Guwahati: Two wild elephants caused significant damage in Halowagaon in Assam’s Nagaon district on Saturday when they entered the village and destroyed a man’s house, leaving the family without shelter.
The elephants had been roaming the area earlier in the day and returned at night, damaging the bamboo walls and scattering belongings.
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“I heard the crash and thought it was thunder. By the time we came out with torches, the elephants had already brought the house down,” recalled a neighbor.
This is not an isolated incident. Human-wildlife conflict, particularly involving elephants, has been increasing in Nagaon district in recent years.
Elephants often enter farmlands and villages, especially during the harvest season or floods, in search of food. Residents have been using night patrols, firecrackers, and makeshift barriers to protect their crops and homes.
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Nagaon is home to key wildlife habitats, including Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary, the Laokhowa–Burachapori ecosystem, and parts of Kaziranga National Park.
The district also has around 379 wetlands and marshlands that support various bird and aquatic species, but these areas also bring wildlife closer to human settlements.
While elephants are the main concern, other species also cause conflicts in Nagaon. Leopards attack livestock, wild boars raid crops, rhinos from Kaziranga enter villages, and tigers and gaur cross agricultural lands. These encounters can result in both human and animal casualties.
Between 2000 and 2023, Assam recorded over 1,468 human deaths and about 1,209 elephant deaths due to human-elephant conflict.
The number of fatalities in Nagaon varies each year, but compensation records indicate multiple human deaths, injuries, and frequent elephant deaths due to electrocution, poisoning, and road accidents.
Illegal settlements, agricultural expansion, and sand mining along riverbanks have contributed to the reduction of elephant corridors and grasslands.
Large areas of forest have been converted into cropland, which has led elephants to cross villages during their migration. Riverbank erosion has also pushed herds into more populated areas.
The main factors contributing to the conflict include shrinking forest cover, fragmented grasslands, and crops like paddy and maize that attract elephants during lean months. Seasonal flooding in Kaziranga and Laokhowa also drives wildlife into nearby human settlements.
In response, the Assam Forest Department and district administration have set up rapid response teams, solar-powered fencing, night patrols, and early warning systems in some hotspots.
Compensation schemes are in place for deaths, injuries, and property loss. Proposals for habitat restoration and the protection of elephant corridors are also being discussed.
However, there are ongoing challenges, including delays in compensation, limited fencing, a need for stronger community deterrent systems, and ongoing encroachment on forest and riverbank lands.
Experts warn that without urgent action, the situation in Nagaon could worsen.
“We are losing both people and elephants. The solution lies in protecting corridors, restoring food sources inside forests, and ensuring that human settlements do not expand into critical wildlife areas,” said a senior forest officer.
For residents of Halowagaon, the issue is now directly affecting them. The recent incident serves as a reminder that in Nagaon, both people and wildlife are encountering similar challenges.