Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 08:
Other than non payment of Government employees' salaries and the acute financial morass the State has been plunged into, the fate of the Sangai, is also in peril as due to paucity of funds no head count of the rare animal and treasure of the State has been held since the last one year.
Speaking to The Sangai Express, the Chief Conservator of Forest and Wild Life, Th Priyobor said that due to the acute financial crisis no head count of the rare animal could be conducted since last year.
To preserve the Sangai, the Department had been conducting head count and survey of rare Sangai annually.
The official further said that development work of the Iroishemba Zoological Garden have come to a grinding halt and no campaign for preserving wild life could be conducted.
When this reporter visited the Zoological Garden today, the rows of trees planted from the entrance of the zoo were all cut down.
The rows of trees serve as the nesting place for the cranes and for hatching their young ones.
At the moment the zoo houses one male and one female Sangai while at the Second Sangai Home at Langol the number is one female and seven males.
Zoo officials said the Sangais are fed regularly.
They also said since the enclosures are too congested mammals cannot mate freely during their mating period severely affecting the number of animals at the zoo.
There are also no provisions for separate enclosures for pregnant animals.
Advisor EN Rammohan has already inspected the zoo and the Keibul Lamjao National Park, informed officials.
When contacted Rammohan said plans are afoot to develop Keibul Lamjao and Yangoupokpi Wild Life Sanctuary under the Union Ministry of Forest and Environment.