Navigating Human Wildlife Co-existence in the Vicinity of Malampuzha Dam, Kerala, India
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55863/ijees.2025.0738Keywords:
Human–wildlife conflict (HWC), Livestock kills, Human injury, Economic loss, Heat density, Conflict probabilityAbstract
Human–wildlife conflict (HWC) tends to occur when human behaviour negatively affects wildlife and vice versa. The HWC has increased in Akathethera and Malampuzha I Panchayats since 2015 and more so after 2020. Increase in built-up by 100%, decline in forest cover by 1.509% and decline in mixed tree cover by 9.09% suggest habitat fragmentation and encroachment upon wildlife habitat between 2013 and 2025. Households grow about 3 crops per year, which are attacked by at least 2 different animals. Larger variety of crops grown, attract higher number of animals (correlation of 0.518). The average annual economic loss due to crop damage is reportedly Rupees 58,550.59 per household. 618 individual livestock deaths were reported, where poultry and guard dog deaths were maximum with the highest number of leopard attacks and the average loss per household being Rupees 36168.42 between 2015-2025. There are 28 cases of human injury and 2 deaths, mainly by elephant, wild boar, and snake attacks where the average economic loss is Rupees 8,911.76 per attack between 2015-2025. Elephants, wild boars, and monkeys are responsible for most property damage, where fence damage is common, and Rupees 26,546.51 on average was lost between 2015-2024 per household. The heat density maps and conflict probability map reveal that the southern portion of the study area is most vulnerable. Only 27.49% of households have registered for compensation. With a high volume of crop damages, livestock kills, property damage, human injury and deaths, there is animosity towards wildlife conservation which requires a holistic and robust framework to aid wildlife conservation and human safety.
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