Tragic News of More Poaching in Simlipal
We’ve just had the terrible news that more elephants have been poached in Simlipal Tiger Reserve in Orissa, India. The most recent report from our local project partner states that three female elephants have been poisoned and a further tusker was poached, most likely shot.
This comes on top of the tragic events of early last year when perhaps as many as 18 elephants were killed in the same area.
Simlipal Tiger Reserve is part of one of the largest adjoining tiger and elephant habitats in the world, and an elephant census in Simlipal in April 2010 revealed a population of 551 elephants. There is however much skepticism about this as a genuine figure, fuelled by a breakdown in communication and goodwill between the Forest Department and the local people. In response to the poaching that took place last year, an independent team was set up by the National Tiger Conservation Authority in May to assess the ground situation in Simlipal. The team made 25 recommendations to protect the elephants, many of which are yet to be fulfilled. One glaring issue recognised in particular, was the fact that local people were not being seen as important stakeholders by the Forest Department, and no effort had ever been made to include them in the protection of Simlipal.
To redress this situation, the Forest Department plans to rebuild bridges with the local communities through an awareness campaign that includes the publication of brochures, posters, wall paintings and street dramas. With support from Elephant Family and the Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), “Village Protection Committees” will meanwhile be set up among students, self-help groups and other community members. These will monitor and protect the elephants around Simlipal, hold regular meetings, spread awareness, and be in constant communication with the Forest Department. The campaign will thus forge a link between the people and the Forest Department: people will be more aware and motivated about the need to protect their wild elephants; current strained relationships will become more positive and focused on information sharing; and ultimately the elephants will be better protected from poachers and other threats.
Sadly it is too late for the latest poaching victims, but Elephant Family will play a significant part in preventing such shocking incidents in the future. Once sufficient funding has been secured, Elephant Family and WPSI will launch a programme to protect the elephant landscape of east-central India. Building on ongoing initiatives, a range of threats faced by elephants in the area will be addressed, including electrocution from low hanging and poorly managed power lines, habitat loss and fragmentation, as well as poaching. As attested by recent events, such intervention couldn’t come sooner for the troubled and neglected elephants of Orissa.
The above photograph was taken during the independent assessment into last year’s killings © Belinda Wright, WPSI
written by Carly Vincent on 17th February 11
