WILDLIFE MAN STRUGGLE IN WEST BENGAL A Serious Social Issue!

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1 WILDLIFE MAN STRUGGLE IN WEST BENGAL A Serious Social Issue! Raju Das, IFS Office of the PCCF HoFF, Aranya Bhavan, Saltlake, Kolkata, West Bengal Abstract: Human and Wild Animal casualties are on the rise in the State of West Bengal. Human injuries and damage to crop and properties are also on the rise. The increase in the population of Wildlife and the migration of Wild Elephants in the fragmented forest tracts of North and South Bengal has given rise to serious man animal conflict issues. Analysis of the conflict between human and tigers, elephants, leopards and bisons has been attempted to give the latest trend in the wildlife and man conflict. Data for the past five years has been analyzed and the trend in the quantum of crop damage, human casualties, human deaths, wild animal deaths, wild animal injury etc. has been projected. The new method in combating and mitigating this issue has also been pointed out. Keywords: Elephants, Crop, Raid, Tiger, Leopard, Bison, Conflict, Casualty, damage, death, injury. Introduction: The conflict between man and wild animals has existed in the Northern and Southern parts of West Bengal form the beginning of the twentieth century. There is report in the forest rest house guest registers of Khutimari Forest Rest House that elephants raided and damaged crops in the adjoining areas of Moraghat Forest Range in Jalpaiguri District in the year 95. There are similar reports in range office inspection registers in North Bengal pertaining to the period These conflicts were in the beginning confined between Man in forest fringe villages and Elephants. Later when tea gardens were established in North Bengal Forests tracts it resulted in fragmented forest patches and huge pockets of plantations came up adjoining forest areas. The labour lines were established in these tea gardens by bringing in people to work in the tea gardens from Assam, Nepal and the Chotanagpur Plateau. Leopards started utilizing the Tea Gardens as breeding areas and in the process during tea plucking conflict between leopards and tea garden labourers is a common occurrence. Later in the 99s the Bison population of Gorumara National Park Page of

2 and Jaldapara National Park has multiplied many folds. Straying from these P.A.s into human habitation and Tea Garden Labour Lines is a common sight. This has resulted in large number of human and bison casualties. Rhinoceros population despite huge increase in its population in Gorumara National Park and Jaldapara National Park stays mostly confined within the P.A.s. However some human casualties has arisen due to its occasional aggressive behavior. The scenario is somewhat different in South Bengal. Elephant population (8-4 individuals) migrates from Dalma Hills in the State of Jharkhand to the Districts of East Medinipur, West Medinipur and Bankura in West Bengal during the months of June-July to November-December. In the process it leaves behind a trail of death and destruction in its path. The Tigers of Sundarban are an unfathomable lot. Tiger straying in Sundarban, given its extreme hostile habitats, is a nightmare in itself. Human casualties due to tiger attack within the forest areas and outside are a common occurrence. Materials, Methods Results and Discussion: ELEPHANT (Elephas maximus indicus) MAN CONFLICTS: Man elephant conflict is the most severe of the man wildlife conflict in the state of West Bengal. In recent times it has reached frightening proportions. The depredation in North Bengal is caused by the herds of elephant, which resides in the forests of the plains of North Bengal Forests. The Maljhurias and the Loners cause most of the damage. However in South Bengal (Districts of East Medinipur, West Medinipur and Bankura) the depredation is caused by the migrating elephant herds from the hills of Dalma in the State of Jharkhand. Theses herds reside in the forests of South Bengal for a period of five to six months. These elephants prior to the 98s did not usually migrate to South Bengal. Post 98s after the success of the Joint Forest Management in degraded forests of South Bengal forests cover in these tracts drastically improved and forest cover also became denser. However due to most of the forests being composed mostly of Sal, Acacia auriculiformis and Eucalyptus trees does not provide enough fodder to the migrating elephants. They resort to raiding crop fields in the rich and fertile crop areas of Medinipur Districts and Bishnupur Sub Division of Bankura District. It s an established practice of these elephants in the herd to move on to paddy fields every night and thus cause severe conflict with the human population. Data for the past five to seven years have been analyzed on parameters such as:. Human Deaths by Elephants. Elephant Deaths by Man (other than poaching) 3. Crop Damage by Elephants 4. House Damage by Elephants Page of

