Mercury soaring fast, not just the humans but the animals too have started feeling the heat. To give some respite to the pachyderms, the Rajaji National Park authorities have made new waterholes this year and extended the older ones. The park officials feel that the waterholes would be sufficient to feed the elephants, cheetahs and sambhars which abound the park. These waterholes act as swimming pools for the elephants where they bathe, sprinkle and drink water.
To determine the location of the waterholes to be built, elephants come to a great rescue to the wildlife officials. “Elephant is a very sensitive and clean animal. It does not drink stagnant water. It digs hole in the earth with its trunk and makes small waterhole. This gives us clue that water level is nearer to the ground and we dig nearer to the place where elephant has dug its own waterhole,” says wildlife expert Bivash Pandav.
Eighteen cemented waterholes have been built by the park authorities in Mundal, Mithawali, Khara and Ghasiram. There are 24 temporary waterholes too. These waterholes near the dried riverbeds across the park are a boon to the sweltering animals. To get respite from the heat, the animals also sprinkle water from these waterholes on their bodies. “The water holes are swimming pools for elephants. They bathe, sprinkle, splash water to beat the heat. Not only these waterholes quench the thirst of the animals but they serve as sites to spot animals for the tourists as well. Mostly the tourists get glimpse of animals around these waterholes when they come to drink water,” says wildlife warden Komal Singh of Rajaji Tiger Reserve.
“The waterhole made in lalukhala beat in Chillawali range near Andheri Chowki has been extended this year. We dug a well two km away from the waterhole and brought a pipeline which feeds it,” says Komal Singh.
To resume the water supply in these waterholes, the park authorities have also deputed officials to keep a track. Constant monitoring is done to check the water availability in these waterholes. If some waterhole goes dry, another nearby is dug to replenish the water body.