The myth of man-elephant conflict

Over the last many years, wild elephants have been creating havoc in most parts of the State. The entire State of Assam has been fraught with man-elephant conflict and bloodshed. The State continues to witness the brutality of wild elephants. Every day we get to know that wild elephants attack people or trample them in Udalguri, Goalpara, Numaligarh and other parts of the State.

Due to the shortage of food, habitat shortage and other problems, wild elephant herds frequently enter populated areas resulting in man-elephant conflict that poses a grave threat to their continued existence.

According to experts, the man-elephant conflict is a result of habitat loss and an expanding human population. When elephants and humans interact, there is conflict from crop-raiding, injuries, and deaths to humans caused by elephants, and elephants being killed by humans. Also, elephants are attracted to agricultural crops due to their higher nutritional value.

Maintenanceof forest areas, reforestation, and the creation of habitat corridors arestrategies that could help prevent further expansion of conflict.

Toreduce the conflict, sometimes it is also suggested to grow crops, such assugarcane and banana, which are favoured by elephants. Assam's Pradip Bhuyanhas set a great example of growing crops for wild elephants. Instead offighting off the wild elephants, the locals in Ronghang-Hatikhuli village hadstarted cultivating paddy for the jumbos.