BENGALURU: There have been many instances where elephants have crossed rail barricades to enter private land or to return to forests. Every time this happens, the forest department officials huddle together to think of new methods to control their movement. On Tuesday, the department came up with a plan to use steel ropes as barricades in some places instead of rail barricades.
They are also working on filling the gaps between the rail barricades with more rails and solar lines to control the movement of elephants.The need for trying new methods rose after two videos went viral on Tuesday. In one, a tusker was seen squeezing himself out from below the rails and in the other, three elephants squeezed between the rails to cross.
The incidents are said to have occurred in Kushalnagar and in Bandipur Tiger Reserve. Forest officials said, “The movement of elephants is not uncommon. It has increased during the lockdown as not many people are around. The rain has also increased vegetation, making it more attractive for the movement of jumbos.”
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Wildlife, Vijay Kumar Gogi told TNIE, “We are trying everythingto reduce man-animal conflicts. We cannot stop it completely. Procuring rails has also become a challenge, so we are thinking of is using steel rope barricades. It is cheaper too.”