Ranthambore's tigers and their shrinking habitats
The tragic tiger-human conflict in Rajasthan's famous Ranthambore Tiger Reserve should wake up wild life experts in government for the damage they have done to the tiger reserves. In the early eighties, the famous Tiger Man, conservator Fateh Singh Rathore, fondly remembered as the only one to have given a ground strategy for tiger conservation in Ranthambore, is now lost to tiger experts in government. The tigers are in direct conflict with humans and Chief Wild Life Wardens (CWLWs) pacify them with live-baits rather than providing them a sustainable prey-base within their habitats. Segmental short-term and counter-productive solutions are often shot out as remedies to an ailing habitat.
A copious loss of habitats and a decadal disappearance of forest cover is definitely the central cause of many frenzied man-animal conflicts. However, what escapes attention is the perfunctory attitude of CWLWs towards reintroduction of more predators from other habitats and different ecosystems without addressing the central cause of carrying capacity. An unresearched translocation and reintroduction disturbs prey base in forests besides many other forms of damages that it is likely to inflict both in a short-term and a long-term period. To manage predator populations. CWLWs bring live baits to forests and once this is not found enough, captive zoo animals which are no better than live baits are supplied under the cover of 'increasing prey base' in defiance of the guidelines given by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Central Zoo Authority (CZA). As predators get used to live baits, they give up hunting and fearlessly cross over to any human habitat in search of standing livestock. Only two days ago, a coalition of cheetahs had crossed the border of Kuna National Park and breached the human habitat of a village killing livestock. There are many questions looking for answers in this imbroglio.
The available data speaks for itself and can explain the problem more accurately. As per the India's State of Forest Report (ISFR) of 2023, the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve where the tragic killing of the Forest Ranger has an increased tiger population of 80 but the tiger habitat has shrunk by 44.57 sq kms. Similarly, its adjoining Sariska has added 30 tigers from just two in the last 15 years but lost 15.95 sq kms of habitat. This imbalance within tiger reserves is faster in many other tiger reserves of India as well. Wildlife experts know it very well that an average tiger needs at least 60 to 100 sq kms to survive and similarly, a cheetah needs a minimum of 1500 sq kms for a sustainable prey base. Of the five largest tiger reserves in Rajasthan none exceeds an area of Ranthambore Reserve which is merely 1530 sq kms with roads and villages criss-crossing all over. This habitat area is in all fairness, suitable for not more than 15 tigers or even less as there are other competing predators on the same stock of prey. Many other tiger reserves are simply broken platforms or smaller segments of drying and wilting land masses of less than 500 sq kms and some even smaller like Darrah and Shargarh in Rajasthan. If this isn't enough, the foresters fail to account that prey base is a primary requirement before releasing new predators or conserving growth of pre-existing ones. The herbivore prey base is not a free gift in a forest. It is dependent upon grasslands which are almost non-existent in a true sense of grasses which prey can actually consume. Most grasslands are converted to non-forest use such as agriculture, cultivation and mining. A phenomenal loss of 56,500 sq kms of grasslands which one can find in an official statement of Indian government to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in 2019 during COP 14 is a fact. The Aravali forest range which hold most of the Rajasthan's tiger reserves has suffered highest degradation, thereby making it impossible for deer, the main prey base to sustain its population.
In coming times, tigers are going to face much heat and most zoos which are keeping deer for city's ecological life may convert to prey-base farms. Shrinking habitats will bring tigers close to human populations. Due to lack of a committed policy to expand tiger habitats, CWLWs would continue to depend upon short-cut measures like offering them live-baits, which will further weaken their hunting skills. At the same time, reintroduction of new predators in their habitats will increase brutal competition for food and water. The government should undertake at least three urgent measures to address the situation. One, take non-government tiger experts on board on how to lure the tigers back into the core of forests and stop offering live-baits. Two, stop reintroduction of any more predators till forest areas are restored to match the prey need of tigers. Three, ban any more deer parks or zoos from coming up till a cradle to grave policy for zoo animals becoming part of the contract for seeking licence for a zoo and is acknowledged within the framework of the Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972. Considering a rising fancy for wildlife and new business opportunities aligned to eco-tourism, wildlife may lose many more habitats to the construction of hotels, rail-tracks and roads. To stop man-animal conflicts, forests should be left to themselves, should not be fragmented and trespassed upon.
This article is authored by Amita Singh, former professor of law and governance, Jawaharlal Nehru University and president, Asia Pacific Disaster Research Group.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
8 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Greener side of Bastar as forest cover increases
RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh's Bastar region, in recent years, has been making headlines for Maoist-related campaigns involving security forces. At the same time, the extensive area has also witnessed the Chhattisgarh forest department's diligent engagement in achieving a remarkable feat of improving the forest cover density, reinforcing the region's reputation as a thriving green landscape. The India State of Forest Report (ISFR), published by the Forest Survey of India in Dehradun, reflects the results of these consistent efforts, including the utilisation of a satellite-based sensor with a spatial resolution of 23.5 metres. The report highlighted a significant enhancement in forest cover across multiple regions of the Bastar zone—an area larger than the state of Kerala and boasting several tourist attractions and sightseeing spots. With the acknowledged commitment to sustainable forest management and associated conservation initiatives in recent years, the forest department has undertaken various measures to enhance forest cover, thereby strengthening the green footprint. The progress in forest cover density is attributed to multiple factors, including continuous monitoring by the forest department, an effective soil and water conservation programme, removal of invasive weed species and community-led afforestation initiatives, as well as the deep-rooted environmental ethos of Bastar's tribal communities. 'The inspired vision of the Chhattisgarh government gave a boost to the state forest department's proactive and scientific approach that yielded impressive conservation results. The ISFR 2023 data reaffirms the state's commitment to sustainable forest where strategic interventions and active community participation has yielded a major boost on augmenting the forest cover', V Sreenivasa Rao, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force, told this newspaper. Several areas in Bastar have shown an upward transition in forest classification. Notable improvements are seen in Jagdalpur Circle — covering forest divisions of Bastar, Bijapur, Sukma and Dantewada and Kanker Circle that includes Keshkal, Bhanupratapur, south Kondagaon and Narayanpur forest divisions', a senior officer elucidated quoting the ISFR report. The Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analysis confirmed that approximately 152 sq km of forest area have transitioned from Moderate Dense Forest to Very Dense Forest. Additionally, 93 sq km of land have improved from non-forest to open forest, while 156 sq km have progressed from open forest to moderate dense forest.
