Killing our elephants with apathy

Elephants, vital for preserving forest ecosystems and biodiversity, are facing a silent massacre across India. On 18 November, three elephants, including a calf, were electrocuted in Odisha’s Buramal forest. Earlier, a day before Diwali, ten elephants were found dead in Bandhavgarh, Madhya Pradesh. Among them, nine were female, two of whom were pregnant.

Just days earlier, in Chhattisgarh, a three-year-old male calf died in Tingipur village near Achanakmar Tiger Reserve. Similarly, in Raigarh district, three elephants died when a high-tension power line fell on them.

The stories are endless. In Assam’s Dhargarh village on 4 November, a wild elephant died on an illegal electric fence. Days later, in Balrampur, Chhattisgarh, another elephant was electrocuted in a field rigged with high-voltage wires. And in Sitanadi-Udanti Tiger Reserve, an elephant calf was injured by a potash bomb, typically used to hunt wild boars.

After the Bandhavgarh tragedy, officials claimed the elephants died from eating poisonous kutki millet. The locals and even Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav disagreed, pointing out that this grain is not harmful and is even fed to domestic animals. While a veterinary institute later found traces of a toxin in the elephants’ viscera, it remains unclear if that caused their deaths.

Rising human-elephant conflict

Human-elephant conflicts have escalated sharply. Over the past three years, nearly 300 elephants have been killed; human fatalities caused by elephants have also surged. In 2018-19, 457 people were killed by enraged elephants; by 2022-23, this number had risen to 605. Kerala’s Wayanad district, with 36 per cent forest cover, witnessed 4,193 incidents of conflict last year, resulting in 27 human deaths.

Despite their size, elephants are surprisingly delicate creatures. A little fatigue or hunger can weaken them. They require 100 litres of water and 200 kilograms of foliage daily, which means foraging for up to 18 hours a day. While they live in forests, they naturally gravitate towards areas near human settlements, creating flashpoints for conflict.

Elephants are not just forest dwellers; they are essential for preserving endangered plants, microbes and wildlife. However, expanding human settlements, shrinking natural habitats, deforestation, and the lure of ivory are driving their brutal decline.

For centuries, elephants have used designated paths, known as ‘elephant corridors’ to migrate for food and water. India has 88 such corridors—22 in the northeast, 20 in central India and another 20 in the south. However, these routes are increasingly blocked by human settlements, railways and construction projects. Elephants remember these paths through generations, but now they encounter obstacles like high-speed trains and concrete jungles.

In Odisha, for instance, a study by the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, found that the state’s forests can support a maximum of 1,700 elephants, yet over 2,100 live there. This kind of overcrowding fuels stress in elephants and makes them aggressive.

Kerala’s Periyar Tiger Conservation Foundation revealed in a 2018 study that replacing traditional forest trees with eucalyptus and acacia has deprived elephants of food. These water-intensive trees also deplete groundwater, leaving elephants thirsty.

Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh’s Hasdeo forest—a biodiversity hotspot spread across 170,000 hectares—is under severe threat. Despite local resistance, 15,000 trees have already been felled for coal mining, and over 250,000 more are set to be cut. This forest is home to elephants, bears and countless other species. Its destruction not only displaces wildlife but also robs local communities of their livelihoods and sacred groves.

A broken system

India launched Project Elephant in 1992, inspired by Project Tiger, to conserve elephants. Currently operational in 16 states, the initiative suffers from gross underfunding. For instance, Madhya Pradesh allocated a mere ₹66 lakh this year for elephant conservation—a pittance for tasks like habitat restoration and conflict mitigation.

Earlier this year, the government announced plans to link villages near forests to an ‘Early Alert System’ under Project Elephant. The idea was to instal sirens and sensors to warn residents of approaching elephants. Yet, like many other such schemes, it remains stuck in a serpentine bureaucracy.

India urgently needs a coordinated strategy for states with elephant populations. Joint efforts must focus on accurate census data, maintaining migration routes, and ensuring adequate food and water in elephant habitats. For regions like Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Jharkhand, studies are needed to understand whether the deforestation of Hasdeo is aggravating elephant aggression.

Elephants are magnificent creatures, central to our ecological balance. Yet, our indifference is driving them towards extinction. Without urgent action, we risk losing not just the elephants but the forests and biodiversity they help sustain. Let’s not forget, their survival is deeply tied to ours.