In a decisive move to address the escalating human-wildlife conflict in Tamil Nadu, Minister for Forests R.S. Rajakannappan announced that the State has authorised the culling of wild boars that pose a direct threat to human life and agricultural crops.
Speaking at a training program for school students titled “Forests and Wildlife Conservation: Challenges and Solutions,” the Minister said that the Forest Department has been instructed to shoot problematic wild boars under existing legal provisions.
“Human life is priceless, and no amount of financial compensation can replace it. While conservation is a priority, the government must act when wildlife becomes a persistent threat to public safety,” he clarified.
He also issued a stern warning to the public regarding the ‘selfie culture,’ urging people to stop disturbing wild animals for social media photos, noting that such behaviour often triggers fatal animal attacks.
Highlighting Tamil Nadu’s success in environmental conservation, he noted that while India ranks third globally in forest growth, Tamil Nadu leads the country in forest and wildlife development.
Some of the key developments included, surveying of bird sanctuaries in Chitrangudi, Kanjirankulam, and Sakkarakottai for major infrastructure and habitat improvements, State’s aggressive working towards increasing its forest cover to 33% of its total land area, he noted.
Also, the government is training teachers to act as environmental ambassadors, who in turn educate students on how to mitigate wildlife conflicts and the importance of planting trees, he added.
District Collector Simranjeet Singh Kahlon and senior officers from the Department of Forests were present during the event.
Published – January 27, 2026 09:27 pm IST
