Image used for representation.
KOCHI: Spurred by the spike in human-wildlife conflicts in Kerala, the state forest and wildlife department, along with the Tamil Nadu and Karnataka governments, will undertake a simultaneous survey of wild animals to find out the increase in their numbers.
While announcing on Monday, Forest Minister A K Saseendran said the current number of wild animals in Kerala are estimated based on the census done in 2018.
“The last time the survey was done was five years ago. To find out the rise in the number of wild animals and their current status, Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have jointly decided to undertake a new census at the same time,” Saseendran told reporters in Ernakulam.
He said the government has also come up with initiatives to ensure availability of water in forests to prevent wild animals from straying into human habitats. The move aims to avoid human-wildlife conflicts, which have claimed several human lives this year alone.
Blaming climate change for the incursion of wild animals into human settlements, Saseendran said, “Availability of water will be ensured in forests to prevent wild animals from entering human settlements. A pilot project in Thiruvananthapuram proved the issue could be resolved by spending Rs 5 lakh, and we have decided to go ahead with its implementation. I have directed the officials to identify and submit a report on natural springs and swamps inside the forest within a week and find places where water can be easily supplied,” Saseendran said.
Around 240 such water bodies have been identified in Wayanad forest division alone. The project will be implemented with the cooperation of local bodies and hotel owners, and using corporate social responsibility funds.