A herd of wild elephants attempted to breach solar fencing in the Perumbavoor forest region by targeting and damaging concrete support pillars along the protected stretch.
The elephants reportedly tried to destroy two rows of solar fencing installed between Kodanad Abhayaranyam and Panamkuzhi. According to forest officials, the herd appears to have adapted tactics to overcome barriers by using uprooted trees to push against the fencing.
As Gold 101.3 FM, UAE’s No.1 Radio Station understands, forest officials say that in areas with fewer trees, elephants have increasingly targeted infrastructure, including concrete pillars, to weaken protective fencing systems.
Although the herd damaged around ten concrete pillars, the solar fencing itself did not collapse in the incident.
The solar fencing network in the area includes two major installations—one stretching about three kilometres from Chalipara, set up by the local panchayat using public funds, and another 4.5-kilometre stretch installed by the block panchayat. The fencing is designed to prevent wild elephants from entering human settlements.
Officials noted that the forest department had earlier reinforced parts of the stretch with concrete pillars and iron fencing due to repeated damage by wildlife.
Solar fencing is widely used as a deterrent to keep elephants within forest zones and prevent crop damage and human conflict. However, incidents of elephants breaching or damaging such barriers continue to be reported in several forest-adjacent areas.
Local residents said that wild elephants usually enter villages during the summer season in search of food and water. They also pointed out that improving water availability and food sources inside forest areas could help reduce such human-wildlife encounters.
