The Bandipur Tiger Reserve consists of two sub-divisions with 11 ranges. Of these, eight ranges – Gundre, N Begur, Moliyur, Omkar, Kundukere, Gopalaswamy Betta, Maddur and Hediyala — are facing human-elephant conflict whereas Bandipura, Moolehole and A M Gudi ranges don’t have any fringe villages. While Kundukere and Omkara ranges are considered high-risk zones, Gopalaswamy Betta, Muddur and Hediyala ranges are medium-risk ones.
The adjoining territorial ranges like Gundlupet of Kollegal division, Sargur and Nanjangud of Mysuru division are also affected by elephants migrating from Bandipur Tiger Reserve.
Despite the forest department taking up various preventive measures like constructing Elephant Proof Trench (EPT) and installing solar fencing at the forest borders, they haven’t completely succeeded in controlling elephants from crossing forest borders. These animals, over the years, have learnt the art of crossing EPTs even though these have agave suckers..
Entering villages and agriculture fields in forest fringes has often resulted in deaths of elephants due to electrocution and shooting by humans.
Now, Bandipur forest department officials have decided to lay scrap rails along the borders to stop elephants.
Bandipur Tiger Reserve Conservator of Forests and Director Mallesh said, “Apart from EPTs of 3 metres width and 3 metres depth and solar fencing lines in G S Betta, Kundugere, Omkara, Hediyala, Moliyuru, N Beguru and Nugu areas, the department is also erecting barricades using scrap rails.”
New plan works well
“Sri Lanka as well as some African countries are using scrap rails to prevent elephants from wandering into villages. We decided to try it too and a few months ago, a 3.5-km barricade was erected in Omkara range on a trial basis. It worked well and and succeeded. We have decided to erect a 15-km rail barricade from Omkara range to Yediyala range,” he said.
Mallesh said the barricade lasts for around 100 years. “The railways charges around Rs 35,000 per tonne of scrap rails. The government has sanctioned Rs 25 crore to railways department for the rails. Similar barricades will also be erected in the Nagarahole National Park,” he said.