Meera Bhardwaj @ Wayanad:
Karnataka elephants are back home after their seasonal migration to Wayanad in Kerala. Depending on the seasonal changes and environmental factors, elephants from Nagarhole and Bandipur in Karnataka migrate during the summer months to neighbouring Wayanad district, Kerala in search of food and water.
Usually, this migration is driven by search for fresh grass and water and they are available in Wayanad even during the summer months. This seasonal migration is basically in response to changes in the environment and with the drying up of the water holes and lack of fresh grass. With its perennial water resources, Wayanad has become a refuge for migrating elephants from Nagarhole and Bandipur.
The onset of summer and the fire season in this part of Karnataka which sees very dry season triggers the seasonal migration of jumbos to Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary. Apart from jumbos, gaurs have also been seen migrating to Wayanad attracted by its abundant and verdant vegetation.
This time, Green Minute News takes a peek at the seasonal migration of Karnataka elephants between February-March to Wayanad district, Kerala. It was during June 12-14 when we saw a few herds of elephants from Thirunelli – returning to Nagarhole and Bandipur tiger reserves.
Since the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary is contiguous with Mudumulai in Tamil Nadu and Nagarhole and Bandipur in Karnataka, it becomes a natural corridor for movement of elephants and other big herbivores during the summer months.
We were visiting the Tholpetty range bordering Nagarhole tiger reserve and found that it is easier for elephants to slip into Wayanad through this corridor during the hotter months.
THIRUNELLI-KUDRAKOTE ELEPHANT CORRIDOR
However, we were there when jumbos were making their way home. It was time for them to return home as it was raining in Nagarhole as we saw a few adults and young ones making their towards Nagarhole.
We weaved our way carefully in the silent night so as not to disturb any wildlife movement. With our vehicle coasting silently in the Thirunelli-Kudrakote Elephant Corridor during the night, we were amazed to see both tuskers, makhanas, females and calves slowly making their way back to Karnataka.
The sighting of jumbos is so vivid and common on this elephant corridor that we even saw one tusker near our retreat in the dead of the night. Most resorts and homestays report sightings of elephants and other wildlife in their vicinity.
According to local forest officials and naturalists, close to 50 herds that is on an average – 10 elephants per herd – that is almost 500 jumbos traverse the Nagarhole-Tholapetty-Thirunelly-Kannur route to reach Kerala in search of water and food. With both the tiger reserves in Karnataka specially the fringe areas facing heat and water scarcity, elephants traverse these 100 kilometres as Wayanad district has abundant water and food.
TWO TO THREE MONTHS STAY
Speaking to Green Minute, Manu K M, naturalist based in Thirunelli said, “The elephants stay in Wayanad for two to three months and return home to Karnataka in the month of June. This has been going on for centuries and for them, there is no border or so-called boundaries. Many scientific studies on their migratory behaviour have been done both by Kerala and Karnataka Forest Departments.”
Since the British times when observations were done, the elephants have been using the same elephant corridor to migrate from Karnataka to Kerala and then return home in June. “There is enough water and food available in Wayanad while the forests in Karnataka bordering Kerala do not have enough water holes. So, one can see many elephants trudging from Karnataka to villages like Tholpetty, Thirunelli, Appapara, etc in Wayanad district,” adds Manu K M.
HUMAN-ELEPHANT CONFLICT
However, in the last few years, Wayanad district has been facing human-elephant conflict issues. So, efforts are being made both by Kerala Forest officials and wildlife activists to make people understand about the issue and educate people who are mostly from the tribal community.
In Thirunelli, the human-elephant conflict has risen with people and elephants literally cohabiting together as many revenue pockets are cheek and jowl with forest lands which has resulted in conflicts. Further, in these backward villages, agricultural activities are flourishing bordering the elephant corridors and forest areas.
DELAYED COMPENSATION
With abundant rainfall, paddy, banana and coconut are grown profusely in these villages which attracts the migrating elephants not only from Karnataka, Tamil Nadu but also Kerala.
Although, compensation is given by the Kerala Forest Department depending on the acreage of crops destruction by the elephants but payments are not timely, resulting in conflict issues.
In the last five years, 14 people have been attacked and killed by elephants in Kattikulam, Tholpetty and Thirunelli. People especially the tribal communities here don’t really get scared when they encounter jumbos either on the roads or in their agricultural fields.
And there seems to be no animosity between people and jumbos and one can see people fearlessly traversing the paths taken by the pachyderms. However, with jumbos entering fields and destroying crops day in and day out, it is a tough life for them.
RAINS @ NAGARHOLE
On the third day, even as we crossed from Thirunelli, Kerala to the fringes of Nagarhole, Karnataka, we saw the tiger reserve receiving good amount of rainfall and were left wondering how these jumbos migrating from state to state have the knowledge about the arrival of rainfall during that period of time. And how these intelligent animals walk year after year to satisfy their need for water and food resources.
(PHOTO CREDIT: ALL PHOTOS BY MEERA BHARDWAJ AT WAYANAD)