Coimbatore: To reduce road kills on the stretch of forest road between Bannari temple and Hasanur, the forest department is in the process of setting up rumble strips (a set of five smaller speed breakers) at nine locations.
According to forest officials, close to 10 animals die every month due to road kills. The most common kills are spotted deer, elephants, wild boars, sloth bears and occassionaly, leopards.
"Based on a study done by many NGOs, we initially set up barricades in 2012 and had proposed setting up speed breakers. The National Highways department approved this proposal only recently. The work would be completed within a month," said DFO Rajkumar.
Rumble strips have already been set up at four locations between the Bannari Amman temple and the ghat road. There will be five rumble strips between Thimbam and Hasanur. "Based on the study, the locations were identified," said the forest official.
As per D Boominathan, landscape coordinator, WWF, India, who conducted the study, there are various sections in that area where animals crossed the road for water. "We found in our research that three sloth bears, one leopard and one elephant were hit by buses. We also found that the average speed of vehicles in these sections was above 90kmph," he said. But the average speed allowed in forest areas is only 30kmph.
"So we though the best way to reduce road kills was to set up rumble strips," said Boominathan. He said barricades and sign boards will also be set up in these locations.
As the road comes under the national highways, the officials said speed breakers were not allowed on these roads. "Based on the report, we sent our recommendations. We began work after we got approval. It would be completed within a month," said the forest official.
Three sections of the road were studied and the most number of road kills was found near Vadavalli (first hair pin bend after Sathyamangalam road) and Shannan (state border). Road kills were not recorded on ghat roads. Nearly 3153 vehicles travelled through these roads in 2012 every day as against 1152 vehicles in 2008.
The most affected species are spotted deer followed by sloth bear and wild pig. Other animals killed include sambar, elephant, gaur, toddy cat and bonnet macaque. Recently, a leopard was killed by a speeding vehicle.
According to forest officials, close to 10 animals die every month due to road kills. The most common kills are spotted deer, elephants, wild boars, sloth bears and occassionaly, leopards.
"Based on a study done by many NGOs, we initially set up barricades in 2012 and had proposed setting up speed breakers. The National Highways department approved this proposal only recently. The work would be completed within a month," said DFO Rajkumar.
Rumble strips have already been set up at four locations between the Bannari Amman temple and the ghat road. There will be five rumble strips between Thimbam and Hasanur. "Based on the study, the locations were identified," said the forest official.
As per D Boominathan, landscape coordinator, WWF, India, who conducted the study, there are various sections in that area where animals crossed the road for water. "We found in our research that three sloth bears, one leopard and one elephant were hit by buses. We also found that the average speed of vehicles in these sections was above 90kmph," he said. But the average speed allowed in forest areas is only 30kmph.
"So we though the best way to reduce road kills was to set up rumble strips," said Boominathan. He said barricades and sign boards will also be set up in these locations.
As the road comes under the national highways, the officials said speed breakers were not allowed on these roads. "Based on the report, we sent our recommendations. We began work after we got approval. It would be completed within a month," said the forest official.
Three sections of the road were studied and the most number of road kills was found near Vadavalli (first hair pin bend after Sathyamangalam road) and Shannan (state border). Road kills were not recorded on ghat roads. Nearly 3153 vehicles travelled through these roads in 2012 every day as against 1152 vehicles in 2008.
The most affected species are spotted deer followed by sloth bear and wild pig. Other animals killed include sambar, elephant, gaur, toddy cat and bonnet macaque. Recently, a leopard was killed by a speeding vehicle.