Keeping jumbos at bay:

Eco friendly methods introduced

A special program is to be started in the Anuradapura district from January next year to overcome the elephant human conflict.

Agrarian Services and Wildlife Minister S.M. Chandrasena stated that there are several eco friendly methods to prevent wild elephants rampaging through villages.

They are, digging trenchers to prevent elephants roaming the villages, erecting live fence's using Palm trees and Bougainvilla in the borders of the reserves to obstruct the elephants from crossing and placing artificial beehives in reserve borders.

The beehive method is being used in several country's including India where human-elephant conflict is rampant.

The Minister pointed out that the elephants avoid areas with bees since it's scared of bees. Therefore villagers are motivated to take up bee keeping.

Bee farms will be provided by the Agriculture Technology Parks.

More than 3,000 civil defense guards have been appointed to protect these areas.

Awareness programs will also be carried out in the areas where conflicts between humans and wild elephants are reported.