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Spatio-temporal patterns in human-wildlife conflict in Kerala
The human-wildlife conflict (HWC) data for the period from 2006 to 2016 collected from the State Forest Department was analyzed in a GIS software – QGIS ver. 2.18. Asian Elephant was found to be involved in 47.7 per cent of the HWC incidences in Kerala, followed by Wild Boar (23.3 %) and Bonnet Maca...
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| Format: | Ph.D Thesis |
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Vellanikkara
Department of Wildlife Sciences College of Forestry
2018
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| Summary: | The human-wildlife conflict (HWC) data for the period from 2006 to 2016 collected from the State Forest Department was analyzed in a GIS software – QGIS ver. 2.18. Asian Elephant was found to be involved in 47.7 per cent of the HWC incidences in Kerala, followed by Wild Boar (23.3 %) and Bonnet Macaque (17.3 %). 81 per cent of the conflict incidences occur in the Forest Divisions towards north of Palakkad Gap in Western Ghats. 64 per cent of the HWC incidences were reported from the three Fds in Wayanad District alone. High level of fragmentation of forest ecosystems, changes in cropping pattern, decreasing tolerance level of people towards wildlife, etc. may be contributing to high level of HWC incidences in North Kerala. HWC data of all the Forest Divisions (FD) were analyzed with geospatial tools and presented as heat maps, which depicts the spatial concentration of HWC incidences. Temporal variation of the HWC incidences was also analyzed and found that conflicts involving herbivores are higher during the months from June to December. Heat maps were generated for the villages with high incidences of HWC in Mannarkkad and Thrissur FDs. In Mannarkkad FD, Padavayal, Pudur and Kottathara Villages together experience nearly 50 per cent of the HWC incidences. Asian Elephant contributes to 79.9 per cent of the HWC incidences in this Division, followed by 9.1 per cent of Wild Boar and 6.5 per cent of Leopard. In Thrissur Forest Division, villages like Peechi and Mannamangalam only are exposed to conflicts by Asian Elephant, which accounts for ten per cent of the HWC in this Division. However, Wild Boar is involved in 53.1 per cent of the conflicts in this Division. Conflicts involving Wild Boar are high in villages like Pilakkad, Thonnurkkara, Varavoor, etc. Decadal changes in land use land cover was studied and found that there was a very high increase in the area under kharif crop in Mannarkkad FD. Within the villages with high intensity of conflict in this Division, a very high increase in the area under kharif crop is observed. In Thrissur FD also the area under kharif crop is increased in all the villages with high conflict intensity. The preventive measures adopted in Mannarkkad FD are elephant-proof trench and solar fencing. Elephant-proof trenches are dug at Pudur Village in Attappady Forest Range in less than a kilometer. Two to three year old solar fences only are maintained well and found to be functional. The solar fences installed during 2010 are completely damaged and not functional. The solar fences installed currently in this FD are not sufficient to contain the HWC incidences. No preventive measures were adopted in Thrissur Forest Division to prevent the HWC incidences. However, solar electric fences were installed in Peechi and Mannamangalam villages in Pattikkad Forest Range in 2016 along the boundary of the forests for a length of 20 km. More than 60 per cent of the respondents in Mannarkkad and Thrissur Forest Divisions, support the wildlife protection activities due to various reasons. The respondents had a low satisfaction level in Mannarkkad (57.8 per cent) and Thrissur (92.3 per cent) FD on the compensation pattern of Government. However, quick compensation was suggested by 39.7 per cent of the respondents in Mannarkkad FD and 43.8 per cent in Thrissur FD. 88.6 per cent of the respondents in Mannarkkad FD and 74.4 per cent of the respondents in Thrissur FD agree that among the government agencies, Kerala Forest Department is prompt in responding to the HWC related issues. A timely response from the Forest Department officials in reaching the conflict locations and quick release of compensation for the affected individuals will improve the tolerance level of people towards wildlife. |
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| Physical Description: | 291p. |