Two trained kumki elephants deployed in Parvathipuram to tackle human-elephant conflict
Two trained kumki elephants, Jayanth and Abhimanyu, were flagged off to the Guchchimi Elephant Camp in Parvathipuram Manyam district on Friday as part of the
Two trained kumki elephants, Jayanth and Abhimanyu, were flagged off to the Guchchimi Elephant Camp in Parvathipuram Manyam district on Friday as part of the Andhra Pradesh government’s efforts to strengthen measures to mitigate human-elephant conflict in the region. Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Forests and Environment K. Pawan Kalyan received the elephants during their transit at the camp office in Mangalagiri. He showered flowers on them, fed them and flagged off the second leg of their journey to the Guchchimi camp.
The elephants are being relocated from the Musalamadugu Elephant Camp in Palamaner to strengthen the Forest Department’s response to the increasing incidents of human-elephant conflict in Parvathipuram Manyam district, particularly in areas along the Odisha border. Pawan Kalyan directed Forest Department officials to ensure the safe transportation of the elephants and instructed them to take all necessary measures to help the animals acclimatise to the local conditions under expert supervision after they reach the camp.
He said the services of Jayanth and Abhimanyu would play a key role in mitigating human-elephant conflict in and around Parvathipuram by assisting forest personnel in driving wild elephant herds away from human habitations and back into forest areas. The initiative reflected the coalition government’s commitment to protecting lives, safeguarding farmers’ crops and conserving wildlife through scientific and humane methods, he said. Forest Department officials said herds of wild elephants frequently stray into Parvathipuram Manyam district from Odisha, damaging crops and property.
The deployment of the trained kumki elephants is part of a strategy to minimise such conflicts and improve the management of wild elephant movement. Jayanth and Abhimanyu have earlier been deployed in several operations in the Palamaner and Chittoor regions, where they helped forest personnel guide wild elephant herds away from human habitations and back into forest areas.
The BriefWire