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Link: http://www.nagalandpost.com/regionaldesc.asp?sectionID=58494

 

*Wildlife crimes and role of media

*

 

Staff Reporter

 

Wild Mahsheer (Sonitpur), April 13 (NPN):

 

A two-day workshop on " Wildlife Crimes: The Role of Media, " held here from

April 9 to 10, underlined that humans cannot grow at the cost of wildlife

and therefore, its conservation was vital for the survival of humans.

 

Organized by the American Centre, Kolkata, with support from Mumbai-based

" Sanctuary " , a periodical on wildlife, and attended by nine journalists from

seven of the eight northeastern States and also West Bengal, the workshop

deliberated on a wide range of issues, from climate change to the fight

against wildlife trafficking.

 

Welcoming the participants, Director of American Centre, Kolkata, Douglas G.

Kelly threw light on the rapid growth of illegal trade in wildlife that has

pushed a number of species on the brink of extinction. He said in addition

to the serious threats to biodiversity, wildlife trafficking posed health

threats as some diseases such as Avian Influenza, SARS, Ebola Virus and

tuberculosis could jump from animals to humans. " In some cases, it rivals

the profits made from trafficking in drugs and weapons. " According to Kelly,

the trade involves an estimated 10 billion US dollars each year globally.

 

Kelly said creation of the Coalition Against Wildlife Trafficking (CAWT) by

the US State Department was aimed at bringing the public and private sectors

together in order to raise awareness on the menace of wildlife trafficking

and to help nations work together.

 

Making a presentation on the need to protect and preserve wildlife, Bittu

Sahgal, Editor of Sanctuary, said the fate of India today rested solely on

the Northeast after large-scale deforestation and subsequent

industrialization. He said at a time when climate change posed a serious

threat to India, it was the Northeast that could determine the fate of the

country by protecting and preserving its wildlife.

 

Giving a minute description on global warming vis-à-vis climate change,

Sahgal called upon the people of Northeast not to to deforestation

for industrialization. He cautioned that deforestation would leave an

adverse effect not only on wildlife but entire human habitat. In this

connection, Sahgal made a vitriolic attack on urban India for allegedly

trying to colonialize rural India. He vividly described how climate change

would trigger migration of population, thus leaving very little for wildlife

habitat. " If we want to save India, save the Northeast first, " he insisted.

 

Sahgal also highlighted the menace of wildlife trafficking and the network

between poachers and drug mafias. " The situation has come to such a pass

that you get drugs only in exchange of animal parts, " Sahgal said. He

appealed to media persons in the Northeast to create awareness for

preservation and conservation of wildlife.

 

Dr. Anupam Sarmah, Director of WWF North Brahmaputra Project, while making a

presentation on wildlife in the Northeast and its conservation, emphasized

on restoration of the lost forest cover. He highlighted how half of

Soniarupai and a chunk of Balipara Reserved Forests in Sonitpur district of

Assam were ravaged by poachers and encroachers. He said there had been a

sudden spurt in human-wild animal conflicts especially in North Bank

Landscape owing to deforestation.

 

Dr. Sarmah disclosed that 70 elephants and 125 people were reported killed

during the period 1996 and 2003 in human-elephant conflicts. He gave an

overview of various initiatives taken by WWF India for the conservation of

wildlife.

 

On their part, the journalists highlighted the situation in their respective

State.

 

On the second day of the workshop, the journalists were taken to Nameri

National Park for bird watching. Nestled on the foothills of Eastern

Himalayas, the Nameri National Park is most scenic of all national parks in

Assam. It is the home to many endangered species and known for its elephant

population.

 

--

United against elephant polo

http://www.stopelephantpolo.com

 

 

 

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