Status and distribution of population and potential breeding and foraging sites of Spot-billed Pelican Pelecanus philippensis in Tamil Nadu, India.

Abstract :

Nowadays the Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC) is a challenging issue faced by the managers for conserving elephant population in all its ranges.Understanding the mind sets of the local people is essential for implementing any mitigating mechanisms. The present study provides information regarding the people’s perception in and around the Coimbatore Forest Division in the Nilgiri Biosphere reserve of Western Ghats. 281 persons wore interviewed in and around Coimbatore Forest Division using questionnaire method, representing 77% of people (n=281) who live for many generations, 12% of people were belonged to second generation, and 11% of people were settled very recently. Among them, people who live for many generations experienced (82%) more crop damage by elephants. Among the forest ranges, peoples from Sirumugai (86%) and Karamadai (85%) forest ranges were severely affected by elephants, at least once during their life time. Respondent’s opinion on 1st elephant visit in their place revealed that frequent elephant visit during the year of 2001-2005, followed by 2006-2010 (25%), 1996-2000 (17%) and 2011-14 (15%).It was interesting to note that just 3% of people had experienced before 1995. The reasons attributed for the increased human-elephant conflict include revealed that less availability of elephant food plants inside the forest followed by water scarcity (29.2%), increase of elephant population (15.5%) and elephants’ preference on agricultural crops rather ce than the forest plants (13.9%). The suitable mitigating methods used by the local people against HEC ,were electric fence (34.8%) followed by Elephant Proof Trench (EPT) (28.6%), and just 1% of them responded for money compensation, use of kumkies, elephant driving squad and also for culling. Opinion on worth for conserving elephants revealed that most of them (87%) supported in favour of elephant conservation and only 13% not supported. About 80% of the respondents believed that elephants have the Right to live.