Wildlife enthusiasts are concerned about the effect of water scarcity on wild animals in forests in Bidar district.
Drinking water scarcity has affected the district like never before. Bidar has a total green cover of over one lakh acres, including evergreen forests and protected forest patches. The largest concentration of forests is in the two taluks of Bidar and Humnabad. The rest is spread over Basavakalyan, Aurad and Bhalki. Around three per cent of the 10 lakh hectares in the district is notified forest area. Except for areas like Devangi and Karapakapalli, there are no large tanks or lakes inside forest areas.
A wild life survey in 2007 counted over 700 types of animals, including cheetah, black buck, wild hog, peacock, pangolin, and others. Several rare bird species were also found.
Gundayya Teertha, a school principal from Hallikhed-Bujurg village in Humnabad taluk, points out that scores of black bucks that roam through the forests of Halahalli-Byalahalli and Hallikhed-B were not getting water easily.
“Earlier, they used to cover a distance of around 5 km around the village. But now, I see that they are forced to walk for over 20 km or so,” he said. He urged the Forest Department to help the animals by creating water holes in the areas frequented by the animals.
The situation is the same for animals in Chitta protected forest in Chitta and its fringe areas, says Vivek Krishnamurthy, animal lover and photographer. “With water bodies in the forest areas that border Naubad industrial area and the Air Force station going dry, black bucks are forced to come to the residential areas seeking water. Even here, they don’t get enough and are moving around in packs, desperate for water. Some have got killed after coming under vehicles in the industrial area,” he said.
“There is water scarcity in forest and fringe areas. But it is not very severe,” says S. Dhananjay, Deputy Conservator of Forests. He said the two recent rains had ensured minimal water availability for animals.
“Animals like black buck, that are found in Bidar are usually hardy species found in dry and arid regions. They are familiar with drought and they have adapted to long summer conditions. Some species have learnt to survive by drinking morning dew deposited on leaves. Sometimes, they move into residential areas to drink water from puddles.
“However, we are considering some long-term solutions like attaching wind-based water pumpsets to borewells in forest areas. A pilot project is going on in Periyapatna and Mysuru regions. Tanker supply to tanks or wells in forest areas is not encouraged as providing tanker water for animals had affected their health,” he said.
Black bucks in the forests of Halahalli-Byalahalli and Hallikhed-B roam in search of water
