Wild animal intrusion upon human settlements and its impacts (Focus on Kudawa Grama Niladari Davison)

Abstract

The Kudawa Grama Niladari (GN) division in Kalawana Divisional secretaries in the Ratnapura district spans six square kilometers and includes five villages viz., Kudawa, Petiyakanda, Pitakele, Buthkanda and Ketalapatwala with 789 population. This GN division is basically an agrarian area and most of the land is used for tea and paddy cultivation. The research focuses on examining the socio-economic background of the selected villages for the study and damage on cultivation by wild animals. The data were collected through questioner surveying, interviewing, and participatory observation methods. The study reveals that wild animals’ intrusion upon villages has influenced on reducing the productivity of land. As well, the lives of both villagers and domestic animals are endangered by such intrusions. A gradual increase in wild animal intrusion upon human settlements and cultivated lands is observed due to several causes. The foremost causes are identified as clearing of natural forest area, encroachment on the forestland for crop, especially mono-crop cultivation, and lack of provisions within the forest for wild animals. In order to address these issues, reforestation of peripheral areas of forest, with endemic flora species, which can be consumed by people and animals, constructing of fences to protect croplands and strengthening of government laws and regulations to protect habitats of wild animals are important.