Animal rights groups unhappy with government's decision to declare nilgai as vermin

Animal rights organisations are not only miffed with Maharashtra government's decision to declare blue bulls (nilgai) and wild boars as vermin, but some have also threatened to knock the doors of judiciary.

While on one hand the state wants to ease restrictions on killing of both these animals as both are considered 'notorious' for their contribution in crop destruction, Greater Mumbai Federation of Animal Protection Organisations (GMFAPO) — a coalition of animal protection organisations in Mumbai and at present has 17 member organisations — has written to the chief wildlife warden, Maharashtra state forest department protesting the move.

"We are extremely worried about this move and have written to express grave concern over the rising trend of declaring many species of wild animals as vermin. While an effort to solve the issues arising out of crop destruction are much appreciated, the methodology to exterminate animals that are currently protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 may upset ecological balance," shared Varda Mehrotra Director of FIAPO. She was quick to add that there is no scientific base to this and it seems that suddenly all the states across India have decided to get nilgai and wild boar declared as vermin and soon they could even go for other animals as well.

Kedar Gore, director of The Corbett Foundation (TCF), sharing his concern said that there was no doubt that farmers were facing crop loss, but then there is a huge uncertainty about how would the implementation of this culling exercise be carried out. "Who will monitor the culling, what will happen to the carcass and the biggest question is who will control it as other animals might be hunted in the name of culling vermin for instance a young black buck might be killed "mistaken" for a Nilgai," he said, adding the MoEFCC should issue a protocol to follow in this regard and also share any success stories where culling has indeed been helpful in reducing crop damage by wild animals.

Gore questioned how will the government ensure that how many animals to cull and what is the optimal number. "Some out-of-the-box thinking is required to deal with this issue. There are several areas where people have encroached upon and illegally occupied natural grasslands that are the habitats of nilgai and other herbivores. What is the government doing to control such illegal activities and if such encroachments are not controlled this issue will further aggravate and the blame again will be on the wild animals," he said.

Pawan Sharma of RAWW said that their biggest worry was illegal poaching. "People will be ready with guns and might kill animals who are not even declared vermin and the bigger concern is that wild boar, which is one of the proposed vermin is an important diet of the leopard in several parts of the state and imagine culling them will only put pressure on their diet pattern."