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Wildlife Protection Act 1972: A case of attack by wild elephants has come to light in Wayanad, Kerala. Many people have lost their lives in elephant attacks one after the other. For this reason, apart from compensation, the local people are demanding a permanent solution to this problem. In this regard, the Kerala government also demanded relaxation in the Wildlife Protection Act. Kerala government says that this law is very strict. Know what is the Wildlife Protection Act and why changes are being made.
Wildlife Protection Act
A resolution has been brought in the Kerala Assembly with the consent of all parties demanding changes in the Wildlife Protection Act. Wildlife Protection Act was passed in the year 1972. Under this Act, not only wild animals but also various species of plants are protected. Along with this, their habitat, trade of wild animals, plants and products made from them is also controlled by this law. This Act lists all the plants and animals that the government protects and monitors at various levels. Apart from this, under this law, anyone attacking wildlife can be jailed for 3 to 7 years. A fine of Rs 10 to 25 thousand can also be imposed. If someone does illegal hunting in a tiger reserve, he is also punished.
Increase in incidents of animals harming humans
This proposal has come in the wake of frequent incidents of animals causing harm to humans in the state and a request has been made to the Central Government that due to such incidents, many people have lost their lives and a lot of property has been damaged. Therefore there is a need for change in the law. The Kerala government says the law is too strict, making it difficult to control animals like wild boars.
Increase in death rate due to elephant attacks
The Kerala government has released the data of deaths due to fighting between animals and humans in the year 2022-23. In the last two years, 8873 wild animals have attacked humans. In which 4193 attacks by elephants alone were recorded. Apart from this, one and a half thousand attacks were by wild bears, while about 200 attacks were by tigers. A total of 98 people were killed in the attack, 27 of whom were killed by elephant attacks.
A radio-collar designed to monitor elephants
In such cases, radio-collars were created to monitor ungulates. In which a small transmitter was installed. So that the movements of animals and other activities can be monitored. These tracking devices are tied around the neck of elephants. This will help us know when elephants become aggressive.
Why are animals getting angry?
In 2018, the Periyar Tiger Conservation Foundation conducted a study to understand the pattern of elephant attacks in Kerala. According to this, there are two big reasons for elephants and other animals being angry. For one thing, forests are being cut down and commercial trees like eucalyptus and acacia are being planted. Apart from this, animals do not get enough food and these plants absorb water from the soil, which also creates water shortage in the surrounding areas. In Kerala alone, more than 30 thousand hectares of forest land is being used for this purpose. After the study both these trees were banned. However, the loss has not been compensated yet.
Why is the condition of elephants so bad?
Elephants are considered auspicious in Kerala culture. Religious institutions in Kerala own more than 700 elephants. Also during festivals, crowds flock to hire elephants. Therefore, due to festivals, elephants have to stand for long periods of time and they have to stand near firecrackers, sometimes even near fire. Additionally, elephants are beaten and in some cases drugged to train them. Due to which they also die prematurely. Apart from this, coconut and pineapple are cultivated in Kerala. Also, due to deforestation, elephants do not get enough food. Therefore, along with the fields, they also come to the villages. In such situations, they collide with village people and sometimes elephants even die.
What changes does the government want in the Wildlife Protection Act?
As attacks on animals increase, the Kerala government says that this Act should be changed. So that animals that harm humans can be controlled. Between 2017 and 2023, there have been 21 thousand such incidents in which wild animals damaged crops and killed more than 1.5 thousand cattle.
That is why the resolution presented in the Kerala Assembly states that permission should be given to kill wild animals that have become a threat to human life. Also, hunting of wild boars should be allowed as their numbers increase.