Electric fencing and trenches are proving to be an effective solution to ward off elephants at Darjaythang village in Sarpang. The village in Shompangkhag Gewog which used to be often frequented by elephants is seeing a lesser number of tuskers straying into settlements, thanks to the trenches dug alongside electric fences.
After the measures were adopted, only one elephant intruded into the village, which damaged a shop. Works to install the electric fencing and digging of the trenches started from April 2022 and were completed in May this year. With thick bushes covering the trenches, they are hardly visible now. The electric fencing and the trenches extend across four-and-half kilometres of land.
“With trenches and electric fencing, we can keep the elephants away. Though elephants easily damage the electric fences and make their way into settlements, trenches make it difficult for them to enter and make it harder for them to flee,” said San Badhur Subba, a resident.
“In the past, elephants used to come to villages a few times causing damages to houses and crops, but since electric fencing and trenches facilities were put in place, elephants coming to the villages has reduced to as low as three to four times in a year,” said Ashman Rai, Shompangkha Mangmi.
“There are still four routes where fences have been damaged through which the elephants enter the village. It will benefit us if these routes are walled and fenced properly,” said Naratmuni Kharka, a resident.
The Mangmi said that in some parts of the village, hume pipes and electric fences were damaged during monsoon through which elephants enter the village. He said that the Gewog office will study the issues properly and come up with solutions.
The project was carried out at a cost of Nu 1.6 M with financial support from the World Wildlife Fund. Around 165 households are benefitted.
Karma Wangdi
Edited by Kipchu
