(NP): Dame Daphne & wildlife experts writes to NEPAL

[Guest guest]

*Please find below the emails sent by Dame Daphne Sheldrick and Ms. Suparna

Baksi-Ganguly of CUPA & WRRC-Bangalore to Nepal authorities on the

indiscriminate firing upon elephant herds by Nepalese Policemen:*

 

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*To:-* Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers,

 

Singh Rurbar,

 

Katmandu, Nepal.

 

 

 

Hon. Sirs,

 

 

 

As a recognized world authority on the African elephant, and someone who has

always believed that the peoples of India possessed an empathy for wildlife,

and particularly for their elephant population, I am shocked and disgusted

to learn that the Nepalese Police have apparently been shooting

indiscriminately at herds of elephants along the Indo/Nepal border, killing

several and wounding others to die in unspeakable agony. It is appalling

that this has apparently happened several times, and that the authorities

have not put a halt to such blatant abuse.

 

 

 

These incidents generate disgust amongst all caring conservationists

world-wide and impact negatively on the reputation of your country, and the

Nepalese Police force. Asia has coexisted with elephants since time

immemorial, and these gentle pachyderms are admired and treasured

world-wide. That they are not protected, and are subjected to such cruelty

at the hands of a Government Police force is shameful.

 

 

 

I would urge you to look into this matter urgently, and take whatever

measures are necessary to bring the perpetrators to justice, and prevent

such incidents from taking place again.

 

 

 

Dr. Dame Daphne Sheldrick DBE MBE MBS DVMS

 

1992 UNEP Global 500 Laureate and Chairperson David Sheldrick Wildlife

Trust, Kenya.

 

 

_____________________

 

*Office of The Prime Minister and Council of Ministers*

*Singh Durbar*

*Kathmandu, Nepal*

*Phone: 977-1-4211000*

 

Respected Prime Minister Sir,

 

The reports which are being published in the newspapers have given rise to

great anxiety and fear among wildlife conservationists and animal lovers.

The reports are enclosed below.

 

We are certain that as the Prime Minister of a country as great and

compassionate as Nepal, you will take action to stop the massacre of these

innocent animals. In India the wild elephants are rapidly losing cover and

creating damage. However, the Forest Department are not authorised to shoot

or harm the animals. If they are caught doing so, usually legal action is

initiated.

 

We are confident that your country will take the just decision for these

wild animals since they are on the list of IUCN endangered list and need

protection from all quarters.

 

We look to your leadership and kindness to urgently issue orders to stop the

meaningless killing of these beloved giants, who are on the brink of

extinction in the modern times.

 

Thanking you,

Yours faithfully

 

Suparna Baksi-Ganguly

(Hon.) Vice-President & Trustee

Compassion Unlimited Plus Action (CUPA) &

Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation Center (WRRC)

Bangalore, Karnataka,

India

 

 

 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Kolkata-/Elephants-shot-at-by-Nepal-po\

lice-again/articleshow/4755212.cms

 

Elephants shot at by Nepal police again

 

9 Jul 2009, 0126 hrs IST, Pinak Priya Bhattacharya, TNN

 

JALPAIGURI: Less than a month after an elephant herd was shot at on the

Indo-Nepal border, yet another herd was fired at by the Nepal police onMonday

evening. One of the elephants has apparently received a serious injury while

six to seven others are believed to have been hit by bullets as well. This

herd, along with two others, is still moving around in the border area.

 

It was almost 48 hours after the shooting that the Indian

forest<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Kolkata-/Elephants-shot-at-by-N\

epal-police-again/articleshow/4755212.cms#%23>

authorities

came to know about it. A Nepal NGO Biodiversity Conservation Society wrote

to the state forest department, informing them about the incident. Forest

officials of the Kurseong division held an emergency meeting to review the

situation, but senior officials were not present there.

 

In a near repeat of last month's incident, policemen at Jhapa in Nepal

opened fire at a herd that crossed over late on Monday evening. Three herds

had crossed over into Debipur and Bamondangi around the same time. Unlike on

the last occasion, Indian forest authorities did not hear gunshots. It was

only after the Nepal NGO informed them that they came to know about it. But

none of the herds have been traced as yet. The herds are still moving around

the Naxalbari-Bagdogra area of India and the Bamondangi-Debipur area across

the border.

