A programme on human-elephant conflict mitigation was held at Wokha village Community Hall on September 6, organised by Hammock Resort for leaders of Wokha and New Wokha villages, with elephant conflict expert, Dr Rudra as the resource person.

Advisor to the Chief Minister and proprietor of Hammock Resort, Dr Chumben Murry, termed the situation “grave,” noting that Wokha district is home to nearly two-thirds of Nagaland’s 400–430 elephants, leading to increasing cases of human casualties and crop loss.

He stated that scientific interventions such as contraceptive implants and translocation are presently not feasible, and communities have to depend on traditional deterrent methods. However, he informed that solar-operated deterrents and early warning systems using GPS technology are being worked out.

Resource person, Dr Rudra elaborated on the importance of understanding elephant moods, sounds, and movements to minimise risks. He pointed out that male elephants are responsible for most human casualties and highlighted the animals’ sharp senses of smell, sight, and vibration detection.

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Dr Rudra also demonstrated low-cost smoke deterrent kits made from jute, cow dung, and chillies, while stressing that traditional practices, when complemented by solar-powered deterrents and GPS-based alerts, could play a vital role in mitigating conflicts.