Culling is practised in several countries when overpopulation poses significant threats to the ecosystem and challenges local agriculture and livestock (“Himachal farmers welcome decision to cull wild animals”, June 12). However, such an exercise is monitored by forest rangers, with each kill being officially recorded and a strict male-female ratio observed so that there is no change in natural population dynamics. There is also translocation of ‘excess’ populations to alternative less populated and suitable habitats, with an appropriate representation of adults, sub-adults and juveniles. Indiscriminate culling without supervision will only mean mass slaughter impacting population dynamics. Untrained shooters can cause animals to experience pain. Culling could also encourage poaching to return, even promoting wildlife trafficking.
Sterilisation of specific captured animals in the target populations can check their high reproductive rate. Several SAARC member nations are looking to repopulate their forests with species from the subcontinent. Why doesn’t India help them?
Saikat Kumar Basu,Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
I love wildlife, having had the opportunity to come across a variety of species during my 30 years of service in the Forest Department. When animals start to impact human livelihoods their population has to be reduced using regulated means and by adopting a scientific approach. Though bold steps have to be taken, culling does not mean an indiscriminate killing of wild animals.
Y.S. Kadakshamani,Madurai
The act of culling will only cause grievous harm to conservation and the need to protect dwindling wildlife in a country like India. There are remedies in the form of technology-based electric fencing and even sterilisation. Farmers do deserve justice, but in this case there is a danger that culling will lead to wildlife being threatened.
N. Hasini Preetham,Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh
This may very well be the first instance of declaring the nilgai as vermin and allowing its culling. There is now the grave danger of India’s wildlife facing extinction. Exterminating monkeys in Himachal Pradesh, peacocks in Goa and wild boars in Maharashtra on the ground of these species turning into ‘vermin’ is definitely not scientific management of wildlife.
V. Sundararaju,Tiruchi
