Bhubaneswar: To prevent human-elephant conflict, Voices for Asian Elephants (VFAE), a California-based elephant conservation organisation, has planted over 20,000 fruit trees and dug seven large water holes in partnership with the local conservation group Paribartan in Balasore and Angul districts that can support around 210 elephants. VFAE founder and filmmaker Sangita Iyer said, “We employed the local tribal people in our efforts to empower them economically while soliciting their cooperation in helping alleviate human-elephant conflict, avert tragedies, and ultimately foster a peaceful coexistence.” “Distressed elephants are entering villages for food and water by crossing major highways. This is intensifying human-elephant-conflict and has caused a staggering number of elephant deaths. Restoring degraded habitats with favored elephant plant species and creating waterholes in their habitats can prevent them from crossing treacherous roads,” she said. She added, “The project’s goal is to ensure availability of sufficient fodder and water in core elephant habitats by growing nurseries of elephant favoured plants such as Bauhinia vines, jackfruit, and mango, monitoring them until maturity, while at the same time also creating water bodies in core forests.”
In its initiatives, the organisation is employing Tribal people from the region, by training them in environmental conservation to create sustainable human habitations in elephant corridors. As per Iyer, this innovative initiative will mitigate human-elephant conflict by reducing animosity and fostering harmonious coexistence. Iyer also mentioned that they had a meeting with the state government and with officials of the Forest, Environment, and Climate Change department about starting a pilot project under which the department will use VFAE’s state-of-the-art EleSense technology to prevent elephant deaths on train tracks. EleSense, a sensor-based early warning system, is designed with siren, light, and GPS modules by indigenous tech experts. It cautions train drivers of elephant presence, giving them enough time to apply brakes and prevent tragedies. The system is resistant to damage from the elements and wildlife, thus cutting down maintenance costs, and protecting the capital investment. VFAE had earlier implemented this system in West Bengal where 627 elephant deaths were averted by the state-of-the-art EleSense technology.
The group has also installed reflective road signage in 8 elephant crossing zones in collaboration with the Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) and has installed barricades around 100 open wells after conducting field studies on live wires in the forests to prevent elephant electrocution.
ARINDAM GANGULY, OP