Foresters start WhatsApp group to mitigate human-elephant conflicts

Mysuru: In a bid to mitigate man-elephant conflict in the district, forest department has launched a unique initiative in Hassan. The foresters have started a WhatsApp group with coffee estate managements and general public as members to share information about the location or movement of wild animals, especially elephants. The move is expect to aid in swift action and help foresters reach spots and drive away wild animals back to forest.
Hassan has been beset by human-elephant conflicts since several years and majority of these conflicts have resulted in fatalities.
WhatsApp group ‘Elephants Conflict Zones’ was launched to track the movement of elephants on a regular basis and to alert people to take extra precautions while working in the coffee estates or moving through these areas.
The WhatsApp group members — foresters and staff, local coffee planters, forest department rapid response teams, railway gangmen in railway officials and villagers — upload information, photos and videos of the movement of elephants in their area in the group.
Sivaram Babu M, deputy conservator of forests, Hassan division told TOI that most of the conflicts are reported from Sakaleshpura, Alur and Yesaluru region where around 55 to 60 elephants have been traced. The department has put radio collars with GPS systems to three elephants to track the movement and migration pattern of the elephants.
“Their movements will be tracked regularly to avoid human elephant conflicts and damages to crops. Information and locations will be tracked through mobile app every hour. Their movements and locations will be uploaded in the Whatsapp group to alert the people,” he said.
More than 26 rapid response teams — with 4 members in each team — will exclusively track the movement and prevent human-elephant conflicts. As many as 140 RRT staff will follow the elephants and provide information and alert the planters and villagers before the elephants cause damage.
The new move has helped minimise fatalities in the region, said Sivaram. Before 2017-18, there were around four to five human deaths caused by elephants, but since last one-and-a-half-year, there hasn’t been a single death, he said.
“As an early warning system, we have erected SIM connected LED display boards in strategic locations. We will display the messages of elephant movement to alert the people,” he added.