The demand by farmers that certain animals be declared vermin (nuisance animal) has been there for years. Their principal reason for this is because these animals target the ripening crop in the field ravaging the produce before it can be harvested. Over five years ago farmers group had represented to the government proposing that four animals – wild boar, red faced monkey (Rhesus Macaque), langur monkey (Presbytis Entellus) and porcupine (Hystrix Indica) – be declared as vermin as this would enable them to hunt and kill the animal without any legal consequences. It is only now that the State government has acceded to the request to declare wild boar as vermin. There had even been a suggestion that the bison be declared vermin, but since the gaur is the State animal, this was never taken up.
An animal, once declared as vermin by the government can be hunted and killed, a provision permitted by the Centre so as to bring down the number of animals of species that are overpopulated and that damage crops. There is evidence to indicate that human-animal conflict in Goa is growing, and there are past instances of farmers seeking compensation for loss due to rampaging animals. Animal lovers will confirm that such conflict primarily arose due to the ingress humans have made into the forests, destroying the natural habitat of the animals, which forces the wild animals to forage for food within human habitation. But, is there a more humane manner of dealing with the conflict?
The demand for this declaration of vermin had been made years ago by farmers. What have the authorities done in the intervening period to reduce the human-animal conflict that could have led to such a decision not being taken? Farmers lose their livelihood when their farms are attacked by wild animals. But, killing the animals, even if these have been declared as ‘vermin’ because of their nuisance value is not the answer. The answer is coexistence between the two where the human respects the rights of the animals to have their space has to come first. If the animal has its own habitat with enough food, it will not forage into farms and fields in search of food.
In the past farmers have reasoned that one reason why wild animals stray into their farms in search of food is because they are not getting it in the forests as government agencies have failed to grow trees that can serve as food for animals. It was their contention that the plantation of Akashi trees in the forests, has not resulted in any growth of food for the animals. If a solution could be that simple, had the authorities immediately planted saplings that would bear food for wild animals by now there would have been at least some fruit bearing trees in the forests, which is their natural habitat. Would providing food for them in the forest have helped reduce the instances of foraging animals in farms?
There exist many arguments against declaring animals as vermin and their resultant mass culling. The scientific management of wild animals may be a better manner of dealing with increasing animal populations not just in the reserved forests but also outside it. So if habitat loss is one reason for the animals straying into human habitation areas, the other is the decrease in predator animals, directly affecting the natural food chain of the wild. If humans stray into the animal world, and if simultaneously the State does little to increase the food of the animals or protect the wild cat, then such conflict will definitely exist and increase. Goa needs to find a solution other than declaring the animals vermin and allowing their killing.