VietNamNet Bridge – The Dong Nai provincial Natural Reserve is installing an electric system to prevent elephants from entering residential quarters to damage farm crops. However, analysts believe that this should not be a long term solution.
The conflict between wild elephants and humans (part 1)

The wild elephants in the sanctuary with the total area of 100,000 hectares are facing high dangers: the living environment has been narrowed, the habitat has downgraded, food is lacking, while water lakes and mineral salt points have been invaded by people. The conflict between human and elephants has become very serious.

30 kilometers of electric fences

Nguyen Hoang Hao from the Dong Nai Sanctuary has emphasized the importance of the installation of an electric fence system, which allows preventing the conflict between people and wild elephants. He has also emphasized the high feasibility of the project, saying that the sanctuaries in Africa and the neighboring country Cambodia have also applied the measure.

The electric fences using solar energy can drive wild elephants away to protect farm crops, while they would also protect the elephants and wild animals.

According to Hao, the electric fence system would use the high voltage electricity of 800 - 1000 V/10mA which would only threaten animals, but not kill them and people. There would be 1500 danger warning boards to be hung on the fence system and 8 entrance doors for forest rangers and people to go in and out.

Under the electric fence project, the system would have the length of 30 kilometers, including 20 kilometers of fixed fences and 10 kilometers of mobile fences, to be installed in the areas of Phu Ly and Ma Da communes – where elephants usually come to.

Hao keeps optimistic about the project, adding that this could become an attractive tourism site. After the ecological – cultural – historical tourism site in the area is put into operation, visitors would stand outside the fences to see with their eyes--the wild animals living in the Dong Nai Sanctuary.

The Dong Nai provincial authorities have disbursed 9 billion dong which is the total investment capital of the project, expected to be completed by 2014.

The project would be effective for 10 years

Tran Van Mui, Director of the sanctuary, has warned that the electric fences would show effects for 10 years only. Elephants, who are considered clever animals, would find the methods to overcome the fences in some more years.

Therefore, Mui said, it’s necessary to settle the problem to the very root. The forest area with flat terrain was the place where elephants once lived. The encroachment by people and the war then drove the elephants away. And now, when there are necessary conditions, the elephants have returned.

However, it is really very difficult to settle the conflict. Hao said the local authorities once considered removing the elephant population to another place. However, the plan failed completely because there is no forest area large enough for them. Besides, it would be very costly to relocate the elephants.

It is also unfeasible to remove people from the current residential areas. The lessons in many countries of the world show that elephants always try to expand their operation areas to residential quarters. In other words, it’s very difficult to define the limits for elephants’ activities. The elephants would still break into farm crop fields, which can provide them food.

Mui has called on to set up a project on Dong Nai elephant conservation which would be carried out with the comprehensive cooperation of relevant agencies, including the local agriculture department, the natural reserve center and the Cat Tien National Park.

Source: The thao & Van hoa