Calling to ensure slow and responsible driving inside forest areas, speakers at ‘A Road Blocking the Way’ workshop that was held here on Monday pointed out that such irresponsible driving killed endangered and endemic species.

Rajiv K. Srivastava, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, and Director of Tamil Nadu Forest Academy, said that apart from big mammals like tigers, elephants, leopards and other ungulates, many smaller mammals including reptiles and insects were also killed by speeding vehicles inside forests.

“Leopard cats, which are in the list of endangered species, are frequently killed in areas adjoining Ooty and Coonoor. However, people do not care much if smaller species are killed, but react strongly when bigger mammals are killed. This should change,” he observed.

Noting that driving through forests was a scenic experience, Srivastava said that instead of speeding through the jungle people could drive slowly and enjoy the beauty, and at the sme time leave the forest undisturbed.

Sharing an instance in which the family of a lion tailed macaque, which was killed in a road accident, gathered around the carcass, Srivastava said that such sad occasions have become common these days and called for responsible actions from citizens.

Stating that roads inside forests were compromises made to avert long route diversions, Ajay Desai, wildlife conservationist and elephant expert, said that people should make sure that development should never be at the cost of disturbing life in the forest and it should be always outside the forest cover.

“Japan has 65 per cent forest cover, yet it is developed. But forests are being taken for granted in countries like India and this attitude should change,” he added.

He further informed that people riding inside forest areas should know the value of the forests through which they travel and try to contribute in creating awareness.

Later, Rajiv Srivastava flagged off an awareness rally carried out by Path Foundation and Environment Conservation Group. Four members of the team are to cover various districts around the country to spread awareness on road kills.