Kerala sees 124 deaths in human-elephant conflicts over five years, nationwide toll reaches 2,853

New Delhi: Kerala has witnessed a significant impact from human-elephant conflicts, with 124 fatalities recorded over the past five years, according to recent government data. This is part of a broader issue where human-elephant conflicts resulted in 2,853 deaths nationwide, reaching a five-year peak of 628 fatalities in 2023.

In response to a Rajya Sabha query, Union Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh detailed the annual toll of such conflicts: 587 deaths in 2019, 471 in 2020, 557 in 2021, 610 in 2022, and 628 in 2023.

The data highlights that Odisha has recorded the highest number of deaths at 624, followed by Jharkhand with 474, West Bengal with 436, Assam with 383, Chhattisgarh with 303, Tamil Nadu with 256, Karnataka with 160, and Kerala with 124.

The Minister explained that the management of wildlife habitats is primarily the responsibility of state governments and Union Territory administrations. The central government supports these efforts through the centrally sponsored Project Tiger & Elephant scheme, which provides financial and technical assistance for animal protection, habitat and corridor conservation, human-animal conflict mitigation, and the welfare of captive elephants.

In February 2021, the ministry issued an advisory for managing human-wildlife conflicts, recommending coordinated inter-departmental action, identification of conflict hotspots, adherence to standard operating procedures, and the formation of rapid response teams.

The following June, guidelines were issued to states and Union Territories on managing human-wildlife conflicts, including crop damage. These guidelines encourage the cultivation of crops in forest fringe areas that are less attractive to wild animals and advocate for agroforestry models incorporating cash crops such as chillies, lemongrass, and Khus grass alongside tree and shrub species.

In collaboration with state forest departments, the ministry has ground-validated 150 elephant corridors across 15 states and urged authorities to protect and conserve these critical pathways.

Additionally, the Union power ministry issued guidelines in September 2022 for distribution companies and transmission firms to reduce the impact of power transmission lines and other infrastructure on elephants and other wildlife.

A permanent coordination committee has also been established between the railways and environment ministries to prevent elephant deaths in train accidents. PTI