Guest guest Posted November 16, 2007 Report Share Posted November 16, 2007 http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22765485-30417,00.html Chilli to truncate elephant bingeing <http://mercury.tiser.com.au/ADCLICK/CID=fffffffcfffffffcfffffffc/acc_random=760\ 4686/SITE=TAUS/AREA=NEWS.SCIENCEANDNATURE/AAMSZ=110X40/pageid=74969612>Bruce Loudon, South Asia correspondent | *November 16, 2007* *WITH Paris Hilton concerned about their sobriety, India's notorious binge-drinking elephants were served notice yesterday that they face a potent new shock in efforts to curb their killer rampages - fences dipped in the world's hottest chilli powder.* Officials in Guwahati, capital of the north-eastern state of Assam, which has the world's largest concentration of Asiatic elephants, announced they were considering bringing in a team of wildlife experts from Australia to help with the increasing incidence of man-pachyderm conflict. Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain, speaking in the Assam state assembly, told MPs worried about the worsening situation: " We have begun working on this chilli-smeared rope fencing. These chillies are too hot even for the elephants, and we are banking on this experiment to check man-animal conflicts. " During an emergency debate about a recent spate of elephant rampages on Majuli, the world's largest inhabited river island, Mr Hussain said: " Man-elephant conflict has taken a serious turn because of large-scale encroachment on elephant corridors. " The problem is beyond conventional control, " he said. " We have sought help from international experts. " Australians were among those whose advice was being sought, he said, although he declined to give any details. According to officials in Guwahati, the " hot fencing " plan is being developed with the help of the Indian branch of the World Wildlife Fund using Bhot Jolokia, the world's hottest chilli. There are more than 5000 wild elephants in the area and another 1600 domesticated animals, many of them " jobless " following a ban on tree felling. In the past six years, more than 240 people and 268 elephants have reportedly been killed in man-elephant conflicts as elephants drunk on farmers' rice beer have gone on the rampage, targeting tribals and migrants who have settled on forested land that was previously their preserve. Paris Hilton, meanwhile, is reportedly taking a keen interest in the sobriety of the elephants, and the Hindustan Times newspaper quoted her yesterday as saying the death of the electrocuted elephants was " just so sad .... The elephants get drunk all the time. It is becoming really dangerous. We need to stop making alcohol available to them. " Indian conservation official Sangeeta Goswami was quoted as welcoming Hilton's concern, saying such celebrity involvement in the cause of elephant sobriety would be helpful to those trying to curb the binge-drinking. <http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/india-news/bsf-arrests-six-bangladeshi-nati\ onals-with-endangered-snake-and-tortoise_1005251.html> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 16, 2007 Report Share Posted November 16, 2007 Australian experts to take control of the elephants. And for the human encroachers? No takers Assam? On 11/16/07, wrote: > http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22765485-30417,00.html > Chilli to truncate elephant bingeing > <http://mercury.tiser.com.au/ADCLICK/CID=fffffffcfffffffcfffffffc/acc_random=760\ 4686/SITE=TAUS/AREA=NEWS.SCIENCEANDNATURE/AAMSZ=110X40/pageid=74969612>Bruce > Loudon, South Asia correspondent | *November 16, 2007* > > *WITH Paris Hilton concerned about their sobriety, India's notorious > binge-drinking elephants were served notice yesterday that they face a > potent new shock in efforts to curb their killer rampages - fences dipped in > the world's hottest chilli powder.* > > Officials in Guwahati, capital of the north-eastern state of Assam, which > has the world's largest concentration of Asiatic elephants, announced they > were considering bringing in a team of wildlife experts from Australia to > help with the increasing incidence of man-pachyderm conflict. > > Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain, speaking in the Assam state assembly, told > MPs worried about the worsening situation: " We have begun working on this > chilli-smeared rope fencing. These chillies are too hot even for the > elephants, and we are banking on this experiment to check man-animal > conflicts. " > > During an emergency debate about a recent spate of elephant rampages on > Majuli, the world's largest inhabited river island, Mr Hussain said: > " Man-elephant conflict has taken a serious turn because of large-scale > encroachment on elephant corridors. > > " The problem is beyond conventional control, " he said. > > " We have sought help from international experts. " > > Australians were among those whose advice was being sought, he said, > although he declined to give any details. > > According to officials in Guwahati, the " hot fencing " plan is being > developed with the help of the Indian branch of the World Wildlife Fund > using Bhot Jolokia, the world's hottest chilli. > > There are more than 5000 wild elephants in the area and another 1600 > domesticated animals, many of them " jobless " following a ban on tree > felling. > > In the past six years, more than 240 people and 268 elephants have > reportedly been killed in man-elephant conflicts as elephants drunk on > farmers' rice beer have gone on the rampage, targeting tribals and migrants > who have settled on forested land that was previously their preserve. > > Paris Hilton, meanwhile, is reportedly taking a keen interest in the > sobriety of the elephants, and the Hindustan Times newspaper quoted her > yesterday as saying the death of the electrocuted elephants was " just so sad > ... The elephants get drunk all the time. It is becoming really dangerous. > We need to stop making alcohol available to them. " > > Indian conservation official Sangeeta Goswami was quoted as welcoming > Hilton's concern, saying such celebrity involvement in the cause of elephant > sobriety would be helpful to those trying to curb the binge-drinking. > <http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/india-news/bsf-arrests-six-bangladeshi-nati\ onals-with-endangered-snake-and-tortoise_1005251.html> > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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