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