Fatal wild elephant attacks in Kerala raise fresh concerns over human-wildlife conflict management

Back-to-back fatal wild elephant attacks in Kerala have re-ignited public concern about the effectiveness of the Forest department’s measures to address the increasing occurrence of human-wildlife conflict

Two back-to-back fatal wild elephant attacks in the Idukki and Wayanad districts in Kerala have re-ignited public concern about the effectiveness of the Forest department’s measures to address the increasing occurrence of human-wildlife conflict in rural localities with large settler-farmer and plantation worker populations.

The Kerala government also faced public ire after a wild elephant fatally trampled Kappad Unnathil Manu, a farmer, at Noolpuzha in Wayanad on Monday (February 10, 2025). His body was found on Tuesday morning. Another rampaging wild elephant gored Sofia Ismail, a plantation worker, to death at Kompanpara near Peruvanthanam in Idukki on Monday. 

Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan has blamed the government for their deaths. He alleged that the Forest department failed to track the wild elephants, alert citizens, and turn the wild animals back into the forests. 

He noted that rural populations in the State, mainly settler-farmers and plantation workers, were increasingly at risk from wildlife, including predatory animals, foraying into human habitations for easy forage and prey. Wildlife raids on farmlands have dealt a death blow to the State’s rural agrarian economy and created an atmosphere of pervading fear in agricultural communities, he said.

“Nevertheless, the government seemed to care less. The administration has abandoned the rural population, primarily smallholders, to their plight,” Mr. Satheesan said.

Mr. Satheesan characterised the Budget allocation for human-wildlife conflict (HWC) mitigation as “belated and deficient.” He alleged that the government has not maintained moats, fences, and other monitoring systems since 2021, rendering the defences ineffective.

He said the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) Opposition would mobilise the beleaguered rural community against the State’s apathy.