Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
azadi ka amrit mahotsav

Wild Animal Attacks

Posted On: 22 JUL 2024 4:04PM by PIB Delhi

As per available reports in the Ministry, the details of human deaths due to attack by elephants and tigers during the last five years in various states are given at Annexure-I and Annexure II. The said information in respect of the State of Kerala is given separately, as given below.

As informed by the State Government of Kerala, the number of human deaths due to attack by wild animals including elephants, tigers and leopards for the last five years is as follows:

Year

Death caused by elephants

Death caused by tigers

Deaths caused by leopards

Deaths caused by other wild animals

Total

2019-20

13

2

Nil

77

92

2020-21

27

1

Nil

60

88

2021-22

35

1

Nil

78

114

2022-23

27

1

Nil

70

98

2023-24

12

1

Nil

71

94

The Ministry has enhanced the amount of ex-gratia relief in case of death or permanent incapacitation due to wild animal attacks during December 2023. At present the amount of ex-gratia relief payable under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes – ‘Development of Wildlife Habitats’, ‘Project Tiger and Elephant’ is as follows:

Sl.

Nature of damage caused by wild animals

Amount of ex-gratia relief

i.

Death or permanent incapacitation

Rs.10.00 lakh

ii.

Grievous injury

Rs.2.00 lakh

iii.

Minor injury

Cost of treatment up to Rs.25,000/-per person

iv.

Loss of property/crops

State/UT government may adhere to the cost norms prescribed by them.

The protection and management of wildlife is primarily the responsibility of State Governments/UT    Administrations. The Ministry provides financial assistance to States/UTs for conservation of wildlife and its habitats under the Centrally Sponsored schemes – ‘Development of Wildlife Habitats’, ‘Project Tiger and Elephant’. It includes payment of ex-gratia relief for loss of life and property caused by wild animals.

An advisory to deal with human wildlife conflict situations was issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to all States/UTs on 06.02.2021. The advisory recommends coordinated interdepartmental action, identification of conflict hot spots, adherence to Standard Operating Procedures, establishment of rapid response teams, formation of State and District level committees to review the quantum of ex-gratia relief, issuing guidance and instructions for expedited payments, and provision of adequate funds for ex-gratia relief to be paid to the affected persons in the case of death and injury to persons.

The Ministry has also issued guidelines to States and UTs on 03.06.2022 on managing human-wildlife conflict including damage to crops. The guidelines also advise States and UTs to consider utilizing the provisions of Disaster Management Act, 2005 to deal with situation arising out of human wildlife conflict such as rescue and relief operations, providing ex-gratia relief, management of law and order situation etc.

Further, the Ministry has released species specific guidelines on 21.03.2023 for mitigation of conflicts arising from various wild animals namely Elephant, Gaur, Leopard, Snake, Crocodile, Rhesus Macaque, Wild Pig, Bear, Blue Bull and Blackbuck. Guidelines were also issued for cross cutting issues such as cooperation between the forest and media sector; occupational health and safety in the context of human–wildlife conflict mitigation; crowd management in human-wildlife conflict related situations and addressing health emergencies and potential health risks arising out of human-wildlife conflict situations.

The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 has been recently amended in 2022 which rationalized listings of wild animals in Schedules I and II appended to the Act. Presently, the Ministry does not have any proposal to include more wild animals in Schedule I appended to the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.

The Central Government has enhanced the ex-gratia relief payable under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes – ‘Development of Wildlife Habitats’, ‘Project Tiger and Elephant’ from Rs. 5.00 Lakhs to Rs. 10.00 lakhs in case of deaths due to wild animal attacks during December 2023.

This information was given by Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

***

MJPS

 

Annexure- I

 

Number of Human Deaths caused by elephant

S.No.

State

2019-20

2020-21

2021-22

2022-23

2023-24

1

Andhra Pradesh

4

6

NR

5

6

2

Arunachal Pradesh

0

0

2

0

0

3

Assam

75

91

63

80

74

4

Chhattisgarh

77

42

64

69

51

5

Jharkhand

84

74

133

96

87

6

Karnataka

30

26

27

29

48

7

Maharashtra

1

NR

0

2

5

8

Meghalaya

4

6

3

3

7

9

Nagaland

0

0

0

1

1

10

Odisha

117

93

112

148

154

11

Tamil Nadu

58

57

37

43

61

12

Tripura

2

1

2

2

1

13

Uttar Pradesh

6

1

0

4

4

14

Uttarakhand

NR

NR

NR

4

8

15

West Bengal

116

47

77

97

99

Total

 

574

444

520

583

606

 

*  NR- Information not received from State.

*  Data also include human deaths outside Forest Area.

 

 

Annexure- II

 

Number of Human Deaths caused by the Tiger Attack

S. No.

State

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

1

Andhra Pradesh

0

0

0

0

NR

2

Arunachal Pradesh

0

0

0

0

NR

3

Assam

0

0

0

0

NR

4

Bihar

0

1

4

9

NR

5

Chhattisgarh

0

0

0

0

3

6

Jharkhand

0

0

0

0

NR

7

Karnataka

4

0

1

1

8

8

Madhya Pradesh

1

11

2

3

10

9

Maharashtra

26

25

32

82

35

10

Mizoram

0

0

0

0

NR

11

Orissa

0

0

0

0

NR

12

Rajasthan

5

0

0

0

NR

13

Tamil Nadu

0

1

3

0

1

14

Telangana

0

2

0

0

NR

15

Uttar Pradesh

8

4

11

11

25

16

Uttarakhand

2

0

1

3

NR

17

West Bengal

3

5

5

1

NR

TOTAL

49

49

59

110

82

 

NR- Information not received from State.

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