Effectiveness of Power Fences on Preventing Human Elephant Conflict in Sri Lanka

Abstract

In view of the availability of land space with the required habitat conditions together with thelegal protection, the country is heir to a considerable population of wild elephants. As a resultof alteration of land use patterns for development activities the land area enjoyed by the wildelephants for long periods has reduced resulting in Human Elephant Conflict. Surveys carriedout by the Department have revealed that there is a loss of about 75 human lives and 170elephants each year as a result of this conflict. The strategies being adopted so far forpreventing the conflict are not totally successful.

Semi structured interviews were conducted during January to April 2012 using 240 persons,34 groups and 93 wildlife officers to identify main reasons for human elephant conflict andassess the efficacy of mitigating measures practiced so far island wide. Efficiency of powerfences were assessed using the number of elephant damages before and after the erection offences in Polonnaruwa wildlife region during 2011 and 2012. The findings have beencorrelated with the maintenance of the fence and the location of the fence where it has beenerected.

Fragmentation of elephant home range, lack of proper land utilisation plans in the rural areas,poor implementation of “elephant conservation plans” identified in national leveldevelopment projects in EIA process, quantitative and qualitative degradation of elephanthabitats, poor adaptation to new conservation activities, lack of community participation arethe major reasons that aggravate the conflict.

Establishing Land use plans for every DS divisions, strengthening legal and administrativecapacities of existing forest lands, habitat enrichment, population management, awareness ofrural community and control of elephant movements are the main effective measures withregard to minimize the conflict.

Erection of power fences is a better solution identified so far. The absence of a propermechanism for maintenance and erecting fences at wrong locations has caused a problem infurther aggravating the conflict. The conflict can be significantly reduced by locating thefence at close proximity to the villages with proper maintenance. For the efficacy, the fenceshould be clearly visible by either side of it and a fence monitoring mechanism should beestablished with a daily reporting system.