What do you do when there’s a leopard on your roof? In parts of India, this isn’t unusual. As the human population increases and more space is required for development, wildlife such as elephants, leopards, and tigers now have to compete with people for vital resources. When animals enter residential spaces and damage structures or consume livestock and crops, people retaliate in anger and frustration. Krithi Karanth is a conservation scientist who has spent over a decade trying to resolve human-wildlife conflict.
With the Centre for Wildlife Studies, Karanth launched Wild Seve to reduce the ire of villagers. The toll-free helpline has so far enabled over 16 000 people to seek compensation for damages. By identifying hot spots for conflict through these cases, Karanth can identify areas that would benefit most from predator-proof sheds, or crops and fences that can act as a barrier between wildlife and people.
In addition to this initiative, Karanth is focused on increasing children's interest in wildlife. Through the Wild Shaale project, she teaches them the importance of living peacefully with animals. Established in 2018, she’s reached more than 20 000 kids and counting. Combining education with fair compensation, Karanth is enabling the wildlife and people of India to coexist.