3 TABLE: [] HUMAN ELEPHANT CONFLICT YEAR ELEPHANT DEATH (Nos.) HUMAN DEATH (Nos.) NA CROP DAMAGE (Ha) NA HOUSE DAMAGE (Nos.) NA The following graphs give us a very clear trend in the various types of depredation by Elephants. Chart:. (Human killed by Elephants in West Bengal HUMAN DEATH (Nos.) Page 3 of

4 Chart. (Elephant Killed by Man (other than poaching) in West Bengal.) ELEPHANT DEATH (Nos.) Chart.3 (Crop Damage by Elephants in West Bengal) CROP DAMAGE (Ha) Page 4 of

5 Chart.4 (House Damaged by Elephants in West Bengal) HOUSE DAMAGE (Nos.) Mitigation Measure taken up the Department of Forests of West Bengal: ) Installation of Power Fencings along depredation prone areas to prevent elephants from forest areas entering the crop areas and adjoining villages. ) Establishing Permanent Wildlife/Elephant Squads with appropriate equipment to control the migrating elephant population and drive them back into forests. 3) Creating voluntary elephant squads in the affected villages. 4) Engaging Hulla Parties (Elephant Driving Parties comprised of villagers) in South Bengal areas of elephant depredation areas. 5) Awareness generation among the villagers and frequent meeting with stakeholders and political representatives. 6) Tranquilizing and capturing of rogue elephants in serious cases. 7) Veterinary care to injured elephants. 8) Paying compensation to the affected parties for Human Deaths, Human Injury, Crop Damage and bearing the medical cost for human injury. 9) Planting species in forests, which support elephant population. ) Creation of grasslands in blank and degraded areas. ) Relocation of Forest villages from affected forest areas. Page 5 of

6 PIC: PIC: PIC :, A Male rogue elephant which killed 6 people in 48 hours being shot dead by Raju Das, IFS and Major Amarjit Chauhan at Bamanpokhri Forest of Kurseong Forest Division, PIC by Raju Das, IFS on self timer. PIC: 3 PIC :, Elephant mentioned in PIC shot dead, PIC by Raju Das, IFS PIC 3:, At Chapramari, Elephant found dead along railway line. PIC by Raju Das, IFS PIC 4: 4, Elephant captured in Bangladesh being treated and released in Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary. PIC by Raju Das, IFS PIC: 4 Page 6 of

7 TIGER (Panthera tigris) MAN CONFLICTS: After elephants the second most serious type of man animal conflict is between tigers and man. Tigers in West Bengal are found in Jaldapara National Park, Buxa Tiger Reserve, Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary and Neora Valley National Park in North Bengal and in the Sundarban in South Bengal. Man Tiger conflict takes place only in the Sundarban. The severity of the conflict is nothing like the man elephants conflicts in quantum. Most of the Man Tiger conflicts take place when humans venture into its territory mostly for fishing and honey collection. Certain cases are reported when tigers stray into adjoining villages of Sundarban. Tigers of Sundarban are historically prone to attacking humans in wilderness. Data for the past five to five to eight years data have been analyzed on parameters such as: Human Death by Tigers in Indian Sundarban TABLE:. [] HUMAN DEATHS BY TIGERS IN INDIAN SUNDARBAN Year STR 4 PGN S DIV Total CHART:. (Human killed by Tigers in Indian Sundarban) STR 4 PGN S DIV Page 7 of

8 Humans Injury by Tigers in Indian Sundarban. TABLE:. [3] HUMAN INJURED BY TIGERS IN INDIAN SUNDARBAN Year Nos CHART:. (Humans Injured by Tigers in Indian Sundarban) HUMAN INJURY Tigers straying in Indian Sundarban. TABLE:.3 [4] TIGER STRAYING IN INDIAN SUNDARBAN Year STR 4 PGN S DIV Total Page 8 of

