Conflict between people and wildlife is recognized as serious issue that confronts the rural communities around the country huge investments has been made in implementing measures to combat the issue. Numerous kilometers of electric fencing has been installed throughout the country with funding from different sources such as royal government of Bhutan, WWF and other private entities. After installing such electric fencing, people perceive that there has been huge benefit to the communities but there is no empirical evidence to prove the benefits.
The huge financial and labor costs (guarding and other measures) incurred due to HWC and wild pest attacks lead to revenge killing and hatred toward wildlife (Wildlife Conservation Division, 2013). Most of the rural communities in Bhutan suffer due to damages from wildlife such as losing crops and domestic stock and have destabilized the livelihoods of the people in the rural communities around Bhutan. With the rapidly increasing human population and pressure on forest areas and wild life habitat, human-wildlife interaction and resultant conflict is also increasing (Zubrir & Switzer, 2001). The loss of crops, livestock, and human lives to wildlife exemplifies social and economic costs that jeopardize livelihoods and exacerbating poverty stricken rural communities, and also oppose conservation needs and programs for wild life. Livestock are essential source of draught power, food, and supplemental income as well as means of transportation. The loss of livestock to carnivores such as tigers causes food shortages, as some people are totally dependent on the livestock for their livelihood. For example, the income of local people are often dependent on cattle for dairy products, and horses for labor, thus the loss of these animals causes heavy losses for the farmers. The loss of livestock to predators causes havoc in the society due to increased risk of poverty and financial risks (Wang and Macdonald, 2006).
Although there are numerous intervention measures of managing human wild life conflicts such as ditches and wall but has limited success and not cost efficient. Electric fencing is one of the intervention methods of managing human wild life conflict and controlling wild pests. Electric fencing is becoming popular in the country. Electric fences have been successfully used in many nations, proving it to be the only long-term deterrent to wild animals and has reduced human-wildlife conflict on a very large scale. In spite of high cost of installation and maintenance, it was seen that electric fencing is cost effective to the community by means of reduced wildlife attacks, which intern has allowed the farmers to harvest increased yield. According to Hoare, (1992), although the electric fences are one of the effective tools in mitigating the human-wildlife conflict, but the effectiveness depend on design, voltage and maintenance of fence.
Electric fencing in Wangtsa community under Haa dzongkhag was initiated in 2016. Although it’s being perceived as effective in reducing crop damage by the problem animals in the community, there is no substantial information on how effective and efficient is the electric fencing. Moreover, its impact on the neighboring communities without electric fencing needs to be understood to reduce burden on other communities. Thus, this paper will assess the benefit and effectiveness of the electric fencing in Wangtsa community and its impact on neighboring communities.
Numerous kilometers of electric fencing has been installed throughout the country with funding from different sources such as royal government of Bhutan, WWF and other private entities. After installing such electric fencing, people perceive that there has been huge benefit to the communities but there is no empirical evidence to prove the benefits. The effectiveness of the electric fencing also depends on the method used and its target (wild animals intended to be stopped). Electric fences are stated to be not very effective for wild pigs and other small carnivores since they can easily squeeze through or dig underneath the fence.
Thus it’s important to study the effectiveness of electric fencing in combating the wild-animals that are present in that particular locality. Moreover such projects are public goods and its maintenance and sustainability has always been issue.
Electric fencing in Wangtsa community under Haa dzongkhag was initiated in 2016. Although it’s being perceived as effective in reducing crop damage by the problem animals in the community, there is no substantial information on how effective and efficient is the electric fencing. Moreover, its impact on the neighboring communities without electric fencing needs to be understood to reduce burden on other communities. Thus, this paper will assess the benefit and effectiveness of the electric fencing in Wangtsa community and its impact on neighboring communities.
Numerous kilometers of electric fencing has been installed throughout the country with funding from different sources such as royal government of Bhutan, WWF and other private entities. After installing such electric fencing, people perceive that there has been huge benefit to the communities but there is no empirical evidence to prove the benefits. The effectiveness of the electric fencing also depends on the method used and its target (wild animals intended to be stopped). Electric fences are stated to be not very effective for wild pigs and other small carnivores since they can easily squeeze through or dig underneath the fence.
Thus it’s important to study the effectiveness of electric fencing in combating the wild-animals that are present in that particular locality. Moreover such projects are public goods and its maintenance and sustainability has always been issue.
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