September 07, 2022

Preventing Elephant-human conflicts in India

topic:	Conservation
located:	India
editor:	Bindu Gopal Rao

When there are 70,000 people and 120 elephants in a town of tea estates, conflict between the two is bound to happen. This has always been an issue in the hill town of Valparai in Tamil Nadu, India. Human-elephant conflict has for long remained an issue that has troubled wildlife and forest officials. In Valparai specifically, home to the second-largest Asian elephant population in India, 49 people and 75 elephants have died while 82 people have been injured between 2012-13 and 2021-2022 within the 200 square kilometre area due to these conflicts. However, the last human death was reported in June 2021, and since then, the conflicts have reduced almost completely.

So what has changed? A simple early-warning system by the Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF) and the Elephant Information Network (EIN) has helped make the difference. Since 2011, NCF has partnered with Elephant Family, Whitley Fund for Nature, Rufford Foundation and the Tamil Nadu State Forest Department to implement simple, adoptive and participative early-warning systems that have helped mitigate human-elephant conflicts. Their work has also won them the Strategic Partnership Grant worth 3,500,000 rupees ($44,000) from the Habitats Trust.

Among the interventions is a television network that gives information on daily tracking of elephants in plantations, which is broadcasted on a local cable television channel after 5:00 p.m. every evening to 5,000 families in the region. A bulk SMS service sends out text messages about elephant presence and their movements in the plantations in English and Tamil to people residing within a 2 kilometres radius of the location of elephant herds. Mobile-operated LED-light alert indicators in 24 locations that signal the presence of elephants and their movements within a kilometre radius of each light has also helped prevent confrontations. These indicators have a SIM card and red flashing LED bulbs mounted on a 10-metre-long pole and are visible from a kilometre away. Each light can be operated from any of three registered mobile phones and the light is operated when the elephants are sighted.

Outbound Voice call service, six automated bus announcement systems and a Rapid Response Team and Helpline by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department have also helped in the reduction of this conflict. In Karnataka’s Hassan district as well, NCF has managed to make some inroads in curtailing this conflict. Gudalur is another place where these measures have found success.

When technology coupled with sensitisation programs work in tandem, methods are created for people and animals to exist peacefully. After all, as we encroach upon forest lands to keep up with human needs, there is a need to make peace with the animals that are the original inhabitants of the area.

Photo by Mylon Ollila

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