Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Environment and Forests Minister Pawan Kalyan on Thursday reported a 70 per cent reduction in human fatalities in forest-fringe areas following the deployment of trained ‘Kumki’ elephants to manage human-elephant conflicts. Speaking at national-level World Elephant Day celebrations in Visakhapatnam, he noted that the measures had also helped reduce crop damage caused by wild elephant herds.

Kalyan said four ‘Kumki’ elephants were brought from Karnataka with the assistance of the state government and specially trained to respond to situations involving wild elephants. According to him, the elephants have so far participated in 15 operations aimed at controlling incidents involving elephants that entered human settlements and agricultural areas. He thanked the Karnataka government for its cooperation, describing the initiative as a joint effort focused on protecting people, wildlife and the environment.

The Deputy Chief Minister also noted that Andhra Pradesh has begun developing its own trained ‘Kumki’ elephants. One such elephant, Jayanth, has already been stationed in the Parvathipuram Manyam region, while the state plans to train two more elephants every year. He recalled that elephant herds numbering between 132 and 142 had previously caused serious problems in forest-fringe areas, including crop destruction and incidents involving people in parts of Chittoor district’s Palamaner area and Parvathipuram Manyam.

Also Read: SIT Report Exposes Large-Scale Discrepancies in APPSC Valuation

Kalyan also discussed the state’s HANUMAN project, launched in March 2026 as a technology-driven system for managing human-wildlife conflicts. He reported that 93 response vehicles and seven wildlife ambulances have been deployed under the initiative, with more than 200 wild animals rescued and over 30 relocated so far. The programme combines rapid response capabilities with field intervention to reduce the damage and risks associated with wildlife entering human habitation.

The Deputy Chief Minister stressed that elephant conservation and human-wildlife conflict management require cooperation between government agencies and local communities. He noted that elephants play an important role in maintaining ecological balance and pointed to the Central government’s emphasis on elephant conservation, including the increase in elephant conservation centres from 26 in 2014 to 33.

Kalyan emphasised that the objective was not to separate wildlife from people but to create conditions where both can coexist safely. He said the government’s broader goal was to enable farmers living near forest areas to cultivate their land without fear while ensuring the protection of wildlife. Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Kirti Vardhan Singh and senior officials also addressed the World Elephant Day event in Visakhapatnam.

Also Read: Andhra Pradesh Plans Dharavi Model For Slum Redevelopment Across The State