Featured Image Credit: Dr. Bishan Monnappa
Today is World Elephant Day. Kodagu has been blessed by Mother Nature with verdant evergreen forests and rich flora and fauna.
Elephants have always been a very important resident of Kodagu’s eco-system. They are very intelligent mammals with tremendous emotional quotient and legendary memory. However, the gentle giants are struggling to survive in Kodagu as their long standing corridors for movement have been encroached upon, resulting in frequent contact with humans in fields and plantations. It is indeed true that many have been killed by elephants, these animals have also been meted out with painful death through electrocution or falling into pits and open wells in villages.
Sadly, not a single year now passes without the news of elephant deaths in Kodagu.
The interview of Conservationist Joseph Hoover with South First is an eye-opener regarding the future of elephants in Kodagu and in the Nilgiri Biosphere area.
Human-animal conflict is a much talked about subject with momentary attention and life passes on. The fact is that these large mammals need substantial vegetation which our natural reservations don’t provide – reason being human vandalism, indiscriminate felling of trees, need for better forestry practices and a lack of concern for fellow creatures that inhabit this planet.
Can we become more aware and take responsibility for the need to maintain biodiversity – so crucial for Planet Earth to survive ?. Organizations like Coorg Wildlife Society could take the lead and get all stakeholders on a common platform – most important being the District Administration. There are several NGOs that work on this critical aspect in India and across the world. We should interact with them and create a well coordinated plan to overcome this deteriorating challenge.
Transformation of reserve forests by removing the teak,rose, eucalyptus n other cash-rich planted hardwood trees and planting native trees which is useful for the animals is the need of the Planning a safe place for animals.
Bannerghatta national park is one of the example.
Let’s allow them to live in their space, most elephant corridors are used for commercial purposes, District authorities should stop these commercial activities in Elephant corridors…