|
|
 |
Rhino relocation
| |
| The Assam Tribune , Monday, March 06, 2006 |
| Correspondent
: Prabal Kr Das |
| Years after the rhino population of Manas National Park was wiped off, finally a female rhino has arrived from distant Kaziranga. The animal was rescued during a flood and later hand reared; a rare feat in itself. At present it is lodged within a fenced off area inside the Park, taken care of by veterinarians, biologists and forest personnel. The initial signs, according to those involved in its upkeep, are encouraging. The rhino has settled in amid its new surroundings, grazing, drinking and showing behaviour that seems normal. The relocation of the rhino is an event that needs to be commended for several reasons, foremost among them being the fact that a brave attempt has been made to understand how well an animal would adopt in a different environment from the one in which it grew up. It is admirable because after long deliberations we are seeing an effort to introduce the rhino population in areas, which had historical precedents as rhino habitat. Unless the population of rhinos were dispersed across several regions, there is the scary prospect of losing large numbers if a catastrophic situation took place in their few present habitat.
However, the relocation process is far from over, and the rhino’s arrival and introduction is only the first step. There are other concerns that the Forest Department has, and among them the issue about its behaviour once it attains sexual maturity. How well would a single female rhino behave once it was released in the wild? What are the chances of its survival in the wild? How receptive would it be to mate with another rhino after another was introduced? These are questions, which would make any conservationist apprehensive. The chances of the rhino’s survival would also depend to a large extent how the Park authorities of Manas provide due security to the animal, keeping in mind that previously poaching had played havoc with its wildlife. Intelligence gathering around the Park would have to be made more intensive and extensive much like it has been done around Kaziranga National Park. Perhaps a participatory approach involving the Forest Department and the people living in the edge of the Park would be the best mechanism to ensure that the Park enjoys the required protection. A new regime of patrolling and monitoring would also have to be evolved to ensure that the rhinos come under a protective umbrella.
The survival of the new rhino would be important in the developing scenario, but equally important would be the manner in which the rest of the rhinos to be brought in from Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary and Kaziranga are introduced in the near future. Under the Rhino Vision Plan, about twenty rhinos would be brought in to Manas from both the areas. The ambitious plan would involve resources and skills at a broader scale and thus would be a bigger challenge. If the Forest Department is serious about the effort, it must first overhaul the infrastructure of Manas, which at present suffers from a severe shortage of staff and financial resources. The same would be pertinent in other protected areas, which will be new homes to rhinos from Kaziranga and Pobitora. Till now, unfortunately, we have not observed any steps in that direction, which is likely to delay the relocation process.
|
| |
| SOURCE
:
The Assam Tribune, Monday, March 06, 2006 |
| |
| | | |
