Resorts at Pench blocking migratory path, say experts

Nagpur: Wildlife activists say the man-animal conflict may become more aggravated due to the ‘rampant and haphazard’ commercial exploitation by some resort owners at Turia gate of Pench (MP). The fencing being put up by the resort owners has started blocking migratory paths of animals and activists say this will result in a major disaster.
Dr Jerryl Banait, a wildlife lover, says it is no more an issue of animals entering human territory. “Humans have not only entered animal territory but also blocked their migratory corridor. Resort owners are fencing off their property in such a way these animals, specifically carnivores, have no other option but to tread into new routes which may bring them in conflict with humans. And as always, it will be the tiger who gets blamed if anything goes wrong,” said Dr Banait.
He is well known for knocking on high court’s doors to seek intervention in shooting of a suspected man-eater. “Tigers are getting attracted to all the non-vegetarian food and other leftovers at these resorts which lie directly in their traditional path. This is going to be a major disaster and humans in these resorts may find themselves at risk,” added Dr Banait.
Carrying capacity of Turia gate is inversely proportional to the accommodation facilities at the periphery, says member of Local Advisory Committee, Pench (MP), Sandeep Singh. “We have five times more beds in these resorts as compared to daily safari capacity. That’s phenomenal and disastrous. Resorts that are springing up across Pench are now fencing off the traditional pathways of animals and destroyed their migratory pattern. We now see Pench resorts hosting weddings, DJ parties and there’s a water park coming up too. This is bound to destroy their natural habitat and end up in man-animal conflict,” said Singh.
Gaurav Choukasey, who is pursuing PhD on tiger conservation, says guidelines not being followed is the reason for this. “Guidelines about no-fencing are being misinterpreted to say that no barbed-wire fence should be put. Also many resorts are fencing off their entire property even though their resorts occupy only 10% of the land. This in turn cuts off a major tract of land for wild animals to cross from buffer to core area,” said Choukasey.