Authorities mulling over initiative to track elephant herds in Dooars

RAJDEEP MONDAL, MP, 22 Jan 2025, Jalpaiguri: In a bid to minimise human-elephant conflicts, the district administration, in collaboration with the Gorumara Wildlife Division, is considering the installation of radio collars on the leader of elephant herds. 

The innovative measure aims to track the movement of elephant herds in real-time, allowing authorities to take preventive action before elephants enter localities and cause damage. A crucial meeting was held at the office of the District Magistrate, where representatives from the district administration and the Gorumara Wildlife Division discussed the plan in detail. The Gorumara Wildlife Division confirmed that the proposal is being taken seriously and the plan is now under review by the state Forest department. 

According to Forest department sources, elephant herds in the Dooars region frequently traverse areas such as Moraghat, Khuttimari, Diana, Kalabari, Panjhora and several others. These herds often enter localities, damaging crops and houses, which in some cases also leads to loss of life. While local Quick Response Teams (QRT) are typically tasked with guiding herds back into the forest, tracking these movements is often challenging. If a radio collar is fitted to the herd leader, it would enable authorities to track the entire herd’s movements via the transmitter attached to the collar. 

This would greatly improve response times, allowing wildlife squads to intervene before the herd reaches populated areas. Dwija Pratim Sen, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of the Gorumara Wildlife Division, explained: “Recently, we fitted radio collars on the female leaders of 10 elephant herds that use the Chapramari Elephant Corridor. 

In Dooars, elephant herds commonly pass through seven corridors in the forests of Jaldapara, Buxa, Baikunthpur, and Mahananda Sanctuary. Each herd typically consists of 8 to 10 elephants, though some can include as many as 15 to 20 elephants. These herds are led by a single leader, and our focus is on fitting radio collars to these leaders. 

This will allow us to monitor their movements more effectively and take timely action if they approach localities or railway lines.” The cost of installing a radio collar is estimated to range between Rs 15-20 lakh. At present, it has not been determined whether the Forest department will fund the project entirely or the district administration will provide financial support. 

Both the Gorumara Wildlife Division and the district administration are awaiting further developments as a proposal in this regard has been sent to the Forest department. 

Courtesy & source- Millennium Post

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/will-attend-mamatas-meeting-on-jan-23-says-bjps-john-barla-amid-speculation-about-his-future-move-595920