Wild elephants on rampage for two months, damage crops in villages near Pilibhit Tiger Reserve

Locals said that elephants have also broken the protective fencing of the tiger reserve, worsening the situation.

Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh: Two elephants in the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve have been causing extensive damage to wheat crop in the surrounding villages for the last two months, posing a challenge to authorities and locals, an officer said.

The forest department has so far been unable to drive them away, he said.

Mala Range officer Robin Singh said the forest teams rush to the affected areas on receiving reports of crop damage and chase the elephants back into the jungle. However, controlling them has become a major challenge for the department.

Villagers said the elephants enter the farmlands at night, damaging standing wheat crop in areas, including Sirsa Sardaha village. Farmers are forced to stay awake and make noise to scare them away, they said.

The elephants have also broken the protective fencing of the tiger reserve, worsening the situation, locals said.