Keeping tuskers off the farm tough task in south
March 5, 2010: Keeping safe the plants in southern districts has been a tough time since a last few years as increased settlement has hindered the habitation of the wild elephants.
The farmers go sleepless for many months every year keeping eye on tuskers who ravage farms and destroy crops overnight.
The local authority is organizing a three-workshop in Lobesa, Wangduephodrang from March 4-6 to share ideas for prevention and mitigation of conflicts between the farmers and tuskers. Educators, foresters, field staff, community leaders and youth group are attending it.
The effort to keep the tuskers away with traditional mentions like solar, fencing, electric wiring etc have all failed. The government had paid little attention to this problem, in addition to less priority to south.
Bhutan has an estimated elephant habitat of around 2,000 square kilometers with a resident population of 60-100 elephants. They are found confined mostly in the southern belts of Bhutan. However there is limited information on elephant status and distribution in the country in the absence of scientific surveys.