Andrea Fidgett's Journey

Andrea, Nutritionist, visited Assam to advise on a research project which aims to understand the reasons why elephants raid crops. Supervised by Andrea, Bidyut Das is studying for a Masters degree from Assam Agricultural University. Bidyut has been collecting data for 12 months monitoring the abundance of different plants throughout the year and especially noting plant species which are preferred by elephants. Samples have also been collected for nutritional analysis. 

Within the study area elephants follow a route every year which takes them from the local reserve forest of Sonai Rupai in the Himalayan foothills, across cultivated lands to the Brahmaputra River, and back again. It is unknown whether this migration is a traditional phenomenon and the elephants have always behaved this way, or whether elephants are lacking certain food items, minerals or other nutrients which they are only able to find on their annual journey.　

Ultimately, knowledge of what elephants may prefer to eat will help the AHP to develop plans for the future and ensure that people and elephants can live safely together in Assam!

 

Evie Astbury's Journey

Maggie Esson's Journey

Andrea Fidgett's Journey