Human-wildlife conflict: Preventive measures on the cards around hotspots in Keralam’s Perambra estate

In the wake of recurring wild elephant attacks and mounting safety threats at the Plantation Corporation’s Perambra Estate at Chakkittapara in Kozhikode district of Keralam, local people’s representatives and authorities have stepped in with a series of urgent preventive measures.

Following a recent incident where a woman plantation worker sustained injuries while narrowly escaping a wild elephant, local representatives visited the affected families to assess the ground situation and reassure the workforce.

To address the immediate threats, authorities have secured assurances from the estate manager that the construction of protective fencing around the Perambra Estate boundaries will commence at the earliest to block the entry of wild animals.

Additionally, strict instructions have been issued to Forest department officials to scale up patrolling and monitor vulnerable plantation sectors. High-level discussions were also held between local body members, the Perambra Estate manager, and frontline forest department officials to streamline security protocols and ensure the safety of the workforce.

The latest intervention comes amidst a sharp escalation in wild animal incursions across the Peruvannamuzhi forest range, severely impacting Chakkittapara, Muthukad, and the surrounding plantation belts.

The recent victim, T.K. Usha, 48, a rubber tapper from Chengottukolly, Muthukad, was working in the estate when a charging wild elephant targeted her. While fleeing in panic, she suffered a fall and sustained injuries before being rushed to a private hospital in Chakkittapara.

Local residents and workers point out that the situation has become critical, particularly during the early-morning hours when rubber tapping takes place. Because elephants often lurk undetected deep within the plantation vegetation, workers face the constant danger of running directly into them. The crisis was further highlighted just days earlier when a Forest department watcher stationed at the Perambra Plantation Corporation estate suffered severe injuries in a similar wild elephant attack.

Crop loss

Beyond the threat to human life, the unchecked animal straying has caused extensive economic damage to the nearby farmers. Herds of wild elephants have been destroying decades-old rubber trees, breaking branches, and uprooting crops. This widespread crop destruction has inflicted financial losses running into lakhs of rupees, threatening the very livelihood of local farmers and estate workers.

In response to the growing unrest, estate officials clarified that preventive measures are being strengthened. Management sources say that areas previously enclosed with solar fencing have seen a significant reduction in wild elephant intrusions. Consequently, work on installing new solar fencing will begin immediately in the heavily affected hotspots where elephant herds frequently break through.

Meanwhile, locals continue to demand the immediate extension of existing safety barriers to residential areas and intensified Forest Department patrols during dawn hours. They have also called for the intervention of local administrators to secure the required financial support.