Water woes hit wildlife in Coimbatore Forest Division as ponds, streams dry up

Coimbatore, Madukkarai and Periyanaickenpalayam are the worst aected forest ranges, and the animals are fully dependent on water troughs maintained by the Forest Department

With the temperature soaring, majority of the natural water sources in the Coimbatore Forest Division have dried up, forcing wild animals to largely depend on troughs maintained by the Forest Department.

O„cials said that very few water bodies in the division have water, that too, at minimal levels. The summer impact has also forced large herbivores like elephants to stray more into villages for water and fodder.

Flow in River Bhavani is very minimal and the water level at Bhavanisagar Reservoir stood at 45.49 feet against the full reservoir level (FRL) of 105 feet on Tuesday.

The storage area of the reservoir, which falls under Sirumugai forest range of Coimbatore division, used to be the main source of water for animals during summer.

With the water level touching the lowest in recent years, animals are forced to cross large tracts of mud to access the water.

There are 14 troughs in Sirumugai range, out of which eight are solar-powered.

“All the troughs are kept full to ensure that animals do not struggle to •nd water”, said Sirumugai Forest

Range O„cer K. Manoj.

River Bhavani is also a water source for animals in the Mettupalayam forest range.

In the Karamadai range, animals depend on Pilloor reservoir. The reservoir’s water level stood at 55 feet against the FRL of 100 feet on Tuesday. Other natural streams in the range were almost dry. Coimbatore, Madukkarai and Periyanaickenpalayam are the worst a˜ected forest ranges and animals are fully dependent on water •lled in the troughs. “There are 21 troughs in the Periyanaickenpalayam range.

All of them are re•lled regularly. Some farmers o˜er water for the purpose,” said Periyanaicken- palayam Forest Range Of

AM. PERIASAMY •cer M. Saravanan.

In the Madukkarai range, all the natural streams, including the one called Vettumaduvu, have dried up. A stream, namely Amman Padugai, which ™ows along the Tamil Nadu – Kerala border, has also dried up.

orestation work hit

“Vettumaduvu used to have water in summer in the past. The water scarcity has also a˜ected the afforestation work as saplings planted earlier this year need to be watered to withstand the summer,” said Madukkarai Forest Range O„cer R. Arun Kumar.

Boluvampatti forest range, through which River Noyyal ™ows, has a few streams that still have water. Kovai Courtallam waterfall still has water and visitors are permitted. The upper reaches of Siruvani is another source of water for animals.

District Forest O„cer N. Jayaraj said the Department has shouldered the task of maintaining the troughs with water on a daily basis for the wild animals.

Salt licks

“A total of 101 troughs are there in the division and all of them are cleaned twice a week and re•lled regularly. Salt and mineral licks have been placed at 90 locations to supplement the mineral needs of animals, birds and insects like butter™ies,” he said.

The storage area of Bhavanisagar Reservoir in the Sirumugai forest range of Coimbatore division is the main source of water for animals during summer.