One unique idea is putting a stop to Man-Elephant Conflict in Tamil Nadu
Human settlements around forest areas have always been a problem for the animals. Beside the fear of poaching and encroachment, humans keep coming in the way of the animals when all they wish to do is cross one fragment of the jungle and reach the other side of the green cover. In south India where wild elephant population is abundant, the elephant corridors are now infested with tea gardens, farms, villages. Consequently, human elephant conflicts are common and on the rise. Now, to tackle the delicate issue, one man has come up with a simple yet brilliant solution.
M. Anandakumar, a scientist with the Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF) has thought of a plan to allow elephants to use their corridors as well as save humans from crossing their path when the wild animals are moving from one place to the other.
Warning Humans
Anandakumar has set up a team of seven men under the elephant information network in Valparai region of South India in Tamil Nadu state. These men track elephants during the day inside the forest area and by evening send exact information of the location of the different herds. This then is broadcasted as part of the local news.
“Every evening, the team sends information on the whereabouts of elephants to a local TV channel. This is displayed in the form of flash news every day after 4 p.m.,” explains Anand.
Anand and his team is also sending bulk messages on mobile phones to the locals so that they are aware of where the elephant herds were last spotted and avoid going to those areas.
NCF has a record of nearly 2,500 people in the area and mobile messages are sent to those who are present within a two kilometer radius of elephant movement.
Anand explains, ”The SMS, sent in Tamil and English to people working in the plantations, will tell you where exactly elephants are at that point of time. Plantation companies and the ground staff of the Forest Department have been very supportive. We have people calling us regularly to inform us of elephant activity that they know of.”
The team has also come up with a solution to warn villagers when a wild elephant herd is near their village. A gadget installed by the team in 22 villages across the area flashes a red LED light whenever an Elephant is in the vicinity. To activate the LED lantern all someone has to do is dial a number of the SIM card inside it. It is a GSM based elephant warning system. In case of elephant movement, volunteers in the area dial the number of the indicator in the area, it begins flashing and people know to steer clear.
Anand Kumar was recently awarded the Carl Zeiss Wildlife Conservation award and says about the project,
“We have to find ways to strike a balance between the people and the elephants.”
The networking approach has already shown some positive results in the area. People no more fear venturing out of their homes and know the exact location of the elephant herd before leaving home. Children are able to attend schools peacefully. More importantly the conflicts and deaths that are triggered due to human-elephant presence at the same place has been curtailed to a large extent.
Now, if only the same simple solution could be applied to other regions of the country prone to human-animal conflicts.
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