Ecological analysis of drivers influencing elephant mortality from electrocution in West Bengal, India
摘要
Elephant electrocution has emerged as a major, yet understudied, driver of human–elephant conflict in India. This study provides a spatiotemporal assessment of electrocution mortality among Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) across West Bengal between 2013 and 2023. A total of 73 confirmed incidents were analyzed to identify significant predictors of mortality risk in the region. Results revealed electrocution deaths were strongly skewed toward adult males, reflecting sex-specific movement behavior and differential exposure to anthropogenic landscapes. Mortality events were not randomly distributed but clustered in districts characterized by intensive agriculture and fragmented land-use mosaics, highlighting the role of human-modified landscapes in shaping risk. Temporal patterns revealed pronounced seasonal peaks during the monsoon and cropping periods, coinciding with increased elephant movement and heightened human activity. Although broad-scale demographic and spatial factors explained some variation in mortality, much of the risk appears to be driven by fine-scale, unrecorded features such as local electrical infrastructure, informal fencing practices, and proximity to settlements. Overall, electrocution mortality is a predictable outcome of spatial and anthropogenic interactions rather than random events. Effective mitigation should therefore prioritize identified high-risk areas and seasons through actions such as insulation or elevation of power lines in agricultural–forest interfaces, targeted removal of illegal electric fencing during peak conflict periods, and focused community outreach in areas with recurrent incidents. Such evidence-based, location-specific interventions are essential for reducing elephant mortality and improving long-term human–elephant coexistence.