Nature Guides' role in the Grazing .........................................

The conservation of the wildlife by Nature Guides (RNGA)

Grazing .....

With the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 and Project Tiger placed the need for conservation of India’s wildlife. Forests where animals used to graze were closed to grazing, while national parks, protected areas and sanctuaries emerged. Grazing areas for domestic animals shrank further and poor people who were dependent on these lands were pushed further and further to the periphery. So, the conflicts between livestock grazing and wildlife became so intense and many conflicts between the state and pastoralists over grazing lands remain unresolved even today.

In the 1980s, Kailash Sankhala, first director of Project Tiger and Chief Wildlife Warden of Rajasthan until 1985, wrote, 'Cattle grazing is the major problem that Indian wildlife and the national parks and sanctuaries face today' (Sankhala 1985: 58). The Indian Board for Wildlife, in its recommenda­tions on Wildlife Sanctuaries in 1965, wrote that 'as far as possible grazing of domestic animals in sanctuaries should be prohibited' (Gee 1967: 339).
With the passing of each year, new development plans and programmes have updated, supposedly in answer to problems emerging from previous Plans. India’s population has grown, agriculture has expanded and encroached, common property resources have shrunk. Surprisingly, the livestock population has surged too. And the conflicts have grown.

 No doubt, the grazing has always been a huge pressure on the park. From July to October is the most problematic period since most of the cattle of nearby villages move into to forest of the Reserve. The villagers persistently attempt to invade into the core area, i.e. Ranthambore National Park. The grazing by cattle has adversely affected regeneration.

Main problem starts from the first fall of rains. Petty quarrels take place some time. This takes serious from. Some time villagers beat staff  and police men are called. Some forest employees take round, police stations are set up but some inferior villagers don’t care and  are ready to fight. All nature guides live there  and perform duties carefully, according to the order  of  forest department but uneducated villagers attacks fear always keeps helpless Nature Guides under tension. Nature Guides offer these services free of charge. Parks is not opened these days.  Mostly Nature Guides have no other sources of income. Department does not give them any payment and security policy. It is really department injustice to the Nature Guides (RNGA). Although their duty is really very risky but they perform their duty sincerely but nobody has admired their sincere and important services and offered them any reward of their service. It is our moral duty and Governments duty to appreciate nature Guides unselfish services and reward them by giving safety policy and economic aid.

I really appreciate the  role of the nature guides in the conservation of the wild life , well done, thank you very much .

Best of luck ....                                                                                                                                                      Continue.............. 

Nature Guide, Shard Ranthambhore, President,RNGA

What a role of Ranthambhore Nature Guide in Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve !!!!!!!!!!

Tiger Monitory 

 

The conservation of the wildlife by Nature Guides (RNGA)

Mostly Ranthambhore Nature Guide’s main income source is only this National Park. Hence they earn their livelihood by doing this job as a Nature Guide or Naturalist. Therefore, the Nature Guides are sincerely careful to the beauty and safety of this park because it is the only  income source of helpless Nature Guide. So, they play very important role for the conservation of the park. That is the main reason, they are  full attention to take care of it. It will surprise that from picking up plastic bags to illegal forestation, cattle grazing and forest firing  are also controlled by them. They are very much careful to tiger’s monitoring and perfect conservation of the park. No any other can do so perfectly and sincerely.

Tiger Monitoring:- Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve is known as “A land of Tigers”. So native and foreigner tourists’ first choice is to enjoy its visit. So, the conservation of the tiger and wild life  are  the first priority of the Nature Guides. It is really a great challenge. Some forest officers and related employees have embraced to death in the task of Tiger’s Conservation. But, they have preferred duty to their life. Tigers monitoring is very necessary  for their conservation . (It is only way to save  tigers) A tiger’s territory is about 40 to 60 sq. km.  (Average) in Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve. But it is also depended  on water, food and human disturbance.

Tiger’s Monitoring is not hard but very challenging task because for this forest department has neither enough staff nor sources. It is really noticeable that through the Nature Guides, forest department get not only vehicle but also the staff without any cost. Therefore, it is admiring point and act of nature Guides which is performed by them skillfully. But they work with interest and get enough success in tigers monitoring freely and sincerely. As soon as the nature guides enter with their tourists, they start monitoring with full interest and eagerness because it is their duty as well as a main attraction of the tourists. During their trip they are fully careful to the footprints (pug mark) of a tiger, scratch marks and droppings because these are the main sources of a tiger presence and can help pinpoint their whereabout.  During their game drive, they always try to pause, hear and assess the clues that are provided by the forest, such as warning calls by monkeys, deer and antelope. So during this particular time a nature guide has a time to observe anything in the forest. All these type of activities which are done by the nature guides is also the main part of the Tiger monitoring as well as keeping eyes for any illegal activity in the national park . After the game drive, each nature guide reports to a forest guard at entrance gate about the clue of tiger regularly. So, due to these clues, forest department knows the moments of a tiger in the tiger reserve.

