A disturbing pattern of wildlife fatalities — tigers tragically poisoned in M.M. Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, elephants succumbing to electrocution and other unnatural causes, alongside relentless crop raiding by wild animals — paints a grim picture of escalating human-animal conflict across South Karnataka’s forest-edge communities.
A Call for Urgent Action
As Karnataka commemorates Wildlife Week this October, it’s a stark reminder of these pressing issues, underscoring the critical need for immediate and effective interventions to reduce the devastating impact of this conflict.
Wildlife activists emphasize that the paramount challenge lies in implementing robust measures to significantly minimize, if not entirely prevent, both human and animal casualties, and the property destruction that disproportionately burdens local villagers living on the frontlines of this struggle.
Data from the Forest Department’s e-Parihara dashboard, spanning April 2024 to October 2025, records a staggering 35,580 incidents of crop raiding and other conflicts. This highlights how the problem has evolved from isolated occurrences into a pervasive challenge, threatening livelihoods, ecological balance, and crucial conservation efforts, placing immense pressure on both authorities and residents alike.
Compensation: Paid and Pending
Of these reported incidents, 20,417 cases have received approval for compensation, yet a significant 14,245 cases remain pending. This backlog reveals the considerable strain on administrative systems struggling to process claims efficiently and provide timely relief.
The most severely impacted forest ranges are concentrated within the South Karnataka region, encompassing areas like Virajpet, Kushalnagar, Srimangala, Omkar, Veeranahosahalli, Ponnampet, Sakleshpura, Hediyala, Methikuppe, Anechowkur, N. Begur, Nuguhd Kote, Gundlupet, and Hanur. These fall squarely within the Mysuru-Kodagu-Hassan-Chamarajanagar belt, indicating a geographically concentrated crisis.
Between April 2024 and October 2025, the total ex gratia compensation approved stands at an estimated ₹22.82 crore, with ₹21.61 crore already disbursed. This substantial outlay highlights the ongoing financial pressure on the government to alleviate losses caused by crop destruction, livestock deaths, and tragic human fatalities.
Elephants at the Forefront of Conflict
Significantly, elephants remain the species most frequently involved in these conflicts, with a staggering 22,483 reported incidents. They are followed by leopards (9,378 incidents), wild boars, and tigers, demonstrating a clear hierarchy of species contributing to the conflict.
While the Forest Department has implemented rail barricades to curb human-elephant conflicts in South Karnataka, officials acknowledge persistent gaps. The challenging topography and terrain allow elephants to cleverly bypass these barriers. However, authorities assert that in fully barricaded zones, a noticeable reduction in elephant-related conflicts has been observed.
Root Causes: Habitat Fragmentation and Development
This alarming escalation in conflict is largely attributed to factors such as habitat fragmentation, human encroachment, and the disruption caused by linear infrastructure projects (like roads or pipelines) that cut through forests or critical wildlife migration corridors.
Without a concerted effort to address these underlying issues, the long-term repercussions of unchecked conflict could be dire. This could foster deeper resentment among affected communities, potentially leading to retaliatory actions, as tragically exemplified by the recent poisoning of six tigers in M.M. Hills.