Tiger reserve in Himachal Pradesh mooted

The Hindu , Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Correspondent : Staff Reporter
SHIMLA: At a time when tigers have disappeared from Sariska sanctuary in Rajasthan, the Wildlife wing of Forest Department in Himachal Pradesh has stepped up its efforts for setting up a reserve for the big cat in the state.

Wildlife experts, after spotting tiger pugmarks in Simbhalawara sanctuary in Sirmaur district bordering Haryana, observed that tiger breeding was feasible in this sanctuary. A request has been made to the Union Environment Ministry to extend the prestigious tiger project to the state.

The report of an expert from Wildlife Institute of India that tigers from Rajaji National Park in Uttaranchal were occasionally migrating to Simbhalwara in Sirmaur district of Himachal and adjoining Kelsar forests in Haryana also encouraged the state government to take up the issue with the Union Environment Ministry.

A senior wildlife wing officer Lalit Mohan confirmed the matter had been taken up with the Union government and the National Wildlife Board, at its meeting slated for next week, might consider it.

According to the proposal, the Union Government was being requested to allow expansion of the tiger project in Rajaji National Park to Simbhalwara and Kalesar, an area spread over 820 sq km. The Wildlife wing of Haryana is also contemplating a similar proposal, Lalit Mohan said.

Wildlife expert John Singh, who had documented tiger/tigress pugmarks in the forest areas under Simbhalwara sanctuary, concluded that tigers from Rajaji park have again started visiting the sanctuary.

An inspection carried out by wildlife officials of the state Forest Department also confirmed the findings of the expert and later a detailed report was prepared.

The report described Simbhalwara, adjoining Rajaji National Park, as a natural habitat for tigers with ample food to cater to their needs. The area has a large population of herbivorous animals, including barking deer, wild boar and hare and there is thick growth of elephant grass, making it ideal for a tiger reserve.

The Wildlife Department had earlier sent a detailed report to Central Zoo Authority proposing inclusion of 4,400 hectares of land, including 1,990 hectares in Simbhalwara area, under the tiger reserve.

The Project Tiger was launched in 1973 when the tiger population was put at 1,827, which increased to 3,621 in 2002. However, recent reports indicated tigers were being killed in all the 22 tiger reserves in the country, underlining the need for bringing more areas under tiger reserves and better management to ensure survival of the big cat and protecting them against poaching.

The adjoining Renuka safari in Sirmaur district had a small population of lions also but they started dying due to inbreeding. There were 21 lions in the safari of which 14 had survived and efforts were afoot to ensure that there was no further decline in the lion population.

The wildlife department has started sterilisation of lions to check inbreeding and a pair of lions had so far been sterilised.

The sterilisation of more lions would be done in a phased manner which wildlife experts were confident would ensure their survival. However, these lions have no conservation value as these were neither African nor Asiatic and were of some nondescript breed. A proposal to procure a pair of Asiatic lions from Rajasthan for conservation breeding was under active consideration, a spokesman of wildlife department said.

Meanwhile, the Himachal Pradesh government has decided to bring all bio-diversity related subjects and activities under the umbrella of wildlife management to ensure synergy and integrated conservation of protected areas comprising wildlife sanctuaries and national parks.

While presiding over the first meeting of the reconstituted board for wildlife, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today said here that the state government would initiate steps to protect, conserve and develop the wetlands in the state.

 
SOURCE : The Hindu, Wednesday, May 11, 2005
 


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