Ensuring Coexistence of Wildlife with Transmission 11 leopards die every year, 400 flamingos died in 10 days,178 elephants died between 2015-2018, and 31.5% (207) out of 656 tiger deaths between 2012-2018(as per the data of National Tiger Conservation Authority), these tremendously rising unnatural death count is due to electrocution. It’s common for these living creatures to lose their lives by stumbling upon the ill-maintained power lines and electrical infrastructure, bare conductors and sagging high tension electric cables passing through their forest abodes. Safety is critical when it comes to ensuring sustainable development. Let’s have a look at some of the recent ways on which transmission companies are ensuring power lines coexist with wildlife.
Increased tower heights: Implementation of transmission towers with increased height allows safe passage to wildlife. Safeguarding Avifauna: Collision during flight is one of the prime reasons for deaths of birds. The practice of implementing bird deflectors, culverts, contrast or coloured markers prevent such incidents, safeguarding the avifauna active in that route. Provisioning artificial nests: Birds and other aerial lifeforms often find it transmission towers as convenient nesting platforms, which eventually results in their deaths due to electrocution. To prevent such occurrences, companies are coming up with various ways of provisioning artificial nests, safe nesting platforms and nesting boxes. Bird Guard: Bird guards are provided on transmission towers as per requirement to prevent birds from sitting in the insulator strings
The nation-wide implementation of measures and guidelines can protect wildlife from electrocution and tower related accidents. The reliable, basic need of electricity should be provided without compromising or damaging the wildlife and nature.