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Proceedings of the International Academy of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, 2021, 11(3): 84-102
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Article

Human-wildlife conflict in Uttarakhand: Impact, opportunities and ground level perspectives with mitigating strategies

D. S. Meena, D. P. Baluni, M. M. Bisht, D. S. Pundir, Akash
Narendranagar Forest Division, MuniKiReti, Tehri Garhwal, Uttarakhand 249137, India

Received 16 April 2021;Accepted 25 May 2021;Published 1 September 2021
IAEES

Abstract
Human-wildlife conflict has caused high mortality of animals and human in Uttarakhand, India. Due to the continuous changes in forest cover and anthropogenic pressures large groups of animals are forced to occupy the multiuse landscapes outside the reserve forest. The present study is the compiled source of data from Narendranagar forest division with respect to Uttarakhand and adjacent Himalaya. We have recorded about a total of 740 casualties of livestock predation along with 126 incidents of human injured and 36 incidents of human death in Narendranagar forest division in last 20 years. Further we have also compiled the data of main problematic animal viz. leopard involved in livestock predation and human death and injury. Human death, injury along with livestock predation and crop raiding were main issues in present review. Further it was observed that most of the attacks on wild animals occurred when livestock were freely grazing within the multi-use areas without supervision of a herder. Leopard and elephant were mainly involved in human death whereas elephant and monkey in crop raiding. In addition, leopard mortality rate was also observed to be increasing in Uttarakhand which was mainly due to natural deaths, poaching, accidents, declared dangers, burnt, forest fires, food poisoning, mutual fights, and road accidents. The present study suggests public awareness for co-existence strategies, supervised grazing, awareness of high-risk areas, prompt response by the rescue teams, removing of unnecessary canopy of plants around human settlements should be initiated to reduce predation by wild animals. A further study on leopard behavior, relocation, and social collaboration is needed to understand the basic reasons behind the conflict and conservation measures to be taken. The present study areas also demand culturally and sustainable acceptable strategies along with better compensation to mitigate the damages.

Keywords human-wildlife conflict;livestock predation;crop raiding;compensation;Narendranagar forest division.

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