Introduction to TERF projects :
Human Elephant Conflict (HEC)

In Thailand, Human Elephant Conflict (HEC) has been recorded as an issue in communities around 14 protected areas. There is no national overview of the problem and nor is there a national database to record and monitor whether the instances of HEC are increasing, decreasing or staying the same at either the local or national level.

TERF Project detail

Status and Impact of HEC Worldwide

HEC is an international problem which is on the increase. There has been considerable research into the problem which is summarized here:-

  • The level of impact depends on the number of humans, the number of elephants and the size of the area.
  • In many countries the problems and impacts are similar.
  • HEC most frequently occurs in agricultural settlements close to protected areas.  For example, in the Niassa Province of Mozambique which is close to protected areas, 9 out of 15 sub-districts suffer from HEC and most of the damage is to agricultural products – in 2002 over 18 tonnes of corn was lost from the Nipepe sub-district.
  • HEC results in the loss of human life and property in many countries.  In Kenya over 488 people were injured or killed by elephants between 1989 and 1994.
  • In most cases it is the bull elephants which cause most of the damage.  Places with a higher bull population are more likely to have HEC.

Vietnam is a good Asian case study.  The human population of Vietnam has increased resulting in an increase in settlements and agriculture into forest areas.  As a result of this and killing by humans, the number of elephants has decreased.  Agricultural expansion close to protected areas has resulted in agricultural losses to elephants and the loss of human lives.  In 1993, Jo Heffeman reckoned that for every elephant still living in Vietnam, 26 people had been killed by elephants.