KOZHIKODE: Indicating a jump in human-animal conflict in Wayanad district, seven persons were killed in the first six months (April to September) of the financial year in wildlife attacks as against three in the corresponding period last year, according to the forest department. The total number of wildlife -related deaths in the district last year was only six. Interestingly, three persons were killed in tiger attacks in the sanctuary last year, whereas this year three persons were killed in elephant attacks. Normally, tigers and other big cats become restless from November onwards.
The number of deaths in wildlife attacks in the three wildlife zones in Wayanad this year is as follows: Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary- 3 (last year total - 3, North Wayanad forest division – 1 (last year nil) South Wayanad forest division-3 (last year-3, snake-1, elephant -1, wild boar-1) Wayanad wildlife warden Dhanesh Kumar told DC that the elephant herds are more violent this year. “With the hot summer days ahead when the wildlife will be more agitated, I fear this year the toll would go up by the end of the financial year in March,” he added.
“The bifurcation of habitat and separating wildlife habitats from human settlements with man-made barriers like trenches, granite walls and power fencing, are believed to be the chief reasons,” he said. “The greenery in the elephant corridors was devastated by the mushrooming of resorts in plantations, many of them violating all norms,” he pointed out.
“During the years we have managed to reduce the area under wildlife attack. But the intensity of the attack has increased,” he added. According to the figures of WWS, so far four persons were injured in wildlife attacks while three houses were damaged and 36 cases of cattle lifting were reported in the sanctuary. The wildlife division received 543 applications for compensation of which Rs 43.4 lakh has been already distributed.
