Cattle grazing posing a major threat in Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary

SURVIVAL OF RHINOS AT STAKE

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Cattle grazing have posed a grave threat to the survival of the rare one-horned rhinos in the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary. The sanctuary is known for the highest density of the Indian rhinos in the world.

The Expert Committee constituted by the State Forest department to probe the reports of unnatural deaths of several rhinos in the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, has found that the presence of large number of livestock inside the core grasslands of the wildlife sanctuary is the major cause of concern.

This leads to chronic nutritional stress primarily due to serious degradation of available habitat and have affected the vulnerable age group of rhinos in Pobitora, said the committee.

The Expert Committee was constituted by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Wildlife, Assam on December 5, 2020. The committee recently submitted its preliminary report to the Forest department.

"Intense uncontrolled grazing, siltation and clogging of natural water bodies are the primary reason of habitat degradation in the sanctuary. The chronic nutritional stress and high interface with livestock will invariably predispose the population, specially the juveniles and sub adult rhinos towards susceptible diseases and reproductive abnormalities. Under such circumstances, the population built-up will get affected unless urgent time bound action is initiated systematically to reduce the stressors," said the committee in its report.

One of the members of the Expert Committee, eminent veterinarian PadmashreeDrKushalKonowar Sharma said that nearly 15,000 to 20,000 cattle enter the core areas of Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary for grazing. He added that cattle grazing in such a huge number have virtually left no grassland for the rhinos.

"Scarcity of grass has forced the rhinos to survive on other eatables which results in nutritional stress, which has resulted in the lack of adequate milk production in the female rhinos to feed their babies. Under such circumstances, the female rhinos are leaving their calves in search of foods," said Dr Sharma adding that if this trend continues, the survival of rhinos in Pobitora will be difficult in the near future.

Aaranyak CEO DrBibhabTalukdar said that Pabitora is a small but unique rhino-bearing area. "Being small and surrounded by villages from all sides, Pobitora's habitat needs to be managed so as to support the rhino population in the wildlife sanctuary," he said.

"Thousands of cattle grazing inside Pobitora have posed a major threat to the rhinos," pointed out DrTalukdar.

Sensing the threat, Deputy Commissioner of Morigaon (where Pobitora is situated) Leena Das and her team in the district has asked the Gaonburahs (village heads) to sensitize the local people not to let loose their cattle in the wildlife sanctuary. The DC has also asked all the villagers to take out their cattle from Pobitora latest by January 25 2021. After January 25, 2021, the cattle will be officially auctioned.

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