Telangana Forest department rolls out summer action plan to protect wildlife

Hyderabad: Apart from ensuring water to the wildlife during summer season, Forest department officials face another task of curbing poaching near watering holes. During summer season, wild animals quench their thirst at these watering holes. Taking undue advantage of the situation, poachers set up snares, traps, nets, electric wires around the watering holes in forest […]

Hyderabad: Apart from ensuring water to the wildlife during summer season, Forest department officials face another task of curbing poaching near watering holes.

During summer season, wild animals quench their thirst at these watering holes. Taking undue advantage of the situation, poachers set up snares, traps, nets, electric wires around the watering holes in forest areas.

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To curb this unlawful activities, specific instructions have been issued to the department officials to thoroughly verify the areas around the watering holes for any traps and remove such set ups, if any.

Circulars have been issued to the officials by the department to strictly follow the instructions from April 1 to June till the arrival of monsoon.

This apart, they have been directed to conduct regular patrolling at other water sources like village tanks, irrigation wells, canals, nalas adjoining forest areas. The idea is to detect any traps and seize the materials, besides booking cases against offenders.

Further, officials have been asked to keep a close watch on habitual offenders who place snares and traps and apprehend them in case of misdeeds.

All the animal trackers, protection watchers, field staff, strike force, base camp watchers have been instructed to be on the alert to ensure total protection around water sources, vulnerable paths and areas being used by wildlife both inside and adjoining forests.

In addition to these activities, forest personnel have been specifically instructed to focus on ensuring water supply during summer. The department higher officials said a few reports were received about drying up of water sources putting the wild animals at risk.

This apart, wild animals straying out of forests in search of water were also reported. To fix these issues, forest staff have been asked to set up one water source in each grid covering two kms radius.

All the water saucers that were constructed in the past should be made operational by filling them with water, if required by transportation through tankers.

The staff have also been instructed to ensure that the watering holes being maintained are used only by wild animals and not domestic livestock.