Karnataka turns to radio collars to address a jumbo issue

A tech-based solution is helping to reduce human-animal conflicts in Karnataka.

Using radio collars, the Forest Department is tracking the movement of elephants and warning people when the animals approach human habitations.

Out of the 25 elephants that have been radio-collared so far, a majority are in Hassan and Kodagu districts, where human-animal conflicts are regularly reported. In Hassan alone, three elephants have been radio-tagged this year. The department plans to tag more elephants in a few districts to address such cases.

Since 1990, radio-collaring or radio-tagging has been instrumental in tracking and researching tigers, leopards, wolves, wild boars, gaur and king cobras in the state.

“Radio-tagging gives us a chance to continuously monitor the movement of animals. As soon as they come close to a human habitation, we can alert people through bulk SMS services and other means,” said Raj Kishore Singh, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest.

The department has also created a WhatsApp group with officials and villagers to share messages in Kannada. Currently, the Forest Department is radio-tagging elephant herds in Hassan, Kodagu and Chikkamagaluru districts.

Officials estimate that there are more than 300 elephants in areas surrounding human habitations in these three districts.

Fragmentation of forest patches and extension of cultivation areas towards forest borders have resulted in elephant-human conflicts in these areas.

As per the 2017 census, Karnataka has 6,049 wild elephants. Stray elephants and herds often raid farms, causing damage to property and posing a threat to lives. While lone tuskers are collared and tracked individually, tagging the matriarch elephant allows officials to track an entire herd.

“We are constantly monitoring radio-tagged elephants through signals received via satellite. We will tag more after the monsoon,” said Hassan Deputy Conservator of Forests Basavaraja K N.

Kali Tiger Reserve Field Director Christu Maria Raj, who used radio collar on elephants in Virajpet division for the first time in Karnataka, said, “It helped us win the trust of people and get their cooperation in preventing conflicts.”

Majority of experts and officials vouch for radio-tagging to mitigate human-animal conflict, but some maintain that it is a double-edged sword. A senior official says if information is leaked, it can cause harm to the tagged animal.

Some officials believe it is impossible to tag all ‘trouble-making’ animals given the vast forest area in the state.

The effectiveness of radio-collaring in mitigating human-animal conflict is dependent on the context, site and species. “Mere technology cannot mitigate conflicts. Radio-collaring should be used as one of many tools available to reduce conflicts,” says wildlife biologist Sanjay Gubbi.

What is a radio collar?

* A radio collar is a small, GPS-equipped band fitted on wildlife to track their movements and habits. For mammals, it is loosely tied to the neck. In reptiles, it is inserted into the skin

* A radio collar for an elephant costs Rs 2.5 to Rs 4 lakh. Battery lasts for 3 years but might lose signal due to poor connectivity

* Currently, of the 25 elephants with tag, 23 are sending signals; 2 require minor repair