Senior conservation officer Ashok Ram, who heads the Bardia National Park, is rarely seen at leisure. Vidyawaridhi (PhD) in 'Elephant Ecology' from the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, India, was recently treating an injured wild elephant in the community forest at Chandrapur-2, Rautahat. Edited part of a conversation between Ramesh Kumar Paudel of Kantipur and Ramesh Kumar Paudel, an elephant expert who is engaged in research and study on the nature of wild elephants, their struggles in feeding and many aspects of elephants' struggles with human society:

What is the condition of wild elephants in Nepal?
There are more than 120 wild elephants from Jhapa to Chitwan-Parsa and 150 from Kanchanpur to Kapilvastu. The elephants of Nepal and India continue to move. But within Nepal, there has been no reconciliation between the elephants of the east and the west. Some of the elephants that came from West Bengal in India directly reach Dumse forest through Bahuban. From there you will reach the forest of Katle and then the beautiful Haraincha Letang and then Chatra. Once a group of 32 elephants reached Koshi Tappu through Jhapa Bahundangi. Now there are 26 to 30 elephants in Sundar Harincha and around 65 wild elephants. Single elephants separated from groups sometimes come from Jhapa to Parsa and Chitwan. But the elephants have not reached the West after crossing the Chitwan National Park. Valmiki's ashram has reached India, but the elephant has not gone to the south west. 

It seems that they come to Nepal from the protected areas of Nandur, Corbett National Park and Pilivit, Duduwa, Kartania Ghat in the west. Some elephants come from Kartania to Bardia via Khata Corridor . The elephants of Bardia come eastwards through the Babai Valley to Banke Park . Earlier, elephants used to reach Dang and Bhalubang in groups. No wild elephants have been seen in Rupandehi and Western Nawalparasi. 

What kind of elephants sometimes cause trouble?
According to my calculations in Nepal, from 2017 to 2022, 37 and then 10 more, 47 elephants crossed long distances . Most of them walk alone and some in groups. We have seen up to 13 such elephants in one group. After being chased by a group of elephants, they walk alone or form a group. When these chased elephants cover a long distance, they encounter humans . When going from one forest to another, there is a settlement. Because the habitat of the elephant has been fragmented . At this time, the elephant reaches the crop fields and the conflict with the people starts . There are human losses in such conflicts. 

In Bardia National Park, seven/eight elephants, including Makuna and Dare, are causing trouble. Some known elephants like Makuna Ronaldo in Chitwan, Govinde, Dhruve and Yam Gaj in Parsa, Ek Dante, Koshi Dahre in Koshi, Makuna and Dahre in Jhapa are causing problems . To solve this problem, we must work in real time . Staff and patrol teams should be deployed as soon as these elephants enter the forest village. We can reduce human-wildlife conflict if we try to watch their activities and return them to the forest. 

What do elephants do long journeys for? 
Elephant needs two hundred kilos of grass and two hundred liters of water daily. The family is big . Its completion is not from one place . Therefore, strategically, elephants are divided into groups. Sharing food, looking for friends and people travel. They are remembering the path their ancestors walked, they are looking for it. Another important thing is that even with the goal of breeding, male elephants travel long distances. They aim to have a strong gin transfer . As many wild male elephants as there are in Chitwan, they are not from here . After a long journey from the east, they have arrived here.

Another important thing in elephants is matriarchy. Elephants living in groups are usually led by their grandmothers . Elephants love their grandchildren more. The activities of protecting the group are determined by the elephants of the grandmother generation . Elephants also come into juvenile stage . The male elephants in 'Teen Ship' are a bit more brash and badass . They are expelled from the group because of the danger of sexual activity within their own clan. Elephants are careful not to get caught. There is only one breeding bull in the group of wild elephants. It doesn't even allow others to join the group. A breeding bull sitting in a group is also replaced by another strong elephant . Elephants like Govinda, Dhruve, Ronaldo are also chased by the group. 8-10 years to 20 years old elephants are thus taken out of the group . 

Why is the death of elephants happening other than natural causes?
23 of 47 wild male elephants died between 2017 and 2022.  Three elephants stuck together and died. As many as nine died of electrocution. Three of them were shot and killed by hunters. In Chitwan, a Makuna elephant died in self-defence by the administration firing . The elephant died even while keeping the radio collar. 

What can be the basic way to avoid elephants?
We should be aware of where we are. If you see a fallen tree somewhere, you should understand that there might be an elephant there . If there is an elephant's stool and footprints, he did not go there, he had to return. Even if the patrol goes to the park, you have to change the route . Outside the village, elephants also come out. It's not a time to throw stones . Who are the people who know about this, they should be informed immediately.

The elephant's behavior is unexpected . Elephants can hold revenge and reciprocate . In Hattisar too, we see elephants being hit with axes and khurpa.  If the elephant has misbehaved and is beaten by the mahout to bring it on the right track, the elephant forgets such incidents . But it will be understood that by not letting him eat food, by hitting him, he gave grief . And take revenge for it . Mahute may also die at that time . There is also an incident where Maute, who was nursing the same elephant for 22 years, was trampled to death by an elephant. 

Even a wild elephant has an ego that is insulted, stoned or shot. And the house of such a person can be destroyed . Because the elephant's memory and sense of smell are amazing. Elephants don't attack when burning firewood. But don't go drinking.  

How can the death of elephants and people increasing in recent years be stopped?
is not limited to elephant parks or reserves. Because it is a terrestrial animal. Due to the fact that they go to a large area, a system should be made to manage conservation at the perimeter level. Friends of the forest sector should also be empowered. Training and knowledge to understand the behavior of elephants, driving away elephants, rescue and darts should also be given to friends in the forest area . Not only individuals but all three levels of government and local should help. Locals also should not drive away elephants by throwing electricity, bullets and spears.