Population management of animals under wildlife action plan

 New Delhi: Population management of identified wild animals is one of the "priority" projects in the National Wildlife Action Plan submitted to the Environment Ministry, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.

Amid a raging debate over human-animal conflict, Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave in a written reply said that the group constituted by his ministry for formulation of National Wildlife Action Plan (2017-2031) has submitted its report.

Dave said that the plan does not have a specific proposal for fixing upper limit of animal population to avoid risk to farmers and human settlements.

"There is no specific proposal for fixing upper limit of animal population with a view to avoid risk to farmers and human settlements.

"However, the population management for identified wild animals, where other mitigation measures are found to be inadequate, is one of the identified priority projects in the action plan," Dave said.

He was asked whether the government is considering to come out with a final National Wildlife Action Plan 2017-31 soon, a draft of which is ready.

Presently, there is no proposal in the ministry for selective and supervised culling of wild animals, Dave added.