Monkeys and wild boars causing most distress to people in Wayanad: Study

Image for representational purpose only. Photo Courtesy: File pic

It is not the majestic elephants or tigers, but monkeys and wild boars that are causing the most distress to the residents of this hill district in Keralam in the escalating human-wildlife conflict, according to a new scientific study.

Highlighting a critical disparity in the state's compensation distribution, the joint study conducted by researchers from Kannur University and the University of Geneva noted that the cumulative damage caused by smaller animals often equals the major, single-incident losses caused by larger mammals.

The research, published in the latest edition of 'Scientific Reports'-a prestigious Nature Portfolio journal by Springer Nature-was led by Dr Joseph J Erincheri of Kannur University and Dr Takuya Iwamura of the University of Geneva.

The fieldwork was conducted by research scholar C M Lakshmi during 2022-23.

The team also included former Kannur University professor Dr P K Prasadan, researcher Stephina C C, and Tanner Corless Smith from the University of Geneva.

Data was collected from 998 individuals across 49 villages in the district, focusing on human settlements and forest-fringe areas.

The findings indicate that 84 per cent of the respondents have experienced human-wildlife conflict, and 81 percent hold a negative attitude towards wildlife conservation due to the increasing frequency of animal incursions and the intensity of the disturbances.

While the fear of elephants and big cats persists, interactions with monkeys were the most widely reported.

Thirty seven per cent of respondents rated the monkey menace as moderate to highly intense.

Five per cent rated it as extremely intense due to severe crop raids and property damage-the highest intensity rating recorded among the eight wildlife species studied.

Wild boars closely followed, with 30 per cent of respondents identifying them as a high-intensity threat, primarily due to widespread crop destruction.

Peafowl presence was also widely reported (30 per cent), though the intensity of the threat was rated comparatively lower.

Interactions with elephants (23 per cent), tigers (4 per cent), leopards (3 per cent), and gaurs (3 per cent) were relatively low.

However, the study noted that the economic loss, security concerns, and sheer panic caused by these animals remain immense.

While conflicts involving elephants and tigers are mostly restricted to forest fringes, monkeys, wild boars, and peafowls have adapted to human environments, becoming major daily challenges across all settlements, according to Lakshmi.

An analysis of regional newspaper reports from 2022-23 and the government's compensation distribution system showed a clear bias towards large mammals.

While prompt compensation is usually awarded for incidents involving elephants or tigers, the recurring daily damages caused by monkeys and wild boars are largely ignored because they lack visual intensity.

The study calls for a more equitable and comprehensive compensation system that factors in the cumulative financial drain caused by repeated smaller attacks, rather than just focusing on isolated major incidents.

Mitigation measures must be tailored to the specific species causing conflict in each specific area, the researchers suggested.

Further studies are currently underway to map exact conflict hotspots in Wayanad, and the final report will soon be submitted to the government and the Forest Department.

Meanwhile, parallel research on zoonotic disease transmission resulting from wildlife entering human habitats is progressing at the university's laboratory.

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