Page 23 - Demo

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Impacts of early warning systems
on the occurrence of human-elephant conflict incidents
Human death incidents gradually declined from the average of three persons/ year between 1994-2002 to an average of less than one person between 2017- 2020. Over a long term, the average number of human death incidents remained one person per year for the past 15 years (2003-2020). This is the seventh consecu- tive year where accidental deaths due to elephants remained nil.
Proactive steps involving stakeholders aided by early warning systems have cre- ated a win-win situation for elephants and people as property damage by ele- phants continued to be less than 50% for the past several years as compared to 2011 (150 damages).
Valparai plateau is one of few places where human-elephant conflict has been minimal and a model landscape for many other interface areas of people and elephants in India.
The study suggests a shift from reactive measures of ‘problem-animal approach’ to a pro-active ‘problem-location approach’ with sustained participation by stake- holders which could pave the way for coexistence in modified landscapes.
Photo Credits: M. Ananda Kumar