The IIT Madras campus, known for its rich biodiversity, is facing a concerning increase in roadkill and disease outbreaks, endangering the safety of blackbucks and spotted deer. In the past two weeks, a blackbuck fawn and a spotted deer fawn have died on campus.
Recently, an institute van operated by a contractor struck and killed a spotted deer fawn. “We have detained the driver and imposed a fine of ₹1 lakh on IIT Madras,” reported senior forest officials. In the meantime, efforts are underway to capture and treat an injured blackbuck on the campus.
Chief Wildlife Warden Srinivas R. Reddy acknowledged the challenges in wildlife protection at IIT Madras. “We are in discussions with the institute’s management, which has been quite cooperative,” he said. Reddy mentioned that an advisory is being developed to reduce roadkill by adding more speed breakers and enforcing speed limits. Despite the established speed limit of 20 km/h on campus, violations persist, leading to wildlife fatalities.
The blackbuck, which has the highest level of protection under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, is particularly vulnerable during the current breeding season.
Compounding these challenges, a tuberculosis (TB) outbreak has been identified among the free-ranging spotted deer on campus. A full carcass sent for lab testing has confirmed the presence of TB. “We are planning to conduct rapid tests within the population to gauge the spread of the disease,” Reddy said, emphasizing the importance of reinforcing the boundary wall between the institute and Guindy National Park (GNP) to prevent further transmission.
In response, Chennai Wildlife Warden Manish Meena announced plans to enhance the veterinary unit at Guindy National Park. “We aim to have three veterinarians and support staff, along with several quarantine enclosures to serve the needs of animals from GNP and adjacent IIT Madras,” he stated.
IIT Madras Director V. Kamakoti has taken a proactive stance on these issues, instituting the 20 km/h speed limit and calling the incidents of roadkill “unacceptable.” However, enforcement remains a challenge, as vehicles continue to violate speed limits, jeopardizing wildlife safety.
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