TERRITORY CONFUSION: A file picture of an elephant herd raiding a field.

Madikeri: Shortage of food and water, "sexual selection strategy" of bull-elephants, encroachment of elephant corridor, physical and psychological barriers, are the reasons for increased man-elephant conflict in Kodagu, according to a team studying the problem in the Nagarahole National Park. The team made a presentation to the Forest Department officials here on Tuesday.

Jayant Kulkarni of Envirosearch, a Pune-based research agency, which has been asked to find out reasons for the growing elephant-man conflict, said the problem was more in the eastern belt of Kodagu. The team comprised Prachi Mehta, researcher and field biologist; Bhoominathan, GPS expert, Sujoy Choudhuri and Madhu who conducted research in Kodagu from April 2003 to February 2004 and again from August to October that year.

Parameters for study

The team took up research through the "line transect" method comprising 16 line transects, each at a distance of two km, ascertaining the biomass of grass, counting elephant dung and other methods, Mr. Kulkarni said. Each line transect was studied for six months, after a gap of one month each.

The movement patterns of the animals, areas frequented by them for crop raids, their location and migratory routes and habitat utilisation were studied. The study work was sponsored by the Forest Department under the World Bank-sponsored Eco-Development Project.

Later, the assistance of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was obtained to continue the project, Mr. Kulkarni told the meeting. Conservator of Forests, Headquarters, Bangalore, P. Anur Reddy, attended the meeting.

The compensation provided by the State Government in the last five years for deaths amounted to Rs. 30 lakhs in 30 cases.

Kattepura, Devamachi and Dubare areas in the eastern belts of the district were most prone to depredations by elephants, Mr. Kulkarni said.

Crop raids were frequent in August. November was the second peak season when paddy was ready for harvest. Hammiyala, Kalur and Mukkodlu were affected in the western belt of the district. Elephant densities were more in Banavara area, followed by Dubare, Nagarahole National Park and Kallalla.

Dr. Mehta, in her presentation, said more crops were raided by bull elephants. This could be related to the "sexual selection strategy" in which male elephants want to retain supremacy.

Barriers

Physical barriers such as elephant proof trenches and solar fencing, psychological barriers such as sound of firecrackers and gunshots could also cause abnormal behaviour, she said.

Depletion of forest cover, biotic pressures and "local overabundance" of elephants had aggravated the man-elephant conflict, she said. Kodagu lost 18 per cent of the forest cover in the last 20 years according to statistics available, Dr. Mehta said.

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