9 CHART:.3 (Tigers straying in Indian Sundarban) PGN S DIV STR Tigers captured in Indian Sundarban. TABLE:.4 [5] TIGERS CAPTURED IN INDIAN SUNDARBAN Year STR 4 PGN S DIV Total CHART:.4 (Tigers captured in Indian Sundarban) PGN S DIV STR Page 9 of

10 PIC: 5 PIC: 6 PIC 5, 6 & 7: 9, RBT treated at Zoological Garden, Alipore and b eing released in Indian Sundarban. PIC by Raju Das, IFS PIC: 7 PIC 8:, Members of Sukna Wildlife Squad being attacked by a leopard while it was being rescued from a residential area in Salugarah, Siliguri. PIC by: S alil Bera, Source: nfocus//9/national- geographic- photo- contest- /373/#img PIC: 8 Page of

11 Mitigation measures taken up by the Department of Forests of West Bengal: ) Setting up of traps to capture straying tigers. ) Awareness generation among honey collectors, fishermen and fringe villagers. 3) Asking fishermen and honey collectors entering forest areas to wear a mask of human face at the back of their head as the tigers of Sundarban have a tendency to attack from the back and target the back of the neck. 4) Setting up of a Tiger Rescue center at Jharkhali. 5) Having arrangement with Zoological Garden, Alipore to treat injured and sick tigers for rehabilitation in the wild. 6) Paying adequate compensation for human death and providing for all treatment cost of injured humans due to attacks by tigers. 7) Paying compensation for loss of cattle due to attack by tigers. LEOPARD (Panthera pardus fusca) MAN CONFLICT Leopard man conflict is confined to the forest of the foothills of the district of Darjeeling and Forests of Jalpaiguri District. Leopards use tea gardens adjoining forest as breeding areas and thus come into direct conflict with tea garden workers when they come to pluck tealeaves. These conflicts result in human deaths and serious injuries. Incidents of leopards stalking villagers or entering their house to attack humans are rare. There are incidents of leopard lifting poultry, goats and calves of bovines in fringe forest villages. The labourers in tea gardens are by nature more aggressive than the original ethnic inhabitants and migrants of the area, resulting in leopards being beaten to death or being poisoned. Data for the past five years data have been analyzed on parameters such as: TABLE: 3 [6] LEOPARD MAN CONFLICT IN WEST BENGAL YEAR LEOPARD DEATH HUMAN DEATH HUMAN INJURY 4 3 Page of

12 CHART: 3. (Leopards Killed by Humans in West Bnegal) LEOPARD DEATH CHART: 3. (Humans killed by Leopards in West Bengal) HUMAN DEATH CHART: 3.3 (Humans Injury by Leopards in West Bengal) HUMAN INJURY Page of

13 Mitigation measures taken up by the Department of Forests of West Bengal: ) Setting up of traps to capture straying leopards. ) Awareness generation among villagers, tea garden labourers and tea garden management. 3) Asking tea garden management to avoid plucking tea leaves in areas where leopard has been reported. 4) Setting up of a Leopard Rescue center at Gorumara National Park, Jaldapara National Park and Buxa Tiger Reserve. 5) Wildlife Squads in North Bengal plays an important role in laying traps and translocating such trapped leopards. 6) Paying adequate compensation for human death and providing for all treatment cost of injured humans due to attacks by leopards. 7) Paying compensation for loss of cattle due to attack by leopards. BISON (Bos gaurus) MAN CONFLICT The Bison population in North Bengal has multiplied many folds in past decade. Massive fodder plantations expansion of grassland in Gorumara National Park, Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary, Buxa Tiger Reserve and Jaldapara National Park has shot the population of Bisons from 5-6 in the 99s to more than few thousands. The 9- census data of Gorumara National Park (8 sq. km) and Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary (9 sq. km) alone report more than 9 numbers of Bisons. In the Bison population in North Bengal was and it has risen to 4 [8]. Bisons are relatively harmless if lest to itself. However its rising population has resulted in quite a few straying to forest fringe villages and into tea gardens. Once it enters a human habitation or a tea garden it usually gets trapped and as a result panics and attacks. This results in large number of human injuries. The forest personnel usually resort to tranquilizing them. However very unfortunately tranquilizing usually results in heart failure of reportedly weak hearted Bisons and its death. Bison straying into villages and tea gardens results in huge crowds gathering around the straying bison/bisons and in the process scares the animal. The Bison tries to dash through the crowd and the process injures/kills people with its horns. If the animal is left alone and allowed to retreat to bamboo areas or large bushes it usually, after dusk, moves back to the forests. Unfortunately the sight of a bison draws huge crowd of people and the unfortunately spectacle starts. Data for the past five years data have been analyzed on parameters such as: TABLE: 4 [7] BISON MAN CONFLICT IN WEST BENGAL YEAR BISON DEATH HUMAN DEATH 4 4 HUMAN INJURY 4 4 Page 3 of

