Course:CONS200/2023WT2/Elephants in the tea garden: Conflict with Elephants in North India

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Introduction

In Assam, North-eastern India, the human population has been growing rapidly, which inevitably brings more urbanization[1] and expansion of agricultural lands, leading to deforestation and the disappearance of natural habitats for wild animals[2]. In connection with that, the newly-build infrastructure is cutting through the already shrinking natural areas. One of the species that especially suffer from these issues is the Indian elephant (Elephas maximus indicus[3]). Indian elephant is an endangered species, which is protected by the Indian Ministry of Environment and Forests through Project elephant[4]. As of 2018, there were 5719 registered wild specimens in the Assam region[4]. Facing a food shortage and being pushed out of their natural habitats, the elephants increasingly often come to villages, making them a threat to vulnerable rural communities[5]. Concurrently, tea gardens stand as emblematic features of the landscape in the region, historically and economically[6]. However, the intersection of these elements has led to a pressing issue: human-elephant conflict within tea garden regions[7].

Effects on the elephants

Elephants, with their complex social structures, thrive in vast, natural habitats[8]. The movement and habitat utilization patterns of an elephant population do not change naturally - they always follow the same route[8]. There are about 138 identified elephant corridors in India and the North-East area has 58[8]. Due to human actions, these corridors started to disappear, which induces physiological stress in the elephants. Impacts of human activities may also seriously lower infant to female ratios and inhibit long-term survival of elephant populations in areas outside the protected areas[9].

Impact on tea gardens and communities

The tea industry plays a vital role in India’s economy, providing employment to millions of people, particularly in the rural areas where tea estates are located. Assam is the largest tea producing state in India, accounting for over 50% of the country's total tea production[6]. Human-elephant conflicts have resulted in significant economic losses for tea gardens due to crop damage, leading to a loss of livelihood for local communities[10]. Moreover, frequent elephant encounters have resulted in human fatalities, injuries, and psychological trauma among affected communities[10]. The recorded data shows that around 800 elephants and over 1500 humans have lost their lives in these wildlife encounters over the last three years[11].

Causes of the human-elephant conflict

The expansion of tea plantations encroaches upon elephant territories, escalating competition for resources like water and food[7]. Crop raiding, a survival strategy for elephants, exacerbates the conflict, compounded by climate change altering migration patterns[5]. Recent studies have found that human–elephant conflict usually occurs between dusk and dawn, that crop-raiding is seasonal and that conflict is generally highest near to protected areas[5]. Spatial patterns of conflict with the Asian elephant, in contrast to the African elephant, have been relatively poorly studied[5].

Mitigation strategies

Mitigating human–elephant conflict is a conservation priority[7]. Efforts to mitigate human-elephant conflicts include elephant corridor mapping, the installation of early warning systems, barriers, and the development of alternative livelihoods for affected communities[5]. Some of them (noise alarms; fire or chili smoke protection, construction of electric fences or using bees in hive fences) are highly labor and/or cost intensive[12]. One of the successful mitigation strategies is the cultivation of alternative crops[13]. It aims to protect the valuable crops from elephant invasions with crops that the animals tend to avoid[13]. Study in Nepal has shown that chamomile, coriander, mint, basil, turmeric, lemon grass and citronella were less attractive and were not consumed by elephants compared to rice[12]. Community-based conservation initiatives and stakeholder engagement are also crucial in fostering long-term solutions[14].

Conclusion

The escalating human-elephant conflict within tea garden regions of Assam presents a multifaceted challenge with far-reaching consequences for both wildlife and human communities. Addressing this complex issue requires a multifaceted approach, including the preservation and restoration of elephant corridors, the implementation of early warning systems and physical barriers, and the development of alternative livelihoods for affected communities. Additionally, innovative mitigation strategies such as cultivating alternative crops show promise in reducing human-elephant conflicts. However, long-term solutions will necessitate collaborative efforts involving government agencies, conservation organizations, local communities, and other stakeholders to ensure the coexistence of humans and elephants while safeguarding both biodiversity and livelihoods in the region.

References list

  1. ↑ "Assam at Glance". Assam State Portal. 23 Mar. 2021. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ↑ Fahrlg, L. (1997). "Relative Effects of Habitat Loss and Fragmentation on Population Extinction". Wildlife Management. 61: 603–610 – via JSTOR.
  3. ↑ Harvey, M. "Indian elephant". WWF. Retrieved 14 Apr. 2024. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "List of Indian states by wildlife population". Wikipedia. Retrieved 14. Apr. 2024. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Wilson, S.; Daveis, T. E.; Hazarika, N.; Zimmermann, A. (2015). "Understanding spatial and temporal patterns of human–elephant conflict in Assam, India". Oryx. 49: 140–149.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Choudhary, Sanjay (10 Mar.2024). "Top Tea Producing States in India". Times of Agriculture. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Zimmermann, A. (2009). "Community-based Human-Elephant Conflict Management in Assam" (PDF). Gajah. 30: 34–40.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 "Indian elephant". Wikipedia. Retrieved 14 Apr. 2024. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  9. ↑ Ananda Kumar, M.; Singh, M. (2011). "Behavior of Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) in a land-use mosaic: conservation implications for human-elephant coexistence in the Anamalai hills, India". Wildlife Biology in Practice. 6.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 MacKenzie, Catrina A.; Ahabyona, Peter (2012). "Elephants in the garden: Financial and social costs of crop raiding". Ecological economics. 75: 72–82.
  11. ↑ Das, S. (20 Mar. 2023). "Over 1,500 people died due to elephant attacks since 2019: Govt tells Parliament". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 14 Apr. 2024. Check date values in: |access-date=, |date= (help)
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Gross, E.; Drouet‐Hoguet, N.; Subedi, N.; Gross, J. (2017). "The potential of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) to reduce crop damages by Asian Elephants ( Elephas maximus )". Crop protection. 100: 29–37.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Gross, E. M.; McRobb, R.; Gross, J. (2016). "Cultivating alternative crops reduces crop losses due to African elephants". J Pest Sci. 89: 497–506.
  14. ↑ Nayak, M.; Swain, P. K. (2022). "Human–elephant interaction: Community perspectives on conflict mitigation and conservation mechanisms". Journal of public affairs. 23.


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