WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT SERIES

MAINTAINING

E L EC TR I C

FENCES

1

MAINTAINING

ELECTRIC

FENCES

2

These guideline booklets are based on field experience and original research reports which are available from the WWFSouthern Africa Regional Programme Office (SARPO) in Harare. WWF wishes to acknowledge the important contribu-tion made by the Rural District Councils and their constituent communities in the development of the series.

The Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) is funding the WWF Resource Management Supportto CAMPFIRE Project which produced this guideline. The work undertaken here is part of a collaborative programmewith the Department of National Parks and WildLife Management.

Design, illustration and production: Action

Published in 1999 by the WWF-World Wide Fund for Nature (formerly World Wildlife Fund) Southern Africa RegionalProgramme Office (SARPO), Harare. Any reproduction in full or in part of this publication must mention the title andcredit the above mentioned publisher as the copyright owner. October, 1999. © 1986 WWF symbol copyright. ¨ WWFRegistered Trademark.

This publication was also made possiblethrough support provided by the office ofUSAID Harare under the terms of project613-0241 and grant 690-0251-4-9001-00. The opinions expressed herein arethose of the authors and do not necessarilyreflect the views of USAID. This materialhas been produced by the authority of andfor the use of the CAMPFIRE programme inZimbabwe for information purposes only.

U N I T E D S T A T E S O F A M E R I C A

ACTION

INTRODUCTIONFence Maintenance and Problem Animal Management .....................................................

CHAPTER 1Description of an Electric Fence..............................................................................................

CHAPTER 2Technical Guidelines for Fence Maintenance ......................................................................

CHAPTER 3The Organization of Fence Maintenance ..............................................................................

CHAPTER 4Planning Electric Fence Maintenance ...................................................................................

APPENDICES1-5 ...............................................................................................................................................

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31

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13

9

5

3

CONTENTS

4

A well maintained electric fence in Kanyurira Ward, Guruve District.

Background to problem animal managementUnder the Communal Areas Management Programme forIndigenous Resources (CAMPFIRE) rural communitiesparticipate and benefit from the management of their wildlifeand other natural resources.

As one of the benefits from CAMPFIRE, people expect areduction in the damage to crops, livestock and property bywildlife. Before CAMPFIRE, the Department of National Parksand Wildlife Management (DNPWLM) was responsible forcontrolling problem animals in the communal areas. Theyused to shoot one or two animals to scare the others away.Generally this was not very effective and the same herd ofanimals or another herd would return within a short time.

With CAMPFIRE, greater responsibility to deal with problemanimals has been passed on to local communities and ruraldistrict councils (RDCÕs). Because both the RDCÔs and theproducer communities benefit from wildlife, killing problemanimals can mean a loss of revenue. Problem AnimalManagement (PAM) rather than Problem Animal Control(PAC) which involves killing animals, can reduce the amountof crop raiding, as well as bring more revenue to producercommunities. Sixteen PAM options for wildlife producercommunities are described in the Problem Animal ReportingManual (WWF Wildlife Management Series Number 1).

A combination of these options can be used to develop aneffective problem animal management policy. Using electricfences is one of the most important of these managementoptions for reducing conflict between people and wildanimals. Fences also form part of land use planning forwildlife because wildlife producer communities need to makechoices about boundaries for wildlife and human settlement.

While the Electric Fencing Projects manual (WWF WildlifeManagement Series Number 2) gives details on how to designand plan the construction of an electric fence, the objective ofthis manual is to provide guidance to people in maintaining afence once it has been erected.

This manual is divided into four chapters. The first chapterlooks at how electric fences and their main components work.The second chapter gives technical guidelines to electric fencemaintenance. Chapters three and four consider theorganization and planning required to maintain an electricfence. The appendices give several checklists, examples ofmonitoring forms and useful addresses and contacts forpeople involved in the maintenance of electric fences.

5

INTRODUCTION

FENCE MAINTENANCE AND PROBLEM ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

6

How are electric fences different to ordinary fences?In the past, fences were built as physical barriers to prevent themovement of animals. The aim was to build them so that theycould not be pushed over by elephants and buffalo. However,in most cases this was not possible.

An electric fence is different. It works by giving animals whichtouch it an electric shock. This acts as a deterrent to animalswhich are trying to cross the fence line or push it over. Whenthe fences are well maintained they can be very effective instopping the movement of large problem animals such aselephant and buffalo. The design of the fence will determinewhether it also controls the movement of smaller animals.Generally electric fences do not control predators, monkeys,baboons and birds, all of which can cause problems forfarmers.

What electric fence models are there?There are several different options of using electric fences fromwhich communities can choose according to their needs. Theseare:

Model 1: an irrigated scheme enclosure with only the irrigatedfields enclosed,

Model 2: fences of 1-6 km are arranged to enclose the dwellingand cultivation plots of one or a few families,

Model 3: a fence of a perimeter of 15-20 km is arranged tomake an extensive complete enclosure placing fields, grazinglands and homesteads inside the fence,

Model 4: an extensive and open-ended fence up to 30km isused to deflect wild animals where they are known to beconcentrated,

Model 5: a simple fence encircles one or more fields

Model 6: a small well placed fence to act as a barrier for someknown species with restricted movements.

When considering which model of fence to build it isimportant to consult with the community at large, investigatethe problem thoroughly and then consider all the costs andbenefits of the different options. These are covered in moredetail in the Electric Fencing Projects manual (WWF WildlifeManagement Series Number 2).

Why is it important to maintain an electric fence?If properly maintained, electric fences are very effective inpreventing the movement of wildlife. Poor maintenance of anelectric fence means that wildlife will challenge the fence moreoften, causing more breaks and damage. This will reduce thefenceÕs effectiveness and increase overall maintenance costs.

Electric fences are effective because they give an animal ashock. If the fence is well maintained, animals will alwaysreceive a shock when they touch it. This will condition themnot to challenge the fence. If the fence is not always workingproperly, the animals will not become conditioned and willcontinue to break in and out of the fence since it is acting onlyas a weak physical barrier.

