KOCHI: Elephants are known to be herbivores, but pachyderms in Kerala have begun consuming chicken! Yes, you heard it right. Elephants in the state have developed an appetite for cooked food like chicken curry, egg masala, chappathi, and Kerala porotta. And, the increasing trend of food waste from restaurants being dumped along forest fringes has ensured a steady supply.
According to Raman of Allimooppan tribal settlement in Parambikulam Tiger Reserve, elephants have been flocking to forest fringes in search of food waste. This open dumping not only poses a health risk to the elephants but also increases the chance of human-wildlife conflict in the area, he said.
“It’s not just elephants, all wild animals have an appetite for salty food. We have been conducting a campaign to discourage people from dumping food waste in areas bordering the forests.
Instances of wild animals such as elephants, monkeys, deer and wild pigs scavenging on food waste are becoming increasingly common in Kerala,” said forest officer Raju K Francis, who travelled across the state visiting tribal hamlets to study human-wildlife conflict.
“The taste of salt in packaged chips attracts wild animals. While eating the chips, the animals also ingest pieces of plastic, which end up blocking their digestive tracts and resulting in death,” he said.
‘People on forest fringes bear the consequences’
“We found youngsters feeding monkeys puffed snack food and potato chips at some tourist spots. These monkeys develop an appetite for salty food and it is the people living on forest fringes who bear the consequences. These animals end up raiding houses and attacking humans. That’s why we have been advising tourists to dispose of plastic food packaging safely,” he said.
While tribal communities attribute divinity to elephants, non-tribal settlers have been employing unethical ways to stop wild elephants from entering farmlands. In recent years, forest veterinarians have reported finding pellets in the bodies of wild elephants during postmortem examination. People pelt stones, throw burning tyres and burst crackers to drive away wild elephants invading their farmlands. However, these techniques prove counter-productive — turning the elephants more aggressive.
“We live in harmony with wild animals. We cultivate ginger, turmeric and some other species which help keep wild animals at bay. Our ancestors knew ‘aanakettu manthram’ and ‘kaichoondi manthram’ using which they communicated with wild elephants. Dogs are the best companions of tribesmen who venture out to collect forest produce as they can smell and warn about the presence of wild animals,” points out Mallan, a tribesman from Wayanad.
The tribal community of Edamalakkudy, in Idukki district, had the ‘Ilantharikoottam’, a group of youngsters who used to spot elephant herds that gather near farmlands during daytime to raid crops at night. Ilantharikootam members used to generate loud noises to drive away the elephants. This culture has vanished in recent years, says Sasi, a tribesman from Poochapra settlement.
“Pineapple and plantain attract elephants. An elephant needs 80,000 calories a day and this requires it to travel around 16 hours in the forest for its daily nourishment. But, a pineapple farm or a banana plantation can provide the required nourishment in a few hours,” a forest officer said.