Poaching & hunting of animals going on in large scale
Kohima, April 19: Lockdown has given opportunity to the animals to reclaim the nature, but in Nagaland it is taking toll on flora and fauna.
There are reports of poaching and hunting activities going on in large scale, throughout the state, during this lockdown period. The State Government has issued order banning hunting and poaching like many other states which have banned such activities during this extraordinary period.
Videos and photos of random killing of animals and birds are flooding the social media.
Social distancing is in towns and villages but social gathering in the jungles is destroying the nature.
The Directorate of Health and Family Welfare of Nagaland had earlier issued an advisory asking people to refrain from hunting due to the available evidence on novel coronavirus and post coronavirus suggest that there may have been transmission of viruses from animals to humans.
The advisory said that hunting increased chances of contact of wild animals and wild animal products with humans.
While towns and villages are locked down and highways and roads are barricaded there are reports of illegal activities in the jungles which is taking toll on State’s flora and fauna.
Unlike Nagaland during the ongoing lockdown, nature has started to revive itself, as animals are getting bolder and they have started venturing into human territories. Mountains, valleys, hills and rivers are showing their real faces in other parts of the world, but in Nagaland destruction of nature has increased during this period, going by the reports and magnitude of people venturing into the jungles.
There has been ban on hunting and illegal fishing, and destruction of nature, in several places in the State, mostly in papers, by village authorities and different organizations. Random killing of animals and birds take place during winter season as villagers are allowed for hunting, which is mockery to prohibiting and banning killing of animals.
In Kohima district, hunting season is only for three months and that has already expired in February, but still people are unmindful to carry guns around in the jungles and neighbourhood.
Nagaland is seeing a surge in illegal hunting of wildlife, as the state during this period due to two reasons-one shortage of foods, and another for pleasure to avoid confinement at home. People in rural areas have little to turn to, but natural resources. Shortage of meat and fish supply has badly affected in the State.
The ban on hunting during the lockdown likely means animals were drifting into areas they otherwise might not be found, but is not working in Nagaland.
Wildlife conservationists have cautioned about a surge in poaching and hunting during COVID-19 lockdown and this is actually happening in Nagaland.
(Page News Service)
