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In an effort to save crops from marauding elephants, the Andhra Pradesh government is deploying elephants themselves as the first line of defence.
Two trained kumki elephants, Jayanth and Abhimanyu, are being moved from the Musalamadugu elephant camp at Palamaner to the Guchimi camp in Parvathipuram Manyam district. They will help forest officials steer wild elephant herds away from farms and human habitations and safely guide them back into the forests.
The elephants received a warm reception at the Mangalagiri camp office during their journey. Deputy Chief Minister and Forest and Environment Minister Pawan Kalyan welcomed them with flower petals, fed them and flagged off the second leg of their journey to Guchimi.
Kalyan directed Forest Department officials to take all necessary precautions to ensure the elephants’ safety during transit. Once they reach Guchimi, they should be allowed to acclimatise to the local environment under expert supervision, he said.
The deployment is part of the government’s strategy to contain growing human-elephant conflict in Parvathipuram Manyam district. Wild elephant herds frequently enter the district from the adjoining areas of Odisha, damaging standing crops and property and posing a threat to local communities.
Jayanth and Abhimanyu are no strangers to such challenging assignments. The two kumkis have played a key role in several operations in the Palamaner and Chittoor regions, helping forest personnel safely drive wild elephant herds back into forested areas.
Their services are expected to strengthen conflict-mitigation operations around Parvathipuram, protecting farmers and their crops while avoiding harm to wild elephants, Pawan Kalyan said in a release
The government was adopting scientific and humane measures that simultaneously ensure public safety, crop protection and wildlife conservation, he added.
Published on July 24, 2026
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