PEOPLE’S ATTITUDE ON HUMAN ELEPHANT CONFLICT ISSUES (HEC)
IN THE COIMBATORE FOREST DIVISION, TAMIL NADU

Perumalsamy. P* and Ezhilarasi. N
Page No. 13-21

People’s attitude on Human Elephant Conflict in Coimbatore Forest Division (CFD), Tamil Nadu.
The study was carried out from April 2016 to July 2016. Totally one hundred and ninety two
personnel were interviewed in the seven forest ranges. Among the ranges Bolampatty Range
attributed the highest number of personnel (n=45, 23.44%). The study has recorded a large number
of respondents were farmers (n=73, 38%). The study recorded about 61.98% of them (n=119) were
opined that the crop damage caused by elephants was experienced as at least once in their life time.
Out of one hundred and ninety two personnel 56.77% of them (n=109) were living in and around
the CFD for many generations. Among the forest ranges, Bolampatty Range (86.7%) had
experienced crop damage by elephants at least once in their life time. one hundred and eighteen
(61.46%) of them had good knowledge on elephants. Similarly people's opinion on elephants and its
conservation result revealed that one hundred and thiry nine (72.40%) of them had a bad
impression on elephants and its conservation. The present stuady has revealed that most (46.84%,
n=89) of them had experienced atleast 1 to 5 elephants visited every year to their villages. The
study shows that the maximum number of respondents opined that (47.4%, n=91) the elephants had
come to their villages mainly to raid crops followed by to drink water (26.6%, n=51). Further that
study found a large number of respondents (30.21%, n=58) opined that less availability of elephant
fodder plants inside the forest was the major reason for ever increasing HEC in the division. Out of
one hundred and ninety two persons interviewed during the study period, most of them were
suggested that the well maintained Elephant Proof Trench (EPT) (20.31%, n=39) seemed to be the
best method to mitigate ever increased HEC. Considerable number (15.10%, n=29) of personnel
had opined that capturing the problematic elephants also control HEC.
Keywords : People’s attitude, Human elephant conflict, Coimbatore Forest Division