Centuries away, jumbos return to Navegaon area

Nagpur: A herd of 22 elephants, which were completely evicted from Gadchiroli and prevented from entering the neighboring state of Chhattisgarh, reached Navegaon National Park (NNP) in Gondia district on Wednesday evening.

Navegaon National Park is also part of the Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve (NNTR), the centuries-old habitat of elephants. And also experts say that Navegaon was the home of elephants about 300 years ago. The herd has entered the national park from Nagandoh-Ghogra-Itiyadoh backwater-Chutia and Navegaon.

Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve officials are also alert because, on the date of September 30, 2022, the herd was at the door of Navegaon, but did not enter the park at all and kept roaming. On 4 October, a jumbo ran over a Tidka villager and injured another after the herd was chased by an unruly mob.

Ancient literature and history show that Navegaon was the territory

“The herd has penetrated about 6 km inside the park boundary. Though the park is devoid of human settlements and is a better place to live, we cannot predict how the animals will react,” said Jayerame Gowda, field director, Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve.

After staying for almost eight months from the date of 14th August 2022, on 10th April, this herd returned to the Rajnandgaon and Manpur Forest Divisions of Chhattisgarh. However, after being pushed back, it returned to Gadchiroli on April 14. Since then elephants were also roaming in Gadchiroli.

Prafulla Bhamburkar, the advisor to Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), an NGO working for elephants, says that the herd’s entry into Navegaon is very good news. “Ancient literature and history show that Navegaon was the territory of elephants centuries ago. Places like Hatti Pangdi in the park and Hattikhodra in the Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary still exist. These places were elephant-catching places,” Prafulla Bhamburkar said.

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