Human-wildlife conflict in Shahdol has intensified after a herd of 37 elephants moved from Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve into North Shahdol, joining 25 elephants already in the forest division and taking the total population there to 62. Forest officials are monitoring the herds across nearly one lakh hectares inhabited by approximately 3.5 lakh people.
The herd from Bandhavgarh moved into North Shahdol around October 15, according to the forest department. Elephants from the reserve have previously entered the division but usually returned within a day or so. The latest movement in the opposite direction has increased the challenge for officials managing animal movements through forests, villages and agricultural areas.
Taruna Verma, divisional forest officer of North Shahdol, told the Times of India that teams were maintaining constant vigil and taking measures according to established protocols. She said the department was coordinating with other agencies, including the electricity distribution company, to address risks associated with illegal power supply lines.
The electrical infrastructure has become a direct threat to the animals. An elephant calf was electrocuted in the same area on October 13 after coming into contact with an illegal line, highlighting the danger posed by unsafe installations along forest edges and farmland. Forest officials and electricity authorities are working to identify and remove such connections.
The concentration of elephants also raises risks for residents living close to forest boundaries. Encounters may occur when herds pass through villages, fields and forest settlements, while people approaching the animals or gathering to watch them could make the situation more difficult to control. Officials have advised residents not to approach elephants, form crowds around them or attempt to drive them away.
Forest department teams have increased surveillance and are tracking the herds to reduce the likelihood of encounters. The operation requires coordination between forest officials and the electricity distribution company because the animals’ route crosses a landscape where farms, settlements and power lines overlap.
The immediate task for authorities is to prevent human casualties while keeping the elephants away from hazardous electrical installations. Officials said surveillance and public cooperation would remain central to managing the herds as they continue moving through North Shahdol.
