The Forest department in Kerala has initiated a profiling project aimed at tracking elephants that frequently stray into human settlements, a response to escalating human-wildlife conflicts in the region. Chief Conservator of Forests (Northern Circle) B.N. Anjankumar confirmed that this initiative is particularly focused on areas like Aralam,where incidents of elephants entering agricultural lands have become increasingly common.
To implement this project,Rapid Response Teams,along with field staff and forest watchers,are gathering data on these elephants through photographs,videos, and detailed field reports. Anjankumar noted that certain elephants exhibit predictable behaviors, often entering human habitats during the early morning hours,specifically between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m.,when human activity is minimal . These elephants typically feed on crops before retreating back to the forest at dawn.
This profiling effort is not a scientific study but rather operational measure based on observations made in the field. The Forest department has identified that only a select number of elephants or herds are responsible for repeated intrusions into human areas, indicating that these animals may have adapted to living near agricultural lands.
One notable case is KM1,a tusker that has made frequent visits to the Aralam farm region and surrounding rehabilitation colonies . Plans are underway to tranquillize KM1 and fit it with a radio collar before relocating it to a more suitable habitat, away from human settlements. This approach aims to minimize future conflicts .
the frequency of wild animal incursions into human areas, particularly in Aralam and Kottiyoor, peaks during the early monsoon months of July and August. This trend persists despite the availability of food and water in the forests during this period. The department has collected incident data over several years, although Anjankumar acknowledged that underlying reasons for this pattern require further scientific investigation.
The Divisional Forest Emergency Operations Centre plays a crucial role in documenting wildlife movements. Each report of elephant activity, as well as sightings of tigers and leopards,is meticulously logged. Historical data indicates that majority of conflicts occur during the monsoon months, particularly in July and August.
“Not all elephants will be marked and named, but only those pachyderms that are found repeatedly creating problems or exhibiting aggressive behaviour,” Anjankumar stated. “This will help us understand their behaviour,the reasons behind it, their movement patterns and pathways.”
In addition to the profiling initiative, the Forest department is contemplating a request to the Centre of Excellence for Human-Wildlife Conflict Studies,which operates under the Wildlife Institute of India at the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History. This center has a dedicated team of research fellows focused on conflict-related issues and could conduct a carrying capacity study in Wayanad landscape.
Anjankumar expressed that there is a prevailing belief that the Wayanad region, which connects to the Mudumalai,Bandipur,and Nagarhole forests,may host more elephants and tigers than it can sustainably support . A scientific assessment could either confirm or challenge this assumption. Discussions regarding this proposal have taken place at both departmental and ministerial levels, although formal approval is still pending.
