Bengaluru concern: Human-wildlife conflicts soar 183%; elephants, big cats spark fear near villages, farms

Time of India

6 hours ago

BENGALURU : Karnataka has recorded a staggering 183% rise in human-wildlife conflict (HWC) incidents over the past five years, raising serious concerns for both govt and forest department.
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From a few hundred reported cases in 2019 to several thousand by the end of 2024, the escalation involves several species, especially in southern Western Ghats.
A recent study titled 'Geospatial Identification of Human-Wildlife Conflict Hotspots in the Southern Western Ghats', published in 'Indian Society of Remote Sensing' journal, examined over 34,000 HWC incidents across Karnataka from 2019 to 2023. The research, conducted by experts from premier institutes in Karnataka and Telangana, identified conflict clusters and hotspots, providing valuable insights for future management strategies.
The study shows the govt disbursed about Rs 27 crore in compensation to victims during this period. While 17 animal species were involved in conflict cases, nearly 98% were attributed to elephants, tigers, and leopards. Other incidents also involved wild boars, gaurs, spotted deer, peacocks, and sloth bears.
Contrary to the belief that animals invade human areas mainly in summer seeking food and water, the study found that the highest number of incidents — 30.9% — occurred during the monsoon months of July to Sept, followed closely by Oct to Dec (29.4%).
GM Pavithra, one of the researchers, said: 'The trend is largely due to high density of invasive species such as 'Lantana camara' and 'Senna spectabilis', which not only obstructs animals' movement but also deprives them of food. Monoculture plantations in the past have also contributed in a significant way.'
Destroyed crops accounted for 97.8% of damage caused by elephants, with gaurs responsible for 1.4%. Almost all conflicts occurred in agricultural lands, plantations, or orchards.
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The study highlighted proximity as a key factor, noting, 'Over 5,000 incidents were reported close to human settlements, ranging from 100m to 500m. While elephant-related conflicts were common at all distances, carnivores (tigers, leopards) were seen within 100m of human settlements.'
Infrastructure development also exacerbates the problem. 'Roads disrupt wildlife movement patterns, exacerbating crop depredation due to increased accessibility of cultivated food sources along the corridors,' the report stated.
It further noted that conflicts with elephants were more frequent at higher elevations (750 to 1,000m), whereas carnivore-related incidents occurred mostly at lower elevations (500 to 750m) near forest edges.