Wildlife in Kawal Tiger Reserve facing drinking water shortage

Adilabad: As temperatures in Adilabad district touched 42 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, many ponds and other drinking water sources within Kawal Tiger Reserve (KTR) have dried up. The outward movement of wildlife, which has already started, is expected to increase with forecast of temperature touching 48 degrees Celsius in a week.

Some of the wild animals, especially antelopes, are coming close to canals and water bodies on outskirts of villages in search of drinking water. Three days ago, a spotted deer was attacked by a herd of stray dogs when it came to a canal in Kadam. Villagers rescued the injured deer and informed forest officials. The deer has been shifted to a veterinary hospital in Khanapur for treatment.

Though forest officials have dug saucer pits and are filling them with water using solar water pumps in core area of Kawal Tiger Reserve (KTR), they are apparently insufficient.

Many wild animals are coming out of the forest in Nirmal and Mancherial districts. Like in the past, they may become victims of poachers. There are also chances of wild animals attacking human beings, particularly cattle grazers.

There have been reports of deer and sloth bears falling into agriculture wells while attempting to quench their thirst.

K. Rakesh of Kadam mandal underlined that forest officials should take measures to provide drinking water to wildlife within the forests in the wake of soaring temperatures. Otherwise, they are bound to become victims of stray dogs and poachers when they venture out of forests in search of drinking water.

It is said rampant illegal mining of sand from rivulets and streams in forest areas have constrained flow of water. Many ponds that otherwise had water are drying up faster as a result.