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Sanctuary under threat
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G. ANANTHAKRISHNAN talks to wildlife expert Dr. Ullas Karanth on the conservation efforts at the Nagarhole National Park.
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The elephant population in Nagarhole could be at risk, if the vigil is relaxed.
NAGARHOLE National Park, near Mysore, is one of the brightest jewels of the Western Ghats. This park, bordered by the Bandipur and Wynad sanctuaries, was flagged by National Geographic early this year as an ecological treasure, in its new series on global hotspots — which began with the Western Ghats of India.
But not all is well in paradise. The shocking episode of a group of poachers roaming through the forest in Nagarhole in May and early June to trap tigers, has jolted the forest administration and shaken the numerous campaigners who have given this park the reputation of being one of the best protected in the nation. The apparent faith of conservationists in the park's security was shattered by the discovery of a tiger wounded in a steel jaw leg trap in early June, and the evidence came from visitors who filmed the majestic animal reportedly limping. Wildlife First, an NGO working vigorously to protect Karnataka's Wildlife, and Nagarhole in particular, has sought a CBI probe into the incident to uncover all the links of the poachers.
Nagarhole, a natural idyll, like most of the ghats, has found a place in the international consciousness. The recent Western Ghats spotlight of National Geographic reached an estimated one crore readers, many of them opinion leaders. This national park is one of the best protected areas in the Western Ghats and harbours high densities of several endangered Asian animals like tigers, leopards, dholes (wild dog), elephants and gaur, among others, says Ullas Karanth, Director of the Centre for Wildlife Studies, Bangalore, which has been researching the status of the tiger in Karnataka's forests.
The free run that the poachers had just weeks ago, and the initial slow response of the Nagarhole park staff, has rung alarm bells among wildlife lovers nationwide.
Established in 1955 on a relatively modest scale and expanded two decades later to span 644 sq. km, Nagarhole has become famous for sustained conservation efforts, rehabilitation of encroachers, and most important, keeping its wildlife population protected.
Dr. Karanth points out that the high level of protection in Nagarhole has ensured that ``no species has been lost through extinction recently''. Resettlement of 600 tribal families voluntarily, with help from the Central and Karnataka Governments, and motivation through NGOs like Living Inspiration for Tribals and Wildlife First, has gone a long way in consolidating the habitat for all animals. Most importantly, for the Tiger. The gang of poachers who struck in the park are sure to turn international attention on India's measures to protect the Tiger, but the park is the laboratory for a wealth of research data on the threatened species.
The Karnataka Tiger Conservation Project (KTCP) of 1998 which received international sponsorship, marked a new point in conservation efforts for Nagarhole, that had gained momentum in the 1980s under the dynamic retired forest ranger, K. M. Chinnappa. This conservationist, with a sterling record of protecting forest resources, helped build a network of local activists. The Centre for Wildlife Studies in its report on the Tiger Conservation project, estimates the number of tigers in the sample area in Nagarhole during the year 2000 at 37. The number of tigers in the sample area during the two previous years was 32 and 19.
The close attention that Nagarhole has received both within the country and internationally has benefited it greatly. The fact that there is an abundance of herbivores like spotted and other deer in the National Park is a reflection of low "human predation.'' ``If protected effectively from human hunters, most moist deciduous forests in South India should have high herbivore densities... that they do not is a testimony to the widespread impact of local poachers,'' adds Dr. Karanth, who has been the principal investigator for the Wildlife Conservation Society (India Programme), New York, and scientific advisor for Wildlife First, of which K.M.Chinnappa is President. The WCS has also supported a successful community conservation education programme, the Nagarhole Wildlife Conservation Education Project (NAWICOED), which in turn has encouraged more such education efforts. These programmes point to the effectiveness of activism and a responsive Government together conserving the resources in various sanctuaries and national parks.
Prophetically, just before the poachers struck in Nagarhole recently, the Centre for Wildlife Studies had expressed concern over the pressure on the natural habitat. ``The tiger, dhole and elephant populations, although secure for the moment, may be more vulnerable because of the relatively small size of the park,'' the centre noted.
Buffeted as it is by the recent poaching incident, Nagarhole remains a showcase for the wealth of the ghats to thousands of visitors every year.
The Karnataka Forest department take visitors around a part of the National Park in mini-buses, where they come face to face with herds of elephants, roaming Bison, Malabar giant squirrel, langurs, wild boar and peacocks. With a little luck, the tiger could grant the visitor a glimpse. The other predators in this tropical mixed deciduous forest include the panther, the wild dog (dhole) and the sloth bear.
Nagarhole is near Hunsur, 48 km away from the Park. At the Forest Ranger's Office, the visit to the park interior begins. Old photographs of some of the game in the area decorate the modest park office, where the Range Officer sits. The staff are friendly, and the entire park is a photographer's delight (watchtower access, plus charges for use of cameras and video/movie equipment). A ride in the mini bus costs a small fee, but promises the sighting of several birds (of which there are a reported 270 species), and fauna, big and small.
A National Park like Nagarhole provides an ideal environment in which to educate the visitor on the importance of conservation. However, an introduction of some value about nature or the ecosystem of the ghats is yet to become part of the itinerary.
Given the seriousness of the poaching threat, and the recent instance of poaching, a session on this issue is certainly called for. For those who stay in the rest houses, there could be a video film screening on Nagarhole and its importance. The film by Shekhar Dattatri for Discovery channel is perhaps the best way to get to know the park's importance in a single sitting.
A room in one of the forest rest houses (permission required) like Gangotri or Cauvery cost between Rs. 750 and Rs. 1,000 per day. Foreigners are required to pay a higher tariff. While on room rates, there are private jungle resorts and lodges with daily rates of Rs. 1,200 to Rs. 2,000 per person, in the Kabini area.
The economics of such tours, say conservationists, do not work in the Park's favour. In fact, they are a drain on its resources, creating a deficit of over Rs. 12 lakhs a year, despite the huge income that tours generate for their promoters. The lack of any substantial link between the tourist-generated finances and the local population gives rise to resentment among the local settlers — something which can only be remedied through innovative schemes that transfer some of the funds for the residents' rehabilitation.
Dr. Karanth is also wary about unbridled tourism in such an ecologically sensitive area, while recognising the goodwill for conservation that the high profile fauna of the ghats generate. ``The focus should be on park protection, not on turning the already understaffed forest department into a tour operator.
The primary need is to restrict tourism to those 10 per cent who come there for serious wildlife viewing... the rest who come to make merry and trash the park should be actively discouraged. We have only about one per cent of that land that effectively protects nature, and this should not be turned into a recreational ground like it is in other countries with 30-40 per cent area under natural landscapes,'' he says.
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