(IN): Rhino Poaching ( an Assam Tribune editorial )

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Link: http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/details.asp?id=jan2308\edit1*

 

Rhino poaching

— * *T*he brutal incident of poachers hacking off a horn from a wounded

rhino and the killing of her calf close to the Kaziranga National Park has

laid bare two facts: the extent that human beings can stoop to make a fast

buck, and the utter failure of the State Government to improve protection

measures in and around the park. Today there would be few conscientious

people who would not have been shaken by the gruesome incident, but they

would be even more concerned to know that last year twenty rhinos were

poached inside or near the park. Last year's deaths unfortunately have not

been able to awaken the Assam Government from its slumber and Kaziranga has

continued to suffer from a serious shortage of manpower and funds. The spurt

in poaching has once again highlighted the vulnerability of the rhino,

especially if the animals strayed away from the park. Last year more rhinos

were killed close to the park boundaries than inside its core area.

Conservation groups and some forest department personnel agree that

Kaziranga must have more personnel to monitor its greatly expanded

territory. The fact that even the existing personnel in Kaziranga are ageing

and ailing is a real worry as they are unfit to carry out patrolling amid

difficult terrains. The need of the hour is for the State Government to

realise the fact that a UNESCO heritage site of Assam is facing a grave

crisis and urgent measures are needed to change the scenario. Unless better

protection measures are implemented without further delay, more animals

would fall prey to criminal elements that show no compunction to kill

protected animals. Better protection is also essential to improve the morale

of forest personnel and to send a positive message about the State in the

international arena. The strategy should ideally include a mechanism to

revamp the intelligence network involving local communities, police, forest

personnel and conservation groups. It has been seen that the intelligence

network as of now has not been able to give desired results to fight

poachers in and around the protected area. A well thought of awareness

campaign among the local people living close to Kaziranga National Park

could be another tool to help check the menace of poaching. Conservation

groups also believe that more funds and equipment should be made available

to the park so that the personnel are better equipped to neutralise

poachers.

 

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