In an article in Febr. 2019 [9] Kora Abraham writes: "Nestled amidst the silence and the towering trees, inside a forest, near the Mananthavady area of Wayanad district, it wasn’t an easy task to reach the house of CK Janu, one of the leaders of the Muthanga agitation and leader of the Adivasi Gothra Maha Sabha (AGMS)... Janu doesn’t waste any time with small talk as she starts recapping the infamous Muthanga Adivasi agitation. The Muthanga agitation in 2003 can be said to be one of the landmark protests in the history of the tribal communities in the country in their fight to obtain cultivable land“. It all began in 2001 after 30 tribals died of starvation. "Following their deaths, thousands of tribals, led by the AGMS, took to a kudil kettal samaram (protest tents) outside the Chief Minister’s office in Thiruvananthapuram", the Adivasi leader told Kora Abraham. [9] According to Janu, the agitation in Muthanga gave the Adivasis the courage to fight for their rights. “It was following this agitation, that the whole concept of ‘bhoomi samaram’ (protesting for land) was formed, where Adivasis would enter the land, set up tents and start cultivating as a sign of protest.” [9]. On 19 February 2001 a policeman and a tribal died. Since then, the tribals of Wayanad get together in Muthanga to pay tribute to Jogi, the Adivasi who died during the clashes [9]. 

After the implementation of the Forest Rights Act in 2007 the situation did not change much; although Wayanad has been considered the district in India where the majority of IFRs have been distributed, this has become more an administrative work rather than a real distribution of land. Indeed, as an indigenous Paniyar of Wayanad says: “What help will the FRA bring? They are not giving us extra land. Only a paper for the house that we already own.”[10].

In contrast, while Individual Patta (land title) were distributed, an eviction plan started in 2012, when the Kerala Forest Department proposed to convert the sanctuary in a Tiger Reserve, but the plan got contested and opposed. This led to waves of protests and agitations against the ‘move’ to turn the Wayanad WLS as a Tiger Reserve, as there was a genuine worry on new restrictions on the area, such as displacement and no freedom of activities within the core area [2] . Although the wildlife sanctuary has never been converted into a Tiger Reserve displacement has started to be carried out. In the major national and local newspapers, the relocation has been called as ‘voluntary’[3] , however as per local discussions with the community the people have been induced to move out under a compensation plan which was not properly respected. Indeed the community rights under the Forest Rights Act have been denied to the communities and the ‘free informed consent’ for relocation not properly taken. Instead of cultivable land, only a homestead land has been distributed leaving people in the same chain of poverty.

About 4 villages, vis. Goloor, Ammavayal, Arakunchi, Kottangara have been already relocated for a number of 182 families  and there is a plan to urgently relocate other 14 settlements from the forest area. According to the FD the settlements recognized to be relocated are equal to 110. According to the MoEF official data, from 2011 to 2014, the MoEf allocated an amount of 17.8 lakh rupees for the relocation project [4]. On September 2017, a report in The Hindu states that Kerala Government is seeking 100 crore rupees for the relocation of families from protected areas[5]. In 2013, 16 families that got relocated protested for the poor conditions of rehabilitation saying they did not receive the 10 lakh rupees which were promised, and hence decided to come back to their land [6].

Drawing from the negative experience of the already relocated families, new families which are now planned to be relocated, have started to protest inside the sanctuary asking for a fair compensation before relocation starts [7]. However, another TOI article of the same year, 2018, documents that 56 families out of the 234 families have been relocated from Chettiyaur village, at the core of the sanctuary. This move will help the sanctuary to add over 200 acres to the core of the WWS [8].  

However, land distribution continues to be an issue in the Wayanad territory. The community continues struggling for the recognition of their community forest rights under FRA. Individual forest Rights (IFRs) have been distributed to almost every family, however, the same families are also planned to be evicted in contradiction with the FRA law. Moreover, false cases continue to be filed against tribal activists to silent their struggle for rights [11]. 

It is an animal sanctuary and it has an extent of 344.44 km² with four ranges namely Sulthan Bathery, Muthanga, Kurichiat and Tholpetty. A variety of large wild animals such as Indian bison, elephant, deer and tiger are found there. The area is divided into a core and a buffer zone. The Core Zone, including an area of 111 sq. km, comprises natural forests including areas contiguous to interstate boundaries. Forestry and managing intervention activities are only allowed in the buffer zone. It is also identified as a tourism zone, which lies in the area of Muthanga and Tolphetty ranges. It has been proposed to develop this area to provide adequate facilities for the tourists.