Kerala is preparing government veterinarians for human-elephant conflict by introducing specialised training in wild elephant behaviour, healthcare and emergency response across the state’s high ranges and forest-fringe areas.
The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) will conduct the programme in two batches after the state permitted it to spend Rs 4.75 lakh on the initiative. Veterinarians from the animal husbandry department will be deputed at the forest department’s request.
The training follows Kerala’s decision to declare human-wildlife conflict a state-specific disaster. It is intended to improve how veterinary teams respond when elephants enter areas where fragmented forests meet settlements, roads and other human-use spaces.
According to the programme details reported by Times of India – Kochi, the sessions will combine theory and practical instruction. They will cover elephant behaviour, wildlife healthcare, animal management, the handling of violent animals and crisis situations, the use of tranquillisers and rescue equipment, applicable legal provisions, and coordination between departments during disaster response.
The move addresses a gap in the existing preparation of government veterinary staff. Veterinarians deputed from animal husbandry currently gain exposure to wildlife behaviour and related issues largely through field experience while assisting senior veterinary doctors. Their regular work, however, is primarily focused on domesticated animals.
“Our veterinary doctors are familiar with the treatment and handling of domesticated cattle, dogs and cats only. They are not exposed to wildlife care. Animal husbandry also submitted to us a proposal for training in this regard,” a KSDMA official said, according to the report.
A senior veterinary doctor with experience in wildlife care described the lack of comprehensive training as a major shortcoming at a time when the forest department is facing mounting conflicts. The doctor also said wildlife was not studied as a discipline in India, making structured training necessary to improve veterinarians’ skills and strengthen the department’s veterinary wing.
The programme places veterinary capacity within Kerala’s wider disaster-response framework. In an elephant conflict incident, veterinary teams may be required to assess an animal’s condition, administer a tranquilliser, support rescue operations or coordinate with forest officials while managing risks to residents and personnel. The programme’s inclusion of legal provisions and inter-departmental coordination indicates that the response will involve more than animal treatment alone.
The training is also significant because conflict situations increasingly occur in landscapes where forest areas and human settlements are closely connected. In such locations, the effectiveness of a response depends on specialised knowledge of elephant behaviour as well as access to equipment, trained personnel and coordinated decision-making.
KSDMA is expected to organise the programme for the two approved batches, with participating veterinarians to be nominated by the animal husbandry department following a request from the forest department.
