The Asian Elephant is an Endangered species according to the IUCN Red list due to the reduction in population as a result of reduction in area of occupancy and habitat quality. The range of the Asian Elephant is spread across 13 countries, but is highly fragmented. One of the main reasons for reduction in their habitat is due to the expansion of human settlements and agricultural practices. It is no surprise. therefore, that human-elephant conflict is abundant in Asia. This problem is not restricted to the Asian Elephants but also to the African Elephants. The African Forest Elephants are Critically Endangered whereas the African Savanna Elephants are Endangered according to the IUCN Red list.
What is driving human-elephant conflict?
With the reduction in habitat, the elephants are now forced to come into greater contact with humans and their establishments especially in search of food sources. It is the agricultural fields that suffer the most, leading to major losses for farmers and in some cases humans have also lost their lives. Due to the damage caused to many livelihoods, the first reaction of those affected is to kill the elephants that cause trouble thus endangering the lives of both humans and elephants.
Sometimes, the government provides compensation to the households that are affected by disturbances caused by elephants. However, this compensation does not prevent any damages that could be done in the future. It is simply not sustainable for people to put in effort into farming practices only to lose their crop and for the government to continuously pay compensation. In some areas electric fences are installed to keep the elephants away. This requires a huge investment and other resources for maintenance from the farmers. Most people are not equipped enough to undertake these responsibilities. This is highly concerning given the ecological and cultural significance of elephants, particularly in India!
So, many models to mitigate human-elephant conflict have been developed at a rural level, in both Asia and Africa.
Early detection and warning
This process involves farmers keeping a look out for elephants and issuing alerts when they are seen near the fields. After sighting them, the farmers either switch on huge lights, make disturbing sounds using whistles or drums to prevent the elephants from entering the fields. The Ilmejoli Farmers Association near Lolgorien were assisted in this process by setting up treetop watch towers around 2001-2003.
During this time only one incident of crop raiding was seen in the field, whereas the previous year had about 14 incidents. However, this is a rather old technique and today it can be tedious to be a guard for long periods of time. Continuous monitoring is not feasible at all times and does not actively help in reducing human-elephant conflict.
Thunder flashes/ Loud noises and bright lights
Thunder flashes are hand held fire crackers which can be used to scare away elephants. These were used in Kenya and were supplied on licence by the Kenya Wildlife Service. They reduced crop raiding by 80%. However, these days loud drums along with controlled fires are used to scare away elephants.
Non – electric barriers
Making and installing non electric barriers require strong material but have mostly been ineffective in preventing crop raiding. Wires and posts are the only affordable material available in the rural setting and elephants are able to break these or find a way around them with ease.
Chili grease
The use of chili essence to divert elephants from crop fields, started in Zimbabwe. Here, chili grease is applied to rope barriers, and is sometimes mixed with other substances like oil and tobacco. Elephants are very sensitive to smell thus, crop raids are often unsuccessful when ropes with chili grease are installed.
Sometimes instead of applying the chili to ropes, chili is mixed with water to cow dung cakes and ignited. The smell gets more and more intense as one moves towards the field, thus, preventing human-elephant conflict!
Live fences
Live fences are basically thorny shrubs and plants like cacti, and agave planted just outside of the fields to prevent the elephants from entering. They are usually planted in triangular patterns. Lemon trees are also being used as fences in Assam, as they function on two levels. They are thorny, making it tough to enter the field, and they also emit a strong scent which repels the elephants. The farmers can also earn from the produce they get from the lemon trees.
How can beehives tackle human-elephant conflict?
Here is a fact that most people find hard to believe – Elephants are scared of bees. In Kenya, Lucy King saw an elephant resting under an acacia tree who suddenly became very uncomfortable due to the presence of an overhead beehive. Many indigenous people have believed that elephants do not feed from trees that have beehives. Even playing the sound of buzzing bees would alert the elephants who would then warn the others and flee from the area. But usually, the bees have to be swarming to cause such a reaction.
Using this fear, a method to prevent further human elephant conflicts was developed – beehive fencing. Hives are usually suspended from wires between two wooden posts. If elephants try to walk through the wire, it triggers the bees to swarm which drives away the elephants. A study in Kenya, suggested that these beehive fences were successful in preventing crop raids 80% of the time. The farmers are also trained in beekeeping so that they can incur an income from selling the honey.
However, this method also has some kinks that need to be worked out. The honey can attract honey badgers and baboons who end up disturbing the hives. Dry seasons often cause the bees to leave the location in search of wetter regions.
Solar powered fences
Illegal electric fences are often installed by some rural communities in Assam to protect their crops, and these can be fatal to the animals and humans. Much needed liaisons between NGOs and the farmers have led to the establishment of solar powered electric fences which are not fatal. These fences have not led to any deaths even after 6 years of their installation.
But again, not all communities can afford this installation and require complete support from NGOs and the government for this method to succeed.
Overall, due to numerous incidents of human-elephant conflict in Africa and Asia many solutions have been proposed to avoid loss of livelihood and for prevention of injury. Although electric fences are the desired solution according to most people, it is expensive and the long term effects of these fences on the elephants is not clear.
So what is the way forward for human-elephant conflict?
Simpler and more effective methods are being devised to deal with human-elephant conflict which can be implemented at the rural level. None of these solutions have had hundred percent success till date, but hopefully an integrated approach will completely stop cases of human elephant conflict in the future.
However, most of these mitigation strategies are only temporary solutions to human-elephant conflict. Elephants are highly intelligent creature and soon will learn ways around these efforts. More long term solutions, such as the protection of wildlife corridors, are required to foster human elephant coexistence, especially as elephant populations recover steadily in India. Moreover, incentivising conservation is also critical in tackling human-elephant conflict!
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Written by: Adithi Raghunath