Wildlife at Cross Roads By Sanjay Gubbi

Sanctuary Asia, June 2003 Sanctuary Asia, June 2008 CONSERVATIONMay 1999: As I slowly drive in broad daylight on theMysore-Mananthavadi road in the southern part of the NagaraholeNational Park in Karnataka, I sense a faint movement, about 50 m.to the left, in the bushes along the road. Quickly but quietly, Ibring my vehicle to a halt. The source of the movement is a leopardunder a tamarind tree just behind the bush! As I watch the animalthrough my binoculars, a wonderful sight unfolds. The animalseems restless, then carefully scans the road, first left and thenright, then pads very delicately onto the tarmac. Behind the adult,follow two little, fluffy, spotted cubs. They cross the road andquietly fade into the undergrowth. I am overwhelmed by theenormity of the sighting.April 2000: As we drive back after our line-transect surveycounting tiger prey, I am again on the same road to reach our campat Kaimara on Karnataka’s border with Kerala. Robin Vijayan, afresh wildlife graduate, is my companion. It is twilight and in thefading light, we notice an animal walking ahead on the road.Amazingly, it is the striped predator. As the animal pads across theroad, she sprays urine on several trees on the fringes, marking herterritory. We switch off the engine and without disturbing her,push our vehicle forward using our feet on the ground throughopen doors. We follow the amber-eyed cat for about 1.5 km. beforeshe vanishes into the forest under the cover of lantana bushes.The road on which I had my cat sightings runs parallel to theKabini reservoir sandwiched between Nagarahole and BandipurTiger Reserves. It passes through one of the largest contiguouswildlife habitats in the country. Nagarahole, Bandipur, Nugu andBramhagiri in Karnataka, Wynaad and Arlam in Kerala, Mudumalaiin Tamil Nadu are all Protected Areas and these and other ReservedForests, including Nilgiri and Talaimalai form part of the colossalNilgiri Biosphere Reserve. Large mammal biomass in parts ofNagarahole is an incredible 15,000 kg./sq. km. and equals the EastAfrican plains. It has one of the highest densities of tigers anywherein the world (12/100 sq. km. compared to about 1/100 sq. km. inthe Russian Far East). There is no better place to see Asiatic elephantsthan the backwaters of the Kabini reservoir that supports the largestcongregation of these pachyderms. Chital densities are as high as50 per sq. km. and I would say that wild species are lucky to beborn here.Over the years, this wildlife has had more than its share ofproblems. For decades, forest officials, conservationists andresearchers have all contributed in different ways to make it safefor wildlife. Forest officers M. H. A. Shaik, S. G. Neginhal,C. Srinivasan, K. M. Chinnappa, S. N. Devaraju and A. T. Poovaiah,forest guards Kuttappa and Subbaiah, tiger biologist and Directorof the Wildlife Conservation Society-India Programme Dr. K.UllasKaranth and many others have all fought tooth and nail to ensurethat the rich biodiversity of this landscape is not destroyed. Theyhave also fought hardcore poachers, timber smugglers, landgrabbers and ill-planned government policies and educated localsand officials about conservation. They have toiled for fairresettlement of tribals to ensure a win-win situation for people andwildlife, supported good decisions of the forest department andprovided alternate compensation for non-tribals who were lookingfor better livelihoods and access to basic amenities outside thenational park.Like me, many motorists on the Mysore-Mananthavadi roadhave had memorable wildlife sightings. But this road, like othersin wildlife habitats across the country, also places animals at graverisk. In September 2003, a breeding tigress, no match for a speedingtruck, was found along the roadside bleeding heavily. It has beenseen that roads in PAs not only lead to wildlife mortality fromspeeding vehicles, but also modify animal behaviour, affect naturalmovement patterns, alter reproductive behaviour, disrupt migrationcorridors and shift animals’ home ranges. Roads act as barriers togene flow and also alter the physical environment of ecosystems.Experts add that spread of invasive plant species also increases.Roads also facilitate increased use of areas by humans, often forillegal activities such as timber smuggling and wildlife poaching.Despite the many obvious problems posed by roads throughwildlife areas, more roads are being planned in Nagarahole, by thestate government, supported by the World Bank, including ahighway that will cut right through the tiger reserve.FUNDING DEATH – THE WORLD BANKThe proposed World Bank-funded highway (See SanctuaryVol. XXIV No. 5, October 2004) between Mysore andMananthavadi will bisect the small but very crucial corridor thatconnects Nagarahole with Bandipur and thereafter with other areas(see map on page 35). This corridor is crucial for dispersion,migration of wildlife between these different forests and is anall-important link that ensures gene flows so critical to the healthof wildlife populations. In summer, several hundred elephants reachthe backwaters of Kabini for fodder and water and later return tothe forests using this very corridor. Upgrading it to highway statusas envisaged will place these animals in jeopardy.Unfortunately, the road is being pushed through despite thepragmatic suggestions and caution that Dr. Ullas Karanthcommunicated to Scott Wilson Kirkpatrick, the consultant assignedto work on the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). The keysuggestion was that a major part of the highway be diverted outsidethe national park. The diversion route not only reduces the lengthof the road passing within the national park but also providestransportation connectivity to nearly 50,000 villagers residing inNo match for a speeding truck, this full-grown tigress was found bleeding to death on the Mysore-Kalpetta road. Roads in PAs not only lead to wildlife mortality from speedingvehicles, but also modify animal behaviour, affect natural movement patterns, alter reproductive behaviour, disrupt migration corridors and shift animals’ home ranges!Wildlifeby Sanjay Gubbi‘Roads’ at crossLISTED BELOW ARE GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR INSTALLINGWILDLIFE CROSSINGS
Wider crossings for animals are better.
Different types of crossings are required to accommodatespecies as different from each other as mongoose, mouse deerand elephants.
Ungulates and carnivores appear to prefer markedly differentpassages, the former more comfortable with overpasses and thelatter with underpasses.
It is important to provide cover at the ends of passages, and forsome species even inside the passage.
Providing logs, rocks in the overpass/underpass/culverts will helpsmall animals that prefer cover.
Straight line of sight should be ensured through a passage.
Natural light should be available in the middle of tunnels orunder-road passages.
Constructing underpasses or culverts that facilitate natural waterflow appear to work for animals such as deer and also for somesmaller animals.
Certain species such as sambar might require a larger‘openness ratio’.
Wet and cool culverts will also help smaller fauna such asamphibians.
It could take over two years for the wildlife to adapt to thesemitigation measures.
Adaptive management would need to be the order of the day tomonitor and improve designs.
The involvement of biologists with previous experience of thearea is vital.K. GUNSONDespite the many obvious problems posed by roads through wildlife areas, more roads arebeing planned in Nagarahole, by the state government, supported by the World Bank,including a highway that will cut right through the tiger reserve.hamlets such as Hosaholalu, Magge, Karapura, Malali and others. Atbest, the alternate route suggested involves an extra distance of ninekilometres, which would surely be offset by the advantages to thevillagers who would be able to avail of better connectivity for theirmedical, educational and employment needs and to reach farms andmarkets. It was also suggested that the road be closed for vehiculartraffic from dusk to dawn as implemented on roads in Nagarahole.The Karnataka State Highways Improvement Project (KSHIP),implementers of this highway, craftily split the highway projectDCF, BANDIPURAn overpass built to help wildlife cross a road in Banff National Park, Canada.Untitled-2 60-61 7/15/2008, 4:12 PM