Radio tracking used to learn about elephants

December 27, 2016

Radio collars were fitted on five elephants in the second week of December to explore the habitat of wild elephants at Myainghaywun elephant camp, Taikkyi Township, Yangon Region, said a responsible person from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

To monitor their behavior, the elephants were fitted with radio collars during the first week of October. This is the second time they have utilised radio tracking, said U Maung Maung, a head keeper at the Myainghaywun elephant camp.

There were conflicts between man and elephants in Taikkyi Township due to lost hunting grounds resulting from the building of the Dabuhla dam in their habitat and the creation of private plantations in the Phalon forest reserve. Solar electric fencing was conducted to protect residents from wild elephants.

The habitation of other elephants within a 20-mile radius of a particular elephant fitted with a radio collar can now be documented, said the one from WWF.

If wild elephants are trespassing on the villages, keepers from the Myainghaywun elephant camp will come to fit a radio collar on those elephants after they are tranqulised. These elephants are free to go within 24 hours once they are no longer under the anaesthetics, according to elephant keepers from Myainghaywun elephant camp.

Tun Hlaing (Myaing)

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar