Guwahati: Assam’s elephants are dying — and so are the people who live alongside them.
A new government-backed study, Elephant Human Conflict in the State of Assam (2000–2023): Trends, Challenges and Insights by the Wildlife Institute of India and Project Elephant, reveals that between 2000 and 2023, 1,209 elephants died in Assam, over half due to direct human causes. During the same period, human-elephant conflict claimed 1,468 human lives and left 337 injured, making Assam one of the most dangerous hotspots for such encounters globally.
The report, based on 23 years of forest department records and land-use analysis across 21 forest divisions, paints a grim picture. Habitat loss, rapid agricultural expansion, and infrastructure growth are driving elephants and humans into increasingly perilous proximity.
A significant 12.7% forest cover was lost during the study period, while urban areas expanded by 5.23%. “The rise in conflicts is directly tied to deforestation, expanding human settlements, and the lure of high-energy crops like paddy,” the report states. With their traditional corridors degraded or blocked, elephants are forced to traverse farmland and villages — particularly during the harvest season — where they encounter both food and fatal risks.
Fatal Encounters in Fragmented Landscapes
Electrocution emerged as the leading cause of elephant deaths, accounting for 209 fatalities. The report highlights illegal electric fencing and poorly maintained power lines as primary culprits, with adult males — crucial for gene flow and herd health — being disproportionately affected.
Other causes include accidental deaths (127), trench and canal falls (97), train collisions (67), poisoning (62), poaching (55), retaliatory killings (5), and vehicle collisions (4). High-risk districts include Nagaon, Sonitpur, Dhansiri, and Karbi Anglong East. Fatalities peak in the post-monsoon season, when elephants frequently move into human-dominated landscapes in search of food and water.
Elephant mortalities were recorded in 217 villages, with the highest numbers reported from Behroni (27 deaths), Digboi (26), Natum Salona Tea Estate (25), Ambari Tea Estate (20), Golampatty (18), and Nagaon (16). These areas often lie near fragmented forests, railway lines, and farmland — key drivers of conflict.
The report classifies Assam’s landscape into regions of varying vulnerability. Northern and Eastern Assam are highly fragmented, with dense human activity and poor forest connectivity. Central Assam is moderately fragmented, with a few remaining contiguous forest patches. Southern Assam retains better forest connectivity due to traditional land-use like jhum cultivation, though this too is under growing threat.
The conflict has taken a heavy toll on humans, especially men guarding fields or living near forest edges.
Fatal encounters spike during monsoon and post-monsoon months, when elephants venture into croplands. Sonitpur West reported the highest human casualties (110 deaths, 92 injuries), followed by Goalpara (175 deaths), Udalguri (168 deaths, 34 injuries), Sonitpur East (156 deaths, 21 injuries), and Golaghat (110 deaths, 92 injuries). Goalpara alone reported conflict in 80 villages. “Encroachment into elephant ranges and corridor disruption has forced elephants to alter migratory routes, pushing them into human settlements,” the report states.
Linear infrastructure like roads, railways, and irrigation canals now cut across ancient migratory paths. One of the most deadly examples is the Habaipur–Diphu railway stretch. Electrocution fences installed by farmers further compound the risk. A village-level analysis reveals that high-conflict villages typically have smaller forest patches, lower road and water density, and negligible built-up areas. Medium-conflict villages show higher tea garden presence and moderate built-up infrastructure, while non-conflict areas benefit from better connectivity, higher water density, and larger continuous forest blocks.
Charting a Path Toward Coexistence
The study recommends a multi-pronged strategy to reduce conflict and safeguard both human and elephant populations. It calls for robust community engagement through awareness campaigns, cooperative conflict resolution, and fair compensation for crop loss to reduce retaliatory actions. On the infrastructure front, it stresses proper maintenance of power lines and the construction of dedicated wildlife crossings — including overpasses and underpasses — along key railway and road networks.
To address root causes, the report urges habitat restoration through securing and reconnecting elephant corridors, especially in high-risk zones like Sonitpur, Goalpara, Udalguri, and Karbi Anglong. It also advocates for the deployment of technology, including AI-powered early warning systems, real-time GPS tracking, and the promotion of buffer zones with unpalatable crops to deter crop raids. Stronger policy action is needed as well, with enforcement of land-use regulations in elephant corridors and legal measures to ensure power infrastructure safety.
“Human-elephant conflict in Assam is a deeply complex issue. Only through integrated conservation efforts, science-led planning, and strong community participation can coexistence be achieved,” the report concludes.
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