Man-Elephant Conflict

This book sheds new light onthe causes and consequences of elephant migration in thePanchet Forest Division of Bankura District in West Bengal, India- an area characterized byfragmented forested landscape modified by agriculture and settlement expansion. Anthropogenic activitiesresult in the decline in quality andcoverage of forests, loss of biodiversity and removal of forest corridors which ultimately restrict or modify the movement of elephantscausing a forceful change of their habitats. A major objective of this monograph isto identify the characteristics of man-elephant conflicts in terms of land use change, cropping patterns, ecological characteristics of the fragmented dry deciduous forest, trends and patterns of elephant migration, and livelihood patterns of the inhabitants in the affected areas.Readers will discover insights into changes in thebehavioralpattern of elephants and localpeople in the conflict ridden zones, and how this influences food selection. Through this book we also learn about rationalmanagement strategies that can be employed on the local and national level to mitigate human-elephant conflicts. Ecologists, landscape conservation planners and environmental managers engaged in the conservation of large vertebratesin fragmenting and human-dominated landscapes will find this book valuable.