Karnataka forest department has decided to regulate the increasing population of wild elephants in the western Ghats, by sterilising them on the lines of what is followed in Kruger National Park in South Africa. The State has decided to use this method in Hassan district in Karnataka where crop raiding and conflict has increased by many folds. According to forest officials they would sterilise 150 elephants which have been termed as a menace in several areas, including Hassan, Kodagu, and Mudigere.
According to Karnataka Forest Minister Ramanath Rai only 150 elephants have been causing trouble and they would be sterilised to regulate them. In an interaction with the planters at Sakeleshpura recently the minister said “Of the 6,000 elephants, only about 150 are causing trouble in the State. Regulating their population is on the cards.”
According to C Jay Ram, APCCF (Wildlife), the forest department would regulate the population using immune sterilisation. He said when the population of elephants in Kruger National Park in South Africa increased, there was a plan to cull them. However, yielding to international pressure against the move, the SA government took to regulating the population by immuno-sterilisation.
''It has been successful there. We have decided to go for immune sterilisation of elephants only in problematic areas. For this, we have to vacate a stay issued by the Supreme Court. We are in consultation with Union government on the issue,'' Jayaram added.
In view of the increasing conflict between elephants and humans in these areas the forest department will also consider capture and relocation of rogue elephants.
According to experts Immuno-sterilisation is a method of contraception which induces hormonal changes in female elephants. However, the success of such a programme would depend entirely on protocols, procedures and methods followed.
They say that this process involves extensive research and monitoring of elephants.
The 2017 elephant census data shows that Karnataka has topped the list with a salubrious population of Asiatic Elephants after achieving a similar feat by hosting the highest population of tigers in the country. It is in the southern forest areas that include Nagarahole, Bandipur and Bhadra that the highest density of pachyderms has been spotted in Karnataka.
While Karnataka has the highest number with 6,049 elephants, the distant Assam with 5,719 elephants stands second in the country. Though incidents of human-elephant conflicts were reported from every corner of the state, the 2017 Census has revealed that South Karnataka forests have the highest density of elephants.
According to elephant census 2017 elephants are found in 33 forest divisions across Karnataka. The results show an overall density of 0.67 elephants per square km over 8,976 sq km, suggesting a total estimated 6,049 elephants in Karnataka. According to the published data, the Nagarahole Tiger Reserve has the highest density with 1.54 elephants per sq km followed by the Bandipur Tiger Reserve with 1.13 elephants and Bhadra Tiger Reserve with 1.12 jumbo per sq km. Similarly, the Bannerghatta National Park on the outskirts of Bengaluru too suggested a salubrious density of 0.63 elephant per sq km of area.