14 CHART: 4. (Bisons killed by Humans in West Bengal) BISON DEATH CHART: 4. (Humans killed by Bisons in West Bengal) HUMAN DEATH CHART: 4.3 (Human Injured by Bisons in West Bengal) HUMAN INJURY Page 4 of

15 Mitigation measures taken up by the Department of Forests of West Bengal: Since it s a localized issue concerning a few national park and sanctuaries mitigation measures have been confined to these areas only. Out of the few that have been adopted the ones worth mention are as follows: ) Awareness generation among villagers and tea garden labourers to leave the straying bison alone so that it can return to the forest areas if left undisturbed. ) Plantation of palatable grass in the grasslands to keep the bison population confined to the forests areas. 3) The wildlife squads that has been established as Sukna, Malbazar, Ramsai, Khunia, Madarihat, Rajabhatkhawa and Bagdogra takes care of the tranqulizing and capture of straying bisons if they turn to be a threat to the crowd of people surrounding the bisons. RHINOCEROUS (Rhinoceros unicornis) MAN CONFLICT Conflict been rhinoceros and man outside protected areas is rare. A few incidents have taken place in North Bengal where rhinoceros have left the PAs and strayed into human inhabited areas due to infighting among the rhinoceros population. Their straying into human population results more of curious hoards of people following it and making it scared confused and disoriented. Data for the past five years data have been analyzed on parameters such as: TABLE: 5 [8] RHINOCEROS MAN CONFLICT IN WEST BENGAL RHINO DEATH HUMAN DEATH HUMAN INJURY CHART: 5.(Rhinoceros killed by humans in West Bengal) RHINOCEROS DEATH Page 5 of

16 CHART: 5. (Humans killed by Rhinoceros in West Bengal) HUMAN DEATH CHART: 5.3 (Humans Injured by Rhinoceros in West Bengal) HUMAN INJURY Mitigation measures taken up by the Department of Forests of West Bengal: Though rhinoceros straying in a very worrying issue due to rapid increase in population its mitigation measures are more subdued than other form of man animal conflict as discussed above. Some the measures adopted are as follows:. Driving of the rhinoceros back to the forest by the forest staff and wildlife squad. Establishing towers and camps in the fringe of rhinoceros inhabited forest areas so that their movements can be monitored and the rhinoceros population is confined to the forest areas. CROCODILE (Crocodylus palustris) MAN CONFLICT Crocodile conflict is most confined to the Sundarban and of the reported cases only a few have resulted in human deaths. The mugger crocodile (Crocodylus palustris), also called the Indian, Indus, Persian, or marsh crocodile, is found throughout the Indian Page 6 of

17 subcontinent and our Bangladesh at the Sundarban. It s mostly due to villagers wading the waters of Sundarban for collection crabs. Injuries and in extreme cases to humans arise due to this conflict. Data for the past five years data have been analyzed on parameters such as: TABLE: 6 [9] CROCODILE MAN CONFLICT IN WEST BENGAL CROCODILE DEATH HUMAN DEATH HUMAN INJURY CHART: 6. (Crocodile killed by Humans in West Bengal) CROCODILE DEATH CHART: 6. (Humans injured by Crocodiles in West Bengal) HUMAN INJURY Page 7 of

