The document discusses natural resource conservation and human-wildlife conflict management. It notes that increasing human population and consumption are putting unsustainable pressure on natural resources like land and water. This is causing environmental degradation and climate change. It also leads to human-wildlife conflicts as animals and people compete for limited resources. The document emphasizes that effective management of natural resources through integrated conservation efforts is important for conflict prevention and sustainable development. It provides details on India's crocodile conservation program and the threats faced by crocodile habitats in India due to increasing human activities and development. It highlights the need for integrated conservation actions involving species protection, habitat management and addressing human needs to effectively mitigate human-crocodile conflicts.

1. Natural resources conservation and
Human-wildlife conflict management
Dr. Rajesh Gurjwar
Dr. Ramkumar Lodhi
Jiwaji University, Gwalior India

2.  Unsustainable pressures on the availability and usability
of natural resources such as land, water and ecosystems
 Demographic changes, increasing consumption,
environmental degradation and climate change.
 Human-wildlife conflicts are caused by environmental
damage and the marginalization of local populations who
fail to benefit economically from natural resource
exploitation.
 The effective management of a society’s natural resources
is therefore a priority for all those committed to the goal
of conflict prevention and sustainable development.

3.  Conflicts between humans and animals are a serious problem
in many parts of the world.
 The continuous increase in the human population results in
competition between people and wildlife for shared but
limited resources, which manifest as various types of conflict,
such as crop-raiding, livestock predation, property damage,
human death and injury, and the retaliatory killing of wildlife
 The damage and destruction caused by a variety of animals to
human property-and sometimes to human life-is a real and
significant danger to many human communities and with the
animals often killed, captured, or otherwise harmed in
retaliation.
 These conflicts are one of the main threats to the continued
survival of many species.

4. Indian Crocodile Project
 Initiated Crocodile Conservation Programme
in 1974 in collaboration with FAO and UNDP
 Protection to all three species of crocodiles
and their habitats under Indian Wildlife
Protection Act, 1972
 Captive reared crocodiles have been both
reintroduced in areas where they had been
extirpated locally and also used for
supplementation of relict populations.

5. INDIAN CROCODILES
 Indian Gharial – Gavialis gangeticus – CR
Range: Bangladesh (extinct), Bhutan (extinct?), India,
Myanmar (extinct?), Nepal, Pakistan
 Saltwater Crocodile – Crocodylus porosus - LRlc
Range: Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia,
China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Palau,
Papua News Guinea, Philppines, Seychelles (ex),
Singapore, Sri Lanka, Solomon Islands, Thailand,
Vietnam)
 Mugger – Crocodylus palustris – VU
Range: Bangladesh, Iran, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri
Lanka
2

6. The Species Conservation Aspect
 Species conservation aspect focuses on crocodile
conservation in the country.
 Major activities are recruiting anti-poaching patrol
staff, establishment of crocodile rearing centres
under ‘grow and release programme (GRP)’,
monitoring crocodile populations especially those
released under GRP, establishment of special
sanctuaries for crocodiles, captive breeding, and
long-term and short-term research activities on
crocodile ecology, behavior, habitat assessment
through Remote Sensing and GIS techniques.

7. Habitat Management Aspect
 Under crocodile habitat management activity actions
have been taken for conservation activities include
improving the management status of protected
areas, buffer zones and corridors through active
habitat management, training and equipping of staff
and reducing impacts from local communities on
sensitive habitats in landscape complexes.
 The development and initiation of long-term
management plans, including the gazetting of new
reserves and sanctuaries have been implemented.

8. The Human Aspect
 There are a wide range of activities aimed at reducing the
dependency of local communities on aquatic resources both within
and outside of protected areas as well as mitigating Human-
Crocodile Conflicts.
 One particularly key aspect of working with local communities is to
protect the rights of indigenous groups living in and around
crocodile habitats.
 Where traditional resources may be impacted by the
implementation of crocodile project, alternatives have to be
developed through consultation and introduced into the project
activities.
 It is necessary to provide alternative livelihoods through the
development of business initiatives such as ecotourism. In addition
alternative sources of energy and food for livestock should be
provided to local communities. Any resource use such as mining of
sand from the river banks has to be made more sustainable by
providing resources outside of conservation areas.

