A Catholic nun from the Congregation of Mother of Carmel (CMC) is among the 12 farmers from Kozhikode district who recently secured permission from the Kerala High Court to cull crop-raiding wild boars. Sr. Jophy Jose, the superior at CMC convent, Muthukad, will get the hard copy of the order on Monday to begin the task on the four-acre agricultural land around the convent.
“I am not a licensed gun holder or trained shooter. I approached the court along with other farmers with the sole intention of ending this menace that has been spoiling our efforts for several years,” says Sr. Jophy. She hopes to get the support of other farmers in the village who have arms licence to tackle the menace.
The nun, hailing from an agrarian family near Iritty in Kannur district, says wild boars have been targeting the convent’s crops, including nutmeg, tapioca, and yams, causing huge losses. “In the recent attacks, tapioca plants in large areas were destroyed. It was difficult to just remain silent as we had struggled a lot to grow the plants and water them regularly,” she adds.
In the absence of a gun licence, Sr. Jophy plans to temporarily make use of other culling options. “As per the court order, farmers who secure court clearance can employ any means of culling to end the menace. I have no reluctance to secure a gun licence in the future and exercise my right to save the field,” she says.
It was with the support of ‘We Farm’, a settler farmers’ organisation in Kozhikode district, that the 12 farmers, including a Wayanad native, recently secured the court order for culling wild boars. Twenty-two settler farmers in Kozhikode district will now be able to kill wild boars that stray into their fields.
