Percolation ponds and verify dams are attracting a number of wildlife to them, and discouraging animals from getting into human settlements.
| Photograph Credit score: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
The Gudalur forest division has undertaken restore and upkeep of verify dams and percolation pits to cut back damaging human-elephant interactions within the area.
In accordance with officers, funds from the Nationwide Financial institution for Agriculture and Rural Growth (NABARD) have been used for the development of water storage constructions contained in the reserved forests throughout Gudalur division.
District Forest Officer (Gudalur division), Kommu Omkaram, had pro-actively labored to get the constructions constructed, in order that animals, primarily elephants wouldn’t stray out from the extremely fragmented forests of Gudalur into the human settlements in quest of water.
The efforts of the Forest Division have been most seen within the O-Valley area of Gudalur, the place throughout the identical time over the previous few years, a lot of folks had been killed as a consequence of damaging interactions with elephants.
“Nevertheless, as a consequence of meticulous planning, the Forest Division ensured that fruiting bushes close to to human settlements have been eliminated previous to the elephant migration season, guaranteeing fewer damaging interactions between folks and animals,” mentioned a prime official from the Gudalur forest division.
R. Ayyanar, Forest Vary Officer (Cherambadi vary), mentioned the division had undertaken the development of 1 verify dam and percolation pond this 12 months, whereas repairs and upkeep have been undertaken in two percolation ponds and 7 verify dams.
“Because of the development of the dams, there was no scarcity of water for wildlife, with cameras within the area capturing using the water storage constructions not simply by elephants, but additionally by tigers,” Mr. Ayyanar added.