9.  Crocodile attacks on people are common in places
where large crocodiles are native and human
populations live.
 People use the river for various purposes including
fishing, sand mining, drinking water collection,
washing, extraction of water for irrigation, livestock
use and also use the bank for agricultural purposes.
 Crocodiles use the riverine ecosystem for their life
propagation and also use the sand bank and
marshlands for basking, egg-laying and hiding place.

10.  The crocodiles have to compete for water, fish
and bank with humans. There is also high rate of
conflict due to entanglement and death in fishing
nets.
 Due to lack of education and awareness about
crocodile behavior and the basic purpose of
Government run crocodile conservation
programmes the locals are against the crocodile
reintroduction programme.
 Mitigation strategies have to be adopted to
reduce Human Crocodile Conflict.

11. Present Threats
 Intensive pressure from riverside
development
 Mining of sand for building materials
 High intensity of illegal net fishing causing
gharial mortality.
 Water extraction for agriculture at point
(dams and canals) and non-point areas
 These activities have reduced basking
areas and disturbed nesting areas of
gharial

12. Present Threats
 Crocodile encounters with humans and
their livestock have caused human-
crocodile conflicts which result in
retaliation killings.
 People are more reluctant to agree for
reintroduction of crocodiles as they feel
that crocodile conservation programme is
against human poverty alleviation
programme.

15. Mugger basking on island in the Chambal River
Studies on Impact of Crocodile Conservation on Rural Livelihoods in North Madhya
Pradesh

18. The Chambal River has different habitats,
particularly the river depth, flow and nature of
banks. Animals occupy various suitable habitats
to their requirements.
The river bank with clay/loamy soil substratum,
aquatic vegetation, rocky substratum, mid-
islands, shallow water pools are the habitats for
Gharial and Mugger for basking, nesting and
feeding.
The Mugger and Gharial are present in different
locations in the National Chambal Sanctuary.

19. Studies on Impact of Crocodile Conservation on Rural Livelihoods in North Madhya
Pradesh
Different types of Crocodile habitats in the Chambal River

20. Studies on Impact of Crocodile Conservation on Rural Livelihoods in North Madhya
Pradesh
Habitats of Mugger in Gwalior-Chambal Region

21. Studies on Impact of Crocodile Conservation on Rural Livelihoods in North Madhya
Pradesh
Mugger habitats in the lakes within Madhav National Park, Shivpuri

22. Studies on Impact of Crocodile Conservation on Rural Livelihoods in North Madhya
Pradesh
Basking of mugger in different types of habitats

23. Mugger basking
on Rocky Island
in Chambal
River
Studies on Impact of Crocodile Conservation on Rural Livelihoods in North Madhya
Pradesh

24. In India major crocodile
habitats are under severe
pressure due to increase in
human activities. Locals
use crocodile habitats for
water extraction for
drinking, irrigation
including riverside
agriculture, sand mining,
and livestock grazing and
washing. Due to lack of
education and awareness
about crocodile behavior
and the basic purpose of
Government run crocodile
conservation programmes
the locals are against the
crocodile reintroduction
programme.

