Elephant herd’s ‘unusual’ nightly forays into Haridwar farms to feast on sugarcane causes alarm (Dehradun)
Elephant herd’s ‘unusual’ nightly forays into Haridwar farms to feast on
sugarcane causes alarm (Dehradun)
Shah Nawaz and Shivani Azad, Times of India
November 24, 2024
A group of 8-10 male elephants, led by a dominant "alpha jumbo," has
developed an unusual habit of crossing the Ganga every night to feast on
sugarcane crops in Haridwar's Jagjeetpur farms. Forest officials and
residents said that while such activity was previously sporadic—occurring
two or three times a week—it has now become a nightly routine, likely
driven by a shift in the elephants' feeding behaviour.
Vaibhav Kumar, divisional forest officer (DFO) of Haridwar, described the
phenomenon as "abnormal," highlighting that the group consists exclusively
of male tuskers, ranging from an 8-year-old to 40 to 50-year-old adult bull
elephants, with no cow-elephants (female) or calves. "This all-male group's
nightly excursions for sugarcane are unprecedented and point to a possible
change in their feeding habits," he said.
Local residents, accustomed to elephant movements due to the proximity of
the Shivalik Elephant Reserve, are now growing apprehensive about potential
human-wildlife conflict. The movements are concentrated around Haridwar
rural and city areas near the Rajaji Tiger Reserve's periphery, and have
been reported in villages like Bahadarpur Jat, Missirpur, Panjanhedi,
Ajeetpur, and Kishanpur.
Rukmani Devi, a resident of Bahadarpur Jat, said, "This is part of the
elephants' traditional route, but with new colonies being developed along
their path, the risk of conflict is increasing." However, Kumar said the
department has ensured that no one is hurt as the jumbos move.
Experts emphasise that habitat degradation is a key factor in the
elephants' behaviour.
Bivash Pandav, senior scientist at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII),
said, "At present, intense human activity in the Gohri range of Rajaji
National Park and the Shyampur range of Haridwar forest division has
severely degraded the quality of the forest, forcing elephants to venture
into human settlements."
He added, "A long-term strategy to deal with this conflict situation is to
consolidate the elephant habitats on the east bank of the river, starting
from Rishikesh all the way up to Chidyapur."
Pandav called for urgent measures, including relocating settlements from
forest areas with public consent and adequate compensation, improving
quality of elephant habitats, and ensuring safe passage for them. "If these
steps are not taken, instances of elephants straying into human settlements
will increase, and we risk losing all the bulls," he said.
In response, senior forest officials have begun drafting a long-term plan
in consultation with wildlife experts, villagers, and farmers to mitigate
the intrusions. "Our focus is on creating a sustainable solution that
ensures both the safety of residents and the conservation of elephant
habitats," said Kumar.