October - 2017 VANA PREMI LIfe Time Subscription - Rs. 5000/-Yearly Subscription - Rs. 300/- Single Copy Rs. 30/- Vol .18 SEPTEMBER -2017 No.09 53 JOURNAL OF THE ASSOCIATION OF RETIRED FOREST OFFICERS TELANGANA & ANDHRA PRADESH Website : www.vanapremi.com October - 2017 VANA PREMI 55 October - 2017 VANA PREMI VANA PREMI Vol : 18 October - 2017 No.10 Editor : Qamar Mohd. Khan Associate Editor : D. Nagabhushanam, I.F.S. (Retd.) Contents The Association of Retired Forest Officers, Telangana & Andhra Pradesh 1. Editorial ...................... Q.M.K 4 (Regd. No. 557/1990) 2. Letters to Editor ....... 7 President : Sri. S.K. Das, I.F.S. (Retd.) 3. Grey Jungle Fowl Neck Hackle Cell : 9550681964, 23115085 Vice President : Sri. T. Narayana Swamy, I.F.S. (Retd.) Feathers Illegal Trade in A.P. Cell : 9701336446 ................. A.V. Joseph 8 Secretary : B.M Swami Dass Dy C.F. Retd 4. The Diversity of Humming Birds Cell : 9000817781 Jt. Secr. Cum : Sri.A.V. Govindarajulu, (Retd.) Compiled..... C.R. Rao 10 Treasurer Cell. 9440764611 5. Proud to be a Forester Executive Committee Members .......... Konda Mohan . 12 1. Sri C. Muralidhar Rao, I.F.S. (Retd.) 9848390004 6. Should India Too Ban All 2. Sri K. Santokh Singh, I.F.S. (Retd.) 9848808101 Commerce in Ivory? 3. Sri P. Upender Reddy, 9848754778 .....Dr. B. Raghotham Rao Desai 13 4. Sri V.V. Rajam, 9348322236 7. Does National Forest Policy 5. Sri G. Raman Goud, 9391499119 1988 Need Any Change Editorial Board ................................. J.V. Sharma 17 1. President : Ex-Officio President of Assn. 8. Rare and Threatened Species of 2. Editor : Qamar Mohd. Khan Tel : 040-40205831, 9849233624 Wildlife in India e-mail : [email protected] .......V. Santhaseela Babu 29 3. Associate : D. Nagabhushanam, I.F.S. (Retd.) 9. Operaton Chemical Immobilisation.. Editor 8096511200 .......................B.M.T. Rajeev 33 4. Member : Sri. J. V. Sharma, IFS (Retd.) 10. A Leaf for Livelihood e-mail : [email protected] ......M. Padmanabha Reddy 39 9441319151 5. Convenor : Ex-officio Secy.of Assn 11. Birthday Greetings.....Secretary 42 Auditor : Sardar Iqbal Singh 12. Minutes of the 85th General Body TARIFF RATES FOR ADVERTISEMENTS Meeting of the Association Back side of front and last cover page Jt Secretary cum Treasurer 43 (Colour) for one year ...................................... Rs. 20,000/- 13. News and Notes ........ 47 Outer Cover half (Colour) for one year ........... Rs. 15,000/- Inner Center Spread (Colour) for one year .... Rs. 20,000/- 14. Obitary ........................ J.V.S. Rao 50 Inner full page (B&W) for one year .............. Rs. 15,000/- Inner half page (B&W) for one year .............. Rs. 10,000/- Inner full page One Time (B&W) ....................... Rs. 2000/- Inner half page One Time (B&W) ...................... Rs. 1500/- Date of Publication: 26-09-2017 Total pages 52 3 October - 2017 VANA PREMI EDITORIAL Wildlife week in India: - Wildlife Week is species is important to the economies of celebrated all over the country in the month of several nations, as it provides many valuable October from 2nd to 8th every year with the substances like wood and other plant products, view to preserve the fauna, i.e. the wildlife of the fibers, meat and other foods, and skins and furs. Country. It was first started in the year 1952, with Scientific value: By studying wildlife, scientists the great vision of saving the life of the Indian have gained valuable knowledge about various wild animals by taking some critical steps. life processes and discovered important Mahatma Gandhi was born on 2nd October and medical products. he was the apostle of peace, ahimsa and Survival value: Wildlife helps in maintaining nonviolence. This is the reason Mahatma Gandhi’s the balanced living systems of earth, which birth week is chosen to celebrate wildlife week consequently ensures survival of life. The most throughout the country. India has varied climatic important and which is above all the four and geographical conditions with luxuriant reasons is, as Albert Einstein once said that if tropical forests. Wildlife is unique by its richness the bee disappeared off the surface of the and heterogeneity. Indian wildlife comprises globe then man would only have four years of about 350 species (30 families) of mammals, life left. No more bees, no more pollination, no 2100 species (66 families) of birds and plenty of more plants, no more animals, no more man. reptiles like crocodiles, lizards, snakes and turtles. We all have to understand this and act seriously. India is home to more than 45,000 species of India is home to about 60-70% of the total plants. biodiversity found across the world and about Due to the growing impact of deforestation, 33% of plant species are endemic. There are continuous efforts are being made both by the 172, or 2.9%, of IUCN-designated threatened Central and State Governments and some species in India. Under this some of it is the anxious