Elephant Trackers Bolster Forest Department's Efforts to Curb Crop Raids in Tamil Nadu

As of October 9th, 2025, the Tamil Nadu Forest Department has taken extensive measures to protect farmers in the Western Ghats region from crop-raiding elephants. The department has deployed seven rapid response teams, each with 80 members, to monitor the elephants' movements around the clock and drive them back into the reserve forests.

To further reinforce these efforts, the department has now roped in two expert elephant trackers, one each from the Mudhumalai and Srivilliputhur-Meghamalai Tiger Sanctuaries. These experienced trackers are coordinating the operations and providing valuable insights on the elephants' behavior and movement patterns based on their field visits to the vulnerable areas.

In addition to the rapid response teams, the Forest Department has also intensified patrolling in other areas like Kadayam, Courtallam, and Vasudevanallur that are prone to wild animal intrusions, including elephants, wild boars, and deer. Cameras have been installed in the traditional 'elephant corridors' to monitor the animals' entry into the farmlands.

The local farmers have been provided with the contact details of the rapid response teams, allowing them to quickly alert the authorities when they spot wild animals in their fields. The teams sometimes even take the farmers along to identify the exact entry points used by the animals.

The Forest Department is working closely with wildlife veterinarians to prepare a standard operating protocol based on the information gathered from the rapid response teams and the elephant trackers. This protocol will help streamline the efforts to mitigate the man-animal conflict and prevent further crop damage in the region.