THE Yangon Region Forest Department has reported that measures will be taken to control the movement of wild elephants in townships bordering forest reserves in Yangon Region.
In Hlegu and Taikkyi townships, which are adjacent to the Bago Yoma forest area, a herd of approximately 30 wild elephants has been roaming, leading to conflicts with residents.
These incidents have resulted in fatalities among locals and injuries or deaths of the wild elephants. To address these issues, the Forest Department, in collaboration with NGOs, plans to install electric fences in areas where human-elephant conflicts occur. These efforts aim to control the movement of wild elephants and reduce conflicts between humans and elephants.
“During this season, as wild elephants are likely to enter crops plantations, we are conducting awareness campaigns in villages and farmlands. These campaigns include installing electric fences to prevent their intrusion, educating locals on how to respond if they encounter elephants, and sharing preventive measures.
In particular, the installation of electric fences on farms and in villages is being demonstrated practically to ensure that they pose no danger to either humans or elephants. These demonstrations are aimed at raising awareness among students and young people. Additionally, villagers have shown increasing interest in installing electric fences over the past few years,” said an official from the Forest Department.
Furthermore, elephants are classified as fully protected animals under the Protection of Wildlife and Conservation of Natural Areas Law, enacted in 1994.
Due to the frequent human-elephant conflicts in areas where elephants forage, the Forest Department has been continuously conducting awareness programmes to help local communities understand elephant behaviour and implement effective mitigation measures. — ASH/TMT
