Death of elephants by electrocution from illegal fences and power infrastructure in the wildlife habitats in the Nilgiris, Coimbatore and other regions of Tamil Nadu remains a cause for concern for environmentalists and wildlife enthusiasts.
The recent electrocution of elephants highlights the hazards that the wildlife face while navigating the landscapes where human activity and wildlife habitats overlap.
According to the response under the Right to Information (RTI) Act from the Ministry of Environment and Forests, provided to wildlife activist Antony Rubin, electrocutions far outnumber any other cause of unnatural elephant deaths in the State. Between 2011 and 2021, 79 elephants died from electrocution, either by coming in contact with fences or through power infrastructure. The number of elephant deaths during the same period from poaching, poisoning and train collisions stood at only 10. In fact, the State recorded the fourth highest number of elephant deaths from electrocution during the period, after Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Karnataka.
