NAKHON RATCHASIMA, Thailand –– The head of Tab Lan National Park is urgently seeking ways to manage a growing wild elephant population, which has increasingly raided farmland and damaged crops, January 7. Experts attribute the issue to climate change reducing food availability in forests, combined with elephants developing a preference for farmers’ crops.
Drone footage captured at night reveals herds of wild elephants, numbering in the hundreds, leaving the forest to forage on agricultural lands in Nakhon Ratchasima province. The conflict, which has persisted for months, affects areas along the border of the park and local farmland.
The park chief explained that climate change, including increased rainfall, has transformed forest ecosystems. Former grasslands have been overtaken by vines unsuitable for elephant consumption, forcing the animals to search for food outside the forest. Additionally, crops like rice, corn, sugarcane, and cassava are not only more accessible but also more appealing to elephants, further encouraging their foraging in farmland.
The success of wildlife conservation efforts, praised internationally, has also contributed to the elephants’ population growth. While this is seen as a positive outcome, concerns have arisen over whether the population increase—estimated at an annual rate of 8%—has become excessive. Current figures suggest there are over 400 wild elephants in Tab Lan National Park, with large herds forming and thriving due to easier access to agricultural food sources and favorable conditions for reproduction.
To address the issue, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation is considering solutions such as relocating elephants, introducing birth control measures, restoring grasslands within the forest, and increasing natural food sources. Efforts are also underway to improve protective measures, deploy personnel to deter elephants, and provide compensation to affected farmers.
The situation is critical, as officials aim to prevent elephants from permanently shifting their habitats to agricultural areas, which could lead to long-term conflict. (TNA)
