Aravali wildlife at risk: Watering holes drying upin Gurgaon
Wild animals in this habitat include apex predators such as leopards, hyenas, golden jackals, nilgais, porcupines, peacocks, jungle hares, mongooses, and several species of snakes, including pythons and cobras.
Environmentalist Vaishali Rana says, "The presence of leopards, in particular, was repeatedly documented over the past two years, with multiple sightings reported in 2022 and 2023. These were covered by national dailies and acknowledged by wildlife experts."
"Yet, in stark contrast, forest department officials appear to downplay the ecological significance of the area," Rana says.
Environmental activists pointed out that despite repeated appeals to forest officials since June 9, no remedial action was taken to replenish these essential water sources. "Five reminders were sent over the past week, but there was no visible effort on the ground," Rana said. "This is the peak of summer.
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Without water, animals here are fighting a losing battle for survival," Rana said. Environmentalists and residents have urged the forest department to immediately step in and replenish the dried-up watering holes, which they call the "bare minimum" needed to avert a larger ecological disaster.
This forest patch, though now fragmented due to the Gurgaon-Faridabad Highway and Golf Course Extension Road, continues to support a remarkably diverse wildlife population.
To compound the crisis, this ecologically rich zone is now being further encroached upon by large-scale construction activity. Trustee of the Aravallis Bachao Citizens Movement Col SS Oberoi said, "This is not just about water anymore. It's about the systematic erasure of the last viable Aravali habitat left in central Gurgaon." In response, wildlife officials acknowledged the issue but said their current focus was on replenishing waterholes in the Nuh region.
They assured that efforts are underway to resolve the crisis across the Aravalis, including the affected Gurgaon patch. "Our team is working to replenish the water holes near Sector 54 and 55. Our team was working to replenish water holes in Nuh as we were getting several complaints," wildlife district forest officer (Gurgaon) RK Jangra says. With habitat fragmentation, shrinking green cover and now the absence of water, the three key elements needed for wildlife survival have been gravely compromised. "This is not just a policy failure. It is a moral failure — to protect what little wilderness we have left," Oberoi said. As heatwaves intensify and urban development shows no signs of slowing, Gurgaon's Aravali corridor stands at a dangerous crossroads, one that could determine the fate of its fragile wildlife for decades to come.
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