Meghalya, August 24, 2014: Wildlife Trust of India with support of the people and Nokma’s of Siju, Rewak and Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) have notified the elephant corridor area of Siju-Rewak elephant corridor into Village Reserve Forest (VRF). This is the most important corridor that links the elephant population of Balpakram National Park with Rewak Reserve Forest further leading to Nokrek National Park, supporting over 1000 elephants.

The growing human population and ensuing development activities have increasingly degraded and fragmented the elephant habitat in Garo Hills, resulting in increasing conflict between  humans and elephants. In Meghalaya, 44 human deaths were reported between 2007-08 and 2013-14 and compensation of Rs 305 lakhs  has been paid for crop damage during the same period.

In Aretika, a corridor dependent village adjacent to Siju-Rewak elephant corridor, the conflict has worsened over the years and the people have lost crop, property and human life due to elephant attack. At the request of the villagers to address this issue, WTI with support from World Land Trust, UK (WLT) has provided a power fence along Aretika village to prevent elephants from entering the village.

Alphans Sangma, Chief Executive Member is the catalyst for this project. He said “ When I visited Africa and found out ways to address conflict during elephant migration, I discussed it with my people and requested WTI to provide the support for a power fence along Aretika village to minimize conflict. They agreed and helped the villagers who had given up the land for securement of the corridor”.

Initially, people were skeptical of strength and durability of electric fence as they had not seen anything like this before and it looked too frail to be facing an animal as massive as an Asiatic elephant, but upon demonstration of the power fence, they were convinced.

Sunil Kyarong, Regional Head North Eastern India, WTI shared his experience on working in Garo Green Spine, “I am thankful to the people for understanding the need for conservation. Earlier, loss of human life and property was common due to elephant attack, and at times killing of elephants in retaliation. But with the power fence, we hope to drastically minimise these incidents. Siju- Aritika village is a corridor dependent village and  I am sure the electric fencing will solve their problems regarding elephant crop raiding to a large extent”.

WTI has been working in Garo Hills for connecting the two national parks, Balpakram and Nokrek National Parks via network of Village Reserve Forests (VRF) (community conserved areas). This connection will strengthen the efforts to conserve forest and wildlife in Garo Hills. Protecting these old migratory paths will reduce elephant movement in other areas as well as give them space to continue their migration along the age old paths.