Expert team from wildlife institute inspects Alipiri-Tirumala footpath

Team from WII inspects Alipiri-Tirumala footpath, recommends multi-pronged approach to avoid man-animal conflict. Fencing not enough, need aerial routes, underpasses, trekking in batches, and tech to ensure safety. Team inspected areas prone to animal attacks, accompanied by forest officials.

The three-member expert team from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, comprising K. Ramesh, Ashutosh Singh and Prashant Mahajan, which has inspected the Alipiri-Tirumala footpath in the last two days, has underlined the need for adopting a multi-pronged approach to avoid the man-animal conflict and ensure the safety of the trekking pilgrims.

According to Dr. Ramesh, fencing the footpath route alone is not the solution. Ensuring the free movement of animals in the wild is everyone’s responsibility, he opines.

He is of the view that animal incursions on the footpath can be avoided by constructing aerial routes and underpasses at specified points.

“There is a need for allowing the devotees to trek in batches and adopting technology to avoid possible man-animal conflict,” he says.

The team members have inspected the areas prone to animal attacks.

Forest officials accompanied the team members during their inspections.