Maksam Tayeng

 

PASIGHAT, May 26: 

 

The D. Ering Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary (DEMWS) located in the riverine Islands of Siang River in East Siang District which houses several critically endangered wildlife species needs more care and attention from both state and central governments, as the sanctuary is facing constant threat from hunters, poachers and cattle grazing.

After failed attempts by previous park managers, present DFO Wildlife, Tasang Taga, who is a trained wildlife expert from Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun is now trying to revive the lost glory of the Sanctuary which once housed the Royal Bengal Tiger.

As initiative, Taga is engaging wildlife experts from NGOs like Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), Aaranyak, WTI etc to carry out research works and develop modalities to curb the menace of hunting and poaching including illegal cattle grazing which pose threat of Food and Mouth Disease to wild animals inside the sanctuary.

Showing that it means business, the department arrested few hunters during recent hunting festival including hiring drone for enhanced surveillance. But with limited manpower and resources the management is facing an uphill task.

‘There are only 22 sanctioned contingency staffers along with 5 Foresters, 7 Forest Guards, 3 Forest Watchers. But the requirements are 15 each for Forester, Forest Guard and Forest Watchers and the numbers of sanctioned contingency staffers has to be increased to 40’, says DFO Tasang Taga.

With 190 Square Kilometers of total area which has porous accessibility from all corners by using country boats and parallel threat from traditionally hunting communities living all around the sanctuary, it is a tough job for the management to revive the sanctuary which has been damaged to large extent.

However, all is not lost as survey work by BNHS has reported the presence of several rare species of birds in the sanctuary.

The Bengal Florican which is critically endangered is found in here and DEWS has the best habitat for this rare bird in the world, said Dr. Asad R. Rahmani, former Director, BNHS who worked in the sanctuary on several occasions.

 

Besides a rare species of Butterfly (Lilac Silverline) has been spotted here for the first time which is till now found in Bengaluru, said  Scientists from Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) Biswajit Chakdar, Monsoon Jyoti Gogoi and Ngulkholal Khonsai.

With renewed vigour, the present team under DFO Taga also plans to introduce the Bengal Tiger in the sanctuary.

What is needed today is the right push from the people at the helm of affairs which will be instrumental in preserving the beauty and diversity of the sanctuary.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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