(IN): Tiger poisoning cases on the rise in State

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Link: http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/details.asp?id=jan0408/at09

 

*Tiger poisoning cases on the rise in State*

By A Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Jan 3 – While the man-elephant conflict in the State has

constantly been hogging the limelight, the ominous signs of another growing

hostility – between man and tiger – have been palpable near many wildlife

habitats. And this has come at a time when the big cat is being pushed to

the brink, thanks to ruthless poaching and habitat shrinkage. Two tiger cubs

were poisoned inside a tea garden on the outskirts of the famed Kaziranga

National Park last week. While one of the cubs died, the other is

recuperating at the Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre. This comes

close on the heels of the poisoning case in Orang National Park in October

last year where two tiger cubs had died.

 

" As in Orang, the Kaziranga incident is likely to be a case of poisoning but

we are waiting for the results of the forensic tests, " MC Malakar, Chief

Wildlife Warden, Assam, told *The Assam Tribune*.

 

According to forest officials, poisoning cases like these cannot be termed

as poaching, and are the result of a growing man-tiger conflict. " In recent

times there have been several cases of killing of livestock, particularly

cattle, on the fringe villages of Kaziranga. The poisoning seemed to be a

retaliatory action, as the cubs had fed on a cow carcass apparently laced

with poison, " Bankim Sarma, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Kaziranga,

said.

 

The first cub, a male, was found inside the Hatikhuli Tea Estate in a

serious condition on December 27. It was immediately taken to the rescue

centre and stated to be making a quick recovery.

 

" We discovered the carcass of another cub, a female, in the vicinity the

next day. A bottle of what seemed to be insecticide was also recovered from

a nearby fishery, " Sarma said, adding that samples of the cow carcass and

the bottle were sent for forensic tests and police investigation was on.

 

Conservationists feel that the spurt in poisoning could seriously impede the

survival prospects of the tiger, which is already on a slippery ground due

to unabated poaching and habitat destruction across the country.

 

" This is a serious development that can adversely impact tiger conservation.

The situation is more dangerous because the compensation paid to the owners

of livestock killed by tigers has failed to act as a deterrent to

poisoning, " Sarma said.

 

Sarma added that there had also been awareness campaigns on the front in the

fringe areas. But apparently, it was not yielding the desired results.

" Forest personnel across the Park have been put on alert and vigil

intensified following the developments, " he said.

 

Kaziranga, incidentally, has one of the highest tiger populations in the

country with a count of 86 as per the 2000 census. It was recently declared

a Tiger Reserve. The first phase of the ongoing census has been over and the

second phase is to start soon.

 

Carnivores like tiger occasionally develop the tendency to fall on easy prey

such as cattle available in the fringe human habitations, which can take the

form of a serious man-animal conflict unless addressed properly.

 

The poisoning incident in Orang was also similar in nature. Two tiger cubs

were found dead after devouring a buffalo kill, which was poisoned by local

villagers.

 

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