Thais see 'elixir' as solution to human-elephant conflict

He said other suitable food crops and edible flora have been carefully planted for the wild elephants and other animals. These include bamboo, mangoes, bananas, as well as artificial salt licks.

In buffer zones, corridors connecting different ecosystems serve as temporary dwelling places for wild elephants, preventing them from venturing out to forage in local communities.

Buffer zones offer moist, grassy meadows and food sources for wild elephants and other animals.

"Some community forests have even been converted into buffer zones as they host a wide range of biodiversity and crop species, useful for both humans and wildlife," Chalermchai said.

In addition, medicinal plants such as red galangal, pepper, cardamom and water tubes have been included in buffer zones for household use.

"Strongly scented plants that elephants find repugnant, such as climbing wattle and cassia, are also cleverly added at the boundary of the zones as a natural perimeter to deter elephants from straying into local communities and damaging homes," he said.

Raising awareness

In community zones, the focus is on community development, raising awareness and creating understanding among local villagers about the behavior of wild elephants.

In addition, community zones support training for volunteers to learn how to properly rehabilitate wild elephants back to their habitat.

"The project aims to create a natural setting where local folks and the pachyderms can share resources in nearby habitats through safe, lasting and practical solutions that can be maintained by the communities themselves," Rungnapar Pattanavibool, deputy director-general of Thailand's Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, said.

"And the zoning approach creates a sustainable solution for coexistence between humans and wildlife."

Rungnapar said the Bajrasudha Gajanurak Project has so far made progress in all aspects as it seeks to solve problems at the root. Nevertheless, since the conflict between elephants and local communities has been a long-standing issue, it will take time to change elephant behavior and assist their return to the forest.

"Brewing an elixir that works is never easy," Rungnapar said. "Hopefully, the current success of the Bajrasudha Gajanurak Project will inspire many more on the quest for their own magic potion that will make a difference."

yangwanli@chinadaily.com.cn