sign in sign up
<<
Home , Nilgai

International Journal of Management and Applied Science, ISSN: 2394-7926 Volume-2, Issue-6, Jun.-2016 IN WILDLIFE-HUMAN CONFLICT, IS KILLING OF INNOCENT THE ONLY SOLUTION

ANAND SAGAR

Research Scholar, Department of Management, Shri Jagdishprasad Jhabarmal Tibrewala University, Jhunjhunu, , E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract- On the recommendations of the three Indian States, , Himachal Pradesh and Uttrakhand, the Centre had issued notifications permitting these three states to kill Nilgai, and Rhesus Macaque Monkeys respectively for one year, on the ground that they were posing danger to human life and causing harm to crops. The move has been condemned by Union Minister Maneka Gandhi, wildlife and protection experts saying that Ecological balance simply cannot be restored through the barrel of a gun. Wildlife activists are of the opinion that decision for culling was taken without conducting any study on the danger posed by the animals to human habitat. The killing of wildlife causes tremendous suffering and opens the door to the illegal wildlife trade, but does nothing toward providing genuine long-term solution for farmers or others facing conflict. There was therefore the need to understand the animal population and adopt scientific and humane ways of controlling their very population by sterilizing them and relocating them to protected sanctuaries.

Index terms- Culling, Vermin, Blue Bull (Nilgai), Wild Boar, Rhesus Macaque Monkey, Environment, Crops, Sterilization, Fencing.

I. INTRODUCTION the animals on the ground that they were posing danger to human life and causing harm to crops. The Centre had issued notifications permitting the Wildlife activists move the Supreme Court and three states to kill the animals on the ground that they pleaded to intervene as the decision for culling was were posing danger to human life and causing harm taken without conducting any study on the danger to crops. posed by the animals to human habitat. The ministry Wildlife activists and petitioners, pleaded the court of environment and forest had on December 1 last to intervene as the decision for culling was taken year issued notification declaring Blue Bull (Nilgai) without conducting any study on the danger posed by and wild boar as vermin in Bihar and granted the animals to human habitat. permission for their culling for one year. On February The ministry of environment and forest had on 2, it allowed culling of wild boar in Uttrakhand while December 1 last year issued notification declaring killing of rhesus macaque monkey in Himachal Blue Bull (Nilgai) and wild boar as vermin in Bihar Pradesh was allowed by the Centre on May 24. and granted permission for their culling for one year. On February 2, it allowed culling of wild boar in Poorva Joshipura (2016): The Environment Ministry Uttrakhand while killing of rhesus macaque monkey has asked states which animal species they want to in Himachal Pradesh was allowed by the Centre on declare “vermin” and kill for a certain period of time May 24. in an attempt to address damage to crops and other Once declared vermin (harmful to human, crops, farm conflict with humans, but the move has been animals or carrier of diseases), an animal is deprived condemned by Union Minister Maneka Gandhi, of the protection under the Wildlife Protection Act. wildlife and animal protection experts. Ecological The move has been condemned by Union balance simply cannot be restored through the barrel Minister Maneka Gandhi, wildlife and animal of a gun. The killing of wildlife causes tremendous protection experts saying that Ecological balance suffering and opens the door to the illegal wildlife simply cannot be restored through the barrel of a gun. trade, but does nothing toward providing genuine The killing of wildlife causes tremendous suffering long-term help for farmers or others facing conflict. and opens the door to the illegal wildlife trade, but To save our and other wildlife before it’s too does nothing toward providing genuine long-term late, town and project planning must include forest solution for farmers or others facing conflict. It is the protection. duty of every Indian citizen under Article 51A (G) of our nation’s constitution to protect wildlife and to III. FINDINGS have compassion for living creatures. Drought and scarcity of food in forests: If natural II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE calamities such as drought affect human beings, so is the case with animals in the forest. Drought dries up Amit Anand Choudhary (2016): The Centre had availability of food for foraging driving wild animals issued notifications permitting the three states to kill

