Negotiating Coexistence and Territories in Tension: A Case Study of Elephant Incursions and Social Vulnerability from Eastern India

Human-animal conflict in general and Human-elephant conflict in particular has become an acute problem in Odisha state, that accounts for the largest toll of elephant attack induced human casualty among all states of India. Recently, news reports recorded 153 human casualties and 94 elephant deaths due to such conflict in Odisha 2024-25 alone. Taking note of this everincreasing concern, this paper aims to bridge the gap between policy implementation and ground reality by qualitatively analysing the real-world scenario in a micro- setting in Kanheipur Village Panchayat, a targeted location in the given context in the state as a case study. It employs rigorous field survey of N=100 local stakeholders across the villages of the Panchayat as methodology to assess elephant incursions, resultant crop damage and fatalities. The results indicate towards a pronounced seasonal pattern of around 70% of elephant visits during the post-monsoon and winter window. The study span recorded one recent fatality and several injuries. Major factors behind this include proximity to Dalijoda and Haripur Forest Ranges, local crop profiles as paddy farms etc. Recommended interventions include solar fencing, trenches construction, community-based patrols etc.