Thread by @prernabindra

With the cacophony over #Elephant #Arikomban, lets understand how such #elephants are 'made', and #conflict created. As per a #Kerala cabinet decision taken in August 2002, 559 families of landless tribals were settled on 276 ha land in #Chinnakanal during 2003. The then 1/9

DFO (#Munnar) #PrakritiSrivastava objected: it was prime #elephant habitat & corridor, the consequences would be disasterous. Within a year, human-elephant conflict had escalated. Giving pattas wily-nily w/o w/o #forest dept inputs #wildlife consideration is best avoided 2/9

The settlement opened the floodgates. #tourism resorts mushroomed, encroachments were ignored, regularlised chocking passage for #wildlife Conflict exacerbated exponentially-huge loss of crops, people were killed.As a former Kerala IAs officer puts it 3/9

“What is playing out in #Idukki is indicative of the tragedy of #forest #conservation in Kerala”. (and most of #India, across #elephant range). In such situations 4/9
Read: indianmasterminds.com/features/beyon…

under political,public pressure, #elephants were captured, taken into captivity. Don’t be fooled by #ElephantWhisperer It is an immensely cruel exercise- breaks the spirit of a wild elephant, tames it. Read watch this by @KalyanVarma
peepli.org/stories/elepha…

Or they are translocated.Translocating an #elephant is expensive, risky often futile. Eles have a natural tendency to move back to their home range-wrecking havoc along the route as these stressed, disoriented, bewildered animals try to go back home 6/9

-where they have knowledge a mind-map of vegetation, water-everything they need for their survival.#Elephants are social, intelligent empatheitc beings, such shfting around or containing them may further aggravate the problem
Read why by @Eletell downtoearth.org.in/news/wildlife-…

There is dire,urgent need to protect,conserve habitat, maintain connectivity,else the situation & the conflict will only aggravate leading to tragic losses to both. This issue needs to be addressed urgently, taking into context the #elephants' perspective, its #ecology if v 8/9

to find lasting solutions. Else,our people and elephants suffer. And, PL avoid the use of words like 'rogue' 'rampage 'menace' for #wildlife Responsible use of language, how we communicate is critical should not add fuel to the fire. Leaving u with a lovey elephantine moment 9/9