In Wildlife-Human Conflict, Is Killing Of Innocent Animals The Only Solution

146 International Journal of Management and Applied Science, ISSN: 2394-7926 Volume-2, Issue-6, Jun.-2016 into nearby crop fields and human dwellings in search 10. The reason why monkey population was of food. observed to be declining and increasingly Deforestation: The deforestation and depleting green attacking humans for food in Karnataka, for cover in cities has been driving animals into crop instance, was that fruit-bearing trees in fields and human dwellings in search of food. Karnataka’s cities were found to be Fall in predator population: Fall in population of disappearing. predators such as tigers and leads to a 11. In Himachal Pradesh too, “There are some five consequential rise in population of herbivores such as sterilisation units available for wild animals in Nilgai and . the State but no population management effort Humans feeding animals: Last but not the least, if you has been made by the forest department,” Mr. are a tourist offering a banana to a monkey you saw Singh said. at the temple, you sure cannot complain when a troop 12. In the end, opinion among experts is of monkeys comes chasing after you asking for unanimous that scientific monitoring of wild more… animals must be extended outside the reserved forest area and if necessary, animal census be IV. SOLUTIONS conducted outside protected areas to understand why certain species are entering 1. The solutions must rather be found by into greater conflict with humans. engaging with farmers, animal protection experts and scientists in implementing CONCLUSION humane, real solutions such as adequate fencing, noisemakers, and repelling animals As can be inferred from the claims and counter- naturally from farms through the use of chili claims from the both side, on the one hand are the plants or other such means. environmentalist and the peasants who feel that 2. It’s time to put down the guns and plant trees growing population of these animals ( Blue Bulls, and work toward other effective solutions that Wide Boars and Monkeys) are destroying the help everyone involved instead. environment and the crops and on the other hand are 3. The only way to mitigate this crisis will be the Animal Activists who are protesting against the long term measures like relocating animals to killing of animals. Here, we need to get to the root protected sanctuaries, but all of this takes time cause of the problem and think as to who is actually and effort. responsible for this menace. If the man is entering 4. Solution include application of boi-pesticides into their territories by way of deforestation and with amisture of cow urine, planting neem and depleting green covers to accommodate his farms, dry chilli around croplands to avoid foraging, factories or houses, then who is at fault. This insane creating buffer areas to human-wildlife act of ours naturally drives animals into crop fields conflict. and human dwellings in search of food. Moreover, 5. Culling wild animals by declaring them vermin the falling population of predators such as tigers and is not the long-term solution to human-animal leopards has also led to a consequential rise in conflict; sterilising them might be a better idea population of herbivores such as Nilgai and deer. But 6. The Blue Bull (Nilgai), wild boar and rhesus the solution to this problem should not be such an monkeys are abundant in population and figure inhumane. There is an urgent need to drop the gun in the IUCN Conservation list's ‘least concern’ and adopt solutions such as adequate fencing, use of category noisemakers, repelling animals naturally from farms 7. animals such as Nilgai, and through the use of chili plants, relocating animals to elephants had shot up over the last several protected sanctuaries, application of boi-pesticides years, which led to increasing conflict. with amisture of cow urine, creating buffer areas to However, culling may not offer a meaningful human-wildlife conflict and sterlization to control the solution population of wild animals etc. 8. The time has arrived for a nation-wide policy framework to manage human-wildlife REFERENCES conflict,” “Scientific management of wild animals should necessarily involve population [1] Amit Anand Choudhary “Supreme Court refuses to stay culling of nilgai, wild boar, monkey” Jun 20, 2016, Times control. We can reproductively control the of India. population of wild animals. [2] Poorva Joshipura, “Killing of Nilgai, wild boars: Not a 9. Not all animals that come across as populated long-term solution to human-animal conflict” June 10, and create nuisance for humans, may be in 2016, [3] Special Correspondent, “Vermin or Victim”, 17 June, need of culling, experts note. 2016, The Hundu, Chennai.



In Wildlife-Human Conflict, Is Killing Of Innocent Animals The Only Solution

147