Kerala looks to the skies to tackle human-wildlife conflict, but is this feasible?

Imagine a tranquilised tiger suspended beneath the rotors of, or within, an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter, flying over Kerala’s hills before being released into the depths of an interior forest. What sounds like a scene from a wildlife documentary may soon become a serious conservation option.

The Kerala Forest Department has proposed using Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters to relocate captured Schedule I animals, including tigers and leopards, and where feasible, other large mammals, from conflict hotspots to secure forest habitats. If approved, it could possibly become the first such exercise within State boundaries in the country.

The proposal, however, has opened up a larger debate: can helicopters offer a practical solution to Kerala’s mounting human-wildlife conflict, or would they become an expensive answer to a far more complex ecological problem?

The State has sought the Centre’s assistance in facilitating emergency aerial translocation of conflict animals, preferably free of cost or at concessional rates, through the Ministry of Defence. The idea stems from a familiar challenge. Kerala’s rugged terrain, fragmented road network and long travel times make moving tranquilised carnivores by road both difficult and stressful for animals and risky for field personnel.

Forest officials assert that reducing transit time could improve animal welfare while lowering operational risks.

Chief Wildlife Warden P. Pugazhendi said aerial translocation is already an established conservation tool globally, pointing to cheetahs flown from Africa for reintroduction in Kuno National Park, and the recent translocation of a tigress from Pench Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh to Rajasthan. While such operations have largely been associated with reintroduction or rewilding programmes, Kerala wants to keep the option open for relocating problematic animals within its own forests during exigencies.

The senior forest officer added that any such exercise would require detailed protocols and the Centre’s support.

Carrying-capacity studies sought

The proposal comes as the Centre is also exploring the broader idea of moving wildlife from landscapes where populations exceed ecological carrying capacity to habitats where populations remain low. To underpin such decisions, Kerala has sought scientific carrying-capacity studies by the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, and the Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal.

Kerala Forest Minister Shibu Baby John said the Centre had responded positively to both requests during a recent meeting with the Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav.

According to him, the IAF has indicated that smaller animals, including tigers, could be airlifted, while relocating elephants would require heavy-lift Chinook helicopters stationed in Chandigarh.

The Central government, he added, was receptive to relocating surplus wildlife to suitable tiger reserves or conservation areas, provided scientific studies justified such interventions. “It would help conserve wildlife without resorting to killing the animals,” the Minister pointed out.

Questions remain

Yet, not everyone is convinced.

Wildlife ecologist P.S. Easa said the question was not whether helicopters could fly animals but whether the idea made ecological and economic sense.

“Such models are borrowed from Africa, where there are vast landscapes. Kerala has dense human populations, limited forest area and different ground realities. We cannot simply replicate those approaches,” he said.

He said any aerial translocation would have to be evaluated for cost-effectiveness and long-term conservation value. Finding suitable sites for “re-wilding” animals within Kerala itself, particularly those with large home ranges, would remain a challenge. While relocating big cats may be more feasible, moving elephants could be considerably more complicated, he added.

Officials themselves acknowledge the hurdles. Airlifting wildlife would not come cheap and would require coordination beyond the Forest Department, including support from the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority and the armed forces.