Who is responsible for fence maintenance?Before an electric fence is built the different stakeholdersinvolved (rural district council, community, safari operators)need to agree on who will own the fence and who will beresponsible for its maintenance. If it is to be managed by morethan one stakeholder the roles and responsibilities of eachstakeholder must be clearly defined. These include:

¥ who is going to check the fence,

¥ who is going to purchase replacement parts and

¥ who will pay for the labour and maintenance costs.

Most maintenance problems of electric fences occur becausethese basic responsibilities have not been resolved. Planningtherefore is an important part of effective electric fencemaintenance.

7

A well maintained electric fence will be an effectivebarrier to elephant and other wild animals.

A poorly maintained electric fence will not be aneffective barrier to elephant and other wild animals.

8

AN ELECTRIC FENCE showing all the major components

Post Wire

Earth pegs(underground)

Insulator

Battery

Energiser

Solar panel

 _

+ve bridge

–ve bridge

ve ve

What are the parts of an electric fence and how do theywork together?An electric fence has many parts which link to form three basicsystems enabling it to work. These systems are:

¥ the power supply,

¥ the earth system and

¥ the fence itself.

For good maintenance it is important for you to understandwhat each of the systems does and how it contributes to theoverall functioning of the fence.

1 The power supply system The electricity running through the fence to make it an ÔelectricfenceÕ has a source. The source is the sun. The solar panel,battery and energiser work together to convert sunlight raysinto electricity in the fence. The power supply system consistsof:

¥ The solar panel: This converts sunlight into electricity.

¥ The battery: This stores electricity from the solar panelwhich is automatically released when it is cloudy and atnight when there is low or no power from the solarpanel.

¥ The energiser: This powers the fence by changing theelectricity (12 volts) from the solar panel or battery intostronger pulses of 6,000 volts or more which is used toelectrify the fence.

¥ The lightning choke: This prevents the energiser beingdamaged by lightning. Sometimes there is also a largefuse next to the choke. This also helps protect theenergiser.

2 The earth systemThe purpose of an earth system is to ensure that when ananimal touches the fence the electric current flows from thefence through the animal into the ground. This gives theanimal a shock. If the electricity cannot flow through theanimal into the ground the fence will not give the animal ashock. The standard earthing system consists of:

¥ Metal conductors: These usually consists of three or more1.5 metre long pieces of metal pipe (called ÔconductorsÕbecause electricity passes easily through them) buriedclose to the energiser.

¥ Earth Pegs: In addition other earth ÔpegsÕ are buried atregular intervals along the fence to ensure that there isgood contact with the ground. These are usually placedin depressions like river crossings and/or in moist places

9

CHAPTER 1

DESCRIPTION OF AN ELECTRIC FENCE

because water is an extremely good conductor ofelectricity. Sometimes they are buried with a mixture ofsalt and clay, to attract and retain moisture.

3 The fence systemThe last system is the fence itself. Its purpose is to carryelectricity and provide a barrier to stop animal movement. Thefence system consists of:

¥ Posts: These are the poles which support the wire. Theycan be made from treated gum poles, metal poles orlocally cut timber.

¥ Straining posts or corner posts: These are stronger postsfrom which the wire is strained. They are also foundwhere the fence changes direction. On a straight sectionthe straining posts are normally about 400 to 500 metresapart.

¥ Wire: The wire carries the electricity and also forms abarrier. In most electric fences the wire is made fromhigh tensile galvanised steel. The galvanising stops thewire from rusting. High tensile steel is used because itdoes not stretch. A fence designed to stop the movementof large species such as elephant and buffalo willnormally have eight strands of wire. There are two basicdesigns of electric fence. These are in-line and off-setfences.

¥ in line fences which have both the positive andnegative wire attached to the fence posts. An animalwill get a shock by touching the positive wire.

¥ off-set fences have brackets holding the positivewire away from the main fence. An animal will geta shock by touching either the positive andnegative wires at the same time, or by touching thepositive wire only. These fences should only beused in flat areas.

10

In-line fence Off-set fence

¥ Insulators: These are used to prevent the wireswhich carry electricity from touching the posts asthis would cause a loss of electricity from the fence.There are two kinds of insulators used on anelectric fence.

¥ positive insulators which are attached to fenceposts with a wire that runs through the centre.

¥ straining insulators which are used at corner orstraining posts. Because these are being pulledby the wire, they are more likely to break orcrack than the insulators on the posts.

Hint: If an insulator is broken and there are no spareinsulators available, a temporary insulator can be madefrom an old tyre.

¥ Gates: Allows people, livestock and vehicles to movefrom one side of the fence to the other. At the gate aninsulated cable buried underground carries theelectricity from one side of the gate to the other.

¥ Offset Brackets: Offsets brackets are used to hold thepositive wire from the main fence. As a result animalsget a shock before they touch the main fence.

11

Straining insulator

Two kinds of post insulators Temporary post insulatormade from an old tyre

How does an electric fence work?The solar panel converts sunlight into electricity. Theelectricity is stored in a battery and released by the energiser inpulses of 6,000 volts into the fence. When an animal touchesthe positive or live wire of the fence it becomes part of theelectric circuit and receives a shock. The size of the shockdepends on the amount of electricity in the fence and how

much current flows through the animal. If an animal touchesthe positive and negative wire on the fence, this will form agood circuit and the animal will get a big shock. If the animalonly touches the positive wire, the circuit must be completedthrough the ground to the earth system. The moisture in theground and the distance of the animal from the earth pegs willdetermine how big a shock they receive.

12

Current flowing from the positive (+ve) wirein the fence through an elephant, into theground and to the earth system

Current flowing from the positive (+ve)wire through the trunk of an elephantinto the negative (- ve) wire

What tools are required to maintain an electric fence?To properly maintain an electric fence, the right tools areneeded. These are:

Note: If fence monitors are working in teams, each teamshould have a complete set of tools and equipment necessaryfor them to carry out their work effectively.

