Wildlife: Habitat Loss Pushes Chhattisgarh Elephants Into Madhya Pradesh

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Rapid development activities in Chhattisgarh are disturbing elephant habitats, forcing the animals to move towards Madhya Pradesh in search of suitable forest areas. Earlier, elephants were seasonal visitors to the state's border areas, but they are now settling there permanently.

Agreeing that development activities in the neighbouring state are forcing elephants to move into Madhya Pradesh, North Shahdol divisional forest officer Taruna Verma told Free Press that the West Biohari area has had a permanent presence of several elephants for the past one-and-a-half years, and they are now giving birth to calves.

At least 20 elephants arrived around one-and-a-half years ago. With the birth of five calves, the total elephant population in the area has increased to 25. After Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, which is home to around 70 elephants, North Shahdol has become the second-largest permanent habitat for elephants that migrated from Chhattisgarh.

Verma said the West Biohari forest has all the features suitable for elephant habitat, including dense bamboo cover and an adequate availability of water. However, the presence of such a large number of elephants has also posed a major challenge. Elephants are attracted to aromatic cereals and mahua stored in kuccha houses and, driven by hunger, can even damage such structures. Therefore, residents living in kuccha houses are being encouraged to shift to pucca houses.

Forest teams have been deployed to track elephant movements, which generally remain confined to forest areas with adequate food and water. Only one elephant, identified as a visitor from Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, has been found involved in damaging kuccha houses in villages.