Chasing the elephant's tail

Every time elephants come in proximity to Bangalore or any other large city, the issue gets immense media attention bringing the topic of human-elephant conflict to the forefront. Everyone looks for short-term solutions to the problem and the issue loses momentum as soon as the immediate challenge is solved. Without a comprehensive evaluation of the primary question as to why elephants are increasingly leaving natural habitats and entering human-dominated landscapes, the solutions can only be superficial.

If one would analyze this question, the problems can be categorized into local and landscape level problems. Similarly solutions are for short-term and the long-term time scales.

Local level problems include degradation of elephant habitats due to forest fires, competition to palatable food sources by livestock and other similar threats. Similarly non-maintenance of physical barriers such as elephant-proof trench and electric fences are prime causes of conflict. Wherever such barriers do not exist they need to be immediately installed based on ecological criterion.

In the recent years, in Bandipur Tiger Reserve, through improved and innovative methods of maintenance of its physical barriers, it is proven that conflict can be reduced to a great extent. During 2008-2011 the number of conflict incidences for which compensation was paid in Bandipur was a mammoth 18,972 incidences with loss of four human lives. However during 2012 it was reduced to less than 500 incidences with no human casualties.

Since elephants are capable of moving long distances, the area required for their survival is vast necessitating a landscape approach for protecting the species.

Documenting the distribution and extent of human-elephant conflict will help in identifying hot spots of the problem. From our analysis, for the period 2008-2011, nearly 9.5% of the state’s geographical area covering 1,078 villages was affected by elephant conflict, though the severity varies. 

Importantly, halting loss and fragmentation of elephant habitats needs precedence as part of the long-term solution. Careful planning of siting of highways, dams, mini-hydel projects, pipelines will help both development and elephant conservation. Certain areas have to be avoided for implementation of such projects. For some elephant ranges such as Bannerghatta, Cauvery and MM Hills, solutions should include the neighboring state of Tamilnadu where similar protection activities have to be initiated in Tali, Hosur, Baragur and other reserved forests.

Similarly harmonizing landuse in key elephant ranges with conservation objectives taking priority is a necessity. Declaration of eco-sensitive zones that helps in making land around protected areas more wildlife compatible needs immediate implementation.

It is high time that we develop and implement a comprehensive Karnataka Elephant Conservation Plan that is based on ecological needs of elephants. If not, the problem will continue with severe repercussions to elephants and humans.  

This article has been published in Times of India on 25-06-2013