Sadiya, Assam, 12th August 2024:  The community from the D’Ering- Dibru Saikhowa elephant corridor project celebrated World Elephant Day in a unique and inspiring way. Children aged 8 to 14 years from Saikhowa village, performed a street play themed“Human- Elephant Coexistence”, which was organised by “Art for Nature”, a local youth artist group in the presence of Range Forest Officer Sadiya, Forest Department Assam and the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) members. Located in upper Assam, Sadiya is one of the prime regions affected by human-elephant conflicts, with high cases of crop depredation and property damage Raising awareness and sensitivity about human-elephant coexistence is crucial for the long-term conservation of this species in the region.

The street play was organised in 3 locations i.e. the bustling centre of Chapakhowa town, 8^th mile and Ghurmura villages in Sadiya. These villages are located close to forests where the lives of humans and elephants often intersect.

Snippets from street play in Chapakhowa town and 8th Mile village, Sadiya | Photo by DDS team/WTI

The story begins with a young boy rushing home to tell his mother about witnessing an elephant herd crossing paths while he was returning from school. This sparked a tea-time conversation among the women in the village about the hot summer weather, the increasing frequency of elephant visits to the village and the decreasing forest areas. The plot further delves into the agonising emotions of the villagers towards the elephants due to increasing crop raids and property damages. The play captures the everyday perspectives of the community on elephant-related conflicts. While the children are excited to witness the elephant herds, the women show respect and empathy, calling them “Dangori baba,” a local term for a deity with an elephant head, similar to the elephant-headed Hindu Lord, Ganesha.

The play conveyed a crucial message about co-existence | Photo by DDS team/WTI

The play emphasised the importance of understanding and respecting the needs and behaviours of elephants by indulging in conversations about conservation efforts to protect forests, which can reduce conflict and encourage coexistence with empathy towards the elephants. The children’s spirited performance not only entertained the audiences but also conveyed a crucial message about living harmoniously with these majestic creatures and their unforgotten cultural relevance.

Since 2019, WTI along with the D’Ering- Dibru Saikhowa (DDS) elephant corridor project team has been working on mitigating the human-elephant conflict situations in the Sadiya region with support from the World Land Trust (WLT). In 2021, they installed a 3.9 km EB solar fence around Jiagaon, Dikrong and Kristanbasti villages to prevent crop damage by elephants. These solar fences are fully managed and monitored by the community itself. Additionally, 10 Primary Response Teams (PRTs) have been established, trained and equipped in 10 villages under the Sadiya Forest Division to monitor and manage human-elephant conflict situations and conduct safe elephant drives to protect both the elephants and the villagers.