Guwahati: A major new study on human–elephant conflict in Assam has found that organised crop-guarding squads may be linked to an increase in elephant deaths, raising serious questions about current conflict mitigation strategies.
The research, published in Conservation Biology, analysed 20 years of data (1999–2018) from Sonitpur district — one of India’s worst human–elephant conflict zones.
Human–elephant conflict (HEC) frequently results in human and elephant mortality, posing major social justice and conservation concerns across Asia and Africa. Although a variety of interventions have been introduced to mitigate HEC, rigorous evaluations of how they affect mortality are practically non-existent. Using a 20-year dataset from Sonitpur district in Assam, India, the study examined whether organised guarding and short-distance drives — which are used to manage HEC in several countries globally — led to a reduction in human and elephant mortality from conflict, as intended.
The study was led by Nitin Sekar along with Tanay Bhatt, Arpit Deomurari, Sanchaya Sharma, Poonam Kumari, Athisii Kayina and E. Somanathan. It examined the impact of “antidepredation squads” (ADS) — community groups trained to chase elephants away using lights, noise and coordinated drives.
These squads were introduced in Assam from 2003 onwards with the aim of reducing crop damage, preventing human deaths and curbing retaliatory killing of elephants. However, the findings suggest the outcomes may be more complex.
Between 1999 and 2018, Sonitpur recorded 291 human deaths and 164 elephant deaths due to conflict. Of these, 78 per cent of human deaths and 66 per cent of elephant deaths occurred in villages directly exposed to elephants.
The researchers compared villages before and after the introduction of antidepredation squads. After controlling for land-use change, population growth and habitat loss, they found no clear evidence that the squads reduced human deaths. At the same time, they recorded a statistically significant increase in elephant deaths in villages where squads were active.
Villages with active squads experienced about 2.0–2.9 times more elephant deaths per year compared to periods when they did not have squads. The increase was largely linked to what the study describes as “potentially accidental” deaths — elephants falling into trenches, being electrocuted or being hit by trains. The authors suggest that elephants chased during night drives may panic or move more erratically, increasing their exposure to hazards.
The study also examined whether elephants were more likely to be killed after a human death in the same village. It found no strong evidence of retaliatory killing immediately following human fatalities. At the same time, researchers observed that loss of elephant habitat was associated with higher elephant mortality, reinforcing earlier findings that shrinking forests intensify conflict.
Antidepredation squads have been widely promoted in Assam and elsewhere as a low-cost, community-driven solution and are often viewed as a way to empower villagers while protecting crops. However, the study cautions that interventions must be rigorously evaluated, particularly when both human and animal lives are at stake.
The researchers note that they did not have data on crop damage, meaning the squads may still be effective in reducing agricultural losses. If so, the findings suggest a possible trade-off: better crop protection at the cost of higher elephant mortality.
The authors call for systematic evaluation of all human–wildlife conflict interventions and recommend exploring alternatives such as better-designed electric fencing and other non-lethal deterrents.
The study is among the first long-term, large-scale assessments of whether conflict mitigation efforts actually reduce deaths, and its findings could reshape how Assam and other elephant-range states approach human–elephant conflict in the future.
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