Assam: Eight new corridors being constructed for elephants in Tinsukia.
Tinsukia: In a community-led initiative aimed at preventing human–elephant conflict, eight traditional elephant corridors passing through the Tarani Reserve Forest in upper Assam’s Tinsukia district were formally identified, named and marked with signboards on Sunday.
Human–elephant conflict has emerged as a growing and often fatal challenge across Assam. However, Tarani village—surrounded by reserve forest on three sides, has reported only sporadic incidents over the past century. According to local records and collective community memory, approximately seven such incidents have occurred in the last 100 years.
Despite the relatively low frequency, increased elephant movement in recent years prompted villagers and forest authorities to take preventive measures before conflict escalated.
The Khatangpani Forest Department, in collaboration with the Tarani Gaon Mahamilan Yuvak Sangha, installed signboards along eight identified elephant movement routes deep inside the forest. Each corridor has been named based on local knowledge and oral histories, reflecting generations of coexistence between humans and wildlife.
“These are not new paths created by elephants. They are ancient routes that existed long before human settlements came up here,” a forest official associated with the initiative said. “Marking them is a step towards coexistence, not conflict.”
The exercise aims to alert villagers, forest workers and commuters about active elephant corridors and encourage caution, particularly during early morning and evening hours when elephant movement is most frequent.
Local residents welcomed the initiative, describing it as a practical blend of traditional wisdom and modern conservation practices.
“We grew up hearing elders talk about these elephant paths. The signboards will help the younger generation and outsiders understand where extra caution is needed,” said a member of the Tarani Gaon Mahamilan Yuvak Sangha.
Community elders, youth volunteers and forest officials jointly participated in the installation programme, highlighting a shared-responsibility model of wildlife management rooted in local participation rather than enforcement alone.
Organisers acknowledged the contribution of several villagers, including Shravan Saikia, Pushpadhar Moran, Ganraj, Nipun Moran, Nalani, Dinesh Duwara, Gaonburha Suruj Moran, Prashanta, Mun, Tutu, Nirav, Lakshya and Satyak, among others, who remained actively involved throughout the initiative.
“Human–elephant conflict cannot be addressed by force alone. Awareness, respect for animal pathways and community participation are the real solutions,” a senior village elder said.
Conservationists believe such low-cost, community-driven interventions could serve as a replicable model for other forest-fringe villages across Assam, where habitat loss and expanding human activity continue to push people and wildlife into closer and often dangerous contact.
