MONITORING THE EFFICIENCY OF THE ELECTRIC FENCE IN UDAWALAWE NATIONAL PARK

Abstract

Human elephant Conflicts (BBC) is a mejor ecological problem in most of Asian and African countries. overlapping of human and elephant needs causes this HEC. number of methods using for minimise HEC. Electric fences, bio-briars, elephant drives, transelocation, capture and elephant corridors are some of the methods that are using to minimise the HEC. In Sri Lanka this HEC occurring most of the dry zone, where the elephant population comparable higher than the wet zone. In the year 1989- 1992 HEC was increased in Udavvalawe (UW) area. Sevanagala Sugar Cooperation (SSCo) croplands are very close to UW Protected Area (PA). Because of the elephant have been entered to the cropland, SSCo was established the Electric Fence (EF) in the year 1992. As a result of this Elephant entrance was decreased according to PA authorities and SSCo data files. But still there was no scientific study about the efficiency of this EF. This study aimed to monitoring the efficiency of the electric fence. Identify the breaching patterns of the elephants and financial loss to the SSCo. The study area is located the south side of the UW NP and there are 298 families living in this area and they are permanent sugar cane growers. During the rainy sea son they are grovving crash crops. The electric fence is locating tn between Colombo Monaragala B-427 road and the PA. Total length of the fence is 15Km and the power supplying to the fence with the help of tvvo batteries. Power range is 12V and I.5A. During the study period (6th of September to 10th of December) there were three elephants was identified that breached the fence according to their foot print perimetres, Single elephant damage to the fence along and two elephant’s damage to Ore fence ai once. According to result most of the times elephants breach pleases where the average distances between the two houses over 500m and the bare lands in the inside of PA, the sugar cane very close to the EF and no current supplied areas. The single elephant used it bead and front legs and the two elephants used their back lege Elephants have mostly damage to the sugar cane and also damage to Che crash crops, Total lost for SSCo was Rs 801600.09.