Human Wildlife Conflict: The Nuances Of Indian Law That Render It Ineffective

Animal attacks and resultant loss of life and livelihood have increased exponentially in the recent past, pan-India. Human Wildlife Conflicts have extensive implications on people, including but not limited to indigenous tribes, farmers and communities occupying lands within and in fringes of protected areas. Human-wildlife interactions are predictable and inevitable in some instances while unforeseeable in others. Therefore, prevention, mitigation and compensation through a well-crafted legal mechanism is the only apt workaround. In this backdrop, this research paper examines history and evolution India’s wildlife law and policies in the light of the narratives which shaped them, and analyses the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act,1972 for gauging its preparedness and efficacy.