Tamil Nadu - Tuticorin   

Study to develop habitat of animals

R.Vimal Kumar

Forest Department's report expected tomorrow

SAVING SPECIES: The Forest Department officials conducting a census at Vallanadu deer sanctuary in Tuticorin district on Friday. — Photo: N. Rajesh

Tuticorin: A census carried out by the Department of Forest in the Black Buck Sanctuary at Vallanadu near here on Friday, found 35 black bucks, 10 jungle cats and 100 black napped hare.

The survey was carried out using line transect method by dividing the total geographical area of 1,600 acres into 12 different sectors.

"We would publish a final resource inventory only on Sunday, after ascertaining the figures obtained in today's survey through `water hole' census method, to be performed on Saturday," L. Nadhan, District Forest Officer, said.

As many as 24 volunteers, 10 forest officials and two scientists (C. Swaminathan, Professor, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Killikulam, and K. Kandavel, ecologist) took part in the survey.

Mr. Nadhan said that the objective of the exercise was not to assess whether there was an increase in the number of species but to help wildlife protectors plan strategies to develop the habitat.

Sanctuary development

The DFO said that works are under way to augment facilities at the Black Buck Sanctuary, on an outlay of Rs seven lakh sanctioned by the Centre.

Under the project, fencing to a length of three km would be repaired at a cost of Rs 4.5 lakh and height of one of the three watchtowers would be increased by 14 metres at Rs 1.5 lakh.

The remaining amount would be utilised towards improving ponds inside the sanctuary.

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