Experts elated over ‘recovering ecology’ as wild animals stray into plantations

While officials warn that crop damage was on cards as preventing the animals from straying is not feasible during the shutdown period, conservation experts say argue that this is not straying but an indication of the ecology recovering.

After vehicle movement along the forest fringes was completely banned, instances of elephants, bears, Indian gaurs and boars straying have gone up at the villages near Coonoor, Sathyamangalam, Valparai, Pollachi, Palani and Kodaikanal among other places, wildlife officials said.

“Famous shrines like Karuna Varuna temple, Sorimuthu Aiyanar temple, Bannari Amman temple and Maasini temple, all located inside tiger reserves, are without any footfall now. This is helping the wildlife to forage freely. There are also deserted churches and mosques now visited by mangoose and deer since the lockdown,” said a forest ranger.

“It is encouraging as the wild animals are at ease, thanks to the traffic and tourist ban in all tiger reserves. There are at least 500 small and medium-size temples, churches and dargahs inside the four tiger reserves of Tamil Nadu. Sathyamangalam and Anamalai tiger reserves alone account for more than 300 such places of worship,” said K Mohanraj, a wildlife activist from Coimbatore.

The complete ban has come as a huge relief for wildlife, and the animals are now moving freely in their home range. This free movement of animals is an indication of the recovery of ecology, which was adversely affected by unchecked urbanisation over the years, say experts.

The lockdown period is a learning curve and the restriction of vehicle movement should be continued in areas adjacent to the four tiger reserves even after the shutdown, opined K Brinda, conservationist, Biodiversity Conservation Foundation, Tiruchy.

The movement of animals into nearby areas should not be considered as straying; it is an attempt by the wild animals to revisit their ancestral range that is now free from biotic pressure, Brinda explained. She added that the man-animal conflict has reduced in Coimbatore and Sathyamangalam areas after the movement of people was curbed by the prohibitory order.

Foresters in Kancheepuram, Tiruvannamalai and Tiruvallur have also started sighting more jackals, palm civets, spotted deer, wild boars and monitor lizards.

But the officials and activists also have to deal with more cases poaching. “Last week, villagers near Cheyyar caught a monitor lizard and were planning to cook it. But after warning, it was released into near palm groves,” said a person active in efforts to bring down wildlife poaching.