New Delhi
The Forest Research Institute (FRI) in Dehradun, as part of its 10-year Delhi forests working plan, has suggested a multipronged approach that entails the creation of “hanging” forests and underpasses for wildlife, linking water bodies to these paths, and undertaking the plantation of fruit-bearing species for sustaining wildlife.
The working plan, accessed by HT, cites heavy fragmentation, lack of space and inadequate variety of food as key challenges facing Delhi forests.
“There is not much threat to the wildlife from organized poaching and hunting. However, habitat fragmentation and small size of forest patches result in lack of space which cause paucity of fodder as well as impede free movement of wildlife. Sometimes, animals like porcupine, Rhesus macaque and snakes etc. venture into human habitations which creates a furor amongst the residents for their capture,” reads the working plan, which will come into effect from 2026-27.
It called for linking forest patches wherever feasible.
“Where linking of two forest patches is not possible due to urban establishments, the concept of hanging forest can be tried. The two fragmented and separated patches can be linked by creating overhead bridges, replete with trees, undergrowth, bushes etc. for the animals to move freely from one to another. Similarly, a waterhole can be linked to the adjoining forest patch by an underpass or tunnel to enable the animals to reach without causing harm to themselves or causing annoyance to the inhabitants of the area,” the plan states.
According to data cited in the plan, 1,560 animals were rescued between 2022 and 2024, with rhesus macaque rescues topping the charts.
“The most common issues for macaques involved accidents, including road hits, falls from height, and electrocution,” the plan states, flagging that a notable portion of the rescue attempts ended with the animal being “not found” at the location, flagging gaps and slow pace in response coordination.
Other rescues were of sambar deer, nilgai (blue bull), porcupine, hares and a striped hyena.
The plan calls for planting fruit-bearing trees systematically over the next decade, suggesting at least 45 species, such as mango, litchi, star fruit, java plum, jamun, falsa and coffee plum, among others. The department has been suggested to plant at least 5,000 fruit-bearing trees every year in the north and central forest divisions, at least 8,000 in the west forest division and 10,000 in the south forest division.
Sumit Dookia, assistant professor at Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU), said that although the suggestions should help wildlife as a whole, proper planning is required before creating such bridges.
“Most man-animal conflicts we see these days involve animals like nilgai, so we need to create proper bridges that are sturdy and only after a ground assessment. Since we cannot create them everywhere, it is important to identify important and strategic locations where wildlife frequent,” Dookia said.
The plan calls for protection of key species, particularly leopard, sambhar, chital, Indian flying fox, Asiatic jackal and nilgai. “The other goals include to establish rescue centers and have trained manpower to undertake rescue operations (rescue of wildlife stranded in human habitations). To address human-wildlife conflict especially monkey and leopard by promoting community participation in conservation efforts and ensuring coexistence and to conduct regular biodiversity monitoring, including population assessments and research on ecologically significant species,” it read.
The working plan emphasises the need to improve habitat quality by creating multilayered forests with native trees, shrubs and grasses to provide shelter, nesting sites and natural prey base for wildlife. It proposes strengthening water availability by creating waterholes, restoring degraded forest land and undertaking soil-moisture conservation measures to ensure year-round access to drinking water for animals.
Another major proposal includes regular biodiversity monitoring and population assessment of key species, along with habitat mapping and research to understand the movement patterns of animals. The plan recommends the use of camera traps, GIS-based monitoring, and periodic wildlife surveys to track species population and identify conflict hot spots.
With monkey and nilgai conflicts rising in residential areas, the plan calls for stronger community participation, awareness campaigns and citizen engagement programmes to promote coexistence. Measures, such as proper waste management, restricting the feeding of monkeys, securing electric lines, and installing wildlife-friendly infrastructure, have been suggested to reduce accidental injuries and urban wildlife intrusion.