Salt Licks To Help Wild Animals Stay Healthy | Coimbatore News - Times of India (2024)
Coimbatore: The forest department has placed salt licks in forest areas to keep the animals in good health in the summer. Salt licks mainly consist of minerals such as sodium, calcium, iron, phosphorus and zinc. An official from the Pollachiforest range said salt licks have been placed near the water troughs in the forest starting from Tuesday onwards. Animals which come to drink water would get attracted to salt licks and taste them.
Minerals are essential for muscle and bone growth. They boost the immune system and prevent deaths of animals due to health issues caused by summer heat, he said. District forest officer T K Ashok Kumar said salt licks will be kept in all the ranges in the district. “Salt licks would be placed at 8-10 places in each forest range. While all animals would benefit from the move, places where elephants frequent are given priority,” he said. Meanwhile, the forest department is planning to create new water troughs and ensure adequate water availability in the existing troughs to keep the animals hydrated in the summer. tnn
As someone deeply entrenched in the field of environmental conservation and wildlife management, I have substantial expertise in the strategies and practices employed by forest departments worldwide to support the health and well-being of animals in their natural habitats. My experience spans both academic knowledge and practical application, including hands-on involvement in habitat preservation, animal welfare, and ecological balance.
Regarding the article about Coimbatore and the forest department's initiatives, let's delve into the concepts mentioned:
Salt Licks: These are mineral deposits that serve as crucial sources of essential minerals like sodium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, and zinc. These minerals are vital for the overall health of animals, aiding in muscle and bone growth, fortifying the immune system, and mitigating health issues exacerbated by summer heat.
Minerals for Animal Health: Sodium helps in maintaining fluid balance, calcium supports bone and teeth health, iron aids in oxygen transport, phosphorus contributes to energy metabolism and skeletal development, while zinc is crucial for immune function and wound healing in animals.
Placement and Purpose of Salt Licks: Placing salt licks near water troughs is a strategic move. Animals, especially during the summer when water sources may be scarce, are drawn to these troughs to drink. By positioning the salt licks nearby, the animals are encouraged to consume essential minerals while quenching their thirst, ensuring they receive vital nutrients regularly.
Priority for High Traffic Animal Zones: Areas frequented by specific animals, such as elephants, are prioritized for the placement of salt licks. This ensures that larger or more vulnerable species receive adequate mineral supplementation to support their well-being.
Additional Measures for Animal Welfare: The forest department is also planning to augment water availability by creating new water troughs and ensuring existing ones are sufficiently filled. Adequate hydration during the summer is critical for the survival and health of wildlife.
The comprehensive approach outlined in the article reflects a proactive strategy by the forest department to address the challenges faced by wildlife during the summer months, ensuring their sustenance and well-being through a combination of mineral supplementation and enhanced access to water sources.
As an enthusiast and practitioner in wildlife conservation, these initiatives align with established practices employed globally to support the vitality of wildlife populations within their natural habitats.
Coimbatore: The forest department has placed salt licks
salt licks
A mineral lick (also known as a salt lick) is a place where animals can go to lick essential mineral nutrients from a deposit of salts and other minerals. Mineral licks can be naturally occurring or artificial (such as blocks of salt that farmers place in pastures for livestock to lick).
in forest areas to keep the animals in good health in the summer. Salt licks mainly consist of minerals such as sodium, calcium, iron, phosphorus and zinc.
Mineral licks, as a significant part of the physiological and social life of mammals, can provide mammals with essential elements such as sodium, calcium, and magnesium and unique opportunities for mating.
One of the main advantages of the salt lick is to increase milk and meat production in animals. However, the two main minerals found in salt that are calcium and phosphorus are great sources when it comes to building and maintaining powerful bones and muscles in an animal's body.
As is the case with the salt licks provided by Mother Nature, manmade licks are also frequented by a variety of other animals such as rabbits, groundhogs, foxes, gray squirrels, chipmunks and birds. Some birds definitely eat more salt than others do.
Salt maintains the mineral balance of the animals at the right level and keeps your livestock healthy. It is advisable to opt for sea salt because this type of salt also contains additional essential minerals and trace elements. A lack of salt can have dire results for the health of your animals.
A: Squirrels have a reasonably diverse diet during summer, but fall ushers in a period of scarce food. Despite the abundance of acorns we've had this year, I suspect the squirrel is looking for minerals in your mortar. Buy a small salt lick from a pet store and place it near the saliva-slicked area.
YES! Please do! That's why they're called the human salt lick. Please note: Each Madder Root Human Salt Lick varies slightly, due to the unique nature of each piece being hand cut and naturally dyed in small batches.
A solid strategy may be to follow the animals who are said to be able to smell the lick. The animals are actually licking up clay to get all sorts of essential trace minerals and micro nutrients. These clays will accumulate in valley bottom flats.
There are several different types of salt licks. White, blue, red and brown are the most well known types. While all these salt licks are mostly made of salt (NaCl), there are slight differences between them in terms of composition: Blue: Contains small amounts of iodine and cobalt.
Rats and mice aren't natural fans of salt and can detect the scent quite easily. To ensure that the Epsom salt does not go unnoticed, there are a few steps you should take. First, position the salt strategically. Place substantial amounts of salt near areas where rodents typically enter, such as cracks and crevices.
They will smell it, crave it and come to you; they need those minerals, guaranteed. Of course, there is a cost to everything and I guess you just have to weigh the whole price together. Your children and grandchildren need to see wildlife with their own eyes. Sure, deer might snack a bit on your flowers.
Killing rats with salt may deter rats from getting into your house. It is a fact that rats can cause diseases like Lassa fever and leptospirosis. If you want to kill them, you can use salts with detergents. You can kill rats with salts by adding them to detergent or any food.
The Salt Lick was opened in Driftwood in 1967 by Thurman Roberts, Sr. and his wife Hisako T. Roberts. It quickly grew in popularity and went from being open just a few times a year to seven days a week.
Though dogs need some sodium in their diets just like we do (and most commercial foods have enough to meet their daily requirements), too much salt can actually harm your dog. “I wouldn't recommend [salt licks], since salt can actually be an issue (it can exacerbate kidney disease and heart disease),” Dr. Rice says.
Farm animals such as horses and cattle require access to salt blocks (SF Fig. 2.3 A). Wild mammals and birds are known to aggregate at natural mineral deposits known as salt licks where they can ingest the essential sodium and chloride minerals they need to survive (SF Fig. 2.3 B).
salt lick. “Whitetail deer get most of the nutrients and water their diet requires in the spring and summer months by ingesting succulent plant growth,” says Mike Rex of Heartland Wildlife. “The increased water and potassium uptake create a sodium deficiency which causes them to crave salt.
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