IBOYAIMA LAITHANGBAM | IMPHAL, April 18, 2013
Wildlife lovers are overjoyed by the recent report that the population of the brow-antlered deer in its natural habitat at the Keibul Lamjao National Park, located within the Loktak Lake in Manipur, has increased from 180 a few years back to 200 now. However, the big question is how long this deer, listed in the Red Book, will survive.
The deer has been facing a two-pronged threat. The first blow was the commissioning of the 105 MW Loktak project in 1983 by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation. As the three turbines are draining water round the clock, the floating biomass on which the deer live, has been ravaged. The second threat is from poachers.
Local newspapers have been regularly publishing reports and photographs on poaching and sale of venison.
This rare deer was first discovered in 1839. Because of extensive poaching by the British and others, it was feared that it had become extinct in 1951. However, just six deer were sighted at the natural habitat in 1953. A flurry of activity was galvanised to save it. The population increased to 14 in 1975 and 155 in 1995. The official census conducted in 2000 counted 162 deer – 54 stags, 76 hinds and 32 fawns. The Manipur Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 was also enforced. The sanctuary created in 1966 was declared a national park in 1977.
Apart from the damage done by the Loktak project, human disturbance is also a great threat to the deer. Large scale use of poison to catch fish has also killed grass in the bio mass.
Some local politicians instigated the villagers to demand closure of the park so that it could be converted to a paddy field. Poachers and villagers beat up the skeleton staff of the wildlife wing guarding the park and even torched their personal belongings. The government deployed a detachment of Manipur Rifles troopers there. This was effective since the forest guards could chase away the poachers and other anti-social elements. However, the troopers were later recalled for unexplained reasons.
There were suggestions to keep some deer in the national parks in Assam. This attracted strong objections as the parks there do not have floating biomass.
Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/browantlered-deer-flourish-in-manipur-national-park/article4628483.ece
Threat to endangered species from hydel plant and poaching remains
- Politicians instigated villagers to demand closure of the national park and convert it into a paddy field
- There are suggestions to keep some deer in national parks in Assam
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| A brow-antlered deer cools off in a water tub in its open-air enclosure at the Alipore Zoo in Kolkata. - File photo |
The deer has been facing a two-pronged threat. The first blow was the commissioning of the 105 MW Loktak project in 1983 by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation. As the three turbines are draining water round the clock, the floating biomass on which the deer live, has been ravaged. The second threat is from poachers.
Local newspapers have been regularly publishing reports and photographs on poaching and sale of venison.
This rare deer was first discovered in 1839. Because of extensive poaching by the British and others, it was feared that it had become extinct in 1951. However, just six deer were sighted at the natural habitat in 1953. A flurry of activity was galvanised to save it. The population increased to 14 in 1975 and 155 in 1995. The official census conducted in 2000 counted 162 deer – 54 stags, 76 hinds and 32 fawns. The Manipur Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 was also enforced. The sanctuary created in 1966 was declared a national park in 1977.
Apart from the damage done by the Loktak project, human disturbance is also a great threat to the deer. Large scale use of poison to catch fish has also killed grass in the bio mass.
Some local politicians instigated the villagers to demand closure of the park so that it could be converted to a paddy field. Poachers and villagers beat up the skeleton staff of the wildlife wing guarding the park and even torched their personal belongings. The government deployed a detachment of Manipur Rifles troopers there. This was effective since the forest guards could chase away the poachers and other anti-social elements. However, the troopers were later recalled for unexplained reasons.
There were suggestions to keep some deer in the national parks in Assam. This attracted strong objections as the parks there do not have floating biomass.
Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/browantlered-deer-flourish-in-manipur-national-park/article4628483.ece
