Malabar Giant Squirrels at a farm at Kanamala under the Erumely forest range in Kottayam district.
| Photo Credit: JOMON PAMPAVALLEY
For generations, farmers in the hilly regions of Idukki, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, and Ernakulam districts lived in fear of giants — wild elephants trampling their fields, leopards stalking livestock, and tigers prowling the cardamom and rubber plantations. These days a new pattern is emerging in the Forest department’s 45-day mitigation drive: it’s the smaller creatures that are wreaking havoc.Settler farmers across the high range circle in the four districts now complain not of roaring predators, but of relentless troops of Bonnet Macaques, scurrying Malabar Giant Squirrels, and marauding wild pigs. These smaller animals, once seen as harmless, have become the new faces of the human-animal conflict.Shift in pattern“The complaints we receive show a clear shift — monkeys, squirrels and wild pigs are now the major concern for farming families,” said a Forest department source. According to data from the department, 1,255 complaints have been filed in the High Range Circle in the ongoing mitigation drive. The Kothamangalam division topped the list with 204 complaints, followed by Neryamangalam (161), and Erumely (157), mostly pertaining to the small animals. The Idukki Wildlife Division, where the bigger fauna is predominant, received just five complaints, showing how the nature of conflict has changed with settlement patterns.In the cardamom-growing hub of Idukki, Bonnet Macaques have emerged as the prime culprits. Farmers spend hundreds of rupees on crackers to chase these monkeys from the plantations. The animals polish off fruits, damage saplings, and leave behind ravaged crops. Squirrels gnaw through the tender pods, while wild pigs dig up roots and destroy field boundaries. “All farming areas, excluding tea plantations, are heavily damaged by these three species,” a forest official noted.New set of challengesJob J. Neriamparambil, Assistant Conservator of Forests (Research), Peerumade, and coordinator of the High Range Circle mitigation plan, said the department is preparing to convene a district-level monitoring committee to address the new set of challenges. “The Forest department will seek support from other government departments to address these issues,” he said. “It’s not just about wildlife anymore — it’s about protecting the livelihoods of people living alongside it.”The changing pattern of conflict tells a larger story: as habitats shrink and settlements expand, the boundaries between forest and farmland blur. And in this new landscape, the smallest animals have become the biggest menace. Published - October 06, 2025 07:25 pm IST
