Indian Elephants in Crisis
Human-Animal Conflict and Habitat Loss in Assam
Habitat loss from encroachment results in human-animal conflict as crop-raiding elephants find gardens a source of quick nutrition, angering people in Assam.
The Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) IUCN red-listed as endangered since 1986, is a mega-herbivore with huge habitat requirements -300kgs of grass and leaves , 300 liters of water per day and 80 acres of land.
Habitat Fragmentation and Crop Raiding
Habitat fragmentation is the biggest enemy of this migratory species, as they travel great distances in search of food.There is no contiguous protected habitat, isolated from human habitation, left for the elephants of India. So there is conflict.
Crop raiding is a case in point. A year’s crops can be consumed in a very short time. People may be killed when they get in the way or try to stop the elephants. Some scientists argue that this has become a new feeding strategy, as crops provide quick and nutritious food, rather than simply a result of habitat fragmentation.
A highly intelligent species it is not surprising that they would optimize their feeding this way, but it does not make them popular with people trying to survive in the same area. Elephants are shot or poisoned by irate villagers.
The majority of India’s elephants (51%) are found in Assam, where the human population is lower than elsewhere in the country. But with approximately 340people/sq.km, it is similar in human density to Rhode Island. Try picturing herds of elephants co-existing with humans there and you realize the magnitude of the problem.
Displacement of Elephant Calves
Another result of humans and animals trying to inhabit the same space is the displacement of animals. Young calves get separated from their herd when they fall into irrigation ditches and channels in tea gardens and paddy fields or when they fall behind when their herd is chased off by villagers.
The Wildlife Trust of India is actively involved in protecting the elephants in Assam. They rescue and rehabilitate many species, including elephants, at their Center for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation(CWRC), a project run in cooperation with the Assam Forest Department. Where possible, when an elephant calf is rescued from a ditch/channel or found separated from the herd, attempts are made to return the animal to its natal herd. If that is not possible the calf is taken to CWRC for hand-rearing and eventual return to the wild. An equally important aspect is their conflict mitigation project, working closely with affected communities to develop strategies for ensuring that neither elephants nor humans suffer in their shared space.
