Frequent wild elephant intrusions worry kaani tribes in Kanniyakumari
Tribal residents in Kanniyakumari are reporting an increase in wild elephant intrusions into their hamlets, leading to property damage. Forest officials attribute the movement to seasonal behavior and food scarcity caused by low rainfall.
Why it matters
This highlights the ongoing human-wildlife conflict in the Western Ghats, exacerbated by environmental factors and the proximity of human settlements to forest areas.
Residents in ‘kaani’ tribal hamlets in Kanniyakumari district have raised concern over the frequent intrusion of wild elephants into their habitations in the recent months.
The movement of wild elephants from Neyyar to reserved forest areas of Kanniyakumari district have led to repeated encounters between the animals and the residents. A few days ago, a pachyderm damaged a grocery shop in Velipilam Modhiramalai and a security shed at a plantation in Koduthuraimalai was damaged a couple of months ago.
The elephants have also been frequently spotted near tribal hamlets Modhiramalai, Velipilam Modhiramalai, Kolonjimadam Modhiramalai and Thatchamalai and villages located along foothills such Penu and Arukani.
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