Tanks, anicuts in National Parks to be filled with water for tourism management

The Wildlife Conservation Department has decided to provide water for animals in the tourism zones of The National Parks as part of its strategy for tourism management, Wildlife Conservation Department Director General Chandana Sooriyabandara said.

He told the Daily Mirror that water is provided not while considering the animals but to keep them around where tourists can see them. 

He said this practice is followed even in other countries to maintain the visits of tourists to their wildlife zones.

About 2 million hectares of forest areas and wildlife zones are available in the country. There are animals living in both zones, and it is not possible or practicable to provide water facilities to all  these areas during droughts. Ecologically, providing water during a drought situation is not correct.

"But it is possible to fill water in small tanks and anicuts in the forests considering the cruising radius of animals to maintain their habitat conditions. A tourism zone in a protected area network is an area of less than one percent of the total network. In addition to National Parks, there are animals in the forest reserves as well. Most of the animals used to adapt to water during a drought season balance them ecologically," Sooriyabandara said.

No animals die during droughts as they are capable of finding water according to their cruising radius, he said. (Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama)