Now Reading: Odisha villages use frog silence to detect approaching elephants
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Odisha villages use frog silence to detect approaching elephants
In Odisha's Kantamila village, the sudden silence of frogs at dusk signals the approach of wild elephants. Villagers immediately bolt doors, switch off lights, and alert each other as Elephant Squad members…
In Odisha's Kantamila village, the sudden silence of frogs at dusk signals the approach of wild elephants. Villagers immediately bolt doors, switch off lights, and alert each other as Elephant Squad members rush to steer the herds along traditional corridors. The ancient pathways have been fragmented by highways and settlements, forcing elephants through human habitations.
The Elephant Squad, comprising local volunteers like Hrusikesh Naik, shadows herds through the night without chasing or capturing them. Their goal is to prevent conflict, which often erupts when farmers seek revenge for crop damage. Forest officers use drone cameras to track elephant movements and give advance warnings to villages.
Odisha recorded 524 human deaths from elephant attacks between 2019-20 and 2023-24, the highest among states, while losing 624 elephants in the same period. The squad's nightly vigil continues through the monsoon, waiting for the frogs to fall silent.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Kantamila sits on elephant corridors older than India's road network, part of a fragmented landscape that forces daily contact between humans and herds. The state's 524 human deaths in five years underscore the cost: India averages over 500 human deaths from elephant conflict annually, with Odisha consistently topping the list. The Elephant Squad model relies on local knowledge and technology like drone tracking, but long-term solutions require restoring corridor connectivity and compensating farmers swiftly for crop losses. Next step: whether Odisha's forest department scales drone coverage to other conflict-prone blocks before the next kharif harvest.
Source: newindianexpress.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
