Worsening human-elephant conflict

Some time ago there was a TV programme on the Elephant/Man conflict. Many participants said the elephants come to the villages as they have been displaced by unplanned industrial structures, and farm lands authorized by the Government, in the name of development. Two good examples are the Mattala International Airport and the Suriyawewa Cricket Stadium. Today, many poor farmers die defending their land. The relocation of the wild elephants also does not work, they say.

Besides removing the fences at Mattala and Suriyawewa, allowing the elephants to come back, the most effective way of preventing the elephants straying into the villages is by constructing well-planned electric fencing around communities, with due consideration given to the elephant corridors; which have to be defined first by using radio collars on selected elephants, such as the matriarchs of the herds. Studies, I believe have already been done.

To date the Department of WildLife has constructed many kilometers of electric fencing. There are more fences planned. The ‘modus operandi’ being that villages are co- opted to plant the fence posts, draw the wires and then maintain their continuous serviceability. This seems to be the problem. The elephants are able to break these fences frequently, using logs and stones, as and when the need arises to infiltrate into the villages. Unfortunately, the breach in the fence is discovered too late. There is no immediate way of effecting repairs, and the elephants get away with it.

To supervise kilometers (4300 km?) of electric fencing is no mean task for ground crews, without perimeter roads along the fences. May I suggest that the authorities use aerial patrols? A lot can be spotted from the air. A daily flight by light aircraft should work. There are sixteen airports in Sri Lanka that these aircraft can operate out of. Not only a breach in the fence, they can also spot the elephant perpetrator/s from the air, and guide the ground crews accordingly. Using helicopters is more costly and noisy, than a low Horse Powered fixed wing light aircraft.

Some may suggest that drone technology can be used to monitor the fences, but even wide-angle lenses will not give 360 degree vision, good maneuverability and good communication available, from a human pilot, to a command center.Elephants are a great asset to our country, and to understand their behavior and protect innocent communities should be everybody’s business.

Capt. G A FERNANDO