Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The footprints of elephants are increasing in eastern parts of Madhya Pradesh like Shahdol, Sidhi, Mandla and Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve. The state has nearly 97 elephants and of them, Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve alone has 70 elephants.
Their movement towards villages poses risk of human-elephant conflict and on a couple of occasions, elephants have killed villagers in the last few years.
To prevent human-elephant conflict and to moot other mitigating measures, a specialist team of the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has started three-year research in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve.
“Bandhavgarh alone has around 60-70 elephants. If the elephants residing in areas of Shahdol and Sidhi are calculated, then the count of elephants reaches around 97,” Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve field director Anupam Sahay said.
He added that research was being done to identify the elephant corridors and to pinpoint areas of conflict between elephants and humans.
The study will focus on elephant corridors in Eco Centre Tala area of Bandhavgarh and Sanjay Tiger Reserve (Sidhi).
This study may also prove helpful in implementing elephant conservation measures in other eastern parts of the state, particularly in Mandla, Sidhi and Shahdol. The herds of elephants are also often spotted in these regions.
Recently, experts had gathered in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve and gave a presentation on "Elephant Corridors, habitat utilisation and conflict hotspots in Bandhavgarh region".
The discussion remained centred on main routes used by elephants and corridors, nature of using the habitat and more precisely to develop coexistence behaviour with elephants.
Elephant cubs leave herd as sub-adults
When the elephant cub becomes sub-adult after eight to 12 years, it leaves the herd. This way, the separated elephants form another herd.
Killing people
In the last few years, human-elephant conflict has been noticed in Bandhavgarh, Sidhi, Mandla and Shahdol.
The elephants, which came from Chhattisgarh are staying for longer periods in these areas and posing risk to villagers.
Elephants have killed people in Bandhavgarh, Sidhi and Shahdol as well. In May, two wild elephants killed three villagers in Beohari forest range of Shahdol district in May 2025.
Three wild elephants killed two people near Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve. The instance of elephants entering into fields and damaging makeshift huts in villages.
