‘Tourism, infra growth threaten Neelakurinji’

 

The Hindu Bureau, 

KOCHI, april 25, 2026

The Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute (JNTBGRI), Kerala, has submitted a report before the National Green Tribunal stating that Strobilanthes kunthiana, popularly known as Neelakurinji, an endemic shrub seen in the Western Ghats, is under threat from factors that include unregulated tourism and infrastructure expansion.

The Principal Bench of the tribunal in New Delhi had taken suo motu cognisance of the report “Neelkurinji becomes a ‘threatened species’, officially” published in The Hindu. It had directed authorities of the JNTBGRI to submit a report on the status and conservation of the purplish flowering shrub, which blooms once in 12 years.

The affidavit dated April 8 stated that infrastructure expansion, including road development and unregulated tourism, had significantly contributed to habitat degradation and fragmentation of Neelakurinji. These activities not only reduce the habitat extent, but also disrupt critical ecological processes such as pollination, seed dispersal and natural regeneration, it said.

Fire management

While traditional controlled burning by indigenous communities played a vital ecological role in maintaining grassland structure and promoting regeneration, inappropriate fire regimes in terms of frequency and intensity will adversely affect the semelparous life cycle (flowering once in 12 years) and synchronised flowering dynamics, it said.

The report said that tourism pressure, particularly during mass flowering events, has emerged as an additional stress factor. Unregulated visitor influx leads to trampling and waste accumulation resulting in further habitat degradation, and interference with the natural regeneration processes.

Action plan

The institute has proposed the preparation and implementation of a species-specific conservation action plan, integrating life-cycle biology and habitat requirements. Other suggestions include setting up long-term ecological monitoring plots across all major landscapes to assess population dynamics and regeneration success; restoration of degraded montane grasslands through phased removal of invasive species and reintroduction of native flora; and regulation of tourism through carrying capacity assessment, and strict enforcement.

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Crab in Silent Valley found displayingboth male and female biological traits

 Aathira Haridas KOCHI, The Hindu

A tiny crab displaying both male and female biological traits on the same body has been discovered in the Western Ghats. Discovered from the forests of the Silent Valley National Park, this freshwater crab belongs to the species Vela carli and is both male and female at the same time. The dual-sex condition was observed in three crabs found in tree holes in Silent Valley.

Vela carli is an endemic freshwater crab found only in the forests and streams of the Central Western Ghats.

The study documents the first instance of gynandromorphy (a rare condition in which individuals exhibit both male and female characteristics) in Vela carli. This phenomenon is rare in crustaceans and has never before been reported in the freshwater crab family Gecarcinucidae, according to the researchers.

The study was carried out by K.S. Anoop Das and K.T. Fahis from the Centre for Conservation Ecology, MES Mampad College, in collaboration with scientist and crab specialist Sameer K. Pati and Purnima Kumari from the Zoological Survey of India.

Their findings were recently published in the international journal Crustaceana.

Mr. Das, Head and Assistant Professor at the Centre, said that while gynandromorphy has been documented in several marine and freshwater crab families, it has not been reported in the family Gecarcinucidae.

“The bodies of the crabs displayed male reproductive structures, while other parts showcased female features, including gonopores,” said Mr. Das.

According to him, the likely cause for this gynandromorphism could only be from intrinsic developmental processes rather than external environmental pollution.

“The crab’s habitat was free from environmental pollutants. So we think that the reason for the phenomenon could be related to survival tactics. This makes it possible for the crab to procreate in the absence of male or female members,” said Mr. Das.

The specimens were collected during biodiversity surveys conducted in the forest. Among the more than 120 crabs examined, only three crabs showed this dual-sex condition.

The study was funded by the Department of Science and Technology, Science and Engineering Research Board (presently Anusandhan National Research Foundation).

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New earthworm species at Vazhani addsto Western Ghats’ rich biodiversity

 

Sam Paul A. 

Kozhikode, the hindu

A team of researchers has identified a new earthworm species from the Vazhani dam area of the Peechi-Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary in Thrissur.

