Tiger Conservation: Cattle Conundrum

Holy Cow!

Considered as holy the cow is one of the most ill treated animal in India. Left vagabond on the streets to forage on waste and litter, the animal survives under deep stress and is ridden with ill health. Though there is no shortage of  organized cattle farms and gaushalas, the cattle left astray are owned by people who put forward a claim only whence milking is concerned. They are then left entirely on the mercy of the weather and waste and litter. They are a road safety hazards and a shame on us!

Why this neglect whence we consider it as the holiest of all animals ironically even above the critically endangered tiger?   

Cattle rearing practice is age old and along with other elements of livestock has been the main stay of the households all over rural India. Albeit little is known about beef consumption in earlier times the animals diary produce was always an important element of our existence. Due to its importance in our lives it was ordained a holy status and Hindus with vast majority being vegetarians began to revere it to the point that beef consumption became unthinkable.

But what role does the cow play in conservation especially the tiger conservation. Cows along with other livestock are left to forage in our wilderness. This practice has a detrimental effect since it  denudes forests and grasslands, increases biotic pressures and contributes to man animal conflict as well. 

Our forest ecosystems have been at the receiving end with severe denudation taking place. The wild herbivores have been the worst sufferers since rearing livestock (cattle, buffalo, sheep and goat) became widespread. Being an important means of sustenance this practice was never discouraged on the contrary it became an important industry. But unlike other countries this pastoral livelihood was only partially organized, the rest being tended by people who could ill afford investment in proper dairy farming. 

Gaur

Inability to feed their keep the poor and as a matter of opportunity for the affluent among the rural communities in most of the forested regions all found succor in the ample vegetation growing around their settlements.  The ravage still continues with no solution in sight.       

Tribal 

The effect of unorganized cattle rearing  with dependence on forests for food is reason for severe biotic stress and the herbivores have been the losers. Along with the cattle foraging in the forests the consequent tree felling has had a disastrous impact on our tiger reserves noticeably in the buffer.  The livestock also drains crucial water resources.

Another harmful consequence of this practice has been the increase in man animal conflict. Cattle whence they enter the forests to forage are susceptible to predator attacks especially from the tigers and to some extent from the leopards. In retaliation the carcass or half eaten cattle is poisoned leading to the death of the predator. This is a common occurance around our tiger reserves.    

In order to mitigate this conflict quick compensation is resorted to by the department with aid from NGOs. As a precautionary measure the cattle kill is quickly removed from the spot to a place where the predator cannot reach. This is done to avoid retaliatory poisoning by the owners. 

The preposterously huge numbers of cattle around our tiger reserves especially in the buffer zones is a major cause of concern. This is one of the serious threat to the ecosystem and results in reduced prey base due to stiff competition between the wild species and the livestock. While the formers practice of foraging leaves space for regeneration the livestock practice may not. In order to worsen the situation the herdsmen also resort to felling of trees in order to facilitate consumption by the livestock.

Being natural inhabitants of land since evolution the wild species are able to process seeds through their digestive system to facilitate regeneration. And apart from this they do not transmit disease organism which the livestock is wont to do. In fact wild animal diseases with man and livestock as carriers is a major concern in the arena of conservation.   

Disease like rinderpest, anthrax, foot and mouth disease are a severe threat to wild mammals and an outbreak has occurred many times at Kanha Tiger Reserve severely depleting the population of gaur. Though incidence of infectious disease borne by the livestock is not prevalent at the present juncture the threat remains.  

Every time I visit Kanha National Park I see large number of cattle foraging in the buffer zone. This number is inexplicable especially whence very little income is generated by the owners. The yield of milk is low and as a common practice only single crop of paddy is grown in the buffer. 

The restriction is limited to the core zone but who knows what happens in non tourism core area since nobody except the department is able to set foot there. Not leaving things to wild conjecture the core zone or critical tiger habitat is secure from the onslaught of  the livestock.    

Keeping in mind the human pressure it is unthinkable to impose restriction in the buffer zone. But nevertheless more organized dairy practises could be encouraged which would reduce biotic pressure. A better breed of cattle is essential if organized dairy as means of livelihood is brought into practice here. Until then the scourge remains.

