Nilambur: Kerala’s Forest Department is preparing a revised proposal to the Centre to ease the legal restrictions on managing native monkeys and wild boars as the state steps up measures to address human-wildlife conflict.

The department plans to request that native monkey species be shifted from Schedule I to Schedule II of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

The proposal comes amid complaints from forest-edge areas in Kerala, where residents have reported increasing problems involving monkeys. Officials argue that the existing legal framework makes it difficult to manage the nuisance effectively.

The revised proposal will be submitted to the Central Government for consideration.

Wild boars could be declared vermin

Kerala also plans to submit a revised proposal seeking to declare wild boars as vermin under Section 62 of the Wildlife Protection Act.

Under the proposed measures, a list of empanelled shooters would be prepared at the panchayat level to assist with wild boar control. Existing guidelines are also expected to be revised to address practical difficulties during control operations.

The state government plans to increase compensation for the dependants of people who die in wildlife conflicts from Rs 14 lakh to Rs 21 lakh.

It also plans to provide Rs 10 lakh for permanent disability caused by wildlife attacks, while the government would bear the full cost of medical treatment.

Local teams to tackle wildlife conflict

Panchayat-level rapid response teams are proposed to deal with wildlife-related problems involving animals such as monkeys and peacocks.

The teams will receive training, while Forest Liaison Officers will be appointed to improve coordination between local authorities and the Forest Department.

The state also plans to construct 250 km of new solar fencing in areas experiencing severe human-wildlife conflict.

In addition, authorities are considering a three-tier smart fencing system using artificial intelligence in high-conflict zones as part of efforts to reduce encounters between people and wildlife.

Analysis

The proposals form part of Kerala’s wider efforts to address human-wildlife conflict through a combination of legal changes, local response mechanisms and physical barriers.

Moving native monkeys from Schedule I to Schedule II would not remove legal protection altogether, but it could provide a different regulatory framework for managing populations and dealing with conflicts. Any change to the schedules would require action at the Central Government level.

The wild boar proposal similarly seeks greater flexibility in controlling an animal that has become a significant source of conflict in parts of Kerala.

The proposed compensation increases and investment in solar and AI-based fencing indicate that the state is also focusing on the consequences of wildlife encounters and preventive measures alongside population management.