development, or resource extraction, come into conflict with wild animals, leading to negative outcomes for both humans and animals.
• Implications:
  • Economic Losses: Human-animal conflict can result in significant economic losses for people, especially farmers and livestock herders. Wild animals can destroy crops, damage infrastructure, and kill livestock, leading to financial hardship.
  • Threats to Human Safety: Wild animals can pose a threat to human safety, especially in areas where people and wildlife coexist. Attacks by large predators such as lions, tigers, and bears can result in serious injury or death.
  • Ecological Damage: Human-animal conflict can have a negative impact on the environment. For example, when humans kill predators, it can lead to an increase in prey populations, which can then cause ecological imbalances.
  • Conservation Challenges: Human-animal conflict can also pose a challenge to conservation efforts, as it can lead to negative perceptions of wildlife and make it difficult to implement conservation measures.
  • Psychological Impacts: Human-animal conflict can also have psychological impacts on people, especially those who have experienced attacks or property damage. It can lead to fear, anxiety, and trauma.

What Strategies Can be Implemented to Mitigate Human-Animal Conflict?

• Habitat Management:
  • Protecting and restoring natural habitats for wildlife can reduce their need to encroach on human settlements in search of food and shelter.
  • This can involve creating wildlife corridors, establishing protected areas, and implementing sustainable land-use practices.
• Crop Protection Measures:
  • Implementing techniques such as fencing, scare devices, and crop diversification can help protect crops from wildlife damage, reducing economic losses for farmers.
• Early Warning Systems:
  • Developing and deploying early warning systems, such as alerting communities about the presence of wildlife nearby, can help prevent human-wildlife conflicts and mitigate threats to human safety.
• Community Engagement and Education:
  • Educating local communities about coexisting with wildlife, raising awareness about the importance of conservation, and providing training in conflict resolution techniques can foster greater understanding and tolerance toward wild animals.
• Conflict Resolution Mechanisms:
  • Setting up conflict resolution mechanisms, such as wildlife conflict response teams or hotlines, can facilitate timely interventions and minimise conflicts between humans and animals.

What are the Government Measures to Tackle Human-Animal Conflict?

• The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: The act provides the legal framework for the activities, Prohibition of hunting, Protection and management of wildlife habitats, and establishment of protected areas etc.
• The Biological Diversity Act, 2002: India is a part of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. It ensures that the Biological Diversity Act complements rather than contradicts existing laws concerning forests and wildlife.
• National Wildlife Action Plan (2002-2016): It focuses on strengthening and enhancing the protected area network, on the conservation of Endangered wildlife and their habitats, on controlling trade in wildlife products and on research, education, and training.
• Project Tiger: Project Tiger is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, launched in 1973. It provides havens for tigers in the country’s national parks.
• Project Elephant: It is a centrally sponsored scheme and was launched in February 1992 for the protection of elephants, their habitats and corridors.
• National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA): It lays down guidelines to be followed by different Ministries or Departments of Central Government for the purpose of integrating measures for disaster prevention or mitigation of its effects in their development plans and projects