Elephant Attacks in Kodagu: A Growing Concern Amid Heavy Rains

Herds of elephants are straying into rural areas in Kodagu.

Madikeri: In the midst of continuous rainfall, numerous elephant attacks have been reported throughout Kodagu district, severely disrupting the lives of its residents. Herds of elephants are straying into rural areas, especially coffee estates causing significant damage to plantations and vehicles.

The elephants are leaving their forest habitats in search of food, leading to frequent and often dangerous encounters with humans. In Naladi village, resident Devaiah experienced this firsthand when a herd of elephants destroyed his parked auto-rickshaw during a nighttime raid.

In a recent incident in 1st Rudraguppe Village, Virajpet, an elephant rampaged through the coffee plantations on the estate owned by A H Saraswati. According to Saraswati, the elephant also destroyed areca nut, coconut, and banana plants on her property.

Similar incidents have been reported in Cheyandane village, where elephants ravaged the coffee, coconut, and betel nut plantations belonging to Harish and Sajan. According to local residents, large-scale deforestation in the area has exacerbated the problem by pushing elephants closer to human settlements.

In another alarming incident, a herd of elephants invaded the banana plantation of Raghukumar in Attur Village, Suntikoppa, completely devastating the crop. The elephants, driven by hunger, have been razing entire plantations, leaving farmers in despair.

Despite ongoing efforts by the forest department to mitigate these incidents, the elephants continue to wreak havoc, disappearing during the day and reappearing at night. Sightings have become common along the roads of Suntikoppa, Anekadu, Cherambane, Madikeri, Virajpet and Kushalnagar, forcing motorists to exercise extreme caution.

Farmers in the district are increasingly worried about the future of agriculture if a long-term solution to prevent elephant attacks is not implemented. They are calling on the government to move beyond mere discussions and take concrete action. The farmers urge the forest minister and officials to recognize the severity of the issue and develop a sustainable plan to protect both the agricultural sector and the lives of the residents.

As elephant incursions persist, the urgency for an effective strategy to address this human-wildlife conflict grows, highlighting the need for immediate and sustained intervention.

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