A small stretch of 26 km in the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR) has turned out to be a death trap for mammals, reptiles and birds. The stretch along the National Highway 201, between Pudhuvadavalli and Karappallam in Erode district, passes through the STR’s core habitat.
“This stretch is dangerous for the wildlife and fragments the natural habitat, resulting in increased pollution,” says K. Mohan Raj of Eco Alert, a Coimbatore-based conservation organisation. Roads cutting through wildlife corridors are man-made barriers that restrict the movement of animals and limit their genetic diversity, he notes.
On an average, three deaths occur a day along the stretch. Apart from reptiles, birds, and butterflies, large mammals like sloth bear are getting killed. And, most of the deaths go unnoticed. No case is booked for the deaths of lesser known species. Restricting the movement of vehicles between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., as it is done in the Karnataka sanctuaries, will help, he says.
Wildlife officials say they have identified nearly half-a-dozen spots between the Bannari Amman Temple and the first hairpin bend. Barricades have been erected on these spots to regulate the speed of vehicles. The department has also sent a proposal to the government to provide two vehicles for highway patrol. It has held discussions with members of the Lorry Owners’ Association. Soon an awareness programme on speed restrictions and garbage dumping will be conducted, the officials say.
