KOCHI : The first online meeting of the expert committee engaged by the forest department to study the human-wildlife conflictin the state decided on Monday to evolve a landscape-and-species-specific strategy to ensure peaceful co-existence.

Inaugurating the meeting, Forest Minister A K Saseendran said that the government wants to evolve a strategy for peaceful co-existence of animals and humans, ensuring the safety of the people and conservation of wildlife. The experts made presentations about successful models adopted by foreign countries and other Indian states to mitigate the conflict.

“We need species-and-landscape-specific standard operation procedures (SOPs) for each of the 10 zones where conflict is high,” said the convener of the panel and additional principal chief conservator of forest (APCCF) P Pugazhendi.

“We tried culling to reduce wild pig menace, but this is not possible in the case of elephants and tigers. We have to evolve a new strategy to counter the monkey menace. We will organise field-level workshops to understand landscape-specific issues and to evolve mitigation strategies. We are planning a framework for workshops based on which short-term and long-term strategies will be evolved,’ he said.

The department has roped in International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Human Wildlife Conflict Task Force chair Dr Alexandra Zinnermann and UNESCO nature science specialist Benno Boer who will share their experience in evolving mitigation strategies. Benno Boer has expressed interest in studying the conflict in the Nilgiri biosphere. The panel held an online meeting with Alexandra two weeks ago.

“Radio collaring animals that enter human habitations and sharing the data will help reduce the conflict. An early warning system based on modern technology can be useful to mitigate conflict. Conservation researcher Tarsh Thekaekara has developed an app-based early warning system in Karnataka which is effective,” said Pugazhendi.

Apart from implementing steps to reduce conflict, the forest department will implement steps to improve wildlife habitats. Steps will be taken to ensure a healthy habitat for wild animals and to ensure the availability of water in the forest areas. Removal of invasive species which deteriorate habitat will be taken up.