Creating buffer zones with crops elephants avoid such as chilli, ginger, garlic and citrus, restoring fragmented forest corridors, and introducing real-time elephant alert systems could significantly reduce deadly encounters between humans and elephants in Assam, says a new 23-year study on human-elephant conflict (HEC) that analysed 1,806 conflict incidents across the north eastern state.
The researchers found that rapid habitat fragmentation, expanding settlements and disrupted elephant movement routes are increasingly pushing elephants into villages and farmlands, intensifying conflict in several districts.
The study, titled ‘Landscape determinants of human-elephant conflict in Assam, India: insights from two decades of spatial analysis,’ examined 1,806 conflict incidents recorded between 2000 and 2023 across 21 forest divisions in Assam. The incidents included 1,468 human deaths and 337 injuries.
The study used satellite imagery, spatial hotspot mapping, kernel density analysis and landscape fragmentation models to identify ecological and human-induced drivers of conflict. Authors Athira N, Ramesh Pandey, Kapana Roy, Ananya Dutta, Dheeraj Mittal, Parag Nigam, Anukul Nath and Bilal Habib belonged to Wildlife Institute of India, Ministry of Environment and Forests and Climate Change and Ghaziabad-based Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research.
Researchers found that conflict hotspots were concentrated near fragmented forests, elephant reserves, tea gardens and croplands adjoining forest areas. Sonitpur West, Goalpara, Udalguri, Sonitpur East and Golaghat emerged as the most affected forest divisions. Goalpara recorded the highest number of human deaths at 175, while Sonitpur West reported 110 deaths and 92 injuries. Udalguri recorded 168 deaths and 34 injuries, while Sonitpur East reported 156 deaths and 21 injuries. In total, 527 villages across Assam were affected by human-elephant conflict during the study period, with Goalpara alone accounting for 80 affected villages.
At the village level, Likhak Gaon recorded the highest number of incidents at 73, followed by Jorhat with 41 incidents, Ambari with 40, Uttar Dimakuchi and Jogigaon with 30 each, Gor Mara Gaon with 28, and Golampatty and Nagaon with 26 each.
Researchers also observed strong seasonal variation, with the monsoon season witnessing the highest number of incidents. According to the study, the overlap between peak agricultural activity and elephant movement during the rainy season increases the chances of encounters between humans and elephants. Male victims accounted for a higher proportion of casualties across all seasons.
The study noted that Assam, which supports an estimated 5,828 Asian elephants, has witnessed rapid land-use changes over the past few decades. Forests have increasingly been cleared for urbanisation, infrastructure projects, agriculture and monoculture plantations such as tea gardens, leading to the disruption of elephant habitats and traditional movement corridors.
Researchers found that fragmented forest patches with high edge density and patch density were strongly associated with increased conflict frequency. Villages with limited forest connectivity and expanding built-up areas recorded higher conflict intensity compared to villages with contiguous forest cover.
Tea gardens were identified as important conflict zones because they often function as transitional spaces between forests and human settlements. Although tea estates provide temporary cover and forage for elephants, they also increase the likelihood of encounters with people.
The study also highlighted the role of roads and railway lines in intensifying conflict. Transport infrastructure cutting across elephant habitats has restricted elephant movement and contributed to accidental deaths and increased encounters. Assam and neighbouring West Bengal continue to report some of the highest railway-related elephant deaths in India. Researchers observed that proximity to water bodies, forests, croplands and elephant reserves significantly increased the probability of conflict. Villages with lower water availability were found to experience greater conflict intensity, as elephants entered human settlements searching for water and food.
The study pointed out that Assam currently has 12 identified elephant corridors, many of which are facing pressure from encroachment, infrastructure expansion and changing land-use patterns.
The report suggested that landscape fragmentation was a critical factor influencing the frequency and intensity of conflict in Assam. Fragmented habitats often disrupt elephant movement and force elephants to venture into agricultural and settlement areas in search of food and water. The loss of functional elephant corridors, which are critical for maintaining habitat connectivity, exacerbates this issue, it said.
“Assam has 12 identified elephant corridors, but rapid land-use changes and infrastructure development threaten their effectiveness, forcing elephants into human-dominated areas and increasing human mortality rates. These corridors, if protected, could reduce conflict by allowing safe movement between habitats,” the authors said.
Districts such as Sonitpur East and Goalpara, exhibiting protected areas, agricultural fields, and fragmented forests, were identified as major conflict zones. These results align with previous studies that have emphasised the role of habitat fragmentation in exacerbating HEC. To reduce conflict, the researchers recommended restoring forest connectivity and protecting elephant corridors to ensure safer elephant movement between habitats. The study also called for regulated urban expansion and infrastructure development in ecologically sensitive areas.
Among the mitigation measures suggested were low-voltage elephant-friendly hanging electric fences around vulnerable villages, early warning systems using infrared trip alarms, mobile-based elephant alert applications and radio messaging systems to warn communities about elephant movement in real time.
