Post News Network
Komna, April 22: Tiger census in Sunabeda sanctuary in Nuapada district has not been carried out since 2004 after it became a part of the red corridor. Spread across 600 sq km, the sanctuary has become inaccessible to forest and wildlife officials as well as the district administration since Maoist activities have increased in the area. The wild animals are also under threat in the sanctuary which was once considered to be a favoured location for a Tiger Project.
Although the tiger census couldn’t be conducted, efforts were made in 2006 to count the number of tigers through ‘estimation’ method using cameras instead of ‘pug mark identification’. However, it didn’t work. Since then the forest department has not made any attempt in this regard. Animals like Indian gaurs, bears, sambars, barking deers, deers and wild dogs live in the sanctuary which is also a home to Royal Bengal Tigers, cheetahs and leopards.
Earlier, the poachers and timber mafia never dared to enter the forest due to the presence of the tigers. But the growling of the tigers is not heard much ever since the sanctuary turned into a safe haven of the Maoists. Even other animals have also become easy prey for people residing in the lower catchment areas of the forest due to forest fire and scarcity of food and water.
According to the tiger census of 1998, there were 16 tigers in the sanctuary. Later, pug marks of 12 tigers were identified in 2000, 24 in 2002 and 32 tigers were identified in 2004, a report said. At least 36 leopards were seen in the forest the same year, district ranger Jayram Shabar said. Following this, the wildlife division sent a proposal to set up a Tiger Project in the sanctuary which was fiercely opposed by the locals. Since then, the Maoists have turned the sanctuary into their fortress. The ultras killed 23 persons during 2009-2013. Even as incidents of violence have largely been curbed with the help of CRPF and Cobra battalion, the tiger counting couldn’t be commenced again.
“While the number of big cats is falling alarmingly across the country, failure in recording their numbers in Sunabeda sanctuary is a real cause of worry for many,” environmentalist Kapilendra Das said. It may be noted that a tiger from the sanctuary killed a bullock April 8 near Cherechuan village under Michhapali panchayat.
Though no such incident was reported again, the roar of tigers is not heard during the night, Arjun Majhi of Soseng village said.
Moreover, the lives of wild animals are under threat as poaching activities in the forest have increased.
Poachers have killed two sambars and a barking deer since January while stray dogs mauled another barking deer during the same period. A sambar was killed April 3 when the animal came to a pond in Jhipabahal village under the local forest range to drink water. Similarly, a barking deer was attacked by stray dogs April 12 at Junani village under Nuapada wildlife range. Though the villagers rescued the animal and handed it over to the forest officials, it died the next day despite treatment. In another incident, locals killed a sambar April 14 when it came to a nullah near Dhorlamunda village under local forest range in search of water.
Although funds are being allocated by the government for forestation and provision of water for the wild animals, authorities fail to utilise them in most of the cases. The sanctuary would be left with no animal if such condition continues, locals claimed. Meanwhile, chief wildlife warden and principal chief conservator of forest SS Srivastav Wednesday said measures would be taken to implement the Tiger Project and census of tigers soon.
