1,500 Animals Died Over a Decade Due to Hazardous Open Wells

Open wells around forests have caused the deaths of around 1,500 animals – including leopards, jackals, civets, jungle cats, wolves and hyenas.

Conservation group Wildlife SOS’s data states there were eight cases where leopards fell into wells along the Sahyadri range in 2016. An online petition has been started by the group for asking the district collector, Pune to get the wells covered or fenced around, for protecting the animals, as Hindustan Times reported.

Buffer areas, those which transition from forest to human habitable area have these uncovered wells. As animals compete for prey, territory and water sources, they need to venture to the precarious territories, which risks them to fall into wells.

Leopards become unnecessary victims, as wildlife conservationists stress the seriousness of the matter.

Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Centre currently houses 32 leopards, many of whom have been rescued from wells. The animals cannot be released into the wild as they can’t fend for themselves due to injuries or age.

Forest department officials confirm this is an issue they have been faced with for the last 20 years.

An official from the Pune Forest Department has said that they have not received a complaint from the NGO and that they can only be answerable for constructing fences on government lands, not on private property.