Hunter-wallahs

Hunting, like prostitution, is one of India's worst-kept secrets. Everyone knows it's illegal. And everyone knows it's going on. In the Northeast, hunting is prevalent amongst both tribals and the Army. And in Kerala's Periyar Tiger Reserve, rampant poaching of tuskers has dramatically skewed the sex ratio, with one male elephant for 101 females. 

These are amongst a series of startling findings thrown up by a research paper on hunting by three scientists - Nandini Velho, research associate at National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore and a doctoral student at Australia's James Cook University ; Krithi Karanth, assistant director of the Centre for Wildlife Studies, Bangalore; and William F Laurance, an eminent tropical scientist at James Cook University. 

The scientists plunged into a meta-analysis of 143 studies on hunting in India in a bid to give shape to the shadowy world that plagues the country's wildlife. 

Their study shows that hunting was reported in 23 of the 28 states and 7 Union Territories, with 114 species of mammals reportedly hunted in the country. 

Besides pushing animals to extinction, hunting also changes the way they behave. For instance, encounter rates (the chance of spotting an animal or signs of it) of daytime animals declined where guns were used to hunt them during the day. Likewise, encounter rates ofnocturnal animals reduced where guns were used at night. 

While much has been written about tiger conservation, Velho cites the plight of other mammals. For instance, the widespread use of traps for otters has led to their extinction in several areas. Its skin, says Velho, is prized in Europe. 

According to wildlife conservationist Belinda Wright, the last 18 months have seen an increase in hunting for meat,with a spike in demand in towns around protected areas. Wright says the trend has much to do with economics. Highly priced domestic meat has spawned a market for wild meat, which is found to be cheaper. 

While hunting happens across the country, the methods vary. "Hunters in Uttaranchal used guns (42%) and snares (48%) in roughly equal frequency; in Himachal Pradesh hunters used exclusively guns. In Karnataka, most hunters (94%) used home-made muzzle-loading guns although use of snares was also reported," says the study. Velho says certain communities such as the Nishi tribe in Arunachal Pradesh have banned the use of locally made trap scalled Komiya,which have often caused injuries to people, too. "The fine for laying these traps is one mithun (a bison-like animal). They do, however, allow hunting with guns," adds Velho, who has worked extensively in Arunachal, where hunting is deeply embedded in the local culture. "Even the belts used for clothes are made of animal skin." 

Tribals aren't the only ones hunting in the Northeast. "Army forces posted on India's northern borders in the Indo-Myanmar /eastern Himalayan region are also reported to engage actively in hunting," says the report. "Many Army officers wear musk (a perfume extracted from the musk deer)," says Velho. Government officers, too, are involved in hunting. "A lot of the killings carried out by locals are either sold or gifted to officers," she adds. 

The report says hunting is particularly widespread in Arunachal, which lies within the India-Myanmar and eastern Himalayan biodiversity hotspots. As many as 94 mammal species are reportedly hunted in these two regions. "This figure is considerably higher than the 33 species reported to be hunted across the Western Ghats, the 22 hunted species recorded in the western Himalayas, and zero hunted species reported from the Nicobar Islands," says the study. This may be due to the fact that the eastern Himalayas are home to more species than the Western Ghats, says Velho. 

Environmentalist Uttara Mendiratta, a consultant with Freeland Foundation says hunting in the Northeast gets a boost because the Southeast Asian market for wildlife trade is close at hand. "After hunting an animal in Northeast India, it's very easy to cut across the border to Myanmar where there is a ready market. It is not the same in the Western Ghats where it is harder to sell wildlife in an open market," says Mendiratta, who has been involved in underground operations in China and Tibet to study the illegal animal market. While Tibet was once a large market for illegal animal products from India, there has been a marked drop in demand after the Dalai Lama forbade the use of such products amongst Tibetans . His is amongst several initiatives to curb hunting. In the Northeast, locals from tribes known for their hunting prowess have been roped in for wildlife conservation.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/sunday-toi/special-report/Hunter-wallahs/articleshow/13310523.cms

Nagas fancy eating snakes, rats, squirrels, dogs, cats, spiders!

http://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/report_nagas-fancy-eating-snakes-rats-squirrels-dogs-cats-spiders_1602237

The Nagas eat anything that moves. They do not even spare insects and worms. But what they relish most is the meat of wild animals. Warriors as they are by nature, the Nagas love hunting, and the meat of wild animals fills them with great delight.

Rice is their staple food, which is taken with meat. The meat is mostly pork, beef and chicken, but it can also be snakes, snails, rats, squirrels, dogs, cats, mithuns, buffaloes, deer, spiders, birds, crabs, monkeys, bee larvae, shrimps, red ants, and almost everything that is wild. Elephants included. No part of an animal is wasted — even blood, skin and intestines are eaten. Occasionally, however, they let the skin be, and use it to make shields.

