The Tamil Nadu Forest Department have advised the motorists passing through Coimbatore–Bengaluru National Highway 948, not to halt their vehicles or take photographs of wild animals on the Dhimbam–Hasanur stretch of Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR).
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On Sunday, the Hasanur Forest Range organised an awareness programme in which a team led by Devendra Kumar Meena, District Forest Officer, Hasanur Division and Deputy Field Director of STR and S. Sivakumar, Hasanur Range Officer, comprising foresters, anti-poaching watchers, village forest committee members, NGOs, volunteers and police personnel distributed pamphlets to motorists and also by took out an awareness motorcycle rally from Karapallam check post to Dhimbam.
Since wild animals frequently cross the stretch at many points, and to prevent human-animal conflict, motorists were asked not to halt their vehicles on the road in forest areas. Also, they were asked to operate vehicles at the speed limit at 30 km/hr so that accidents are avoided in the stretch. Use of high decibel sound horns is prohibited.
Motorists, particularly tourists, should not halt their vehicles to take photographs of wild animals and take selfies and desist from throwing plastic wastes on the stretch.
Officials said that motorists should not feed animals, litter or smoke in the forest areas and should also not trespass into the reserve as it is punishable under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and Tamil Nadu Forest Act, 1882. Also, the speed on plains should be 30 km/hr on plains and 20 km/hr on ghat road, they added.