Chamarajanagar: Heard of tankers ferrying water to dry pockets in cities and villages. However, with drought-like situation taking forests into its clutches, even animals in the wild are left high and dry. The sorry state of the animals in the forest has compelled the forest authorities to ensure that some bit of water is pumped into the forest in tankers so that animals could quench their thirst in Bandipur National Park area!
After the recent forest fire episode, the traumatised animals have shifted locations and this is evident by the drop in numbers of animals visible in their usual spots. The remaining ones have been wandering near the shrinking water bodies. The fact is that out of the 384 lakes and other water bodies in the national park limits, about 80 per cent of them have dried up and remaining 20 per cent that have little water are unfit for drinking due to silt.
There has been an influx of animals in Kabini backwaters due to availability of water there. As per sources bison and elephants have migrated in large numbers to Kabini backwaters.
With soaring temperature and water paucity hitting the wildlife hard, the forest officials have plunged into action by sending at least two tankers of water into the forest on daily basis. These tankers pump water into the lakes. In yet another attempt, solar run pumps have been pumping water into 11 lakes using canals.
The forest officials have also made sure that de-silting works are taken up in the lakes and even weeds like the lantana that have grown luxuriously around the water bodies are cleared. These steps will ensure adequate flow of water into the lakes when it rains in the catchment areas.
