All forest, wildlife reserves under fire threat in Karnataka

Hassan/Mangalore: This time of the year when the summer heat is setting in and the winds are still blowing in strong gusts, the conditions in forests in Karnataka was ripe for forest fires, while the Forest department was bracing up for preventing forest fires in all the forest reserves and wildlife reserves like Bandipur National Park, Nagaraholay National Park, Kudremukh National Park and various reserve forests Anashi, Biligirirangana Betta and other reserves spread out in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Chikkamagaluru, Shivamogga, Uttara Kannada, Hassan Chamarajangar and Kodagu are prone for forest fires.

Forest Fires were the largest destroyers of greenery, wildlife, insect diversity, bird diversity and nestling areas and habitats of various endangered species including rodents and reptiles "We have made a study of the fire destruction in Nagaraholay and Dandeli –Anashi Tiger Reserve (DATR) in 2013 till 2018, our findings indicate that the fires were results of systemic failures, but learning from these two great forest fires we have taken wide-ranging measures to control them, as a first step we have intensified patrolling in the dry forest areas by hiring more guards and watchers and were trained to tackle minor forest fires quickly and effectively, but for fighting more complex fire situation in forest areas we have identified firefighting equipment not necessarily with the help of water. Wherever water was transportable we will deploy special mobile firefighting equipment in vantage points say the forest top brass

But the destruction to Nagaraholay and DATR in 2013 had been extensive and the fire in DATR raged for over six months between December 2012 to May 2013 which was considered to be the worst in the last ten years. There was always a human error that triggers a wildfire, the government has made it a cognizable offence for willfully giving rise to forest fire, but unfortunately we cannot pinpoint who ignites fire at what time and where. Most of them were ignited by Beedi and Cigarette butts thrown out of moving cars and trucks, their one act causes unimaginable loss to environment and ecology and revenue loss for the government say the forest officials.

Forest conservation and wildlife conservation activists have expressed disappointment over the fact that the 2023-2024 state budget has not made any financial outlay for forest conservation. The forest department needs special vehicles equipped for dousing forest fires and manpower for taking up preventive measures against forest fires.

One classic case of wildfire has inflicted heavy damage to at Dandeli-Anshi Tiger Reserve in Karnataka in 2013 is the worst in recent years, and is a major setback to conservation efforts in this important tiger habitat. One of the major species that suffered habitat loss was Malabar Giant Squirrel.

Almost all part of Kulgi, Gund, and Phansoli ranges were burnt in the massive fire. Contrary to popular belief, most forest fires do not occur spontaneously. They are most of the time man made. While these fires were an annual occurrence in protected areas, what is significant about the recent fire is its duration and intensity: it raged for almost six months in the core area of Dandeli-Anshi. This was the favorite grazing areas for herbivore animals like Chital, Sambar, Gaur and other smaller herbivores that constitute the prey base for carnivores such as tiger, leopard and dholes that are inhabitants of DATR say wildlife officials.

According to the forest department statistics the 1303 sq km of DATR was contiguous to Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka, proposed Mhadei Tiger Reserve and other protected areas of Goa thus a part of the 2200 sq km protected area network. Dandeli-Anshi has satisfactory prey density, a fact established by independent scientific studies and the National Tiger Conservation Authority.

The entire Dandeli-Anshi-Sharavati valley-Khanapur complex supports an estimated population of 33-40 tigers making it one of the prime tiger landscape in the world and the best scope for their long term conservation.

With such a viable population of such highly endangered species, this landscape with six major protected areas and connecting forest reserves to be protected far more intensively from the known threat of forest fires.