(IN) An approach to elephant/human conflicts

[Guest guest]

http://www.rxpgnews.com/india/Kerala-village-relocated-from-elephhant-corrid

or_26077.shtml

 

Summary of an article in RxPGnews online,

Also posted on http://India.bestfriends.org

 

An approach to elephant/human conflicts

 

On Tuesday May 1, 2007, RxPJnews online carried a story by IANS about the

moving of an entire village, orchestrated by the Wildlife Trust of India.

 

The successful relocation of the village provides an example of one way to

address the increasing problem of man/elephant conflicts.

 

The village lay right in the pathway of an elephant corridor proposed by the

state of Kerala.

 

This proposed corridor, six km (four miles), the Tirunelli-Kudrakote

corridor, links the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, which is in Kerala, with the

Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka. This is the traditional pathway

for the elephants of the Western Ghats mountain range.

 

The little village of Thirulakunnu has 30 residents. They agreed to the

move, and now they are in possession of their new houses. In addition, the

Wildlife Trust of India has provided them with land for farming, drinking

water and other facilities at their new location near Anappara village.

 

The World Land Trust in the UK and the IUCN Netherlands Committee

contributed to this effort.

 

The Wildlife Trust of India expressed their thanks to the villagers for

willingly participating in the move, which is the first attempt by the

Wildlife Trust of India to move people out of an elephant corridor that is

adjacent to a wildlife sanctuary.

 

The residents had long ties to their village. The Gowda community had lived

there for four generations.

 

Human/elephant conflicts have been on the rise in Asia and Africa, as the

world's human population increases, and the lands available to wild animals

decrease.

 

Prior to considering relocation of the village the forest department had

made numerous unsuccessful attempts to keep the elephants out of the

village, including electric fences, stonewalls, and trenches, but none of

these were effective.

 

In the next phase of restoring the elephant corridor to the elephants, it is

planned that four more villages will be moved: Pulayankolli, Edayurvayal,

Valia Emmadi and Cheriya Emmadi.

 

The Wildlife Trust of India has given the villagers of Thirulakunnu land

rights and land equal in value to their previous land.

 

Hopefully, this enterprising step will bode well, for more, innovative

future solutions to reducing human/wildlife conflicts.

 

Kalappa Gowda, age 75, the oldest resident of the village of Thirulakunnu,

expressed his happiness at being able to sleep the whole night through

without fear of the elephants destroying his family's house or their crops.

The Gowda villagers were involved in every step of the design of the houses,

which were built in accordance with their traditions.

 

Sharon St. Joan

Best Friends Animal Society

http://india.bestfriends.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sharon St. Joan

Bird and Wildlife Outreach Coordinator,

Editor of International Friends,

on the Best Friends Network,

Best Friends Animal Society

http://network.bestfriends.org/international

sharonsj

 

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