Wild elephants come out of the forest and raid fields

Elephants have to eat for 18 hours a day. Well, what do you want when you have such a big body. But the area where they can forage is getting smaller and smaller.

Their preferred lowlands have been occupied by farmers for many years. But in the higher forests, water is scarce and the animals do not find enough food. The consequence? They emerge from the forest and plunder farmers' fields, such as a cassava field in the photo.

The problems occur, for example, in Kaeng Krachan National Park (Phetchaburi), but conflicts between residents and elephants are also regularly reported from other protected areas in the East, Northeast and Upper South. Thailand has an estimated 3.000 wild elephants who roam freely in 69 national parks and game reserves.

In Kaeng Krachan, the farmers did not give up. Between 2005 and 2013, thirteen elephants were killed on the south side of the park: some were electrocuted, others were killed with cleavers. To prevent further bloodshed and to keep the elephants at a distance, a team of forest rangers has been formed, using whistles, spotlights and fireworks to try to chase the elephants back into the forest.

Six killed in elephant-car collision

A dramatic incident took place a few weeks ago. Three elephants left the Ang Lue Nai Game Reserve, which spans five provinces in the east, and turned up on a road in Rayong, 50 kilometers away. A car crashed into one of the animals. Four occupants died on the spot, two later died in hospital. The elephant was only injured.

"That has never happened before," said Pithak Yingyong, assistant head of the game reserve. He also blames the problems on the shrinking habitat of the elephants. Land in and around Ang Lue is being used for agriculture, resulting in frequent clashes between wild elephants and residents.

According to a study by Kasetsart University, elephants are increasingly coming out of the forest in search of food. In 2010 this was reported 115 times, in 2012 124 times. Some elephants had even traveled great distances.

In Ang Lue, the problem has become even more acute as the elephant population has increased. At the beginning of 2000 the reserve had 160 elephants, now around 300 and the number is increasing by 10 percent every year. The forest cannot provide food for all those animals. Pithak feels extremely uncomfortable because: 'I have no answers. I don't see a solution.'

Ecological preservation instead of more and more agriculture

That answer will have to come from the government. "We should adhere to the principle of ecological conservation rather than allowing more and more land to be put to use," said Chaiwat Limlikhit-aksorn, head of Kaeng Krachan National Park.

Experts are pinning their hopes on creating new forest corridors, giving elephants a better chance of survival. That idea is explored in Kaeng Krachan. Another idea is to move pregnant animals from areas that have become too small for them to elsewhere. Mahouts with their traditional knowledge, for example from the 'elephant province' Surin, can be helpful.

(Source: Spectrum, Bangkok Post, April 13, 2014)

Submitted communication

Looking for a nice gift for a birthday or just because? Buy The Best of Thailand Blog. A booklet of 118 pages with fascinating stories and stimulating columns from eighteen bloggers, a spicy quiz, useful tips for tourists and photos. Order now