Generally 8 vehicles (4 gypsies & 4 canters) are allowed for fixed zone in Ranthambhore National Park. Each vehicle checks about 35 to 40 kms area. About 8 nature guides check this area turn by turn. So there is no any hope of any mistake. Eight nature guides are sufficient for this area. Thus they perform their duty carefully and sincerely and satisfy tourists. There they perform their responsibility sincerely carefully and honesty. Their role is tigers monitoring is really appreciable, no doubt.

We are really very much thankful to the forest department who gave this  golden opportunity  to us ! THANKS
                                                                                   continue .......

Best of luck!

President, shard Ranthambhore , RNGA

The History of Ranthambhore Nature Guides

The early years

In the year of 1993 a committee was formed by Central Government to indentify the reasons behind failure of conservation efforts made under Project Tiger and majors to make the process more strong and effective.

In this context some suggestions were recommended by Mr R. S. kumbhat and in those suggestions deployment of nature guides was also mentioned as a very important task. Because before that in all tourist vehicle only drivers used to do everything and it was possible to give him greed and make him to break laws, may be kill some animals. So it was highly recommended that there should be one more person in every tourist vehicle representing the forest department and useful for tourist also. From there Nature Guides were introduced by then the forest department.

So, we all Nature Guides are very thankful to Mr Kumbhat who is actually father of this community. He recommended so many different powers to be provided to these Nature Guides and defined their duties also.

In the behalf of kumbhat committee, the beginning of Nature Guides came in effect in 1993. Late honourable Mr. Brij Lal Meena was contemporary Conservator of the forest, Mr. Meena was highly ambitious of the appointment of Nature Guides to look after Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve. He took keen interest in this work. His unceasing efforts brought progress. Some educated unemployed youth were guided who belong to the neighbouring of Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve, including village & city area. Some residents of neighbouring of the park took interest in Nature Guide job. They played vital role in the conservation of the wild life including the tigers. It is the result of Late Mr. Brij lal Meena’s unceasing efforts by which Nature Guides were inspired and encouraged. Due to his encouragement Nature Guides did much and played an important role in the conservation and beautification. This international Park, We are highly thankful to honorable Meena Sahib who took appreciable step in this important work. Although he is not among us but his achievents will be memorable.

Although some villagers were against of this conservation work but, through this excises, the forest officers got a chance to communicate directly with villagers who were really very angry with the department. Eventually they achieved to do meeting with them. Due to the meetings with villagers, some intelligent and curious officers took keen interest and anti-policy villagers in their favour and made them agreed for tiger’s conservation task. Later, it became the best way to approach towards the villagers for the forest department.

Some other people were made Nature Guide due to force of some high-esteemed and powerful status, even they did not play any important role in this work. Officers were changed. They gave priority to their kiths and kins (relatives) and friends. They made their relatives nature guides. Gradually, some nature guides were selected by the high class hotels and travel agents because they can speak English well due to their good education facilities. These nature guides joined the famous hotels & travel agents. These particular types of hoteliers & travel agents became the loyal for them.

Rest of the nature guides  who are loyal to the forest department and they fully obey the rules & regulations .Usually they ignored by these hotels & travel agents. Therefore, Nature guides who were not appointed or chosen by famous hotel / travel agents were in the shelter of Ranthmabhore National Park unwillingly or by the force of the forest department. They who were expert and Clevers went ahead but simple and helpless are working in this National Park. Due to this pulling, pushing and competition feeling their strength increased and their numbers reached at about 110 by the end of 2010. These Nature Guides worked and were faithful to their duties.

These Nature Guides were not given proper advantage or proper reward of their tough work and sincere services. For keeping strict check on deforestation, forest-firing, illegal grazing of cattle on wild –animals hunting and tigers counting and Conservation. Guides union need was felt compulsory. Some guides who were exploited organized,” Ranthambhore Nature Guides Association”. Mr., Yadvendra Singh was made the president of the Association. First election was held by fair policy on December 15, 2010. Mr. Ateek Mohammd was elected as the president; Mr. Muziburahman was vice-President and Kamal Sharma as Secretary. RNGA (Ranthabhore Nature Guide association) was registered during this period. It was only one achievement by this elected cabinet. The second election was held on June 25, 2012. In this election Mr. Shard Sharma was elected as the Preisident, Mr. Satish Verma as vice-president without any objection and any election but Mr. Shakir Ali was elected as new secretary.

At last, I am sure that we all nature guides play a vital role in the conservation of wild life including tiger monitoring, forest-firing, illegal grazing of cattle, poaching and census etc.

 

Best of luck!

President, Shard Ranthambhore, RNGA