KOCHI: With the rising human-wildlife conflict in the state attributed to water scarcity in the woods, forest officers at Inchathotty near Kothamangalam have devised a solution to keep wildlife from straying into human settlements. Setting a model, they have created an artificial waterhole at Munipara, under Inchathotty forest station limits, using tarpaulin sheets to provide animals with a reliable water source.
The makeshift tank, measuring 8m in length, 6m in width, and 1m in depth, has a storage capacity of 50,000 litres and will be refilled regularly. “We have 18 staff members at our office, and all of them contributed to setting up the waterhole. First, we used an excavator to dig a 1m-deep pit, then lined it with waterproof PVC tarpaulin before filling it with water.
A tanker truck has been engaged for regular refills. The entire process cost us around Rs 12,000. The waterhole is located about 50m from the road, making refilling easier. Now, animals, including elephants and deer, regularly visit the spot to quench their thirst,” said G G Santhosh, deputy range officer at the Inchathotty forest station.
Additionally, the forest department installed an 11 km-long solar fence in another part of the forest after residents protested frequent crop raids by wild tuskers. Despite the area’s dense population, elephants regularly passed through these settlements to reach the Periyar river for water.
“Around 40 to 60 wild elephants in the Urulanthanni belt frequently pass through the Inchathotty area. Two weeks ago, we spotted a small herd, including a mother elephant and her calf, desperately searching for a way to the river. The calf looked parched, and we felt for the animals. Since securing departmental funds for a water tank takes time, we decided to act on our own. That’s how the idea of the waterhole came about,” added Santhosh.