Animals in zoos suffer less than those in the wild from water woes. Telegraph picture

Cuttack, April 23: Orissa wildlife may suffer acute drinking water crisis as traditional water sources in forests across the state are drying up.

The intensity of the crisis this summer has been driving animals out of their habitat to quench their thirst.

Wildlife activists feel that that the situation in most forests is “distressing” and “alarming” as animals become more vulnerable to poaching and hunting once they step out of their natural habitat.

Forest department officers conceded that there were reports of deer, sambhar, barking deer and even elephants moving out of their habitats in Keonjhar, Koraput, Nowrangpur, Dhenkanal, Athmalik, Sundergarh, Sambalpur, Rairakhol, Kalahandi, Daspalla, Khandhamal, Khariar and Ghumsur forests.

There have been similar reports from Satkosia Sanctuary. The situation in Simplipal forests, endowed with abundant water resources, however, has been less acute.

Wildlife activists and enthusiasts regretted that no tangible efforts had been initiated so far to meet the water requirements of the wildlife population, especially since the movement should be a cause for concern.

“If timely measures are not taken hundred of animals will fall prey to poaching and hunting,” warned B. Mohanty, secretary of the Wildlife Society of Orissa. “More than 5,000 animals are killed every year as wildlife managers and officers fail to monitor the situation or take timely measures,” Mohanty added.

The pachyderm population stands to suffer the most in the elephant corridors of Keonjhar, Narsinghpur, Athmalik, Dhenkanal, Kotagarh, Satkosia and Pallahara. “The elephants require more water both for bathing and drinking. In effect they are the most affected,” said the association secretary.

Meanwhile, forest department personnel conceded that they have spotted three bodies of tuskers in the fringes of Athagarh forest division near Nuagada, Dalijoda and Khuntuni in the past week. Wildlife experts believe that forest divisions should chart out a water regime map — with details of water-levels of each stream, river and locations of water pools and game tanks in different months.

This, they add, would help wildlife managers to monitor the situation and take timely measures.