Dong Nai: Electric fence does little to deter hungry elephants
The 50km electric fence stretching across Vinh Cuu and Dinh Quan district in the southern province of Dong Nai has been unable to prevent wild elephants from looking for food in local farms.
Wild elephants destroyed a vast area of local crops. (Photo: VNA)
Dong Nai (VNA) – The 50km electric fence stretching across Vinh Cuuand Dinh Quan district in the southern province of Dong Nai has been unable toprevent wild elephants from looking for food in local farms.
According to the provincial Forest Protection Sub-department, since thebeginning of the year, groups of wild elephants pushed past the fence, destroyinga vast area of crops and orchard gardens and causing critical losses to localpeople.
Currently,two herds of elephants, with some six individuals each, are settled near theend of the electric fence, regularly approaching residential areas andtrampling over their farming, said Le Viet Dung, deputy head of the department.
Dung said that 50km isnot long enough, and that there is still space along the corridor between theresidential area and wild elephants’ original habitat.
Conflicts between the elephants and people in Dong Nai province have beenintensifying over recent years. The electric fence was erected in the localityas part of the Government’s project on urgent conservation of wild elephants inDong Nai for 2014-2020.
The fence uses solar energy and a low voltage of 4.5-14 kV. Electricity isswitched on and off frequently every third of a second, which helps keep theelephants at bay without inflicting harm on them.
Along the fence, there are many gates for local residents to pass through.
The fence, which wasput into operation in July last year, initially prevented wild elephants fromwandering into the residential areas of some 50,000 people in Vinh Cuu and DinhQuan districts. Dung added that the fence has protected 16,000ha of forest landand orchard gardens.
The local Forest Protection Sub-department is asking the provincial People’sCommittee and the Vietnam Administration of Forestry to allow construction ofan additional 20km of electric fence at an estimated cost of 20 billion VND (880,000USD).
Dong Nai province is home to some 14-16 wild elephants that are classified as endangeredAsian animals in need of protection.-VNA
A 50km long electric fence has been put into operation on a trial basis to prevent wild elephants from wandering into residential areas in the southern province of Dong Nai, according to the provincial Forest Protection Sub-Department.
Residents in Vinh Cuu and Dinh Quan districts, Dong Nai have proposed local authority construct additional 20km of electric fence to prevent wild elephants from wandering into residential areas.
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Wild elephants destroyed a vast area of local crops. (Photo: VNA) 