“We have feasts throughout the year and no festivity is complete without meat. We rear pigs, dogs, cats, chickens and buffaloes but the meat of wild animals is always preferred,” says K Sangtam, a Naga elder. “Hunting is something the Nagas have practiced for ages and it’s a matter of pride for a hunter if he has the highest number of kills,” he adds.

There are 16 recognised tribes and a number of sub-tribes of Nagas in Nagaland. They also have a sizeable population in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur and eastern Myanmar. Their food habits are different from those of other tribals in the Northeast — both in terms of the animals they eat, and the style of cooking. They smoke their meat at home over a kitchen fire and apply axone (fermented soya bean) to create a pungent aroma in the dishes. Some love their meat with anishi (a
preparation made of dried yam leaves).

‘Frog is like chicken’

 
Most meat dishes are boiled with suitable ingredients and spices. Frogs, bee larvae and insects are cooked till dry (with ginger, garlic and chilly). Snail is cooked with a lot of chillies. For dog meat, the best spices are ginger, Naga pepper and dried red chillies. Meat is also cooked with lettuce and spinach leaves. Chilly, mostly ‘bhut jolokia or Naga mircha’, and bamboo shoot are equally popular.

Not all species of dogs, frogs, snails, worms and insects are eaten. The Nagas say frog meat tastes like chicken. The

‘Wednesday Bazaar’ in Dimapur is very dear to these tribals for the array of animals, insects and worms sold here. A dog is sold (alive) for Rs500-Rs600. Frogs and (river) snails cost Rs200-Rs250 a kg. The river snails, which are very small in size, are cooked with ‘daal’ and sucked. The bazaar teems with customers every week. The sellers are mostly locals and they deal in local fruits, animals, insects, worms, vegetables, traditional utensils, garments, ornaments, handicraft items, etc. Nagas from all walks of life — some from remote areas — come here for shopping.

I remember once eating a pork dish at a friend’s place in Dimapur. He is a Sumi (tribe) Naga and an inspector in Nagaland police. The Sumis are known to cook the best smoked meat dishes with axone. So, one day he called me home for lunch. He told me he had slaughtered a pig. I had eaten pork before but had never had it with axone. Initially, I was a bit hesitant as I did not like the smell. It stank. But once I got over the smell, I relished the dish. The riceI had with the meat was equally yummy.

Women can’t eat monkeys

 
On another trip to Dimapur, I got to taste a different pork dish at the residence of a journalist friend. It was cooked with spices and the blood of the animal. Honestly, I could not enjoy it as the thought that I was drinking (or rather, eating) blood made me uncomfortable. Generally, when an animal is slaughtered, the Nagas drain the blood into a big bowl, and use it in meat dishes once it turns cold. (The blood turns into a solid, paneer-like substance once it gets cold. It is then cut into pieces and used to prepare a curry.)

The Nagas have a taboo on consuming the meat of certain animals, as they fear the qualities of the creature will be transferred to the user. “We do not allow a woman to eat monkeys for we believe that will make her extravagant,” says Joseph Sumi, a professional. Despite the taboo, a lot of Naga women eat monkeys these days. Nagas, he says, do not allow a pregnant woman to eat bear meat since it is regarded a stupid animal. Sumi adds that tigers and leopards are also not eaten because of an old belief that man, tiger and spirit were all brothers at the beginning of creation.

The Nagas also believe that the meat of wild animals, insects and worms can cure a number of diseases. “The meat of a type of kingfisher, which we call stone bird, is very dear to us. The bird eats stones and there is a traditional belief that its meat is a panacea for renal diseases,” says Francis Lotha, a university student, adding, “Frog, snails and bee larvae are eaten when one is injured (believed to quicken the healing of skin and bones), local chickens and legs of pigs are eaten during pregnancy, and dog meat is believed to be a cure for pneumonia."

Eric Angami, a scribe, claims monkey meat gives one quick relief from extreme physical weakness or lethargy. “Believe me, it enlivens you,” he insists.“The marrows of stags and wild goats are believed to heal fractured bones faster, and an earthworm is taken to neutralise the venom of a snake bite,” says P Shimray, a lover of monkey meat. He adds, “Once my mother was bitten by a poisonous snake. She was writhing in pain. But she recovered within half an hour after being administered a fluid full of earthworms.”

James Angami, a teacher, says the elders encourage the youth to eat snakes in the belief that it makes them immune to the reptile’s venom. “Our food habits haven’t changed much over the years. We love meat as much as our forefathers did. The only difference is that we’ve learnt to use spices,” says Roland Ao, who has a weakness for snails. So would he love to eat the meat of a rhino? “Oh yes,” he smiles. “But sadaly we don’t get it here.”

India’s hunting problem

http://www.firstpost.com/ideas/indias-hunting-problem-you-cant-ban-a-way-of-life-108827.html

Hunting may be banned by law but it continues to be a way of life for the tribes of Arunachal Pradesh. Even government officials and politicians engage in what they see as their customary right. For ordinary people hunting provides their main source of meat, recreation, medicine, and ornaments. Besides, most hunters love the spirit of the chase and the gamey flavour of wild meat. When it is so ingrained in their culture, it is a challenge to convince them of the need to desist from taking wildlife.

