In the lush biodiversity of the Western Ghats, Tata Coffee, a subsidiary of Tata Consumer Products, has set a benchmark for corporate-led wildlife conservation through its long-term elephant conservation efforts. Spanning 31,000 acres across Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, the company’s plantations are home to over 120 wild elephants, many of which have become semi-resident since the 1980s. This proximity once posed significant challenges—rising human-elephant interactions, crop damage, human injuries, and disruptions to estate operations.
Recognizing the need for a sustainable and safe solution, Tata Coffee established a Specialized Wildlife Cell under the Head of Safety, integrating trackers, data analysts, and ground patrollers to monitor elephant movement and mitigate conflict. The company pioneered the use of radio collars for matriarch elephants—making it the first in Asia to do so—facilitating real-time behavioral research in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and Forest Departments.
Technology plays a pivotal role in the initiative, with AI-based movement detection, drone surveillance, motion sensors, FM radio warnings, GIS conflict mapping, and bulk SMS alerts enabling swift, informed responses. On the ground, more than 70 trained elephant trackers patrol high-risk zones, guiding estate workers and enhancing safety. Physical safeguards, such as solar-powered fences, watchtowers, warning sirens, and rail-track barricades, complement regular mock drills to maintain preparedness. Habitat management measures, including clearing blind spots and relocating jackfruit trees, further reduce potential encounters.
The results have been transformative. Elephant intrusion incidents have dropped by over 70%—from 991 in 2014–15 to 321 in 2023–24. Human injuries and crop damage have significantly declined, while over 50 elephants have been safely relocated to protected reserves or rescue centers in line with ecological and ethical protocols.
Tata Coffee’s approach reflects a broader vision: to create a safe, conflict-free environment where elephants can traverse plantations without threatening human life or livelihoods. This program has been recognized as a model for coexistence, earning accolades such as the CII IQ National Safety Practice Award (2017) and internal acknowledgment from Tata Consumer Products for setting plantation-based conservation standards.
By combining innovation, collaboration, and deep respect for nature, Tata Coffee has demonstrated how business operations in ecologically sensitive areas can coexist harmoniously with wildlife. Its efforts are now seen as a replicable blueprint for fostering sustainable human-wildlife interactions in similar landscapes.
x
