Bhitarkanika National Park: Water bodies renovated to protect fauna from heat

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Kendrapara: Due to the summer heat and high humidity wild boars and deer sneak out from the Bhitarkanika National Park (BNP) to ponds and other water bodies located in nearby villages to quench their thirst as sufficient water is not available inside
the park.
Keeping this in mind, the forest department has made all arrangements to protect wildlife from heat and humidity this year.
Generally animals get irritated when temperatures are high. It is necessary to keep them cool and provide them with a natural habitat. So arrangements were made to ensure that there is adequate drinking water so that the animals do not get dehydrated and venture into human habitations near the Bhitarkanika National Park, said Subrat Kumar Patra, ACF-cum-in-charge of Kanika forest range.
Eight ponds and half a dozen ditches were rejuvenated in Kanika and Dangamala ranges to provide sufficient water to animals,
said Patra.
Special care has also been taken by forest officials to protect estuarine crocodiles, including albinos, as the department had cleared the weeds in ponds last month. “We have made all arrangements to ensure that the heat does not cause deaths this year,” added ACF Patra.
The forest personnel are going to take steps at the Dangamala Crocodile Research Centre to provide a better environment to the nearly 100 crocodile hatchlings in the hatchery as hatchlings are more susceptible to heat.
“Forest personnel are taking all steps to ensure that the heat wave does not cause casualties this year,” said Patra.
Rajnagar forest range personnel also dug three new water bodies of 40 metre length, 30 metres wide and three metre depth in the Thakurdiha, Sunei–Rupei and the Barunei-Gahirmatha forest blocks. They also rejuvenated five ponds and some ditches, said Amaresh Nath Pradhan, the ACF-cum-in-charge of Rajnagar forest range.
Every year during summer fire breaks out in the park. The forest department has engaged three anti-poaching squads and have deployed them at vulnerable points in the Kanika forest range to douse fire if it breaks out in the national park area.
Around five km of fencing has been installed on the boundary of the Rajnagar forest range inside BNP to prevent wild animals from sneaking out, said ACF Pradhan.