Andhra Deploys 'Kumki' Elephants To Combat Rising Human-Elephant Conflict

The Government of Andhra Pradesh has deployed specially trained "Kumki" elephants to the regions most affected by the long-standing issue of human-elephant conflict. The move, initiated with the support of the Karnataka government, marks a new, systematic approach to protect both human lives and agricultural crops.

According to a post on X by the state's deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan, Kumki elephants, brought from Karnataka in May, have been successfully deployed in the Palamaneru forest division. This follows a period of intensive training for Andhra Pradesh mahouts at a camp near Palamaneru.

Kumki elephants deployed to tackle human-elephant conflict

To mitigate frequent human-elephant conflicts in Chittoor and Manyam Parvathipuram districts and to protect both human lives and farmers' crops, the Government of Andhra Pradesh, with the support of the Government of… pic.twitter.com/17FOk1tBNW

— Deputy CMO, Andhra Pradesh (@APDeputyCMO) August 4, 2025

The deployment is a direct response to a worsening conflict that has seen wild elephant herds straying into villages in districts like Chittoor and Parvathipuram Manyam. Over the years, these incidents have resulted in the tragic loss of human lives and significant damage to crops.

Data from recent years indicates a high number of fatalities and immense financial losses for local farmers, who have long been demanding a permanent solution.

Kumki elephants are domesticated and trained Asian elephants that are used to drive away or manage wild elephants. Their presence is a key tool in non-violent wildlife management, helping to guide rogue herds back into forest areas and away from human settlements.

The initiative is a result of high-level inter-state collaboration. Deputy Chief Minister Kalyan had personally held discussions with Karnataka's Forest Minister, Eshwar Khandre, to secure the support and transfer of the trained elephants. In his post, Kalyan extended his "sincere thanks" to Minister Khandre and the Karnataka government for their cooperation.

Forest officials are hopeful that this strategy will bring much-needed relief to the affected communities. The deployment of the Kumki elephants is part of a broader, technology-driven approach to wildlife management, which also includes the use of drones for 24/7 monitoring and the creation of village-level alert groups to warn residents of elephant movements in real-time.