COIMBATORE: Wells and tanks left uncovered by some private individuals and panchayats in the Nilgiris district are proving to be death traps for wild animals like leopard, sloth bear and gaur. Despite several warnings issued by the forest department, the owners have failed to cover wells or tanks.
On November 13, a five-year-old leopard was rescued from a fell in a residential area in Kotagiri. Last month, a sloth bear fell into an open tank in Kotagiri but managed to climb out on a ladder placed by forest officials. Citing these incidents, wildlife activists have appealed to the forest department to sensitise landowners to the threat faced by animals.
K Kalidass, founder of Osai, said, “Nilgiris is a wildlife destination where the pocket forest is high when compared to continuous forest land. There is a high chance of animals falling into wells or tanks while moving from one forest to another. The State government should instruct landowners to cover wells immediately using iron grilles so that it would prevent these physically strong animals falling into the well or tanks.”
Bhosale Sachin Thukkaram District Forest Officer Nilgiris forest division told TNIE, “So far, we have not taken stringent action against landowners who failed to cover their well since most of the wells or tanks are located outside the forest. If the landowners refuse to cooperate, we will soon take action against them. We plan to approach the Collector to get an order to cover or close down the well if they are unnecessary.”
Leopard killed in road mishap
ERODE: A three-year-old female leopard was killed after an unidentified vehicle ran over the animal in the Sathiyamangalam forest range in the wee hours of Sunday. According to forest officials, the incident took place near the Hasanur forest range office on the Hasanur-Mysore National Highways.
Sources said the forest officials have sent the body of the leopard for an autopsy and are combing the CCTV camera footage to identify the vehicle. It may be recalled that a four-year-old leopard died on October 17 near Chikkali in the Sathiyamangalam forest range after being hit by a vehicle