The bio-diversity of the Western Ghats, rated as one of the eight hottest biodiversity hotspots in the world, is degrading fast despite conservation efforts. How exactly, is revealed in a new book entitled: ‘The Economics of Biodiversity Conservation - Valuation in Tropical Forest Ecosystems,’ written by Professor K N Ninan of the Institute for Social and Economic Change. The book has just been published by Earthscan Publications, London.

The book citing forest survey of India data notes that the dense forest cover (i.e. forests with crown canopy of more than 40 percent) in the country as a whole and in four out of six states in the western ghats region i.e. Karnataka, Kerala, Gujarat and Maharashtra declined between the forest assessment years 2001 and 2003.

Each of these states recorded a loss of more than 2000 sq.km of dense forest cover. An analysis of wildlife census data covering the period 1972 to 2001-02 (assuming these are reliable) notes that although the population of tigers, an endangered species, increased in India as whole and in states like Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu up to the eighties and nineties. Thereafter their numbers have declined or remained stagnant, except in Karnataka where their population seems to have shown a consistent increase.

In the case of other endangered species such as elephants and leopards too, similar trends are seen with their population rising in the eighties and nineties but declining or remaining stagnant in recent years.
The ratio of adult male to female elephants in Karnataka too appears to have deteriorated over the period 1993-2002 which also has implications since the sustainability of elephants depends upon a favourable male to female elephant ratio. Poaching also remains a big problem.

However, the book raises serious doubts about the reliability of the wildlife census data. Professor Ninan recounts the reluctance and even obstacles created by some state forest departments to give the wildlife census data although these are not classified or confidential information. Even some of the data that was given was doctored to cover up the fact that the tiger population had declined between 1972 and 2001-02, as for instance in Kerala.

For instance, as per 1993 wildlife census  data for Kerala the population of Malabar giant squirrels, an endangered species, was estimated at 1384; four years later the 1997 census figures suggested that their population had increased by 46 times to reach 63,474 !
He questions how exactly the wildlife census officials recorded and estimated Malabar giant squirrels in the tropical forests!

In order to give an incentive to local communities living within or near forests and national parks, state forest departments have a scheme to compensate them for damages caused by wildlife to their crops, property and life. However, evidences presented in the book reveal a different picture.

For instance, a survey conducted among farm households  in Maldari village in Kodagu, notes that for every rupee of compensation realised by the farmers from the state forest department for wildlife damages the farmers spent between Rs 3.4 to Rs 21.7 towards cost of trips and foregone income for trips made to claim the amount.

The proportion of the amount received as compensation to the amount claimed as compensation towards wildlife damages varied positively with farm size.

Raw deal for tribals

Tribals and others living in protected areas even much before such forests were declared as protected areas become ineligible to receive compensation for wildlife damages except in cases where they have legal titles to the land or property they occupy. The book pleads that the case of tribals and others settled in protected areas prior to the declaration of such forests as protected areas should be treated differently from that of actual encroachers.

Subsidies and concessional loans also need to be given to coffee planters, farmers and other households to install solar-powered electric fencing around coffee estates and farms to reduce the hazards of wildlife attacks.

The book makes a number of policy suggestions to further biodiversity conservation. Professor Ninan’s suggests that since the local opportunity costs of biodiversity conservation are high, the citizen’s of Bangalore, Mysore and other towns as well as the farmers of the Cauvery delta who benefit from the Cauvery river should pay a biodiversity conservation cess.  The fund so collected should be used for conservation and development activities in Kodagu, etc.

The author suggests that a decentralised and participatory-based strategy for biodiversity conservation promises to be more effective than other institutional alternatives.

The book calls for a thorough revamping and streamlining of wildlife census operations in the country by involving experts and representatives of the civil society such as NGOs and environmentalists in the designing and actual collection of wildlife census data.

Professor Ninan makes a plea for strengthening the wildlife laws in the country which lack teeth.