Belonging to the genus Drawida, which is naturally restricted to the south, southeast and east asian region, and the family Moniligastridae, the earthworm has been named Drawida vazhania. The discovery has been published in the peer-reviewed journal Zootaxa.

According to the researchers involved in the discovery, Rajendran Menon Ardra of the Centre for Animal Taxonomy and Ecology under the Department of Zoology, Christ College, Irinjalakuda, and S. Prasanth Narayanan of Advanced Centre of Environmental Studies and Sustainable Development, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, D. vazhania, with small body size, is a member of the Barwelli species group.

With the description of the new species, the group now comprises seven species. D. vazhania can be easily differentiated from other members of the Barwelli group by the presence of a grooved male genital field, a kidney or bean-shaped prostate, a narrow tubular C-shaped prostatic capsule and a distinct small sessile atrium on the body wall.

India is one of the most earthworm diverse countries in the world, with about 71% of genera and 89% of species endemic to the country. The highest diversity of earthworms in India is found in the Western Ghats and the west coast plains, which together account for roughly 58.4% of all known earthworm species in the country. With the new finding, the total number of Drawida species reported from India and the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot has risen to 83 and 55 respectively, the researchers said. Among the Western Ghats States, Kerala has the highest number of Drawida species, with 31 recorded so far, including 16 endemic to the State.

Mr. Narayanan said the main issues directly affecting earthworms in the Western Ghats are habitat destruction and transformation. “Kerala’s midlands and coastal lowlands have almost entirely lost their forest cover due to several human activities that have existed since time immemorial. There is practically no remaining protected land in the State’s midlands, except for a few areas of forest cover in the districts of Thrissur, Kollam, and Pathanamthitta,” he said. Other members of the research team include P. Sunil Kumar, A.V. Sudhikumar and A.P. Thomas.

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Despite nesting decline, Wayanad’s vultures still soar

 

ABDUL LATHEEF NAHA, 

WAYANAD, The Hindu, February 27, 2026

The vulture population in Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, the only place in Kerala where these large scavenger birds are found, has remained stable in recent years, thanks to the region’s healthy ecosystem. Although breeding has declined, experts say there is no immediate cause for concern.

In the latest counts, around 80 vultures were recorded in the sanctuary. On rare occasions, nearly 70 vultures were seen feeding on a single carcass, demonstrating the vitality of Wayanad’s ecosystem. Carcasses in the swampy grasslands, locally known as vayals, often attract two dozen vultures at a time.

Vultures are obligate aerial scavengers, feeding primarily on carcasses and helping prevent the spread of diseases in wildlife. “Unlike other forests in the State, Wayanad’s forests are less dense and have more grasslands or vayals,” said Varun Dalia, Warden of the sanctuary, explaining why the region is a haven for the winged scavengers.

There are nearly 170 vayals of varying sizes in Wayanad, which forest officials describe as the “dining table” of herbivores. Rich in grasses and aquatic plants, these grasslands are a vital food source for deer, wild gaur, elephants and wild boars, which in turn support predators and scavengers in the forest ecosystem.

Vultures also serve as important indicators of forest health. The white-rumped vulture is the most common species in Wayanad, while red-headed and Indian vultures are also present. Migratory of species such as the Himalayan griffon, cinereous and Egyptian vultures are occasionally spotted.

C.K. Vishnudas, director of the Hume Centre for Ecology and Wildlife Biology, who has monitored vultures in the Nilgiri biosphere reserve for many years, said the absence of toxic drugs like diclofenac and aceclofenac has helped maintain vulture populations in protected areas such as Wayanad, Bandipur, Nagarhole, Satyamangalam and Mudumalai.

‘No cause for concern’

“It is true that vulture breeding has declined in Wayanad, but that is not a cause for concern. Vulture nests are still abundant in Mudumalai,” he said, pointing out that the reasons for the drop in Wayanad need further study.

Rahul Raveendran, wildlife assistant at Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, suggested that human activity and the spread of invasive plants may be contributing to the disappearance of vulture nests. “We used to find nests at sites such as Ayyappanpara, Kazhukankolli and Kaithallam, but no longer,” he said.

