Geospatial Quantification of Human–Elephant Conflict Hotspots in the Southern Western Ghats

Human–elephant conflict (HEC) in the Southern Western Ghats has significant socio-economic and ecological impacts, highlighting the need for an integrated mitigation approach. The present study leverages a geo-tagged database of 1,22,986 HEC incidents from 2019 to 2023 sourced from the e-Parihara web portal, Karnataka Forest Department (KFD), to analyse conflict patterns, damage types, and compensation trends across eight districts of Karnataka. Kodagu became the district with the highest number of cases and compensation, highlighting the need for targeted interventions. The study distinguishes between districts within the Western Ghats and those outside, such as Mandya and Ramanagara, to understand the geographical and ecological aspects of HEC dynamics. A significant increase in HEC cases and compensation was observed during the study period, with the number of cases rising from 8,184 in 2019 to 30,912 in 2023, while compensation payments increased from ₹53.7 million to ₹390.4 million over the same period. As a result, a total of ₹1,050.5 million was spent on compensation during the 2019–2023 period. The damage was categorised into six types: plantation damage, crop loss, property damage, human injury and death, livestock kills, and other damages. A total of 1,998 conflict-prone villages were identified and classified into five categories: Very High (26.1%), High (35.4%), New/Emerging Hotspots (9.4%), Sporadic Hotspots (19.2%), and Cold Spots (9.9%). This classification aids in prioritising mitigation efforts, particularly in high and emerging hotspots, to prevent further escalation. The study aligns with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) 2023 HEC mitigation guidelines, emphasising the implementation of early warning and rapid response systems. The village-level hotspot database serves as a strategic tool for conflict mitigation, supporting targeted habitat management and policy interventions to reduce human–wildlife conflict in the Southern Western Ghats.