Saturday, June 7, 2025
  • Contact Us
  • About BBS
  • Privacy & Policy
ENG
DZO
BBSCL Logo
  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Education
  • More
    • Announcement
    • Audience Survey Report
    • Programme
    • Radio Dzo-Channel Schedule
    • Radio Mix-Channel Schedule
Radio Live
No Result
View All Result
BBSCL logo
  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Education
  • More
    • Announcement
    • Audience Survey Report
    • Programme
    • Radio Dzo-Channel Schedule
    • Radio Mix-Channel Schedule
No Result
View All Result
BBSCL logo
Radio LIVE

Gelephu’s growing challenge to co-exist with elephants

August 22, 2023
in Other Stories, Wildlife
Reading Time: 2 mins read
0
0
SHARES
10
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Residents of Gelephu in Sarpang are finding it increasingly challenging to co-exist with elephants. The tuskers have been frequently damaging crops and properties and even claimed a life recently. Unable to do anything on their own, they are desperately seeking a solution to this chronic issue.

At around 4:30 yesterday morning, a group of five elephants stormed a storehouse belonging to a resident of Pelrithang Khamaed in Gelephu Gewog.

A giant elephant broke the store’s wooden wall and ate two sacks of grain.

The family members could somehow manage to chase the tuskers away before they caused more damage.

Another resident of Pelrithang Khatoed lost all his fruit trees to elephants last week.

“Of the five elephants, the one close to the store pulled out the sacks filled with grains and started eating. I tried to switch on the corridor light but couldn’t. Then I started banging the roof to chase them and they left with a sack full of grain,” said Shanti Ram Katel, a resident.

“Our crops are getting damaged every year. According to the National Land Commission, we are not supposed to leave our fields fallow. But working so hard in the field is of no use when we lose the crop to the elephants in the end,” said Sangay Rinchen, another resident.

According to the Gelephu Gup, the rising incidences of elephants frequenting the residential areas is due to fallow land. He added that landowners residing in other districts leave their lands fallow which turn into thick bushes becoming an idle place for elephants to hide during the day. The tuskers come out at night looking for food and endangering lives and properties.

“It is not only Gelephu Gewog but the rest of the gewogs in Sarpang are also covered in thick forest. The forest, be it private or government, should be cleared to prevent the elephants from frequenting the villages,” said Prem Prasad Katel, Gelephu Gup.

According to the Gelephu Forest Range office, a Quick Response Team is stationed at the Range office after office hours to help chase elephants and prevent human causalities and damage to properties.

The forest officials also claimed that it is humans who have encroached into the wildlife habitat. They said Gelephu was once a habitat for the elephants which was later inhabited by humans.

Forest officials added this leaves the tuskers no option but to frequent the settlement in search of food and water.

In addition, they also said the tuskers feel safe to reside in Bhutan as there is threat to their lives when visiting the settlements across the border.

Karma Wangdi, Sarpang

Edited by Phub Gyem

Previous Post

Corruption perceived to be spreading across all levels of organisations

Next Post

Learning beyond years

Next Post

Learning beyond years

Vegetable production declines

U-17 badminton teams win bronze medals

Please login to join discussion

RECOMMENDED NEWS

Bhutan in the Olympics 2020

4 years ago
2

Canine Distemper Virus outbreak subsiding

6 years ago
6
Bhutan One Health symposium aims for stronger multi-sector collaboration

Bhutan One Health symposium aims for stronger multi-sector collaboration

3 months ago
824
Except for few issues, no major problem on poll day :ECB

Except for few issues, no major problem on poll day :ECB

7 years ago
1

BROWSE BY CATEGORIES

  • Accidents (14)
  • Agriculture (426)
  • Announcement (174)
  • Audience Survey Report (1)
  • Business (744)
  • Crime/Legal (367)
  • Culture (47)
  • Development (51)
  • Disaster (57)
  • Economy (278)
  • Education (413)
  • Entertainment (13)
  • Environment (61)
  • Feature (65)
  • Featured (6)
  • Festival (78)
  • GMC (14)
  • Headlines (9)
  • Health (622)
  • Legal (52)
  • Literature (9)
  • Livestock (75)
  • Media (25)
  • Other Stories (5,574)
  • Politics (419)
  • RCSC (1)
  • Recent stories (5)
  • Religion (45)
  • Sci/Tech (709)
  • Social (516)
  • Sports (449)
  • Technology (190)
  • Tourism (19)
  • Uncategorized (13,866)
  • Video (136)
  • Video Story (249)
  • Wildlife (42)

BROWSE BY TOPICS

Tender Announcement Vacancy Announcement

POPULAR NEWS

  • BPC’s investigation rules out transformer short circuit as Damchhu forest fire cause

    Viral video of Bhutanese man assaulted by locals and police in Jaigaon sparks safety concerns

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Gelephu Mindfulness City opens recruitment drive for Bhutanese professionals

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Newspaper accuses DPT candidate of political ploy

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • A centenarian’s recipe to longevity

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • 40 companies risk closure over failure to submit financial reports

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
BBSCL

Bhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS) is Bhutan’s primary national broadcaster, delivering diverse news and entertainment in multiple languages, fostering cultural understanding and public knowledge.

Follow us on social media:

Recent News

  • Phuentshogling Thromde installs reverse vending machine to promote recycling
  • Fixed deposit interest to be taxed at 10% under proposed Income Tax Bill
  • Yonphula Specialised Rehabilitation School to open next month
  • RMA to roll out seven new measures for loan repayment support
  • National Housing Strategy to be ready by September

News Category

  • Accidents
  • Agriculture
  • Announcement
  • Audience Survey Report
  • Business
  • Crime/Legal
  • Culture
  • Development
  • Disaster
  • Economy
  • Education
  • Entertainment
  • Environment
  • Feature
  • Featured
  • Festival
  • GMC
  • Headlines
  • Health
  • Legal
  • Literature
  • Livestock
  • Media
  • Other Stories
  • Politics
  • RCSC
  • Recent stories
  • Religion
  • Sci/Tech
  • Social
  • Sports
  • Technology
  • Tourism
  • Uncategorized
  • Video
  • Video Story
  • Wildlife
  • Contact Us
  • About BBS
  • Privacy & Policy

© 2024 BBSCL. All rights reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Education
  • More
    • Announcement
    • Audience Survey Report
    • Programme
    • Radio Dzo-Channel Schedule
    • Radio Mix-Channel Schedule

© 2024 BBSCL. All rights reserved.