Perambalur lost 65 deer to roadkill in over three years, activists demand signboards, barriers at animal crossings

According to a forest department survey, a total of 55 deer died in road accidents in the district between 2020 and 2022.
The forest department does not fill the tanks in the forest with enough water, causing deer to stray outside and quench their thirst, say activists | Express
The forest department does not fill the tanks in the forest with enough water, causing deer to stray outside and quench their thirst, say activists | Express

PERAMBALUR: The district reserve forest, which is inhabited by over 5,000 deer, losing as many as 10 of the hoofed mammals this year alone to road accidents has raised demands for the installation of signboards and barriers at animal crossing areas, and other similar steps to curb such fatalities. According to a forest department survey, a total of 55 deer died in road accidents in the district between 2020 and 2022. This year, 10 of them have so far perished in accidents.

Alarmed activists submitted several petitions with the district administration and the forest department seeking steps to prevent deer inhabiting 16,329 hectares of the district’s reserve forest area from getting caught in road accidents. They also urged the highways department to set up barricades at three important hotspots notified by the forest department, namely Ranjankudi and Padalur on the Tiruchy-Chennai national highway, and Kunnam on Perambalur-Ariyalur Road.

Activist Venmani Varadharajan of Perambalur said, "The forest department does not fill the tanks in the forest with enough water. When deer stray in search of water and food, they get into accidents. Some unidentified poachers also hunt them during night-time, when the deer stray into villages in search of water. In 2019, we demanded the district administration to set up a deer sanctuary here. No steps, however, were taken."

"If no action is taken the deer population may even hit zero in the district. It has already declined sharply over the years," he remarked. When enquired, Perambalur Forest Ranger Officer B Palanikumaran said, "There are various reasons why deer come out of the forest. Animals are usually on the move."

"We built water tanks and check dams wherever required in the forest and are maintaining them. However, deer stray outside and get into road accidents on the highways. They get caught in accidents as vehicles travel 20 km faster than normal speed during night-time. We have demanded the highways department to set up barricades to prevent such accidents," he added.

When contacted, District Forest Officer R Guganesh told TNIE, "We are taking various measures, including conducting awareness programmes and distributing leaflets on steps to prevent deer fatalities. We also urge the locals to close open wells and construct walls around them, and change the cropping patterns. Further, motorists should avoid throwing food and feeding animals.”

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