Human-Elephant conflict in Kodagu

Mysuru: The human-elephant conflict in Kodagu has reached a critical point, with nine people killed in elephant-related incidents in the district so far this year, including five men and four women. The victims include a tourist from Bengaluru and a woman tourist from Chennai.

Nine elephants, five males and four females, have also died in Kodagu in 2026 due to various causes, including electrocution.

The scale of the conflict becomes clearer from the figures for the period from 2021-22 to 2025-26 and 2026 so far. During this period, 92 people have lost their lives in human-elephant conflict in Kodagu, while 153 elephants have died.

Human fatalities were highest in 2021-22 and 2025-26, with 22 deaths recorded in each year. Elephant deaths peaked at 36 in 2023-24.

In 2024-25, 11 people were killed and 32 elephants died. The district recorded 23 elephant deaths in 2021-22 and 26 in 2025-26, besides the nine deaths recorded so far  this year.

Men accounted for a larger share of the human fatalities, with 54 men and 38 women killed during the period. Among elephants, 95 males and 56 females died, while the sex could not be established in  two cases.

Electrocution leading cause

Of the 153 elephant deaths, 127 were classified as natural and 26 as unnatural. Electrocution was the leading cause of unnatural deaths, accounting for 21 cases. Three elephants died of gunshot injuries, while the cause of death could not be established in two cases.

The figures highlight the risks faced by elephants when they move beyond forest habitats in search of water and fodder, particularly during periods of low rainfall.

Their movement into buffer zones and plantations increases the chances of encounters with people, while also exposing them to hazards such as unsafe electrical infrastructure.

10 Dasara elephants from Kodagu

The data assumes added significance with 10 of the 14 elephants selected for the 2026 Dasara festivities coming from elephant camps in Kodagu. This underlines the district’s important role in supporting Karnataka’s elephant population.

At the same time, the continued elephant deaths in Kodagu, including preventable deaths caused by electrocution, raise concerns over the protection of elephants outside forest areas.

The figures point to the need for stronger measures to safeguard elephants from human-induced threats while reducing the risk of encounters with people.

State statistics

The figures are stark when compared with the State-wide data. Between 2021-22 and 2025-26, and in 2026 so far, 193 people have died in human-elephant conflict across Karnataka, while 484 elephants have died due to natural and unnatural causes.

Kodagu accounted for 47.7 percent of all human deaths linked to human-elephant conflict in Karnataka during this period, despite being only one part of the State’s elephant range.

The district also accounted for 31.6 percent of all elephant deaths in the State and 33.3 percent of unnatural elephant deaths. The proportion of unnatural elephant deaths in Kodagu was 17 percent, slightly higher than the State average of 16.12 percent.