Deforestation, rubber plantations rise leads to primate habitat changes, conflicts with humans in TRIPURA: sTUDY
Massive deforestation and increase in rubber plantations in Tripura have emerged as the major causes of change in the habitat of non-human primates as well as cases of monkey-human conflict in certain parts of Tripura, according to a study.
The research titled, “Public opinion regarding Human-Monkey conflict and conservation of non-human primate in Sepahijala District of Tripura” found that 75% of the respondents involved in the study and living in villages located in the vicinity of reserve forest with dense rubber plantation opined that rapid rise in deforestation in the reserve forest was resulting in shrinkage of habitats of primates who are now forced to stray out.
As many as 26.66% of respondents from the areas that have fewer rubber plantations have expressed the same opinion. The majority (56.66%) of respondents have said that the expansion of rubber plantations in their villages acts as a route for the monkeys.
The study was compiled by Patari and Sabyasachi Dasgupta. Citing another study conducted in Sri Lanka, Patari said, “It is also a fact that the population of primates is rising at an unscientific pace. This growth in the population caused lack of fodder inside the Jungle prompting them to raid households in adjacent human settlements”.
👉 Webindia
JMI Collaborates With German’s DIZ To Train Students Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation Strategies
The AJK Mass Communication Research Centre of Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) has collaborated with German Deutsch-Indische Zusammenarbeit (DIZ) to provide training to students on Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation strategies.
The research centre, under its newly designed CBCS Course: Communication Strategies for Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation, with the help of national and international experts, will train its students on the significance of media interventions in creating awareness on Human-Wildlife conflict.
The course is being conducted with the help of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). Dr Mala Narang Reddy, social anthropologist will teach students through a workshop on February 19 how they may address people’s perceptions and social dimensions of Human-Wildlife Conflict (HWC) and also facilitate gender-sensitive HWC conflict mitigation, a JMI statement said.
Surendra Varma and Sanjay Ajnekar of Asia Nature Conservation Foundation (ANCF) will train students in using tools for awareness and community engagement on HWC mitigation, it added.
👉 NDTV
5 held for killing a leopard, 5 others nabbed for smuggling wildlife in Chhattisgarh
Five people were arrested for allegedly killing a leopard and two others for trying to hunt a wild boar in a village in Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh, officials said on Monday.
Last Monday, the carcass of the 8-year-old leopard, with two nails missing and the teeth extracted was found near Bitkula village in Spiat-Sonthi forest range, Bilaspur Divisional Forest Officer Kumar Nishant said.
“It was suspected that poachers had killed it through electrocution. We arrested two people on Friday. Three others were held on Saturday. They are Phul Singh Yadav (70), Teejram Patel alias Bhakachand (58), Nandkumar Patel (50), Santosh Dhanuhar and Samaru Dhanuhar alias Sanjay,” he said.
Small forests to be developed in Rohtak through Japanese Miyawaki technique: Haryana
The district administration has come up with a plan to develop small forests by adopting the Miyawaki technique, pioneered by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki, on the vacant land lying idle at various government departments. The plan aims at enhancing the green cover in the district.
Under the first phase, Miyawaki afforestation would be carried out on the Sugar mill premises in Meham and Rohtak. Thereafter, the vacant land of various departments would be identified to develop small forests there.
Deputy Commissioner, Manoj Kumar, inspected the small forest in the jail complex yesterday and applauded the jail administration for taking this initiative. The DC maintained that the decrease in greenery due to deforestation had resulted in imbalance in environment. It had led to climate change and a fall in the water-table.
India falsely claims forestry progress in ‘skewed’ report, experts warn
The Indian government is using flawed forest data to falsely claim that it is making progress towards its climate goals and curbing deforestation, experts have warned.
According to India’s latest State of the Forest report, India’s overall forest cover increased by 1,540 square kilometres between 2019 and 2021, while its tree cover increased by 721 sq km. But plantations, orchards and urban green areas are counted as forest, which experts criticised as misleading.
In 2019, the government changed the methodology for the first time to include trees outside the forest area, both on public lands or private land, Kanchi Kolhi, a researcher at the Delhi-based think tank Centre for Policy Research, told Climate Home News. An area of land over one hectare with as little as 10% canopy density is included in the tally.
“It gives a skewed picture of how much land is actually under forests. By this definition, palm oil plantations will be designated as forest cover when it comes to showing compliance with domestic forest policy and international climate commitments,” Kolhi said. This allows the government to claim that it is making progress towards achieving its 2030 forestry targets, which are critical to its long-term climate strategy, even as mature forests are cleared for industrial use.
👉 CCN
🌱🌏🌱
Comment and tell us your thoughts
Join our Group 👉 Environment India to share your eco-awareness message
Now you can also join our WhatsApp group 👉Environment India
Environment India 