Stressing on the need of an independent monitoring of all sanctuaries to find out the actual status of tiger population in Jharkhand, wild life experts have rejected the ‘argument’ by state government that the tigers are migrating out of the state due to Naxal interference in their natural habitats. As per an affidavit submitted by the state government in the Jharkhand High Court, tigers being peace loving animals are migrating from the Naxal affected areas towards safer places due to regular interference of security forces as well as the increasing noise pollution due to the heavy vehicles and bullets inside the jungles.
“This is totally wrong conception as even though the wild animals migrates out to a safer heaven due to human interference, they come back again to their natural habitats after some time,” said member of State Wild life Board DS Srivastava. Migration of wild life animals due to human interference is completely a temporary phenomenon, added Srivastava.
“Although tigers keep on moving here and here, they do have a territory and they like to remain inside it throughout their lives until and unless a major upheaval is witnessed by them in the natural conditions of the place,” he said.
According to Srivastava, presently there are at least 11 tigers in Palamu district, two in Saranda jungles and one in Koderma-Hazaribagh area. But the affidavit filed by the state government on October 7, 2015 stated that although the forest cover in the state has actually increased, tiger count has remarkably gone down from 10-12 in the year 2005-06 to 3-4 in 2012-13 year as they have migrated towards Chhattisgarh due to disturbances created by the Naxal operations and movement of para-military troops in Betla forest.
It has also been stated in the affidavit that 30 per cent increase in tiger count has been registered in Chhattisgarh in the last few years which is possibly due to the movement of tigers from this side of Jharkhand-Chhattisgarh border. The court was hearing a PIl filed by one Vikas Mahto related to the decreasing number of tigers in Jharkhand.
Forest officials also asserted that there is no established fact regarding the fact that once the wild animals move out of a place will not come back again to the place.
“There is a possibility that Tiger population might move out of their natural habitat but it is purely a temporary phenomenon which will continue for a limited period of time after which they are bound to come back to their natural phenomena,” said Chief Wild life Warden Pradeep Kumar. Presently there are more than 15 tiger in the state, he said.
Palamu RCCF Manoj Singh, however, said, “It definitely cause disturbances.. if there is any movement in a virgin area, wild animals will move out but at the mean time it is also a fact they no one leaves his or her house forever easily,” said Palamu RCCF Manoj Singh.
