BARIPADA: Similipal Tiger Reserve authorities have decided to grow bamboo grass in the national park, one of the largest tiger reserves in the country, as part of an initiative to provide sufficient fodder for elephants.
The initiative will not only prevent the entry of elephants to human settlements but also check the man-animal conflict which is a major challenge for the forest department.
Regional chief conservator of forests-cum-field director of Similipal Tiger Reserve Prakash Chand Gogineni on Tuesday said that the STR management is planning to grow bamboo grass in different locations inside the reserve including Pithabata, Talabandh and other ranges.
“These places are less prone to monsoon damage. Once the grass grows, elephants will get sufficient food,” the RCCF said. Bamboo leaves, a favourite food of elephants, are expected to keep the animals within the reserve, preventing them from venturing into nearby villages and farmlands in search of food.
The department’s strategy is to mitigate the man-animal conflict by ensuring the elephants remain within the reserve.
A meeting involving deputy directors, DFOs, and range officers will soon be convened to finalise the plan, including the selection of suitable locations for planting the bamboo grass.