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Smaller Animals Become Biggest Threat to Farmers in Southern India
6 Oct
Summary
- Farmers in Idukki, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, and Ernakulam now face threats from monkeys, squirrels, and wild pigs
- Complaints about these smaller animals have surpassed those about larger predators like elephants, leopards, and tigers
- Bonnet Macaques, Malabar Giant Squirrels, and wild pigs are damaging crops and plantations
As of October 6th, 2025, a significant shift is occurring in the human-animal conflict in the hilly regions of Idukki, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, and Ernakulam districts in southern India. For generations, these farming communities have lived in fear of large predators like elephants, leopards, and tigers. However, the latest data from the Forest Department's 45-day mitigation drive reveals a new pattern - the smaller creatures are now the primary concern.
Settler farmers across the high range circle are no longer complaining about roaring predators, but rather the relentless troops of Bonnet Macaques, scurrying Malabar Giant Squirrels, and marauding wild pigs. These once-harmless animals have become the new faces of the human-animal conflict, damaging crops, fruits, saplings, and even field boundaries.
The Forest Department is now preparing to convene a district-level monitoring committee to address these new challenges. "It's not just about wildlife anymore - it's about protecting the livelihoods of people living alongside it," says Job J. Neriamparambil, the Assistant Conservator of Forests (Research) in Peerumade. As habitats shrink and settlements expand, the boundaries between forest and farmland have blurred, and the smallest animals have become the biggest menace for these farming communities.