Human disturbances can disrupt vulture breeding, while invasive species like Senna threaten the growth of native trees, further impacting nesting and foraging habitats.

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Four new grasshopper species found in Kole wetlands

The Hindu, THRISSUR: A scientific study conducted at the Kole wetlands, a Ramsar-listed ecosystem in Kerala, has documented a total of 12 species of pygmy grasshoppers. Of them, four species are new records for the State.

The research was carried out by scientists from the Shadpada Entomology Research Lab (SERL), Christ College, Irinjalakuda. Significantly, the study also reports two genera — Thoradonta and Tetrix — for the first time from Kerala.

The Kole wetlands are widely recognised as a major birding destination, supporting large populations of resident and migratory birds.

The new findings underline the ecological importance of this wetland system in sustaining lesser-known and often overlooked insect groups, in addition to its well-documented avifaunal diversity, said Bijoy C., research supervisor and assistant professor. Pygmy grasshoppers are small, ground-dwelling insects typically associated with moist habitats.

Newly recorded species

The four species newly recorded from Kerala are Thoradonta spiculoba, Tetrix arcunotus, Hedotettix lineifera and Hedotettix attenuatus. The study was conducted by Thasnim E.S., research scholar; Dr. Bijoy C., research supervisor and Assistant Professor; and Dhaneesh Bhaskar, regional vice-chair (Asia), IUCN SSC Grasshopper Specialist Group, Care Earth Trust, Chennai.

The findings have been published in the Journal of Orthoptera Research, an international peer-reviewed journal.

The research was supported by financial assistance from the University Grants Commission (UGC).

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2025 among warmest years despite relief from 2024 extremes

 

SAM PAUL A., 

KOZHIKODE, The Hindu 4/2/2026

Kerala experienced its 13th warmest year on record in 2025, with the annual mean land surface air temperature reaching 25.82°C, about 0.22°C above the Long Period Average (LPA, 1991–2020).

According to the Statement on Climate for the State of Kerala: 2025, released by the Institute for Climate Change Studies, Kottayam, under the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment, temperatures remained higher than normal, though the year was significantly cooler than 2024 – the warmest year on record for the State since observations began in 1901. In 2024, the annual mean temperature was 0.99°C above normal.

Temperature anomaly

 

Unlike 2024, which saw “consistent record-breaking” heat, 2025 was characterised by mixed seasonal temperature patterns. The winter season was notably warmer than average, with a temperature anomaly of +0.63°C, ranking as the fifth warmest winter on record. Other seasons remained close to their respective LPAs.

The State’s annual mean maximum and minimum temperatures were above normal by 0.13°C and 0.31°C, ranking as the 14th and 10th warmest respectively since 1901.

The broader trend points to persistent warming. The report notes that eight of the 10 warmest years on record have occurred during the recent decade (2016–2025), making it the warmest decade on record.

The annual mean temperature during 2011–2020 was 0.35°C above normal, increasing further to 0.56°C during 2016–2025. Over the period from 1901 to 2025, Kerala’s annual mean temperature has risen at a rate of about 1.15°C per 100 years.

Further analysis shows that maximum temperatures have been rising faster than minimum temperatures in the State. Between 1901 and 2025, average maximum temperature increased by 1.77°C per 100 years, compared with a relatively smaller rise of 0.53°C in average minimum temperature. Until the late 1980s, the rise in annual maximum temperatures were generally at a lower rate than minimum temperatures. Thereafter, the trend “reversed”, with maximum temperatures rising at a higher rate than minimum temperatures, leading to higher annual average diurnal temperature variation in recent decades.

Coastal waters

The State’s coastal waters also remained “persistently warm” for most of the year. The annual mean sea surface temperature was 0.47°C above normal in the north and 0.42°C in the south. Although cooler than the record warmth of 2024, the long-term trend indicates “sustained ocean warming”.

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From Mongolia to Malabar: rare bird Isabelline shrike spotted in Kannur

 

ABDUL LATHEEF NAHA, 

MALAPPURAM, The Hindu, 3/2/2026

Birdwatchers in Kannur have sighted an Isabelline shrike, a rare migratory bird believed to have arrived from the Mongolian region during the winter season. This marks the first recorded sighting of the species in Malabar and only the second in Kerala.