25. Studies on Impact of Crocodile Conservation on Rural Livelihoods in North Madhya
Pradesh
Extraction of water for irrigation causes habitat degradation

26. Agricultural activities on the River bank by local villagers
Studies on Impact of Crocodile Conservation on Rural Livelihoods in North Madhya
Pradesh

27. Human activities in crocodile habitats
Studies on Impact of Crocodile Conservation on Rural Livelihoods in North Madhya
Pradesh

28. Washing
and
drinking of
cattle in the
Chambal
River
Studies on Impact of Crocodile Conservation on Rural Livelihoods in North Madhya
Pradesh

29. Studies on Impact of Crocodile Conservation on Rural Livelihoods in North Madhya
Pradesh
Domestic animals drinking and grazing on the River banks an easy target to crocodiles

30. Domestic animals on river bank in crocodile infested areas
Studies on Impact of Crocodile Conservation on Rural Livelihoods in North Madhya
Pradesh

31. People use
the river
for various
purposes
including
bathing,
drinking
water
collection,
cloth
washing
etc.
Studies on Impact of Crocodile Conservation on Rural Livelihoods in North Madhya
Pradesh

32. Sand mining near
mugger basking
areas in Chambal
River
Studies on Impact of Crocodile Conservation on Rural Livelihoods in North Madhya
Pradesh

33. Studies on Impact of Crocodile Conservation on Rural Livelihoods in North Madhya
Pradesh
Illegal sand mining at different areas of National Chambal Sanctuary

34. Large
segregations
of locals
along the
river for
religious
purposes
Studies on Impact of Crocodile Conservation on Rural Livelihoods in North Madhya
Pradesh

35. Religion uses like, Idol immersion in Chambal river
Studies on Impact of Crocodile Conservation on Rural Livelihoods in North Madhya
Pradesh

36. People cross
the river by
boats and
Camels
Studies on Impact of Crocodile Conservation on Rural Livelihoods in North Madhya
Pradesh

37. Peoples crossing the Chambal River on a temporary bridge and on boats
Studies on Impact of Crocodile Conservation on Rural Livelihoods in North Madhya
Pradesh

38. Locals frequently cross the river
Studies on Impact of Crocodile Conservation on Rural Livelihoods in North Madhya
Pradesh

39. Studies on Impact of Crocodile Conservation on Rural Livelihoods in North Madhya
Pradesh
Fishing activities affect aquatic fauna

40. Deferent types of Dams constructed on water bodies
Studies on Impact of Crocodile Conservation on Rural Livelihoods in North Madhya
Pradesh

41. Locals
frequently
walk along
the river
with no fear
of
crocodiles
sitting on
the land
Studies on Impact of Crocodile Conservation on Rural Livelihoods in North Madhya
Pradesh

42. Pollution in the River and other water bodies throw the house hold materials and sewage line
Studies on Impact of Crocodile Conservation on Rural Livelihoods in North Madhya
Pradesh

43. Studies on Impact of Crocodile Conservation on Rural Livelihoods in North Madhya
Pradesh
Discussion with local villagers in Tighra Reservoir

44. Studies on Impact of Crocodile Conservation on Rural Livelihoods in North Madhya
Pradesh
Discussion with a victim injured by Mugger at Sanndh in Chambal River

45. In the Chambal River indigenous crocodiles are
once again abundant due to conservation and
management programmes.
In addition human population in different
riverside villages has been increased and their
livestock depend heavily on the river.
The recovery of crocodile population and
increase in human population has resulted in
substantial levels of human-crocodile conflict.

46. Major habitats of crocodiles are under pressure due to
increase in human activities. The major threat at present
is habitat loss due to human encroachment, and
disruption of populations through fishing and other
hunting activities. Due to Crocodile-human conflict
relationship between local communities and wildlife
authorities is not cordial.
Locals consider that crocodile programmes in water
bodies in their vicinity are major obstacles for poverty
alleviation as they depend primarily on water bodies for
livelihood and Government restricts use of resources in
and around water bodies for crocodile conservation.

47. Integrated Actions
 The species conservation, habitat management and
Human aspects cannot act in isolation but interact with
each other, because ….
 The local communities interact with crocodiles through
habitat sharing, livestock predation or attacks on people
and often they kill crocodiles in retaliation.
 Local communities often catch fish for food, thus
reducing the prey availability for crocodiles, extract sand
for construction purpose, thus destroying basking and
nesting sites not only of crocodiles but also turtles and
sand nesting birds.

48. Thanks