Bengaluru: Almost all national parks and sanctuaries in the state are in the grip of a severe drinking water crisis, similar to 2012 when over 60 elephants died after consuming contaminated water in the Bandipur National Park.
The poor monsoon of the last four years has aggravated the situation and badly impacted wild animals that depend on natural waterholes in the forests for their drinking water as these too have nearly dried up.
"The situation is very serious in Bandipur , Nagarhole and Bannerghatta National Parks, the Jogimatti Reserve Forest, and the BRT and Cauvery wildlife sanctuaries.There is not a drop of drinking water in the 100 sq km forest area in Jogimatti", said Mr B G Hosmath, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden.
The current situation is similar to the one brought on by three years of drought in 2001 and the drought in 2012, he said. "But the prevailing situation looks more grim when compared to the last two periods over the situation. The department has dug five solar powered borewells at several points in Bandipur and Nagarhole national parks and even in the Bannerghatta forests. More such borewells will be sunk in the coming days if the situation deteriorates further," said an officer. Also 30 of the over 50 anti-poaching camps deep inside the jungle do not have enough water. Their staff works 24 X 7 in shifts and carries drinking water in plastic pots for their needs. "In my over 30 years of experience in the department, this is only the third time I have seen this sort of a situation. If the problem is so serious now, it's hard to imagine what it will be like in the next three months", said Mr Hosmath.
Older elephants will go first
The biggest casualty of the severe water shortage are the elephants, according to Dr M Nagaraj, a veterinary doctor, on deputation with the forest department. "Elephants, require around 100 to 150 litres of water a day. If the water dries up in the tanks, the jumbos, drink the contaminated muddy water and develop health complications such as acute diarrhoea and intestine infection. I did a postmortem of over 60 elephants ,which died in Bandipur National Park in 2012 when the similar drinking water crisis had plagued the national park. Unlike other animals, the pachyderms dirty the water by urinating and dropping dung in it and then proceed to drink it.
This results in accumulation of blood sucking worms in their intestine and blood supplying vessels," he explained.
