Electrocution accounts for 32 of 49 elephant deaths in Andhra’s Chittoor since 2015
The carcass of a wild elephant that was electrocuted on October 24 in the fields of Gubbalavaripalle village in Irala mandal of Chittoor district. Electrocution has caused 32 of the 49 elephant deaths recorded in the region since 2015. File | Photo credit: Special arrangement
District Collector Sumit Kumar on Friday (October 30, 2026) called for coordinated action by the forest department and the Andhra Pradesh Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (APSPDCL) to prevent the electrocution of elephants in the Chittoor region.
At a coordination committee meeting with Forest and APSPDCL officials here, the Collector reviewed a 10-year mortality assessment showing that 32 of the 49 elephant deaths recorded between 2015 and 2026 were due to electrocution, accounting for nearly 65% of the total deaths.
Chief Wildlife Warden Rahul Pandey, Chief Conservator of Forests (Tiger Reserve) C. Selvam and Chittoor District Forest Officer G. Subburaj attended the meeting.
A field survey by the forest department identified 1,166 vulnerable low-lying power lines in five forest stands: Kuppam, Palamaner, Punganur, Chittoor East and Chittoor West. “Of these, 484 sites have power lines at a height of six feet or below, potentially bringing them within reach of elephants. As many as 150 sites have been classified as critical and require immediate attention,” Kumar said.
The collector said that five elephants died of electrocution in 2026 alone. Three of the incidents involved illegal electrical activity, including electrified wildlife traps and unauthorized power connections to farm motors. The other two deaths were related to structural deficiencies in the power grid. “The recent death of an elephant at Chukkavaripalli in Chittoor West area on October 24 has come under scrutiny due to delays in fixing identified vulnerabilities. Low-hanging electrical wires at the site have been reported several times since 2023,” he said.
The collector said that all 150 critical spots would be repaired within a month and 484 low-lying spots within three months. Measures include raising or insulating power lines, fencing transformers, separating agricultural feeders and intensifying inspections to detect illegal connections.
“We have also identified 430 open agricultural wells, including 283 uncovered or unguarded wells, which pose an additional threat to wildlife,” he said.
Published – 30 Oct 2026 17:35 IST