Waterholes a lifeline for wildlife amid peak summer

Hindustan Times

01-06-2025

As Uttar Pradesh goes through peak summer, animals in the core forest areas are heavily dependant on waterholes to keep themselves hydrated at a time when most of the natural sources have dried up. Around 350 ponds/saucer pits have been prepared/rejuvenated in core forest areas, with Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR) and Kartaniyaghat Wildlife Sanctuary (KWS) being the focused ones where state's majority feline reside.
'This year, number of solar waterpumps and waterholes have been increased. The requirement was assessed via field survey, and hopefully it will serve the purpose,' said Sunil Chaudhary, principal chief conservator of forest (PCCF) and head of forest force, Uttar Pradesh.
According to 2022 Census, UP is home to 205 tigers and the State recorded 18.49% rise in tiger count. The DTR has been ranked fourth among tiger reserves in India, with a tiger population of 135.
The DTR has Suheli and Mohana rivers, tributaries of Ghaghra river, flowing through the forest areas, but during summer, these water bodies flow with little or no water, making it tough for animals to quench their thirst. The KWS has Ghaghra and Girwa rivers, along with numerous swamps and wetlands, under a fragile Terai ecosystem. But the sanctuary undergoes a notable shift between April and June.
There are three types of waterholes - first are natural waterholes (geological depressions), like small ponds or lakes. They are a key source of water for wildlife the as routes to such waterholes are in the memory of animals. But as majority of them dry up
during summer, man-made waterholes become the only dependable option.
The second are manmade waterholes. These are fed water by boring deep into the earth surface with the help of waterpumps, both electrical and solar. At least 10 waterholes in DTR have solar waterpumps that run for a specific period only during daytime.
The third type, which is also man made, is the waterhole fed water with the help of pumps fitted on rickshaw trolley. The forest staff take the trolley from one location to another and feed water into ponds. At many places ponds are made of cement.
'Animals look for water during day, hence solar water pumps are fit for the purpose,' said H Rajamohan, director, Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR).
KWS is home to a number of endangered species including gharial, tiger, rhino, Gangetic Dolphin, swamp deer, Hispid hare, Bengal florican, the White-backed and Long-billed vultures in a total area of 400.9 sq km.
DTR represents one of the few outstanding examples of an extremely varied Terai ecosystem, supporting a large number of endangered species. It is the largest and thickest forest reserve of India.
Pilibhit Tiger Reserve deputy director Manish Singh said: 'We have 38 waterholes, of which 24 are solar pump equipped. Though monsoon is expected to arrive early, water holes are playing
a crucial role in the current situation.'
'Cemented water ponds are created on forest routes that lack natural water sources. Such ponds are fed with water by trolley-mounted pumps once a day. They are deep and long enough to store water for over a day,' said a senior forest official.
A tiger might drink up to 30 litres of water in a day, depending upon the heat.
Water pumps fitted at one place have a drawback - big animals such as elephants often damage these pumps. Hence, these are under constant watch, and at some places, have been replaced with trolley-mounted pumps.