Karnataka has witnessed a staggering 254 human fatalities due to wild animal attacks in the last five years, with elephants, tigers, and leopards accounting for the majority of deaths. The alarming trend has prompted the state’s Forest Department to ramp up measures aimed at curbing human-wildlife conflict, even as delays in compensation and bureaucratic hurdles continue to test the patience of affected communities.

Rising Death Toll and Compensation Burden

According to official data, 65 people lost their lives in wildlife attacks in 2023–24, while the current fiscal year (2024–25) has already recorded 42 deaths. Nearly 70% of these fatalities were caused by elephants, tigers, or leopards, with the remaining attributed to bears, wild boars, and bison.

The state government has disbursed approximately ₹165 crore in compensation over the past five years for deaths, crop damage, and property destruction caused by wildlife. Families of victims receive ₹15 lakh as ex-gratia, along with a monthly pension of ₹4,000 for five years. However, delays in processing claims have exacerbated hardships for affected families, particularly in high-conflict zones.

Forest Department’s Mitigation Strategies

To address the crisis, the Forest Department is implementing several measures:

• Tracking and Capturing Problem Animals: Trained teams, including veterinary officers, are being deployed to capture elephants, tigers, and leopards identified as threats.
• Improving Forest Habitats: Water sources like ponds are being revived within protected areas to discourage animals from venturing into human settlements.
• Radio Collaring Elephants: Adult female elephants will be fitted with radio collars to monitor herd movements, with alerts sent via SMS and WhatsApp to nearby villagers.
• Rapid Response Teams: Specialized squads are being strengthened to drive straying elephants back into forests and handle emergency situations.

However, these efforts come at a high cost. Capturing a single elephant costs around ₹12 lakh, while relocating a tiger requires ₹5 lakh. Since 2021, 43 elephants and 14 tigers have been captured, with 22 elephants shifted to designated camps. Tragically, 20 elephants have died so far in 2025.

Compensation Delays Fuel Distrust

Despite the government’s assurances, delays in compensation have deepened mistrust among forest-fringe communities. Data from the Mysuru circle paints a grim picture:

• 5,705 cases were reported in 2024–25, of which 3,219 (56%) remain pending.
• Only 2,326 cases were approved, while 160 were rejected.
• Just 46 cases were processed within 30 days, while 2,053 took over 60 days.

Activists warn that sluggish compensation fuels resentment, increasing the risk of revenge killings and weakening community support for conservation. “Timely payments are crucial to prevent retaliation and build trust,” said a wildlife conservationist.

High-Risk Zones and Habitat Pressures

Karnataka’s 4.067 million hectares of forests include five tiger reserves, 36 wildlife sanctuaries, and 19 conservation reserves, housing around 6,395 elephants and 563 tigers. Yet, nearly 5,000 families live under constant threat in high-conflict areas such as:

• Kali Tiger Reserve (2,000 families)
• Nagarahole National Park periphery (1,280 families)
• Biligiri Rangan Hills Tiger Reserve (1,662 families)

Experts attribute rising conflicts to degraded wildlife corridors, shrinking habitats, and disrupted animal movement. Elephants and leopards top the list, with 3,986 and 1,343 incidents respectively in Mysuru circle alone.

Call for Systemic Reforms

Conservationists urge faster compensation processing, better staffing, and habitat restoration to mitigate conflicts. “Procedural inefficiencies must be addressed to prevent further alienation of forest-dependent communities,” an activist emphasized.

As Karnataka grapples with the dual challenge of wildlife conservation and human safety, the Forest Department’s success hinges on balancing ecological preservation with timely, transparent redressal for affected families. Without urgent reforms, the cycle of conflict—and tragedy—will only persist.