The Hindu : Study on elephant habitats under way

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 22, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore

Study on elephant habitats under way

By V.S. Palaniappan

COIMBATORE, MARCH 21. A preliminary study is under way in the Coimbatore Forest Division to ascertain the condition of elephant habitats and their migratory corridor.

Talking to The Hindu , the District Forest Officer, P. Durairasu, said a three-member team of scientists, having experience in working in the Project Elephant, began a study to assess the condition of elephant habitats and the migratory corridors in the territorial division from Walayar (Tamil Nadu-Kerala border) up to Kandapallam in Sirumugai reserve forests on the Erode district border. The study gains significance in the wake of increasing man-animal conflict and straying of elephants into human habitats in search of food and water.

The Coimbatore Division is one of the important elephant reserves in the Circle besides Anaimalais and Mudumalai, he said. Ramakrishnan, scientist, who had worked for project and on wildlife issues for the AVC College, Mayiladuthurai, leads the team with two junior research scholars.

The team would have the DFO, Coimbatore District, and a scientist from the World Wildlife Fund — Southern Region (WWF-SR), Sivaganesan, as principal investigators.

The study would identify disturbance to elephant habitats and corridors besides the stakeholders involved in addressing the problem. The objective would also be to identify pressures from human beings and the environment in terms of water availability and climate.

The study would look into problems such as cropping pattern along the forest fringe areas, water availability in the jungles, disturbance from humans and other factors that led to conflict over the last few years owing acute drought conditions.

It would suggest recommendations to tide over the problems faced in better management of elephant habitats. However, a detailed study would begin by April end or May for evolving permanent solutions.

Workshop

A workshop on `Perspective Plans for Management of Elephant Reserves' has been organised here by the Forest Department on Monday. It was aimed at discussing issues relating to management of elephants with the field staff, field coordinators and stakeholders under the Project Elephant numbering around 40.

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