Increasing cases of man-elephant conflict and deaths are not just because of the shrinking habitat and fodder loss. Experts point out that it is also because of stress among the gentle giants. Just like us, animals too get stressed because of multiple reasons, including contact with humans, translocation for various reasons, exchange programmes, traveling in vehicles and while they are made to participate in public functions and processions.
“They suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder when they are separated from their calf or herd or when their movement is blocked. They get confused when they are translocated, which leads to stress and casualties like it happened recently in Wayanad. Tourists should be kept far away from elephants. Flash lights and crackers only add to the stress. They panic out of distress and then attack,” pointed an elephant handler.
Over the last two days, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh governments have held a series of meetings on various issues, included training of mahouts and elephant exchange. In the context of the meetings, a senior Karnataka forest department official said, one or two elephants will henceforth not be given to any state. “They will have to take a group. Elephants are social animals and they develop a strong bond with each other even when in captivity. So states will have to take groups and not a select few.”
While this has been appreciated by experts, they also point to the urgent need for chalking out a protocol and detailed method of handling animals while in captivity or under an exchange programme.
On August 12, the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change released a report and manual on the procedures to follow for safe translocation of elephants. While it detailed the methods to be followed for capture and relocation, little attention is being paid on the mental health and the stress factor among elephants.
A senior MoEF&CC official said, mental health, stress and depression among elephants are being reported but it is case specific. A detailed study needs to be undertaken before including it in the manual and drawing up a protocol. “There is a need to understand the mental health of elephants before capturing them. But then we lack experts and most importantly time. So in most cases it is not done. Some, however, do it by assessing the dung and other elephant samples, but its accuracy is yet to be determined. After capture, however, efforts are made in camps to de-stress the animals by ensuring mahouts are well trained and the animal gets to socialise with others,” the official said.
An expert from Project Elephant said any social deprivation leads to stress. When they are kept in isolation the stress levels are very high and there is a need for scientific parameters to evaluate them, which is lacking at the moment. Over time the animal either gets used to it and continues to move on, or becomes a rebel.
“It has also been observed that when an animal moves out of the forest, close to human habitation, the noise level increases and that is the first and prime stress factor. In the wild, the elephants are constantly active mentally like foraging for food and water, interacting with others and so on. But in captivity they are idle. They get bored and that stresses them out. The stress amplifies when humans come close. It has been found that some of them suffer from enochlophobia (fear of crowds), trochophobia (fear of being on a truck or bus), amaxophobia (dear of driving) and even anthrophobia (fear of people). Elephants of course get stressed during capture and training. Translocation is inevitable, so solutions to reduce stress need to be case specific,” the expert said.
Suparna Ganguly, Co-founder Trustee, Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (WRRC) said elephants in captivity go through stress when they are forced to face unknown people, perform for the public, taken in crowded processions, exposed to loud noises, bright lights and used for joy rides.
Wild elephants undergo mental strain when their pathways are blocked to reach their traditional feeding grounds; when mobs chase them from fields and crops; or they are harassed by loud sounds and light; or while coming in contact with humans. Anything that may frighten them can become a trigger for an attack, which could turn fatal because of their size and strength, she said.
Suparna added that books and papers by Dr Gay Bradshaw, an elephant psychologist, confirmed the neural pathways of elephants are very akin to humans and they suffer from anxiety, depression and mental stress.
To address this, all stakeholders should try and keep elephants wild and captive as far away from human intervention and presence as possible. Human intervention should be limited to what may be needed for veterinary treatment or procedures. They should be allowed to exercise their autonomy in choosing their activities and feed. They should be kept as stress-free as possible, for human safety if nothing else.
Wild elephants should have their movement paths unrestricted by buildings, fencing, roads and tracks so they can smoothly roam from one grazing site to another. Once passages are blocked, human settlements around their habitat end up facing the wrath of this otherwise gentle giants.
Proper planning for transportation
Unplanned and poorly executed transportation can cause enormous stress. Botched transportation can also pose considerable risks to the frontline staff, elephant handlers, veterinarians, and other support personnel. To minimise risks, meticulous planning and consideration of a few critical points are essential. Proper justification for transport is the first crucial step