Wild jumbo deaths on sharp rise in Wayanad district: Activists
Ten elephants have found killed in jungles and bordering farms in the last few months.
Kozhikode: The wildlife activists are worried over the increasing deaths of elephants in farmlands and fringe forest areas in Wayanad district. Ten elephants have found killed in jungles and bordering farms in the last few months.
Among the elephants, forest officials said, four died of electric shock while gunshots killed two. In the guise of solar fencing, farmers give power supply to iron fencing, resulted in deaths of the four.
Wayanad wildlife warden P. Dhanesh Kumar said connecting fencing with a direct power source is deadly for animals as well human beings.
“The trend is the same in Kannur and the Nilambur forest regions of Malappuram district,” he told DC. “The solar charged power fencing is safe as the power supply through the fences is of low voltage.”
However, wildlife activists point the finger at the increasing fencing, trenching and erecting walls along the forest borders preventing the animal population entering to human habitats as the main reason for the aggressive behaviour of elephants.
Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) project officer S. Guruvayurappan said wildlife attacks across the state are on a sharp rise.
“The chief reason is widespread blocking of animal corridors in the name of protecting human habitats,” he told DC.
“When the routine paths were prevented with trenches and fences, they would become aggressive and start pushing out into human habitats where there are openings.”
He said the forest department should ensure animal corridors free from any impediments.