Dehradun, May 2 -- The State Migration Prevention Commission, in its latest report, said that monkeys and wild boar account for almost 60% of the total damage to crops caused by wild animals in Uttarakhand. The panel was formed in August 2017 to develop a vision for the focused development of the state's rural areas, and submit recommendations on how to stop migration outside the state. The commission submitted its first statewide report on migration in 2018 and has released 26 such reports so far. According to the report, titled "Suggestions for protecting crops from wild animals in the state," monkeys account for 36.7% damage, while wild boars account for 22.9% damage to crops caused by wild animals. It added that stray animals account for 11%, langurs for 9.3%, nilgai for 5.7%, porcupines 3.5%, bears 2.2% and elephants 1.5%. Other unlisted categories of wild animals account for 7.1% of damage to crops, added the report. Monkeys, wild boar and langurs mainly pose a problem in hilly districts, while the impact of nilgai, elephants and stray animals causes more damage in plain regions, it said. Damage to crops by wild animals accounted for 5.61% of all reasons contributing to migration from villages to towns and cities, said the report. The highest share of migration due to this reason was reported in Almora, where crop damage by wild animals accounted for 10.99% of all migration factors, followed by Champawat (6.65%), Nainital (6.38%), Pauri Garhwal (6.27%) and Rudraprayag (5.11%). The lowest share was recorded in Haridwar (0.82%) and Dehradun (1.65%). The report, however, said that even in the hill blocks of Dehradun and Nainital districts, migration has been higher than in development blocks in the plains. The constant menace of wild animals not only damages crops but also reduces yields, leads to a decline in livestock numbers and causes economic losses to farmers on a daily basis, said the report. It added that major crops such as wheat, maize, pulses, fruits and vegetables are damaged by wild boars, nilgai, monkeys and elephants. SS Negi, vice-chairman of the commission, said the damage to crops by wild animals reduces farmers' income, making their livelihoods difficult, and leads to lower production, which affects food security. "Tigers, leopards and wolves attacking livestock cause huge losses to their owners," he said. The problem also leads to mental stress among farmers due to repeated losses, and people leaving farming and animal husbandry, eventually resulting in migration to cities, he said. The overall impact is on the rural economy of the state, Negi added. There was an increase in the number of incidents of crop damage by wild animals between 2021 and 2023. It was 760 in 2021 and rose to 772 in 2023. The area affected stood at 283.8 hectares in 2021 and increased to 314.3 hectares in 2023, according to the report. An analysis of data from gram panchayats showed that from 2019-20 to 2023-24, approximately 63,291 hectares of land was listed as barren, indicating a growing trend of agricultural land abandonment, Negi said, adding that the main reasons were migration, human-wildlife conflict, lack of irrigation facilities and declining profitability in agriculture. Farmers mainly protect their crops through community surveillance, which has been adopted by 2,443 villages. This includes day and night vigil, salaried chowkidars, rotation-based duties, formation of groups to drive away animals and the use of pet dogs. Other methods adopted by farmers include physical protection such as wire and solar fencing, trenches and scarecrows. Deterrents including firecrackers, flickering lights and sounds,and chemical methods include chilli and smoke sprays, as well as bee fencing, are common. The commission suggested a mix of preventive and structural measures to protect crops from wild animals. These include installation of electric and chain-link fencing with government subsidy, promotion of community-based protection systems and use of modern techniques such as solar fencing and surveillance. It also emphasised crop diversification, adoption of less palatable crops and strengthening of irrigation and land management practices. Timely compensation for crop loss and better monitoring of wildlife movement were also suggested....