Aurad
With severe summer heat and falling water levels, the Forest Department has stepped in to protect wildlife by setting up water troughs across forest areas to prevent animals from suffering dehydration.
The initiative comes as rivers, streams, ponds, and lakes in the region have largely dried up, forcing wildlife to struggle for drinking water and in some cases move closer to human settlements in search of relief.
The taluk, which has over 2,000 acres of forest cover, is home to species such as deer, blackbucks, peacocks, foxes, wild boars, and porcupines. Officials said maintaining water sources inside forest zones has become critical during the ongoing heatwave.
Forest officials have installed water troughs at six locations, including Gadikushnoor-2, Alur (K), Khanapur, Chintaki, and Chatnal forest areas, to ensure continuous access to drinking water for animals.
Basavaraj said the troughs were installed in February, but demand has increased sharply with rising temperatures. Each trough has a storage capacity of about 10,000 litres, but water is now getting depleted within 20 days, requiring frequent refilling.
M. D. Madassir Ahmed said six troughs are currently operational and proposals have been sent to set up additional ones in Hedgapur, Rakshal, and Chikli (J) forest regions.
He added that protecting wildlife, especially blackbucks and peacocks, is a key responsibility of the department, and efforts are ongoing to ensure animals do not face water scarcity until the end of summer.
Officials also noted that monitoring and maintenance of these water sources are being intensified to prevent any distress among wildlife during the peak heat period.
