Human-elephant conflict over crops is one of the greatest threats to elephant conservation, requiring evidence-based mitigation strategies that protect both people and elephants.
Crop raiding elephants face retaliatory killing, snaring, and poisoning - major welfare and conservation concerns. Elephants that learn to raid crops may be doing so due to habitat fragmentation reducing natural food availability. Mitigation approaches that avoid injuring elephants while protecting farmer livelihoods are the most sustainable. Methods causing pain or fear (firecrackers, physical barriers) have welfare costs; preference should be given to aversive but non-harmful deterrents and structural solutions.