Jumbo Troops, an NGO dedicated to wildlife conservation, organised an awareness campaign in association with the foresters of the Kurseong forest division and Sashastra Seema Bal troops over the weekend at Ghoshpukur, on the outskirts of Siliguri.
The initiative aims to encourage drivers to drive their vehicles at low speeds to prevent wildlife deaths along NH31 and Asian Highway II.
Rikjyoti Singha Roy, founder-president of the NGO, highlighted the vulnerability of the animals on some stretches of the highways that pass through the fringes of the forests.
He said that wildlife frequently cross these roads and appealed to drivers to maintain a speed limit of 40 kmph and avoid speeding.
Singha Roy pointed out that at least seven leopards died in road accidents on NH31 in Ghoshpukur after being hit or run over by speeding
vehicles.
Similar incidents have also been reported on AHII near Bagdogra, where wild elephants died after collisions.
He further noted that the cold weather has led to dense fog across the region, especially in rural areas, significantly reducing visibility.
“Poor visibility due to fog is one of the major reasons behind such wildlife fatalities. Considering this, we have requested drivers to restrict their speed to prevent accidents,” he said.
Most parts of north Bengal are currently experiencing dense fog that often persists until the afternoon.
The India Meteorological Department predicted that such weather conditions are likely to continue for at least a week.
On Saturday, volunteers pasted stickers on vehicles and two-wheelers and displayed placards urging commuters to adhere to stipulated speed limits. They also prepared a tableau to draw attention to elephant deaths on highways.
Forest officials also used a public address system to spread awareness.
“Given the highway’s proximity to forest areas, these stretches remain highly vulnerable to wildlife movement. We plan to conduct such campaigns regularly and have been able to reduce wildlife deaths on highways this year so far,” a forest official said.