ELEPHANT IMPACT OF LARGE-SCALE PLANTATION; A CASE STUDY - PELWATTA SUGAR PLANTATION.

Abstract

Human elephant conflict is a result of increasing human population, unplanned development and extensive agricultural practices in most Asian and African countries. Elephant is a large terrestrial animal and it needs comparatively large habitat areas and food resources. The study area, which is close to Yala national ark,Lunugamwhera national park and Handapanagala area, was a good elephant habitat before the establishment of Pelwatta sugar plantation. The clearance of habitat and sugarcane cultivation result in scattering of the resident elephant population and their resources becoming scarce. To over come this the elephants began to attack sugar cane field since it can supply their food need spatially in dry seasons. This created human elephant conflict in the area. PSI faces a great economic loss to elephant attack. Elephant enter the plantation by breaking the fence during the nights and through the gaps in the fence. The consuming of sugar cane and the elephant movement damages sugar plantation. There are some control measures adopted by PSI management. Initially an electric fence was constructed. together with trenches to keep the elephants away. But there is no efficiency in both methods and elephant still damage the cane fields. Currently elephant drives are used to chase the elephants to Yala But the elephant return almost immediately and there fore the drives had to be conducted often. The drives also have a negatives impact on the elephants. Large amount of money is used to control damage to sugar adding up to an amount of Rupee 4,562,500s,Per annum. There are different perceptions of the peoples regarding this problem. Some agree that a permanent elephant drive together with a strict monitoring of the fence can be successfully in solving this problem. This has been proposed in a management plan offered by PSI management. DWLC has proposed an elephant corridor from Yala to Handapanagala Sanctuary. Farmers and laborers perceptions vary with the level of understanding. A contradiction free agreement among all the involved parties is essential in finding a long-term solution for the problem. More attention should be paid to keeping the elephants out rather than driving them. There is a relation ship between rainfall and elephant entrance. In highly rainfall season elephant damage is lower than in dry season and increased levels of damage is observed in dry season.