ENVIRONMENT Minister Ganga Singh has described as “alarming” the initial results of Government’s National Wildlife Survey, an exercise to determine game mammal stocks following the hunting ban which went into effect in 2013.
Singh, speaking at the launch yesterday of the second National Sea Turtle Symposium at Hilton Trinidad, said incoming results have indicated, through low game numbers, a lack of respect for wildlife reserves, where hunting was traditionally prohibited year round.
The survey, a component of the National Restoration, Carbon Sequestration, Wildlife and Livelihoods Project (NRCSWLP), is funded by the Green Fund and managed by the Environmental Management Authority (EMA).
Research and data collection is focused on five game mammals – lappe, deer, quenk, tattoo and agouti.
The University of the West Indies is responsible for the methodology of the project, which looked at Nariva, Trinity Hills, Southern Watershed, Central Range, Northern Range and Tobago.
A preliminary report, a combined effort between the UWI and the wildlife consultant on the project, has shown the alarming results, Singh said.
“Hunters have suggested that there are areas that were considered hunting sites and less hunted sites and suggested that areas not so identified should allow for a reference,” Singh said.
“The data analysis thus far shows no difference between the hunted sites and the reference sites. This may be indicating that hunting is ubiquitous and that there is no less hunted or ‘reference site’. That is to say all areas are hunted. The sanctuaries and reserves are being hunted; this tells us something about our society, our lack of enforcement and about our institutions that have responsibility for enforcement in the country.”
The preliminary figures indicate a decrease in wildlife species, Singh said, and as a result, the two-year moratorium on hunting will not be lifted.
The Minister said there were still many challenges in the enforcement of the ban, for which Government faced much backlash last year from the hunting community, including game hunters.
Singh said enforcement is key in ensuring the success of the ban and since the Wildlife Section of the Forestry Division does not have the capacity to handle enforcement on its own, Government will continue to collaborate with the Water and Sewerage Authority’s estate police, private security contractors, Petrotrin in the Southern areas, and the Chaguaramas Development Authority (CDA) officers for the Northern area.
“We are also introducing systemic change through the transition of the Forestry Division to a Forested and Protected Areas Management Authority that will be systemically different from a public sector department,” Singh said.
Story by: Kim Boodram
No comments:
Post a Comment