The main causes of human-wildlife conflicts are habitat degradation and fragmentation, depletion of natural prey bases, and human resource exploitation of wildlife habitats. (Getty)
Among them, Odisha (624), Jharkhand (474) and West Bengal (436) reported the highest number of human fatalities due to conflicts with elephants during 2019-23
Official data analyzed by News18 shows that almost two people were killed in effigy clashes in the five years between 2019 and 2023, with the highest death toll reported last year. Meanwhile, one person died every week in India between 2019 and 2023 in tiger-human conflicts.
Figures from the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change show that 2,853 people have been killed in conflicts with elephants since 2019. In 2023 alone, at least 628 people were killed — almost two every day. The lowest was in 2020, when 471 people were killed in elephant-human conflicts – more than one person a day.
Between 2019 and 2023, a total of 349 people were killed in tiger attacks across the country.
Among them, Odisha (624), Jharkhand (474) and West Bengal (436) reported the highest number of deaths due to conflicts with elephants during 2019-23. During this period, these countries were responsible for nearly half of the deaths in elephant-human conflicts.
On the other hand, Maharashtra tops the list of casualties in conflicts with big cats, with 200 people killed due to tiger attacks between 2019 and 2023. This is followed by Uttar Pradesh (59); Madhya Pradesh (27) and Karnataka (14). Of the 349 people killed in tiger-human conflicts, 300 died in these states.
Animals die in conflict
Data from the ministry shows that a total of 519 elephants died due to human actions and intervention between 2018-19 and 2022-23. Electrocution has killed 376 people and is the biggest cause of death for elephants.
On the other hand, 628 tigers have died across the country since 2019. According to the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), India suffered the highest number of tiger deaths in 2023, with 178 tigers dying.
human-wildlife conflict
According to the ministry, the main causes of human-wildlife conflicts are habitat degradation and fragmentation, depletion of natural prey bases, and human resource utilization of wildlife habitats for various reasons such as grazing, firewood, and weeding. development and utilization of fruits.
Furthermore, an increase in the number of wild animals due to ongoing conservation efforts, in addition to changes in cropping patterns, the presence of stray dogs and cattle in forest fringes, also contributes to these conflicts.
The federal government has taken a series of measures to provide financial assistance to states and union territories under the Wildlife Habitat Development and Tiger and Elephant Programs to manage wildlife and their habitats in the country.
Various other centrally funded schemes being implemented by the ministry are improving the natural habitat of elephants by increasing water sources, planting fodder trees and regenerating bamboo. Such schemes include wildlife habitat development and tiger programmes.
The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016 and the rules framed thereunder also provide that the fund can be used for development of wildlife habitats, including elephants, and establishment of animal rescue centres, which will also help reduce human-image conflicts.
