A crucial meeting to address Human-Elephant conflict was held at Governor’s Camp, Liphayan, Wokha district on October 16. The meeting was organised by department of Forests in collaboration with Liphayan Beat and attended by 40 people including GBs and chairmen from 10 villages.
Members present at the meeting, discussed on how to find solutions to the destructive impact of elephants on the livelihoods of local farmers.
The village leaders highlighted how elephants have been destroying their farmlands, leaving them unable to harvest their paddy after years of hard labour. Many villagers reported losses running into lakhs of rupees due to plantations being trampled by wild elephants.
The villagers also voiced their concern stating that the situation has become so dire that elephants were now venturing dangerously close to the villages, despite deploying traditional methods to deter them, such as crackers.
In this connection, the villagers have urged the department to take swift action before the situation escalates. They also called for additional staff at the Liphayan Belt Forest Department office, highlighting that the current manpower, consists of only the ACF, was inadequate to manage the large-scale elephant conflict.
Efforts to address the crisis
To address the conflict, Wildlife Warden Tokaho Kinimi informed that state action plan has been drafted and submitted, and was awaiting approval. He emphasised that the plan aims to provide an amicable solution for all parties and calls for cooperation from the community. Additionally, he mentioned that the department was working on the development of an elephant corridor project to further mitigate the issue.
He also provided an overview of the elephant population and affected areas in the state. According to 2017 census, there are 446 elephants in Nagaland, with a new census scheduled soon to update this number. Kinimi said that the main conflict areas include Wokha, Mokokchung, Zunheboto, Longleng, and parts of Mon district. He explained that elephants were protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, which carries the highest punishment for those who kill them.
Kinimi pointed out that the reduction of elephant habitats from over 150 square kilometers to less than 50 square kilometers, primarily due to plantations and farming, has led the elephants to consume crops cultivated by local communities. Each elephant requires about 50 kilograms of food daily, and with shrinking habitats, they have begun to rely on human settlements for sustenance.
He acknowledged that the forest department lacked the resources to fully address the human-elephant conflict on its own. With 90 percent of the state’s land owned by the community, he urged landowners to actively contribute towards finding a solution. He emphasized the importance of collaboration between the department and local communities to foster coexistence, which would benefit everyone involved.
Forest department’s perspective and challenges
DFO Wokha, Suman W M Sivachar, acknowledged the severity of the human-elephant conflict but stressed that the department faces its own challenges. He explained that forest degradation along the Assam-Nagaland border in the 1970s and ‘80s disrupted the natural corridors elephants used for migration, trapping many in the Doyang Valley. Sivachar estimated that Wokha district alone now houses around 160 to 180 elephants.
He also addressed the issue of understaffing in the forest department, explaining that the state government was in the process of recruitment. He reassured the villagers that efforts are underway to strengthen the department’s resources to better manage the conflict.
Collective action needed for coexistence
ACF Bhandari, in-charge of Liphayan Beat, Elithung Odyuo, emphasized the need for collective action to resolve the crisis. He urged the villagers to cooperate with the department and work together toward a solution that benefits both humans and elephants. He assured them that the department was actively working to find a resolution.
In addition, the wildlife wing conducted training sessions for the villagers, demonstrating techniques to safely deter elephants during both the day and night. These efforts aim to equip the community with tools to manage the conflict until more permanent solutions can be implemented.
The meeting ended with a call for cooperation between the forest department and the local communities, highlighting the need for a harmonious coexistence with wildlife.