Jackfruit season drawing these wild animals into human settlements; villagers in panic

KALIKAVU: A herd of wild elephants has been entering the Adivasi settlement in Chokkad in search of jackfruits. The elephants have been visiting the area on most days over the past two weeks. With jackfruit season underway, the animals are coming to pluck fruits from the trees near the houses.

On a recent night around 8 pm, a herd of more than ten elephants camped near the homes. An Adivasi resident, Pramod of Pottikkal, narrowly escaped from the elephants. Over 100 families living in the area are now afraid to step outside at night due to the repeated visits. The herd included several large elephants as well as calves.

The area around the settlement is densely forested, making the 40-cent colony a regular spot for elephant movement. The elephants are coming down from the Kottan Chokkadan hill slopes into the settlement. There are currently no effective measures in place to stop them. The land where the Adivasi families live has now effectively become a resting area for the elephants.

Need for high-mast lights
Locals said that the absence of streetlights makes the situation more dangerous, as they cannot see elephants approaching at night. People are afraid to step outside after dark. Even vehicles are reluctant to enter the area during emergencies at night. There is only a low-voltage solar fence and a short wall along one side of the forest boundary, which is not sufficient.

Locals say installing high-mast lights in two or three locations could at least help them spot wild animals from a distance. About three months ago, two Adivasi residents, Vellan and Padmini, encountered a wild elephant in their yard due to a lack of lighting. During that incident, part of Vellan’s house was damaged by the animal.