Guwahati: In a bid to address the escalating issue of human-elephant conflict (HEC) in Assam, the conservation organization Aaranyak, in partnership with the SBI Foundation, conducted a community awareness programme in Jartaluk village of Tamulpur district.“This effort is focused on developing coexistence strategies that are community-driven and sustainable,” stated a representative from Aaranyak.
The event, held earlier this week, witnessed enthusiastic involvement from over 60 locals representing six nearby villages.The Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Baksa Forest Division and the Range Officer of Batabari Range were also present, emphasizing the critical need for collaboration between local communities and the forest department in resolving HEC issues. The programme aimed to enhance public knowledge about elephant biology including their behavioural patterns, habitat preferences, and the environmental stressors like deforestation and food shortages that push elephants into human-dominated landscapes. Villagers recounted personal experiences of crop damage and property loss, underscoring the demand for realistic, community-centric interventions.
To bolster local readiness, Aaranyak’s team demonstrated basic, cost-effective mitigation techniques. Seven high-intensity torchlights were handed out to community volunteers in Jartaluk to assist in night patrols, a measure expected to boost both human security and effective elephant monitoring.
The session was led by Aaranyak members Rabiya Daimari, Abhijit Saikia, Abhilasha Boruah, Bistirna Burhagohain, Jiban Chetry, Jaugashar Basumatary, and Rupam Gayari.
Given Assam’s status as one of the primary hotspots for human-elephant conflict in India, such initiatives are being regarded as vital steps toward building safer human settlements while safeguarding elephants a keystone species essential to the region’s ecological balance.
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