Wayanad and Parambikulam sanctuaries to be closed down
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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
The state forest department is planning to close down some of its major
wildlife sanctuaries and parks following the onset of acute summer and
increasing incidents of forest fires in the last few weeks.
The Wayanad and Parambikulam wildlife sanctuaries and the Eravikulam National Park will be out of bounds for tourists from March 1 to April 20.
Forest officials are considering closing down the Eravikulam National Park as it is the mating season for the Nilgiri tahr, which is an endangered species.
"We receive around 1,000 tourists every day in Wayanad and the sanctuary has become a tourist hotspot for domestic and international tourists," said Wayanad divisional forest officer Dhanesh Kumar.
He said the increasing number of forest fires is a matter of concern and this is one of the reasons that the department has decided to ban tourism activities here.
There have been seven forest fire incidents in the Wayanad sanctuary in the last two weeks alone. Officials suspect all of them were man-made. "Unscrupulous elements burn dry woods and try to clear areas close to forests. Some of the tourists also throw lighted cigarettes into the dry twigs which causes fire," a senior forest official said.
Officials point out that though last year the state received good south-west monsoon, there was a deficit in north-east monsoon and this has a resulted in the drying up of many small waterholes deep inside the forest.
"We have large areas of deciduous forests and grasslands which need to remain damp and receive occasional rainfall almost throughout the year to maintain its greenery," the official said.
Wayanad and Parambikulam sanctuaries to be closed down - Worldnews.article.wn.com
The wild animals too depend on this abundant vegetation for fodder and water.
"This is one reason why there is greater intrusion of wild animals into the buffer zones and agriculture farms in the border areas of the forests. Monkeys, deer and elephants are the most vulnerable lot as they feed on fruits, grass and leaves," an official said.
The Wayanad and Parambikulam wildlife sanctuaries and the Eravikulam National Park will be out of bounds for tourists from March 1 to April 20.
Forest officials are considering closing down the Eravikulam National Park as it is the mating season for the Nilgiri tahr, which is an endangered species.
"We receive around 1,000 tourists every day in Wayanad and the sanctuary has become a tourist hotspot for domestic and international tourists," said Wayanad divisional forest officer Dhanesh Kumar.
He said the increasing number of forest fires is a matter of concern and this is one of the reasons that the department has decided to ban tourism activities here.
There have been seven forest fire incidents in the Wayanad sanctuary in the last two weeks alone. Officials suspect all of them were man-made. "Unscrupulous elements burn dry woods and try to clear areas close to forests. Some of the tourists also throw lighted cigarettes into the dry twigs which causes fire," a senior forest official said.
Officials point out that though last year the state received good south-west monsoon, there was a deficit in north-east monsoon and this has a resulted in the drying up of many small waterholes deep inside the forest.
"We have large areas of deciduous forests and grasslands which need to remain damp and receive occasional rainfall almost throughout the year to maintain its greenery," the official said.
Wayanad and Parambikulam sanctuaries to be closed down - Worldnews.article.wn.comThe wild animals too depend on this abundant vegetation for fodder and water.
"This is one reason why there is greater intrusion of wild animals into the buffer zones and agriculture farms in the border areas of the forests. Monkeys, deer and elephants are the most vulnerable lot as they feed on fruits, grass and leaves," an official said.
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