News Excerpt:
According to a study by the Kerala State Forest Protective Staff Organisation removing exotic plants from forest areas will help ensure food for wild elephants at Chinnakkanal in Munnar.
What are the exotic plants:
- Exotic species, often referred to as alien, nonnative, nonindigenous, or introduced species, are those that occur in areas outside of their natural geographic range.
Why are invasive exotic plants bad?
- They compete with native plants for water, sunlight, nutrients, and space.
- They disrupt natural ecosystems by pushing out native plants and animals.
- They alter the food web by changing food availability for plant-dependent wildlife.
Key highlights of the study conducted in Chinnakkanal:
- In many areas in forests filled with exotic trees, no other plants are growing. Wild animals, including elephants, are unable to move through these areas.
- If these areas change to natural grasslands, it will ensure food and water for wild elephants at Chinnakkanal, including the landscape.
- The Chinnakkanal landscape is overrun by West Indian Lantana (kongini), inhibiting the growth of other species and restricting access to animals.
- Also removing exotic species such as Acacia mearnsii (black wattle) and eucalyptus from forests is vital to addressing the problems.
- Exotic species have been found in nearly 4,000 hectares of forestland in the Idukki district.
- The presence of wild animals, including tiger and leopard, has been detected in the Suryanelli area due to the absence of prey in adjacent forests filled with exotic plant species.
Chinnakkanal Forest:
- Chinnakanal is a green valley surrounded by three hills —Kolukkumalai, Pappathichola and Mathikettan — bordering Anayirangal reservoir and has been an integral elephant habitat.
- It is located in Idukki district of Kerala.
