Chat transcript dated 18th August 2004-"Man Animal Conflict"

Susan  Today's topic is "Man-Animal Conflict" 

Susan  Hello Jatinder

jatinder  i have been reading up your chats earlier but wasn't able to log in before 

Susan  Welcome Aranya 

easa  Hello everybody 

Susan  Man animal conflict is a universal problem 

Anil  Hello everybody

easa  Man animal interaction was the first to start 

jatinder  was the interaction always in conflict?

Susan  Interaction is still there-profitable to both but..

easa  Conflict is a recent word though it was more or less there earlier also in the present form

easa  But there were tolerance among the people and it was more or less co-existence

easa  It turned to a conflict because of various reasons

jatinder  and at some point there was more exploitation of the animal world by the human world 

jatinder  what are the reasons Mr. Easa 

Susan  At times, it is just because of a lack of understanding may be............ 

jatinder  yes susan i guess lack of understanding..lack of awareness...

easa  Long silence was due to internet problem 

Susan  Anil, Aranya can we hear from you too.

easa  It is definitely due to loss of habitat to start with 

easa  The available habitat also got fragmented. When you have more fragments (pieces), the perimeter also increases  

jatinder  Mr. easa, what is your opinion on the consumption of 'exotic ' meats like rare animals,and even snakes etc. in southeastern countries 

easa  This means more opportunities for the animal and the man to interact 

nature  Hi I am nature lover can i join ? 

jatinder  sure most welcome 

easa  This interaction turned to conflict when there were clash of interest and competition for the same resources or area 

Anil  Hi i came back again 

nature  What is yr opinion reg. translocation of 12 Leapords from Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Mumbai due to man animal conflict ? 

Susan  We must not let the conflict become a human vs animal war. The conflict is about sharng of habitat 

easa  Most of the people in the forest areas were looking for subsistence. This attitude changed with increasing demands for luxury or more than subsistence 

Susan  Anil, what is your experience? 

easa  There is a good report by Vidya and others on the leopard issue in Pune district 

easa  Translocation itself is debatable. If the animal turns out to be a man-eater, it is a different issue to be dealt with seriously 

nature  Whether they have done correct ? 

easa  But if you are translocating an animal to another issue because it is a problematic one, you are just translocating the problem also 

Anil  In certain areas people has started accepting the coexistence of both man and animal 

easa  The translocated animal also will have to find a place in the new area. The translocated animal's place in the old area will be taken over by another one 

easa  There should be a proper assessment of the population of the leopard in the area and an assessment of the reasons for the so called conflict 

nature  Do you know that the female leopard and two Cubs died during the translocation. 

easa  There is also the issue of pacifying the people. If you are not acting, the people with low tolerance will poison or do something else which will affect more number of animals. 

Susan  In short, we must be proactive in dealing with conflicts. 

Susan  Anil, which are the areas you have in mind? 

easa  Capture ,transportation and translocation is something we are yet to refine completely. An animal under stress could also die 

easa  Rehabilitation also needs expertise 

nature  Whether we are adopting the right method for translocation ? 

Anil  I have seen in south west Bengal where people has started learning to live with crop raiding problem. Even after large amount of crop damage every year they never harm the animal. 

easa  Most of the areas with high conflict issues are with more number of people with changed attitude 

easa  I am told that they are doing their best with available facilities and techniques. 

easa  yes, I met a lady in Doom Dooma in Assam who said we cheated the elephants this time. 

jatinder  that must have through education i guess 

easa  Elephants about 30 or so raid their crops when it is ripe (rice) and there were lots of damage. Forest dept. compensates the damage after a long procedure. More often it does not happen also.

