Villagers in Bago make watch-towers to protect paddy fields destroying elephants

Villagers from Bago Region have set up watch-towers this year to protect their paddy crops from destroying wild elephants. Elephants have been entering paddy fields from 16 November, said villagers.

“This year, the number of elephants invading the paddy fields has declined compared to last year. The elephants usually come to feed on paddy crops around midnight. Therefore, we have constructed watch-towers to drive them away. We will finish harvesting paddy by the end of this month,” said U Mya Maung from Milaunggone Village in the Kywepoke Village-tract.

“The officials set up electric fences around fields and conducted awareness training to prevent human-elephant conflicts this year. The government is aware that the number of wild elephants in Myanmar has declined. According to official statistics, Myanmar’s total wild elephant population stands at 1,000 at present. Many elephants are being killed in the Ayeyawady Region as well as in regions near the Bago Yoma. Authorities have asked villagers to inform Nay Pyi Taw directly if they see any elephant hunters,” said a member of a wildlife protection group.

Cooperation between villagers residing near Bago Yoma, law enforcement officials, and conservationists has increased recently, resulting in fewer elephant killings, he said.

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Hunters prey on wild elephants in Yoma

Elephant hunters are targetting the Rakhine Yoma elephant sanctuary, which is considered one of the last remaining safe havens for wild elephants in Myanmar.

Approximately 100 wild elephants inhabit the sanctuary, but this area is being threatened by brutal attacks on wild elephants nationwide, according to conservationists.


“This sanctuary is a refuge for the remaining wild elephants.” said U Aung Kyaw, wildlife trade coordinator of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS).

“In 2011 and 2012, it was a good place for wild elephants, but there were elephant killings on occasion in the sanctuary,” he added.


According to a WCS statement released on Monday, a hunter was arrested on April 2 for killing a wild elephant in the sanctuary.

Authorities are still hunting for three other people involved in the killing of the elephant, the statement said.

About 114.1 kilograms of elephant parts, such as dried trunk, skin and meat were recovered recently in the area, according to the Forest Department.

“It is a rare case in this sanctuary. And we can say it is the first time an elephant was killed in this area,” said U San Win, administrator of the sanctuary. “Four people were arrested, including a local resident.”

U San Win said there are 24 staff in the sanctuary and 17 of them regularly patrol the area.

“We have very few people and we can’t cover all of the area. If we had enough staff and we could cooperate with the police to stop wildlife hunting in the area,” he added.

The sanctuary is a very important haven for wild elephants and other rare species of wild animals but if they cannot be protected, they will face extinction, according to U San Win. The wildlife reserve, located in a remote area of the Rakhine Yoma range in southwest Myanmar. It comprises 39,332 square kilometres, is very difficult to access, and is one of the biggest elephant habitats.

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