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Uday Works As A Naturalist
He Writes on Conservation Issues
Mail: pateluday90@hotmail.com

Food Chain - Biotic/Abiotic Components & Tigers

Understanding Ecosystem in Tiger Landscapes 

The article's emphasis is on tigers surviving outside the protected areas in India. This is more of a simplification of the biotic components that prevail in an area highly stressed by human and livestock use.    

To understand this phenomenon we have to first understand the food chain in its simplest form. The food chain is best explained using a pyramid. 

How the creation and transfer of energy take place.  

1) At the lowest level are the autotrophs the living beings that use abiotic elements like sunlight, soil, water, and Co2 in order to produce energy. These are also called producers. Examples are plants, grass, herbs, shrubs, some microorganisms, and trees.   

2) Consumers or primary consumers subsist on the autotrophs so as to enable the transfer of energy. Herbivores are an example. Deer, Wild Ox, Bison, Elephants, Primates, and so on.    

3) Secondary Consumers are small predators and omnivorous creatures who subsist on primary consumers. Examples are foxes, jackals, wild dogs, raptors, etc. 

4) Tertiary Consumers are large predators which subsist on primary consumers and to some extent on secondary consumers.   Like Tigers, Lions, Cheetahs & Leopards, some bears, etc. These are also known as Apex predators, Normally these are designated as indicator species since their presence is a sign of a healthy ecosystem.    

5) Decomposers or scavengers feed on dead organisms they are small predators, hyenas, vultures, eagles, corvids, bacteria, and so on. 

Each layer from 2nd stage acts as a population control mechanism, in order to maintain an equilibrium in the environment. All components are instrumental in maintaining humidity/moisture and the composition of gases. Hence tigers are major control elements, and as top predators, they are indicators of a healthy ecosystem. I think this should justify conservation to all minds, Further understanding should arise by reading literature from acclaimed field biologists, conservationists, etc.    

When the tiger habitats contain a perfect ecosystem, the animal's survival is assured...in presence of protection from nefarious human activities like poaching. Land grab is another major threat to ecosystems all over. Niche habitats are destroyed by expanding human settlements, industrialization, and agriculture. We have lost large tracts of grasslands, marshlands, estuaries, rivers, marine ecosystems, and forests...all on a massive scale.    

In areas outside the critical tiger habitats, multiple pressure arises from agricultural practices, human habitation, livestock, and waste including toxic chemicals. The latter is a result of the widespread use of toiletries, fertilizers, and pesticides. Fumes emanating from vehicles, cooking, and noise pollution also contribute to damage to some extent. 

Livestock competes with natural inhabitants for vegetable matters and is instrumental in damaging the fragile ecosystem. They have been seen to easily outnumber the natural consumers reducing the prey base for predators including the tigers. In most of the buffer areas of our NPs the big cats are dependent on cattle and other livestock.  Besides conflict with man, they are susceptible to contagious diseases.

Tree felling in order to feed livestock is another practice that reduces the canopy. Denuded land is easily subject to loss of topsoil, and proliferation by weeds like parthenium or carrot grass and lantana.  As a result, altered weather can inhibit the breeding of tigers along with a reduced prey base. 

Another reason for denudation is our dependency on wood for energy, furniture, and construction.  In the past, clear felling was resorted for commercial logging resulting in wide-scale denudation as done by agricultural practices. Mining has the same impact as the latter besides contributing to hazardous environmental pollution.  

Hence we depend on tigers as well as all life forms for our survival plus not forgetting the purity of abiotic elements.  

Lack of planning has resulted in the indiscriminate use of our land and not leaving the niche habitats inviolate. As we aim for high economic growth further pressure is created. PAs are good examples of wise land use but we need this on a larger scale to preserve all that we can.   

Humans should minimize land use and let the Earth flourish. 

This article is in order to create an impressive group of thinkers, nature lovers, and environmentalists. A large voice/pressure group would mean the implementation of better policies that would save critically endangered species like the tiger in India and elsewhere.