13

CHAPTER 2CHAPTER 2

TECHNICAL GUIDELINES FOR FENCE MAINTENANCE

TOOL PICTURE USE

pinchers/pliers cutting and tying wire

wire strainers pulling wire

axe removing small branches and trees touching the fence

claw hammer fixing insulators (small) to posts and pulling

out nails

hammer (large) heavy work such as knocking in earth pegs

TOOL PICTURE USE

hoe clearing grass andweeds along the fence line

voltmeter measuring the voltage in the fence

crowbar digging holes to replace damagedfence posts

cloth cleaning the solar panel

distilled water keeping the proper level of water in the battery

Tool bag to carry all the above tools

The Voltmeter: Most people are familiar with all the toolsneeded for maintenance except the voltmeter. A voltmetermeasures the ÔvoltageÕ in the fence. The voltage is a measure ofthe amount of electricity in the electric fence. The voltmeter isused to check that a fence is working and to assist the fenceminders to find faults. To measure the amount of electricity inthe fence the red lead of the voltmeter should be connected tothe positive or live wire of the fence and the black lead to the

negative wire. The voltage can then be read off the digitaldisplay.

The voltmeter needs a battery to work properly. Fence workersshould keep at least one spare voltmeter battery. They shouldremember that the voltmeter is their most important tool tofind out if the fence is working properly. Since it is a sensitiveinstrument, it should be treated with care at all times.

14

A digital voltmeter

Using a voltmeter to read thevoltage on a fence

crocodile clips

display

Hint: If a working voltmeter is not available, fence workerscan:

¥ push the positive and negative wires together and watchfor the spark. A strong spark means that the fence isworking. This will not damage the fence if donecarefully. Remember to use dry sticks.

¥ take a piece of wet grass and touch the positive wire. Ifthe fence is working, the person will feel a tingling intheir fingers.

Note: These methods can help the fence worker, but do notreplace the need for a working voltmeter.

How should the power supply and earth system bemaintained?

1. The power supply systemThe power supply system provides the electricity whichmakes the fence effective against animals. It consists of:

The solar panel: This should be kept clean to ensuremaximum conversion of sunlight into electricity. Ifundamaged, a solar panel should work for many years.However the theft of solar panels is a major problem inall communal lands. It is recommended that solar panelsand the power supply should, if possible be positionedat or near a house to discourage thieves.Always makesure that the replacement solar panel is the correct type.

Electrical connections: The connections between:

¥ the solar panel and the battery,

¥ the battery and the energiser,

¥ the energiser and the fence, and

¥ the fence and the earthing systemmust be kept clean and tight.

The battery: The correct level of distilled water must bemaintained in the battery. Try to use distilled waterobtained from a garage. Always store the water in aclean glass or plastic container. If ordinary water isadded to the battery it will eventually lose its capacity tostore electricity and the fence will not work.

15

A piece of grass being used totest the power in the +ve wire

Fence worker pushing two wirestogether to get a big spark

Hint: If distilled water is not available, boiled water or rainwater collected in a clean glass or plastic container canbe used.

A well-maintained battery will last for between 18 and24 months before it needs to be replaced. New batteriesshould be purchased from reputable dealers and shouldbe covered by a guarantee. Second hand and oldbatteries should not be used as these will not beeffective.

The energiser: The energiser should be kept dry, clean andsafe. Energisers do occasionally fail. Fence workersshould not attempt to repair an energiser but shouldinstead send it to one of the electric fencing companieslisted at the back of the manual. It is a good idea to keep aspare energiser so that if one does fail it can be replacedwith the spare while the original is sent for repair.

How should the fence be maintained?The fence forms the barrier which stops the movement of wildanimals. Its effectiveness depends on the flow of electricity.Therefore maintaining the correct voltage in the fence isessential.

Isolating part of the fence: Sometimes fence minders arerequired to correct a fault on a part of a fence which is atfull power. To do this, without getting a shock, the fenceminders must isolate that part of the fence that they wishto work on. This is usually done by placing a wire orother metal object across all the positive wires and atleast one negative wire or using cut out switches.

16

The recommended maintenance schedule for the power supply and earth systems

COMPONENT ACTION Daily Weekly

Solar panel Clean •

All electrical Clean and •connections tighten

Battery water Check level •

Battery Clean and •terminals tighten

Energiser Check speed •pulse rate of “clicks”

(2 per second)

A clean plastic bucket being used tocollect rain water and then beingtipped into a clean plastic bottle

Grass, weeds and trees: To be effective the area under thefence must be kept free of grass and weeds. Branchesand other vegetation which are near the fence ortouching the fence must be removed. If the fence is notkept free of vegetation, electricity will be lost into theground and the fence will not be effective.

Broken or cracked insulators: These cause electricity to belost through the fencing posts to the ground, especiallyin the rains. On a long fence cracked insulators can resultin a big voltage loss. Cracked insulators should bereplaced.

Wire spacing: The correct wire spacing must bemaintained. If the positive and negative wires touch forany reason there will be a loss of electricity and the fencewill not be effective. The fence can be damaged and thewire spacing can be changed by contact with animals,people or by the weather. Small changes to wire spacingcan be done by moving insulators. Sometimes when thewires in the fence are no longer tight, they will need tobe re-strained. This should be done from the corner orstraining posts.

Broken and weak posts: Fence posts which are broken orweak should be replaced immediately so that the correctwire spacing is maintained. In older fences the woodenposts may be weakened by termites so that they breakeasily when the fence is challenged by elephants or buffalo.

How do I find a fault in an electric fence?In addition to regularly checking the components of an electricfence, fence workers need to check the performance of thefence. This normally involves measuring the voltage of thefence at known points and comparing the daily results withwhat the voltage should be. The following section provides aguide to fence workers on how to check the performance of thefence and how to find the problems that are causing the lowvoltage.

17

The recommended maintenance schedule for the fence

COMPONENTS ACTIONS Daily Weekly Monthly

Wire Check •spacing

Vegetation Clear •vegetation

Insulators Check for •broken and cracked insulators

Posts Check for •weak or broken posts

How do I check a fence for its performance?The voltage of each fence is different and changes slightlyalong the fence. When a fence has been built the fence workersshould decide on a number of points at which the voltage isregularly measured.The voltage of the fence at these knownpoints can then be used to indicate the normal fence voltage. Itis useful to mark the regular measuring points and theexpected voltage on the fence. Two points which the fenceworkers must always use are the beginning (next to theenergiser) and the end (the furthest point from the energiser)However each fence is different and its length, design andshape affect how the fence workers choose to monitor itsperformance.

