BHUBANESWAR: Days after an elephant calf died allegedly due to severe heat and a leopard also suffered heatstroke, the wildlife wing of Forest, Environment and Climate Change department has issued guidelines asking all divisional forest officers (DFOs) to ensure availability of adequate water while taking other measures to prevent harm to the wild animals during this summer.
PCCF (Wildlife) and chief wildlife warden SK Popli has asked the DFOs to analyse the availability of water in ponds and forest water bodies at the beat-level and find out the gap areas for intervention.
He also asked all zoos, rescue centres and wild animal parks to come up with a detailed action plan to ensure adequate arrangements are put in place to prevent adverse effect of heatwave on animals.
“During this period, wherever water availability is a major constraint, there is local movement or migration of wild animals to different parts including out of forest areas causing the risk of man-animal conflict as well as poaching. This summer, in fact, the temperature has already increased warranting more concerted efforts,” Popli said.
In order to eliminate such undesirable events, adequate availability of water needs to be ensured for wildlife. The chief wildlife warden suggested excavation and digging up of old water bodies and water harvesting structures by a few feet and filling up of dry water bodies and water harvesting structures through tankers.
“In areas where there is acute water shortage, providing and replenishing water at regular intervals in plastic sheet-lined small concrete troughs can be tried out. However, these should be under regular monitoring to prevent misuse,” he stated.
Popli also directed the DFOs to carry out regular patrolling near water bodies, especially in remote areas to prevent erection of machans/hides or makeshift water troughs and salt-licks to lure wild animals for poaching.
“Movement of wild animals to forest fringe or village water bodies might result in conflict situations which needs to be prevented by preemptive and proactive action by patrolling and awareness drives involving local villagers,” he said.