A preliminary assessment of faunal mortality on a road through Mannur Reserve Forest, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

Many studies have shown that anthropological acts driven by human demands have led to the extinction of numerous plant and animal species, or have put them in danger of becoming extinct. Deforestation is a serious occurrence that damages the ecosystem permanently, reduces biodiversity, and interferes with an entire ecological niche's capacity to function. Evidence on the causes and impacts of vehicle mobility in a forest reserve area is provided by the present research. Animal mortality was shown to be higher during the lockdown with traffic relaxation and somewhat lower during the lockdown without relaxation. The present study shows how unregulated automobile access into the Mannur Protected Forest results in significant faunal fatalities. The state has to be persuaded to exclusively adopt Good Environmental Practices (GEP) while constructing roads through the forest, and the appropriate authorities must keep an eye on the movement of automobiles through the remote forest zone.