Staff Reporter
Guwahati: It is a matter of great concern that the human-animal conflict in Assam has taken a heavy toll on human lives, with as many as 1147 lives lost in the past decade. From 2016 onwards, the human death toll in the conflict has shown a rising trend, with the highest toll in 2025, when 138 lives were lost. It is worth noting that, until now, 53 people have lost their lives this year.
Significantly, Assam is one of the hotspots for human-elephant conflict. Environmental experts attribute this phenomenon to the loss of habitat and accompanying food scarcity that has forced elephants, with huge appetites, to venture into human habitations. Elephants destroy standing crops and houses while foraging for food. This results in conflict between people and the pachyderms.
The scenario is such that depredation by elephants is spreading day by day, and the jumbos are venturing into new areas in search of fodder. For instance, Mirza in the Kamrup district had not witnessed wild elephants near human habitations. But, of late, the giant pachyderms have been venturing into these areas, causing destruction of houses, granaries, boundary walls and standing crops.
As per available statistics, the year-wise human deaths from human-animal conflict are as follows: 98 people perished in 2016, 99 in 2017, 115 in 2018, 109 in 2019, 89 in 2020, 108 in 2021, 112 in 2022, 116 in 2023, 110 in 2024, 138 in 2025, and 53 people have already lost their lives this year. In 2025, the highest number of deaths, 25, occurred in Baksa Forest Division, followed by 14 in Goalpara Forest Division. This year, the highest number of deaths was also reported from Baksa Forest Division, where 11 people died.
In the period from 2016 to 2026, Goalpara Forest Division alone accounted for 195 human deaths in conflicts with animals, particularly elephants.
Also Read: Iran claims major drone, missile barrage on US military facilities in Gulf states