The high altitude wildlife areas of western Arunachal Pradesh
The high altitude wildlife areas of western Arunachal Pradesh The high altitude wildlife areas of western Arunachal Pradesh
Chapter 4 While the expedition documented the occurrence of a rich wildlife assemblage with several species of global conservation importance, it is also clear that Arunachal’s high altitude wildlife faces serious threats. The main threats include: 1. Widespread hunting (both for local consumption and to cater to the larger illegal commercial trade). 2. Retaliatory persecution of the snow leopard Uncia uncia and dhole Cuon alpinus for livestock depredation. 3. Habitat modification and loss (army establishments, continued creation of grazing land by opening up forests, etc.). 4. Unregulated collection of medicinal plants. 5. Almost complete lack of awareness of conservation issues (including within the local administration), or the implementation of conservation laws. The road ahead Against this background, conservation efforts in Arunachal’s high altitudes will need to: 1. Garner the support of the indigenous communities for wildlife conservation, and wean them away from hunting. Securing the indigenous communities’ support for conservation will require extensive dialogue to identify the important needs of the people (including educational facilities, healthcare, etc.), and to explore opportunities for establishing communitybased conservation programs. Such programs, while addressing peoples’ basic needs, will need to aim at making wildlife conservation economically beneficial to them (through programmes such as conservation linked handicrafts development and marketing, wildlife tourism etc., see Mishra et al. 1 for working models). While establishing these will necessarily take time, in the short term, there is an urgent need to set in place mechanisms that share and off-set the losses that people currently face due to livestock depredation by the snow leopard and dhole. Community managed It is essential to devise ways of offsetting the losses people bear due to livestock predation by wild carnivores. Efforts are also needed to spread conservation education and awareness, and to formulate economic incentive programs such as conservation-linked handicrafts development and marketing to garner peoples’ support for wildlife conservation. 26
The road ahead livestock insurance programs that we have established elsewhere have effectively offset such losses, and have served as instruments to stop the persecution of wild carnivores 1 . In terms of priority, all these efforts need to be undertaken first in the area of the proposed wildlife reserve. 2. Establish Arunachal’s first high altitude wildlife reserve. Our map of the proposed wildlife reserve is only indicative, and setting up the wildlife reserve will require careful examination and consultation with the village councils before the reserve boundaries are decided upon. The appropriateness of the different categories of wildlife reserves recognized under Indian law also needs to be carefully examined against the local context. It is important that establishing the wildlife reserve, while ensuring wildlife conservation, also benefits the local communities, rather than alienate them, as has happened in the past in India and elsewhere. 3. Spread conservation education and awareness in schools, villages, and in the administration. Effective implementation of conservation efforts and laws will require conservation education and awareness programs at various levels, and sensitizing the administration (politicians and bureaucrats). Having effective conservation educational programs for children would require developing locally appropriate educational aids. Politicians, bureaucrats and the defence forces must be sensitized about the global significance of the region’s wildlife assemblage, and the need for their interest and cooperation in establishing and maintaining the wildlife reserve. 4. Strengthen the local wildlife department in terms of manpower, resources, and training, and underpinning a clear mandate for wildlife conservation. Emerging conservation effort As is evident from the above discussion, partnerships between divergent groups—the state and its departments, the army, the local people, donor agencies, conservation and development organizations—will be needed for successful wildlife conservation in Arunachal’s high altitudes. Indeed, we believe that such partnerships are both necessary and possible, and would be a central concern in consolidating the future of Arunachal’s magnificent wildlife. References 1. Mishra, C., Allen, P., McCarthy, T., Madhusudan, M.D., Bayarjargal, A. & Prins, H.H.T. (2003) The role of incentive programs in conserving the snow leopard Uncia uncia. Conservation Biology, 17, 1512-1523. 27
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Chapter 4<br />
While the expedition documented the occurrence <strong>of</strong> a rich <strong>wildlife</strong> assemblage with<br />
several species <strong>of</strong> global conservation importance, it is also clear that <strong>Arunachal</strong>’s <strong>high</strong><br />
<strong>altitude</strong> <strong>wildlife</strong> faces serious threats. <strong>The</strong> main threats include:<br />
1. Widespread hunting (both for local consumption and to cater to the larger<br />
illegal commercial trade).<br />
2. Retaliatory persecution <strong>of</strong> the snow leopard Uncia uncia and dhole Cuon<br />
alpinus for livestock depredation.<br />
3. Habitat modification and loss (army establishments, continued creation <strong>of</strong><br />
grazing land by opening up forests, etc.).<br />
4. Unregulated collection <strong>of</strong> medicinal plants.<br />
5. Almost complete lack <strong>of</strong> awareness <strong>of</strong> conservation issues (including within the<br />
local administration), or the implementation <strong>of</strong> conservation laws.<br />
<strong>The</strong> road ahead<br />
Against this background, conservation efforts in <strong>Arunachal</strong>’s <strong>high</strong> <strong>altitude</strong>s will need<br />
to:<br />
1. Garner the support <strong>of</strong> the indigenous communities for <strong>wildlife</strong> conservation, and<br />
wean them away from hunting.<br />
Securing the indigenous communities’ support for conservation will require extensive<br />
dialogue to identify the important needs <strong>of</strong> the people (including educational<br />
facilities, healthcare, etc.), and to explore opportunities for establishing communitybased<br />
conservation programs. Such programs, while addressing peoples’ basic needs,<br />
will need to aim at making <strong>wildlife</strong> conservation economically beneficial to them<br />
(through programmes such as conservation linked handicrafts development and<br />
marketing, <strong>wildlife</strong> tourism etc., see Mishra et al. 1 for working models). While<br />
establishing these will necessarily take time, in the short term, there is an urgent need<br />
to set in place mechanisms that share and <strong>of</strong>f-set the losses that people currently face<br />
due to livestock depredation by the snow leopard and dhole. Community managed<br />
It is essential to devise ways <strong>of</strong> <strong>of</strong>fsetting the losses people bear due to livestock predation by wild<br />
carnivores. Efforts are also needed to spread conservation education and awareness, and to formulate<br />
economic incentive programs such as conservation-linked handicrafts development and marketing to<br />
garner peoples’ support for <strong>wildlife</strong> conservation.<br />
26
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