All faults result in a ÔleakÕ which means that there is a loss ofelectricity and voltage in the fence. This may be a complete orpartial loss. If it is a complete loss, the fence beyond the faultwill have no electricity and there will be zero voltage at thenext measuring point. If it is a partial loss, the measuring pointafter the fault will have a low voltage.

The two different approaches to measuringthe performance are:

¥ beginning at the end of the fenceCheck the voltage at the end of the fenceor the end of a section. If the voltage at theend is normal then the fence worker canbe sure that there are no faults between the end and theenergiser. The advantage of this method is that the fenceworker needs only to take one voltage measurement todetermine whether there are any faults.

If the voltage is low at the end of the fence then themaintenance team should then work towards the energisermeasuring voltages at regular intervals where they knowthe normal voltage or at intervals of between 500 or 1,000metres. Walking along the fence towards the energiser theymight actually see the problem: for example a broken wireor a tree which has fallen on the fence. If they see noproblem, then they will know that they have passed thefault when the voltage begins to increase again. They mustthen walk back along the fence measuring the voltage atsmaller intervals (50m ) until they identify the problem. Ifthey reach the energiser and the voltage is still zero or low,then the fault is in the power supply system.

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Fence monitor checking the voltageof the fence and comparing it withthe voltage written on the pole

Voltage guidelines

5,000 volts or more — good fence

3,000 - 5,000 volts — reasonable fence

under 3,0000 volts — poor fence

no voltage — useless fence

¥ beginning at the start of the fenceStart by testing the voltage at the beginning of the fence orthe section. If it is below normal there is a problem aheador at the power supply. Start by disconnecting the powersupply system from the fence and checking the voltagewithout the fence. If the voltage is low when the fence isdisconnected then the problem is with the power supply. If the voltage from the energiser is normal then reconnectit. Then start walking along the fence checking the voltageat the known points and looking for obvious problems.The problem along the fence can be identified by walkingalong the fence line checking the voltage at intervals. Theamount of voltage loss at the energiser gives an immediateindication of how large the leak is.

How do I find a fault in the power supply systemFinding faults in the power supply system is not always easyas they are generally not obvious. It is often easier to find afault if the fence workers have access to another battery andenergiser. This will allow them to replace these componentsand find the fault much quicker. There are a number ofindicators of faults in the power supply system including:

¥ The energiser pulse rate: When the energiser sends apulse of electricity along the fence it clicks. In a properlyfunctioning electric fence the energiser will click rapidly(approximately 2 times per second). The speed at whichthe energiser clicks is an indication of whether there is afault in the power supply systems and/or with the fence.

If the energiser is clicking slowly, it should bedisconnected from the fence. If the clicking returns tonormal then the fault is in the fence. If it remains slowthen there is a problem with the power supply system.The fence workers should start by checking, cleaningand tightening all the connections between the solarpanel, battery and energiser. If the pulse rate is still slowthen there is a problem with either the solar panel, thebattery or the energiser. The first thing that the fenceworker must check is the fuse in the energiser. The fuseprotects other parts of the energiser from beingdamaged. Most fuses are made from glass and havemetal caps at each end. In a working fuse there will be apiece of wire from one cap to the other. When the fusehas blown to protect the energiser, the wire will havebroken or be burnt. Make sure that the replacement fuseis the correct rating.

If the energiser fuse is intact, the only way to find thefault is by replacing each component (solar panel,battery, energiser) of the power supply with one which isknown to be working properly. Change only one parteach time. When the pulse rate and the voltage return tonormal then the component which has been removed isfaulty.

19

Energiser showinglocation of fuse

An intact working fuse and a blown fuse

250V

250V

¥ Overcast weather: Many days of overcast weather duringthe rains can result in the solar panel not charging thebattery. This will cause a loss of power in the fence eventhough there is nothing wrong with either the powersupply, earthing or fence system. If the fence has beenproperly maintained, most of the animals will havebecome conditioned to the electric shock and will notchallenge the fence. If the fence has been poorlymaintained and the animals are not conditioned, verywet and cloudy days can result in a lot of break-ins along a fence.

Note: A fully charged battery will keep a medium sized,well maintained fence functioning for approximately oneweek without a solar panel.

¥ Lightning: The power supply systems are protectedagainst lightning by the lightning choke. If it is practical,disconnect the power supply before a big storm. Fenceworkers should always check the power supply systemsin their fences after a big storm.

If a fence has not been well maintained or there have been anumber of challenges since the last check there might be morethan one fault. This means that the fence workers might haveto repeat the fault finding exercise more than once until theproper voltage has been restored to the entire fence.

What are the common causes of low voltage in an electricfence?

¥ grass and weeds touching the fence. These should becleared to avoid voltage leakages.

¥ broken, cracked and burned insulators. Insulators breakdue to exposure to the rain and sun and need to bereplaced.

¥ broken and bent poles. In some areas where termites area problem, poles have to be checked and replaced toavoid the fence drooping.

¥ broken and sagging wires. Wires may be broken due toanimal break ins and these need to be repaired to avoidloss of electricity in the sections after the break.

¥ poor earth systems. The earth system has to be checkedand if necessary watered to keep it moist for bestconductivity.

¥ river crossings. River crossings are prone to washingaway during the rainy season and therefore need to becontinually checked.

¥ home-made gates. If there are not enough gates in thefence people will make their own gates by forcing thewires apart with sticks. When planning an electric fencethere should be consultations with members of thecommunity to determine where gates for vehicles andpedestrians need to be placed.

20

21

The most common causes of low voltage in electric fences

Broken and bent poles

Poor earth systems

Grass and weeds touching the fence

Broken, cracked and burned insulators

Home-made gates

Broken and sagging wires

River crossings

22

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24

Fence monitors at work in Kanyurira Ward, Guruve District.

