BHUBANESWAR: With very severe cyclone 'Yaas' expected to make landfall somewhere between Dhamra and Balasore, wildlife officials in Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) and Bhitarkanika National Park are on high alert. The forest officials have initiated several measures to ensure animals are protected in the storm.
"The cyclone expected to make landfall on Wednesday may pass through Balasore, Similipal and Jashipur after landfall. We have kept our teams ready to immediately respond to incidents of tree uprooting or rescue of wildlife if required," said Gajanan Lade, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Karanjia, a part of STR.
"Though the actual impact will only be known after its landfall, the storm may lead to uprooting of a large number of trees. The plans have been made accordingly to deal with the situation effectively," he said.
STR Deputy Director and Similipal North DFO Sai Kiran said that the large-scale uprooting of trees due to the storm can not be ruled out because of the hilly terrains. "Besides, the forest has a large number of saal trees which are vulnerable to strong winds," he said.
"Tree cutting teams are on field. Around 60 micro squads, each comparing two members, along with 10 special teams requisitioned from nearby districts, each comprising five to six members, have been deployed at different camps within Similipal forest," he said.
Besides, the division has its teams at range level with vehicles and tree cutters, he added. Around 48 villages in Similipal core and buffer areas have been put on alert and the villagers have been shifted to RCC buildings, said officials.
Similpal South Wildlife Division Deputy Director JD Pati said the forest staff have been kept in RCC camps. "As tigers and other wild animals are in in-situ conservation and there is no enclosure, the focus is more on dealing with tree uprooting in the natural forest," Pati said.
Keeping in view the storm, leave of the staff has been cancelled till June 5. The staff have been asked to communicate through VHF set. Apart from Similipal, other forest and wildlife divisions including Bhitarkanika National Park in Kendrapara district, the country’s second-largest mangrove forest, have been put on alert.
The Mangroves Forest (Wildlife) Division officials said though there has been prediction of impact of the cyclonic storm in Bhitarkanika, the 145 sqkm forest in the national park can withstand such impact.
"The only problem, however, is straying of crocodiles to nearly villages and water bodies in case of excess flood," said the DFO and added that two special teams have been put on alert to keep an eye on it as Bhitarkanika has more than 1,700 crocodiles.
He said around 6,000 deer and as many wild boars are also there in Bhitarkanika for which all 60 staff in the division have been asked to remain alert.