Elephant Incursions Into Udhagamandalam Trigger Human-Conflict Warnings

Elephant experts and conservationists have raised urgent concerns over repeated incursions by elephants into Udhagamandalam and the upper Nilgiris plateau, warning the movements could lead to sustained presence in human-dominated areas and increase the risk of conflict. At least five elephants, including a juvenile male that entered Doddabetta Peak and the town in recent weeks, have ventured into higher elevations, with two more reaching Ketti Palada on Wednesday morning and raiding crops.

B. Ramakrishnan, a member of the IUCN Asian Elephant Specialist Group, said the shift is unusual, as elephants historically avoided major settlements while moving toward Mukurthi National Park via established corridors. He cited potential causes including habitat disturbance in lowland areas, fodder shortages, wildfires, disrupted migration routes, and climate change, noting that a combination of factors is likely driving the behavioral shift.

N. Mohanraj, another wildlife expert, urged the Tamil Nadu Forest Department to promptly drive stray males away from Udhagamandalam to prevent the animals from establishing a foothold in the region. He warned that without intervention, successful forays by individual elephants could encourage others to follow, leading to increased crop raiding, reliance on garbage, and long-term risks for both human safety and elephant survival.

Ramakrishnan emphasized the need to profile and track the elephants involved to determine whether the same individuals are returning and to understand the underlying reasons for their altered movement patterns. Conservationists stress that degraded forests in the upper plateau offer little natural forage, making human settlements increasingly attractive to foraging animals. The Forest Department is expected to review mitigation strategies in the coming weeks.