Time of India
15 hours ago
- Time of India
Waste littering, tourism threaten ecosystem in Vagamon Hills
Kochi: At a time when the state is witnessing rising man-animal conflicts, a recent study sheds light on how human-induced activities, waste littering and unregulated tourism thwart the natural ecosystem in high ranges. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The study by botany department of SH College, Thevara, shows that rapid expansion of roads, resorts, homestays and other unregulated infrastructure leads to severe ecosystem fragmentation. It disrupts plant communities and significantly hinders natural regeneration processes in the Vagamon Hills region, one of the most sought-after tourism destinations in the state. Raising further concerns, the study noted that waste littering, forest fires, and the growth of invasive plant species also pose significant threats to indigenous, including endemic, plant species in the region, which has unique climatic and ecological conditions. The study identified that the region is rich in floristic diversity. It recorded the presence of 137 angiosperm species (plants having seeds in a closed ovary) in the study area in the Vagamon Hills. Species like Ficus beddomei and Anaphalis wightiana, which fall under International Union for Conservation of Nature's threatened category, grow in the Vagamon Hills, calling for the urgent need to bring in restrictions on uncontrolled activities there. "One of the most pressing threats identified is the widespread destruction of natural habitats due to the construction of unauthorized buildings and roads. They include rapid expansion of resorts, homestays and other unregulated infrastructure, often in ecologically fragile zones. Construction activities alter essential ecological parameters such as soil composition, moisture retention capacity and light availability, all of which are crucial for plant growth and reproduction. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The intrusion into forested areas not only disrupts floral distribution patterns but also significantly reduces the survival potential of endemic and rare plant species, potentially causing irreversible biodiversity loss," says the study. SH College botany department assistant professor Ebin P J says it is high time the govt intervened, introduced restrictions and declared the region a sanctuary to protect the biodiversity from further destruction. "I have been visiting the Vagamon Hills since 2014. Many of the plant species, like kannanthali (Exacum bicolor), which I noticed there, have disappeared now. It is pathetic to see the littering of waste by visitors. It shows the govt's utter management failure. An ecosystem's significance is the number of species present there. But the area has no conservation status despite its richness. Currently, there is no restriction on any activities in the Vagamon Hills region, which is spread over the boundaries of Idukki and Kottayam. There should be a restriction on human-induced activities there. It can be done by declaring the Vagamon Hills as either a national park or a sanctuary," Ebin says.
The Hindu
18 hours ago
- The Hindu
HC disposes of suo motu proceedings to declare Samanatham tank as bird sanctuary
Disposing of the suo motu proceedings initiated to declare Samanatham tank in Madurai as a bird sanctuary, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday observed that such decisions have to be taken by the government on the recommendation of the competent authorities and after obtaining expert reports from the authorities concerned. A Division Bench of Justices S. M. Subramaniam and A. D. Maria Clete observed that no doubt bird migration activities were going on in Samanatham tank in Tirupparankundram. However such decisions have to be taken by the government. For declaration of the tank as a sanctuary it requires certain procedures to be followed. The High Court may not be in a position to issue a positive direction in the nature of a declaration to declare Samantnam tank as a sanctuary in terms of Section 18 of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, the court observed. The court observed that it was of the considered view that authorities may take note of the facts reiterated by the Division Bench of the court while initiating the suo motu proceedings. The Act contemplates various conditions and circumstances warranting such declaration in public interest. The court, not being an expert body, cannot substitute the expert views and directives of the executives, the court observed and disposed of the petition. The court in February initiated suo motu proceedings to declare Samanatham tank as a bird sanctuary. The Registrar (Judicial) said that Samanatham tank was a habitat to more than 150 species of birds. These birds species were declared as nearly threatened as per the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN-Red List). The tank was under the control and maintenance of the Public Works Department. Owing to the biodiversity and unique natural birds habitat, there has been an appeal to protect the waterbody by declaring it as a bird sanctuary under Section 18 of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, the Registrar said. The action was necessitated in light of the fact that the birds coming to the waterbody were vulnerable to poaching and easily accessible to the public which gravely threatened the natural habitat of the birds. If the waterbody was declared as a sanctuary, it would be subjected to restriction as to entry in terms of Section 27 of the Act and various other protective measures as envisaged under Chapter IV of the Act, as a protected area, the Registrar said. Article 48 A of the Constitution ordains that the State should endeavour to protect and improve the environment and safeguard the forest and wildlife of the country. There was also a fundamental duty cast on every Citizen under Article 51 A (g) to protect and improve the natural environment and wildlife, the Registrar said.
