At a time when man-elephant conflict in tiger reserves in Assam, North-Bengal, Kerala and Karnataka are at its peak, Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR) in Uttar Pradesh has brought down the cases of such conflicts by 60 per cent in the last one year with the help of innovative strategies and Anti-Depredation squads.
The cases of man-jumbo conflict peak up during rainy season due to flooding of rivers which compel the elephants to stray to nearby villages. It is also the time when ripening sugarcane crops lure the elephants to agriculture fields.
There have been reports of at least nine human deaths from various parts of Assam, besides damage of several houses by wild herd of elephants during the past two months.
The situation in Karnataka, Kerala, North Bengal and parts of Uttarakhand is equally alarming. In sharp contrast, the sample villages in DTR that encountered 176 conflict cases involving 103.59 acres of land in 2011-12, has registered only 73 cases in 69.9 acres in 2012-13.
There was sudden rise in cases of man-elephant conflicts in areas outside the DTR for the past few years, pointed out Field Director Shailesh Prasad. Villagers were in panic and in anger due to regular crop depredation and loss of property by wild elephants. Experts were called and meetings held with forest personnel and the local village communities to thrash out a solution, he added. Dudhwa has a population of over 100 jumbos of which nearly 80 are residents of Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, informed Prasad.
In October 2012, the visiting experts trained the groups on various behavioural traits of wild elephants. The groups were trained on how to deal with elephants ensuring their own safety during the field operations. They were also trained on use and maintenance of equipment as search lights and mobile phones etc. Following this, wooden watch towers were constructed at strategic locations in each village so that movement of wild elephant towards village areas could be tracked.
In January 2013, a formal function was organised at Gulra Forest Post of DTR. Three of the worst-affected villages —Bhagwantnagar, Gulra Tanda and Bhaudhiya Kalan — got their trained and equipped ‘Anti Depredation Squads’ (ADS). They were to work in coordination with forest staff to safeguard villager’s crop and property from wild elephants.
Each ADS selected 15 members from their respective villages. The squad was headed by an experienced/reputed village person, who in turn selected the persons to man the watch tower every night. These towers have been erected on the boundaries of the forest and village.
The deputed person keeps an eye on the area and in case of movement of wild elephants towards village, he informs ADS head and nearest forest post with the mobile phone given. Then the ADS head summons the ADS members and rushes them to the spot with all equipment. The members’ coordination with forest staff works then drive elephants back in to the forest.
According to experts, such monitoring and close coordination of the forest staff with local villagers can be an example to show how such conflicts can be handled effectively.
Nearly Rs 1,200 crore have been spent on reducing man-animal conflicts in Karnataka and its bordering States of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra during the past few years. The projects involved digging elephant-proof trenches, erecting solar fencing and creating fodder and water facilities in the forests. But the conflicts continue to claim lives both man and animal.