This story is from September 3, 2014

Roadkill cases on rise near Aravalli park

The number of wild animals from Asola Bhati wildlife sanctuary and adjoining Aravalis being killed on the road is on the rise, according to the Delhi forest department.
Roadkill cases on rise near Aravalli park
NEW DELHI: The number of wild animals from Asola Bhati wildlife sanctuary and adjoining Aravalis being killed on the road is on the rise, according to the Delhi forest department.
Most of such kills happen due to speeding vehicles on the stretch. There are reports of such accidents almost every alternate day now. Jackals, blue bulls (nilgai), hare and reptiles are most vulnerable.
The forest department plans to take up the matter with stakeholders such as the union ministry of road transport and highways but only once the Haryana government declares an eco-sensitive zone on the Haryana side of the sanctuary.

Haryana government hasn't made a proposal for an ESZ yet. The Delhi forest department claims to have written several times to the Haryana government, asking it to propose an ESZ.
"We can take it up only once it's legally binding on all agencies to ensure protection for the forests and wildlife. Accidents have become very common. We are not sure if the animals are from the Aravalis near the highway or those that migrate from Asola. But interventions can help," said A K Shukla, chief wildlife warden.
Sunil Harsana, a villager from Mangar, off the Gurgaon-Faridabad highway said road kills are extremely common and sightings of hyenas and leopards are also happening. "About two months ago, I was alerted by someone who saw a leopard. I called people from the Snow Leopard Trust so that the sighting could be documented. We only found pug marks. But road kills are very common. It's mostly blue bulls, jackals, mongoose, large lizards like the Goh and porcupines that are killed on the stretch near Mangar. This year there was very little rain so animals often migrate in search of water holes and get killed on the highway," he said.

Deli Chand, wildlife inspector in Faridabad also gets complaints from locals about increasing road kills.
"I have suggested to the principal chief conservator of forests that something needs to be done. Either underpasses need to be made under the road or there should be a barrier so that animals don't move over," he said.
Chand also proposed making more johads so that animals don't need to move long distances in search of water. He confirmed that leopards have been seen in the area but said that none have been killed in accidents so far.
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