UDHAGAMANDALAM: The forest department has initiated profiling of elephants in the Gudalur division of forests in the district in a bid to curb human-elephant conflicts.
The profiling includes photograph, nature, movement and behaviour of the elephants. Two people, including a woman, were killed by jumbos in Gudalur division in the last 10 days.
The Gudalur division has seen a decrease in human-elephant conflicts in the past two years.
“Since September 2019, there has been no report of human loss due to elephant attack in the division,” said Sumesh Soman, district forest officer, Gudalur division.
Last case of elephant attack reported was in September 2019, wherein a man from Devarshola was trampled to death by a jumbo.
He added, “But jumbos trampled two people to death in our division in the last 10 days. It is a cause for concern.”
According to the official, the Gudalur division is highly fragmented with about 155 reserve forests. Human habitats are located between the pockets of reserve forests and some within the forests.
Hence, the elephants must cross human habitats, inevitably, to reach another reserve. Also, the Gudalur division is surrounded by Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, Vyanadu forest and Nilambur forests. Besides the native elephants, jumbos from surrounding forests of other states tend to cross the Gudalur division.
“Hence, we have started profiling elephants roaming in the vicinity of human habitats. Forest guards and foresters have been given training in this connection recently,” the DFO said.
“The profiling such as photograph, nature, movement and behaviour of the elephants would help us to draw a plan to reduce man-elephant conflict in the division. The exercise is underway,” added the official.