IAR has assisted partners Wildlife SOS in India with the funding for 32 speed barrier units along the Kaziranga National Highway.
This will help the Forest Department regulate speeding trucks which often kill animals attempting to cross the road to higher ground during floods.
In addition a dozen “Go Slow” signs have also been erected at critical locations along the road to warn drivers about animals crossing the road.
“This will be a great help in alerting drivers and encouraging them to be careful and slow down” said Range Officer Mr D D Boro. “Speeding traffic has repeatedly been the cause of death for wild animals on this highway. Several wild buffalo, elephants and even a tiger have been victims of speeding drivers” he added.
The Forest Department was previously using rocks and metal drums as speed barriers but this can be dangerous for oncoming traffic. “We have now handed over 32 speed barriers to the Kaziranga National Park authorities and they have been installed on the highway,” said Baiju Raj of Wildlife SOS who was at the location with the team. The speed barriers have been installed along the highway at Panbari, Kohor, Bagori, Haldibhari and other sensitive areas where animals have been killed in the past by speeding vehicles.
They were sponsored by International Animal Rescue as part of the Flood Relief Operations at Kaziranga.