Human-Elephant Conflicts: A graduate student’s experiences in India

By: A. Nicole Reed
July-August 2017 Trip to Coimbatore, India

As I stepped off the plane in Coimbatore, India, I never imagined it would change my perceptions of the world any more than it had three years ago. This would be my second time in India and I thought I knew what to expect. Everything from the food and smells to what local farmers were experiencing on their land. However, each day was a new experience filled with new information and lessons learned.

Collecting stakeholders input on human-elephant conflict
in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India (August 2018)

This trip was for collecting data on people’s experiences and opinions about elephants raiding crop fields in and around Coimbatore District which will be part of my master’s thesis project. I traveled to small villages near and away from the forested areas and spoke to farmers about the conflicts they were experiencing with elephants. I visited these villages with my thesis adviser and faculty members from two colleges in Coimbatore. We interviewed about 100 farmers and other stakeholders and learned the difficulties they face to protect their crops and make a living. I also learned which mitigation efforts are more effective than others.

With students, staff and faculty at Kongunadu A&S College, Coimbatore (August 2018)

I stayed at two different colleges and met many people of different backgrounds and was fortunate to take part in a river festival with one of the college official’s families. This experience helped me better understand the culture in India and allowed me to make lasting relationships with many.

There were several opportunities for myself as well as my project to develop further, perhaps though, my biggest take away from this trip was the need for communication among professionals across disciplines as well as internationally. I was also asked to present on wildlife and land management in the United States. The exchange of information available could help us work toward solving global issues such as human-wildlife conflicts. This type of communication would allow each of us to learn from each other quickly and create better, well informed, decisions. Overall, my time spent in India was useful on several levels and allowed me to collect my data as well as learn more about the culture and history of the area. 

Impacts of the invasive weed, Mikania macrantha in southern India

Event: WY Undergraduate Research Day, Laramie, WY
Date: April 26, 2014

Alin Carrillo and BJ Bender presented their research findings on the impacts of an invasive weed on the native plants and animals, and agricultural crops in Southern India.

Mikania macrantha (American rope or mile-a-minute weed) is native to Central and South America, but an invasive species in India’s Western Ghats, a biodiversity hot spot.

This weed out-competes native species by producing seeds at an extremely quick rate and spreads by attaching its seeds to the hair in the coats of animals that pass by this plant as well as through wind dispersal.

Like most invasive species, it prefers disturbed areas, which makes it a threat to riparian areas, road sides, crop fields, and areas of development. This weed has been found to kill entire trees as well as tea and rubber plants, banana, coconut and oil palm trees. Presence of this weed also limits the growth of other more palatable species, which decreases vegetation availability for consumption by the native wildlife of the Western Ghats.