Living Amidst Large Wildlife: Livestock and Crop Depredation by Large Mammals in the Interior Villages of Bhadra Tiger Reserve,South India |
| |
Authors: | MADHUSUDAN M D |
| |
Institution: | (1) Centre for Ecological Research and Conservation, 3076/5, IV Cross, Gokulam Park, Mysore 570 002, India, IN;(2) National Institute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science Campus, Bangalore 560 012, India, IN |
| |
Abstract: | Conflict with humans over livestock and crops seriously undermines the conservation prospects of India's large and potentially
dangerous mammals such as the tiger (Panthera tigris) and elephant (Elephas maximus). This study, carried out in Bhadra Tiger Reserve in south India, estimates the extent of material and monetary loss incurred
by resident villagers between 1996 and 1999 in conflicts with large felines and elephants, describes the spatiotemporal patterns
of animal damage, and evaluates the success of compensation schemes that have formed the mainstay of loss-alleviation measures.
Annually each household lost an estimated 12% (0.9 head) of their total holding to large felines, and approximately 11% of
their annual grain production (0.82 tonnes per family) to elephants. Compensations awarded offset only 5% of the livestock
loss and 14% of crop losses and were accompanied by protracted delays in the processing of claims. Although the compensation
scheme has largely failed to achieve its objective of alleviating loss, its implementation requires urgent improvement if
reprisal against large wild mammals is to be minimized. Furthermore, innovative schemes of livestock and crop insurance need
to be tested as alternatives to compensations. |
| |
Keywords: | : Human– wildlife conflict Livestock depredation Crop raiding Large mammals India |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|