The words stare out at you “Paddy Thief”, scrawled in Assamese on the back of a dead female elephant, found recently in a paddy field on the outskirts of Tezpur town in Assam. The words obviously referring to the elephant herds that have frequently been raiding paddy fields that have come in what used to be part of their habitat. And the recent deaths have highlighted the magnitude of the aggravated conflict between humans and animals in this region. Since July this year, close to 20 elephants have died in Sonitpur district in Assam largely due to their conflict with human habitation. The first deaths took place between July 3 and 13 around Nameri National Park. Again In August eight elephants were found dead in Dhekajuli reserve forest area and recently, seven elephants were found dead near Tezpur.

Of the elephants that were found dead, seven died as recently as October 16. The carcasses were reportedly found on different spots in a large paddy field at Haleswar, within five km of the Tezpur police station. With this, the toll in this region has gone up to 20 in three months.

The post mortem report done on one of the elephants in Haleswar had traces of poision. Forest department officials now believe that owners of the paddy fields could have kept the poison mixed with fruit or rice beer in the fields, which killed the elephants. However, no arrests have been made as yet.

Nameri is contiguous with Pakhui National park in Arunachal Pradesh. As per the 2001 elephant census, Pakhui has a population of 250 elephants, making it a zone with the highest density of elephants in the northeast. The park faces great pressure on its habitat due to encroachment, hindering of movement along traditional corridors. Also, the increase in the number of herds in the region has heightened the human-elephant conflict in the area.

Initially, the authorities suspected an outbreak of anthrax to be responsible for the recent deaths. In 1914-15 this disease was responsible for the death of 150 elephants and an entire population of spotted deer. Veterinarians from the State Veterinary College have recently confirmed that all the elephants that died in July and August were cases of poisoning. Post mortem reports show traces of Demecron, an organophosphorous pesticide in the carcasses.

This pesticide is said to be highly toxic for animals and its use has been banned. Most of the victims were sub-adults and most deaths were reported from areas of high crop depredation. Many of the elephants were found dead along riverbeds, probably since poison is known to increase an individual’s thirst.

In Assam, there has been massive destruction of prime elephant habitat, causing fragmentation of the habitat. Additionally, elephant corridors have been occupied and further fragmented by human settlements. Movements of some herds from Assam to Arunachal Pradesh has further given rise to human-elephant conflict in the Seijosa circle, a village on the fringe of Pakhui.

Large tracts of forest area in Charduar Reserve Forest adjoining Nameri National Park have been encroached, with settlers setting up houses and crop fields. It is yet to be confirmed where these settlers are coming in from. Again, this has directly impeded the elephant’s movement route, causing inevitable encounters with humans. Furthermore, tea estates utilise the pesticide diathene, which has been used to kill elephants in the past. The possibility of baiting elephants on the fringe of the forests has not been ruled out and needs to be further investigated now that poisoning has been confirmed as the reason for death.

Damages to the tune of Rs 35 lakh were recorded in 2000 due to the raiding of crop fields, attacking of granaries and damage to houses by elephants in Pakhui. Reports say that as many as 40 people have been reportedly killed in encounters with elephants each year in the Sonitpur and Darang districts.