25

Why is organisation important?Organizational problems are the biggest single cause forelectric fences not being fully maintained and not beingeffective in deterring problem animals. But organizing fencemaintenance is not easy. Even before the construction of anelectric fence, the community (ward) and the Rural DistrictCouncil (RDC) should be working together on how to managethe fence. Most importantly, the responsibilities of eachstakeholder should be clearly defined and the human skillsand financial resources needed to fulfill their responsibilitiesput in place.

For example it is not possible for a WWMC to manage anelectric fence if it does not have the money to do so or haveaccess to the necessary money. Similarly, it is not realistic tomake a district CAMPFIRE co-ordinator responsible for thepurchase of spares and the repairs to energisers, because oneperson will not have the time nor the interest to do this jobproperly.

As a general rule, the responsibilities for fence maintenanceshould be held by those most affected by the fence since it is intheir own interest to keep the fence working.

What are the options for organising fence maintenance?You should select an option from the following which bestsuits the circumstances in your ward or district.

WWMC option: This is the most common option. TheWWMC and the community select local persons as fenceworkers. They are given the necessary training by theconstruction company or another technical agency. Thefence workers are employed and paid by the WWMCand report directly to the WWMC. The WWMC isresponsible for the purchase of materials for fencemaintenance..

Sub-contracting option: This option involves the WWMCsub-contracting the task of fence maintenance to a localperson or group of persons. This is a businessarrangement and the WWMC only has to budget thetotal cost of the contract and ensure that it is enforced.The contractors are then responsible to the WWMC andthe community for the maintenance of the fence. Thisoption is not commonly used yet. Its advantage is that itcreates local enterprise and if there is competition for thecontract amongst different persons, it will lower the over-all costs of maintenance.

CHAPTER 3

THE ORGANISATION OF FENCE MAINTENANCE

Multi-ward options: In some districts a fence might haveto be managed by several wards. In this case and a jointward management strategy is necessary. A simplearrangement is that each ward manages its own sectionof fence. However this is probably inefficient andexpensive. Another option is that the costs ofmaintenance are split amongst the wards according tothe length of fence in each ward. This will probablyreduce the over-all cost of management but some wardswill pay more than others.

Rural District Councils (RDCs) option: This is an option, butnot one which should be used except under exceptionalcircumstances because it removes the control andownership of the fence from the ward and community.The RDC can be involved in a joint agreement with thecommunity but the roles of each party should be veryclearly defined.

Why do electric fences need to be maintained all year?Fence maintenance is an all year round activity. Problemanimal reporting systems show that the peak period for cropdamage is usually between February and early May. However,WWMCs and fence workers cannot afford to relax duringother times of the year. By keeping the fence working properlyat all times (more than 5,000 volts) animals will come torespect it as a barrier. This is called conditioning. Whenanimals are conditioned the workload of the fence workersand maintenance costs will be reduced.

How should fence workers be organised?As in any business or activity, the people who are directlyinvolved in the daily fence maintenance activities are veryimportant to its performance and success. The following fourfactors are important in selecting fence maintenance workers:

¥ the distance of the fence monitor’s home from the fence:As a general rule fence monitors should live as close tothe fence as possible. There are two reasons for this. Ifthey live far away from the fence, they will soon looseinterest and not work properly. Secondly, if they liveclose to the fence their fields and crops will be at greatestrisk if the fence does not work properly.

¥ their current occupation and commitments: Persons whoalready have other jobs (in a store) or are committed toother activities will be unlikely to fulfill their roles asfence workers effectively.

¥ their education: The maintenance of electric fences will beimproved if the fence workers have an understanding ofelectricity and are logical people good at solvingproblems.

¥ their character: In all situations the character of theindividual is important. Persons who are known to belazy or irresponsible should not be selected as fenceworkers!

26

How should fence workers be monitored?Often the problem for WWMCs is to ensure that fence workersdo their work properly. Monitoring can be improved by:

¥ drawing up a formal contract of employment: Theconditions of service should be agreed on before thefence worker starts work. These conditions shouldinclude how many hours a day and how many days perweek the person will work, whether they are allowedleave and when, who they are responsible to and howmuch they will be paid.

¥ employing a fence worker supervisor: If there are manyfence workers a fence worker supervisor can beemployed to monitor the workers on behalf of theWWMC. A fence supervisor who moves around thedifferent sections of the fence can be important inensuring that workers do their jobs properly. However,WWMCs must balance the cost of an extra personagainst the benefits which they expect that person tobring to the performance of the fence

¥ delegating supervision to a responsible committeemember: An alternative to the fence worker supervisor isto appoint one member of the WWMC as responsible forfence maintenance. It is then this personÕs role to checkup on the workers and the performance of the fence.

This helps to maintain communication with the workersand any problems arising can be quickly addressed. It also avoids the community merely paying workerswithout establishing if they are indeed doing their work.

27

Fence worker reporting toWWMC member that thefence has been checkedand is working well

Ward 9 WWMC

CHILAZI DISTRICT

Contract of employment for J. Mpofu

This contract runs from 1 January 1998 to 31 December 1998. For

the satisfactory completion of the job below you will be paid Z$700

per month. This contract is subject to one months notice by both

parties.

As a fence minder you will have to :

1. Check the fence every working day

2. Repair all faults where possible

3. Complete the fence report form

4. Report on the fence to the fence supervisor

You will work for five hours per day and six days per week.

Your tools and one uniform will be provided by the WWMC.

You are entitled to 18 days leave per year.

What monitoring system should be established for electricfences?One of the keys to an effective electric fence system is a goodbut simple monitoring system. A locally controlled monitoringsystem will allow the WWMC to monitor

¥ the performance of the fence and

¥ the performance of the fence workers.

The monitoring system should collect the minimum set ofinformation which allows both of these functions to befulfilled.

What is a fence maintenance form?A fence maintenance report form collects the informationwhich is needed for effective monitoring. The form iscompleted by the fence workers and can be reviewed andanalysed by the WWMC and the fence workers to see howwell the fence is working. The form should collect informationabout:

¥ voltages at the measuring points

¥ the number and species of animals which break in andout the fence.

