Guest guest Posted August 28, 2004 Report Share Posted August 28, 2004 PFA abhors move to kill blue bull Tribune News Service Ludhiana, August 25 The local chapter of the People for Animals (PFA) has expressed shock at the move of the Punjab Government to issue permits to shoot blue bull in the state. Admitting that herds of these animals were known to cause havoc to crops of farmers, the president of PFA, Dr Sandeep K. Jain, said the move would put the existence of these animals in danger. Dr Jain alleged the state government was planning to issue permits to poachers to shoot the animal on the pretext of saving crops. He added that it was a shy animal and came out of forests only due to lack of sufficient food and water due to human activity and encroachments on their habitat. Punjab has only four per cent forest cover against the mandatory 27 per cent. Commonly known as blue bull or “roz”, the male has a silky, steel grey coat with a bluish tinge all over except one white patch under the chin, which extends to the neck and a white ring above all four fetlock. Just below the white throat patch, a stiff tuft of black hair resembling stylish beard is present. Its shiny black horns are usually 10 inches long. There are two white spots on each cheek. The female is smaller, sandy brown on the upper body and white below. Normally, a single calf is born in one year, with twins taking birth occasionally. In Punjab, these are present in the Kandi region, Shivalik foothills, Bathinda, Ferozepore, Ludhiana, Sangrur and others. This animal has vanished from South India due to bad management of forests and wildlife. Dr Jain said the animal needed to be protected as only 3,000-4,000 members of these species were left in the forests of state. There were other means, than poaching, to safeguard the interests of the faming community, he said. He advised the growing of millet and grasses like guinea grass in the forest areas and availability of enough drinking water to prevent wildlife like sambar and black bucks from venturing out of the forests. He added that human activity needed to be minimal in forests. He said the Wildlife Department, which is already low on manpower and technical knowhow, needed to keep encroachments on forest land in check. The plan to issue permits to shoot the animal was not a wise move as it would ensure easy access for poachers to forest areas, said the PFA activists. www.tribuneindia.com/Ludhiana/26.08.2004. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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