Kerala mulls African model for birth control of wild animals

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala government will inquire with the Supreme Court over the prospects of implementing the sterilisation programme conducted to control the elephant population in many African countries to keep check on the population of wild animals in the state. The government has decided to join a party in the case already under the consideration of the Supreme Court. The Forest department gave the charge of legal proceedings to the chief conservator of forests. 

Several African countries have successfully completed the vaccination programme for elephants to control their breeding from four to five years. Following this period, the elephants returned to their usual life cycle. The Supreme Court had impeded West Bengal’s move to carry out a similar project. 

Forest land turns insufficient for wild animals

The crucial challenge faced by Kerala is the shortage of forest land in proportion to the increasing population of the wild animals. The wild animals are being forced to resort to new routes on account of the scarcity in food and prey. More animals from the forest ranges of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are reportedly entering into the forests of Kerala. 

At least 29.65 per cent of the land in Kerala constitutes forest. However, the whole forest area does not comprise dense forests and habitats suitable for supporting the wild animals. 

Animal population in Kerala