The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Elephant intrusions continue to devastate farmlands and rural livelihoods in Samtse, despite ongoing efforts by the Gewog Administration and local residents to safeguard their homes and crops. The situation has reportedly escalated into a matter of grave concern, prompting calls for urgent national attention and coordinated intervention.
According to a public grievance report, the Gewog has implemented several measures in recent years, including the construction of protective walls, installation of electric fencing, and organization of night patrols to monitor elephant movements. However, despite these extensive measures, elephants are said to continue breaching barriers and destroying crops and properties worth millions of ngultrum.
The areas that have been affected the most are Dungkarling, Khanduthang, and Majathang villages. Some crops that were destroyed were cash crops such as areca nut, paddy, maize and banana.
The report stated that repeated appeals have been made to the Dzongkhag Administration and the Forest Department for assistance. It mentioned that the Forest Department has declined requests for direct intervention, stating the need to maintain natural access routes for elephants within their habitats. This position, according to the report, has caused frustration among villagers, who feel that wildlife conservation is being prioritized over human welfare.
Farmers have also expressed distress over what they described as conflicting directives from different government agencies. The report highlighted that while the Agriculture Department urges the landowners to keep their land under cultivation and imposes penalties for leaving fields fallow, the Forest Department emphasizes on allowing wildlife access to their natural habitats and promoting coexistence. This inconsistency has reportedly left villagers uncertain about how to sustain their livelihoods.
Residents further questioned the use of international conservation funds. The grievance stated that, according to the Forest Department, the agency receives financial support from the World Bank for elephant conservation. However, affected families claimed that these funds do not compensate them for the extensive crop and property losses they face each year.
The report described villagers as disheartened and exhausted, stating that nearly 90 percent of farmland now lies abandoned and is gradually reverting to forest. It added that the decline in local agriculture threatens not only household income but also food security and the long-term resilience of rural communities.
The villagers have, therefore, called on authorities and conservation partners to adopt a balanced approach that protects both people and wildlife. They urged the government to introduce fair compensation schemes, strengthen protective infrastructure, and implement sustainable human-wildlife coexistence strategies. Without timely and decisive action, the report stated that rural life may soon disappear, lost to the encroaching forest.
