In safe haven?

Siliguri, May 17: The elephant census conducted last year has revealed that the number of animals in north Bengal has increased by around 200 which foresters said is mainly because of increased vigilance that has reduced poaching. The officials are, however, apprehensive that an increase in jumbo population may result in frequent animal raids in the fringe villages.

“According to the data obtained during the census carried out after a gap of two years in 2010, we can say that elephant population in north Bengal stands at 529 now which is obviously higher than the previous recorded population (in the 2008 census) of 350. We could successfully conserve elephants mainly because poaching is not a threat here. The main cause of concern now is the death of elephants on the Dooars tracks,” the principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife), S.B. Mondal, told The Telegraph over the phone from Calcutta.

According to foresters, around 30 elephants have been killed in the Dooars since the narrow gauge railway track was converted to broad gauge in 2002.

“The most devastating accident occurred on September 22 last year when seven elephants were mowed down by a goods train. There were also other incidents of elephant deaths because of poisoning and firing in the Nepal border. It is good that despite these odds the population has increased. We are, however, concerned as rise in elephant population means demand for more fodder. If the elephants do not get ample fodder within the corridor, they will enter the nearby agricultural fields, hamlets and tea estates, leading to a rise in the man-elephant conflict,” said Animesh Bose, programme co-ordinator of the Siliguri-based NGO Himalayan Nature and Adventure Foundation.

In north Bengal, the elephant corridor stretches from Naxalbari along the Mechi river near the Indo-Nepal border to Sankosh on the Bengal-Assam border. The stretch covers several reserve forests, national parks and sanctuaries.

“We are there to extend all possible co-operation and create awareness among people living in proximity to the elephant corridor,” said Sujit Das, a member of Nature and Adventure Society of Odalbari in the Dooars. He added that the department has to ensure that the elephants remain within the forests and do not stray into nearby human habitation in search of food.

“The key responsibility lies with the department. It is important to draft an appropriate plan to cater to the increased elephant population and ensure that the animals are retained within the forests and do not cause depredation in human habitats. The department should consider proposals to expand forest areas, develop fresh grazing grounds, discourage entry of cattle in forests and improve the corridor that is shrinking because of mushrooming of human settlement. Otherwise things might turn ugly with human and elephant casualties added to the loss of property increasing everyday,” he said.