animal lovers to protect the endangered Asiatic Lion, the Indian white-rumped vultures species of wildlife as well as those that are on and the Bengal Tiger. Cheetah has already the verge of extinction and thus save the world become extinct in our country. from running out its green heritage. Wildlife is From time immemorial, our wildlife has been important for four main reasons: Beauty: By their closely associated with our legendary beliefs unique way of existence, wild creatures and our folklores, with our epics and our history. exaggerate the natural beauty of the earth. Our lives would be very much poorer without Economic value: The financial value of wild these varied forms that build up the balance of 4 October - 2017 VANA PREMI nature. Wildlife preservation in fact implies the country, is being implemented in 13 States active and planned wildlife management under and Union Territories in India. There are which all forms of life would progress side by seventeen Biosphere Reserves in India at side with human progress, each in its own sphere present. All these reserves act as Conservation of influence and utility and without any Centers for wildlife in India. detriment to human interests. People in ancient India had recognized the To promote wildlife awareness among the animals, rights to co-exist with man and people, the Central and State governments have therefore they were loved, nurtured and even started various natural projects and programs worshipped. Prophet Mohammad used to say such as Project Tiger, Project Elephant, National "whoever is kind to the creatures of God is kind Parks, Sanctuaries, Biospheres reserves, to him”. Ancient Indian texts-the Vedas, Conservation reserves, Community reserves, Upanishads and the Puranas have meticulously Nature Camps and Jungle Lodges. These projects described and recorded the 'plants and wildlife' not only help to preserve our natural heritage, that surrounded the human habitation and laid but encourage eco-tourism as well. The wildlife down rules that would guide the interaction network of India includes 543 wildlife between man and nature. Ashoka depicted sanctuaries. Network also includes 166 National exemplary compassion for wildlife. He provided parks, 47 conservation reserves and 4 medical facilities to animals even beyond the community reserves. It covers a total area of 1, territories of his own empire. He brought game 61,221.57 sq. kms. (4.90% of total geographic laws under the category of Dharmaniyamas or area). Besides, there is the Gir National Park, the the 'Law of Piety'. Moghal King Jahangir’s only habitat for Asiatic lions in India. The Kaziranga observation on birds was as close and scientific Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam is renowned for as that of the modern bird watchers. protecting the endangered one-horned In India, legislative measures for protection of Rhinoceros. There's also Dachigam National Park, wildlife have a long history. The first game laws which conserves the Hangul or Kashmiri Stag. were promulgated by “Kautilya” the famous Project Elephant, a centrally sponsored scheme, teacher and adviser to Chandragupta Maurya. was launched in February 1992 by the In recent years, the following legislative Government of India to provide financial and measures have been adopted for the protection technical support for free ranging populations of wildlife in our country. Wildlife Protection Act, of wild Asian Elephants for protection of 1972, Indian Forest Act, 1927, and various State elephants, their habitats and corridors. The Forest Acts, Forest Conservation Act 1980, Project, involving 25 Elephant Reserves across 5 October - 2017 VANA PREMI Biological Diversity Act, 2002, Environment Many people are under the impression that Protection Act, 1986, and National Green Tribunal India does not have strong wildlife conservation Act. It is generally felt that India has the best Acts laws. On the contrary, we have some of the most but the implementation of the Acts is very poor. stringent legislations to protect wildlife and In our country 67 tiger deaths were reported in habitats but as mentioned above the first half of 2017, i.e. on an average 11 tigers implementation is bad. The lower staff of law died every month. Growth of illegal international enforcing agency is not trained properly to deal trade of animal articles, in tigers, panthers, sloth with the situations and the Forest Protection bears, elephants, black bucks, crocodiles, snakes, System is an age old system. In this system a birds and many more wild animals’ is resulting single person patrols very large areas like 10 to in a extensive in poaching in India. India is home 15 sq. kms. on foot without arms and to around 60% of the world’s tigers that live in ammunition, whereas the offenders are in large the wild. Out of about 200 countries there are groups with modern arms and ammunition and only 13 countries with tigers in the wild.