Anil  Yes they know the problem and has learned the indigenous method to coexistence. 

easa  This time they went for short rotation variety of rice which was ready for harvesting much earlier and the elephants did not have a chance . It did not visit even 

easa  Anil can probably tell us how we save the elephants from getting hit by train, a development programme which we all use 

Anil  When I was working there I have seen that how people are changing their crop pattern in response to the crop raiding problems without any outside input. 

jatinder  that is interesting 

jatinder  so there is an inherent desire in man to co exist 

nature  Only in Sanjay Gandhi National Park & Sariska Wild Life Sanctuary, I found human encroachments. Any Solution ? Instead of translocating Animals ? 

Anil  In Rajaji NP the forest department, Railway and wildlife trust of India jointly working to save the elephant mortality due to train accidents. 

easa  Anil can probably tell us how we save the elephants from getting hit by train, a development programme which we all use 

Susan  Jatinder, I tend to agree with you. 

easa  If somebody is interested in leopard conflict study details, contact Vidya Athreya at phatrosie@vsnl.net  

Anil  We are conduct joint night patrolling along the railway track between January to June which is the crucial period to avert the elephant hit by trains. 

easa  Encroachments are there in almost all places only the degree differs 

Anil  Due to several joint efforts there has been no mortality in last two years. 

Anil  Leopard problem in Uttaranchal is also due to the large amount of habitat and prey loss in that area. 

easa  In Wayanad in Kerala, the conflict especially crop raiding is very high. There were tribals affected and there was no issue till a setler agriculturist's house was damaged 

easa  WE talked to older people and they said crop raiding has been there for decades and they always left a portion of the field 

easa  A part of the crop was left for elephants and other animals. Earlier books in 1930s on the area also talks about machans (raised platform on tree tops) in the area 

easa  But then there was watching also to scare away the animals. Now the new generation asked me why should we spend day in the field working and night for watching. WE see everybody going to office at 10 and returning by 5. Let the govt. do this also. 

Anil  I thing habitat loss is one of the biggest problem behind crop damage and other wildlife related issue. 

Anil  Particularly elephant has suffered a lot due to the habitat loss in India and other part of the world.

easa  The need of the people also increased. it is not just subsistence. It is also vehicles, school in far away places, entertainments involving money and what not 

easa  The attitude changed.   

easa  Anil should say about the elephant issue in Bengal where lots of people were killed. One should also see the elephant habitats in the central India - Orissa, Jharkhand, Bengal. It is like dots spread in the ocean of people.   

Susan  When people get killed by wildlife, it is difficult to remain sane and rational. 

nature  My opinion about Man Animal Conflict to safeguard the Wildlife & Nature, our gov. to initiate to stop encroachment. 

easa  If the authorities do not act, people get agitated also 

Anil  Due to fragmented habitat in the west Bengal large numbers of people are being killed every year. Though the total elephant population is only between 400- 450. 

easa  There should be political will for most of the good decisions. they may not be popular 

nature  We ourselves should jointly act. 

easa  There are various forums, agencies trying their best. Unfortunately, there should be good political leaders to listen to such cries 

Susan  Political leaders must be encouraged to become part of these forums 

nature  Do you know whether they got knowledge in this regard ? 

easa  Conflicting interests especially when it is compromising on developmental issues, wildlife will be the least priority item 

nature  We will have to educate the Political Leaders reg. Protect Wildlife. 

easa  Political leaders know the issue. But they are not sure whether it will bring in votes and popularity. Probably they are sure that it does not. 

nature  Joint effort it is possible. 

jatinder  all the more reason why clubs like ours have to work harder 

Susan  Mass movements and team work can achieve what politics cannot 

nature  Yes correct 

easa  It is possible if the people say that we need it. Most of our present leaders are lead by the people. they never lead us to light. They look at us and read the interest and then give you that 

nature  Good Night to everybody will have another session to enhance our views. 

jatinder  thanks Dr. Easa, and thanks Susan bye all 

Susan  Yes I think we must say bye now on the optimistic note of working harder for awareness creation! 

easa  That is ok. susan we should talk to structure these chats 

animal  Thanks everbody and bye. due to mail problem i was out. 

Susan  Thanks, Dr Easa and Anil and all the members who logged in! 

Susan  Do log in next time