¥ the locations of the break ins and break outs

¥ human interference of the fence.

The fence maintenance form should be completed on a dailybasis by the fence minders. However, each form is designed tolast for one week (see appendix three).

Analysis of these records not only helps with the monitoring ofthe fence but also allows the WWMC and the fence workers toplan for the future. For example if one section of the fence iscontinually being broken by animals it will allow them toidentify the problem and plan how to solve it.

28

29

How can the information on the fence maintenance formsbe analysed?Fence maintenance forms should be analyzed once every threemonths and a data base on how the fence is workingdeveloped. The following summaries can be extracted fromthe fence forms:

¥ Total number of break ins

¥ Average break in per month

¥ Total break in by sector

¥ Species with the highest number of break ins

¥ Average voltage

This data can also be used to provide an indication to thewider community on how the fence is working. (Ideas forpresenting or visualising this data to the community areprovide in the manual ÒCommunication and Visualisation forWard Wildlife Committees).

More information about analysing fence maintenance formsand preparing quarterly and annual reports from them for theWWMC and RDC is provided in Appendix 5. These reportswill help to address any issues which may arise at ward anddistrict level which have an impact on fence management.

30

PLANNED ACTIVITIES Jan Feb Mar April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec

Fence Monitoring • • • • • • • • • • • •

Adding more gates • • •

Replacing rotten poles • • •

Removing weeds and • • •grass in the fence

Renovations on Kau/ • •Halazi River confluence

Building solar panel house • •

Analysis of fence • • • •monitors reports

Writing fence monitors • • • •quarterly report

Fence monitors • • • • • • • • • • • •monthly report

Fence monitors annual report •

Purchase replacement materials •

Inventory of materials and equipment • •

An example of the fence maintenance calender from Ward 9, Chilazi District.

What problems occur in maintaining an electric fence?Good planning will help overcome the following commonproblems:

¥ delays in the purchase of spares: Often spares andmaterials are purchased only after a fence stops working.This reduces the effectiveness of the fence and meansthat the fence workers cannot do their jobs properly.Budgeting for fence repairs and keeping a stock ofmaterials can ensure that the fence stays working all thetime.

¥ delays in payment of fence workers: If fence workers arenot paid promptly they cannot be expected to do theirjob properly. A fence maintenance budget and an agreedpayment method will reduce this problem.

¥ delays in disbursing wildlife revenue: If RDCs delay thedisbursement of wildlife revenue to wards, these wardswill not be able to purchase the spares and pay theirworkers. A fence maintenance budget presented to theRDC as part of the over-all ward budget will increase thechances of wards getting their money on time as it showsa responsible approach to financial management.

¥ delayed or lack of clearance of weeds and grass on thefence: The effectiveness of fences is reduced by weedsand grass under the fence. A fencing calender ofactivities and a budget to pay for the weeding (ifnecessary) will ensure that clearing the fence line is doneeffectively and in time.

¥ fence monitors not working properly: Many committeescorrectly delegate the responsibility for fencemaintenance to fence workers. By monitoring thebudget, the calender of activities and the fence reports,the WWMCs can determine whether the fence workersare fulfilling the responsibilities for which they havebeen paid.

How can planning improve electric fence maintenance?Two planning tools can help improve the effectiveness ofelectric fence maintenance. These are:

¥ the calender of activitiesThe calender of activities is a check list of all theactivities for the fence workers for the whole year. Thecalender should be drawn-up by the fence workers withthe WWMC at the beginning of the year. The calenderneeds to show regular activities such as fencemonitoring, reporting and clearing as well as special

31

CHAPTER 4

PLANNING ELECTRIC FENCE MAINTENANCE

32

activities such as the addition of gates to a fence. Thecalender of activities will assist the WWMC and fenceworkers in setting the budget for the year. For examplethe calender of activities given on page 30 shows thatmore gates are to be added to the fence between Apriland June. The cost of these gates is shown in the budget.

An additional calender of activities should be be drawn-up that shows the activities and responsibilities of theWWMC.

¥ the fence maintenance budgetThe budget for fence maintenance should be realistic andaccurate. The fence budget needs to be done as part ofthe WWMCÕs overall budget. The budget should beguided by the previous yearsÕ expenses and the calenderof proposed activities and should include a figure forinflation, especially of electrical components. Thereplacement materials necessary for maintenance shouldbe listed and information provided on:

¥ where they will be obtained,

¥ who will obtain them and

¥ how they will be obtained

The format of the budget should include a description,the number required, the cost per unit, the total cost andcomments. An example is given on the next page.

Why is community awareness and involvement important?People living close to electric fences often interfere with them.A common problem is to use the solar panels to chargepersonal batteries. Then, because the fence battery has notbeen charging during the day, the fence will not work at night.Thefts of solar panels such as in north Gokwe, energisers andbatteries are another common problem. Any theft of panelsshould be reported immediately to the police.

One way of overcoming such problems is to ensure theparticipation of the whole community in the maintenance ofthe fence. This can be done through regular communitymeetings on fence issues at which, either fence workers or theWWMC feeds back fence reports and receives complaints (orcompliments) about the fence. Simplifying and presentingfence reports, budgets and the calender of activities tocommunity meetings is a useful way of improving widerawareness of the fence.

33

Des

crip

tion

Num

ber

Uni

t cos

tTo

tal c

ost

% o

f tot

alCo

mm

ents

Fenc

e w

orke

rs5

$450

(mnt

h)$2

7,00

055

Wag

es

Fenc

e su

perv

isor

1$5

00 (m

nth)

$6,0

0013

Wag

es

New

bat

tery

1$7

50$7

502

One

bat

tery

expe

cted

to

fail

Repa

irs to

2

$500

$1,0

002

$500

per

en

ergi

sers

repa

ir

Wire

(ste

el)

3 ro

lls$7

20$2

,160

4

Wire

(sof

t)1

roll

$840

$840

2

Gat

es4

$928

$3,7

128

4 ne

w g

ates

pl

anne

d

Posts

36$1

6$5

761

Repl

ace

rotte

n po

les

Plie

rs1

$250

$250

<1Re

plac

e lo

st pl

iers

Insu

lato

rs (p

ost)

500

$1.1

0$5

50<1

Insu

lato

rs

250

$1.6

0$4

00<1

(stra

inin

g)

Tran

spor

t4

$300

$1,2

002

4 tri

ps to

H

arar

e fo

r sp

ares

. In

clud

es T

&S.

