The State animal of Jharkhand, the elephant, has become a displaced creature in its own home, courtesy vanishing corridors, growing urbanisation and illegal mining. Despite having a rich pathway of six State corridors and twelve intra-State corridors, elephants face the ire of intruders. Jharkhand’s corridors are undergoing landscape changes due to unplanned development. Corridors which were identified in 2001 are much different from those identified after 2005. DS Srivastava, a member of Elephant Steering Committee, points out, “Elephants are environmental refugees. They keep moving in their corridors for food. They spend summers in one region and winters in another.” He adds, “An adult elephant needs about 130-140 kg of food every day. They are bound to enter human habitat when they do not get food in the forests.” Srivastava noted that “mushrooming villages in the migratory corridors of elephants is the primary reason behind human-wildlife conflict”. “Elephants have a very strong smelling power. They damage houses to munch on the maize and drink hadia (alcohol prepared from rice) stocked by villagers,” he said. A very clear manifestation of this is the human-elephant conflict in areas near National Highway-33 for the past 20 days. Growing pressure on forests has driven a herd of rogue jumbos to create havoc in Bundu and Tamar areas. According to experts, calves may keep revisiting adjoining villages of NH-33 when they grow up, through which they are crossing now, as elephants are good in memorising paths. Thus, there is a chance of increased rampage here. The electronic fencing on the Jharkhand-Bengal border is also posing a threat to jumbos. More than 800 people have lost their lives in past 12 years being trampled to death by these huge creatures, whereas the number elephant deaths stands at 120. The elephant population of Jharkhand is concentrated in two areas - Palamau and Singhbhum. The restoration of corridors is necessary to help them move back into the forest. Suggesting measures to restore the traditional migratory paths, Srivastava said, “The concept of sustainable development, which is in books till now, should be made a reality. Wildlife is the most neglected aspect when it comes to developmental plans. Departments should think twice before laying railway tracks and cutting trees for constructing highways.”