THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The two-day regional conference on ‘Human-Wildlife Conflict and Co-Existence: Legal and Policy Perspectives’ concluded here on Sunday with a strong call to preserve tribal knowledge and combine it with modern technology to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts.
The conference – organised by the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) and the Kerala State Legal Services Authority (KeLSA) – was attended by judges of the Supreme Court, High Courts, and leading legal experts. It underlined that conflicts between humans and wildlife should not be seen solely through the lens of human suffering but also from the perspective of animals, as both share equal rights over land and resources. Some of the judges also pressed for new legal frameworks to ensure better coordination between revenue, forest, and local body officials in addressing conflicts, with some even suggesting special benches in all High Courts to handle related cases.
Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court Nitin Jamdar observed that indigenous communities and wildlife have always been interdependent. He cautioned against the tendency to portray forests as devoid of human presence, stressing the role of tribal knowledge, including traditional healing practices, in reconnecting humans with their natural habitats. He also highlighted challenges posed by invasive species like water hyacinth, which complicate the balance of ecosystems.
“The land we live on, the air we breathe, and the food we consume are not just ours, but a shared asset,” said Supreme Court Justice Vikram Nath. He added that coexistence was not a choice but a necessity, citing the example of the Court’s directions on stray dog management as an illustration of balancing human and animal concerns. He called for statutory recognition of wildlife corridors, construction of underpasses, and awareness campaigns for local communities. Justice Nath added that community-based conservation, ecotourism, and compensation schemes for those affected by conflicts are essential to ensure local support for conservation efforts.
Justice K V Viswanathan of the Supreme Court noted that coexistence requires creating landscapes where humans and animals can thrive with minimal friction. “The traditional wisdom of indigenous communities, when combined with scientific methods, offers effective and affordable solutions to mitigate conflicts,” he said. Speakers across sessions reiterated that human-wildlife conflicts are not isolated events now but have turned out to be part of everyday reality. They suggested that the way forward lies in respecting tribal knowledge systems, integrating them with modern science, and recognising that the rights of animals are as fundamental as those of humans.