The Asian elephant Elephas maximus is a prime example of a
large-bodied, wide-ranging, conflict-prone species that is increasingly
threatened by anthropogenic activities across its geographical
range. Almost half of the 873,000 km2 of habitat that harbors
elephants in Asia is both fragmented and heavily impacted by
humans.Growing human populations,
deforestation and agro-developmental land conversion are resulting
in ever-shrinking habitat islands interspersed within a
human-dominated landscape.This, in
combination with an upswing in incidents of human–elephant
conflict (HEC) is severely exacerbating the
endangered status of the species. Long-term conservation of the
Asian elephant therefore requires a greater understanding of the
implications of increasing HEC, particularly in the context of habitat
loss and degradation.