Wild animals from the hills regain lost ground

This news item from Hindu came to my notice. So sharing here.
Sabyasachi



Wild animals from the hills regain lost ground

K. Raju
As man encroaches forest land, elephants and Indian gaurs left with no choice


DINDIGUL: The conflict between man and animals has been escalating owing to rampant destruction of their habitat and shortage of food and water on several hilly regions of the district.

Indian gaur and elephants face a high level of conflicts with the men on upper and lower Kodaikanal hills, Sirumalai, Pachalur, Adalur, Pandrimalai and Lower Palani hills and near reserve forests areas at Ayakudi, Kanakkanpatti and Varadhamanadhi and Kudiraiyaru dam areas.

Herds of Indian gaurs that have moved out of the forests are frequently spotted in Kodaikanal. Of late, they have become a common sight even around the lake, on the road leading to the observatory and golf course, on Dindigul-Natham highway and at several villages on the foothills of Sirumalai. Herds of elephants from Palani hills camp at several villages in the plains for the food and water.

Shrinking living space and shortage of food forces these wild animals to move towards residential areas and this results in destruction of agriculture crops, and sometimes loss of human lives.

In the absence of predators, Indian gaur population on Kodaikanal and Sirumalai hills is growing rapidly.
Acute drought in interior forests owing to deficit rainfall drives gaurs to villages near the hill for want of water and food. Continuous destruction of forest land to expand cultivable land shrinks animal habitat, forcing the gaurs to move towards the plains from Sirumalai hill. With persistent threat from poachers, elephants in Palani reserve forests also often change their migratory route and enter into villages in large numbers.

Without sensing these threats and difficulties, forest officials plan to create a solar electric fence along the reserve forest and dig a trench to curtail the movement of animals. Such measures will not serve the purpose, feel environmentalists.

But forest officials and local people are keen to drive them back to the forest that is not conducive for them instead of creating a habitat without disturbance or threat from man. People should be aware of animal behaviour. Encroachers who occupy lands on hills fail to realise that the forests is after all the home of wild animals.



The original article by K. Raju can by found at the following link:
http://www.hindu.com/2009/09/21/stor...2152310300.htm