Frontier Elephant Programme
One of the most sustained expressions of my work is the Frontier Elephant Programme (FEP), a multi-institution collaborative project, which I founded and have lead for over a decade. Initially conceived during my doctoral research, FEP has evolved into a pioneering platform for field-based elephant research, policy engagement and capacity building in southern India.
The programme has become a critical interface between research institutions, the Karnataka Forest Department and local communities. It combines behavioural observation with participatory governance, training forest staff, mentoring students and working directly with farmers to co-create locally grounded strategies for coexistence.
Engaging Community
My engagement with community has included the training of forest personnel in behavioural monitoring, conflict mitigation and ethical wildlife management. I have been a member of state committees to draft several policy documents on elephant management and translocation. These initiatives have significantly improved institutional responses to human–elephant conflict and have strengthened scientific–policy dialogue in the state.
Through the Frontier Elephant Programme, in my work with farming communities, I have co-developed livelihood and coexistence models that integrate local knowledge, crop protection and landscape design to reduce conflict and foster coexistence. This work reflects a multispecies ethic that connects my research on elephant behaviour with human well-being and justice.
PARTNERS
