The menace of wild elephants continues to trouble residents and plantation owners in Karnataka’s Malnad region, and there is a fresh incident from Kesuvina Haklu village in Chikkamagaluru taluk. Three wild elephants have entered private plantations to damage coffee, arecanut, and banana crops and cause panic among estate workers.
The incident was during the monsoon season, when elephant migration from nearby forests to agricultural land usually increases. The elephants moved from one plantation to another in the area and caused extensive damage before forest officials went to the scene, residents said.
Crops Damaged Across Plantations
According to villagers, the elephants broke through fencing around the plantations and entered the estates looking for food. The herd destroyed coffee plants, ripped down banana trees and destroyed parts of arecanut plantations, causing huge losses to farmers.
The owners of plantations were also worried about the recurring wildlife intrusion, and that such incidents have become more and more frequent during the rainy season.
Workers Fear for Their Safety
The elephant movement has heightened anxiety among labourers who travel to the plantations every day for work. Estate workers are now afraid to enter the plantations early in the morning or during the evening hours because of the possibility of encountering wild elephants.
People living in the affected villages and around them have been warned to stay alert and stay away from plantation areas until the elephants return to the forest, the residents said.
Forest Department Launches Operation
Aldur Range Forest Department officials visited the area soon after they learned about the elephant movement. Animals were tracked, and the herd was driven back into the forest for a longer period of time without any harm to the elephants or residents.
Forest personnel are also advising villagers to avoid provoking the animals and to immediately report any fresh sightings.
Locals Demand Permanent Solution
Villagers and plantation owners have been advocating to the Forest Department for long-term measures to curb human-elephant conflict in the region. So much so that they have asked for stronger fencing, increased surveillance and rapid-response teams to avoid crop damage over time and to keep the public safe.
Many residents say elephant incursions have become a big problem affecting both livelihoods and daily life in the coffee-growing belt of Chikkamagaluru.
Public Advisory
The public is to remain alert and obey safety instructions issued by the Forest Department. People should not approach the elephants, try to chase them away, or gather in large numbers near the plantations.
Forest officials are on the job to return the herd safely to its natural habitat and at the same time keep an eye on it.
