Disturbance to elephant habitat along Kotagiri-Mettupalayam Road causing aggression among elephants in the Nilgiris: Conservationists

The recent aggression of an elephant which damaged a car along the Kotagiri to Mettupalayam Road could be due to electric fencing, vehicular traffic, barricades and new buildings restricting their movement, allege activists.

A recent video shared on social media of an elephant attacking and damaging a car along the Kotagiri to Mettupalayam Road could be due to numerous disturbances to elephant habitats, including electric fencing, vehicular traffic and barricades along the highway hindering elephants’ access to habitats in the region, feel conservationists.

The video showed a young tusker destroying a car parked by the side of the road along the stretch near Mel Thattapalam. The tusker is known to have damaged buses along the same route in the past.

A visit to the area shows crucial crossing points for the elephants are hindered by buildings, electric fencing and barricades that have been erected along the Kotagiri slopes, with conservationists stating that these hindrances could be leading to more aggression by the elephants. They state that new buildings coming up along the stretch could further restrict elephant movement.

According to local conservationists, two tuskers use the habitat, apart from multiple herds that pass through the region.

N. Mohanraj, a Nilgiris-based conservationist, said traffic along the route could be provoking the elephants into being more aggressive. “The constant use of horns as well as the growling of the engines when elephants are unable to cross could provoke them into attacking cars,” said Mr. Mohanraj. He added that studies should be conducted as to which habitats are used by elephants along the stretch, so that crossing paths can be facilitated to minimize stress on the animals.

The stretch is also witnessing a boom in the construction of cottages and residential buildings, allege local activists, further pressuring elephants’ habitats. A. Bhoopathy, an environmental activist from Kotagiri said that the stretch between Mel Thattapalam and Kil Thattapalam has a mixture of abandoned tea estates, agricultural fields and forest areas. “While some of the estates are still functional, others are being sold to make way for buildings for residential and commercial purposes. This will lead to more problems for elephants utilizing the area,” said Mr. Bhoopathy, urging the district administration to not give permits for new buildings along the stretch.