In a gruesome incident
on Wednesday, poachers have sawed away the horn of an Indian rhinoceros
(Rhinoceros unicornis) at the Kaziranga National Park in the Indian state of Assam, even while the animal was alive.
The female rhino has
strayed into the east division of the Karbi Anglong hills in neighboring
district to evade the raising flood waters in the park and was shot down by the
poachers on Wednesday morning, said forest officials.
An Indian one-horned rhinoceros Rhinoceros unicornis
According to them, by
the time they found it, the horn and a part of the right ear of the animals was
brutally chopped off, while it was alive. Now, veterinary doctors are trying hard
to save the Rhino, they said. Officials have also found another dead rhino
with chopped away horns on Wednesday, according to a PTI report.
The incident has
sparked wide protest in the state. Locals including members of Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad and All Assam Students Union have
blockaded the National Highway 37 to protest the attack. According to forest officials
in the park, 13 rhinos were killed by poachers since January this year. The
park is home to around 2500 of the only remaining 3000 one horned rhinoceros on
the globe, which are categorized as Vulnerable by IUCN.
Three fourth of the park submerged
Meanwhile, the third
wave of flood has so far killed 22 animals in the park, which includes 4 rhinos,
apart from those killed by the poachers. 75 percent of the national park in
submerged under the flood waters from incessant rains. Apart from the deaths
from drowning, road kills also increase during the flood season in Kazirnaga as
animals try to cross the NH 37 to evade flood waters. At least four animals
were killed so far by speeding vehicles after the current wave of floods hit the
park, informed DFO.
Earlier waves of flood at Kaziranga have killed 631 animals including 19 rhinos in August, while 36
animals were victims to road kill during the period.
Central government has recently taken a
stand in the court that it is to control the pilgrim related activities in theprotected areas in the country considering the damage to the undisturbed forest
patches. However the time coincides with the Aadi Amavasai fest celebrated at Sorimuthaiyan
Temple in the banks of Tamiraparani River in the core area of Kalakkad
Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu.
The festival which attracts around 5 lakh
devotees from the southern districts of the state and the resulting pressure
and pollution of KMTR has become a growing concern among environmentalists and
forest officials.
“It is a matter of great concern for us.
Some five lakh people throng to this area during these days and they camp in
the forest during the fest, it is strenuous to prevent hazards like forest
fire, stampedes and the degrading hygiene of the place due to the heaping up
waste during this time, said a forest official. Ailing Forest Department
Despite facing acute human power
shortage, forest officials are keen to check up all vehicles at least in the
beginning days of the festival when the number of vehicles are just hundreds
and are allowed only during the day time.
However, once it reaches the two peak days, there is virtually no
traffic curb on the road and it is difficult to carry out a carpet check on the
thousands of vehicles that move in and out of the sanctuary, admits forest
officials.
The Indian Made foreign Liquor bottles seized
from ‘pilgrims’
to the Sorimuthaiyan Temple at the first check post
of KMTR.
Photo: Indian Biodiversity Talks
“ it
is difficult to carry out the routine check-up for the vehicles moving into the
forest during the festivities when the usual 6pm to 6 am traffic ban in the
area is lifted, however we are doing our duty to the best possible level”, says
Assistant Conservator of Forests, KMTR. The fact can be understood easily with
the heaped up alcoholic bottles which have been seized from the devotees at the
first check post.
So the whole staff from the neighboring
ranges is drawn to the Mundanthruai range for crowd management operations and to
be part of the vehicle checking operation in the three check posts which are
put up in the route. Though some hundreds of state police personnel are usually
pressed into the service, it is restricted to the peak days only.
“Most often during the peak days, we will
be in such a state that we cannot sit for a moment. The continuous standing and
checking will leave our backs paining for rest”, said a woman forest guard who
was deputed on special duty since the smuggled in alcohol bottles are easier to
find if women staff question the women members of the pilgrim group, as per
Forest department intelligence. Festive
time for Poachers too
The festival is causing major concern for many reasons. During the days of the festival, the whole anti-poaching patrolling which is a crucial routine in the tiger reserve is virtually stopped since all the anti-poaching watchers in the Mundanthurai and neighboring ranges of KMTR are deployed at the check posts to make sure that excessive alcohol is not adding to the spirit of the festivities and that no arms and plastic are taken into the forest areas.
It was recently reported that the tiger poaching rackets are alive around the tiger reserves and other protected areas in South India when a six member gang from Haryana was nabbed by forest officials near BRT Tiger reserve in the neighboring state of Karnataka.
At least five lakhs people throng to this
core area of KMTR
during the festival, says forest authorities
The group had very clear knowledge about the anti-poaching operations in Tiger reserves and was camped near BRT reserve on specific instruction from the top of the network. The group had an interesting modus operandi which made use of the vulnerabilities of the patrolling system.
Since the whole anti- poaching patrolling takes place during the day, the poachers used to go to the forest areas in the evening to spread their traps and then kept hiding all through the day to avoid being detected by patrolling party. The move makes it clear that tiger poaching networks are still active in the country and are dangerously organized in when they are on the prowl.
When asked about the chances of poachers
making use of the situation, officials told that the chances cannot be completely
written off. “There are no anti-poaching patrols taking place these days since
all anti-poaching patrol staff have come back there to carry out special duties
related to the festival crowd. Though we have not noticed any such poaching taking
place in connection with the festival period, the chances cannot be completely set
aside”, said a forest official at the rank of forester at KMTR.
“We have a very efficient network of
intelligence around the villages neighboring the reserve which will help us get
an alert whenever such things happen”, said the Forest Range Officer at
KMTR. “We have successfully built up a cordial relationship between the
villagers in the surrounding area so that they notice the arrival of strangers
and their activities to inform us anytime”, says he. That would be enough
prevention towards poaching during this festival period, he said.
Disturbance
to wild life
During this whole festive season, wild life
keeps draws itself back into the deep forest, annoyed by the huge human
movement and continuous honking of vehicle horns, says a forest official whom
we talked to at the tiger reserve. However, no issues of animal –devotee
conflict have been reported from this area where leopards and tigers are occasionally
spotted while wild boars are usual visitors.
A baby spotted deer crossing the road inside
KMTR
The chances of forest fire also keep the
forest staff on the top vigil to avert an accident. The situation is very prone
to trigger a massive fire considering the way at which individual cooking ovens
are set up to cook food burning firewood. The presence of dry forest and strong
wind add to the chances of such a mishap.
Such a fire will not only destruct the semi
deciduous and deciduous areas of the sanctuary, it may also trigger mayhem and
stampede among the crowded devotees.
Less is studied about the disturbance
caused by the continuous traffic through the roads inside the reserve during
the festival season. At an unofficial estimate, more than 500 vehicles pass
through the road every day during the festival. Research studies on the impact of roads through protected areas have shown that the roads seriously restrict large
mammal’s movements and usual tracks.
Though reports on road kills from KMTR are
not available in the form of records, the chances cannot be completely written
off. Now watch pilgrims/tourists shooting spotted deer in KMTR
The remaining part of the article can be read here.
