Rajaji on alert over suspected poachers
Rajaji Tiger Reserve (RTR) officials are on alert over movement of four Bawariyas – gangs from the tribe have been involved in wildlife crimes -- for the last two days.
The officials have engaged their dog squad and are raiding forest dwellers’ settlements, but haven’t got any clue about the suspected wildlife criminals so far in the reserve.
One of the highly porous tiger reserves of the country, Rajaji Tiger Reserve is battling with Gujjars who are still residing inside the protected area. Wildlife officials fear that Gujjars may harm big cats to save themselves and livestock from tiger attacks. Rajaji Tiger Reserve ’s boundary adjoining Haridwar is not secure owing to which movement of poachers is recorded every now and then.
Sources informed top forest officers about the presence of four Bawariyas in Chilla and Haridwar ranges of the reserve.
“Certainly, the boundary of the reserve is porous. As we cannot seal the entire boundary, we have employed informers that cautioned us against four Bawariyas seen inside the reserve. We are doing investigation and conducting combing operations,” Rajaji Tiger Reserve director Sanatan Sonkar told Hindustan Times.
Rajaji Tiger Reserve was a haven for tigers before Uttarakhand was formed in 2000. Big cats slowly started disappearing – now their number is estimated to be less than 20 -- due to growing population of forest dwellers inside the reserve. The tigers mostly moved out of the reserve.
According to the latest census, Uttarakhand with 340 tigers stands second after Karnataka (408) in the country. The rehabilitation of Rajaji forest dwellers, which started in 2000, has not been completed. Over 80% of Gujjars have been resettled outside the reserve in Gaindikhatta and Pathri, but the remaining 20% still pose a challenge for the management. Wildlife criminals take advantage of them for either accessing information or getting into the reserve, officials said.
In January 2015, additional principal conservator of forest (APCCF) Dhananjai Mohan, who is also heading the wildlife and intelligence wing, conducted raids inside and on the periphery of the reserve. Many Saperas and Kanjars residing along the border were caught with turtles, jackal hoofs and pangolin. Some were using these animals as food. To strengthen patrolling, Rajaji is planning to get 10 elephants from Karnataka on the lines of Corbett that recently received nine elephants.
“It’s difficult to patrol such a vast area on foot and in vehicles. Elephants would support combing and patrolling. We could then cover larger areas ,” Sonkar said.