OSAI

OSAI organised a special Enviro Meet for the International Year of Forests on September 25th, 2011 at Hotel Tamilnadu, Gandhipuram, Coimbatore. Rtn. Mr.S.Satish presided over the function. Dr.A.J.T.Johnsingh, the former Dean of Wildlife Institute of India, Deharadun gave special address on 'Conservation of Central Western Ghats'.

He discussed about the issues that needs urgent attention of the conservation community.

The people of Coimbatore should fight and work hard for the conservation of tanks nearby which were built 1000 years ago. Everyone knows the impact of the global warming, we people can play a major role by planting trees to control the global warming.

India became a land of degraded wilderness. Over the decades several exotic and invasive species (nearly 50 species prominent) have degraded the Indian wilderness. In many locations biomass of invasive species is more than native species. These species reduced the capability of the landscapes to support native herbivores. There is no information on toxicity of these invasive species. There are some studies shows that Lantana camara would affect the kidneys and eyes of animals.

Ipomoea carnea (Pink Morning Glory) an invasive from Central America invaded in water bodies gives impact on fishes. Arundo donax an extremely valuable native species can replace Ipomoea carnea. Opuntia dillenii (Cactus) is another wide spread invasive in forest, for example in Mudumalai landscape it is a threat to large mammals. Prosopis juliflora is a threat to black buck in Moyar valley. Casia spectabulis is a threat in Bandipur, Nagarhole and Bhadra Tiger Reserves. Flemingea bracteata is an unestimated problem in Kanha landscape. The other species like Lantana camara, Parthenium hysterophorus, Sida cordifolia, Hyptis suaveolens (American mint, huge problem in Central India), Tiliacora cordifolia. Enormous problem in the terai landscape), Mimosa invisa (problem in Kaziranga Tiger Reserve) Xanthium stumaniam and Heliotropium indicum (on the banks of Kabini) have minimized the forest quality in India.

The train routes and the roads in the forest areas kill all the species of animals. Increasing number of speeding vehicles playing on smooth roads with no speed-breakers and signage have killed and are killing more wild animals than poachers. The country has not yet woken up to this serious problem. (He showed some pathetic photos of road kills of king cobra, porcupine, red fox and sambar deer). There are many incidents of Sambar deer have been killed in roads. Sambar deer are the main prey for tigers. In hilly terrain sambar deer conservation is tiger conservation. During hunting gaur and wild board may cause severe injury to tiger but not Sambar deer.

Stealing and robbing the kills is immensely detrimental to stalking predators. Kill stealing associated with Bhabar grass cutters has led to the drastic decline of tigers in the west of Ganges. The continuous stealing of kills of a pregnant tiger would affect the cub.

The fire wood cutting is also a great threat to wildlife. When there is grazing, wildlife is the loser. Grazing causes competitions for food, water, space and spread diseases and causes disturbances. These problems can be solved by providing proper alternative to the people.

Snaring is the cruel and easiest and the silent way to poaching.

Lack of accountability is the main hurdle for wildlife conservation. Creation of Chill-Motichur corridor across Ganges which will support tiger and elephant habitat in Uttarkand is dragging over the 25 years. The important Gola corridor was lost recently because the Government did not know that it was a corridor in spite of the information available.

In India, we may have 25000 elephants but tuskers numbers <1000. Majestic large bulls are rare largely as a result of poaching. We can suggest Project Tuskers instead of Project Elephant.

The wild dogs keep the other population healthy. It kills all the disabled and aged animals.

The suggestion to the conservationist are to eradicate free-ranging of domestic dogs that kill wildlife; monitor the abundance of bee-hives and roosts of fruit bats; monitor the abundance of butterflies, night jars and insectivorous bats; pressurize the highways department to plant and protect valuable tree species such as Peepal, Ficus, Mango, Jamun, Tamarind and Neem.