Bringing Back Manas

hunting of many of these raptor species. Such species
having larger area requirement are likely to
disappear with further clearance of pristine habitat
in the region.
The present study is perhaps the first that
systematically estimated populations of bird species,
examined vegetation structure & composition, and
quantified animal encounter rates for most commonly
occurring mammal species in the region. However,
assessing impact of forest use on wildlife of the region
was beyond the scope of this study and therefore it
remained unclear whether forest use by locals for
grazing, fuel wood and timber is adversely affecting
vegetation structure & composition, which in-turn
ultimately affect animals populations. This needs
immediate investigation.
The checklists of birds, trees, shrubs and herbs
presented in the report may be conservative because of
two reasons. First, sufficient data on these groups could
not be collected as a result of the scope and duration of
the present study. Several species of birds are migratory
and appear only during winter. Therefore, it is likely that
the checklist of birds is likely to increase with passage and
winter migrants, if further observations are made during
winter and rainy season. Similarly, several species of
annual herbs and grasses appear during rainy season
and are properly identified only while flowering. Also,
herbs and grasses that existed during the course of the
present study were in deformed shapes as a result of
trampling. Consequently, it was difficult to identify
them. Second, species effort curves for birds, trees, shrubs
and herbs suggested that present sampling efforts are
inadequate even for summer season and therefore more
such efforts are required during survey season. It would
be appropriate, if a long-term study envisaging
biodiversity quantification is planned for the region.
Fig.73 A tricarinate hill turtle (Melanochelys tricarinata),
Greater Manas, Assam
Bringing Back Manas
However, hunting of wildlife appears to be a problem
in the region. Hunters use firearms, arrows and a variety
of traps to secure the animals. Both individual hunters
and hunting parties are seen killing wild animals
Fig.72 A Bodoman readies his weapon for a hunt
frequently. Similarly, problem of timber smuggling in the
region is acute. The territorial forests are also fragmented
by several hundred people daily who venture into forest
areas and axe timber trees. Species, specifically Shorea
robusta, Pterospermum personatum, Terminalia sp,
Schliochera oleosa, Diptereocarpus sp. are heavily targeted.
Shorea robusta has already become locally extinct from
many parts of the region.
Fig.74 A Burmese rock python (Python molurus
bivittalus) released in the wild in Manas National Park
83