Solar LEDs to soon scare away wild animals

The Forest department has come up with a novel idea of using solar LED (Light emitting diode) bulbs to prevent wild animals from straying into the villages on the fringes of the forests adjoining the Male Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary limits.

The colourful LED bulbs are being used on an experimental basis at P G Palya wildlife zone to keep wild animals including pachyderms, at bay. PG Palya wildlife zone is a dense forest area and houses tigers, elephants and other wild animals. It has Biligirirangana (BR) Tiger Reserve on its West and Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve on the South. The P G Palya wildlife zone, between the two tiger reserves, is also popularly known as the elephant corridor.

The wild animals enter the villages in search of food and water, destroying acres of crops and posing a threat to human lives. The elephant proof trenches (EPF) and the solar fencing are not been of great help at some places as these jumbos cross or destroy them easily and enter the villages. Hence, the Forest department is planning new methods to put an end to the man-animal conflict. Using LED bulbs is one among them. According to the officials, the LED bulb method is inexpensive when compared to constructing elephant trenches and erecting solar fencing. Its maintenance is also very easy. Initially, the solar LED bulbs would be used at P G Palya wildlife zone. Cameras would be installed and the movement of the animals would be monitored. If changes are observed in the behaviour and movement of the animals, and it is proven that they hesitate to move towards the illuminated area, the LED bulb technique would be extended to Hanur, Ramapura and Hongyan forest zones, officials said.