A group of drivers join hands to provide drinking water to the wild animals inside the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary in Tholpetty. The drivers who are conducting Jeep safaris inside the forest for tourists built barriers and brushwood check-dams across small streams within the forest for wild animals.

"There are already around 40 brushwood check-dams made by Tholpetty Range Foresters in the forest. The drivers used to watch us making these small check-dams to set up drinking water facility for wild animals. They said they are also interested in it and started building check-dams," said Abdul Gafoor, Deputy Range Forest Officer, Tholpetty.

The drivers had built three brushwood check-dams inside the Tholpetty forest. "There are 25 Jeep drivers working here under Eco-Development Corporation. We consider the forest as our home and wildlife should be protected. Arranging a drinking water facility for wild animals is one of the ways to give back to nature and the forest, which is providing a livelihood for us. Every year we were helping foresters but this year we thought to make check-dams by ourselves," said Hamsa KB, jeep driver who is residing one kilometre away from Tholpetty check-post.

The drivers' group said that they have spotted some places where more elephants come to drink water near rivers and will be building check-dams there in the coming days. Apart from this, the drivers also help forest officials in other development as well as rescue activities. (end)