Elephants face death by electrocution

Many are poached or electrocuted
Umli Miuli, IT Examiner
November 04, 2008

With the increasing number of death rate of elephants in Karnataka state, the rare sight of pachyderm strolling in the wild may even cease to exist. The elephant’s survival is at the risk as they are poached for their valuable ivory tusks or are electrocuted by hassled farmers to protect their crops.
Deccan Herald reported the death of four elephants in the state, in just past week. Of them, three died due to electrocution and the cause of death of the fourth is yet to be known. The death of a 30-year-old male tusker due to a live wire drawn from an electric pumpset in a sugarcane field belonging to a local Congress leader in Magge village is gaining serious concern among wildlife enthusiasts. A 20-year-old elephant was also found dead near a sugarcane field in Nagarhole, without any clue of cause. And the electrocution of two female elephants aged around 19 and 13 years have been reported from Gundre and Madur ranges in Bandipur.

Though electrifying fence is illegal and the electricity board is empowered to take action against the offenders, the fields are still fenced. The Wildlife Protection Act regarding killing of animal as a criminal offence, should be more stringently implemented in order to save the elephants from the verge of extinction.