Another man killed by elephant in Kerala: How the human-animal conflict is rising in the state

A 44-year-old auto driver died in a wild elephant attack in Kerala’s Idukki district last night. Two similar tragedies in Wayanad this month had led to protests by locals. But what’s the reason behind the increasing human-animal conflict in the state?

Another man killed by elephant in Kerala: How the human-animal conflict is rising in the state

A man was killed by a stray wild elephant on Monday night (26 February) in the Kannimala estate near the tourist town of Munnar in Kerala’s Idukki district. This is the third such death due to elephant attacks in the southern state this month.

The tragedy has once again shed the spotlight on the rising human-animal conflict in Kerala. Let’s look at these recent incidents, what the data shows about the human-animal conflict in the state and why this is happening.