₹1.5 lakh: Cost of capturing one Nilgai in MP

The Madhya Pradesh government spent nearly ₹1.5 lakh on an average to catch and relocate one Nilgai in December, 2016.

In the last month of 2016, the state’s forest department for the first time used Boma technique and a private helicopter to capture 27 Nilgais (blue bull) in Mandsaur district. They were later relocated to the forests of Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary in the same district.

Over 150 forest department personnel, 70 villagers, 30 horses and a helicopter were used in the entire exercise and ₹41.6 lakh was spent.

State forest minister Gaurishankar Shejwar gave the details of the cost incurred by the government in relocating Nilgais in a written reply to the assembly.

Shejwar stated a total of ₹41,61,393 were spent in capturing the antelopes, adding that the helicopter was provided by a private party at a cost of only ₹5,000 for the two hour flight.

UK Sharma, divisional forest officer (DFO) Mandsaur told HT that they had to resort to a costly capturing method like the Boma technique (luring wild animals into an enclosure by chasing them through a funnel-like fencing) as the Nilgai dashes away the moment officials attempt to tranquillise and capture it.

“Nilgai is a very sturdy, heavy and fast antelope. When we try to capture it, it runs away and many a times breaks its leg. Also, there have been incidents when a running Nilgai has killed a person here and also damaged the vehicle of a politician,” he said.

Sharma said Boma technique reduced the possibility of either the animal or any forest department personnel getting injured.

“Many states have tried to capture Nilgai to check crop damage, but they were not successful. Some states opted for culling, But we decided against it,” he said.

According to wildlife experts, Nilgai is endemic to the Indian subcontinent and has been categorised as ‘Least Concern’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

In June last year, HT had reported that the MP government would attempt to capture Nilgai through a ‘trial and error method’, instead of culling them. Blue bulls have been damaging crops in many areas of the state . In 2015, farmers from Neemuch went on a hunger strike, demanding compensation for the damage caused to their crops by Nilgais.

Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, has certain provisions which allow the Central government to move wild animals from Schedule II, III and IV category to the Schedule V category of the Act (vermin) for a certain period. Those animals that damage crops, kill livestock or pose a threat to people by spreading diseases can be declared vermin, paving the way for their culling for a limited period. In India, Nilgai is listed under Schedule IV category.