Wildlife and Nature Conservation - Centre for Ecological Sciences

detailed analysis, as to the reasons for the local extinction or severe reduction and whatneeds to be done to overcome these constraints. Only when these deleterious factors havebeen overcome should the reintroduction be carried out. The individuals/herds soreintroduced, need to be constantly monitored.9.14 Genetic DegenerationA most insidious and overlooked aspect of loss of biodiversity and the extinction of genepools in the wild, is the inter-breeding between wild species and their domesticcounterparts. This is particularly relevant in the case of the wild buffalo (Bubulusbubalis), the red jungle fowl (Gallus gallus gallus) and the wild pig (Sus scrofa). Thereare more domestic buffalo in the world than any other domestic livestock, but survivingwild population of pure wild buffalo is perhaps restricted to the relict, isolated groupstotalling less than 30 in the insurgency plagued Indravati National Park in Chhattisgarh,and a few individuals in the Udanti Sanctuary in the same State. The red jungle fowl,with the grey one (Gallus sonnerati), is the progenitor of all domestic fowl, but studieshave revealed that inter-breeding between the domestic fowl and wild red jungle fowl hasoccurred to a far greater extent than believed, with the consequent loss of the wild geneticresource. The ubiquitous domestic pig is breeding with the wild specimens, with the sameresult. In the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, they have their own indigenous races (Susscrofa andamanensis, etc.). Thus, genetic “swamping” may well now cause the veryextinction of these isolated indigenous races on which the local tribes, like the Jarawas,depend for their protein intake.The intrinsic value of these wild genetic resources as the counterparts of the country’smost common domesticated animals and birds is incalculable. Yet no attention is beingpaid to this loss of biodiversity so important to human welfare.9.15 Restoration EcologyDuring the last 100 odd years, massive plantations of exotic trees have taken place, allover India. Sometimes prime forest was cut down to plant fast-growing, commercialtimber and fuelwood trees. However, during the last 10 years, the Forest Department hasstopped or curtailed growing such exotics in protected areas. There are many protectedareas where these exotics or introduced species have matured and are ready forharvesting (e.g. teak and eucalyptus in Dudwa National Park in Uttar Pradesh,eucalyptus, pine and Acacia mearnsii in Mukurthi National Park in Tamil Nadu, teakagain in Buxa tiger reserve, etc.) but due to the national park status of the sites, the StateForest Departments have not harvested them.At the same time, trees growing outside forests (TOFs), including farm forestry, playmore important role in meeting national timber requirements than government forests.Present level of availability of timber is more from TOFs than government forests.Productivity is much higher and cost of timber production is much lower under farmforestry, as compared to forests (natural forests as well as plantations).9.16 Involvement of the Military and ParamilitaryArmed and paramilitary forces deployed on the nation’s borders have effective controlover vast habitats that are critical to a number of montane and other species. Their activeinvolvement in the conservation of these areas would not only prevent poaching by these136