Tota

l est

imat

ed c

osts

$44,

438

90%

10%

con

tinge

ncy

$4,4

4510

%

TOTA

L CO

STS

$48,

883

100%

Fenc

e m

aint

enan

ce b

udge

t for

War

d 9,

Chi

lazi

Dis

tric

t Jan

uary

199

8 to

Dec

embe

r 19

98.

What an be done about the theft of parts?The theft of parts, especially from the power supply, isbecoming a major problem in all the CAMPFIRE districts withelectric fencing projects. The loss of these components and thetotal loss of power in the fence. results in:

¥ large and unplanned costs to WWMC and RDCs and

¥ the loss of morale amongst fence minders

¥ increased number of break-ins and crop damage by wildanimals.

Unfortunately there is no single solution to the problem oftheft. However, all losses must be reported to the nearestZimbabwe Republic Police post. The following precautions canbe taken to reduce thefts:

¥ Homesteads: Power supply units can be sited athomesteads which are close to the fence so that there isalways somebody around to look after them.

¥ Permanent night guards: ÒGuard housesÓ can be built atthe power supply units. Fence minders can be allocatedthe task of guarding the power supplies. This is anexpensive and not very effective strategy.

¥ Secure cages: Most of the companies building electricfences have designed cages to improve the safety of thepower supply unit. The outside of these cages are oftenelectrified which also acts as a deterrent to thieves.

¥ Community awareness: If the community has beeninvolved in the fence and there is a sense of ownership,they will act as the guards. This will reduce the chancesof power supply components being stolen.

¥ Proper maintenance: öf the fence has been properlymaintained and is providing a service to the community,there are great incentives for people to become involvedin preventing the theft of components. If the fence ispoorly maintained and does not function effectively thenthere is much less incentive to prevent or report thefts.

¥ Serial numbers: It is important that the serial numbers ofall the major parts of the fence are recorded. If stolenparts are recovered by the ZRP then the WWMC will beable to identify their equipment and prove that it istheirs.

34

A solar panel and power supply inside a secure cage.

35

APP

END

IX O

NE

Chec

klis

t for

fenc

e eq

uipm

ent,

tool

s an

d m

ater

ials

A. R

epla

cem

ent m

ater

ials

¥H

igh

tens

ile g

alva

nize

d s

teel

wir

e (1

6 ga

uge

or 2

.25-

mm

)

¥So

ft g

alva

nize

d b

ind

ing

wir

e

¥In

sula

tors

(str

aini

ng a

nd p

ost)

¥U

-nai

ls, n

ails

¥V

oltm

eter

bat

teri

es

B. T

ools

:¥

Lar

ge a

nd s

mal

l ham

mer

s

¥W

ire

stra

iner

s

¥Pl

iers

/pi

nche

rs

¥Sc

rew

dri

ver

¥A

xe a

nd h

oe

¥V

oltm

eter

¥C

row

bar

¥C

loth

¥D

isti

lled

wat

er

¥Sp

anne

r (N

umbe

r 13

)

¥To

ol-b

ag

APPENDICES

36

APP

END

IX T

WO

Chec

klis

t of A

ctiv

ities

Dai

ly c

heck

:¥

fenc

e lin

e vo

ltag

e,

¥ba

tter

y w

ater

,

¥en

ergi

ser

puls

e ra

te,

¥so

lar

pane

l con

nect

ions

,

Mon

thly

che

ck:

¥ve

geta

tion

gro

wth

,

¥ch

eck

reco

rds,

¥cl

ean

term

inal

s

Repo

rtin

g ch

eck:

¥Fe

nce

mai

nten

ance

form

s fi

lled

in d

aily

,

¥Q

uart

erly

rep

ort t

o th

e W

WM

C a

nd R

DC

,

¥A

nnua

l rep

ort t

o th

e W

WM

C, R

DC

Wee

k:...

......

......

. Se

ctor

:.....

......

......

.....

.. N

ames

:.....

......

......

......

......

......

.

Brea

ks In

Brea

ks O

ut

Dat

eN

osSp

ecie

sN

osSp

ecie

s

Day

1

Day

2

Day

3

Day

4

Day

5

Day

6

Day

7

VO

LTA

GE:

Ener

gise

rD

ate

Stag

e 1

Stag

e 2

Stag

e 3

Stag

e 4

Stag

e 5

Day

1

Day

2

Day

3

Day

4

Day

5

Day

6

Day

7

Afte

r co

mpl

etin

g th

is p

art o

f the

form

, com

plet

e th

e ch

eckl

ist o

n pa

ge 3

8.

37

APP

END

IX T

HRE

EA

sam

ple

fenc

e m

aint

enan

ce r

epor

t for

m. T

he fo

rm s

houl

d b

e co

mpl

eted

by

the

fenc

e w

orke

rs a

fter

thei

r d

aily

pat

rol.

One

form

last

s fo

r se

ven

day

s.

FEN

CE M

AIN

TEN

AN

CE R

EPO

RT F

ORM

APP

END

IX T

HRE

E co

ntin

ued

CHEC

KS:

Vege

tatio

n re

mov

ed (t

ick)

......

......

......

......

.....

Batte

ries

fille

d (ti

ck)..

......

......

......

......

......

......

Pane

ls cl

eane

d (ti

ck)..

......

......

......

......

......

.....

Touc

hes

(sho

rts) r

epai

red

......

......

......

......

....

Brea

ks r

epai

red

(No.

).....

......

......

......

......

......

Lo

catio

n:...

......

......

......

......

......

Pole

s re

plac

ed (N

o.)..

......

......

......

......

......

....

Verif

ied:

Wild

life

Man

ager

(WW

MC

):....

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

..

Dat

e:...

......

......

......

......

......

......

.

