Elephant deaths due to explosives in Kerala.. concern again

The deaths of wild elephants in Kerala are once again a cause for concern. A mahna (tusked male elephant) died after eating a fruit stuffed with explosives in the Malayattur forest area of Ernakulam district. This is the second such incident in the last two months, forest department officials said. Officials said that some people are illegally placing fruits stuffed with explosives to prevent forest animals from entering crop fields. Elephants who eat them are seriously injured and losing their lives. A study by the forest department revealed that 744 wild elephants died in Kerala from 2019 to 2025, of which 77 deaths were due to human activities. The state government has ordered an investigation into the incident. The forest department said that strict action will be taken against the use of explosives and a special action plan is being prepared for the protection of elephants. Officials appealed to the public to cooperate in the protection of wild animals.