Interview with Environmentalist

Having lived in Kanha for 25 years, Eric Dcunha is a household name to reckon with at the Kanha Tiger Reserve. Now serving as General Manager, Bagh Tola - Mukki, Eric is also an author of the book, Birds of Kanha; and a keen environmentalist. Mr. Dcunha's knowledge of the park is immense and thorough. I caught up with Eric - a charismatic personality at Kanha and had a free-wheeling interview, details of which are mentioned below.

Hector Dsouza: Hector Dsouza: Kanha then..... and now? What are the big differences you've noticed since your arrival?

Eric Dcunha: I came to Kanha in 1986, i.e., 25 years ago and getting here was a real challenge. The roads were in a bad shape and the telecommunication system was virtually nonexistent. Though Kanha had the best Bio diversity compared to some popular parks in N. India, tourists hesitated to visit Kanha because of poor infrastructure. There were very few lodges and very few tourist vehicles used to enter the park except for a few Holidays. There was no "zone" division of the park. No online booking in advance for entry. Today we have a different situation. Between Kanha and Mukki gate areas we have more than 50 lodges (to suit all budgets).The population of villages in the buffer zones also has increased many folds all of which has a cumulative effect on the buffer zone.

HD: Could you enlighten us on your three most memorable sightings inside the park?

ED: On two occasions I saw ten tigers together. Two related tigresses feeding on a common kill along with the dominant male of the area. This changed the concept of the popular belief that the Tiger is a solitary creature. We still have to learn so much about Tiger biology. There are so many factors that govern Tiger societies. My most memorable experience is when I saw a tiger snatching a spotted deer kill from a leopard. The poor leopard to save his life climbed up a tree and was there for a good 45 minutes. He was watching the tiger feeding on the kill that he had made.

HD: Man - animal conflict, how is Kanha Tiger Reserve coping with it ?

ED: Fortunately, Kanha has a large buffer zone (more than thousand square kms.).The core is quite healthy with a strong base of herbivore population. This reduces significantly the chances of a big cat causing problems in the surrounding villages, though there are occasional cattle lifting cases. The Park authorities compensate the villagers whenever they lose a cow or a buffalo. What is remarkable is the fact that even the Gypsy driver's association, does voluntary contribution to people whenever they lose their cattle. This shows the bonding of the locals with the park who are benefited by tourism. The herbivores like Chital do cause some crop damage and the Park authorities are trying their best to evolve some method whereby they can assess the actual damage and compensate the farmers.

HD: Empowering the surrounding villages with more facilities and amenities outside the reserve. Will this bring about a greater awareness about the park and instill pride in the minds of the locals ?

ED: I fully agree with the fact that the future of our tiger reserves depends largely on the local people especially those who live in the buffer zones. For centuries, they have lived on the forest produces that they have been collecting from the forests around them. They will have to be involved in the day to day management of the park ensuring they are employed by all those who get benefited from creating the Tiger reserves including the tourism industry. Better infra structure, better education and creating environmental awareness in the local population is of paramount importance. Even today, the villagers cook their food on the firewood they collect from the forests around them. The ever increasing population is constantly exerting the pressure on the fragile buffer zones. Let us not forget one thing here: It is the vanishing habitat that is posing a more serious threat to the tiger than poaching. Alternative energy sources will have to be thought of instead of firewood and quickly before the village forests are seriously degraded.

HD: How is tourism effecting tiger reserve, is there greater awareness of conservation among tourists than before.

ED: Wildlife tourism has come under serious criticism in the recent years as a cause of disturbance to our Nature reserves especially our Tiger habitats. Several "wildlife" experts have expressed their views that tourism be banned in the core tiger habitats. I view this problem as more of a management problem than actual threat to our Wildlife Reserves. Several neglected parks have been revived and wildlife has made an impressive comeback after tourism has been introduced it those areas. This is simply because there are more watchful eyes when there is tourism in those areas. There is no denying that the awareness has certainly increased in the past few years. The parks can certainly play a critical role in creating awareness about conservation Our parks should not be treated as weekend picnic spots by tourists. Enlightened tourists are like watchdogs of our reserves