Geographical Appraisal on the Conflict between humans and elephants in the Paschim Medinipur district and neighboring Region (KEY IJP************145)

• Prasanta Kumar Das Prasanta Kumar Das

Abstract

Abstract. Anthropogenic perturbation in the form of agriculture and settlement expansion results in loss of natural forest habitat, biodiversity and fragmentation of corridors. The disproportionate sharing of forest resource and shrinkage of the sojourn ground creates food scarcity for wild animals and forces them to move to a new habitat. During this migration human-animal confict becomes a common issue in the corridors and edges in between. Such a typical situation of human-elephant conflict has been happening in the Forest of Paschim Medinipur district District, West Bengal, India. This paper aims to assess the causes and consequences arising from this elephant migration event.