Abandoned plantations in Idukki raises threat of human-wildlife conflicts

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A tea plantation at Vandiperiyar in Idukki with overgrown wild bushes. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

As rising wild animal attacks continue to threaten residents, abandoned tea and rubber plantations in the district are providing safe shelters for wildlife, which poses a severe threat to nearby communities

According to Forest department officials, a tiger released nearly two months ago at the Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Thekkady has been camping in the abandoned tea plantations of Vandiperiyar. Despite repeated attempts, forest officials have failed to capture the big cat. Similarly, in the Peruvanthanam area, abandoned rubber plantations bordering the forest have led to frequent wild elephant attacks.

Forest department records show that in February 2025, 45-year-old Sofia Ismail, a resident of Kompanpara near Peruvanthanam, was killed by a wild elephant that had taken shelter in an abandoned tea estate. In another incident in July 2025, a 64-year-old farmer named Purushothaman was killed by a wild elephant while working in a rubber plantation at Mathamba, also near Peruvanthanam.

Kottayam Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Prabhul Agarwal said that areas that once hosted thriving rubber and tea plantations are now overgrown with wild bushes, making it easy for elephants and other wild animals to take refuge. “I have submitted a letter to the District Collector listing the abandoned estates and demanding immediate steps to clear the overgrowth,” the official said.

“Forest officials have been working continuously for several days to capture the tiger in Vandiperiyar, but the abandoned tea plantations allow the big cat to remain hidden. If these wild bushes are cleared, the animals won’t camp near human habitations,” Mr. Agarwal added.

“The easy availability of cattle as prey is a major attraction for these animals. If the authorities do not take steps to clear the overgrowth, it will only lead to more human-animal conflict in these bordering areas,” said another senior