Wildlife conservation has received a boost with the launch of an integrated tiger habitat conservation project around M.M. Hills and Cauvery wildlife sanctuaries in Chamarajanagar district, with support from the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN).
The project aims to conserve forest habitats by assisting in the sustainable development of communities living in and around the protected areas. It is being implemented by the Nature Conservation Foundation, Mysuru, and the Wildlife Trust of India in association with the Forest Department.
“The project seeks to build community support to conserve wildlife habitats in this area by helping them reduce reliance on forest-based fuel wood by providing alternative sources of energy such as solar water pumps in villages,” said a senior conservationist.
He told The Hindu on condition of anonymity that the project has just been launched and will be at least two-and-a-half years in duration, but the finer details are being fine-tuned.
He said the outreach efforts include providing livestock immunisation, which will reduce their loss to diseases and thus also reduce the risk to wild ungulates — which form the prey base for carnivores — in the region.
Village communities
He said local village committees will be constituted to identify beneficiaries for the provision of solar-powered pumps and lights, distribution of LPGs to reduce dependence on forest for fuel, etc. “The project will also include a scientific study on the impact of such efforts in mitigating anthropogenic pressure on forests and will not be content with merely distributing pumps and LPG facilities,” the conservationist said.
To complement the conservation and protection works being carried out by the Forest Department, the project aims to provide night-vision devices for patrolling activities and solar pumps to anti-poaching camps.
A wildlife information app is also planned alongside other support activities to help the department in protecting this unique landscape.
Similar projects for the conservation of tiger habitats supported by IUCN are currently being implemented in central and northeastern parts of the country. This is the first such initiative in Karnataka. Projects are under way in Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand and Indonesia too, the source said.
While the M.M. Hills sanctuary is spread over 907 sqkm, the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary lies over 1,027 sqkm and is contiguous with the BRT tiger reserve and Satyamangalam Tiger Reserve, supporting a rich density of elephants, tigers, leopards, dholes, spotted deer, etc.
