Determinants of human-elephant conflict in tropical forest of South India

Abstract

Abstract Human-elephant conflict (HEC) is a global conservation issue that undermines the conservation of an endangered species. HEC and the factors influencing crop-raiding behaviour were studied in the tropical forests of south India from Nov 2006 to Mar 2008. Crop depredation, protection methods, and land use changes were studied at Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (TR). A total of 297 incidents of crop damage were recorded, with peaks in the raiding during the monsoon season. Spatial analysis of HEC showed peripheral farms are more vulnerable (1.51%) than village centers (0.18%). Temporally, cropping patterns have changed from food crops to commercial crops. The elephant-damaged area was positively correlated with the effective perimeter (pe-rimeter with crops), total cultivated area, and area of degradation around the village. Logistic regression of crop raiding incidence with independent predictors showed that the incidence of raiding was 95% greater in moist deciduous forests than in thorny forests. Palatable crops were likely to be raided more frequently (391 times). Crops with protection methods were 22 times less likely to be targets of raids. In the areas adjacent to the Mudumalai TR, crop species, improvements in protection, and land use change reduced the HEC. Relocating villages from the core reserve and existing corridors in the eastern region is essential for conserving elephants in the Nilgiris, Western Ghats landscape.