Source: Dhaka Tribune
A population of just over 260 wild Asian elephants uses a migration corridor that also happens to house refugee camps—a clear-cut example of one type of human-elephant conflict (HEC).
HEC can result from a mixture of decreased habitat due to deforestation and climate change, and expanding human populations. With fewer wild food sources and less room to move about, elephants increasingly enter villages to forage for food. Additionally, growing human populations means more room is needed for villages, so humans move into areas historically serving as elephant habitats.
In Bangladesh, near the border with Myanmar, the Ukhiya-Ghumdhum elephant migration corridor runs about 2.8 miles long and less than a mile wide. One of the last wild herds of elephants in this part of Asia traverses it to move from Ukhiya to Myanmar through the Naikhongchari Reserve Forest.
Unfortunately, the area is also home to almost 20 Rohingya refugee camps. The Rohingya are a predominantly Muslim ethnic group from the Rakhine state of Myanmar. They were displaced from their home country by discrimination, repression, and violence from the Myanmar government (Myanmar is predominantly Buddhist).
The refugees fled across the border to Bangladesh in 2017, where they were welcomed to camps in Cox’s Bazar, which now holds almost 1 million Rohingya.
At least 12 people were confirmed killed as a result of HEC prior to January 2018. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Forest Department of Bangladesh created elephant response teams and built watch towers to manage HEC in Cox’s Bazar. Since their response, 500 sightings have occurred but no deaths are reported—human or elephant—as a result of interactions.
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Additionally, though this website is focused on elephants, the Rohingya need help too. It’s been six years since they fled violence in Myanmar and it’s unclear if repatriation will be an option.
The refugees rely on humanitarian assistance and receive food ration money from the UN World Food Programme (WFP).
WFP is decreasing its monthly rations from 12 to 10 dollars per day. The UN predicts this will lead to more severe health issues for the refugees, who already struggle to meet nutritional goals. Because of the lack of economic opportunity in refugee camps, many residents are fighting with each other and engaging in criminal activity like trafficking drugs and even humans. Attention for Rohingya refugees has been diverted to the war in Ukraine, but they still desperately need the world’s support.
Donate to WFP or find a reputable organization that sends volunteers to the camps in Cox’s Bazar.
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