The Wildlife Conservation Department has reported a concerning trend of 298 elephants falling victim to electrocution since 2018.
These tragic deaths are attributed to various obstacles and traps, including substandard electric fences designed to control wild animal movements or intended to harm wild elephants and other wildlife.
The data reveals that 72 elephants were killed by electrocution in 2023, followed by 50 in 2022, 66 in 2021, 31 in 2020, 41 in 2019, and 38 in 2018.
Several factors contribute to these fatalities, including human settlements encroaching on elephant habitats, leading to increased human-elephant conflicts. The proliferation of personal electric fences has also played a role in these incidents.
In response, the Wildlife Conservation Department has intensified law enforcement efforts to combat the harmful use of electricity against wild elephants and other animals. This includes measures to prevent the unauthorized installation of electric fences that do not meet safety standards, as well as the setting of traps and barriers.
Recent inspections conducted between January 1st and March 10th revealed 2,009 personal electric fences, with 583 (29.02%) found to have faults. Owners of faulty fences were promptly notified to rectify the issues. On a positive note, 147 electric fences were erected according to Wildlife Department standards, with no faults detected during inspection.
