Habitat Suitability Zone Analysis Using Geoinformatics for Elephants to Mitigate Human-Elephant Conflict in Mayurjharna Elephant Reserve, West Bengal, India

The Mayurjharna Elephant Reserve, located in eastern India, spans parts of Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram, and Bankura districts in West Bengal. This research focuses on identifying habitat suitability zones for elephants in the reserve using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method. Parameters such as the Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI), water availability (NDWI), road network, agricultural land, settlements, elevation, slope, and aspect are used to create thematic raster layers, weighted based on their significance. Additionally, a Conflict Risk Zone map, created from Forest Office survey data, presents high, medium, and low conflict zones between humans and elephants. The study also includes a Forest Fire Risk Zone map, created using the AHP method with factors such as road network, settlements, land use and land cover (LULC), elevation, slope, and aspect. These criteria were used to generate thematic raster layers and assign weighted significance. The analysis reveals that 53.865 km2 of the reserve is highly suitable for elephants, while 29.409 km2 is of very low suitability. Furthermore, 158 villages fall under high conflict risk zones, and 64 villages are in low conflict risk zones. Approximately 11.5 km2 of the reserve is classified as high-risk for forest fires, while 194.35 km2 is in the very low-risk category. The study also explores the causes of increasing human-elephant conflicts. Strategies for elephant conservation and solutions to mitigate human-elephant conflicts are proposed to ensure the coexistence and safety of both species.