Special reserve force to monitor wild elephant movement in conflict hotspots in Kerala

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Forest Minister Shibu Baby John has issued urgent directives to form a 500-member special reserve force to address the increasing hardships faced by people on forest fringes due to wild elephant attacks.

The specialised force, which will be deployed in hotspots where wild elephant incursions are most frequent, will be divided into 100 batches of five members each.

The force will comprise members from tribal communities with knowledge of wildlife-prone areas, retired experts from the Forest department, personnel with technical expertise, and experienced local residents.

The primary objective of the force will include continuous monitoring of elephant movement and their migratory paths, ensuring public safety by issuing timely warnings through direct communication and media platforms when wild elephants are spotted in or near human settlements, and regularly inspecting the effectiveness of wildlife prevention systems, including solar fencing.

The force will also provide assistance and support to rapid response teams engaged in safely driving wild elephants back into forest areas. In addition, the units will participate in other conflict-mitigation activities.

According to the directive, the force will operate round the clock and undertake activities, including patrols in conflict-affected regions.