One horned Rhinocerous faces natural threat

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Weed invasion a threat to Pobitora grassland

From Sivasish Thakur

POBITORA, Nov 19 – The Pobitora wildlife sanctuary that boasts of the

world's highest concentration of the one-horned rhino with a

population of 81 in a 38.81-sq km area, is facing a menacing invasion

of the ipomoea (Ipomoea carnia) weed. " The fast growing weed, an

exotic variety, has already affected some 15 hectares of grassland.

Unless urgent measures are initiated, it would result in drastic

shrinkage of the grassland that constitutes the main rhino habitat, "

sanctuary authorities said.

 

The invasion of ipomoea started about five years back but has assumed

serious proportions in the past two years. The sanctuary authorities

said they were in touch with the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) for

tackling the situation.

 

The overpopulation of the rhino has already led to serious constraints

of food and space in Pobitora with the result that the rhinos have

developed the habit of straying outside the protected area in search

of food.

 

" Straying rhinos expose themselves to various dangers, especially from

poachers. It has also led to the intensifying man-rhino conflict that

has seen the death of five persons and crippling injury to another in

the last three years, " a Forest official said, adding that

occasionally the rhinos destroyed crops.

 

Things have come to such a stage that almost half the rhino population

goes out of the sanctuary every day for grazing in the morning and

returns by evening. " Their movement effectively spreads over an area

of around 450 sq km, and it is impossible to keep track of the

straying rhinos over such a big area with the existing staff, " the

official said, adding that the local villagers often kept the forest

staff informed about the rhinos' whereabouts, especially when the

animals happened to be near human settlements.

 

" While the sanctuary extends to an area of 38.81 sq km, the actual

rhino habitat is a meagre 16 sq km, and sustaining the huge population

is not possible, " the official said.

 

The man-animal conflict and food scarcity apart, the situation is

fraught with the danger of straying rhinos getting contaminated with

diseases from domestic animals, as they tend to graze in fields shared

by domestic animals.

 

The Forest Department has plans to translocate some of the excess

rhinos of Pobitora to other protected areas, such as Manas, Laokhowa

and Dibru-Saikhowa.

 

Meanwhile, the tourism scenario is picking up in Pobitora with

visitors flocking the sanctuary in good numbers. The State

Government's apathy to this important rhino habitat is evident from

the pathetic condition of the roads linking it with other places,

including Guwahati. The much shorter route from Guwahati via

Chandrapur also lies in a state of perennial neglect.

 

" All the tall talk of the State Government regarding its commitment to

promote tourism falls flat on its face talks, as we can see from the

road to this wonderland of nature, " a tourist said.

 

Amar Bora of Tourfed, which organizes regular conducted tours to

Pobitora and Mayong, the famed seat of tantric magic situated near the

sanctuary, said that the State Government had not yet accorded the

importance the two places deserved. " The vast tourism potential of

these two areas have not at all been tapped. If the authorities just

repair the roads, that would also be a boon, " he said.

 

Located 52 km off the city, Pobitora was notified as a sanctuary in

1998. While its claim to fame rests on the rhino, it is home to a

total of 24 species of mammals besides 27 species of reptiles. It is

extremely rich in avifauna with 216 species of birds recorded so far.