Burning Issues

Burning Issues Human- animal Conflict Human-animal Conflict -Susan Sharma Conservation in India is closely related to how we tackle human animal conflicts. In our Club we have had a number of well attended chat sessions on Human -elephant and human -leopard conflicts. Our last month chat was the second discussion we had on Human-Elephant conflict. You can read the transcript at the following link http://www.indianwildlifeclub.com/chat/chat-archive.aspx?cid=94 There is an ongoing discussion in the "LinkedIn" group called Wildlife Professionals, from where I have selected the following India -centric conversation. Hope you enjoy reading them. "To keep out elephant you only need three wires. This will also keep out hippo and buffalo. This fence should be 1.8 metres high, with the wooden poles sunk at least 60cm into the ground (poles 2.4 in total length. The first two wires fixed to the fence are at 1m above the ground and the second two at the top of the fence. These sets of two wires are used to support 60cm long offset brackets that face outwards and carry insulator that has the current wire with a second earth wire adjacent to it. It is preferable to use high tensile wires for the fence as these are more difficult to make into wire snares than soft wire. The secret is to allow some "Give" in the fence so that the wires are not broken when the elephant first make contact. Good makes for energizers avaible in our part of the wordl are Gallagher and MEPS. You biggest problem is going to be theft of the panels ( to run radios and TV, the batteries and energizers> You need to place these in a safe place. Jeremy Anderson Nearly all over India power fence have worked well but when individual male elephants in particular, want to get in to raid a field of ripening paddy or millet they will find a way to break through it. The fence keep out all ungulates but wild pigs will occasionally breach. Elephant groups generally respect them but I know of instances when a log has been thrown at a fence that has earthed it after which it has been breached. Wether this was accidental or deliberate is a matter of speculation. I fully endorse that Gallagher energizers are very reliable. In India the Company has a very efficient set up. Ashish Chandola Electric fence has failed here in the Luangwa valley Zambia.Villagers use the wire for snaring animals Benson Kanyembo I agree with Ashish Chandola. I am also working on human elephant conflict in trans-border region of eastern Nepal, where elephants come from North Bengal of India. Every year human elephant conflict results high mortality of human and elephants in this region. People are using fire crackers, electric fencing and sound making mechnisms to protect their properties from elephants. If anyone is working in Indo-Nepal border for human elephant conflict, could you please suggest me their contact information because I would like to collaborate in a research? Dinesh Neupane I am the chairman of Kodagu Model Forest Trust at Ponnampet, Kodagu, Karnataka and we have done some PPP- public, people participation near Thithimathi where KMFT initiated a program to mitigate elephant-man conflict. Forest dept is also involved. Green valley community foundation was started with villagers contributing money with KMFT providing seed money and FD also contributing. Elephant proof trench was dug all along the Reserve Forest bordering private coffee estates ( including company plantation) and also electric fence. villagers are paying for the three watchers to maintain the trench and fence. no damage to farmlands so far. 17 km length was covered and appreciated by others. this could be repeated as a successful PPP. Kushalapa K.A. Chairman KMFT. kodira1@hotmail.com / kodagu_mf@yahoo.co.in Kodira Kushalapa Have a look at the short film in two parts at the links pasted below below. It is regarding elephant-human conflict in the North of West Bengal in India that I have done and put on Youtube. NGO working on providing compensation for cattle killed by tigers and leopard have made much headway around Corbett National Park. In short, both these are good working models. Pls feel free to contact me directly at <chandola.ashish@gmail.com>. Elephant Days and Nights ver 01 part 01 http://www.indianwildlifeclub.com/wildbytes/index.aspx?vid=omY-S4D5kls Elephant Days and Nights ver 01 part 02 http://www.indianwildlifeclub.com/wildbytes/index.aspx?vid=r-82XIh1fSc Ashish Chandola

Human- animal Conflict

Human-animal Conflict

-Susan Sharma

Conservation in India is closely related to how we tackle human animal conflicts. In our Club we have had a number of well attended chat sessions on Human -elephant and human -leopard conflicts. Our last month chat was the second discussion we had on Human-Elephant conflict. You can read the transcript at the following link

http://www.indianwildlifeclub.com/chat/chat-archive.aspx?cid=94

There is an ongoing discussion in the "LinkedIn" group called Wildlife Professionals, from where I have selected the following India -centric conversation. Hope you enjoy reading them.

"To keep out elephant you only need three wires. This will also keep out hippo and buffalo. This fence should be 1.8 metres high, with the wooden poles sunk at least 60cm into the ground (poles 2.4 in total length. The first two wires fixed to the fence are at 1m above the ground and the second two at the top of the fence. These sets of two wires are used to support 60cm long offset brackets that face outwards and carry insulator that has the current wire with a second earth wire adjacent to it. It is preferable to use high tensile wires for the fence as these are more difficult to make into wire snares than soft wire. The secret is to allow some "Give" in the fence so that the wires are not broken when the elephant first make contact. Good makes for energizers avaible in our part of the wordl are Gallagher and MEPS. You biggest problem is going to be theft of the panels ( to run radios and TV, the batteries and energizers> You need to place these in a safe place.

Jeremy Anderson

Nearly all over India power fence have worked well but when individual male elephants in particular, want to get in to raid a field of ripening paddy or millet they will find a way to break through it. The fence keep out all ungulates but wild pigs will occasionally breach. Elephant groups generally respect them but I know of instances when a log has been thrown at a fence that has earthed it after which it has been breached. Wether this was accidental or deliberate is a matter of speculation.
I fully endorse that Gallagher energizers are very reliable. In India the Company has a very efficient set up.

Ashish Chandola

Electric fence has failed here in the Luangwa valley Zambia.Villagers use the wire for snaring animals

Benson Kanyembo

I agree with Ashish Chandola. I am also working on human elephant conflict in trans-border region of eastern Nepal, where elephants come from North Bengal of India. Every year human elephant conflict results high mortality of human and elephants in this region. People are using fire crackers, electric fencing and sound making mechnisms to protect their properties from elephants. If anyone is working in Indo-Nepal border for human elephant conflict, could you please suggest me their contact information because I would like to collaborate in a research?

Dinesh Neupane

I am the chairman of Kodagu Model Forest Trust at Ponnampet, Kodagu, Karnataka and we have done some PPP- public, people participation near Thithimathi where KMFT initiated a program to mitigate elephant-man conflict. Forest dept is also involved. Green valley community foundation was started with villagers contributing money with KMFT providing seed money and FD also contributing. Elephant proof trench was dug all along the Reserve Forest bordering private coffee estates ( including company plantation) and also electric fence. villagers are paying for the three watchers to maintain the trench and fence. no damage to farmlands so far. 17 km length was covered and appreciated by others. this could be repeated as a successful PPP.
Kushalapa K.A. Chairman KMFT. kodira1@hotmail.com / kodagu_mf@yahoo.co.in

Kodira Kushalapa

Have a look at the short film in two parts at the links pasted below below. It is regarding elephant-human conflict in the North of West Bengal in India that I have done and put on Youtube. NGO working on providing compensation for cattle killed by tigers and leopard have made much headway around Corbett National Park. In short, both these are good working models. Pls feel free to contact me directly at <chandola.ashish@gmail.com>.

Elephant Days and Nights ver 01 part 01
http://www.indianwildlifeclub.com/wildbytes/index.aspx?vid=omY-S4D5kls

Elephant Days and Nights ver 01 part 02
http://www.indianwildlifeclub.com/wildbytes/index.aspx?vid=r-82XIh1fSc

Ashish Chandola

Indian Wildlife Club Ezine (July, 2012)

Burning Issues

Human- animal Conflict