New Weapons In The Fight Against Illegal Immigration

They are crossing the borders in huge numbers. In the country illegally, they use precious resources that the legal residents rely on to survive. Opponents of the flood crossing the borders say that the illegals must be stopped before the situation gets completely out of hand. They worry that the very identity of the nation is at stake. They strongly support the construction of a fence on the border. Proponents of the illegal tide of immigrants say that the borders must be open to all. A fence, in their eyes, is not acceptable and must not be allowed. They say that the illegal immigrants take the dirty jobs no native wants to do.

Like squashing villagers.

It is an odd dilemma for forest officials of the district — torn as they are between the need to save human life and crops from marauding elephants and risking a decline in pachyderm population, as herds of them flee into neighbouring Bangladesh when chased away from the border district.

The dilemma only deepens every winter.

As the aroma of sali crops fills the air, hundreds of elephants materialise in the Barak Valley region from the neighbouring forest and even Bangladesh, to feast on the ripe grains.

After a hearty meal, the “mobs” usually target human dwellings — leaving behind a trail of destruction.

This season alone, there have been at least a dozen cases of the animals running amok in the district’s Patherkandi block. As the villagers and the district administration spend sleepless nights guarding crops and property, the elephants continue to make the most of the mellow fruitfulness.

Pathini tea estate, Longai, Veterbund and Adamtilla, for instance, seem to be their favourite haunts.

In the past 10 years at least eight villagers were trampled to death by the elephants. Fortunately, the “mob”, has spared the villagers this time……

……So, the department is now considering erecting barbed-wire fence along the Indo-Bangladesh border within the next two years to arrest “infiltration” of elephants from the neighbouring country.

The forest authorities are also planning to install solar electric batteries on the fence to keep the elephant herds from the Dhohalia forest range in Bangladesh at bay.

Volunteer squads will be formed to patrol the elephant corridors and specially-trained elephants known as kunkis will be deployed to drive away the wild tuskers.

But the most domestic tactic seems to be applying “chilli bombs” — pepper mixed with engine oil —on the fences keep herds on the either sides of the border from straying into foreign territory.

Oh, you thought we were writing about the US problems with our Southern border, didn't you? It turns out the problem is global and is not species-specific. Incidentally, the "chili option" seems to work equally well - if not more so - on African elephants:

Speaking from Liwonde National Park, Mathias Elisa - a Parks and Wildlife Department official who is responsible for education û said, - Observations conducted during chili production revealed that elephants keep diverting from areas where the…production is being done."

Elephants hate the smell of chili, especially when the stems have been burnt. It appears they…distance themselves from where the chili is growing," he added.

The Partnership in Sustainable Natural Resource Management in Malawi, a U.S-funded group based in the commercial capital of Blantyre, has selected a number of communities to train in chili production. This follows similar ventures in South Africa and Zimbabwe, where chilis have proved effective in reducing conflict between humans and wildlife.

The National Smallholder Farmers of Malawi organisation has also provided assistance to villagers by showing them how to space, transplant and harvest chili plants. In addition, the growers have been given information about grading, storage and marketing.

Once harvested and graded, the chilis are sold to European countries particularly Holland, Spain and Italy where they are combined with paprika to make the powder used in pepper sprays.

Hmmmmmm.

(H/T to Gimlet-Eyed George for the links.)