Wildlife activists urge Government to implement conflict mitigation measures, engage with community

Gonikoppal: Elephant attacks continue to trouble villages of Kodagu district amidst heavy rains and flooding. A man narrowly escaped death after an elephant attack in Balaji village near Gonikoppal last evening.

Kiriyamada Harish, a coffee estate manager working for Jammada Mohan’s estate, was attacked by a wild elephant around 4.30 pm in the plantation area. The elephant, foraging behind the trees, ambushed Harish as he walked through the plantation.

Despite the frightening encounter, Harish managed to escape with minor injuries. He was quickly taken to a hospital where he is being treated for neck injuries. This incident has raised concerns about the region’s increasing interactions between wildlife and human habitation.

House destroyed

In another incident on July 25, a wild tusker destroyed a house while being chased back into the forest at Kajoor village in Igoor Gram Panchayat limits, Somwarpet taluk.

The elephant had been present in the human habitats of Kajoor, Igoor, Yedavare and Sajjalli for the last 10 days, spreading fear among the residents. On June 25, the Forest Department team arrived in the village to chase the elephant away.

Enraged by the commotion, the tusker pulled down the asbestos ceiling of a house owned by Vishwanath in Kajoor village. After partially destroying the house, the elephant damaged a shed where a car and two bikes were parked. The pachyderm gored the vehicles with its tusks.

Activists demand urgent action

Navin Bopaiah of the Coorg Wildlife Society has criticised the Forest Department for its lacklustre approach and failure to address the ongoing crisis.

Speaking to Star of Mysore, he stated that over the past few years, numerous human and elephant fatalities have occurred, along with countless incidents of crop damage and property loss. The escalating severity of these conflicts highlights systemic failures in wildlife management, habitat preservation and community engagement.

He pointed out that the Forest Department’s response has been inadequate, citing insufficient habitat protection and restoration, ineffective conflict mitigation strategies, a lack of community outreach and education, and inadequate compensation for crop damage and human losses.

Root causes unaddressed

“The Department’s inability to address the root causes has emboldened elephants to venture into human settlements, perpetuating a cycle of violence. The situation demands immediate attention,” he opined.

He urged the Government to enhance habitat preservation and connectivity, implement effective conflict mitigation measures, engage local communities in conservation efforts & provide fair compensation for losses.

“The people of Kodagu deserve better. It’s time for the Forest Department to adopt a proactive, community-centric approach to resolve this crisis. The lives of both humans and elephants depend on it,” Navin added.