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Man-animal conflicts may go up in summer

Sensing trouble from stray jumbos, the department is planning to induct more kumkhis' into the wildlife wing.

Chennai: Tamil Nadu forest department is spending sleepless nights and the situation is all set to continue for next two months as the harsh summer may increase man-animal conflicts.

Sensing trouble from stray jumbos, the department is planning to induct more ‘kumkhis’ into the wildlife wing, a senior wildlife official said.

At present, there are close to two-dozen ‘kumkhis’, including calves, spread over three tiger reserves with special camps at Pollachi and Mudumalai. As some of the elephants are becoming older, the department has started training the sub adults.

According to chief wildlife warden V. K. Melkhani, the department has identified vulnerable areas where there is a conflict between humans and elephants.

Dialogue with tea estate owners has commenced and some of them are optimistic in reducing human-animal conflict.

In the Nilgiris Gudalur region, where conflict is high, new warning signages and boards pointing the migratory routes of elephants are to come up. In some private estate areas, managers have been instructed not to allow people to work after evening hours. New floodlights will also be erected to help villagers locate pachyderms in case the animals stray close to estates and residential areas, the warden said.

Of the six elephants rescued from Tiruvanamalai, three are doing good and have the potential to be good 'kumkhis’ to take on wild jumbos. In a phased manner, they will be absorbed into the department and mahouts will also be shortlisted to attend the animals, the officer said.

There is a need for more understanding in this regard and elephants, who are the ancestors of land are deprived of their basic forests and its high time that private lands sandwiched in forest areas be either acquired by government or voluntarily given up by corporate firms that own estates encroaching forests, said wildlife enthusiast V. T. Balaji.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
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