In the wake of acute shortage of water in Shettyhalli Wildlife Sanctuary limits in the district, the Forest Department has constructed 40 artificial waterholes there to provide water for the wildlife in the area.
Apart from more than 100 natural waterholes, the Tunga, Aihole, and Puradal reservoirs and the Kumudvati river are sources of water for the sanctuary spread over an area of 396 sq. km. Owing to the drought prevailing in the region for the second consecutive year, all the natural waterholes in the sanctuary have dried up forcing wild animals to stray into human habitats and fields in the vicinity in search of water. It may be mentioned here that two sambar deer had strayed into Ayanur village, located on the fringe of the sanctuary recently, in search of water.
M.C. Cheluvaraj, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Wildlife Division, told The Hindu that to address the problem, the department has constructed 40 artificial waterholes in Shettyhalli sanctuary limits.
He said that the Tunga, Aihole, and Puradal reservoirs and the Hulibaihalla rivulet continue to provide water to the wild animals and the artificial waterholes were constructed at places where there was no water source. Water is replenished in the artificial waterholes from tanks mounted on trucks and tractors once in two days. The water is drawn for the tanks from the Tunga and Puradal reservoirs.
Mr. Cheluvaraj said that Forest Department personnel have found droppings and pugmarks of tigers, elephants, bison and deer near the artificial waterholes. The exercise of creating artificial waterholes has proven to be successful as wild animals are using them, he said.
He said that no artificial waterhole had been created in the limits of Sharavathi Valley Wildlife Sanctuary as the wild animals there quench their thirst from the backwaters of the Linganamakki reservoir constructed across the Sharavati.
