Wildlife Week: Working together for wildlife

Rahul Ashem *

Yangoupokpi-Lokchao Wildlife Sanctuary :: Pix - Dr Oinam Sunanda

We are the agents of change. Lets participate in conservation studies and exploring key issues to fight against wildlife threats like habitat alteration, illegal wildlife trafficking, over-exploitation and poaching.

Wildlife plays an important role in maintaining the ecological equilibrium of nature. The biological process of wildlife is also an effective way to assess the quality of the environment. Out of the 16,994 forest covers, the State, Manipur occupies only 757.6 sq km of protected areas.

They are Keibul Lamjao National Park, Shiroi Hill National Park (proposed), Bunning Wildlife Sanctuary, Jiri-Makru Wildlife Sanctuary, Kailam Wildlife Sanctuary, Yangoupokpi Lokchao Wildlife Sanctuary and Zeilad Wildlife Sanctuary. The survival status of Royal Asian elephant is unknown in Yangoupokpi Lokchao Wildlife Sanctuary due to the traditional methods of shifting cultivation, over exploitation and lack of technical competence.

The presence of tiger population was recorded till the 80s before the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) declared the 2001 census as extinct large feline from the State of Manipur. The Sumatran rhinoceros once believed to be found in New Samtal, Manipur Myanmar border, is recorded as extinct due to the lack of particular report for its existence (of this herbivore animal).

The Sumatran rhinoceros is perhaps the most endangered large mammal in the world with an estimated population of not more than 300 in the wild. The changing scenario of climate (scanty rainfall and rise in temperature) is leading the State flower, Shirui lily, as a major threat to the biodiversity conservation. The flower is endemic to the Shirui hills of Ukhrul district. The hills also support the threatened bird, Nongin, the state bird of Manipur. Therefore, it is the right time to raise public awareness in favour of wildlife preservation for the long term safeguarding of wildlife through critical action.

Wildlife week is celebrated on 2nd to 8th October every year. The week was conceptualized in 1952 by the Indian Board of Wild Life (IBWL) to raise awareness the long term preservation and protection of faunal diversity in the Indian subcontinent. In the present millennium, the sign of habitat fragmentation, degradation and reckless felling of trees is creating problems in the surrounding environment.

The practices of shifting cultivation, faulty land use system and other environmental factors are other major threat in forested areas. The phenomenon of clearing the forest land for shifting cultivation and agricultural purposes in the state is done since time immemorial. Unfortunately, most of the areas under shifting cultivation are not surveyed and basic information in regard to the practice like actual location, exact extent, population dependent is not available.

With the increasing human population and livestock, the forest resources are under pressure resulting in the depletion, degradation and endangering natural regeneration of the forests. This has become a cause of serious concern for increasing degradation of many ecosystem services. In short, the practices of slash and burn cultivation is one example of major land use pattern resulting in soil erosion, destabilization of the ecology of the given region and deforestation.

Consequently, this has led to the loss of any faunal diversity from a given ecological system. There are too many unknown ways that species interact and the processes take place over scales of tens to thousands of square kilometers. The true effect of a loss can’t be known until years or decades after it has taken place.

The wildlife week also coincides with the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the aspects of non violence. Today, most of the wildlife habitats in the State are under pressure and large numbers of wild species are endangered. The effective conservation of wild animals is of great significance. Sangai, the State animal of Manipur is an indicator of Keibul Lamjao ecological system and the maintenance of biologically diverse wildlife communities.

The park also includes other iconic species like Hog deer, Wild boar, Common otter, Indian civet, migratory birds and other reptiles found in the park which is threatened by illegal hunting and poaching. The role of Sangai and its co exist located in Keibul Lamjao National Park is contributing much to the economy in the State in terms of tourism sector as well as in preserving the wilderness and providing sustainable livelihoods to the people living inside the park area.

On the southern fringe is the Loktak pat, the largest fresh water lake in the North Eastern regions is designated as wetland of International importance under the Ramsar convention. The lake is also listed under the Montreux Record on 16 June 1993, a record of Ramsar sites where changes in ecological character has occurred, occurring or are likely to be occur. Loktak pat is one such example of vanishing migratory birds in the state.

Migratory Birds are considered as the bio-indicators for studying variety of environmental problems and the importance of local landscapes. They are of great economic value in population control and maintaining different species of insects and pests. They also help in the pollination pattern and dispersal of seeds for better synchronization in the flowering family. Scientifically, migratory birds start their journey from Siberia, Russia, China, Mongolia, Tibet, the Himalayas and other countries.

As of big cat family, tiger which stand at the apex of the food chain, as a shy, territorial and nocturnal animal, has come to a halt as poachers, hunters or traditional hunters start hunting their ecosystem environment. This leads the animal to completely disappear from the protected areas of Manipur or the wildlife sanctuaries. The recent issue of tiger in Manipur-Nagaland border is a basic example of occasional occurrence of yellow-striped tiger in Manipur.

Some of the smaller cats are identified in the floating National Park (Marbled cat, Leopard cat or Fishing cat). A black panther, melanistic form of common leopard was also killed in Kachouphung khul, near Ukhrul Myanmar border. The village is under the Kamjong tehsil (Ukhrul district), 67 kms from the capital Imphal. The presence of feline animal does not depend on the size of pugmark content as the sign can show bigger in wetter or near to river beds, stream/lake or smaller to dry areas, fine level roads or trails.

Manipur is a part of Indo Burma biodiversity hotspot diverse with numerous faunal species like the Himalayan black bear, Malayan sun bear, Leopard, Wild dog, Elephant, Gaur, Asiatic black bear, Bison, Serow, Barking deer, Sambar, Hog badgers, Ferret badgers, Pangolins, Bear cats, Spotted linsang, Himalayan yellow throated marten. All these species may come to end if there is lack of survey or poorer maintenance of the protected areas.

The state is celebrating the 62nd wildlife week through public meeting, awareness, several conferences, motor riding and other activities with wildlife as the theme. Various schools, colleges and institutions aware their students through the wildlife related movie screening, essay writing, painting competition, debate competition and many more. It is the right hour for all of us to learn from experts the importance of wildlife conservation for a balanced and healthy environment.

Apart from the ecological value, wildlife also has economic, aesthetic and recreational values. An aware populace will drive conservation efforts locally in their communities, ensuring that the rich faunal diversity of the country is preserved for the generations to come. In particular, the wildlife society is affected by habitat destruction, exposure to invasive species, increasing conflicts with humans and climate change.