Elephant killings continue in death zone of Kerala

Human-induced elephant deaths are back in focus in Kerala after the death of a makhna elephant in the Malayattoor forests in Ernakulam district on Saturday (June 27, 2026).

While forest officials are probing the incident, the death has also put the spotlight on continuing elephant killings in the Parambikulam-Munnar–Malayattoor forest sector, one of the major elephant mortality hotspots in Kerala.

Ironically, the incident occurred just a day after senior forest officials met at Thattekad to discuss the “Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) for elephant reserves for the 2026–27 cycle.”

This is also the second such incident in the region in two months. In May, a tusker died a few days after biting a jackfruit stuffed with explosives in the Kuttampuzha forest. A tribesperson was arrested in connection with the incident. In the same month, another elephant was electrocuted in the Neriamangalam Range in Kaverippady.

Crop raiding and habitat intrusions by elephants and retaliation by humans have contributed to elephant deaths in the region, according to a study on elephant mortality in Kerala between 2019-20 and 2024-25 by an expert team led by Pramod G. Krishnan, the then Chief Wildlife Warden, Kerala.

The study had identified electrocution as the leading unnatural cause of death, with incident rates tripling over the six years. “Explosives and poaching persist as threats, with juveniles increasingly falling victim to explosive traps often set for wild boar,” noted the report.

The primary elephant mortality zones also included the Wayanad landscape, Nilambur region and Periyar-Ranni-Konni landscape.

The death of a pregnant wild elephant in the Silent Valley forest in 2020, also a suspected case of the animal getting injured after feeding on fruit stuffed with firecrackers, had stirred widespread outrage. The animal, which was unable to eat after suffering injuries to its mouth, had stayed in a river in an apparent effort to ease pain.

The study estimated that 744 wild elephants died between April 2019 and March 2025 and human-induced causes accounted for 77 deaths and Munnar and Ranni areas accounted for “higher incidences of electrocution,” according to the report.

Probe into death

The Forest Department has been asked to probe the latest incident, said Shibu Baby John, State Forest Minister. The government is working on long and short-term proposals to address the issue, he said.

The post-mortem report indicated the cause of death as septicaemia caused by the injuries. The factors that led to the incident are being looked into, said P. Pugazhendi, Chief Wildlife Warden, Kerala.

The cause of injury is suspected to be mild explosives or infighting among the animals. However, there are reasons to suspect that the animal might have been injured when it chewed on explosives hidden in fruits. A primary investigation has been launched into the incident, said P. Karthik, Divisional Forest Officer, Malayattoor.