The bird was spotted a few days ago at Katampally in Kannur by a team led by Jayan Thomas and Afsar Nayakan.

Recorded only once

The identification took several days, as the Isabelline shrike closely resembles the more commonly seen Brown shrike and had been recorded only once earlier in the State.

District Police Chief (Kannur City) Nidhin Raj and senior birder C. Mohan were among the bird enthusiasts who joined the team in observing the rare visitor.

“We took multiple photographs of the bird and shared them with experts across the country. While many initially identified it as a Brown shrike, our doubts persisted,” said Dr. Thomas.

“We then consulted Graham Walbridge, a British birder and field ornithologist renowned for his expertise in migrant birds and rarities, who confirmed that it was indeed an Isabelline shrike, a rare sight in South India.”

An ophthalmologist by profession, Dr. Thomas said the sighting was a moment of great excitement. “The bird migration season is one of nature’s great wonders and a source of pure joy for birders like me,” he said.

Migrates to Pakistan

Characterised by its sandy-brown plumage, partial eye mask and reddish tail, the Isabelline shrike breeds in Mongolia and China and migrates to north India, Pakistan and Africa during winter.

“It rarely reaches South India. We have been observing the bird for several days and expect it to continue its journey to Africa before returning to Mongolia,” Dr. Thomas said.

The bird derives its name ‘shrike’ from its loud, shrieking call and is also known as the ‘butcher bird’ for its habit of impaling prey on fences or barbed wire.

“We were thrilled to watch it foraging on a caterpillar. It also feeds on large insects, small birds and rodents,” said Dr. Thomas. The term ‘Isabelline’ is believed to originate from Queen Isabella of Spain, referring to an off-white or sandy-brown colour.

The team pointed out that the Katampally wetlands provide an ideal feeding habitat for migratory birds.

“Preserving this wetland is crucial for maintaining the ecological balance,” Dr. Thomas said.

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Court flags delay in forming Ashtamudi management unit

 

THE HINDU BUREAU,

KOCHI, 8/1/2026

The Kerala High Court has held that the member secretary of the State Wetland Authority can function as the CEO of the Ashtamudi Wetland Management Unit that was envisaged to conserve the Ashtamudi wetland.

It further expressed its displeasure over the delay in constituting the management unit. The court was hearing a contempt plea filed by Boris Paul, a lawyer, alleging that the government is yet to comply with the directions issued by the High Court in July 2025.

The court had directed the State government and the State Wetland Authority Kerala (SWAK) to constitute the wetland management unit for the conservation of the wetland within two months of a notification being issued for this. In addition, an integrated management plan for the wetland was to be finalised within six months. The direction came when the court was considering a public interest litigation (PIL) highlighting the rampant waste dumping and encroachments in the Ashtamudi wetland, which in turn was causing water pollution and the destruction of mangrove forests. The second biggest wetland in Kerala, the Ashtamudi lake was designated a Ramsar site in 2002. In the PIL, Mr. Paul and Kollam-based Help Foundation had sought a court directive to remove the encroachers and to form an independent monitoring committee to continuously monitor the lake’s conservation measures.

A sanitation survey done by the Kerala State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) around the lake in 2020-2022 revealed serious health risks due to poor waste management. Open defecation around Ashtamudi was contributing to the spread of waterborne diseases, while 18% of households discharged toilet waste directly into the waterbody.

A report of the Committee on Environment of the Kerala Legislative Assembly had in its report submitted to the Assembly on 17, March, 2023 stated that the Ashtamudi wetland faced heavy pollution, encroachments, and siltation. Its area reduced from 61.40 sq. km. to 34 sq. km, while its depth reduced to less than half a metre in many areas. Mangroves and crucial fish-breeding grounds have almost disappeared, and fishers dependent on this wetland were on the verge of losing their livelihoods. Human waste, chemicals and untreated hospital and commercial waste entered the wetland through the Kollam canal.

In 2023, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had imposed a penalty of ₹10 crore on the State government for its failure to protect the Ashtamudi lake and other wetlands.

