Conservationists oppose artificial highlands within Kaziranga to save animals during flood

GUWAHATI: Chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal’s instruction on constructing artificial highlands in the World Heritage Site Kaziranga National Park (KNP) for providing shelter to animals during flood did not go down well with the conservationists.

Even as chief minister’s push for artificial highlands may be out of his concern for reducing animal casualty in KNP due to flood, conservationists were of the opinion that the government’s approach on Kaziranga’s flood management was “lopsided”. In last year’s flood, one of the worst in three decades, nearly 400 animals including 31 rhinos died.

“What needs to be done urgently to protect Kaziranga’s wildlife is to provide safe passage to animals that moves into the hills of (adjoining) Karbi Anglong during floods. What is worrying is the intense quarrying in Karbi Anglong plus massive felling of trees in forests adjacent to the Park,” said Prerna Singh Bindra, former member of National Board of Wildlife and author of The Vanishing: India’s Wildlife Crisis.

The 860 sq km area of KNP, also a Tiger Reserve, is located on the flood plains of Brahmaputra. The protected area is a contiguous landscape with the forests of Karbi Anglong on the southern fringe of Kaziranga. The landscape is interspersed with corridors used by animals for movement between Kaziranga and Karbi Anglong. During flood when Kaziranga goes under water, the highlands in Karbi Anglong provides the natural shelter to rhinos, tigers, elephants, wildlife buffalos, different species of deer and other animals.

“Kaziranga’s ecosystem and its wildlife have evolved with the flood. The highlands of Karbi Anglong are ideal shelters for animals during flood. Instead of spending money and human resources on creating artificial highlands within Kaziranga, the government should have stressed on ensuring foolproof protection of animals when they migrate to Karbi Anglong during flood. This would have been the effective way of dealing with flood situation in Kaziranga,” environment activist Rohit Choudhury.

After Choudhury last year lodged complaint with the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) about “rampant” stone quarrying on prime animal corridors in Karbi Anglong, the statutory body under Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC) recently asked the state government for immediate ban of stone quarrying in Karbi Anglong. NTCA raised the fear that such activity will endanger survival of wildlife in Kaziranga.

“Artificial highlands in Kaziranga are being constructed without any proper scientific study on its long-term impact on park’s ecosystem. As a protected area Kaziranga needs minimum human interference, and artificial highlands should have been avoided. The need of the hour is to make animal corridors in Karbi Anlong free of mining activity,” honorary wildlife warden Uttam Saikia said.

Sonowal on April 9 visited Kaziranga and instructed park officials to complete artificial highlands before monsoon. He said the highlands should have adequate plantation so that animals can use them as fodder. He also emphasized on keeping veterinary care ready to attend to animals in distress.

Forest officials said works on 29 out of 33 highlands have been completed.