SITE SPECIFIC INITIATIVES TAKEN UP BY ATR

FOR BETTER ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT

Presented by
Venkatesh. G, Manoj Kumar. N,
Kamalakannan. V, Raja. A

Introduction

Site specific Initiatives in ATR

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Establishment of Base camps

Establishment of Strike force
Watering saucer pits
Establishing solar powered water pumping system
Laying salt licks
Fodder plots for herbivores
Fire lines
View lines in hair pin bends along the roads
Placing of animal crossing sign boards in main routes of
ATR
10. River patrolling party
11. Removal of Lantana
Proposal
. De-silting of tanks to improve water holding capacity

1. Establishment of Base Camp

Inside base
camp

THE PRIMARY DUTIES OF BASE CAMP WATCHERS

Camping in the Tiger Reserve 24x7 which deters the poaching and smuggling
attempts by offenders.

Foot patrolling in all the trail paths, vulnerable routes, Tiger dense areas, area
with abundant herbivore population, along the streams.

Checking all the water bodies and salt licks for presence of snares, traps, any
suspicious change in colour and smell of water in the water bodies, other wildlife
crime evidences etc.

Checking of tiger kills, cattle kills, pugmarks, scrape, Pellets, Urine mark of Tiger
and other carnivores and herbivores during foot patrolling.

The places and GPS readings are entered in the base camp register.

Night patrolling during full moon days and few days before and after full moon
days and checking of vulnerable water bodies.

Checking of agriculture lands and water bodies located adjoining the forest for
presence of snares and traps.

Controlling fire during summer season.

Recording GPS readings in track mode during foot patrolling and wildlife
evidences collection.

Checking the foot pilgrims who are going to Srisailam temple during
Mahasivarathri and Ugadi Festival who have weapons, inflammable materials

2. Establishment of Strike Force

SF are placed at strategic
points and are ready
responsive units to act fast on
any adverse information.
These special protection
watchers monitor the water
sources on daily basis to
prevent poaching attempts on
high alert.
Roles and Responsibility
Conduct raids and apprehend
offenders
Check smuggling, booking
offence, control felling and
prevent tress-pass inside ATR
Resource strength
5Strike forceofficer
and 5 SF
Controlling
watchers
Five protection watchers headed by a forest section officer or
deputy range officer.

3. Watering Saucer pits

Water is an important
constraint especially during the
summer months, and becomes
a limiting factor during the
pinch period.
During the pinch period, the
saucer pits (artificial water
sources) are provided with
water through water tankers.
To prevent absorption of water
in soil, special high density
polyethylene sheets are laid on
ground and water is poured on
these HDPE
Sheets.
There
are 63
saucer pits in
MANNANUR SECTION

Nizam well

Solar powered
water pumping
system

Saucer pit

4. Establishing solar powered water pumping system

The pinch period poses enormous

hardships for the wildlife as well as Tiger
reserve management in summer.
The scarcity of water elsewhere and
availability in few selected places drive
the wildlife towards the perennial water
sources and poachers tend to utilise the
opportunity of congregation of wildlife in
the selected perennial water sources.
The Tiger Reserve management have to
do the double interlinked duty of giving
access to water for wildlife and
preventing the onslaught attempts by
poachers

The solar powered water pumps, which have been

established to serve the purpose

5. Laying Salt licks

A salt lick is a deposit of mineral salts used by animals to
supplement their nutrition, ensuring that they get enough
minerals in their diets.
A wide assortment of animals, primarily herbivores, use salt licks
to get essential nutrients like calcium, magnesium, sodium, and
zinc.
When a salt lick appears, animals may travel to reach it, so the
salt lick becomes a sort of rally point where lots of wildlife can be
observed.
In ATR, we have observed around the Pitchgundalacheruvu
lake

6. Raising Fodder crop for Herbivores

Fodder crop such as grass has been raised in 10 hac area in
Mannanur range in ATR
Area selected for raising fodder crop: 1 furlong distance from
the herbivore herds grazing area.
Reason: To provide fodder for the herbivores during pinch period
Summer
Initiative : Stone walls been constructed around the fodder crop
plot about 4 feet height in order to prevent entry of carnivores and
other wild dogs for hunting

7. Fire lines
Causes of Forest fire
Forest fires are both natural and artificial. Fire can be caught due
to friction between bamboo canes or fire can be intentionally
started by man. Irresponsible tourists are also known to set fires in
the forest, which escalates to a forest fire in a short span of time,
especially during dry seasons.
However, the forest department is considering all such accidents
that may result in a forest fire, to prevent forest fires in ATR
Control measures
Fire line of about 2-6 KM length is being
cut during April month
Fire watchers been appointed for 4
months to perambulate the areas of high
vulnerable areas of fire occurrence.
Mostly peoples from Chenchus were
given priority for appointing as fire
watchers in ATR
These fire lines will help in controlling any
accidental forest fire in the reserve forest.

8.Creating View lines

What is View line?
View lines Is a term which describes the clearing of bushes
for 5-6 feet(obstruct the vision)- near the bends or curve in
either side of the road
Purpose : To give a clear view for the driver and to the wild
animals crossing the road
Impact:
Controlling wild animals accidents
Wild animals can easily cross the road without any
disturbance
Driver will slow down the speed if he see any wild animals
crossing the roads

9 . Placing of animal crossing signs in

ATR roads
Sign boards

Animal crossing

Impact: Prevent accidents

10. Protection by River Patrolling party

River Krishna flows through ATR and the riverine sides are
abundant with the wildlife.
As a protection strategy, special launch boat patrolling
parties with the field staff and protection watchers are
employed.
These river patrol parties keep a strict vigil to prevent
poaching, encroaching and smuggling attempts.
Mainly done to control smuggling of Hardwickia pinnata in
ATR

11. Removal of Lantana

Uprooted for consecutive 3 years

Methodology
Step 1 : Uprooting the lantana
Step 2: Turn upright
Step 3: Burn
Area covered:
Thullaipalli 50-70 ha
Mannanur section 250 ha

Proposal WIP

De-silting of tanks to improve water holding

capacity
1. Pitchgundalacheruvu
lake and
2. Bairahpur temple lake

Thank you