http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thiruvananthapuram/Forest-dept-may-acquire-stun-guns-to-subdue-straying-wild-animals/articleshow/15429245.cms
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It looks more like something that you see in science fiction movies. The United States Marshals Service
uses this electroshock weapons in law-enforcement operations. These
stun guns may soon become part of Kerala forest department's armoury,
and may be used to scare away wild animals that stray into human habitats close to buffer zones along the Western Ghats.
Such animal attacks are common in villages close to forest areas in Idukki, Pathanamthitta, Wayanad and Thiruvananthapuram.
On firing, the darts carrying electric shock, penetrate the animal's skin disrupting its voluntary control of muscles. The shock will then incapacitate the animal, numbing its nervous system by cutting off the neuro-impluse network to the brain.
Forest officials said traditional methods - traps, tranquilizer shots - have not been effective in subduing a violent animal on the prowl.
"We have lost many lives because we could neither shoot down the animal nor save the victim. The stun guns will be used in life-and-death situations where there is hardly any time for response," a senior forest official said. He said this device could even be used for overpowering elephants that go on the rampage under 'musth'. "Usually, it takes hours to calm down such elephants. But one shot from this gun can bring an elephant to its knees, and then mahouts can take over."
Animal rights activists weren't convinced, however. When this weapon was used on humans, there were many fatalities, they claimed.
"The government shouldn't procure these deadly devices; there are many other scientific options to subdue an animal. Man-animal conflicts have been on the rise because forest cover is rapidly shrinking due to road and building construction in forest areas. We are encroaching on animal-land," said Maneka Gandhi, animal right activist and founder-president of People For Animals. According to her, the electroshock stun guns can be fired only at close range and this will cause permanent damage to an animal's brain.
"There has not been any study done on its impact of this weapon on animals. We are not addressing the real problem, but only trying to find short-term solutions that will create more health problems for animals," she said.
Paramjit Singh, head of Taser International (India), said that 10,000 Taser guns are being used in the USA both by Marshal Services and wildlife officials monitoring safari parks.
"An enquiry conducted by the US justice department found that victims who were high on drugs suffered a cardiac arrest after being shot with it," he said.
Such animal attacks are common in villages close to forest areas in Idukki, Pathanamthitta, Wayanad and Thiruvananthapuram.
On firing, the darts carrying electric shock, penetrate the animal's skin disrupting its voluntary control of muscles. The shock will then incapacitate the animal, numbing its nervous system by cutting off the neuro-impluse network to the brain.
Forest officials said traditional methods - traps, tranquilizer shots - have not been effective in subduing a violent animal on the prowl.
"We have lost many lives because we could neither shoot down the animal nor save the victim. The stun guns will be used in life-and-death situations where there is hardly any time for response," a senior forest official said. He said this device could even be used for overpowering elephants that go on the rampage under 'musth'. "Usually, it takes hours to calm down such elephants. But one shot from this gun can bring an elephant to its knees, and then mahouts can take over."
Animal rights activists weren't convinced, however. When this weapon was used on humans, there were many fatalities, they claimed.
"The government shouldn't procure these deadly devices; there are many other scientific options to subdue an animal. Man-animal conflicts have been on the rise because forest cover is rapidly shrinking due to road and building construction in forest areas. We are encroaching on animal-land," said Maneka Gandhi, animal right activist and founder-president of People For Animals. According to her, the electroshock stun guns can be fired only at close range and this will cause permanent damage to an animal's brain.
"There has not been any study done on its impact of this weapon on animals. We are not addressing the real problem, but only trying to find short-term solutions that will create more health problems for animals," she said.
Paramjit Singh, head of Taser International (India), said that 10,000 Taser guns are being used in the USA both by Marshal Services and wildlife officials monitoring safari parks.
"An enquiry conducted by the US justice department found that victims who were high on drugs suffered a cardiac arrest after being shot with it," he said.
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