Alternative methods to prevent human- elephant conflicts
 

BY FLORENCE Wickramage

THE Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWLC) is exploring alternative methods to prevent human-elephant conflicts apart from erecting electrified fences which is costly, Director General Dayananda Kariyawasam said.

Encouraging villagers to plant live fences which takes a long time to grow, the department has ventured to cut trenches wherever possible as an experimental measure to prevent marauding elephants from entering farmers' cultivations.

Kariyawasam said erecting one kilometre of electrified fence costs around Rs.3 lakhs. The department has already completed erecting electrified fences on 300 kilometres approximately while about the same length is yet to be covered.

The department is concerned about the number of elephant and human deaths occurring as a result of the human-elephant conflict.

Whilst protecting the fast dwindling number of elephants in the wilds takes priority, helping villagers to protect their cultivations is also as important since chena cultivations and farming are the main livelihood of people living in villages close to elephant habitats, he said.