'Hanging' fence installed to keep away wild elephants

KOZHIKODE: A hanging fence has been installed on an experimental basis
in Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (WWS) to prevent wild elephants from
straying into human habitations bordering forest areas.

The 200-metre-long solar-powered fence, put up at Anachira area under
the Muthanga forest range of the sanctuary, was devised by the final
semester students of the Government polytechnic, Mananthavady, as an
innovative solution to mitigate human- wildlife conflict.

WWS warden N T Sajan said the fence would help overcome the problem
of jumbos destroying the previously-used horizontal fences installed on
the ground using tusks.

"As the wires of the new fence dangle down from a height, they will be beyond the reach of elephant tusks," he said. Steel wires are hung in a row from a 3-m high horizontal overhead wire supported by posts on both ends. The wires would be connected to the solar power system and elephants would receive a mild shock if they try crossing through the hanging wires.

Sajan said the solution was cost effective when compared to conventional fences. It has been used in countries like Sri Lanka before. "It was found to be successful in Muthumalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu," he added.

Forest officials said another advantage was that if at all an elephant breached the fence and entered human habitations, it could be driven back to the forests by temporarily switching off the current flowing through the fence.

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