Research project on forest owlet in Melghat opposed

The Economic Times , Monday, December 02, 2013
Correspondent : Vijay Pinjarkar
NAGPUR: The ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) decision to allow capture of 20 forest owlets in east and west Melghat divisions outside Melghat Tiger Reserve (MTR) has come in for sharp criticism by former forest officials and conservationists.

Forest owlet is listed as critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and is also included in Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act (WPA), 1972. Earlier, move to declare forest owlet a state bird was rejected by the State Wildlife Board (SWB).

"Research related to breeding biology of this bird, diet, ranging pattern, distribution and unwanted detailed education/awareness will prove disastrous for this rare bird. It has been found (other than Melghat) that locations where research to study the bird was carried out, the bird went extinct there," warned Kishor Rithe, ex-member of National Board for Wildlife (NBWL).

The MoEF on February 9, 2012 had recommended research project titled 'Study of ecology, distribution and population of critically endangered forest owlet (Heteroglaux Blewitti) in Melghat Tiger Reserve', proposed by Wildlife Research and Conservation Society (WRCS), Pune. The WRCS team has studied the bird in Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh.

The NGO wanted to capture 50 forest owlets using services of expert trappers of Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS). However, field director of MTR did not support the project. But CCF (Territorial), Amravati, granted permission in the buffer area.

The technical committee for wildlife research under the then PCCF (wildlife) SWH Naqvi too recommended capture of 20 forest owlets. MoEF on January 1 permitted to capture owlets using non-invasive method. The NTCA too on May 29 approved the project in the buffer area and sought comments on exclusion of research in core area of MTR. The WRCS wants to conduct studies in core area.

However, chief wildlife warden Sarjan Bhagat says, "The technical committee has already rejected research in core area and there is no change in my stand, despite WRCS perusal." He added MoEF has approved the project and now ball is in the NTCA court.

However, Rithe says the project should not be allowed even in buffer. "A forest owlet doesn't know what is buffer and what is core. Buffer has been created for tigers, not owlets. Already a lot of research has been done on owlets and people have obtained PhDs. Now what more they want to do," he asked.

Chief wildlife warden has special powers under WPA to reverse the earlier decision. Rithe even threatened to file a PIL if the permission for the project is not withdrawn. He has written to the government to cancel the research permission.

Retired PCCF of MP PM Lad said he had cautioned MoEF in 2010 that forest owlet is doing well on its own. "I've learnt that some foreign organizations (as well as department of science of GoI) are keen to fund some projects for forest owlet in Melghat. Local agencies are eager to get such funds and projects," said Lad. "Let me remind you that the research work in Toranmal (Dhule) is responsible for near disappearance of forest owlet owlet pairs were recorded here. Research on breeding biology of the bird is extremely dangerous for its existence. Even routine research work does not help in conservation," said Lad.

"First the forest department should seek report on fiasco of Toranmal research project by BNHS before granting such permissions. My concern is that once the locations of these owlets become known to the locals, it becomes difficult to protect them from poaching as well as other pressures," said Debi Goenka of Conservation Action Trust (CAT), Mumbai.

Why No Research On Forest Owlet

* The endemic bird is seen only in Melghat. It is not sighted at four places in India where it was seen earlier but vanished after research exposed the bird

* The bird is surviving on its own and doing well in Melghat. The general protection provided to all wild animals is quite adequate for forest owlet also

* No research data is helping in improving conservation of other endangered like GIBs, jerdons courser, lesser florican and finn's weaver

* At present most research work is limited to utilization of funds. Spending money has its own complications. Unnecessary spending of money will invite problems. Conservation should be the first priority.

* Very crude methods are used to capture owlets. A typical gum is pasted on the trees where these birds are found. The bird sticks to the goes under trauma.

* Locals hardly have any knowledge about its breeding biology. Same thing may become threat for the bird if such research and education projects are undertaken in Melghat

* A well-known ornithologist from UK had stolen stuffed specimen of owlet from the British museum in 1914. It is also learnt that one Indian researcher had trapped owlet for DNA analysis without following the provisions of Wildlife Act

 
SOURCE : http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/environment/the-good-earth/research-project-on-forest-owlet-in-melghat-opposed/articleshow/26709376.cms
 


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