Despite drawing severe flak on the translocation of gaurs the MP Forest Department is going ahead with the similar process of shifting barasingha from Kanha to Satpura and few animals from Van Vihar to some favourable destination, writes Vivek Trivedi Madhya Pradesh might be rich in forests and wildlife but the Forest Department's focus in the recent past has remained translocation and not conservation. The Forest Department despite drawing severe flak on the translocation of gaurs (Indian bison) is going ahead with the similar process for shifting barasingha from Kanha to Satpura and few animals from Van Vihar to some favourable destination. The entire concept of translocation of wild animals started in 2009, when the Forest Department had undertaken tiger revival in Panna. Experts and volunteers had strongly objected to the move by saying that reviving tigers at Panna without correcting the reasons responsible for the earlier wipeout of big cats was not a step in the right direction. However at present there are four adults and five cubs at Panna. Besides, the Forest Department also plans to translocate two more striped cats from Bandhavgarh. These felines are likely to be moved to Madhav National Park, which had turned bereft in terms of tiger presence but has shown presence of a big cat in the recent past. Buoyed with the translocation of tigers to Panna, the Forest Department had undertaken shifting of gaurs (Indian bison) from Kanha to Bandhavgarh. The department's decision to include a foreign-based firm in the process in return for filming rights of the process had sparked off controversy. Volunteers and wildlife activists have raised eyebrows over inclusion of a foreign-based firm 'And Beyond' without any tendering process. The volunteers also have objected to the fact that the Forest Department had undertaken the project without looking into the reasons for the wipeout of gaurs from Bandhavgarh in the 1990s. A rescued gaur was also brought from Khargone to Van Vihar and later two female gaur were translocated from Kanha to Van Vihar. The ambitious project of gaur (known as Indian bison) translocation undertaken in the State by the Forest Department has proved to be a mixed bag. Five casualties and two births have been reported in the translocation undertaken between Kanha and Bandhavgarh, while the process undertaken for Van Vihar resulted in two mortalities and one survival. It is a bit peculiar that the Forest Department had claimed that foreign experts invited for translocating gaurs were expected to impart necessary skills of the process to forest officials, who had already who successfully shifted tigers to Panna. Moreover, the subsequent translocation to Van Vihar also failed, raising several questions on the technical knowhow attained by the forest officials from foreign experts. The translocation spree is likely to continue as second batch of 31 gaurs would be shifted to Bandhavgarh from Kanha this winter. Translocation of barasingha (swamp deer) is the latest thing on the translocation list of the Forest Department. Chief WildLife Warden HS Pabla has left for Kanha in order to assess technicalities of shifting swamp deer to Satpura. The swamp deer finds it hard to enter deep in the forest due to antlers with a dozen tines. This has raised fear of the extinction of barasingha, which is the State's mascot in the event of an outbreak of disease. Besides, Van Vihar has also been included in the list of probable destinations to be involved in translocation. The forest officials have informed that the park is overcrowded and has around 1,100 to 1,200 animals and almost 500 to 600 animals would be shifted to other proper locations. Les Carlisle, a representative of South African company '& Beyond', previously known as CC Africa had visited the State capital and assessed options of translocation at Van Vihar. The foreign experts visited the park and suggested ways to shift herbivores to other possible locations. Kuno-Palpur is also likely to have two new species in the form of cheetah and Asiatic lions. The stage is set for the expected arrival of six female and three male cheetahs at Kuno-Palpur sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh from Namibia and South Africa in January. The 'appropriate' big cats are in the process of being selected and will be brought here by international cheetah expert Laurie Marker, popularly called 'Thecheetah lady'. To add to this, four zoo-bred Asiatic lions from Hyderabad, Delhi and Bhopal will also soon be introduced in the 350 sq km park for their conservation in the wild. Further, Kuno is already the new home to T-38, the tiger from Ranthambore, about 20 km from Kuno as the crow flies. The park is also known to have other varieties of cats — including leopards, caracal, jungle cats, rusty spotted cats. — The park is thus soon expected to achieve the unique distinction in the world of having almost all the cat species. RTI activist Ajay Dubey who had raised objections on the 'irregular' gaur translocation speaking on the current translocation spree said that the Forest Department does not have any transparent and accountable policy on translocation. He alleged that the officials were undertaking such processes without any set pattern or regulation. He further claimed that such autocratic functioning was seen in the Forest Department in the past and is being witnessed at present as well. Wildlife volunteer Navnit Maheshwari when quizzed on the issue said that the Forest Department's ostensible concern of conservation in translocation seems okay but he added that personally he does not agree with the translocations of gaur to Bandhavgarh and tigers to Panna. "Reviving any species at any particular place without going into the reasons of its wipeout from that place does not seem reasonable," said Maheshwari. He categorically mentioned that translocation seem a fallout of huge pressure exerted from the tourism industry. Himself a resort owner, Maheshwari said that most of the tourism players are not concerned with conservation or eco-tourism, they only care about their revenue. Regarding involvement of CC Africa in translocations, the volunteer said this seems unnecessary, as renowned wildlife experts are present in the country. Besides, he added that the forest staff has managed to increase the population of 66-odd swamp deer to more than 300 at Kanha without any foreign intervention, which itself narrates their capabilities. Retired Chief Conservator of Forest PM Lad on the contentious issue presented diversified views. “These experiments of translocations should be done but instead of using foreign experts, the Forest Department should rely on its own officials,” said Lad by adding that forest officers should shoulder the responsibility even if they commit odd mistakes. The former forest officer said that roping in foreign officials was a negative step as it would lead to shattered confidence of our officers. He also opined that these experiments were crucial in wildlife conservation but should be undertaken on regular basis and with a transparent process.