Recent incident in Kerala’s Palakkad district where a pregnant elephant died after she fed on a pineapple stuffed with fireworks has shocked the nation. Unfortunately it is only one sad incident of human-elephant conflict that got so much of attention. Several Human elephant conflict cause immense damage to property as well as to life every year.
According to Wildlife Trust of India(WTI) India home for nearly 30,000 wild elephants. This accounts for more than 55 percent of the entire Asian elephant population. The elephant populations are concentrated in Assam, Odisha, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. These animals live in 29 wildlife reserves around the country covering 65,000 sq km of forested land.
Growing human population’s need for place to live and to grow crops we are constantly building or farming on land that used to be home for these giants. As a result, human-elephant conflict leads to death of 500 humans and 90 elephants annually.
The majority of the elephant deaths happen due to electric currents, poisoning, train hits and poaching. Above methods are used to deal with animals which stray into human habitats. Such crude ways are used in several places in the country to poach smaller animals like wild boars, wild pigs etc etc to prevent them from entering farmland. It could also act as a death trap for larger mammals like in the recent case where a 15-year-old elephant strayed in Mallapuram, Kerala from the nearby Silent Valley National Park. The case is being investigated whether it was targeted or a collateral damage. A accused is also arrested and police is in search of two others.
Being not only table topper in the list of literacy rate, Kerala also has good educational system. Numerous civil servants, professors, scientists belong to the state. Inspite of all, this inhuman and ferocious act happened in “God’s own country”. Wait this can’t be God’s own country.
Globally literacy rates are co-related with education. So if literacy rate of Kerala are not wrong then are we getting proper education?? Are we feeding just fact & figures and not culture?? In India elephants are worshipped. Do the accused were not aware of this ?? Prakash Javdekar rightly mentioned this is not an Indian culture.
A right amount of education can prevent this conflicts. Educate the affected communities and raise levels of tolerance through educational campaigns for the youths. Government should step up and help locals those who are affected by such incidents also provide relaxation for crop damaged by elephants.
This problem isn’t going to end soon. What should you do if you come up against an elephant? If an elephant gets close to human habitats, the best strategy is to move to a safe place. Let the gaint leave at its own pace. Trying to chase it might be a bad idea because it will scare them and leading to more damage. You should contact the nearest forest department who will guide them back towards the forest.
Look at the causes why animals are straying into human habitat. Human encroachment on forest land is causing the problem. Intelligent land use planning and protecting wildlife corridors will prevent this. Buffer zones in India are not doing their intended job. Buffer zones are the transition zones between national parks and residential area. They act as shock absorbers. We need strong planning of this buffer zones.
Authorities should make use of social media to share information about the location of elephants. Patrolling around buffer zones must be raised.
Another tip: don’t be mean to animals.
