All is not well with the twin tiger reserves in Kerala.
From porous borders to illegal interstate entry points and large tracts of unprotected forests, which form the core of the reserves, much needs to be done on the ground at the Periyar and Parambikulam tiger reserves for improving their management.
The recently released Status of Tigers in India-2018 report and the Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) paint a rosy picture of the two reserves. The growing tiger population in the Kerala forests and the top scores of the reserves in the MEE have hogged national attention.
Periyar reserve
On an individual scale, Periyar has scored 93.75% and is given “good” rating for management effectiveness. Evergreen forests form more than half of the core area of the reserve. The core area is free of human settlements and biotic interferences there is negligible, points out the report.
However, the MEE report also lists management weaknesses of both the reserves along with the others that were evaluated during 2017. Of the total 881 sq km of the core area of the Periyar reserve, 733 sq km is protected area and the rest, carved out of the Ranni Forest Division, is not part of any protected area network, it says.
The porous borders the reserve share with Tamil Nadu and the 18 illegal entry points along the nearly 90-km interstate boundary have been flagged as a matter of concern by the evaluators. Though there are a few licensed gun holders within 10 km of the boundary of the protected areas, none have been registered with the tiger reserve.
The study has identified Sabarimala pilgrimage as the largest biotic factor that adds pressure to the fragile ecosystem of the reserve. Though the “biotic pressure from tourism and other activities has been reduced considerably, the pilgrimage pressure of 1 to 1.5 crore devotees to Sabarimala during the festive season persists”, points out the report.
These devotees visit the temple, which is located in the core area, over a span of two months, every year. The huge number of visitors to the hill temple is exerting a lot of biotic pressure on the natural resources, the report says.
The report also puts the blame on the Travancore Devaswom Board for the threats faced by the reserve. Non-adherence to the Sabarimala Master Plan by the Devaswom board threatens the ecology of the reserve, says the report.
Invasive species
The spread of the invasive species Lantana camara along the grasslands and fields of the reserve has evolved as a major biodiversity threat. The grasslands and fields are gradually being infested by the invasive woody species.
The report also cautions the authorities about the safety aspects involved in the conduct of the nature walks undertaken for tourists in the reserve.
There is a high risk of encounters with elephants and gaur. Proper precautions shall be taken and adequate arms are used for such events, it says.
Regarding the 5,000-odd tribesmen belonging to the Mannan, Paliyan, Urali, Malampandaram, and Malayan communities who depend on the PTR for their livelihood, the report suggests steps to provide them alternative livelihood provisions and avenues, “keeping in their eco-cultural association with the forest intact.”
Park manager responds
Responding to the management concerns raised in the MEE, Shilpa V. Kumar, Deputy Director of the Reserve, says efforts are being undertaken to notify as protected, the areas identified in the report as not part of any protected area network.
At present, these areas have the legal status of reserve forest and its notification as protected area is a legal formality. As there are no human habitations inside the area, the legal process will be a rather smooth affair.
Once notified as protected area, the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 will have a greater impact. The proposal for re-designating them as part of the protected area will have to be moved at the State Wildlife Advisory Board and the process may take up to a year, she says.
The risks posed by the porous borders can be addressed only with the support of the neighbours. From the Kerala part, vigil has been stepped up with field staff deployed in the area to keep a tab on the movement of people across the border.
Tamil Nadu, it is learnt, is campaigning for notifying Meghamalai as a tiger reserve and those at the Periyar reserve are in support of the campaign. The notification of Meghamalai as a reserve will certainly improve the situation and curb illegal practices to a considerable extent, Ms. Kumar says.
The presence of Pachakkanam estate, located within the core area of the reserve, was one of the conversational anxieties raised by the MEE.
Issue of private estate
Of the 208 hectares of the private estate where cardamom is being farmed, 67.52 hectare was recently notified as Ecological Fragile Land.
The State government has plans to take over the estate from its owners and the compensation to be paid to the owners will come around ₹129 crore. The spadework for the takeover is being done, department sources say.
Regarding the spread of invasive species, Ms. Kumar says an invasive and exotic species monitoring cell has been formed to address the issue. Studies are being undertaken to identify such species and formulate management plans.
On the registration of licensed guns, the park manager hopes to take up the issue with the District Collector.
