Wayanad elephant assault: With 20 human deaths final yr, it’s a unending man-animal battle

Express News Service
KOZHIKODE: The loss of life of a younger lady, who was trampled by a wild elephant, in Wayanad has as soon as once more delivered to the fore the never-ending human-wildlife battle. This month itself, a plantation property labourer, Parvathi Parashuraman, died after she was attacked by an elephant at Kunnambatta close to Meppadi in Wayanad whereas returning dwelling after work. In 2020, 20 individuals had been killed in wild elephant assaults within the state. 

The determine was 15 in 2019. At the identical time, of the 113 wild elephant deaths in Kerala forests final yr, 11 had been unnatural – electrocution, looking or by explosives – the place people performed a direct function. 

“Whatever barrier we place between humans and elephants – elephant-proof trenches, walls and rail fences as well as solar fences – elephants somehow overcome it. They are intelligent enough to find a loophole,” stated Chief Wildlife Warden Surendrakumar. 

“Earlier generations had a tolerance level which led to them sharing wildlife space with wild animals. They knew that the space belongs to animals too. Now, people have become intolerable to an extent similar to the India-Pakistan border situation,” he stated.

Three elephant hotspots

BN Anjan Kumar, Conservator of Forests and Technical Assistant to Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, stated there are three elephant hotspots within the state the place jumbo intervention is extra frequent. “They are Aralam and Wayanad and Palakkad districts (excluding Nenmara and Parambikulam divisions). Of them, Aralam is the major hotspot,” he stated.

Two individuals, embrace a tribal youth, died in jumbo assaults at Aralam. Sources stated frequent jumbo-human conflicts in Aralam are a results of the allotting of land between Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary (AWS) and Aralam Farming Corporation (Kerala) Ltd (AFCL) to tribal individuals. 

“Before AWS was set up, the entire area was an elephant corridor. Later, the government allotted 3,500 acres of AFCL to 1,500 tribal people. The forest department was against allotting the elephant corridor space for human settlement. Around 800 people live in the settlement, leaving 70 per cent of the land as forest land. The remaining land of AFCL has plenty of crops like cocoa, jackfruit and pineapple which attract elephants. Hence, the animals sneak into ‘human settlements’,” stated a supply. 

AWS Wildlife Warden Shajna Karim stated the terrain is undulated with hills. “Elephants prefer plain land and, hence, sneak into farms and tribal settlements. We have 24×7 patrolling here throughout the year. Since there is only a narrow road, there is no way to take a U-turn if an elephant appears suddenly,” Shajna stated.

The forest workforce lately got here nose to nose with a herd of elephants simply 10m away. “If there is calf in the herd, we have to wait for several hours to drive them away,” she stated. 

Unsafe tent led to Shahana’s loss of life

The loss of life of Shahana (26) at Rainforest resort in Wayanad is learnt to be precipitated because of her staying in a tent which had no security measure. “Staying in a tent is part of adventure tourism and the tourism department has categorised 30 such adventure tourism activities. Tailor-made guidelines for tenting are yet to be issued. However, resorts are taking advantage of tents during Covid times as they are cheap and can be set up easily,” stated B Anand, secretary, Wayanad District Tourism Promotion.

Wild elephant deaths in 2020

Deaths attributable to jumbo assaults