State to conduct census of wild boars

Aman Sood
Tribune News Service
Patiala, February 9

The state government has given its consent to the Punjab Wildlife Department to conduct a first-of-its-kind “census” of wild boars and blue bulls. On the basis of the census, a proposal will be drafted to declare them vermin.

“We have observed an increase in human-animal conflicts…we want to estimate the population of these species to devise a strategy,” said Kuldip Kumar, Principal Chief Conservator, Forests (Wildlife). “The Chief Minister has given his nod for a special census. The Dehradun-based wildlife institute and other agencies will be roped in for the scientific count,” he said.

Farmers in the state have suffered losses due to the menace of wild boars and blue bulls. The animals degrade forests, damage crop and stray into human settlements in search of food and water with the increasing deforestation. Farmer unions have sat on dharnas many a time, seeking more compensation for the crop damage.

As per rules, Nilgais (Boselaphus tragocamelus) and wild boars (Sus scrofa) fall under Schedule III of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, (amendments were made to the Act in 1993 and 2002). The Section 62 of the Act says the Centre can declare any animal a vermin for a specified period of time following a number count report submitted by the state wildlife department. But such a move has always been opposed by wildlife activists. At present, both animals can be killed but only after taking “permission from the Wildlife Department”.

Wildlife experts said the population of these animals in increasing in parts of the country due to the declining number of their main predator—- wolf and leopards.

Animals damaging crops

• 72 crop damage cases reported due to wild animal menace during 2016 and 2017
• 31 cases of loss to property caused by animals

Rules on vermin tag

• As per rules, nilgais (Boselaphus tragocamelus) and wild boars (Sus scrofa) fall under Schedule III of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (amendments were made to the Act in 1993 and 2002).
• The Section 62 of the Act says the Centre can declare any animal a vermin for a specified period of time following a number count report submitted by the state wildlife department.