India reported 2,829 human casualties due to elephant attacks in last five years, lost 528 elephants during that period (New Delhi)
India reported 2,829 human casualties due to elephant attacks in last five
years, lost 528 elephants during that period (New Delhi)
Vishwa Mohan, Times of India
July 29, 2024
India reported 2,829 human casualties due to elephant attacks and lost 528
elephants due to unnatural causes including electrocution, train accidents,
poaching and poisoning in the last five years, the government informed the
Lok Sabha on Monday.
Data shared in response to a parliament question by the environment
ministry shows that the year 2023-24 reported the highest 629 human
casualties followed by 605 in 2022-23.
Habitat loss and fragmentation of habitats are generally cited as the major
reason for human-elephant conflicts in the country which is home to 60%
global elephant population.
State-wise Odisha recorded the highest 624 human casualties during 2019-24
period followed by Jharkhand (474), West Bengal (436), Assam (383),
Chhattisgarh (303), Tamil
Nadu (256), Karnataka (160), and Kerala (102).
As far as elephant casualties are concerned, the country lost 528 jumbos
including the highest 392 due to electrocution and 73 in train accidents in
the last five years. Fifty were killed by poachers whereas 13 succumbed to
poisoning during the period.
State-wise, 71 elephants died due to electrocution in Odisha, 55 in Assam,
52 in Karnataka, 49 in Tamil Nadu, 32 in Chhattisgarh, 30 in Jharkhand, and
29 in Kerala. In train accidents, Assam reported the highest (24) elephant
casualties followed by Odisha (16) and West Bengal (10). On the other hand,
poachers killed 17 elephants in Odisha, 14 in Meghalaya, and 10 in Tamil
Nadu whereas 10 elephants died of poisoning in Assam, two in Chhattisgarh
and one in West Bengal.
Elephant has been recognized as a National Heritage Animal of India and the
highest degree of protection has been given to it under Indian Wildlife
Protection Act, 1972. The country has the largest population of Asian
elephants with nearly 30,000 wild and about 3,600 captive ones.
Responding to a question on measures taken for mitigation and management of
human-elephant conflict in the country, the minister of state for
environment and forests Kirti Vardhan Singh in his written answer said,
"The management of wildlife including mitigation and management of
human-elephant conflict (HEC) is primarily the responsibility of state
governments/UTs administration.
"The state forest departments are working with the local people to address
the HEC issues through periodic awareness campaigns to sensitize, guide and
advise the general public on human-animal conflict including dissemination
of information through various forms of media. Further, state forest
departments are engaging with local communities to monitor the movement of
elephants and to caution local people to avoid humananimal conflict,
prevent damage or loss of human life, property and elephants."
He, however, also enlisted certain measures which are being taken by his
ministry to help in mitigation of human-elephant conflict. "The ministry is
providing financial and technical assistance to states/UTs under the
centrally sponsored scheme Project Tiger and Elephant for protection of
elephants, their habitat and corridors, to address issues of elephant
conflict and welfare of captive elephants in the country," said Singh.
The ministry had in June, 2022 issued guidelines to states/UTs on managing
human-wildlife conflicts including damage to crops. It includes promotion
of crops in forest fringe areas which are unpalatable to wild animals,
agroforestry models which include cash crops like chillies, lemon grass,
khus grass etc. suitably mixed with tree/shrub species. It also includes
preparation and implementation of a comprehensive long-term plan for
alternate cropping by the state agriculture/horticulture department under
different schemes in vulnerable areas.
Besides, critical elephant habitats are notified as ‘Elephant Reserve’ for
focus and synergy in elephant conservation and to reduce conflict. So far
33 Elephant Reserves have been established in 14 major elephant states. All
33 elephant reserves put together cover a total area of nearly 80,000 sq km.
Tamil Nadu and Assam have the highest number of elephant reserves with five
each in both the states followed by four in Kerala, three in Odisha, two
each in Uttar Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Nagaland
and West Bengal, and one each in Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Meghalaya and
Uttarakhand.