18 CHART: 6.3 (Humans killed by Crocodiles in West Bengal) HUMAN DEATH Mitigation measures taken up by the Department of Forests of West Bengal:. Awareness generation among the villagers in fringe areas of Sundarban.. Treatment of injured people are provided free of cost at Government hospitals at Government expense. OVERALL COMPENSATION PAID BY GOVERNMENT ANUALLY: TABLE: 7 [] OVERALL SCENARIO IN WEST BENGAL REGARDING HUMAN DEATH, HUMAN INJURY AND COMPENSATION PAID (RS.LAKHS) BECAUSE OF MAN ANIMAL CONFLICT YAER HUMAN INJURY (Nos.) HUMAN DEATH (Nos.) COMPENSATION PAID (Rs.In Lakhs) Page 8 of

19 CHART: 7. (Humans injured by Wildlife in West Bengal) HUMAN INJURY (Nos.) CHART: 7. (Humans killed by Wildlife in West Bengal) HUMAN DEATH (Nos.) CHART: 7.3 (Compensation paid by Govt. in West Bengal due to Man Animal Conflict) COMPENSATION PAID (Rs.In Lakhs) Page 9 of

20 CONCLUSION: Though there are a number of wild animal species that come into conflict with humans it s the four species, namely elephants, leopards and to some extent bisons that causes much of the damage, deaths and injuries. Of these species the Elephants cause the majority of the human deaths, injuries and property damages. As a result a number of elephants are also killed in the process. The number of human deaths, crop damage and house damage are on the rise. It is a very worrying figure that on an average about 8 to 9 people are killed by elephants in West Bengal alone. The animosity towards elephants has risen in recent times and people ruthlessly drive the elephants ways from their crop fields and as a result causes sever injuries to the elephants. Crop damage is also on the increase. The mitigation measure adopted by the Forest Department has not had much of an impact in curtailing the depredation by the elephants and also has not been able to prevent the people from being aggressive towards the elephants. Overall the mitigation measures adopted by the Forest Department in combatting this severe social issue has mostly failed. The leopard and tiger conflict with man is mostly localized in pockets and is not so wide spread as the man elephant conflict as concluded above. In comparison to the deaths caused by elephants the deaths caused by these two feline species is in single digit and is usually confined to when its habitat is directly intruded upon or disturbed. Seeing the trend in the number of human deaths by these two species it appears that the problem is not so severe and the mitigation measures adopted by the Forest Department has contained the problem and not reduced it. The nature of the conflict in Sundarban is such that it is difficult to prevent villagers entering forest areas for fishing as these very poor villagers mostly survive on subsistence agriculture and fishing. Containing the conflict is the major concern of the Forest Department and it has largely succeeded in it. Bison man conflict can be attributed to the sharp rise in the bison population. Here the efforts of the Forest Department has largely failed in sensitizing the people in giving these animals the right of way to return to the forests. The complicated ethnic diversity in the human population in the affected areas of North Bengal is so diverse that much more resources and effort will have to be engaged to sensitize the people to reduce such conflicts. Conflict between man and rhinoceros and crocodile has been successfully contained by the Forest Department and in the near future there is not much of a possibility of its increasing further. However the overall scenario of man animal conflict is very worrying seeing the overall trend of rise in compensation payment to people and the human and animals deaths its resulting into. Injuries, which are often fatal, are also a very concerning issue. If the projected human and animal casualty figures in case of elephants, tigers and leopards are taken into consideration then the future of these species is gravely endangered by the growing animosity towards these animals by the people. Page of

21 References:. Data source, PCCF WL/CWLW West Bengal and Sate Forest Report 6-7 to -, Table.. Data source, PCCF WL/CWLW West Bengal and DFO 4 Pargana South Division in Data source, Sate Forest Report 6-7 to -, Table. 4. Data source, Sate Forest Report 6-7 to -, Table. 5. Data source, Sate Forest Report 6-7 to -, Table. 6. Data source, Sate Forest Report 6-7 to -, Table. 7. Data source, Sate Forest Report 6-7 to -, Table and CF Wildlife HQ on The Telegraph, Kolkata, 9//3, Census Data of Bison, CWLW Press Release. Page of