From tigers attacking domestic animals to leopards mauling men in their homes to wild boars attacking crops, the issue of human-wildlife conflict is becoming a nightmare for the farmers in Trongsa. In Draagteng and Nubi Gewogs, the farmers have exhausted all means to protect their crops from wild boar attacks.
The wild boars started frequenting the fields even during the broad daylight.
Recently, the wild boars destroyed paddy fields belonging to Palden Lhendup at Bjeezam in Nubi gewog. “We received electric fences but that can barely guard the fields when wild boars attack in group. So, I am worried that this time the yield might decrease by almost half,” he said.
The story is no different in other gewogs in the district.
“The electric fences malfunction when there is a power outage. And unlike in the past, we could harvest only one-third of the yield,” said Yangden, the Tshogpa of Yulsar chiwog in Draagteng Gewog.
“The number is huge. They come in sounder of about five to eight and frequent the fields even during the daytime. We shout to chase them away but that doesn’t help,” said Shacha, a resident of Yulsar chiwog.
“The wild boars enter and exit the fields forcefully and cut off the electric fences. So, electric fences cannot help much,” said Tandin Tshewang from Samcholing Khamaed in Draagteng Gewog.
Around this time of the year, the residents of Samcholing in Draagteng Gewog make corn flakes for commercial and self-consumption. This year, most of them are unhappy as they lost half the harvest to wild boars.
“The wild boars destroyed all cereals such as rice, millet and sweet buckwheat. The best we can harvest this year will be half the yield,” said Nado, a resident of Samcholing Khamaed.
They attribute the increasing wild boar attacks to the land being left fallow.
Meanwhile, the District Agriculture office issued about 200 kilometres of electric fences to the affected gewogs. The office plans to issue more to the rest of the affected villages in the future.
For now, the office is distributing seeds and seedlings to the affected farmers as compensation. However, there is no monetary compensation for crops lost to wild animal attacks.
Passang, Trongsa
