Kerala cm’s backing for control of wildlife numbers stirs row

‘AVOID REACTIONARY MEASURES’ Cautioning that the CM’s statement encouraging hunting will lead to the indiscriminate killing of wild animals, Coexistence Collective, an organisation of

environmentalists, ecological scientists, said the state needs a science-driven, ecologically sound, and legally robust approach towards wildlife management. “We urge the state government to

avoid reactionary measures such as hunting, and instead invest in science-based, compassionate, and legally sound solutions that safeguard both people and wildlife, and protect the state’s

invaluable natural heritage for generations to come. There should be a transparent and participatory policy review involving ecologists, legal experts, tribal representatives, and

environmental civil society groups before announcing or executing any wildlife-control measures,” the collective said in a letter to the government “The tiger count in Wayanad has dropped

alarmingly from 120 in 2018 to just 84 in 2022, a decline of nearly 30%. Statewide, tiger deaths (45) have significantly outnumbered human fatalities (six) in tiger-related incidents between

2018 and 2022. The latest scientific assessment shows a drop in tiger density in the Wayanad landscape from 9.33 per 100 sqkm in 2018 to 7.7 per 100 sqkm in 2022. This stark reduction is

attributed to habitat encroachment, corridor fragmentation, and intentional killings through poisoning and snaring,” said N Badusha president of the Wayanad Prakriti Samrakshana Samithi.

“Kerala’s wild-elephant population has plummeted by 58% – from 5,706 in 2017 to just 2,386 in 2023. The 2024 synchronised census estimates only 1,793 wild elephants in Kerala, with deaths

due to habitat loss, electrocution, poisoning, and other human-induced factors far exceeding human casualties from elephants. From 2016-24, Kerala recorded 763 elephant deaths versus 139

human deaths in man-elephant conflict,” said Wildlife Protection and Conservation Group coordinator S Guruvayurappan. “The government should conduct an independent, multidisciplinary study

on the root causes of human wildlife conflict and zoonotic outbreaks in Kerala, with a focus on habitat degradation, land-use change, invasive species, and climate impact. There should be a

moratorium on any policy proposal involving wildlife hunting or population control unless preceded by rigorous scientific justification and full legal scrutiny,” said Society for the

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) member M N Jayachandran. WILD ELEPHANT POPULATION IN KERALA 2017: 5,706 2024: 1,793 NO OF WILD ELEPHANT DEATHS (2016-24): 763 HUMAN DEATHS FROM

ELEPHANT ATTACKS (2016-24): 139