Wildlife managers in Wayanad, a region known for human-wildlife conflict, have stepped up measures to ensure fodder and water for migrating wild animals from the adjacent tiger reserves in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
During summer, hundreds of higher mammals such as elephants and guars begin their seasonal migration to the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (WWS) in search of fodder and water. Elephants and gaur migrate to the sanctuary from the adjacent Bandipur and Nagarhole national parks in Karnataka and the Mudumalai national park in Tamil Nadu owing to the drought-like situation there.
“The WWS sanctuary is a haven for wild animals during the summer owing to the easy availability of fodder and water throughout the year. Though the sanctuary is yet to get summer rains, the majority of waterholes in the sanctuary have sufficient water,” says a sanctuary official.
Officials have initiated highly structured measures at an estimate of ₹1 crore to ensure fodder, water, and protection measures for animals. More than 100 watchers have been deployed in the sanctuary to monitor the water sources.
The sanctuary has 205 waterholes and 100 check-dams and they are being monitored with GPS every week to ensure availability of drinking water.
As part of fodder management, around 120 ha of coarse grasslands have been trimmed to grow soft grass. Sanctuary authorities are also planning to map vayals and waterbodies to ensure fodder supply during the dry season.
Fire-breakers have been erected along 200 km on the State border, on both sides of national and State highways as well as interior forest paths, to prevent forest fire.
Apart from 25 permanent anti-poaching camps and five watchtowers at strategic points, 29 new treetop machans (temporary watchtowers) have started functioning in the four forest ranges of the sanctuary.
But the farming community living on the forest fringes is apprehensive that the migration may accelerate the human-wildlife attack, especially crop raids by wild elephants, as many parts of the district are yet to get summer rain. Hence, many farmers have cut tender jackfruit in their plantations to keep the wildlife at bay.
