Highways the Death Door of Wild Life: A Comprehensive Study in Indian Thar Desert

Highways play a crucial role in economic development of any country. Besides this, highways are also one of the causal agents of wild life destruction. The present investigation was based on the study of mortality rate in some selected wild animal groups in road accidents viz., Mammals, Birds and Reptiles on the national and state highways passing through the Indian Thar Desert, and the survey of biodiversity of roadside fauna and flora. The survey was also focused on the effects of highways on the population density and biodiversity of the area. Among the selected animal groups Mongoose, Squirrel, Wild Boar, Hedgehog, Chinkara, Desert fox, Nilgai, Greater Coucal (Crow Pheasant), Sparrow, Partridge, Babbler, White eared and Red Vented Bulbul, Peacock, Desert Monitor, Garden Lizzard, Skinks, Cobra, Vipers etc. were found killed in the road accidents. Maximum mortality rate in the road accidents during the survey was observed in Mongoose, Greater Coucal and Desert monitor (Varanus) throughout the study period. It was experienced that unavailability of safe passes across the highways, negligence driving and over speed of the vehicles were the major causes of wild life destruction on the highways.  Maximum mortality rate of wild animals was found in July to November in each calendar year and minimum was during the month December to February. By the present investigation it was suggested that making transverse tunnels across the highways at regular interval, warning signboards about the wild life abundance regions, awareness among the drivers for wildlife protection and covering the road sides with net fencing in wild life abundant areas may reduce some degree of wildlife destruction in road accidents.