Archive · 15 Sep 2026
Study Finds Monkeys, Wild Boars Drive Wayanad Wildlife Conflict
Researchers studied how wild animals affect people living in Wayanad.
They asked 998 people in 49 villages about their experiences.
Most people said they had faced problems with wild animals.
Monkeys were reported most often and damaged crops and property.
Wild boars also caused serious problems by destroying crops.
Elephants and big cats can cause great fear and large losses, but they were seen less often in daily conflicts.
The researchers said small, repeated losses can add up to as much as one major loss.
They want the government to improve compensation and use different solutions for different animals.
A study found monkeys and wild boars cause the most frequent distress among Wayanad residents.
Researchers surveyed 998 people across 49 villages during fieldwork in 2022-23.
Eighty-four per cent of respondents had experienced human-wildlife conflict, while 81 per cent held negative attitudes toward wildlife conservation.
Monkeys produced the highest intensity ratings, while wild boars were mainly linked to widespread crop destruction.
The researchers called for compensation that accounts for repeated smaller losses, not only major incidents involving elephants or tigers.
- Who
- Researchers from Kannur University and the University of Geneva, surveying Wayanad residents.
- What
- A study examined human-wildlife conflict and found monkeys and wild boars caused the greatest day-to-day distress.
- When
- Fieldwork took place during 2022-23, and the study was published in the latest edition of Scientific Reports.
- Where
- Wayanad district in Kerala, across 49 villages and forest-fringe settlements.
- Why
- The research assessed the scale of wildlife-related harm and highlighted gaps in the compensation system.
- People surveyed
- 998 individuals
- Villages covered
- 49 villages
- Reported conflict
- 84% of respondents had experienced human-wildlife conflict
- Conservation attitudes
- 81% reported negative attitudes toward wildlife conservation
- Monkey conflict
- 37% rated it moderate to highly intense; 5% rated it extremely intense
- Wild boar conflict
- 30% identified wild boars as a high-intensity threat
- Study publication
- Published in Scientific Reports, a Nature Portfolio journal