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.
