Forest department begins profiling straying elephants to tackle rising human-wildlife conflict in north Kerala
Forest officials in Kerala are profiling individual elephants that frequently enter human settlements to better manage human-wildlife conflicts. The initiative includes tracking movement patterns and using radio collars to mitigate risks to both humans and animals.
Why it matters
Effective wildlife management is crucial for balancing agricultural needs with the conservation of endangered species in human-adjacent forest areas.
The Forest department has begun profiling individual elephants that repeatedly stray into human settlements, in an effort to better understand their movement patterns and improve conflict mitigation in north Kerala.
Speaking to The Hindu , Chief Conservator of Forests (Northern Circle) B.N. Anjankumar said the decision to monitor and profile wild animals, particularly elephants, was taken in view of the growing incidents of human-wildlife conflict, especially in Aralam and areas adjoining the forest fringes.
He said Rapid Response Teams, field staff, and forest watchers are documenting habitual straying elephants through photographs, videos, and field reports after officials observed that some animals follow predictable behavioural patterns, including entering human settlements, particularly between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m., when human activity is at its lowest, feeding in agricultural areas, and returning to the forest before daybreak.
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