Elephantine misconceptions

From human-elephant conflict to human-elephant coexistence

People and elephants have lived in harmony for millennia. So, why has the human-elephant conflict escalated lately?

With the liberation of the East, as more protected areas have become accessible, reports of conflicts have invariably increased, coupled with the undue publicity given by some media to such unfortunate confrontations, giving the false impression that conflicts have increased in number.

Although there undoubtedly may be an increase in the number of incidents, there are many misconceptions regarding our gentle giants.

Apart from the irresponsible conduct of some media, in providing unnecessary publicity to human-elephant conflict incidence, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Patali Champika Ranawaka identified that the increased number of recorded elephant deaths due to the increase of veterinary surgeons gives the false impression that conflict has escalated.

“New counts in newly liberated areas like Batticaloa have contributed to increasing the numbers. But that doesn’t mean that the human-elephant conflict has escalated. This has happened in these very same areas before; it’s just that nobody was there to record them.”

The Minister pointed out that dealing with the human-elephant conflict and engaging in elephant conservation, keeping in mind both the interests of the people as well as the elephants, is easier said than done.

“The major difficulty we face, in terms of management, is terrorism.” The Minister pointed out that Wilpattu and Yala make up 50 per cent of national protected areas, both of which were affected by terrorism. If favourable conditions for elephants are not maintained in the protected areas, the carrying capacity (number of elephants the area can support) is bound to go down.

Consequently, the Department of Wildlife Conservation adopts habitat enrichment methods such as taking out invasive species, maintenance of water holes in the area and controlled burning, to facilitate the growth of new grass as a food source for elephants. “But habitat enrichment is impossible if the protected area is under continuous terrorist attacks.”

Dr. Prithiviraj Fernando, Chairman CCR (Centre for Conservation and Research), speaking with the experience of tracking a herd of some thirty elephants with the help of radio collars, stressed the importance of understanding elephant ecology for elephant conservation.

“Contrary to popular belief, just putting up a fence is not conservation,” he said. Their research indicates that the best elephant habitat is a mosaic of open areas and regenerating forests. He said that, although one can never be certain of the total figure of elephants in Sri Lanka, there are around 6,000 elephants (10 per cent of the world elephant population) using only two per cent of the total land area of Sri Lanka. The home range of a Sri Lankan elephant is 50 to 100 square kilometres as opposed to 500 to 1000 square kilometres that of an Indian elephant.

As Dr. Fernando explained, the secret behind the increased carrying capacity is the land-use patterns of the Sri Lankan people. “People have been generating favourable conditions for elephants for over 1000 years now.”

The Chena (slash and burn cultivations) provides them food while the irrigation system provides them with the water they would have otherwise been forced to find themselves. But the human-elephant conflict arises when human territory and elephant habitats overlap. The Minister said that the main reason for the escalation of the human-elephant conflict is unplanned village structures.

“50 per cent of conflicts take place in and around Irudeniyaya,” an unplanned settlement located between Thabbowa and Thahallapallekele. The Minister explained that during the dry season the Thabbowa sanctuary dries up. As a result, elephants migrate to Thahallapallekele during the dry season for foraging.

“But Irudeniyaya was built in the middle of their natural migration path. Therefore, conflicts are inevitable.” He explained that for the time being the only temporary solution is to drive the elephants to either side. “But then the elephants forced back to Thabbowa will not have adequate food.”

The Minister identified unplanned plantations as another instigating factor. “Elephants love sugarcane and the sugarcane cultivations in Lunugamvehera attract elephants resulting in conflicts.”

Garbage dumps are another causative factor. The Minister said that they are fully aware of the adverse effects of ‘elephant drives’, but do not have a choice but to do so when elephant habitats and human territory cross paths. “We are fully aware that the elephants return to the same place year after year. But we don’t want to take a risk where human beings are concerned.”

But is there a way for humans and elephants to live in coexistence? Protected areas of Sri Lanka, which adds up to 1.2 million hectares, if perfectly managed, have a carrying capacity of around 1,200 elephants.