38

39

APP

END

IX F

OU

R

Usi

ng th

e in

form

atio

n re

cord

ed o

n th

e ÒF

ence

Mai

nten

ance

Rep

ort F

orm

Ó is

use

d to

det

erm

ine

the

curr

ent e

ffec

tive

ness

of t

he fe

nce.

Thi

s w

ill p

rovi

de

vita

l inf

orm

atio

n fo

r th

em

anag

emen

t and

pla

nnin

g of

fenc

e m

aint

enan

ce. F

or e

xam

ple

the

anal

yses

mig

ht s

how

an

incr

easi

ng n

umbe

r of

pol

es w

hich

are

bei

ng r

epla

ced

ove

r ti

me.

Thi

s m

ight

mea

n th

at th

eW

WM

C a

nd fe

nce

wor

kers

pla

n, b

oth

in th

e bu

dge

t and

the

cale

nder

, to

repl

ace

all t

he p

oles

in a

par

ticu

lar

sect

ion

of fe

nce.

The

ana

lyse

s ca

n be

car

ried

out

by

the

fenc

e w

orke

rs a

nd/

orth

e m

embe

rs o

f the

WW

MC

. The

ana

lysi

s ca

n be

don

e m

onth

ly o

r qu

arte

rly.

Thi

s d

ecis

ion

shou

ld b

e m

ade

by th

e W

WM

C a

nd th

e fe

nce

wor

kers

toge

ther

.

Fenc

e Fo

rm A

naly

sis

Out

line

The

info

rmat

ion

whi

ch is

rec

ord

ed o

n th

e Fe

nce

Mai

nten

ance

For

m w

ill a

llow

the

follo

win

gan

alys

es to

be

don

e:

Ana

lysi

s U

seSo

urce

of d

ata

on th

e W

eekl

y Fe

nce

Mai

nten

ance

For

m

1.0

The

leng

th o

f the

rep

ortin

g To

mak

e a

mea

ning

ful c

ompa

rison

D

ates

giv

en o

n th

e fo

rmpe

riod

in d

ays

/ w

eeks

/ m

onth

sth

e an

alys

es n

eed

to b

e do

ne e

ither

by

day

/ w

eek

/ m

onth

2.0

The

num

ber

of r

epor

ts fo

r Sh

ows

whe

ther

the

repo

rts a

re b

eing

Th

e nu

mbe

r of

rep

orts

avai

labl

eth

e pe

riod

(rep

orts

per

mon

th)

com

plet

ed b

y th

e fe

nce

wor

kers

3.0

The

tota

l num

ber

of b

reak

s Sh

ows

how

man

y tim

es a

nim

als

The

sum

mar

y of

bre

ak-in

s an

d (in

and

out

)for

the

repo

rting

per

iod.

have

bro

ken

thro

ugh

the

fenc

ebr

eak-

outs.

3.1

The

aver

age

num

ber

of b

reak

s Sh

ows

the

patte

rn o

ver

time

of

The

sum

mar

y of

bre

ak-in

s an

d(in

and

out

) per

wee

k/m

onth

brea

k-in

s du

ring

the

perio

d br

eak-

outs.

be

ing

anal

ysed

3.2

The

tota

l num

ber

of b

reak

s Sh

ows

whe

re th

e fe

nce

is b

eing

an

The

sum

mar

y of

bre

ak-in

s an

d (in

and

out

) by

sect

or o

ver

effe

ctiv

e ba

rrie

r an

d w

here

it is

not

.br

eak-

outs.

th

e re

view

per

iod.

3.3

The

tota

l num

ber

of b

reak

s (

Show

s w

hich

spe

cies

are

cau

sing

Th

e su

mm

ary

of b

reak

-ins

and

in a

nd o

ut) b

y sp

ecie

s ov

er th

e th

e gr

eate

st pr

oble

m.

brea

k-ou

ts.re

view

per

iod.

In th

e lo

ng-te

rm th

is m

ight

lead

to

sect

ions

bei

ng r

e-de

sign

ed.

4.0

Tota

l num

ber

of r

epai

rs

Show

s th

e w

ork

done

by

the

The

sum

mar

y of

rep

airs

and

che

cks.

over

the

revi

ew p

erio

d.fe

nce

wor

kers

.

4.1

The

tota

l num

ber

of

Show

s th

e w

ork

done

by

the

fenc

e Th

e su

mm

ary

of r

epai

rs a

nd c

heck

s.sh

ort-c

ircui

ts re

paire

d.w

orke

rs in

the

curr

ent r

evie

w p

erio

d.

4.2

The

tota

l num

ber

of p

oles

Sh

ows

the

wor

k do

ne b

y th

e fe

nce

The

sum

mar

y of

rep

airs

and

che

cks.

repl

aced

.w

orke

rs.

4.3

The

num

ber

of ti

mes

Sh

ows

the

wor

k do

ne b

y th

e fe

nce

The

sum

mar

y of

rep

airs

and

che

cks.

vege

tatio

n w

as r

emov

ed.

wor

kers

.

5.0

The

aver

age

volta

ge b

y Sh

ows

how

muc

h vo

ltage

ther

e w

as

The

sum

mar

y of

vol

tage

by

sect

orse

ctor

for

the

who

le fe

nce

over

in

the

diffe

rent

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40

APP

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id p

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qual

ity w

ork

at h

igh

costs

.

41

This booklet is the sixth in a series of guides on wildlife management and examines in detail, various aspects of electricfence maintenance. It provides background information and guidance to Rural District Councils and should be read alongwith the other booklets in this series. Together they provide information and guidance to members of villages, wards andrural district councils involved in the management of CAMPFIRE projects. These booklets are linked to training programmesbeing undertaken by members of the CAMPFIRE Collaborative Group.

Booklets in the Wildlife Management series include:

1. Problem Animal Reporting2. Electric Fencing Projects3. Marketing Wildlife Leases4. Managing Safari Hunting 5. Quota Setting Manual6. Maintaining Electric Fences

WWF is a member of the Collaborative Group supporting the CAMPFIRE programme in Zimbabwe and has providedsupport and training to communities in the establishment of wildlife management systems.