3.5 million trees in Gir National Park uprooted due to Cyclone Tauktae
If you live on the west coast of India, you must have heard about the extremely severe cyclonic storm Tauktae that had hit the Arabian Sea and regions surrounding it in May 2021. In fact, some of you might have even experienced the power and destruction of the tropical cyclone first hand. Now, a study has also revealed that Tauktae’s impact was so massive that it even uprooted as many as 3.5 million trees in Gujarat’s famous Gir National Park. According to the recent survey conducted by the state’s forest department, this has both pros and cons. Let’s take a closer look at it.
Gir: The only abode of Asiatic lions
For the unversed, Gujarat’s Gir National Park is the last and only remaining home for the surviving population of Asiatic Lions, an endangered species of wild cats in the world. In fact, Gujarat is said to have around 674 Asiatic lions. Nearly half (325 to 350) of them live in the sanctuary, that is spread over an area of 1412 kilometres.
What has Asiatic lions got to do with the uprooting of trees?
Well, it turns out these lions often prefer open landscape. Okay, so, is the missing dense forest cover kind of a silver lining? Kind of. That said, the forest department still has a major concern. If the uprooted trees aren’t cleared right away in the area ravaged by Cyclone Tauktae, it will soon force the wildlife, especially the wild cats, to go beyond the sanctuary’s protected area. So, about 40 per cent of the fallen trees need to be removed as soon as possible, especially where the concentration of wildlife is high. Not only that, the National Board for Wildlife has also reported that these trees pose a high risk of wildfire if left unattended when they turn dry. This, in turn, will threaten the population of big cats that has stabilised over the last decade or so.
The survey has also revealed that these uprooted trees are also likely to hamper the free movement of Nilgai or Blue Bull that are native to the Gir. Notably, the results have been published after thorough analysis of on-ground surveys by experts (from a special task force) as well as satellite data.
When will the uprooted trees be cleared away?
Previously, the Gujarat Cyclone of 1982 had also caused severe damage in the Gir National Park, uprooting as many as 2.8 million trees. But back then, it had taken almost 3 years to clear about 40 per cent of them. Today, however, the number is much higher and the resources are far advanced. So, removal of the uprooted trees is likely to take significantly lesser amount of time.
In fact, several sources suggest that the process has already been initiated. The goal is to ensure that the lions and other wild animals can move about unhindered, especially while hunting. Experts are also hopeful that many of the trees will not need to be removed and are likely to regenerate.