As the flood waters in the Godavari reached danger levels by Wednesday, the authorities had to discharge more than 22 lakh cusecs, the highest in six years, from the Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage at Dowleswaram.
This led to inundation of nearly 20 tiny habitats of the ‘Near Threatened’ blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) and deer downstream of the barrage, forcing the animals to enter the human habitations and escape from the immediate threat to their lives.
By Thursday evening, the discharge at the barrage was more than 14 lakh cusecs. As a result, the habitats were still under a sheet of water.
The sand dunes with grasslands downstream of the barrage are the prime habitats of blackbuck, which is also sighted in the sand dunes on the islands of the branches of the Godavari.
One blackbuck and two deer have managed to swim and reach the human habitations since Tuesday.
The Forest Department rescued two female deer at Potti Lanka and the Vanapalli areas in East Godavari district. In an another rescue operation by the Wildlife wing, a male blackbuck was rescued near Potti Lanka.
“The three animals have entered the human habitations as their habitats are under water. Fortunately, the local residents have taken good care of them,” in-charge Forest Range Officer (Rampa Wildlife) K.V.S. Raghava Rao told The Hindu.
Forest Range Officer (Territorial - Kakinada) L. Dhan Raj said, “We have received a call to rescue another deer in an island village, where locals are taking care of it. We will attend as early as possible.”
“All the three animals have been treated by the designated veterinarian and released into the Navaravanam Reserve Forest,” said Mr. Raghava Rao.
The Forest Department has deployed two teams, each tasked with tracing the movements of the two species in the island villages.
“The deer and the blackbuck will return to their habitations once the flood waters recede. However, change in the habitat is not advisable for the deer as it is a timid and sensitive species,” added Mr. Raghava Rao.
Authorities of the Rajamahendravaram Wildlife Management Division have appealed to the Police Department to alert them immediately on the local communities sighting the wildlife till normalcy is restored in the island areas.
