Over Rs 11 crore paid as compensation for losses caused by wildlife in Kolhapur district

Kolhapur: The forest department has distributed Rs13.7 crore in compensation across 11 forest ranges in Kolhapur district during the 2025-26 financial year for losses caused by wild animals to crops, livestock and human lives, highlighting the growing impact of wildlife movement on rural livelihoods.Deputy conservator of forests (Kolhapur), Dhairyasheel Patil, said compensation was granted in 18,655 cases, with crop damage accounting for the bulk of the claims. Wild animals such as gaur (Indian bison), elephants, leopards, wild boar and bears damaged agricultural fields in 18,287 cases, for which Rs 11.09 crore was paid to affected farmers.In addition, the department disbursed Rs 2.15 crore in 30 cases related to loss of human life and injuries caused by wild animal attacks, Patil said.Despite the large compensation outgo, anxiety persists among farmers due to increasing wildlife movement and recurring crop damage. While many farmers have welcomed the forest department's faster compensation mechanism in recent years, demands are growing for long-term and permanent solutions to manage human-wildlife conflict.Patil said the department has streamlined the process by ensuring quick verification and direct transfer of compensation amounts to beneficiaries' bank accounts as per govt policy. "Once damage reports are received from field-level forest offices, compensation is approved and disbursed promptly," he said.The wildlife conflict also affected livestock owners, with 338 farmers losing animals to attacks during the year. Compensation amounting to Rs 47.2 lakh was paid in these cases, with the highest number — 93 cases — reported from the Malkapur forest range in Shahuwadi taluka.Patil added that the compensation process is being implemented in accordance with the govt resolution dated Jan 30, 2024, which has provided significant financial relief to farmers and villagers across the district.