Joint patrolling by forest personnel of Tamil Nadu, Kerala to protect wildlife

Nilgiris: Tamil Nadu and Kerala forest department officials conducted a joint patrol on Monday to protect wildlife and prevent forest fires. The Tamil Nadu team was led by M Yuvraj Kumar, Forest Range Officer, Mukurthi National Park Range. Silent Valley National Park wildlife warden S Vinod led the Kerala team. “There is a high possibility that people may enter the forest to collect honey or firewood. Joint patrolling prevents human infiltration as it can lead to forest fire. We will file a case of encroachment against those found roaming inside the forest,” said Yuvraj Kumar. “Due to bad weather the grass has dried up, making it highly susceptible to fire. Human presence only increases this risk. Members of both the teams talked to the villagers and asked them to alert us if they saw any intruders.”