Thiruvananthapuram: While Kerala records relatively fewer human fatalities from wildlife encounters compared to other states, public perception and political pressure have significantly amplified the issue, according to minutes of a Forest Department meeting accessed through the Right to Information (RTI) Act. The observations were made in a meeting convened by the Chief Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister in 2025.

The report notes that although most fatalities are linked to human activity patterns in vulnerable areas, there is considerable public outcry over the perceived inaction of departments. This assessment is based on an internationally recognised framework that classifies human-wildlife conflict into three levels: ecological, political, and social issue.

The department has further identified 12 major conflict zones in Kerala stretching from Kannur to Thiruvananthapuram, which can be categorised as high, moderate, and low-risk areas. Each zone has distinct characteristics contributing to conflict.

Citing examples, the report said that in the Aralam region of Kannur, poor settlement planning has resulted in human habitation being sandwiched between cashew plantations and forest areas, creating a persistent conflict zone. Wayanad, meanwhile, lies at the confluence of three major wildlife reserves and is one of the world's key tiger habitats, making it particularly vulnerable to human-animal encounters.

Chief Wildlife Warden (CWW) informed the meeting that during 2024–25, a total of 67 human fatalities were reported due to animal attacks. These included 34 deaths from snakebites, 19 from elephant attacks, and one each from wild pig and tiger attacks, apart from fatalities involving gaur and other animals. The CWW noted that nearly 50 per cent of these deaths were caused by snakebites in non-forest areas. However, since compensation for such cases is paid by the Forest Department, they are included under the human-wildlife conflict category. Of the 19 elephant-related deaths, 15 occurred within forest areas, with 13 of the victims belonging to tribal communities.

Overall, data from the Chief Wildlife Warden (CWW) on human-wildlife conflict fatalities over the past 15 years (2011 to present) show a clear downward trend, particularly since 2016–17. Fatalities declined from 145 in 2016–17 to 67 in 2024–25. Of the 1,549 deaths recorded during this period, 1,158 (about 75 per cent) were due to snakebites.