International Research Journal of Biological Sciences ___________________________________ ISSN 2278-3202Vol. 3(8), 1-11, August (2014) Int. Res. J. Biological Sci. International Science Congress Association 1 Crop Damage by Asian Elephants Elephas maximus and Effectiveness of Mitigating Measures in Coimbatore Forest Division, South IndiaKalyanasundaram Ramkumar1*, Balasundaram Ramakrishnan and R.Saravanamuthu1 Department of Botany, A.V.C. College, Mannampandal, Tamil Nadu– 609 305, INDIA Department of Zoology and Wildlife Biology, Government Arts College, Udhagamandalam, Tamil Nadu, INDIAAvailable online at: www.isca.in, www.isca.me Received 24th January 2014, revised 5th March 2014, accepted 2nd April 2014Abstract A short term study on crop damage by elephants and effectiveness of mitigating measures was carried out from November 2008-April 2009 in Coimbatore Forest Division, Tamilnadu, South India. Totally 438 persons were interviewed from the forest fringe villages of six forest ranges of the Coimbatore Forest Division. This study revealed that 32 Grama Panchayaths were affected by elephant crop raids. Total frequency of elephant’s attempt to raid the crop fields (n=438) were recorded as 2124. Crop raiding attempts and success was highest in Odanthurai panchayath. Lowest attempts were recorded in Madukarai panchayath. Totally 31 crop species were recorded during the study period, of which 24 species were raided by elephants at various intensities. Banana (Musa paradisia) (139.49 acres), Sorghum (Sorghum vulgare) (122.35 acres), Areca nut (Areca catechu) (18993 trees), Coconut (Cocus nucifera) (4701 trees) were the most raided crops by elephants. Crops such as Marigold (Tagetus erecta), Sappota (Pouteria sapota) Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum), Millet (Panicum sp.), Jatropha (Jatropha curcas L.) and Brinjal (Solanum melongeana L.) were not raided by elephants. Totally eight different mitigating measures were used by the local people to prevent the elephants. Among the methods elephant proof trench only found to be the most successful mitigating measure. This present study revealed that family herds were highly responsible for crop damage (66 – 75 %) than solitary males (25 – 34 %). Keywords: Crop raid, elephants, mitigation measures, Coimbatore, economic loss. IntroductionThe asian elephant (Elephas maximus) is a highly endangered and keystonespecies categorized under Schedule I and Part I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972. The Asian Elephant is once found throughout the Asia and is now restricted to few localities in the Indian Subcontinent due to various reasons. Of late, management of human–elephant conflict is one of the important challenges to the wildlife researchers, conservationists and forest managers. The major reason for human-elephant conflict could be due to invasion of agriculture fields on the forest fringe areas and various developmental activities in forest region2,3. Across its home range various anthropogenic pressures led to loss habitat quality, which forced elephants to extend their traditional range and raid crops to meet out their daily requirements. During such forays elephants invade into human properties and confrontations become inevitable. Fragmentation of habitat leading to trapping of elephants in isolated patches with cultivation all around are mentioned as the factors responsible for crop raiding in South India. Further, factors such as degradation of habitat, competition for water, movement pattern, palatability and nutritive value of crops also led to crop depredation4-7. The Coimbatore Forest Division has a sizeable elephant population and viable habitat. More than 20% of the area of the reserve forest serving as viable corridor for the movement of elephants between Silent Valley National Park (Western Ghats, Kerala) and Eastern Ghats and vice-versa. Apart from ecological factors there are several developmental activities reasoned for human-elephant conflict issues in and around the Coimbatore Forest Division. Due to these obstacles human elephant conflict incidents are notably on the increasing trend. Over the past few decades many developmental and destructive activities of humans have severely fragmented the forests. Of which, the Asian elephants, as they require large areas of natural range than other mammalian species in tropical Asia, are one of the main animal to suffer the consequences of developmental activities. There is a big question arises now that in future how best elephant and human beings can live in a human induced environment like Coimbatore Forest Division. Unlike the Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks in the Western Ghats the Coimbatore Forest Division gets less attention in dealing with the human-elephant conflict issues and its mitigation measures though it is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (NBR) and is also part of the Elephant Reserve No.8. The Coimbatore Forest Division shares its boundary at the length of about 350 km between human habitations and farm lands. Therefore the villages adjoining the reserve forest boundary are more prone to elephants’ visits. The movement of elephants in this division is mostly restricted to foot hills due to escarpment of steep slope on the west and human habitations on the east. Therefore human-elephant conflict is higher level