Kerala, September 23, 2014: As part of Wildlife Trust of India’s Rapid Action Project (RAP), supported by European Tierschutzstiftung (ETS), two power fences have been erected in the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, as well as the Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala, in order to address the issue of human-elephant conflict.

The Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary has more than 100 settlements within the sanctuary and a large number of villages along the periphery. Increase in human population in this fragmented area has led to a direct increase in the number of human-elephant conflicts in the region, especially given the high density of elephants. One of the most affected site is the Valluvady settlement in the Kurichiyad Range of Wayanad.

The solar power fence in Valluvady, Wayanad. Photo: Ramith Meledath/WTI

“The community here constitutes primarily of farmers who cultivate coffee, pepper, arecanut etc for their livelihood. You have many forms of wildlife involved in the conflict including elephants, wild boars, gaurs and spotted deer. To help reduce the conflict WTI had installed a solar power fence in 2005 and last year the battery was replaced. This year we reinstalled the fence, made repairs to it and helped bring it back to a working condition. It is great that for over nine years this particular power fence, maintained by the community, has helped bring down instances of wildlife conflict in the region!” commented Radhika Bhagat, the Head of Wild Aid Division which carries out RAPs across the country.

Similarly WTI had helped install a solar power fence in Aralam Wildlife Santuary in 2005, after which the Forest Department went on to install 10 more fences over a 18 km area. Recently, the WTI extended support to the Forest Department to help maintain and repair existing fences in a 1.5 km stretch.

A board indicating the presence of a solar-powered fence in Valluvady. Photo: WTI

“In both the sanctuaries minimal damage has been reported to the crops. These solar powered fences are an extremely effective non-violent method of mitigating human-elephant conflict currently being replicated in other areas across the country facing this problem. The best part is the community acceptance and they have now even taken steps to start their own fund to help repair the fence on their own in the future,” remarked.Sabu, Manager and Advisor, Nilgiri Eastern Ghat Projects, WTI.

Since the power fences have been up and running from August, in Valluvady alone 43 instances have been stopped where elephants tried to cross over into the village. While they did manage to damage the fence 14 times, the Forest Department and the local committee promptly repaired the fences.

As a precautionary measure the Forest Department has also placed their staff at the gates of the power fence, to help prevent elephants from entering the villages.A new guarding site has also been created from one of the known areas of elephant intrusion.

The power fence in Aralam Wildlife Santuary. Photo: Ramith Meledath / WTI

Recently a power fence was also erected in Garo Hills as a bid to mitigate human-elephant conflict in the region. In Aretika, a corridor dependent village adjacent to Siju-Rewak elephant corridor, the conflict has worsened over the years and the people have lost crop, property and human life due to elephant attack. Go here to read more on the steps taken by WTI to create human-elephant harmony in the area.