A recently installed perimeter fence surrounding the Kattery Dam, near Ketti Palada, in the Nilgiris could force wildlife into conflict with humans, worrying local residents.

The two reservoirs that constitute the dam have stood for more than a hundred years and did not have any barriers that restricted wildlife entry. Residents said the reservoirs had become important water sources for a variety of wildlife, including gaur, sambar deer, porcupines, sloth bears and leopards that are known to frequent the area.

S. Mani, a resident, said the Kattery stream, that flowed through the Ketti valley, was fully ensconced by farmlands, and the dam had since become a key area for wildlife to gather safely, away from human settlements. “While the gaur are now regularly seen inside human settlements, other wildlife are more closely seen near the dam,” he said. Ever since the fence was set up, wildlife was more commonly seen on the roads, posing a risk to motorists and residents.

“Usually, wildlife would cross quickly from one side of the road, from the tea estates, into the dam area without any hindrances. However, they now have to find a new route to cross, and this could potentially cause increased risk of negative human-animal interactions,” said another resident.

N. Moinudheen, an independent wildlife researcher from the Nilgiris, said such large fences would definitely impact wildlife. “They pose a significant risk to wildlife, especially for species like the gaur, which are known to try and vault over high fences, leading to them getting stuck on the infrastructure, sustaining serious injuries and even losing its life,” he said.

Large bodies of water in human-animal interface areas should be maintained in such a way as to facilitate wildlife movement. “Even where fences need to be put up, there are established means of setting up fences that cause minimal disturbance to wildlife,” he said.

Forest Department officials said the dam was maintained by the Indian army as it supplied water to the Cordite factory in Aravankadu. They said that they would look into the issue and seek remedial measures to minimise the impact of the fence on wildlife. Despite repeated efforts, the Nilgiris DFO, Kashyap Shashank Ravi, could not be reached for comments.