The Aurad-Sadashivgad State Highway (SH-34) passing through the Kumbarwada Wildlife Range of Dandeli-Anshi Tiger Reserve in Karnataka has turned out to be a death trap for wild animals thanks to vehicles that zip through this reserved forest during the night. The latest to come under the wheel is the endangered King Cobra.
A 15-feet-long King Cobra got crushed under a speeding vehicle on the SH-34 near Kundal Cross close to Kumbarwada Village falling under the Kumbarwada Wildlife Range of Dandeli-Anshi Tiger Reserve on May 26. This has triggered demand for a ban on vehicular traffic on that highway during the night.
The world’s largest venomous snake, the King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah), is protected under Schedule II of the Wildlife Protection Act. The population of King Cobras has declined in the recent years due to loss of its natural habitat.
Not only King Cobras but also wild animals have regularly come under speeding vehicles on this highway. According to Giridhar Kulkarni, a wildlife activist, this was the fourth time that a king cobra was killed by speeding vehicle in the last five years. In March this year, a king cobra was run over and killed by an unidentified vehicle near Puttur in Dakshina Kannada district. last year also, a king cobra was crushed under a speeding vehicle near Agumbe. Another King cobra had met a tragic end near Syntheri Rocks inside Dandeli-Anshi Tiger Reserve.
Wildlife activists say the increasing number of roadkills reinforces the need to implement speed checks, restrictions of movement during night-time within protected areas and realignment of roads wherever possible. They stress the urgency and importance of demarcating wildlife rich areas and transferring them to wildlife divisions for further protection.
According to Giridhar, in the last six years, close to 50 large mammals, including gaur, sloth bear, sambar, chital, muntjac (barking deer), wild pig, langur, including eight leopards have fallen prey to vehicles passing through Dandeli-Anshi Tiger Reserve and adjoining reserve forests of Uttara Kannada and Belgaum Districts in the State.