These water holes are 3-ft deep. These water holes are 3-ft deep.

With over 500 chinkaras, Great Indian Bustards, blackbucks, hyenas and barking deer in the Pune wildlife division, forest officials have set up low-cost artificial watering holes to meet the demand for water. However, rising temperatures and a looming dry spell have set off alarm bells as they fear there may be no water by May.

“Presently, we have taken measures to tide over the situation. While there are 30 artificial watering holes in the grassland and other areas, we have also set up smaller ones that are just 3-ft deep so that the demand for drinking water can be taken care of till May,” Sunil Limaye, Chief Conservator of Forests, Pune wildlife division, told The Indian Express.

In the Pune division, forest department officials said there were more than 30 artificial watering holes at Mayureshwar wildlife sanctuary located in Baramati tehsil in Pune district, Rehekuri wildlife sanctuary at Karjat tehsil in Ahmednagar, Nannaj wildlife sanctuary in Solapur and adjoining Karmala.

The wildlife population too is sizeable with more than 200 chinkaras at Mayureshwar, Great Indian Bustard and blackbucks at Nannaj and other habitats. Each watering hole requires at least 5,000-10,000 litres of water. Officials are hoping for good rains during the monsoon to fill artificial water holes in grassland areas. Tankers have already been pressed into service to provide water to the large wildlife population of blackbucks, hyenas, chinkaras and other animals.

“We have been able to do water rationing this year but the scenario is likely to be dismal by May and that is our worry. However, low-cost watering holes have been set up with the help of villagers. Each hole is 2-ft wide and 3-ft deep. Grass covered by a thin polythene sheet, gravel sand and water is filled in the hole. Tourists too help us set up such watering holes. Earlier, water in the artificial watering holes were filled to the brim but now the levels are low, he added.

Using plastic bottles, dishes

Water scarcity has led ornithologists like Dr Satish Pande and his team at Ela Foundation to devise a method of providing a continuous supply of water to sparrows, honeybees and even larger birds like peacocks and partridge. “What we did was to use discarded plastic bottles and dishes. The inverted bottle filled with water is pierced into the tray and then sealed from below the plate. Small holes are then made near the mouth of the bottle so that the tray is filled with water and does not spill. Hundreds of such bottles and trays have been placed at farms and houses at Purandar, some 40 km away from Pune,” Dr Pande said.

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