Human-wildlife conflict surges into local body polls

The emerging electoral discourse ahead of the local-body elections has shifted sharply towards the animal-human conflict, as parties seek to address mounting casualties, crop damage and habitat strain in forest-fringe regions.A study by the forest department has flagged 273 grama panc-hayats across the state as conflict-prone zones for human-wildlife interaction, with 30 of these classified as high-risk hotspots, nine of which lie in the Wayanad area.

- HD Bureau

According to the department’s decade-long analysis, approximately 840 people died in wildlife-related incidents, and in the current year 39 deaths were recorded so far. In response the government announced the creation of “12 conflict landscapes”, each to be managed through tailored mitigation plans blending community engagement, technological measures and habitat restoration.

The approach aims to integrate relief to affected communities with structural measures such as enhanced solar-fencing, electric trenches, and real-time monitoring systems.