Human-Animal Conflict and Livelihood Vulnerability in Wayanad District,
Kerala

Jinya K; Dr. Manoj Kumar B

doi:10.46609/IJSSER.2026.v11i01.017

Title: Human-Animal Conflict and Livelihood Vulnerability in Wayanad District, Kerala
Authors: Jinya K and Dr. Manoj Kumar B
Journal: International Journal of Social Science and Economic Research (IJSSER) ISSN: 2455-8834 Volume: 11 Issue: 1 Publication Date: January 2026 DOI: 10.46609/IJSSER.2026.v11i01.017
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Jinya K1 and Dr. Manoj Kumar B2 1. Research Scholar, PG and Research Department of Political Science, Government College, Kottayam, Kerala, India 2. Associate Professor of Political Science and Research Supervisor, PG and Research Department of Political Science, Government College, Kottayam, Kerala, India
MLA 8 K, Jinya, and Dr. Manoj Kumar B. "Human-Animal Conflict and Livelihood Vulnerability in Wayanad District, Kerala." Int. j. of Social Science and Economic Research, vol. 11, no. 1, Jan. 2026, pp. 255-264, doi.org/10.46609/IJSSER.2026.v11i01.0017. Accessed Jan. 2026. APA 6 K, J., & B, D. (2026, January). Human-Animal Conflict and Livelihood Vulnerability in Wayanad District, Kerala. Int. j. of Social Science and Economic Research, 11(1), 255-264. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.46609/IJSSER.2026.v11i01.0017 Chicago K, Jinya, and Dr. Manoj Kumar B. "Human-Animal Conflict and Livelihood Vulnerability in Wayanad District, Kerala." Int. j. of Social Science and Economic Research 11, no. 1 (January 2026), 255-264. Accessed January, 2026. https://doi.org/10.46609/IJSSER.2026.v11i01.0017.
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ABSTRACT: The conflict between humans and animals in Wayanad district, Kerala, illustrates the interplay of ecological change, conservation governance, and employment instability in forest-adjacent regions. This research employs a political ecology framework to examine the effects of conservation policies, institutional structures, and power relations on the livelihood vulnerability of people reliant on forests. The research demonstrates that disputes are associated with alterations in land use, centralized conservation control, and the legacy of colonial institutions, utilizing secondary data, policy papers, and prior empirical studies. These alterations significantly affect small and marginal farmers, Scheduled Tribe communities, and agricultural labourers. Insufficient and protracted compensation schemes intensify socio-economic instability and erode trust in public institutions. This paper asserts that human-animal conflict in Wayanad extends beyond ecological aspects, constituting a political and governance issue that requires participatory, decentralized, and socially equitable policy solutions to align conservation objectives with livelihood security.

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