Assam: Pregnant Elephant electrocuted near Manas National Park

Human-wildlife conflict claims another life in the vicinity of Assam’s Manas National Park. Three elephants inhabiting forests areas near the state’s Chirang district lost their lives this month to the electric fence that the villagers had set up to ward off wandering animals. Officials said the last casualty reported was a pregnant elephant, reported IE.

The number of elephants killed in similar kind of incidents since August near the Manas National Park is five. Gautam Talukdar, Deputy Commissioner of Chirang district informed that villagers often steal power to electrify their fences to prevent elephants from entering their fields and destroy their crops.

Amidst rising human, elephant conflict, Assam Forest Department records suggest 113 elephants died due to electrocution in between September 2009 to 2020.

Chirang Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Brahmananda Patiri said that seven people have been arrested responsible for the five elephant deaths since August. The forests officials have also asked the Assam Power Distribution Company Limited to disconnect 29 transformers as per provisions of improper use of electric power connections. THE DFO further added that the problem of illegal electrifying of the fence has also ended up hurting pigs, wild boards and deers.

Assam Environment and Forest Minister Parimal Suklabaidya called electrocution a ‘dangerous villain’ that has resulted from people encroaching on land belonging to animals. He added that although he has been talking about their problem at every meeting, there is no ‘easy solution’.The ministry is reaching out to the electricity department and deputy commissioners of districts where such incidents are most witnessed to find a way out.

According to Bibhab Talukdar, secretary-general of conservation NGO Aaranyak, the villagers ‘deliberately’ electrify the fences as the damage caused by animals is not compensated (by government) for years. Hence villagers try to deal with the issue their way by building live wire fences.

Dr Bhaskar Choudhury another wildlife veterinarian said that sagging electric wires should be insulated at a vulnerable location to check the mishandling of these power lines for electrifying fences. The power department should also look into the issue of power theft from domestic lines.

M K Yadava, Chief Wildlife Warden, Assam said, they are trying holistic initiatives to tackle the issue like installing hanging solar-powered fences that are visible from a distance and can keep elephants away without taking their lives and building over 50 feet towers to track elephant movements in the vicinity of Manas National park or other vulnerable areas and setting up Mobile Anti Depredation Squads. They are also looking into the aspect of compensating farmers on time for damage caused to their crops so that the villagers are more tolerant about elephant intrusion.

The Assam government last year built Anti-Depredation Squads of the state forest department to mitigate the human-elephant conflicts in 15 most vulnerable districts. The specially trained frontline staff were equipped with bore pump actions guns, rubber bullets and other essentials.