Assam, India: As elephant habitat is being stolen, more elephants are also being electrocuted.

113 elephants have perished in Assam since 2009 due to illegal deadly electric fences.

This horrific cause of death is not limited to Assam, but found in Sri Lanka too.

Here's what Assam officials are doing about it:

1 ) They've enforced criminal actions against the perpetrators. They've arrested seven people related to the most recent electrocutions.

2) The government has forced the electric companies to fully disconnected electricity transformers in the area where the problems are most profound.

3) The government is asking power companies to insulate low hanging wires so that they are not a danger to elephants.

4) Also, power companies are being asked to do more to prevent use of their electricity for live-wire fences.

5) The government is speeding up compensation to farmers that are affected by elephant raids.

We propose additional actions, including:

1) taking back of illegally possessed lands,

2) formal protection of elephant corridors, and

3) greater emphasis on protecting elephant herds by use of rapid response teams that use non-lethal deterrence methods.

There's many more ways to deter elephant raids upon farms and villages, but this is a good start.

Philip PriceJanuary 14, 2021