KOCHI: With protests raging in the high ranges following the death of three people in wild elephant attacks within a span of 24 hours, Forest Minister A K Saseendran has convened an urgent high-level meeting to explore ways to curb the rising human-wild animal conflict in the state.
Head of Forest Force Ganga Singh, Chief Wildlife Warden Pramod G Krishnan and other principal chief conservators will deliberate over the prevailing situation at the meeting scheduled to be held at 2.30pm on Wednesday.
Saseendran said the department will deploy the entire field staff, including social forestry officials, to strengthen patrolling in the conflict hotspots to avoid human casualty. This apart, primary response teams will be formed by recruiting local residents as volunteers to alert people about the presence of wild animals in their areas.
On Tuesday, residents blockaded roads in Idukki and Wayanad districts, demanding protection from wild animals. As many as 11 people have died in wild jumbo attacks in Kerala between December 14, 2024, and February 11, 2025, indicating a rise in human-wildlife conflict.
The body of Babu, 54, a resident of Venkolla near Palode, Thiruvananthapuram, was found around 8 km inside the forest on Monday evening. Babu, who had gone to visit his relatives on the other side of the forest, was trampled by a wild elephant. He was missing for the past five days.
Manu, a 45-year-old tribal man, was killed by a wild elephant when he was returning after attending a temple festival at Kappad in Noolpuzha in Wayanad on Monday night. Both deaths occurred inside the forest.
On Monday, Sofia Ismail of Peruvanthanam in Idukki was trampled to death by a wild elephant when she went to take bath in a nearby stream.
The same day, Prasad, a plantation worker, suffered rib fracture in a wild elephant attack at Ayyampuzha in Ernakulam. Apart from elephants, there has been an increase in incidents of other wild animals, including tiger and leopards, straying into human habitations.
‘We have deployed more rapid response teams’
On January 24, Radha, a tribal woman, was killed by a tiger at Pancharakolli in Wayanad.
As shrinking water bodies and drying grasslands drive wild animals to human habitations, the forest department has launched Mission Food Fodder and Water (FFW) to ensure availability of food and water inside the forest. However, farmer organisations are demanding culling of wild animals to reduce conflict.
“We have deployed more rapid response teams (RRT) and strengthened patrolling on forest fringes to avoid any untoward incident. Steps are being taken to restore defunct solar fencing and alert people about the presence of wild animals with the help of primary response teams,” said Chief Wildlife Warden Pramod G Krishnan.
“The forest department should conduct vista clearances to a distance of 50m on either side of the solar fencing along forest border to prevent wild animal attacks. Bushes should be cleared on either side of the roads passing through forest areas. This will help people understand the presence of wild animals. The KIFA will launch a statewide protest on February 15 demanding steps to restrict wild animals inside the forest and save human lives. The first protest march will be held in Kannur,” said Kerala Independent Farmers’ Association (KIFA) chairman Alex Ozhukayil.
KILLED IN JUMBO ATTACKS IN 2025
January 4: Mani, a 37-year-old tribal man, trampled to death in Karulai range of Nilambur forest while returning home at Poochapara in Malappuram
January 8: Vishnu, 22, from Kutta in Karnataka, attacked and killed while returning to his village through forest road in Pulpally, Wayanad
January 15: Sarojini, 52, of Uchakulam colony in Nilambur forest, trampled to death while collecting forest produce
February 5: Vimalan, 57, of Champakkad tribal settlement, killed at Chinnar in Idukki
February 10: Manu, 45, killed while returning from a temple festival in Noolpuzha, Wayanad
Sofia Ismail, 45, of Idukki’s Peruvanthanam killed when she went to a stream to take bath
Babu, 54, of Venkolla near Palode, T’Puram, who went to visit his relatives, trampled to death in the forest. Babu was missing for 5 days and his body was found on February 10