Environment & Ecology
In news: An eight-member team from Chinnakkanal under Munnar forest division has been instrumental in bringing down the incidents of man-animal conflict and in ensuring the protection of wild elephants in the region
- The Wildlife Trust of India has selected the team for its award this year.
- The award will be presented at ‘Aa Aana’, a month-long exhibition to be held at Fort Kochi.
- 42 people have lost their lives in wild elephant attacks in the Munnar wildlife division since 2010.
Human-wildlife conflict:
- When encounters between humans and wildlife lead to negative results, such as loss of property, livelihoods, and even life.
- Threat: Defensive and retaliatory killing may eventually drive these species to extinction
Types:
- Destruction of animal habitats due to encroachment of forest land and revenge killing and poaching of carnivore animals.
- Roadkill, resulting in the deaths of many small wildlife animals.
Causes
- Human population growth, agricultural expansion, infrastructure development, climate change and other drivers of habitat loss.
Mitigation:
- Creating barriers, deploying deterrents, or moving wildlife.
- Eco-bridges
- Animal corridors
Wildlife Trust of India (WTI):
- It is an Indian nature conservation organisation.
- Formed in 1998 in response to the many crises confronting India’s wildlife and wild habitats.
- It is registered as a charitable trust.
- Motto: In service of nature
Source: The Hindu
