Urgent Call to Save Assam’s Majestic Feral Horses: NGT Demands Immediate Action in Dibru-Saikhowa National Park
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a notice to the central government and pertinent authorities regarding the critically endangered feral horses residing in Assam’s Dibru-Saikhowa National Park. This decision, made on December 16, followed a suo motu case and was led by a bench comprising NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member A Senthil Vel. The tribunal emphasized the urgent need for intervention to protect these unique horses, which face the threat of extinction.
Originating from domesticated horses but living untamed, these feral horses’ populations have reportedly dwindled due to factors such as smuggling, habitat destruction, reduced grazing areas, floods, and neglect from conservation bodies. Notably, these horses aren’t protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, and the absence of a thorough census complicates efforts to determine their exact conservation status.
The NGT highlighted potential violations of the Biodiversity Act and the Environment Protection Act influenced by these emerging issues and stressed the need for compliance with environmental norms. Authorities called to respond include the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the National Biodiversity Authority, the Zoological Survey of India, the Wildlife Institute of India, and Assam’s chief wildlife warden.
This matter has been set for a hearing on February 27, urging respondents to submit their replies via affidavit to the tribunal’s eastern zonal bench in Kolkata. Notably, the horses have survived in the wild for approximately 80 years, possibly descending either from World War II-era war horses or the Przewalski’s horses from China. The case highlights the importance of proactive conservation strategies to protect these endangered equines before their numbers decline further.
Original Source: https://www.indiatodayne.in/assam/story/assam-ngt-demands-action-for-endangered-feral-horses-in-dibru-saikhowa-national-park-1139251-2024-12-17?utm_source=rssfeed
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Publish Date: 2024-12-17 18:15:00
