Human-elephant conflict causes suffering for both species. Evidence-based coexistence strategies protect elephants while supporting farming communities living alongside them.
Elephant welfare in coexistence contexts involves both the welfare of elephants killed or injured in conflict situations and the chronic stress of elephants moving through fragmented landscapes dominated by humans. Elephants show post-traumatic stress responses after experiencing violent encounters with humans. Translocation of problem elephants as a conflict mitigation measure causes significant stress during capture, transport, and adaptation to new areas. Non-lethal deterrence methods, when effective, protect both elephant welfare and farmer livelihoods. GPS collaring of matriarchs for early warning systems allows communities to protect crops with less confrontation. Compensation schemes for crop losses reduce retaliatory killing and increase tolerance.