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Study affirms State’s rich butterfly diversity

 

SARATH BABU GEORGE, 

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, The Hindu December 17, 2025

Kerala hosts the highest butterfly diversity among all Indian States along the Western Ghats, with 328 species documented, including 41 species endemic to the Western Ghats, according to a comprehensive new monograph published in ENTOMON, an open access quarterly journal by the Association for Advancement of Entomology.

The researchers of the study ‘The Butterflies (Lepidoptera, Rhopalocera) of Kerala: Status and Distribution’ have reported that the Western Ghats support 337 butterfly species and Kerala accounts for nearly the entire diversity.

The butterfly fauna of the State spans six families, led by Nymphalidae (97 species), Lycaenidae (96 species), and Hesperiidae (82 species), followed by Papilionidae, Pieridae and Riodinidae.

The study, undertaken by a team of researchers led by Kalesh Sadasivan, has also documented 36 migratory butterfly species to highlight the State’s role as a key corridor for seasonal butterfly movements. Notably, 22 species recorded from Kerala are included in the IUCN Red List, though most fall under the ‘Least Concern’ category, while two are listed as ‘Near Threatened.’

The monograph highlights that 70 butterfly species found in Kerala are protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Of these, only four species enjoy the highest level of protection under Schedule I, while the majority fall under Schedule II of the Act.

Significant

One of the most significant contributions of the work is the extensive larval host plant checklist which documents over 1,800 feeding records, including over 350 new field observations. Covering nearly 800 plant species, the list represents one of the largest region-specific compilations in India.

Another highlight of the quarterly publication lies in its significant taxonomic clarifications and reinstatements.

The authors present evidence-based revisions affecting several Western Ghats taxa, including the recognition of Argynnis hybrida and A. castetsi as distinct from their previously conflated forms, the clarification of Elymnias caudata as separate from E. hypermnestra undularis, and the separation of Abisara bifasciata suffusa from A. echerius prunosa.

Besides proposing species-level elevation for four Western Ghats butterflies, the monograph describes a new subspecies, Tajuria maculata sureshi ssp. nov., discovered in Kerala and named in honour of distinguished naturalist and wildlife filmmaker Suresh Elamon.

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Conservationists urge Governor to withhold assent to wildlife Bill

 

THE HINDU BUREAU, 

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, November 14, 2025

A memorandum by conservationists, legal experts, ex-bureaucrats and former forest officials has urged Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar to withhold assent to the contentious Wild Life Protection (Kerala Amendment) Bill, 2025.

The mass petition spearheaded by Coexistence Collective, a broad coalition of environmental organisations, has raised serious concerns over the Bill’s potential to undermine the State’s wildlife protection laws and disrupt the country’s ecological security.

Among the key points of concern, the proposed law allegedly contradicts provisions of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 (WLPA), specifically Section 11, which vests exclusive authority in the Chief Wildlife Warden for decisions on killing, capturing, and translocating wild animals. The proposed amendment would decentralise the power, allowing District Collectors and Chief Conservators of Forests to take decisions that fall outside the statutory framework established by the WLPA.

Without approval

According to the memorandum, the Bill has been introduced without the required approval from the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL). Since the Bill seeks to amend the Central Act, which is a law under the concurrent list, any State amendment that modifies or deviates from the particular law will have to be scrutinised by the NBWL or its Standing Committee. The absence of the mandatory approval renders the Bill procedurally defective and legally flawed, it stated.

The Bill has been criticised for lacking scientific studies and ecological assessments. Wildlife conflict management requires evidence-based approaches. The proposed legislation is also flagged for granting broader powers to authorise the killing of wild animals in conflict situations. This is seen as a dangerous step away from the National Tiger Conservation Authority and Project Elephant’s guidelines.

Root cause

The State government move is also criticised for ignoring the root cause of human wildlife conflicts, politicising wildlife protection, disregarding judicial precedents, and undermining grassroots-level enforcement.

