Human-elephant conflict is intensifying as elephant habitat shrinks. Conflict causes suffering for both elephants and people, requiring innovative coexistence solutions.
Elephants involved in human-elephant conflict face retaliatory killing, wounding, and poisoning in response to crop raids and property damage. They also suffer from electrocution on poorly managed power lines and from snares set for other species. Non-lethal deterrents including beehive fences and chili fire lines have shown genuine success in reducing conflict and retaliatory killing. Community-based approaches that make elephants economically valuable to local communities are among the most effective long-term solutions.