Kadar people and human elephant conflict in Tamil Nadu
The Kadar are a tribal community or indigenous community in India, a designated Scheduled Tribe in the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala. They are an aboriginal tribe whose traditional way of life has been based on hunting and gathering. They specialized in collecting honey, wax, sago, arrowroot, cardamom, ginger, and umbrella sticks for trade with merchants from the plains. The People of Paraiyar Community claims that Kadar is part of Paraiyar who lives and take care of forest and forest lives.
In the early twentieth century, the Kadars used to work with forest officials to take care of forest and guide royal hunting parties in the princely state of Cochin. Currently, many of the tribe members have moved to areas closer to the plains and urban areas.
Recently, Tamil Nadu reported a death of Kadar tribesman in elephant attack in Anamalai Tiger Reserve. It is a cause of concern because this community is known to-exist with wild elephants for ages.
This man animal conflict is attributed to habitat degradation, developmental works in forest buffers and obstructions in elephant corridors.
Recently the panel, headed by Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests V. Naganathan, reassessed the existing corridors in the State, released a list of 42 elephant corridors. The environmentalists hailed the report, as it doubled the number of corridors in the State against the 20 corridors identified in the Project Elephant Division’s report in 2023 and 19 corridors identified by the WTI.
Eventhough environmentalists hailed the report, locul representatives alleged that draft report was a plot to restrict people’s access to temples in forests. They also alleged that draft would affect the livelihood of local people.
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