Preserving natural habitats for elephants also reduces human-elephant conflicts: CM Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru, Aug 12: Preserving the natural habitats for the elephants will reduce the human-elephant conflicts that we are witnessing at an alarmingly high rate, said Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday.
He was speaking after inaugurating an international conference that coincides with World Elephant Day.
The two-day conference on human-elephant conflict management, which aims to tackle the increased human-elephant conflicts, was organised by the Karnataka Forest department.
The conference will see forest department officials from across India sharing knowledge with academic researchers and civil society organisations to bring about evidence-based inclusive approaches to human-elephant conflict solutions.
At the inaugural event, Siddaramaiah said Karnataka in particular is susceptible to increased human-elephant conflicts as the state has the highest elephant population with 6,395 elephants, which makes approximately 25 per cent of the nation's total elephant population.
“With Karnataka's significant elephant population comes the inevitable challenge of human-elephant conflict. In the last 10 years, the state reported over 2,500 incidents of human-elephant conflicts, resulting in over 350 human fatalities and substantial crop losses,” said the CM.
According to him, the conference is a critical platform where to exchange ideas, explore scientific solutions, and foster international collaboration to address the problem.
“As climate change raises temperatures and changes rainfall patterns, resources become even more scarce and elephants get pushed into new areas, including communal lands. Humans face their own challenges as they must move deeper into elephant territory to collect water or firewood,” said Siddaramaiah.
Therefore, he said this is a challenge with significant ecological, social, and economic implications.
In that context, he said the international conference presents an invaluable opportunity to learn from one another, explore innovative scientific solutions, and discuss sustainable approaches to fostering coexistence between humans and elephants.
“I am confident that the distinguished delegates present here will contribute valuable insights and recommendations to pave the way for a harmonious coexistence between humans and elephants,” he added.
Eshwar B Khandre, Karnataka’s Forest, Ecology & Environment Minister who was also present for the inaugural session on Monday, reiterated that the conference is an attempt towards developing a robust mechanism to address the pressing issue of human-elephant conflict.
“When the idea of the conference was initially floated to me, I was very intrigued by it. I was excited by the prospect that we'll have a chance to come across so many new ideas and setups, which can open up a whole lot of possibilities for us with regards to the conservation of elephants,” added the minister.
The other dignitaries present include Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, Manjunath Prasad V, additional chief secretary, department of Forest, Ecology and Environment, Government of Karnataka, Brijesh Kumar Dikshit, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest and Subhash K Malkhede, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden, Karnataka Forest Department.
"ಮಾನವ-ಆನೆ ಸಂಘರ್ಷ ನಿರ್ವಹಣೆ ಕುರಿತ ಅಂತಾರಾಷ್ಟ್ರೀಯ ಸಮ್ಮೇಳನ"ದ ಉದ್ಘಾಟನೆ#WorldElephantDay2024 pic.twitter.com/XjqTDakr5V
— CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) August 12, 2024
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44 peacocks die of H5N1 in Karnataka’s Tumakuru; minister orders precautions
Bengaluru (PTI): After 44 peacocks died of the H5N1 virus in Tumakuru district, Karnataka Minister Eshwar Khandre on Saturday directed officials to implement strict precautionary measures to prevent its spread across forest areas, including zoos and bird sanctuaries.
The directive comes after laboratory reports from the ICAR–National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal recently confirmed H5N1 avian influenza as the cause of the deaths.
According to the state forest minister, the peacocks died between April 16 and 21 in and around Bommanahalli and Kolihalli villages in Urdigere hobli, and Bairasandra and Hullenahalli villages in Gulur hobli of Tumakuru district.
“In this context, instructions have been issued in line with the revised H5N1 Action Plan of the Central Government to prevent the spread of infection across all forest areas, including zoos, bird sanctuaries, Magadi Lake, and the community reserve at Kokkare Bellur,” Khandre said in a note addressed to the principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) and chief wildlife warden.
He also directed that any deaths of birds, whether migratory or local, must be reported immediately, and that samples from carcasses should be collected and sent for testing.
If required, a nodal officer may be appointed to monitor the situation across the state, he added.
Authorities have established an infected zone within a 0–3 km radius and a surveillance zone extending from 3 to 10 km.
According to the Health Department, surveillance for fever, Influenza-Like Illness (ILI), and Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) will be carried out over the next 10 days, covering a population of 20,432 across 38 villages.
In light of the situation, the department has advised the public to follow precautionary measures to minimise the risk of infection by avoiding contact with sick or dead birds and maintaining hand hygiene by washing hands frequently with soap and water.
It has also suggested the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) while handling birds or their droppings, and advised ensuring that poultry and eggs are thoroughly cooked (above 80 degrees celcius) before consumption.
The health department has also recommended avoiding close contact with individuals exhibiting symptoms of respiratory illness.
The department said it is closely monitoring the situation and has put necessary precautionary measures in place.
The public has been advised to remain vigilant and report any unusual bird deaths or symptoms promptly, officials added.
Avian influenza (H5N1) is a subtype of the influenza virus that infects birds and mammals, including humans in rare instances, according to the World Health Organisation. Human cases reported so far have been mostly linked to close contact with infected birds or other animals, or with contaminated environments.
