Feature Image Courtesy: The Hindu, The New Indian Express, India Times
In an alarming revelation, the Tamil Nadu Forest Department is under scrutiny following a spate of wildlife deaths, including tigers and elephants. The situation has raised concerns about the effectiveness of the department’s conservation efforts and management.
The distressing statistics tell a grim story.
#Alert : Important article on @tnforestdept .
Tamil Nadu Govt Needs To Wake Up & Fix Its Forest Department
The recent news about 10 tigers (including cubs) dead in just over a month in Tamil Nadu is a wake-up call for Chief Minister @mkstalin @CMOTamilnadu . pic.twitter.com/z8mPMOzzTJ
— Sandhya Ravishankar (@sandhyaravishan) September 28, 2023
Within just over a month, ten tigers, including cubs, have lost their lives in Tamil Nadu. In September 2023, four tiger cubs in a Coimbatore reserve forest in India tragically perished due to starvation, following their mother’s abandonment. This year, Mudumalai Tiger Reserve reported 11 tiger fatalities, while Sathymangalam Tiger Reserve (STR) documented 2, and Srivilliputhur Megamalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu recorded 1.
VIDEO | Two tiger cubs were found dead in the Segur range forest near Chinna Coonoor village, 13 km from Ooty, Tamil Nadu. Nine tigers, including five cubs, have died in this area in the past two months. The Nilgiri forests have the highest tiger population density.
Vijay, the… pic.twitter.com/wBxsugJPfl
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 19, 2023
Wildlife experts have said that there has been a surge in poaching incidents and said that experienced wildlife professionals have to be posted in vulnerable areas.
“Of late we find that newly appointed officers don’t have wildlife expertise and in the landscape. The protection of wildlife has gone down in these areas, especially in Nilgiris. We found alarming rate of poaching and poisoning in the last 3-4 months. The government has to take strict action against the errant officials and appoint new officials.”, an officer was quoted saying in a PTI report.
This alarming trend serves as a wake-up call to the state’s Chief Minister and policymakers. If the increasing instances of poaching, wildlife deaths, and electrocutions of protected animals continue unchecked, the state’s conservation strategy may suffer irreparable damage.
To put these numbers into perspective, 2023 alone has witnessed 14 recorded tiger deaths, a disturbing surge in recent times.
Furthermore, in the months of March and April, a staggering 13 elephants perished within a mere month, marking a new and troubling record. Many of these deaths were attributed to electrocutions.
Although data on elephant deaths is available only up to March 15, 2023, a clear pattern emerges. Over the past four years, Tamil Nadu has been witnessing an average of about 100 elephant deaths annually. The question that looms large is why this surge is happening now. While open discussions within the Tamil Nadu Forest Department on this matter are rare, it appears that a combination of hubris and inefficient management may be at the core of the problem.
The critical science of conservation seems to have taken a backseat as the department’s leadership is seemingly more focused on generating publicity material and launching propaganda campaigns. While a lack of expertise in the field can be forgiven, it is imperative that the department’s leadership actively consults with experts and implements best practices in conservation. Unfortunately, this does not appear to be the norm. Over the past three years, committees have been populated with individuals lacking domain expertise, sycophantic behavior has been encouraged, grand announcements about projects that never materialise have been made, and decision-making has become centralised, often resulting in poor choices.
One surprising achievement of the Tamil Nadu Forest Department was the tracking and apprehension of the notorious Bawariya gangs, nomadic tribes from the Madhya Pradesh-Rajasthan border, who entered Tamil Nadu’s forests for poaching wildlife in 2018. However, during the COVID-19 lockdown and the subsequent leadership change in the state, conservation activities waned, and forest officer inspections declined significantly which is said to be one of the reasons for surging poaching incidents.
The repercussions of these developments are evident in 2023, with at least one tiger and one leopard falling victim to the Bawariyas’ poaching activities. Also, elephants have been targeted by the Varusanadu tribes of Theni. Notably, the electrocution of several elephants due to overhead wires and illegal electric fences has gone largely unnoticed, often receiving quiet burials due to the influence of important voter constituencies.
It is imperative that the Chief Minister takes immediate action to address the concerning situation within the Tamil Nadu Forest Department. An independent review of the department’s apathy and policy paralysis is essential to safeguard decades of hard-fought conservation goals, which are now at risk due to the department’s apparent prioritisation of self-aggrandisement.
Disturbingly, news channels and media in the state have either covered it up or have not reported/downplayed these government shortcomings, thanks to agenda-driven reporting.
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) officials visited Nilgiris on 25 September 2023 and conducted an investigation.
Big breaking news! The #TamilNadu government's failure resulted in the tragic deaths of 10 #tigers in just 40 days. Shockingly, certain Tamil channels and their agenda-driven reporting have shamefully covered up these government blunders. This major media coverup is now exposed. pic.twitter.com/hivGdj0hW1
— Karthik (@skarthikdotin) September 26, 2023
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