SEMADOH (MELGHAT): From being dubbed as 'poor' in the independent management effectiveness evaluation five years ago, Melghat Tiger Reserve (MTR) in the Amravati district is now turning around, thanks to series of steps taken to strengthen protection in the past two years.
The 'carrot and stick' policy of the MTR managers is paying off. "In the last two years, we've developed an institution here. If our protection measures sustain, and villages inside MTR are relocated, in the next five years, Melghat holds the promise of becoming India's number one tiger reserve," claims field director A K Mishra.
Mishra says four-pronged strategy about better wildlife monitoring and recording it systematically, joint patrolling, watershed management and capacity building by organising workshops for field staff every month has delivered results.
A visit to over a dozen protection huts in a couple of ranges in Sipna Wildlife Division showed that efforts were being made to give comfort to field staff by providing concrete structures and basic facilities like steel cots and cupboards replacing the bamboo thatches.
"Absenteeism was a bad habit among the field staff. We started conducting surprise checks at protection huts. Those absent were marked leave without pay. There were protests from a section of employees, but they fell in line after learning our intentions. Now the staff is scared of bunking," said P H Badge, deputy conservator of Sipna.
There is direct biotic pressure from 70 villages on the reserve. Of these, 26 villages are inside MTR putting huge grazing and felling pressure. However, action against illicit grazers has reduced cases of unauthorised grazing from 103 in 2008-09 to 36 in 2009-2010. "We feel this has led to increase in prey base. Cattle kills by carnivores have gone down from 249 to 142 during the same period. This was possible due to good protection and action," Mishra said.
Fire in Melghat was the biggest threat causing habitat destruction. However, Mishra added that by involving people and making them aware, incidents of forest fires had been brought down 50%.
"In 2009, there were 430 fire incidents destroying 14,460 hectares forest, but in 2010, these were brought down to 252 and loss of 7,521 hectares. This was made possible despite the fact that 80% of the staff is above 45 years; 15% staff is new and over 20% of the posts are vacant," says Mishra.
Another reason why MTR is better now is the joint and group patrolling launched in August 2009. A group of eight persons does patrolling twice a week and nine times in a month. "Cases of water poisoning for fish are common. From February 15, a drive will be launched to check all natural and artificial water holes in the reserve with the help of litmus paper. Small water holes with 2-3 litres of water would be closed down to eliminate cases of poisoning," informed S B Dhote, RFO of Chourakund, who has set an example for the entire reserve by mapping each water hole.
His model is being followed elsewhere. Mapping of water holes is also helping to know animal movement, he added. "Last year, due to water hole monitoring we could save 45 peacocks and other animals," Dhote informed.
In Melghat, conflicting demands of tigers and humans results in man-animal and management conflicts. The problems become more complicated when political leaders turn hostile towards animals.
Mishra said such circumstances made it very difficult to perform. Yet, implementation of standard protocol by setting up protection camps (75) and strengthening them, regular training modules to build staff capacity, fire patrol teams, eco-development schemes, frequent meetings with villagers, deployment of SRPF during monsoon, and erection of barriers (39) among host of other measures had helped.
"Even NTCA team that visited Melghat in December to evaluate the tiger reserve was surprised about the number of steps being taken by MTR," officials said.
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