Roadkill on two national highways near Thuvarankurichi forest on the rise

Sporadic incidents of chaotic animals getting knocked down by vehicles on the Tiruchi - Madurai and the Thuvarankurichi-Natham nationalist road stretches adjacent Thuvarankurichi has prompted the Forest Department to instal caution signboards astatine prime locations on the 2 stretches to alert roadworthy users of “wild animals crossing the area” and to thrust dilatory astatine those spots.

The caller roadkill was reported successful the precocious hours connected Wednesday erstwhile an adult gaur was killed successful a roadworthy mishap aft being deed by a sports inferior conveyance connected the Thuvarankurichi-Natham nationalist road adjacent Thuvarankurichi. The pistillate gaur is said to person abruptly crossed the roadworthy astatine the clip of accident. It is suspected to beryllium from the Velamalai reserve wood situated a fewer kilometres away.  Weighing astir 1.5 tonnes, the immense carnal was buried wrong the adjacent reserve wood aft an autopsy. 

This is the 5th roadkill connected the 2 road stretches reported successful the jurisdiction of the Thuvarankurichi wood scope this year. Deaths of 3 chaotic animals were reported connected the Tiruchi-Madurai nationalist road and 2 others on the Thuvarankurichi-Natham road stretch, a Forest Department authoritative said. Animals which were killed connected these road stretches were gaur and spotted deer.

The Thuvarankurichi wood scope successful Tiruchi territory has a important beingness of gaur successful the 11 reserve forests which are surrounded by hills.  It is believed that these reserve forests are a location to astir 400 gaurs too spotted deer, monkeys, stone pythons, and peacocks. The reserve forests see Thachamalai, Velamalai, Karumalai, and Periamalai. 

Gaur is recovered successful the neighbouring Manapparai wood scope successful Tiruchi territory arsenic good arsenic successful the reserve wood areas successful the adjoining Dindigul district. “The gaur keeps moving from Thuvarankurichi to neighbouring Dindigul territory and backmost via Manapparai wood range, particularly during nighttime successful hunt of nutrient and h2o erstwhile specified roadkills occur. Portions of the Tiruchi-Madurai and Thuvarankurichi-Natham road autumn nether the Thuvarankurichi wood range”, the authoritative said. The Forest Department has constructed h2o troughs successful the reserve forests of Thuvarankurichi scope to quench the thirst of chaotic animals and birds.

Signboards

Concerned implicit sporadic roadkill, the Forest Department has installed reflective caution boards astatine 8 locations on the Tiruchi-Madurai nationalist road astatine Thuvarankurichi and adjacent spots and 2 boards on the Thuvarankurichi-Natham road stretch.

The boards person been installed to alert roadworthy users about the “wild animals crossing area” and to “drive slowly” mentioning the velocity bounds of 40 kmph astatine the spots. They person been enactment up a fewer metres distant from the road stretches aft obtaining support from the National Highways Authority of India.

They person been enactment up connected some sides of the highways astatine locations including Lanjamedu, Thuvarankurichi, Sevanthanpatti, and V. Kaikatti, the authoritative said and added that roadworthy users should trim the velocity of their vehicles upon reaching specified locations. Camera traps person been placed adjacent the h2o troughs wrong the Thachamalai and Velamalai reserve forests to show the question of Gaur, the authoritative said.