JOIN USSending the wrong 'sign'als
Signboards line the entire stretch of the road from Gumballi up to BRT Hills, K Gudi and Vandarabalu and they have been entwined with wires to prevent elephants from harming them. Unwittingly, the forest department, which is responsible for the conservation of wildlife, is itself causing harm to the animals.
Elephants do not like any unnatural objects that they come across. They fling away any such objects or damage them. Hence, the forest department thought it fit to ‘protect’ them with barbed wires.
Risk of being injured
Animals including elephants, may scratch their bodies against the barbed wires to overcome itching due to the summer heat.
Many animals do not have sweat glands like humans and experience itching more often. Animals like elephants, deer and porcupines also scratch their bodies against trees or other objects whenever they are bothered by flies and other insects.
If the animals scratch their bodies against barbed wires there is every chance of they sustaining injuries. If the wires are rusted, it may even prove lethal for the animals, say environmentalists.
They have expressed their ire against the forest department for not considering the issue sensitively.
The environmentalists have demanded that the government should take steps to remove the barbed wires entwined to the signboards in the interests of the animals.
Use pamphlets
Instead of putting up signboards inside the forests, it would be better if pamphlets containing the information to be conveyed are distributed to visitors at the checkposts, they say.
Printing and distribution of pamphlets would cost only 10 per cent of the expenses incurred on putting up the signboards, the greens point out. Through the pamphlets, awareness can be created among the visitors about environment protection and their responsibilities, they said.