In Kerala, fragmentation of transit paths and unregulated tourism pushing elephants into conflict with humans Rajeev.KR, The Times of India February 13, 2025 See link <https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/in-kerala-fragmentation-of-transit-paths-and-unregulated-tourism-pushing-elephants-into-conflict-with-humans/articleshow/118188664.cms> for photo Kozhikode: The tragic death of tribal youth Balakrishnan in an elephant attack at Attamala close to the landslide-hit areas of Chooralmala and Mundakkai in Meppadi panchayat in Wayanad has triggered intense protests by political parties, leading to a hartal call for Thursday. What got buried in the clamour is the fact that the area where the attack took place was on the New Amarambalam-Wayanad elephant transit path which has in recent years witnessed high fragmentation and deterioration due to a spurt in tourism activities, land use as well land cover change and other anthropogenic stress. These have led to the breaking up of the key connectivity route often resulting in increased human-elephant conflict. Ecologists and forest officials say last year's landslides had also impacted the key transit path which elephant herds have been using to move from the New Amarambalam reserve forests in Malappuram to Chembra forests in Wayanad and back. Mundakkai-Chooralmala landslides had destroyed nearly 90 hectares of forests, including 19 hectares in the upper reaches of Punnapuzha, 5 hectares near Mundakkai and 60 hectares in the downstream areas of Punnapuzha, some of which are on the elephant transit path. In Sept 2024, two months after the landslide, the forest department reported that a herd of 12 elephants has been confined to the Neelikappu and Thanilode areas near the disaster-hit regions. They found it difficult to move back to the larger Nilambur landscape and a special effort was taken to drive them back. The elephants seemed to be reluctant to step on the newly deposited loose soil brought in by the debris flow. Hume Centre for Ecology and Wildlife Biology director C K Vishnudas said landslides and debris flow extending kilometres downstream are likely to have impacted the traditional transit route which elephants have been taking from the forests of Nilambur to the forests in the foothills of Chembra. "But, more importantly it's the tourism activities along the transit path that have led to exacerbation of the conflict in the area. Many tourism properties have sprung up in the last 10-15 years in the area. Before that, issues caused by elephants were less in that part of Wayanad. The 900-Kandi tourism initiative has been a big human intervention. Until five years ago, elephants were freely moving to the Chembra side. Now the area is teeming with people and vehicles," said Vishnudas. He said the elephants have also been using the Nilambur-Appankappu corridor to move to Gudalur side and part of which is used for movement to Chembra forests as well. However, South Wayand divisional forest officer Ajith K Raman said though there were connectivity issues for elephant movement following the landslides, that has almost normalized now as six months have elapsed and the ground has hardened. He said there is tourism pressure along the corridor. "Tourism pressures including mushrooming of resorts are altering elephant behaviour. There would be disturbances in the migratory path due to the influx of tourists. The glass bridge at Attamala was closed after the landslide as it was in the red zone," he added. A senior forest official said there could be around 300 resorts and homestays near the elephant transit path in addition to newly set up tourism sites like glass bridges and viewpoints where huge crowds throng and hundreds of vehicles move each day transporting tourists. For instance, there is one glass bridge at Attamala near the site of attack though it remains closed now. "Many resorts have sprung up close to the forests. In addition, there are facilities providing tented stays where night parties with loud music and campfires like in 900-Kandi would happen in the night which all create disturbances for elephant movements along the transit path," said Wayanad Prakrithi Samrakshana Samithi president N Badusha. Meppadi panchayat member and Mundakkai ward member K Babu said with the landslides leaving most of the areas of the two wards of Mundakkai and Chooralmala uninhabitable and hundreds of families shifting to relief camps, wild animals including elephants are increasingly straying into the vacant lands and farms. "Also, as there is no power supply to the area, elephants are freely venturing into human habitations and remaining there throughout," he added. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/in-kerala-fragmentation-of-transit-paths-and-unregulated-tourism-pushing-elephants-into-conflict-with-humans/articleshow/118188664.cms