 

Indian NGOs have alleged that the forest department has refused to take the

matter seriously or pursue it at the government level. " This is the second

such incident in a month which is alarming. Several elephants were shot at

the same spot two years ago. Despite repeated requests, the forest

department has not taken up the matter, " said Animesh Basu of Himalayan

Nature and Adventure Foundation.

 

But across the border in Nepal, the firing has been taken seriously by NGOs.

Several of them will come together for an emergency meeting called by

Wildlife Conservation of Nepal on July 17. They will discuss the future of

elephants in eastern Nepal at Biratnagar. Indian NGOs are expected to take

part in the meet as well.

 

In early June, an elephant herd was fired upon by Nepal police in Jhapa.

When Indian forest guards sought to prevent the firing, they too were shot

at. At least four elephants were feared injured though none could be traced

later.

 

 

 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Kolkata-/Nepal-police-fire-at-elephant-herd/a\

rticleshow/4642111.cms

 

*Nepal** police fire at elephant herd*

 

11 Jun 2009, 0519 hrs IST, Pinak Priya Bhattacharya, TNN

JALPAIGURI: Nepal police allegedly fired at a herd of elephants near

the Mechi river on the India-Nepal border, injuring several of them.

This is a

near-repeat of a similar incident two years ago.

 

Even a team of Indian forest guards from the Kurseong division was

shot at when it crossed over to Nepal to try and persuade the police

to desist from firing at the animals. The guards had to take cover on

the bank of Mechi and crossed back to India after two hours. While the

herd has moved back to Indian territory, it is still not clear if any

elephant has been killed in Nepal or if those which have returned have

got bullet injuries.

 

Mechi happens to fall on end of the traditional elephant corridor in

north Bengal that stretches for 400 km till Sankosh on the Assam

border. Every year, the herd enters Nepal and moves back to India

after having crossed the Mechi river. In 2007, the Nepal police had

opened fire on the herd killing a tusker. Several had received bullet

injuries leading to an outcry from animal rights organizations all

over the world. It was alleged that the herd was destroying crops and

property. On that occasion, too, the Indian forest department had

tried to persuade the forest officials in Nepal's Dhapa district to

desist from firing but their efforts had failed.

 

On Tuesday evening, a herd of around 60 pachyderms entered Dhapa.

Soon, the elephants reached Bamondangi village where an elephant had

been shot in 2007 and started raiding homes and fields. The Nepal

police, that had been waiting on the banks of the Mechi, opened fire.

For around two hours, they fired indiscriminately at the herd. The

gunshots alerted the Indian authorities who sent a team of guards from

the Kurseong division. But they were not spared either. Even before

the guards could reach the Nepal police outpost, they were sprayed

with bullets. Even though they managed to evade the bullets, the

guards had to lie on the ground for two hours, waiting for the firing

to stop.

 

The forest department suspects that several members of the herd that

has now crossed back to Kalabari forest in Darjeeling district could

have sustained bullet injuries. " We have been hearing distressed

trumpeting calls from the forest which is a bad sign. It indicates

that some elephants are injured. We are trying to locate the injured

animals, " said Silvand Patel, chief conservator of forests, wild life,

north Bengal.

 

Wild life activists and senior forest officials reacted angrily to the

firing. " This is not only unethical but violates international rules

as well. This has been happening for the last two years despite

repeated appeals to spare the elephants. We are going to take it up

with union government soon, " said Animesh Basu, convenor, Himalayan

Nature and Adventure Foundation. The Foundation plans to write a

letter to the union environment minister informing him about the

firing.

 

Senior forest officials felt it was futile to try and persuade the

Nepal authorities to stop firing at elephants. " Two years ago, we had

several meetings with the Dhapa forest officials. They had agreed not

to fire and seek our help in controlling the herd. Accordingly, we had

helped them put up power fences and even trained their workers to

drive away the elephants without harming them. But they went back on

their word, " said S S Bist, elephant expert and managing director of

the West Bengal Forest Development Corporation. Bist had taken the

initiative in 2007 to try and persuade Nepal into an agreement.

" Through the Indian embassy, they had promised not to open fire on

herds. Now, it is clear that such agreements have no value. We must

restrict the elephants to Indian territory. They can be confined to

the Mahananda sanctuary and prevented from entering Nepal, " added

Bist.

 

Last year, an elephant had been electrocuted in Nepal. Later, it died

of its injuries in India.

 

 

 

 

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