Distribution of elephant habitat in Southern Bhutan (NCD)

17 Novermber, 2009 - Disruption of traditional migratory routes due to rapid industrialisation and infrastructure development is one of the main reasons for the rising number of human-elephant conflicts, say nature conservation division (NCD) officials.

According to records with NCD, wild elephants destroyed about 132 acres of land in 2007 alone.

The worst recorded was in 2005, when about 265 acres of cropland in seven gewogs of Sarpang was destroyed. Crops damaged by elephants include maize, paddy, millet, banana, and nut trees.

About 1,500 sq km of areaa along the southern borders, from Dhansirichu in the east to Sipsu, Samtse, in the west, along the Indo-Bhutan border, is home to Bhutan’s elephants. They migrate from thick forests in Bhutan to grasslands in India during winter (November to April) and return to Bhutan in the summer, between May and October.

Although no comprehensive study was done to understand the rising numbers of human-elephant conflict, NCD officials said that it could be because of encroachment on the habitats from developmental activities, fragmentation of habitat, resettlement, competition with livestock grazing and strict forest rules, which prohibit hunting, killings and trappings.

“The damage is usually to crops and homes,” said the chief forestry officer of NCD, Dr Sonam Wangyel Wang. “It was also found that humans are encroaching into the elephants’ habitat and, as a result, elephants are forced to feed on crops. They usually attack homes, especially kitchens in search of food and salt.”

Southern Bhutan, said the chief forestry officer, has seen lots of development like factories and resettlement programs over the years. “And these are certainly sometimes falling directly on the elephants’ way of migration.  So that’s why the conflicts are happening,” he said, adding that the resettlement areas, especially in Gelephu, are the elephant’s habitat.

Although human-elephant conflict is an issue, discussed at the highest decision making body, very little is known about the elephant’s distribution, abundance, or dispersal patterns. In 1997, the population of elephants in the country was estimated between 700-800. This figure however has not been confirmed nor updated.

To understand the movement patterns of elephants, their numbers, interactions with human beings and to study their behaviour, the NCD and WWF conducted a three-day workshop from November 12 in Phuentsholing. The conservation of Asiatic elephant in Bhutan project is supported by WWF.

“The aim was to educate field staff in terms of how best we can census elephants, so that we understand the complex interaction between humans and elephants, minimise and conserve endangered elephants,” said Dr Sonam Wangyel Wang. “We’re taking it very seriously - from conservation to mitigating conflicts so that our farmers are not always at the mercy of wildlife.”

Although one of the biggest constraints in implementing strategies is lack of funding from the government, NCD is working towards a national policy on elephant conservation and management, besides gathering information on population, habitat, threats and management.

NCD’s mitigation measures to reduce conflict, include solar and electric fencings and equipping staff with guns for blank firing, but more needs to be done, said officials. Besides being expensive, electric fencing has also proved to be ineffective due to poor maintenance and theft.

“We also want to understand the cropping patterns, the guarding methods our farmers use, and look at why the conflict is happening,” said Dr Sonam Wangyel Wang. “We have to know what’s missing in the natural balance that elephants are causing so much damage to humans, so that we can develop some kind mechanism to really reduce the conflicts.”

By Sonam Pelden