NH-209: Deadly highway trap for wildlife

Reports pouring in about increased wildlife mortality along the NH-209 in the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve

: Bisecting the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve with a perpetual stream of speeding vehicles, the National Highway-209 is nothing short of a “death trap” for wildlife, says a new report by wildlife biologists submitted to the Forest Department on Thursday.

Dozens of animals including elephants, gaurs, sloth bears, wildcats and reptiles have been killed by vehicles on this 28-km stretch through the forest. NH-209 connects Mysore and Coimbatore and is used by an average of 2,800 vehicles a day. The sanctuary happens to be biggest tiger reserve in the State and an important elephant habitat.

“We have recorded vehicles moving at the speed of over 80 km per hour on this stretch,” says K Mohan Raj, an environmental activist who co-authored report. The vehicle population has been increasing by 10 per cent every year, another cause for concern, he adds.

The report identifies 20 locations on the highway where they have recommended installing rumble strips to slow down vehicles. Particularly treacherous is the stretch of road from Hasanur village to the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border in Pununjur where a major water source, Arakadavu river, draws much wildlife activity.

Wildlife mortality from vehicles is not the only ecological fallout of a highway through a forest. Roads act as a physical barrier, restricting the movement of wildlife and interrupting gene flow, besides aiding in the proliferation of weeds, says the report.

Busy roads have even been known to change animal behaviour, something that has been documented from Mudumalai Tiger Reserve.

“With the expansion of highways and increase in traffic, it is important that we proactively take mitigation methods to prevent the death of thousands of animals,” says Shekhar Dattatri, conservationist and member, State Board for Wildlife. The report has also recommended speed breakers and road-signs over certain stretches.

A senior wildlife official said the department, in association with the State Public Works Department (PWD) authorities, has created speed-breakers on the road from Mudumalai leading to Bandipur to reduce wildlife casualty. “We have received reports about increased wildlife mortality along the NH-209 in the STR. Wildlife officials in the Reserve have to coordinate with the PWD to install rumble strips,” the officer said.