Our Context
Human-Elephant Conflict in Asia
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In Asia, humans and elephants have coexisted for centuries, sharing a complex and intertwined history.
Elephants hold a revered place in Hindu and Buddhist traditions, symbolizing strength, wisdom, and auspiciousness. Historically, elephants were employed in logging and other labor-intensive industries, fostering a deep bond between the animals and their handlers. However, the decline of traditional employment sectors, particularly logging, has led to welfare challenges for both elephants and their mahouts (handlers).
Over the past century, Asia’s elephant population has plummeted by 90%, with a significant portion of their natural habitat lost to deforestation, agricultural expansion, and urban development. Today, fewer than 50,000 Asian elephants remain in the wild, living in fragmented and isolated populations. This severe habitat reduction has disrupted their traditional migratory routes, forcing elephants into closer proximity with human settlements.
The rapid growth of the human population in Asia has intensified the competition for space and resources, escalating Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC). Currently, around 20% of the global human population resides in areas that overlap with the remaining habitats of Asian elephants. These elephants are now confined to small, scattered regions, with most sub-populations consisting of fewer than 1,000 individuals. This fragmentation limits their ability to roam and find mates and increases the risk of inbreeding and genetic isolation.
Incidents of elephants entering human settlements, raiding crops, and damaging property have become more frequent. These encounters often result in significant economic losses for farmers and pose serious risks to human safety. In response, affected communities sometimes resort to retaliatory killings, making human-elephant confrontations a leading cause of elephant mortality in Asia.
To address these conflicts, various mitigation strategies are being explored and implemented. For example, in India and Sri Lanka, beehive fences have been successfully used to deter elephants from farmlands, exploiting the elephants' natural fear of bees.
Community-based conservation initiatives aim to educate and engage local populations in creating sustainable coexistence practices. These efforts focus on promoting tolerance, improving land-use planning, and developing non-lethal deterrents to reduce the frequency and severity of HEC incidents.
Despite these initiatives, the challenge remains formidable. Continued efforts are essential to balance the needs of growing human populations with the conservation of Asian elephants.
Ensuring the survival of these majestic creatures requires a multifaceted approach that includes habitat restoration, conflict mitigation, and fostering a deeper understanding and respect for the natural world among all stakeholders involved.
That is why we started ELREPEL.
Human-Elephant Conflict in Africa
The African elephant, one of the continent's most iconic species, has faced significant challenges over the past century. Catastrophic poaching in the 1970s and 80s led to a dramatic decline in their numbers, leaving populations at a fraction of their previous levels. The implementation of an international ivory trade ban by CITES in 1989, along with enhanced wildlife management strategies, has contributed to a gradual recovery, particularly in East and Southern Africa. Despite this, the expansion of elephant populations into areas now densely populated by humans has led to a surge in Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC).
As elephants explore their historical migratory routes, they often encounter new human developments or farmlands. These routes, once clear and vast, are now fragmented by settlements and agricultural plots, making it increasingly difficult for elephants to navigate their traditional paths. This disruption leads to elephants raiding crops, primarily at night, which poses a significant threat to farmers' livelihoods. In attempts to protect their crops, farmers may resort to aggressive deterrents such as throwing stones, using firecrackers, or firing shots into the air, which can escalate tensions and provoke defensive reactions from elephants.
These nocturnal confrontations can be dangerous, resulting in injuries or fatalities for both humans and elephants. Elephants, being herbivores, generally do not attack humans unless they feel threatened. Female elephants travel in family groups, guided by a matriarch, and are particularly protective of their young. Male elephants, or bulls, often leave their family groups upon reaching maturity and form bachelor groups. Both family units and bachelor groups migrate across the landscape in search of food and water, often taking advantage of accessible agricultural crops.
Keeping migration corridors open and free from human developments is crucial to minimizing conflict. Elephants are not confined to national parks and reserves, leading to frequent interactions with local farmers. Crop raiding by elephants presents significant social, political, economic, and conservation challenges across Africa, reportedly in 13 countries.
Conflicts over resources can sometimes result in the death of both humans and elephants. Wounded elephants are particularly dangerous, as pain can drive them to become highly aggressive. The death of an elephant not only disrupts the social structure of their family unit but also has legal and ethical implications. There is evidence suggesting that elephants, known for their long memories, may harbor aggressive tendencies towards humans if they have experienced the loss of a family member due to conflict or culling.
Current research is focused on developing effective deterrents that are socially and economically viable, especially in conflict zones where electric fences are neither feasible nor affordable.
Innovative approaches, such as community-based management strategies, are being explored to reduce the frequency and severity of HEC incidents, ensuring a safer coexistence for both humans and elephants.
That is why we started ELREPEL.