DNA | Apr 16, 2013, 07:59AM IST
Jaipur: The apex court’s decision has rekindled the
hope of Rajasthan being honoured by a sacred distinction of being the
first state to be a home to all the three Panthera species of the
subcontinent. Though, its plan to develop Cheetah Park stands shelved
after SC’s refusal to allow African cheetahs from being brought to the
country.
More than fifteen years back, the Rajasthan government had tried to
settle Panthera leo Persica, better known as Asiatic Lions in the
state’s sanctuaries. In 1996-97, Government of India (GOI) started a
program to identify potential areas for translocation of these lions
from Gir to some other forest area.
This was done to ensure that the already endangered population,
which was confined only to Gir forest, does not get wiped out due to
Tsunami or any disease. Kamal Nath, who was the then minister of
environment and forests identified Kuno-Palpur area, on border of
Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh as a potential site for translocation.
In the following year (1998), the Rajasthan government also
constituted a committee of experts which studies the animals at Gir and
submitted a report. The report, which was handed over to GOI, narrated
that Rajasthan has a better potential than Kuno-Palpur. “The committee
asked the GOI to review the choice of site. It mentioned Darrah
sanctuary near Kota and Sitamata sanctuary near Chittorgarh as potential
sites, since the habitat and prey base was favorable for population
expansion” said Rajpal Singh, member- State board for wildlife and a
member of the state committee for relocation of lion in Rajasthan.
Interestingly, Asiatic lions were found in the Kota-Bundi region
(Darrah sanctuary area) during the British Raj also. Historically, the
area was a preffered ground for royal families to shoot lions and
tigers. Recently Darrah sanctuary was included in project tiger area but
the government can rethink over introducing lions in the area. “It will
be a great boon for the wildlife and for the state also if Rajasthan
gets its share of lions” said Singh.
http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/RAJ-JPR-rajasthan-may-become-the-first-state-to-have-all-three-big-cats-species-4236829-NOR.html
http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/RAJ-JPR-rajasthan-may-become-the-first-state-to-have-all-three-big-cats-species-4236829-NOR.html
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