Gadchiroli saw the first sign of elephants in three centuries after a herd of 23 pachyderms walked into Maharashtra from Chhattisgarh last year. While the elephants went back in March, about two dozen, including a tusker, returned in August. As they anticipate frequent sightings of the big animals in border areas, forest officials have begun mapping their movement as part of a long-term plan to minimise man-animal conflicts.

Last October, a herd of 23 elephants arrived in Gadchiroli from Chhattisgarh and left Maharashtra on March 16, 2022. In August this year, 23 elephants came back to Gadchiroli. They are now in Gondia division. This has prompted the forest department to deploy 70-80 officials along with a hulla team from Bengal to monitor their activities around the clock. A hulla team drives away elephants from human habitats and paddy fields.