Hundreds of homes have been destroyed, at least seven people killed and many others injured, by a herd of 14 rampaging elephants, which have been causing pandemonium for the past month. Demanding action against the marauding elephants, angry residents blockaded a major highway last week.
Krishen Kumar, a local administrator said, "We have housed over 500 people in two camps with adequate food and a medical team. Most people have lost their thatched houses, destroyed by the wild herd. We have the mandate to open more camps until the forestry department is able to dispel the elephants."
Over 2,500 people live in 45 villages which have been affected by the attacks. An official from Orissa’s forestry department said, “A team of 120 have been busy trying to push the elephants back to their habitat sanctuary. We are obviously worried about how to stop this herd from menacing people."
The herd has travelled approximately 300 kms and no one has a clear understanding as to why this particular group of elephants have moved away from the Lakheri sanctuary in a neighbouring district. Wild life officers are camped at the site of the attacks, in an effort to try to ascertain why the elephants have moved.
In Africa, the Laikipia district, which neighbors the Mount Kenya Forest, is well known for being one of the worst locations for elephant-human conflict. It has the second largest elephant population in Kenya and as the human-population has expanded, the settlements have infringed on elephant habitat.
In both Asia and Africa, the custom way of dealing with troublesome elephants that ruin thousands of dollars’ worth of crops, is to try to scare the animals by shouting at them, beating drums and throwing rocks. Crop-raiding elephants are also shot.
A University of Cambridge zoologist, Loki Osborn, says, "In Zimbabwe, at least a hundred elephants are killed each year during problem animal control actions, but this does little to reduce crop damage."
Osborn is currently developing a pepper spray, which will be able to be used as a deterrent against the elephants. The massive creatures have the same reaction to pepper as people –the nose and throat feel as if they have burst into flames. “Give elephants a whiff of red pepper and they will dance around like cartoon characters,”
It is hoped enough pepper spray will soon be available to take care of the problem elephants in all troubled areas.
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