KOCHI: The Forest and Wildlife Department submitted before the Kerala High Court it had initiated steps to mitigate the man-elephant conflicts, especially in Wayanad.An affidavit filed by K J Varghese, Principal Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wild Life Warden, said the Forest Department officers conducted a detailed study into the issue and on various methods to be adopted to mitigate the conflict. As part of the efforts to reduce man-elephant conflict in Wayand, land acquisition is in progress to restore natural elephant corridors, especially the Periya-Kottiyoor elephant corridor.
The affidavit was filed in response to a writ petition related to the rescue and rehabilitation of male wild elephants from Agali Forest Range and their relocation to the rehabilitation centre at Kodanand in Ernakulam. The petition was filed by Elsa Foundation. “Once the work is completed, it will provide a lengthy corridor connecting the landscapes of Bandipur and Nagarhole Tiger Reserve with the forest landscapes of Wayanad, Kozhikode and Malappuram (Nilambur). This will also have a connection to the landscape of Muthumalai Tiger Reserve and other forest landscapes of Tamil Nadu,” the affidavit said.The affidavit also said the possibility of relocation of the elephants to another forest area was virtually impossible.
It stated elephants were regularly found in Nellimpathy area under the Ommala Forest Station in the Angali Forest Range. Elephants remain inside the bordering forest areas during day time and stray into human habitat during night. There have been several instances during the past one year in which elephants destroyed shelters and buildings and farm lands, it stated.
Once the work is completed, it will provide a lengthy corridor connecting the landscapes of Bandipur and Nagarhole Tiger Reserve with the forest landscapes of Wayanad, Kozhikode and Malappuram (Nilambur)
Forest Dept affidavit