Pune, India – The rising number of blackbuck deaths in road accidents in the grassland areas of Solapur, India has raised concerns for the forest department. In recent years, the construction of highways has disrupted the migratory routes of these animals, leading to an increase in fatal incidents.
In 2020, six blackbucks were reported dead due to both road accidents and poaching. The numbers remained relatively low until the middle of 2022, as the Covid-19 pandemic reduced vehicular movement. However, in 2023, the state saw a significant spike in blackbuck deaths, with 15 animals losing their lives in three separate road accidents.
The worst accident of the year occurred on January 28, when 13 blackbucks were killed along the Solapur-Bijapur highway. These animals were attempting to cross the newly constructed Kegaon-Degaon bypass on the highway when the tragic incident took place. The highway, approved by the standard committee of National Board for Wildlife in 2014, cut through a hill, causing the blackbucks to fall 35 feet downwards.
According to Tushar Chavan, the deputy conservator of forests for wildlife at the forest department, the number of deaths has noticeably increased on highways such as Pune-Solapur and Solapur-Kolhapur. Chavan emphasized that the highways now intersect the blackbuck corridors, disrupting their natural grazing grounds.
To address the issue, the forest department has implemented various measures, including the construction of waterholes that can hold at least 5,000 liters of water in the blackbucks’ original habitats. Additionally, there has been an increase in planting grass species preferred by the blackbucks to discourage excessive migration.
Chavan noted that blackbucks primarily migrate in search of food and water, and efforts are being made to minimize the need for extensive migration. Solutions such as overpasses and underpasses along the animal corridors, as well as the installation of opaque fences on highways like Solapur-Vijapur, have been proposed to ensure the safety of the blackbucks.
Overall, the forest department is working towards finding sustainable solutions to protect the blackbucks and prevent further tragic incidents on the highways. With the implementation of strategic measures and increased conservation efforts, the hope is to reduce the number of blackbuck deaths due to road accidents in the future.