But then where are all the other elephants? “Outside the park,” said Dr. Devaka Weerakoon, Senior Lecturer, University of Colombo. “Space outside parks is, therefore, of critical value to elephants. Driving elephants into parks is not a solution.” He explained that one must always keep in mind the issue of carrying capacity. “If the parks are over their carrying capacity, driving more elephants into the parks not only endangers the new population but also the existing one,” said Weerakoon.

“It’s like squeezing 200 people into a whole that can hold only 100 people,” said Prithiviraj.

Prithiviraj claimed that the Managed Elephant Reserve, done in collaboration with the Department of Wildlife Conservation, as part of their National Policy, is a foolproof strategy. This involves a radical method of integrating human and elephant habitat to ensure the coexistence of the two species, facilitated by Chena cultivation! “Chena provides a rich source of fodder for elephants.”

He further explained that they are by no means trying to advocate Chena cultivation, which is technically illegal in Sri Lanka. “But people are still doing it anyway, outside Protected Areas, in state land. So what we are proposing is that the existing Chenas be regulated. Protected Areas will continue to remain untouched by human activity.”

Prithiviraj and Weerakoon pointed out that there are around 1,000 square kilometres of Chena that support 3,000 elephants, while the 6000 square kilometres of National Parks support approximately 2000. Prithiviraj claimed that this indicates that a large number of elephants are supported by Chenas.

Supposing that Chenas can support the populations of elephants living outside parks, what prevents them from attacking human settlements? Weerakoon explained, “The problem never arises. For almost a thousand years humans and elephants have managed to live in harmony.

During the wet season, people cultivate Chenas and during the dry season, when cultivation ceases and people move out, elephants move into Chenas, since there is not enough food for them within the parks.” But admitting that it is always best to take precautions, Weerakoon suggested that electric fences be put up around villages.

“Keeping people in an elephant habitat and trying to drive the elephants out won’t work,” explained Weerakoon. “The settlements will be subjected to repeated attacks because elephants will always attempt to return to their habitat.”

But, as identified by Prithiviraj and Weerakoon, the main obstacle for this sort of coexistence is that the people consider elephants a problem. “But if we show them that they can also benefit from elephants, they will learn to tolerate elephants.” Weerakoon explained that eco-tourism can be adopted as a source of extra income for the villagers. “It will be a win-win situation. This way villagers will realise that elephants are not just another ‘problem’.”

The best thing about Managed Elephant Ranges, as pointed out by Weerakoon, is that the elephants do not have to be forced back into the park. “There is more than enough food for elephants in the parks during the wet season. They always go back to the park without any prompting.”

They strongly believe that Managed Elephant Ranges are the best method for areas with seasonal land use patterns, especially considering its economical viability, and claimed that this method would be very practical for the southern regions of the island as well.

But the Ministry, for their part, had not remained idle. “We want to redefine human-elephant conflict as ‘human-elephant coexistence’.” And they have put their money on habitat enrichment. He explained that the Ministry hopes to focus especially on areas that have been affected by terrorism, taking out invasive species like cows that have become a threat to elephants of Lunugamvehera and Udawalawe, by competing for the same food.

The Udawalawe Eth Athuru Sevana is also proposed to be expanded. An accelerated programme of installing electrical fences is currently underway and will be finished by 2011. Eight hundred personnel will be appointed to different protected areas, under the Department of Wildlife’s newest programme Gajamithuro.

Local, regional as well as national level task forces will be formulated, the pilot project of which was successfully completed recently in Kurunegala. Concurring with Prithiviraj on the prospects of ecotourism, Minister Ranawaka claimed the Ministry wishes to promote the ecotourism of elephants and blue whales.

But the most promising prospect may be the proposed elephant holding grounds for ‘problematic’ elephants. Both Lunugamvehera and Ritigala holding grounds comprise 5000 hectares.

The Lunugamvehera elephant holding ground is to be opened in December. Prithiviraj identified elephant holding grounds as one of the sound solutions to the human-elephant conflict, provided issues like practicality and carrying capacity are given due consideration.

“Translocation of elephants only translocates the problem. An adult male elephant translocated due to its behaviour will cause trouble wherever it goes. Our idea is to relocate not only the elephant but the problem as well.”

Article originally published in The Sunday Observer.

Retrieved from: http://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2008/11/02/spe01.asp