Elephants are losing their natural habitats, becoming a tourist attractionTuesday, October 13, 2009
By Guy DeLauney
BBC News, Phnom Penh
Conservationists in Cambodia have brokered an agreement which should see elephants living more peacefully alongside their human neighbours.
Villagers living near elephant habitats have promised not to harm the animals - or disturb their environment.
In return the local farmers are receiving help to keep the elephants away from their crops.
Human-elephant conflict can develop wherever the animals live close to people.
As villagers develop and expand their land, elephants lose their habitat.
At the same time, they become more likely to wander into fields - destroying crops and occasionally attacking humans and livestock.
Wild alternatives
This situation has put wild elephant populations in danger in a number of countries.
Conservationists are keen to prevent the same thing happening in Cambodia.
Elephant numbers are finally on the rise here - after decades of war and deforestation.
The organisation Fauna and Flora International is helping to keep the peace between people and pachyderms.
It is giving villagers funding to develop small businesses like chicken-farming - as an alternative to clearing the forests the elephants call home.
They are also giving advice on how to keep the elephants away from crops.
"Growing different types of crops is one line of defence, such as chilli fences around the boundaries of their fields," said Matt Maltby, who is in charge of FFI's elephant protection scheme.
"Elephants don't like chillies, so they will naturally turn the other way. If that doesn't work, or if chillies aren't available, then we can deploy solar-powered electric fences," Mr Maltby explained.
That might be a bit of a shock for the elephants - but not enough to harm them.
They may not like the chillies and electric fences - but the villagers' promise to protect the elephants' habitat should be rather more palatable.
Villagers living near elephant habitats have promised not to harm the animals - or disturb their environment.
In return the local farmers are receiving help to keep the elephants away from their crops.
Human-elephant conflict can develop wherever the animals live close to people.
As villagers develop and expand their land, elephants lose their habitat.
At the same time, they become more likely to wander into fields - destroying crops and occasionally attacking humans and livestock.
Wild alternatives
This situation has put wild elephant populations in danger in a number of countries.
Conservationists are keen to prevent the same thing happening in Cambodia.
Elephant numbers are finally on the rise here - after decades of war and deforestation.
The organisation Fauna and Flora International is helping to keep the peace between people and pachyderms.
It is giving villagers funding to develop small businesses like chicken-farming - as an alternative to clearing the forests the elephants call home.
They are also giving advice on how to keep the elephants away from crops.
"Growing different types of crops is one line of defence, such as chilli fences around the boundaries of their fields," said Matt Maltby, who is in charge of FFI's elephant protection scheme.
"Elephants don't like chillies, so they will naturally turn the other way. If that doesn't work, or if chillies aren't available, then we can deploy solar-powered electric fences," Mr Maltby explained.
That might be a bit of a shock for the elephants - but not enough to harm them.
They may not like the chillies and electric fences - but the villagers' promise to protect the elephants' habitat should be rather more palatable.
1 comment:
KI Bog what is wrong with you website?. Could this problem with the work of the "mole" as I found out as it is? Ki Blog whatever happen please promote unity, love, compassion and respect for our people OK!...and let the past be bye gone and be focusing on today, tomorrow and the future is more important than yesterday. In addition, least we can do is learnt from the past mistakes and turn it into a positive learning outcome ok! cheers
Post a Comment