In Tiruppur and Erode districts, the Forest Department is taking action to prevent wildlife from leaving forests in search of water during a severe summer drought. With temperatures reaching 41 degrees Celsius in Erode and 38.5 degrees in Tiruppur, forest areas are experiencing extreme dryness. To address the drying up of natural water sources that sustain wildlife, water troughs are being filled at 58 locations in the two districts.
In Tiruppur, 40 locations now have troughs, with 20 having solar-powered borewell systems. These troughs, with capacities of 15,000 to 30,000 liters, are being refilled daily where borewells are present, while others are replenished weekly using tanker lorries. The initiative aims to prevent wild animals like elephants and deer from straying outside forest boundaries in search of water, reducing the chances of human-wildlife conflicts.
In the Erode forest division, water is being provided at 18 locations within the Thanthai Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, spanning various forest ranges. Six of these locations have solar-powered borewells, and pipeline facilities support some tanks. Additional troughs are being filled through tanker trucks. Special teams are monitoring the situation closely across forest ranges, with increased patrols and modern surveillance methods tracking wildlife movement along forest fringes.
Authorities are also enhancing fire prevention measures by clearing invasive vegetation over hundreds of hectares and establishing extensive fire lines extending more than 200 kilometers to mitigate forest fire risks during the peak summer period. While existing natural and man-made water structures continue to support wildlife, supplemental measures are deemed essential until rainfall returns.