The memorandum has been endorsed by a distinguished group including Medha Patkar, Maneka Gandhi, Claude Alvaris, V.S. Vijayan, Pandhuranga Hegde, Praveen Bhargava and P.S. Easa. Among the signatories are former senior forest officials including former Chief Wildlife Warden Surendra Kumar, and former Principal Chief Conservators of Forests Prakriti Srivastava and O.P. Kaler. Coexistence Collective members N. Badusha, Veena Maruthoor, Santhosh T.S., T.V. Rajan, M.N. Jayachandran, K.M. Sulaiman and Anwar Sadath addressed a press meet here on Thursday.

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Munnar panchayat dump yard posing threat to wild elephants

 

THE HINDU BUREAU, 

IDUKKI, october 23, 2025

The Munnar panchayat-operated dumping yard at Kallar is posing a threat to wild elephants in the hill station, with wild elephants, especially an elephant locally called Ottakompan, entering the yard to consume plastic-laden vegetable waste.

Vimal Raj, a wildlife photographer tracking the movements of wild elephants in Munnar, says he has found the tusker consuming plastic-filled waste from the yard.

Ready availability

“I have taken pictures of the elephant consuming plastic mixed with vegetable waste from the yard. Due to the ready availability of food, the animal is camping at the yard. Regular consumption of plastic-filled vegetable waste may pose a threat to the life of the elephant,” says Mr. Raj.

For the past two years, wild elephants are regularly seen at the yard in Kallar. Forest officials say the yard is posing a threat to local wildlife. “Wild elephants, wild gaurs, and other animals are regularly seen at the yard,” says an official.

Greens air concerns

R. Mohan, president of the Munnar Environment and Wildlife Society (MEWS), says the yard in Kallar has emerged as a major threat to wild elephants. “Munnar’s popular tusker Padayappa is a regular visitor to the area. For the past two years, the MEWS has repeatedly approached the authorities to find a solution to the issue but to no avail,” he says.

Munnar Range officer S. Biju says the Forest department has directed the Munnar panchayat to fix a solar fence around the plant.

Solar fence demand

“The department has also requested the panchayat to provide a pump-action gun to the department to chase away wild animals from the plant. The panchayat has also been directed to install a real-time camera at the plant to monitor the movements of wild elephants. At a recent meeting called by the Forest Minister in Idukki, the Munnar panchayat secretary agreed to install solar fence soon,” he says.

Munnar panchayat secretary G.P. Udayakumar says the panchayat had allotted ₹8 lakh for setting up a solar fence at the yard. “The works have begun and are expected to be completed soon,” he says.

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Tribal trio revives baby monkey, wins hearts in act of compassion

 

THE HINDU BUREAU, 

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, october 22, 2025

In a heart-warming act of compassion that has since gone viral, three tribal women from a Vanasamrakshana Samiti (forest protection committee) in Thiruvananthapuram revived a baby macaque after it was electrocuted near the Kallar Golden Valley forest check-post on Tuesday.

The incident unfolded along the Vithura–Ponmudi road when two young monkeys came into contact with a high-tension power line. One of them fell onto a tree branch, while the other crashed onto the tarred road, unconscious and suffering a wound to its forehead.

Without hesitation, Ponmudi Vanasamrakshana Samiti members Udaya, Sachithra, and Saugandhika, who are all members of the Kani tribal settlement in Mottamoodu, Vithura, rushed to the scene. The trio immediately administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) by performing chest compressions in an attempt to revive it. Miraculously, their efforts succeeded.

After administering basic treatment to the wound, they released the revived monkey back into the wild, a moment that has captured widespread attention and praise.

“Even though we have suffered greatly due to wild animals and lost crops to wild boar, elephant, and bear incursions, we never thought of turning our backs on these baby monkeys. Animals do pose a menace to us, yet we have always lived alongside the forest and its creatures,” says Udaya.

‘To instil empathy’

Section forest officer Shaji points out that similar incidents have occurred before, including one two months ago when a beat forest officer administered CPR to a fallen animal. “The members of the Vanasamrakshana Samiti are being encouraged to act as true guardians of the forest by upholding compassion for both humans and wildlife. Such acts serve to instil empathy in others as well,” he says.

