DK Forest Corridors Becoming Human-Wildlife Conflict Zones

Once part of a seamless migratory route for elephants, the forest corridors of Dakshina Kannada are now turning into flashpoints of human-wildlife conflict, thanks to unscientific and unchecked infrastructure development in critical wildlife habitats.

- Vincent D'Souza @Mangaluru

Forest officials and conservationists have raised concerns over the increasing fragmentation of elephant corridors in the Western Ghats region, especially over the past five years. The growing conflict, according to them, is a direct result of road-widening projects and elevation changes that block natural movement of elephants through the dense forest ranges of Mudigere, Kudremukh, Bisle Ghat, and Pushpagiri wildlife sanctuaries.

"Elephants entering human habitats is not new to this region. But the frequency and intensity have increased because some major development projects now cut across traditional elephant pathways," Dakshina Kannada DCF Anthony Mariappa said.

He said the project to widen Bengaluru-Mangaluru highway (NH-75) alone led to diversion of 83 acres of forest land in Dakshina Kannada.