Wind-powered water holes for Gir lions

Himanshu Kaushik, TNN | Mar 18, 2013

At a watering spot with flowing water, not just
Asiatic lions, even chital, sambar and other wild animals
are seen more frequently

AHMEDABAD: Not just humans, even animals prefer flowing water. The drought-like situation in the Gir area has shown that water holes filled by wind or solar powered pumps attract more animals than those artificially filled by tankers.

Officials said stagnant water is less preferred. At a watering spot with flowing water, not just Asiatic lions, even chital, sambar and other wild animals are seen more frequently.

Officials said running water is cleaner and doesn't have dried leaves and other contaminants. It was also noticed that cemented ponds are less preferred. Places where water overflowing from such ponds accumulated nearby also proved better sites.

Officials said wind and solar powered pumps, do not draw large volumes but draw water slowly. This keeps it fresh and flowing. Sandeep Kumar, deputy conservator of forests, said the use of wind and solar energy is preferred to tankers. Also according to Kumar, resulting moisture in the area nearby was also better suited for animals to rest on hot afternoons.

The forest department has now begun a survey for locations suitable for windmills or solar water pumps in the Greater Gir area - Amreli, Porbandar, coastal areas and even Bhavnagar. Officials said that an experiment carried out in Liliya failed because of the high salinity of the groundwater there.

Conservator of forests R Meena said, "Instead of allocating funds solely for sanctuary areas, we are now focusing on social forestry areas outside the protected forest. We have now allocated more funds for areas in Junagadh and Amreli, which are quite far from the sanctuary."

However, officials who refused to be named, said that the there was indeed a great shortage funds and whatever little money was received from the Lion Conservation Society was being used up in constructing such waterholes.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Wind-powered-water-holes-for-Gir-lions/articleshow/19025678.cms

Mudumalai Tiger Reserve reels under drought

D. RADHAKRISHNAN
Unprecedented drought is keeping Forest Department officials on their toes in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) near here.

Threatened by drought: A sambar in the extremely dry
Moyar part of the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve
near Udhagamandalam. -Photo: Special Arrangement

Enquiries made by The Hindu revealed that hitherto, only certain pockets would be affected during the dry months, but this year, practically the entire Reserve extending to over 321 square kilometres wears a parched look.

The situation has become a cause for concern to the Forest Department and environmentalists as the conditions could trigger an outbreak of bushfires. Migration of animals in search of water and fresh vegetation has begun.

Conservationist P.J.Vasanthan said that he was seeing the MTR in such a state for the first time.

Some of the animals he saw were conspicuously emaciated. Many from the Moyar part of the Reserve are coming to the Channel to quench their thirst which flows from Maravakandy to the Moyar Dam. Pointing out that sighting of wild animals in the area has become frequent, he regretted that unscrupulous tour operators were exploiting the situation. In the process, they are disturbing the animals. The prevailing weather conditions have made the surroundings extremely dry and leafless.

Since the situation in the Sigur and Gudalur forests adjoining the MTR was also equally bad, the human-wild animal conflict has escalated and instances of elephants damaging houses are being frequently reported.

Stating that earlier, only about five per cent of the total area were badly affected during the dry season, the Deputy Director, MTR

A.Ameer Haja lamented that this year, even perennial water sources have dried up.

In view of the prevailing situation, a plan of action to deal with any exigency has been put in place.

Officials, including 100 fire watchers, have been instructed to be in a state of alert round the clock. Since the fringe areas along the road which cuts through the reserve are highly vulnerable to bushfires, highway patrol has been intensified.

Five vehicles have been permanently stationed in the Theppakadu, Kargudi, Masinagudy, Mudumalai and Nellakotai ranges of the Reserve to enable the officials to respond quickly to emergencies.

Water tankers have also been stationed at convenient places. In addition to the fire fighting equipment in the MTR, special tools to control fires have been procured from Kerala. Fire lines have been extended. In February, four bushfires had broken out but all of them had been put out before they could cause much damage.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/mudumalai-tiger-reserve-reels-under-drought/article4520805.ece

Elephants enter residential area

Banana, mango trees damaged; watcher injured

V. Ramanathan of Kovaipudur area showing the
banana trees that the elephants destroyed at his residence
on Sunday.— PHOTO: S. SIVA SARAVANAN

Elephants entered Press Enclave, a residential area near Kovaipudur, on Sunday.

They returned to the nearby forest only after the Forest Department staff rushed to the spot and chased the animals using firecrackers.

The operation also saw Shanmugam, an Anti-Poaching Watcher, injure his right thumb while bursting firecrackers.

The Department sources said they received a call from the residents saying a herd and a lone elephant had entered the area.

While the herd of three moved towards Arivoli Nagar, the lone, male elephant moved into Press Enclave, damaged banana and mango trees there.

V. Ramanathan, one of the residents, said the lone tusker entered his house around 3 a.m. by breaking one of the three gates.

It feasted on the banana trees for over 20 minutes. The elephant also pulled down a branch of the mango tree.

It moved into his house after entering two of his neighbours’ houses.

A little after the animal entered his house, the Forest Department staff came there to chase the pachyderm.

The staff sounded a siren and then fired firecrackers, which saw the elephant running towards the nearby forest.

It was the first time, in the recent past, that the locality had witnessed the elephants’ entry, Mr. Ramanathan added.

The Department sources also said Mr. Shanmugam underwent a surgery at a private hospital earlier in the day and was doing fine.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/elephants-enter-residential-area/article4520789.ece