Human–elephant conflict in expanding Asian elephant range in east-central India: implications for conservation and management
Chhattisgarh, India, harbours a metapopulation of 250–300 Asian elephants Elephas maximus that has expanded its range from neighbouring states since 2000. Elephants in the state occur across a mosaic of forests interspersed with agricultural settlements, leading to frequent interactions with people,...
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| author | Lakshminarayanan Natarajan Parag Nigam Bivash Pandav |
| author_facet | Lakshminarayanan Natarajan Parag Nigam Bivash Pandav |
| author_sort | Lakshminarayanan Natarajan |
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| description | Chhattisgarh, India, harbours a metapopulation of 250–300 Asian elephants Elephas maximus that has expanded its range from neighbouring states since 2000. Elephants in the state occur across a mosaic of forests interspersed with agricultural settlements, leading to frequent interactions with people, some of which culminate in conflict. We assessed patterns of crop losses as a result of elephant incursions, at two spatial scales. We found widespread crop losses, with 1,426 settlements in and around 10 forest divisions and four protected areas reporting elephant-related crop losses during 2015–2020. At the landscape scale, spanning c. 39,000 km2, intensity of habitat use by elephants, forest cover and number of forest patches explained variations in intensity of crop losses. At a finer spatial scale, covering c. 1,200 km2 of forest–agriculture matrix in Surguja, probability of crop loss was low near roads but high close to forest patches and was also affected by patch heterogeneity. Both male and female elephant groups fed on crops. As areas with high crop losses are also areas used intensively by elephants, management to increase elephant occupancy in relatively large and connected forest patches is imperative, to minimize crop losses and improve elephant conservation. Concomitantly, expansion of elephant range into agricultural areas that lack forests should be discouraged. In forest divisions, options to reduce negative human–elephant interactions include institutionalizing elephant monitoring, transparent and prompt ex gratia payment for crop losses, and the use of portable physical barriers. |
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| institution | Kabale University |
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| language | English |
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| spelling | doaj-art-f8d2609124904f4aa06d02f9bf6a78172025-01-17T09:00:28ZengCambridge University PressOryx0030-60531365-30081910.1017/S0030605324000930Human–elephant conflict in expanding Asian elephant range in east-central India: implications for conservation and managementLakshminarayanan Natarajan0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0547-9877Parag Nigam1Bivash Pandav2Elephant Cell, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, IndiaDepartment of Wildlife Health Management, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, IndiaDepartment of Protected Area Network, Wildlife Management and Conservation Education, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, IndiaChhattisgarh, India, harbours a metapopulation of 250–300 Asian elephants Elephas maximus that has expanded its range from neighbouring states since 2000. Elephants in the state occur across a mosaic of forests interspersed with agricultural settlements, leading to frequent interactions with people, some of which culminate in conflict. We assessed patterns of crop losses as a result of elephant incursions, at two spatial scales. We found widespread crop losses, with 1,426 settlements in and around 10 forest divisions and four protected areas reporting elephant-related crop losses during 2015–2020. At the landscape scale, spanning c. 39,000 km2, intensity of habitat use by elephants, forest cover and number of forest patches explained variations in intensity of crop losses. At a finer spatial scale, covering c. 1,200 km2 of forest–agriculture matrix in Surguja, probability of crop loss was low near roads but high close to forest patches and was also affected by patch heterogeneity. Both male and female elephant groups fed on crops. As areas with high crop losses are also areas used intensively by elephants, management to increase elephant occupancy in relatively large and connected forest patches is imperative, to minimize crop losses and improve elephant conservation. Concomitantly, expansion of elephant range into agricultural areas that lack forests should be discouraged. In forest divisions, options to reduce negative human–elephant interactions include institutionalizing elephant monitoring, transparent and prompt ex gratia payment for crop losses, and the use of portable physical barriers.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0030605324000930/type/journal_articleAsian elephantcroplandeast-central IndiaElephas maximushuman–wildlife interactionsrange expansionrefuge habitats |
| spellingShingle | Lakshminarayanan Natarajan Parag Nigam Bivash Pandav Human–elephant conflict in expanding Asian elephant range in east-central India: implications for conservation and management Oryx Asian elephant cropland east-central India Elephas maximus human–wildlife interactions range expansion refuge habitats |
| title | Human–elephant conflict in expanding Asian elephant range in east-central India: implications for conservation and management |
| title_full | Human–elephant conflict in expanding Asian elephant range in east-central India: implications for conservation and management |
| title_fullStr | Human–elephant conflict in expanding Asian elephant range in east-central India: implications for conservation and management |
| title_full_unstemmed | Human–elephant conflict in expanding Asian elephant range in east-central India: implications for conservation and management |
| title_short | Human–elephant conflict in expanding Asian elephant range in east-central India: implications for conservation and management |
| title_sort | human elephant conflict in expanding asian elephant range in east central india implications for conservation and management |
| topic | Asian elephant cropland east-central India Elephas maximus human–wildlife interactions range expansion refuge habitats |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0030605324000930/type/journal_article |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lakshminarayanannatarajan humanelephantconflictinexpandingasianelephantrangeineastcentralindiaimplicationsforconservationandmanagement AT paragnigam humanelephantconflictinexpandingasianelephantrangeineastcentralindiaimplicationsforconservationandmanagement AT bivashpandav humanelephantconflictinexpandingasianelephantrangeineastcentralindiaimplicationsforconservationandmanagement |