The Udhagamandalam south forest range conducted an awareness campaign at the Ithalar high school here.
Forest department officials stated that the outreach programme was conducted under the Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Conservation and Greening Project for Climate Change Response (TBGPCCR). The staff conducted various programmes among school students to drive home the message of the factors driving negative human-animal interactions in the Nilgiris, and what local residents can do to prevent such interactions from taking place.
Apart from discouraging residents from venturing into nearby forest areas after dark, the forest staff also spoke about the reasons as to why there were many negative interactions between humans and bears in Ithalar. The staff explained that due to inadequate and improper waste disposal in the area, sloth bears were drawn towards human settlements in Ithalar, leading to chances of more negative human-animal interactions.
The children were given awareness about safe disposal of waste from their homes, so that they could take the message back home to their villages, the officials stated.
Similarly, another awareness campaign was organised in Kuruthukulli a few days ago. According to officials, the ampaign, also centred around human-animal interactions, was held at Governor Shola. The local forest range officer, forester and field staff organised the camp that was attended by tribal and non-tribal residents from Kavakadumund, Aganadumund, Malaiveethimund, Kunthakodumund, Atakormund and Aanikalmund. “The forest range officer spoke about how humans and animals, including tigers and leopards can live together and co-exist in the same habitat,” a press note from the Forest Department said.
Local residents also submitted demands for basic amenities in the area, such as roads, electricity and cutting dangerous trees that pose threat to them during spells of rain and heavy winds, the officials stated.
