الثلاثاء، 27 نوفمبر 2012

HP snow drives animals to lower zones

MANALI: Snowfall and extreme cold conditions on high hills of Himachal is forcing leopards, bears and other animals to descend lower to the inhabited areas in search of food, which could trigger man-animal conflict. Reports of animals preying on pets are coming from some parts of the state and the wildlife department has geared up to check poaching.

A leopard is reported to have killed dogs in Bada Bhuin village of Kullu. According to Shyam Sundar, vice chief of the panchayat, many residents have seen a leopard near the village. Recently, Lahaul villagers had requested the wildlife department to catch the Himalayan brown bears that were destroying their crops.

The department had confirmed spotting six snow leopards – two near Tholang village and four near Biling of Lahaul-Spiti – during the winters last year.

Spiti DFO (wildlife) Rajesh Sharma said that though the snow leopards are accustomed to extreme snowfall, many a time they descend to the lower areas in search of prey. “We had installed some trap cameras in sanctuaries which have clicked thousands of pictures of the animals, some of them are of snow leopards.

Pictures have been sent to Mysore lab for verification,” he pointed out. As density of rare and endangered animals like snow leopards, Himalayan musk dear, brown bear and birds including western tragopan and monal is higher in Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP) of the state, authorities have set up foolproof security to keep the poachers at bay. As many as 20 trap cams have been installed in the park.

DFO of GHNP Sandeep Sharma said winters are driving the animals to lower areas and possibility of poaching has increased. He added, “We have formed anti-poaching teams and set up patrolling camps after marking the most vulnerable areas in the park. Camps have been set up near the villages and mobile teams are also keeping tabs on illegal hunting. If poachers try to enter the park, cameras would take their pictures along with the arms which can be produced as proof in court.”

According to officials, descending of wild animals to the lower areas is normal after snowfall. People have been asked to co-operate with the wildlife department and not to harm them.

National award winner environmentalist Kishan Thakur said humans are intruding into the natural habitats of the animals. “We have destroyed trees of chestnut and walnut for timber on which most of the animals used to feed during winter months. We are encroaching on the jungles and have constructed projects in their habitats. They have no way left other than entering the inhabited areas.”

He also said that there is misconception that poaching has been stopped. Poachers are killing animals using traditional traps and awareness and strict law are the only ways to stop it, he added.

Kids take leopard cub for cat

Four cubs of leopard were spotted at Kanaid village of Mandi on Saturday morning. Sundernagar divisional forest officer (DFO) Ajeet Thakur said some schoolchildren took one of the cubs for cat and were playing with it. “Local residents caught the cub and handed it over to us. We are surveying the area for more leopards,” he said.

p


HP snow drives animals to lower zones http://pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-89EKCgBk8MZdE.gif

ليست هناك تعليقات:

إرسال تعليق