Khandre Urges Ban on Livestock Grazing in Forests

Rapid Summary

• Karnataka’s Environment Minister, eshwar Khandre, has instructed the Forest Department to ban livestock grazing in all forest areas of the state.
• The directive follows the poisoning deaths of five tigers-a tigress and her four cubs-in M.M. Hills Wildlife Sanctuary on June 26. The tigers were allegedly poisoned by a livestock owner after one of their cattle was killed by the big cat.
• Villagers near M.M. Hills and Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary reportedly allow large-scale livestock grazing in these protected forests.
• Grazing impacts include man-animal conflicts, hindrance to forest regeneration, fodder shortages for wild herbivores, and potential transmission of infectious diseases from livestock to wildlife.
• Wildlife experts advocate for an immediate ban on sanctuary grazing due to its ecological effects and role in incidents like tiger deaths.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The decision to ban livestock grazing in forest areas highlights serious ecological challenges such as habitat degradation, fodder scarcity for wildlife, and increased risk of disease transmission. These issues are compounded by human-wildlife conflict arising from unregulated animal-grazing practices near sanctuaries. The tragic poisoning incident underscores this tension while emphasizing lax safeguards against retaliatory actions affecting endangered species.

While banning grazing could promote ecosystem recovery and reduce conflict risks long-term, implementation will require balancing local livelihoods with conservation priorities. Livestock bans must be paired with alternatives for affected communities-such as compensation schemes or controlled public lands access-to prevent economic distress among villagers reliant on this practice.

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