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Human-Elephant Conflict Issues with Special Reference to Crop Damage and People's Perception in and around Coimbatore Forest Division, Southern India
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The Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC) assessment study was carried out from May 2013 to August 2014 in Coimbatore Forest Division, Tamilnadu, South India. Totally 438 persons were interviewed from the forest fringe villages of six forest ranges of the Coimbatore Forest Division. This study revealed that 6 Forest Ranges were affected by elephant crop raids. Total frequency of elephant's attempt to raid the crop fields (n=409) were recorded as 2070. Crop raiding attempts and success was highest in Boluvampatti Range. Lowest attempts were recorded in Sirumugai Range. Totally 31 crop species were recorded during the study period, of which 24 species were raided by elephants at various intensities. Banana (Musa paradisia) (139.49 acres), Sorghum (Sorghum vulgare) (122.35 acres), Areca nut (Areca catechu) (18993 trees), Coconut (Cocus nucifera) (4701 trees) were the most raided crops by elephants. The study recorded 96 human casualties caused by elephants over the last 16 years. The result showed that drastic increase in human death was in the last five years. The human causalities between 2010 and 2014 alone attributed 59% of overall deaths. Most of the human deaths (67%) were recorded in outside of the forest areas. January (16.0%) and August (10.0%) months were found as highest human death caused by elephants in the year. Most of the human deaths were occurred between 1800 hrs and 2200 hrs. Totally 133 elephant deaths were recorded from 1999 to 2014. Among the causes of elephant deaths, disease attributed 37.6% followed by natural (27.1%), electrocution (18%) and slipped from slopes (6%).
Keywords
Asian elephant, Human-Elephant conflict, Coimbatore Forest Division.
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