Understanding Crop Depredation in Little Rann of Kutch

Large herbivores, including the Indian wild ass in the Little Rann of Kutch, often raid the cultivation around, affecting human wellbeing, simultaneously making people less tolerant of the wildlife, which undermines the well-being both wildlife and humans. We strive to understand and reduce conflicts in Little Rann of Kutch. Farmers residing around Wild Ass Sanctuary (WAS) are reporting severe crop depredation. With better protection, the herbivores numbers have increased locally. Such situations would be a serious setback for the conservation of the herbivores surviving here, especially the last surviving population of the endangered Indian wild ass, that only survives in this part of the world. Therefore, the proposed project aimed to: (1) understand the spatiotemporal pattern of crop depredation around LRK, (2) identify crop depredation hot spots and create a risk map, (3) understand human -IWA interactions. This knowledge will ultimately help in identifying crop-raiding hotspots in LRK. Interview surveys would significantly increase our understanding of farmer’s socio-economic status and their perceptions and attitudes towards crop depredation. This project has provide the much-needed information that will significantly facilitate policy makers in formulating sound policies for better management of conflict issue.

Project Duration: July 2015 – December 2017

Funding Agency: Rufford Small Grant Program, Idea Wild