(Not) A solution to poaching-India

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A solution to poaching

 

July 1, 2003 4:20am

 

The Union environment and forest ministry is exploring

the possibility of allowing private persons to breed

wild animals and extract medicinal products from them.

 

Disclosing this, the ministry's special secretary, M K

Sharma, said an attempt is being made to revive a deer

farm in Uttaranchal where musk was extracted from the

animals.

 

'In about a year we will formulate the policy for

running captive breeding farms. Then we may allow

private parties to breed wild animals as

socio-economic projects that would be commercially

viable for them,' said Sharma.

 

He claimed the country lacked the infrastructure to

protect its animals and birds from being killed for

their various body parts.

 

'There's a demand for these things which is being met,

illegally and brutally. For example, deer are killed

for musk; tigers for their skins and bones and rhinos

for their horns,' he said.

 

This demand can be met legally and without harming

animals in any way through this project.

 

For example, deer are being killed for their musk and

antlers.

 

But if reared commercially, they can complete their

entire lifespan and continue yielding musk and antlers

for many years.

 

'The idea is to conserve wildlife by interlinking

their survival with the economic well-being of people,

specially by involving those who live on the fringes

of forests and pose a grave threat to wildlife and

forests,' Sharma said.

 

Among the animals whose private breeding may be

allowed are tigers, rhinos, peacocks, deer and birds.

 

'The policy would have very strict provisions to

ensure that the animals are not harmed in any way by

the private breeders,' Sharma, who is also

director-general (forests) said.

 

However, critics term the move impractical. 'The

government has been unable to ensure the well-being of

animals even in the zoos run by it due to poor staff

strength. How will it run after scores of private

individuals who would run the farms?' asked an expert,

who did not want to be named.

 

Questioning the economics of the trade, he said: 'For

example, a zoo spends about Rs 50 lakh on a tiger that

completes its lifespan of 20 years.

 

But even if all its parts are sold after it dies

naturally, a private breeder won't get more than Rs 20

lakh.'

 

Moreover, he asked, if the private breeding programme

fails, what is the guarantee that the breeder will not

surreptitiously smuggle animals from the wild to

increase his numbers?

 

But for the dwindling population of wild animals here,

any move that may help stop their mindless killing

would be welcome.

 

Publication: The Economic Times

 

Distributed by Financial Times Information Limited -

Asia Africa Intelligence Wire

 

 

 

 

 

 

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