A Rocha India's chilli-tobacco elephant barrier

Asian elephants are in constant contact with humans at the Bannerghatta National Park, leading to many cases of human-elephant conflict (HEC).  These not only result in economic losses for farmers, but also threaten the survival of elephant populations.  Conventional barriers such as solar-powered fences, rubble walls and trenches are often not effective.  As a result, the A Rocha India team have been testing a chilli-tobacco rope barrier in certain villages around Bannerghatta National Park of Southern India.  Elephants have a superior sense of smell and it has been found that the pungent odour given off by the chilli-tobacco paste keeps them away from farmers' crop fields.

The project was funded by USFWS and conducted in associaton with Karnataka Forest Dept. and ANCF. 

For more details please contact A Rocha India

Related information:

• 'Chilly circle will keep elephants at home', DNA Bangalore (19th August 2009)
• 'Elephants sniff and turn away', The Hindu (26th June 2009)
• Evaluating human-elephant conflict in South India
• A small effort to save a large mammal...