Karnataka forest department signs MoU with IISc, to fund Rs 5 crore project to check elephant conflict

Bengaluru: The Karnataka forest department signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) to implement a five-year collaborative project for landscape-scale management of elephant habitats and corridors to reduce conflict.

Described as a landmark step, the project titled 'Landscape-Level Management of the Asian Elephant in the Mysore Elephant Reserve' seeks to bring the approach of science-based conservation of the Asian elephant. The Forest Department will spend Rs 4.74 crore on the five year project (2025–2029).

Noting that Karnataka is home to 6,395 wild elephants, the department on Tuesday said fragmentation of habitats, changing land-use patterns and increased proximity between humans and elephants have contributed to an increase in conflicts, resulting in loss of human life, crop damage, and retaliatory action.

Speaking on the occasion, Eshwar Khandre said the studies and project would not end the conflicts but would reduce them significantly.

The project seeks to link cutting-edge ecological research with field implementation.

Strengthening habitat connectivity by mapping elephant corridors and evaluating barriers to movement, monitoring demographic and physiological health, understanding behaviour and conflict propensity, predictive modelling of conflict hotspots and developing a 10-Year strategic management plan are some of the major features of the project.

The project will be implemented across over 15 forest divisions and protected areas in southern Karnataka, including tiger reserves, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and human-dominated agricultural landscapes.

Research activities will be jointly undertaken by IISc’s Centre for Ecological Sciences, along with partner institutions: Asian Nature Conservation Foundation (ANCF), Foundation for Ecological Research, Advocacy and Learning (FERAL) and National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS).