By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The recent incident where a wildlife staff was trampled to death by a wild elephant has once again opened up the debate over man-animal conflicts.
This was not the first time that a man was killed by a wild elephant as in the past too some people have either been killed or injured by wild elephants in the State.
Talking to The Shillong Times here recently about the man-animal conflicts, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest VK Nautiyal said that human population is on the rise and the animal habitat is being reduced which sometimes propels the wild elephants to enter into human inhabited areas.
It may be reminded that wildlife guard Marshal Kharsynteng was trampled to death by an elephant inside the Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary in Ri-Bhoi district earlier this month.
Stating that wildlife staff had a hazardous job the official said that due compensation would be paid to the next of kin of the victim.
Experts said wild elephants have been moving out of the jungles as people have encroached upon animal corridors, leading to an increasing number of elephant attacks on people.
“Many times humans are found to attack the elephants and this makes them even wilder,” he added.
Sources informed that the elephant had strayed from a herd located in Nongkhyllem Wild Life Sanctuary in the district and later killed the wildlife staff.