The rising temperatures in the region have caused various water bodies to dry out which has exacerbated the problems being faced by the wildlife here.
The elephants have been hit particularly hard by the shortage of water brought about by the rising level of mercury. The forest department is apparently yet to take effective measures for meeting the water requirement of the wildlife especially elephants.
Observers opine that the shortage of water could be considered a major reason which led to the accidental death of two young elephants in the recent past apart from which one deer was also killed by stray dogs after it strayed into a human settlement in its search for water.
locals state that the elephants searching for water have also become a cause of serious concern for the residents considering the heightened risk of human-pachyderm conflict. Those living on the campus of the GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology are also reported to be concerned about the frequent movement of elephants in or close to the campus. The security department of the university and forest department are conducting patrols during the night time when it is not uncommon to spot elephants moving on the university campus. Considering the risk of human-elephant conflict, the university campus appears deserted in the evening hours at residents prefer to remain indoors to avoid a chance encounter with the jumbos. On Wednesday night, the movement of a herd of elephants was reported on three occasions at the university campus. Sources state that initially at about 10:15 PM, a herd of about seven to eight elephants attempted to break the fencing erected behind the college of fishery sciences. The security department personnel on patrol along with some students made noise and were able to scare the pachyderms away. later about half an hour past midnight, the herd of elephants reached upto the primary school at Beni. Here again the security department staff and local residents somehow managed to scare the elephants away. Once again at 3:15 AM the herd of elephants was seen near the Beni river but as the day broke the pachyderms moved away towards the forests.
It is pertinent to mention here that on April 17, about three kilometres from the university campus two elephants were killed after being hit by a train near the Haldi railway station. The elephants were believed to be part of a herd searching for water in the area. later on April 25, a woman residing in the Masjid colony adjoining the university campus had gone to graze her goats in the woods when she was killed in a chance encounter with a herd of pachyderms. Since then, the same herd of elephants has been moving around in this area, especially as the corridor leading out of the area has been blocked by various constructions. Though the forest department is also stated to be conducting night patrol in the area, locals say that after the initial couple of days the forest staff was not seen on patrol. Since the start of May, elephant movement has become frequent also on the main road where it is not for the pachyderms to block vehicular traffic.
Observers point out that the place where two elephants were accidentally killed by a train us bit far from the Kalyani, Baigul and Fulva rivers. The woman had also been killed by the pachyderms at a spot near the Kalyani river. After these incidents too, the elephants were seen in places mostly near the river or near fish ponds made for the students’ studies. The university’s security officer Arun Kumar Chowdhry states that elephant movement in the university area is a cause for serious concern. The forest department should ensure there is adequate water for the wild animals in the jungles so that they do not move towards human habitations in search of water. The Tanda forest range officer Ganesh Chandra Tripathi said that the elephants are moving towards settlements in search of water with water sources in the jungles drying out. There is water in about five nullahs in the Tanda range but this water is also decreasing at a swift rate. Elephant presence in the Tanda range is presently known to comprise of three herds – with seven, three and four members—while one tusker is reported to be moving solitary.