Munnar landscape accounts for highest number of deaths in wild elephant attacks in Keralam
A study by the Wildlife Institute of India reveals that the Munnar landscape in Kerala has the highest rate of human fatalities from wild elephant attacks. The report attributes the rising conflict to habitat fragmentation and infrastructure development.
Why it matters
This highlights the growing tension between human expansion and wildlife conservation, necessitating better land-use management to prevent further loss of life.
The Munnar landscape recorded the highest number of human fatalities caused by wild elephant attacks in Keralam, with 103 people losing life in such attacks in the last 18 years, according to a recent study by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII). The report was prepared with the support of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Covering the period between 2008 and 2025, the study recorded 581 human deaths, 1,200 injuries, and a total of 1,781 human-elephant conflict (HEC) incidents resulting in death or injury across Keralam. The report primarily examined the seasonal patterns behind these casualties. As per the Synchronised All India Elephant Estimation (SAIEE), the State has 2,785 wild elephants.
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