Kerala: Rising man-animal conflict adds to climate worries
After five years of bountiful rains, Kerala last year was staring at a drought. Since the Southwest monsoon was 34% deficient, major reservoirs have less than half their storage level. However, rising man-animal conflict, sea surge, garbage piling up on the streets and environmental degradation caused by human activities were the issues that kept the state boiling in 2023.
Tigers, elephants, wild gaurs and wild boars strayed into human settlements causing death and crop loss. In fact, around 161 parishes under the Mananthavady diocese and 60 parishes under the eparchy of Idukki, all located on forest fringe areas, had to conclude midnight mass before 10 pm on Christmas eve due to fear of wild animals.
Arikomban’s ordeal
On April 29, Arikomban, the tusker with an appetite for rice that had killed seven people and razed 120 houses at Chinnakanal in Idukki district, was tranquilised and released in Periyar Tiger Reserve. In an attempt to return to his habitat, Arikomban entered Cumbum town in Tamil Nadu on May 27 and ran amok leaving three people injured.
Tigers kill two farmers
As many as six tigers entered human habitations in Wayanad in 2023 and killed two farmers. On January 12, a 10-year-old tiger killed Thomas, 51, a farmer at Puthussery in Wayanad. The tiger was caught and shifted to the Animal Hospice Centre at Sultan Bathery on January 14. On December 8, a 13-year-old tiger killed Prajeesh, 36, a dairy farmer at Koodallur near Wayanad’s Sultan Bathery. The man-eater was caged on December 18.