(IN): A simple string that keeps elephants away

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Link: http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/details.asp?id=mar1308/at07

 

A simple string that keeps elephants away

From A Staff Reporter

NAGAON, March 12 – It is another David and Goliath battle where the former

prevails again. A string, and just that, has been able to play a role in

halting the onslaught of the biggest of land animals. In parts of Nagaon

district, strategically deployed strings in the path of wild elephants have

resulted in reducing human elephant conflict to an unexpected degree, to the

extent that some people have called it sheer magic.

 

However, there actually is no magic involved. The promoter of the idea,

Shimanta Goswami of Nagaon told *The Assam Tribune* that he came up with it

after examining quite a few other means to prevent elephant depredation. " It

was the most cost-effective and the least time consuming of methods I could

think of…in an area where funds are especially scarce to come by, " he

mentioned.

 

The string, commonly known as parachute yarn, is strung at a height of

around eight feet in the anticipated route of wild elephants. Once the

elephant – an adult is more than eight feet in height – brushes against the

string, the hair on its head gets entwined in it. With a feeling that the

elephant particularly detests, the animal halts, and then retreats with the

herd on its heels.

 

In case it does not turn back, the tension in the string activates an alarm

in the neighbouring village, which gives time for the people to prepare and

chase the elephants away.

 

The result so far has been encouraging as revealed by some villagers near

the Jiajuri Tea Estate. In two years when the device was deployed, the local

residents could avoid confrontation with the wild herds coming from the

nearby hills.

 

Earlier, confrontation between men and elephants had taken a serious toll on

both. While lives were threatened and crops extensively damaged, the

elephants were mercilessly attacked with spears or burning oil poured onto

them.

 

Laakheswar Gohain a resident of Chapanola said, " Since the time the device

was used people have been able to gain a respite. We no longer have to keep

awake at night in machans looking out for any sign of wild elephants. The

warning through the device has always arrived on time. With the elephants at

bay, there has been no crop damage, " he said.

 

Buoyed by the success of his method, Goswami, who heads an NGO called Green

Guard Nature Organisation expressed his desire to use his method more

extensively. " The simplicity of the device is its most attractive feature.

All it requires is the string, a small bell and two cells to power it. " He

hoped that the Assam Forest Department and NGO interested in reducing

human-elephant conflict would take interest in his method in the near

future.

 

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