Kumki Elephants Will Start Tackling Their Wild Counterparts From June 20

This is the seventh such fatality in Chittoor district in just over a year. His death has raised concerns as to why the four Kumki elephants brought from Karnataka amid much fanfare aren’t being deployed to tackle the rising human-elephant conflict.

Getting Kumki elephants from the neighbouring state and countering the wild elephant menace has been the idea of Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan, who holds the Forest portfolio. The trained Kumkis are currently stationed at the Musalimadugu camp near Palamaner for a 30-day acclimatisation programme. Forest officials say this period is crucial to help Kumkis adjust to the local terrain, vegetation and the behaviour of wild herds.

According to sources, three of the elephants have completed their training, while the fourth is expected to be ready by June 20. From then on, all four will be deployed in the high human-elephant conflict mandals. Until then, the Forest Department has asked people living on fringes of the forest to exercise extreme caution.

A senior forest official said elephants are often misunderstood. Recognising the animal’s behaviour could mean the difference between life and death. “A mock charge typically involves the elephant spreading its ears wide and swinging its trunk but stopping short of an actual attack. A real charge comes with ears pinned back, trunk curled inward, and head lowered. That’s when the elephant can threaten life,” the official explained.

Wildlife behaviour expert Dr. Ashok Rajan, who has worked on elephant response protocols, said escaping a charging elephant requires awareness and quick thinking. “Never run in a straight line. Zigzagging gives you a better chance, since elephants can’t manoeuvre sharp turns easily. Use large trees, rocks or anthills as barriers. A strong, climbable tree nearby could save your life”, he said.

Experts strongly advise against freezing, lying down or hiding in bushes. “Elephants can detect scent and movement easily. Staying downwind might help, but never turn your back or scream as it can make the elephant more aggressive,” says Dr. Rajan.

If people within a vehicle encounter an elephant, remaining inside and staying silent is advised. “Don’t honk or flash headlights because it only provokes the animal,”
said another forest official.

Awareness programmes are already underway in several villages on fringes of forests, so that residents can recognise the signs of elephant presence, such as fresh dung, broken branches or distant rumbling.

To improve monitoring, forest officers are tracking elephant herds with drones. They plan to fit GPS collars on some of the wild elephants. Deployment of Kumkis from June 20 will be of great help.

In the interim, Forest department has advised farmers to avoid sowing crops like banana, sugarcane and sweet corn, which attract elephants. Villagers can switch to less appealing alternatives like millets, pulses or oilseeds. Solar fencing is being promoted to reduce crop loss.