Karnataka CM bats for harmonious co-existence between humans and elephants

Bengaluru, Aug 12 (IANS) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday emphasised the importance of harmonious coexistence between humans and elephants.

Addressing a gathering during an international conference on 'Human-Elephant Conflict Management', the theme of World Elephant Day 2024, the Chief Minister highlighted the importance of preserving natural habitats to ensure the survival of elephants.

"Preserving the natural habitats for the elephants also reduces the Man-Elephant conflict that we are witnessing at an alarmingly high rate," he stated.

This gathering is more than a conference; it is a critical platform where we exchange ideas, explore scientific solutions, and foster international collaboration to address the pressing issue of human-elephant conflict — a challenge with significant ecological, social, and economic implications, he opined.

He said people have coexisted with elephants for thousands of years, but boundaries, development activities, the climate, and natural resources are changing, putting pressure on us and them.

Elephants increasingly find their home ranges fragmented by new villages, farms, cities, highways, or industrial growth such as mining. Barriers like fences and train tracks force them to travel longer distances and risk injury. The land where they once foraged is now home to human agriculture, and accessing watering holes increases their contact with villagers, he said.

India houses the largest population of Asiatic elephants globally, with about 30,000 elephants as per the 2017 census. Karnataka is the state with the highest elephant population with 6,395 pachyderms, which is approximately 25 per cent of the nation's total elephant population, Siddaramaiah stated.

The state is also home to the second-highest population of tigers with 563 of the big cats, as given by the All India Tiger Estimation 2022. The large numbers of large mammals and predators indicate a healthy population of herbivores and other forest resources, he informed.

Karnataka has two major elephant reserves, the Mysuru Elephant Reserve and the Dandeli Elephant Reserve. Together, these reserves cover an area of over 10,000 square kilometres and play a crucial role in conserving our elephant populations and their habitats, he said.

"However, an increase in human-wildlife conflict has been observed in recent years due to developmental pressures and fragmentation of forest areas.

Recognizing the severity of this issue, Karnataka has allocated a dedicated budget specifically for addressing human-animal conflict. Annually, over Rs 150 crores are directed toward mitigating human-elephant conflict, he said.