Illegal Mining Imperils A Slender Loris Reserve

Walking along a pebble-strewn footpath to the Valayarumbu Aruvi waterfall in Tamil Nadu, we see two earth movers in an open field, standing ominously close to the forest. The green hills are marred by the rumble of mining and quarrying.

As we neared the waterfall, the sparse vegetation gave way to Acacia, Anogeissus, and Euphorbia tree species in degraded forest patches. The landscape alternated between farmland and scrub forest, while the higher ranges were blanketed with lush, green semi-deciduous and deciduous forests.

“Come to see thevangu (slender loris in Tamil)?” asked a woman we met on the path, where she was living in a lone shack. “They emerge only at dusk. Their whistling songs announce their presence.” She mentioned varieties of lorises, including “Ramar thevangu,” named for its forehead marking resembling that of the Hindu deity Rama. However, she noted, that the loris sightings were dwindling of late.

We are within a 1-1.2 km radius of the Kadavur Slender Loris Sanctuary, India’s first sanctuary for the grey slender loris. Established in October 2022, the sanctuary spans 11,806 sq km across the southern state’s Karur and Dindigul districts and lies at the confluence of the Western and Eastern Ghats. In recent times, illegal red sand mining and brick-making activities are growing threats to the sanctuary.

Threats to the slender loris

Slender lorises are an endangered Schedule I species under India’s Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, granting them the highest protection. India has two subspecies of the grey slender loris: the Malabar grey slender loris in Western Ghats’ wet evergreen forests and the Mysore grey slender loris in drier southern India. The Mysore subspecies, with brownish-grey colouration, is found across Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Sri Lanka.

A study by Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON) with the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, in 2022, estimates 8,844 and 8,412 grey slender lorises in Karur and Dindigul forests, respectively. Other wildlife in the landscape includes gaur, hedgehogs, bonnet macaques, and grizzled giant squirrels.

Slender lorises are arboreal and nocturnal primates. They indicate ecological health, thriving in areas with rich biodiversity and continuous canopy cover. However, forest degradation due to sand mining, logging, and agriculture isolates slender lorises, forcing them to shelter under hedge plants and farm trees.

Studies show they also take refuge under bushes and on acacia trees in degraded lower altitudes (300-500 metres). A 1996 study in Dindigul highlighted their reliance on Acacia trees and thin canopy links, as their slender legs are unsuitable for leaping.

“Large areas of slender loris habitat are lost, forcing them to live in high density as refugees in remnant forests and agricultural hedges,” said Honnavalli N Kumara, Principal Scientist at SACON.

Cultural superstitions also endanger lorises, which are poached for black magic and talismans. However, such practices are on a state of decline.

Locals in the region rely on the forests for non-timber forest products for their livelihood. M. Palanivel, founder of the local nonprofit SEED Trust, said agroforestry schemes are providing alternative livelihoods, and intense campaigns are motivating locals to protect lorises. “They no longer poach or use them for black magic,” he stated.

Lorises also fall prey to roadkill accidents while crossing fragmented landscapes. “Deforestation forces lorises to crawl on the ground, making them easy prey for poachers and vehicles,” said Shanmugam Natarajan, a local activist with the Tamil Nadu Anti-Stone Quarry Movement.

According to activists, a new looming threat is the illegal red soil mining and brick-making units that have shifted to Kadavur from Coimbatore after interventions by the National Green Tribunal and Madras High Court. “These miners exploit private farmlands, government lands, and streams near the sanctuary,” said R. Mohan Das, a geologist and activist. “The damage mirrors Coimbatore, where forests, water bodies, and elephant corridors were severely degraded. Despite petitions to officials, no significant action has been taken.”

The Madras High Court and National Green Tribunal have issued orders banning red soil mining in Coimbatore, particularly in government and private lands as any industrial or development activity in areas adjacent to the hills will affect the ecology.

Mining on the rise

According to Mohan Das, miners in Kadavur target red gravelly soil, laterite, and sandy loam, which are ideal for making bricks. They buy farmland around Kadavur, inflating prices and negatively impacting the landscape. Firewood for kilns is also sourced from nearby government and farmlands. Given that these lands are less than two kilometres from the loris sanctuary, the activity is known to disrupt the delicate ecological balance, note the activists.

The extent of illegal mining in Kadavur is unclear due to a lack of official data. However, insights on the potential consequences of such mining can be drawn from the situation in Coimbatore, where 186 illegal brick kilns in Thadagam valley were shut down by court orders in 2021. These kilns left trenches 15-35 metres deep. After closures, operations shifted to eco-sensitive areas near the Western Ghats.

“Illegal red soil miners and brick makers violate key regulations, including approved mining plans, environmental clearance, pollution control, and conservation measures. They also build unauthorised roads and structures across streams without Hill Area Conservation Authority clearance,” says Thadagam S. Ganesh, a social activist from Coimbatore, and coordinator of the Thadagam Valley Mineral Wealth Protection Committee.

Activists fear similar destruction in Kadavur unless immediate action is taken to curb mining. They warn unchecked destruction could undermine the sanctuary’s conservation goals.

“In Karur district, red soil, sand, clay, and gravel are mined from streams and ponds near the sanctuary at night, further degrading the environment,” says Mohan Das.

At the Mullipadi Panchayat Grama Sabha meeting, in Dingidul district, last October, members passed a resolution urging the district administration to protect the slender loris from illegal mining impacts. A copy of the resolution is with Mongabay India.

Since then, the District Collector and the Department of Mining and Geology conducted checks in surrounding villages. The outcome of these actions remains undisclosed; at the time of publication of this article, the District Collector did not respond to calls or emails. However, a village administrative officer confirmed there was an inquiry into a brick unit and farmers illegally excavating red soil for personal use.

Call for conservation action

Experts call for more comprehensive studies and targeted strategies to protect the slender loris and its habitat.

Arun Shankar, a member of the Palani Hills Conservation Council and a key advocate for the sanctuary, suggests that ecotourism initiatives, loris trails, and camps could foster more awareness. “Underutilised forest department buildings could be converted into accommodations for night treks, and cafeterias run by local communities could generate income, fostering vigilance and preventing illegal activities,” said Shankar.

A visit to the District Forest Office, Karur, which oversees the sanctuary administration, revealed that a project report proposing eco-tourism, outreach, and conservation plans was submitted by the office to the state government in 2023, but funding approval is pending.

R. Kanchana, Conservator of Forests, Dindigul District, where the sanctuary also lies, stated that a research centre at Ayalur has been established to provide region-specific information on slender lorises. She says efforts are also underway to restore degraded forest patches and plant fruit-bearing trees beneficial to lorises.

(Published under Creative Commons from Mongabay-India. Read the original article here)