While there is news worldwide – some fake and some real – that nature is ‘reclaiming public spaces’ amidst the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic induced restrictions to vehicular movement, Karnataka is seeing an increased number of man-made forest fires and wildlife poaching.
“We have been getting more cases of poaching and similarly there is an increased number of fire incidents since the lockdown. We have had more than 400 incidents of fire on a single day. So between March 21 and March 30, after lockdown, we have seen 1,777 cases of forest fire across the state. But our people (forest department) are putting them out. These numbers are way above the average even though this is the fire season,” Sridhar Punati, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Head of Forest Force in Karnataka said.
He added, “Normally during this time of the year, we hardly get cases of poaching but now we have around 12 cases in nine days. Even in Nagerhole National Park we have seen one case.”
The wild animals that have been hunted in the past two weeks are wild boars, rabbits, deer and even peacocks. Once the poachers are caught, they are claiming that since regular meat is not available, they are resorting to hunting wild animals, he further said. This has led to the forest patrolling team being more vigilant.
He explained, “Sometime within 30-40 mins they are able to finish their hunting and run off.”
He also elaborated that the fire incidents are primarily due to three causes. Due to the lockdown, there is an increased activity in collecting non-timber forest produce such as honey, tamarind or even mohua.
“So often to flatten the surface, people would set fire so that it is easier to collect the produce. And then some of the fire can expand to a much larger area which becomes difficult to manage for them,” he said.
Other two are done by cattle grazers who usually burn dry grass to let fresh shoots up and then there are others who just set fire as a retaliatory measure against the forest department’s strict restrictions against encroachment.
In addition to fire staff on the ground, he said the state government has requested Indian Air Force (IAF) to be on standby with their helicopters to help fight fire and the IAF has assured full support as and when requisitioned.
Joseph Hoover, a conservation activist and former member of the State Wildlife Board said, “Usually when there is normal activity poachers are extremely careful due to the general awareness of the public against poaching. The same goes for fires, Since no vehicles are moving in, poaching has been a bit of a problem in many areas in Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru and even in Turahalli and Bannerghatta near Bengaluru.”