Quick Dips

Electric Fences for Polar Bears

Electric fences may be seen as a product for down on the farm, but they are now being used by Arctic explorer Graeme Dingle to keep polar bears at bay.

New Zealand company The Gallagher Group, who pioneered the development of electric fences, have provided one of their systems to Dingle. The explorer is attempting to complete the Arctic circle he began last year and, as he is now travelling solo, he is vulnerable to polar bear attack.

Collaboration between The Gallagher Group and Bayer New Zealand has seen the use of extremely reliable thermoplastics in the fencing system. Demanding applications in potentially life-threatening situations require good levels of reliability, according to Justin Gleeson of Bayer's Plastics Business Group.

Apart from its obvious use on the farm for livestock control, New Zealand electric fences have also been used to keep elephants out of palm plantations in Malaysia and to stop coyotes from worrying stock in the US.