The incident has also sparked discussions about the need to provide formal training in first aid and wildlife rescue techniques for members of the Vanasamrakshana Samitis and eco-development committees across the State.

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Kerala Assembly passes forest, wildlife amendment Bills

 

tHE HINDU BUREAU, 

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, october 9, 2025

The Kerala Assembly on Wednesday passed the Wildlife Protection (Kerala Amendment) Bill, 2025 and the Kerala Forest (Amendment) Bill, 2025 in the absence of the Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) which boycotted the proceedings over the alleged gold theft at Sabarimala.

Forests Minister A.K. Saseendran described the Wildlife Protection (Kerala Amendment) Bill, 2025 as a milestone initiative, stating that Kerala is the first State in India to introduce such an amendment to the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

Time consuming

According to him, the existing procedures under the Central Act and its associated Standard Operating Procedures are often impractical and time-consuming. The amendment aims to enable quick action in emergency situations, especially when lives are at risk.

The proposed legislation would enable the Chief Wildlife Warden to authorise immediate action, including killing animals, without unnecessary delay, at times when people suffer serious injuries in a wildlife attack, following which the District Collector or Chief Conservator of Forests reports the incident for necessary action.

The Bill also includes provision for population control and relocation of species listed in Schedule II, such as wild boars and leopards, without requiring Central government approval. Besides, the new Bill would also empower the State government to declare a species as ‘vermin’ if its population becomes unmanageable.

The Bill also proposes shifting Bonnet Macaque from Schedule I to Schedule II to permit population control of the species and, if necessary, declaring them vermin.

Mr. Saseendran highlighted that the Bill will come into effect only upon receiving Presidential assent, after being forwarded through the Governor, as it involves amendments to the Central law. The Kerala Forest (Amendment) Bill, 2025 primarily introduces provisions regarding the harvesting and sale of sandalwood trees on private land.

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In hilly regions, smaller animals become a bigger concern now

 

SANDEEP VELLARAM,

IDUKKI, the hindu, october 7, 2025

For generations, farmers in the hilly regions of Idukki, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, and Ernakulam districts lived in fear of giants — wild elephants trampling their fields, leopards stalking livestock, and tigers prowling the cardamom and rubber plantations. These days a new pattern is emerging in the Forest department’s 45-day mitigation drive: it is the smaller creatures that are wreaking havoc.

Settler farmers across the High Range Circle in the four districts now complain not of roaring predators, but of relentless troops of Bonnet Macaques, scurrying Malabar Giant Squirrels, and marauding wild pigs. These smaller animals, once seen as harmless, have become the new faces of the human-animal conflict.

Shift in pattern

“The complaints we receive show a clear shift — monkeys, squirrels, and wild pigs are now the major concern for farming families,” said a Forest department source. According to data from the department, 1,255 complaints have been filed in the High Range Circle in the ongoing mitigation drive. The Kothamangalam division tops the list with 204 complaints, followed by Neryamangalam (161), and Erumely (157), mostly pertaining to the small animals. The Idukki Wildlife Division, where the bigger fauna is predominant, has received just five complaints, showing how the nature of conflict has changed with settlement patterns.

In the cardamom-growing hub of Idukki, Bonnet Macaques have emerged as the prime culprits. Farmers spend hundreds of rupees on crackers to chase these monkeys from the plantations. The animals polish off fruits, damage saplings, and leave behind ravaged crops. Squirrels gnaw through the tender pods, while wild pigs dig up roots and destroy field boundaries. “All farming areas, excluding tea plantations, are heavily damaged by these three species,” an official noted.

New set of challenges

Job J. Neriamparambil, Assistant Conservator of Forests (Research), Peerumade, and coordinator of the High Range Circle mitigation plan, said the department is preparing to convene a district-level monitoring committee to address the new set of challenges. “The Forest department will seek support from other government departments to address these issues,” he said. “It’s not just about wildlife anymore — it’s about protecting the livelihoods of people living alongside it.”

The changing pattern of conflict tells a larger story: as habitats shrink and settlements expand, the boundaries between the forest and the farmland blur. And in this new landscape, the smallest animals have become the biggest menace.

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