Tribesmen pose as they return from hunting in the Audhoya jungle, about 350 km (217 miles) west of Kolkata May 19, 2008.

Domestic poultry, pigs and mithun are insufficient as a regular source of meat and are reserved for festive occasions and sale. So the Arunachalis hunt wild ungulates and primates. Although hunting is wide-spread and intense, the local diet is largely rice and boiled leaves with spicy chutney. They eat animal protein less frequently than do mainland Indians. When the human population was low, weapons were traditional and the main use of wild meat was sustenance, hunting was sustainable.

About 82% of the state is covered in forests, of which the Forest Department protects only 27% . People have customary rights over community forests which form 38% of the state. The human population growth rate of Arunachal Pradesh (3%) is double the rest of India (1.58%). Besides farming and small-scale entrepreneurship, there is no other opportunity for employment in large parts of the state. Modern weapons are now easily available too. With few avenues of employment, hunting is a pastime as well as a means of earning a living. Animals such as tigers, elephants, musk deer, bears, and otters fetch high prices on the black market.

Hunting deals a double-blow to predators such as tigers: not only are they targeted for their highly-priced body-parts, but people compete with them for their prey. In 1984, Jared Diamond, the author of Collapse, listed over-hunting as one of the “evil quartet”, or “four horsemen of the ecological apocalypse.” Indeed, in many parts of the state, forests look pristine but are mostly devoid of large mammals. Biologists call this the “empty forest syndrome.” For example, fewer numbers of large animals are found in Namdapha Tiger Reserve compared to similar forests in Southeast Asia.

Paradoxically, new species of birds and mammals are still being discovered in this state such as the Arunachal macaque, a leaf deer, a black barking deer, and a colourful babbler. Even as scientists find these animals, they are in danger of being hunted to oblivion. Clearly something needs to be done.

The primary challenge is to ensure that the tribes realize wild fauna are of greater value alive than dead. For example, following the discovery of Bugun Liocichla, a new species of babbler, by a community-based eco-tourism project based at Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary, there was widespread international attention and appreciation. Such affirmative action enables local tribesmen who have grown up seeing anything that flies or walks as food, to appreciate their natural beauty and ecological value.

Nagaland also has a similar culture of hunting. A few community-managed programs such as in Khonoma village may show a way forward. In 1998, five years after 300 tragopans were killed for meat, community elders declared a ban on logging and hunting in a 70 sq km chunk of village forest to form the Khonoma Nature Conservation and Tragopan Sanctuary. Within two years of the ban, birds responded to the protection by re-colonizing the forest. Today birdwatchers from all over the world arrive to see Blyth’s Tragopan, a gorgeous pheasant that has re-established a population here. The area also hosts mammals such as the Himalayan black bear, serow, leopard, and sambhar. The villagers now propose to extend the hunting and logging ban to an additional 100 sq km. Ironically, wild pigs rebounded in such numbers that they became an agricultural pest and the village elders are considering a relaxation on the ban for this one species.

In Chizami, also in Nagaland, the North East Network, a NGO previously engaged with public health, women’s rights and promoting traditional methods of farming, is now working to reduce the impact of hunting. Two years ago, teachers from seven districts were trained using specifically tailored education programs, on ways of inculcating a love and appreciation of nature and wildlife in school kids. This was followed by the establishment of a nature club whose twenty members, aged 10 to 14, have sworn not to hunt or eat wild meat. At an exhibition of their wildlife and nature photographs, the children spontaneously requested their parents to pledge never to hunt, kill or eat wild animals.

The difference between the two states is: Khonoma and Chizami being just 25 to 30 km from the Nagaland state capital, Kohima, are well connected to hospitals, schools, and employment opportunities. It is possible that these programs worked because hunting was merely a pastime during the fallow agricultural season.

In Arunachal, basic facilities are lacking in most parts of the state. Under these conditions, at least hunting for recreation and economic opportunity can be reduced by providing employment opportunities, and increased policing of the international trade in animal parts. But this is easier said than done. Some of the extensive forest cover would necessarily have to be traded for setting up industries. Infrastructure projects such as dams are seen by many as a source of revenue. The total forest cover of the country is 19%, of which Arunachal contributes 2%. With forests said to soak up the carbon fumes of our consumptive lifestyles, is this a trade-off worth making? Is the cure worse than the disease?

There’s unlikely to be one solution for the entire state. Getting communities to eschew hunting may need to work program by program, location by location. But for many forests, time may be running out. Yet, there is no option but to negotiate and work with tribal communities, as more than half the forest land is owned by them. Instead of being modern-day missionaries, conservationists can at best be the facilitators, providing advice, expertise and new imaginative ideas while inspiring communities to make a commitment to protect their biodiversity.