Forest Department fills water tanks as elephants flock amid summer drought

With summer heat intensifying and natural water sources drying up, herds of wild elephants are increasingly depending on water tanks set up by the Forest Department in the Coimbatore forest ranges.
The forest areas of Mettupalayam, Sirumugai and Karamadai, which form part of the larger Coimbatore forest division, are known habitats for a significant population of wild elephants.
These Regions also serve as an important corridor connecting forests of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka, through which migratory elephant herds frequently move. Officials said elephants require nearly 200 litres of water daily. To prevent them from straying into human habitations in search of water, around 32 water tanks have been constructed along forest boundaries.
Due to the prevailing heatwave, natural water bodies, including forest ponds and check dams in the Mettupalayam and Sirumugai ranges, have dried up.
This has increased the likelihood of elephants venturing into nearby villages. In response, the Forest Department has intensified efforts to replenish the water tanks daily, ensuring continuous availability of drinking water within forest areas.
As a result, elephant herds have been regularly visiting these water points, quenching their thirst and returning to the deeper forest regions, thereby reducing instances of human-wildlife conflict.