The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Ground fires: threat to fauna

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Monday, Feb 18, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Ground fires: threat to fauna

S. Harpal Singh

Forest areas of Adilabad are home to numerous species of birds, animals and medicinal plants

Destructive flames: Fanned by a gentle afternoon breeze, the forest fire at Seetagondi ghats spreads across to a large area within no time.

ADILABAD: The seemingly innocuous jungle fires that occur during the leaf fall months are in actual fact quite dangerous to the wild animal habitats.

It is therefore that the conscientious among forest officials secretly wish for a spell of rain or hail storm during the period.

A carelessly thrown butt of a cigarette by a lorry driver passing through a given forest area or that by a shepherd can ignite the dry highly flammable leaves scattered for miles and miles within the forest.

Such a ‘ground fire’ results in no apparent economical loss but the loss is tremendous to the native fauna which cannot be measured.

As a large number of birds lay eggs in bushes or on the ground, the fires destroy them. Young ones of many animals too face the threat for life from the fires as they are not equipped for self-protection. Eggs of snakes and young ones of rabbits for example are easily destroyed by raging fires in the jungles.

Besides, the fires cause damage to herbs some of those may even belong to rare species. Short sized herbal plants get immediately destroyed by the ground fires.

There is a great need for control of ground fires in the forest areas of Adilabad because of the Kawwal wild life sanctuary that is home to numerous species of birds, animals and medicinal plants. Though the department carries out fire line operations every season, the effort is evidently not adequate.

The positive aspect of the forest fires is the help it causes in germination of seeds that have tough seed coat like in the case of teak.

The tough coat of the teak seed get softened due to the heat of the fire. Not wanting to be quoted, experts opine that the government should evince more interest in control of ground fires by engaging fire-watchers.

Awareness

Awareness should be spread about careless igniting of dried leaves among the collectors of mahua or ippa flowers who burn the leaves haphazardly under the mahua tree.

This is done to clear the area for the flowers to fall during the night.

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