State Forest dept ropes in ZSI for survey of 4 endangered species
Kolkata: The state Forest department has roped in Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) to conduct a survey of four endangered animal species inhabiting the forests of South Bengal. The three-year project will involve camera trapping, scats and DNA analysis to have a survey of the population of these animals — golden jackal, striped hyena, wild boar and grey wolf.
The objective of the study is not only to have an idea of their population, behavioural patterns but at the same time address the conflict between man and animal with the forest areas in South Bengal bordered by a number of villages. "We have already started our work and will submit a report to the state Forest department along with suggestions on how to conserve these endangered animals and mitigate the man-animal conflict," said Kailash Chandra, director of ZSI.
ZSI scientists, C Venkatraman, Lalit Kumar Sharma and Mukesh Thakur are involved in the study under the leadership of Chandra. The entire project is being funded by the state Forest department.
The forest areas of Birbhum, Purulia, Bankura, North and South 24-Parganas, Jhargram, West Midnapore and Howrah will come under the ambit of the study. The survey, however, excludes the Sunderbans which is a protected forest cover.
It may be mentioned that retaliations among villages and wild boars are not a rarity in the forests of South Bengal. While the animals have caused damage to agricultural land, people have killed them to save their crops.
The conflict with jackals, wolves and hyenas result from the animals involved in the killing of cattle and hens. Apart from wild boars, the other three animals are carnivorous in nature.
Camera-trapping will be used for the survey of striped hyenas while for the other three types of animals, scat analysis through DNA will be done for the population study.
Sources in the Forest department said there have been instances of two of three villagers getting injured in some areas of South Bengal forest that has prompted them to undertake such an exercise.
