Expansion of road network without looking at its consequences on nature has been causing a serious danger to bio-diversity, especially the wild-life, Dr. A J T Johnsingh, India,s pioneer wildlife researcher and vertebrate ecologist said, here.
Attending the nature fest organised at Sairopa, Kullu, Johnsingh stressed on saving wild life from falling prey to the endeavours of human development. He said that after poaching, roads have become another big challenge to be addressed, if we need to conserve our bio-diversity.
Expressing need to adopt a balanced approach for conservation of all the species available in a particular terrain, Dr Johnsingh said that India’s efforts for conserving tigers, through tiger reserves have borne fruit but such an approach was needed for all the wild life species available on Indian sub-continent.
Quoting examples of poaching, Johnsingh said that high prices of animal organs had been a big cause of their poaching and alluring people to this illegal act. He said that poachers get 60 to 80 lac for a Rhinoceros horns, if it is crossed the Brahmaputra river.
On roads posing danger to forest bio-diversity, the expert said that 160 animals were killed in a short span of 5 months on the 28 kilometer stretch in the Haridwar-Bijnor road, en-route the forest area. He said that the bordering states face a more serious challenge to the bio-diversity compared to the states, which are landlocked in Indian Territory only.
Dwelling on the emerging challenges to the biodiversity, he said that the human population density, increasing population and changing life style of people were also reflecting their direct impact on the bio-diversity and such issues need to be given a careful thought to mitigate their adverse effect on bio-diversity.
He quoted that India with a 24 percent forest cover, caters a population density of 382 people/Km. It has already lost Javan and Sumatran Rhino and Cheetah. He also warned that if effective steps are not taken, the Great Indian Bustard, Hangul and Brow-antlered Deer may also go into extinction.
Warning against the undesirable use of exotic species of plants, he said that the exotic species of plants ruin the local species. Quoting instances of lantana, Eucalyptus, Popular etc, Dr Johnsingh said that these species have dominated the native species and their excessive increase has been posing new ecological challenges to the country now.