Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Conserving threatened species is one of the key objectives of wildlife conservation but many projects launched in Madhya Pradesh with the said aim failed to achieve the desired results.
Gharial conservation in Son-Ken (rivers) failed as Son fell victim to habitat changes due to damming of the river and diversion of water from its tributaries to industries, states report of Wildlife Action Plan 2023-2043.
The report in its chapter ‘Conservation of Threatened Species’ further says that the disruption of ecological river flow resulted in the drying of the several pools in the river where ghariyal used to live and breed. The erratic and narrowed river flow resulted in flat sandbeds not suitable for egg laying by Gharial.
The stretch of Ken river in Madhya Pradesh where Ken Gharial Sanctuary exists is not at all suitable for Gharials. The possible breeding stretches in Ken are a little downstream in Uttar Pradesh, but those areas suffer from severe human use and are therefore not suitable for the gharials.
The report mentions that several institutions have carried out animal and plant surveys in various parts of the state.
Several species of plants and animals listed as vulnerable or have an indeterminate status are in fact suffering local extinction or rapid decline in their ranges. These species need public involvement for their protection.
The Satpura Tiger Reserve is home to many Rare, Endangered and Threatened (RET) species of plants representing the western ghats and eastern Himalayas. The construction of several dams on the rivers Narmada and Tapti has serious adverse impact on the natural habitat of Mahseer - the state fish of Madhya Pradesh-, resulting in a drastic decline in its population. The efforts were started in 2015 to conserve it by adopting multipronged strategy called MIRACLE. After the initial success in the captive breeding prpgramme at Barwaha, the project was halted during the pandemic and still remains closed owing to the non availability of the funds.
Some species conservation programme did not work owing to flaws in strategy and some external factors. While populations of the tiger, Barasingha, Gaur, Gharia were resurrected after initial success, the Great Indian Bustard bird faced a downslide in Karera and Ghatigaon. The Lesser Florican too dwindled in Sailana and Sardarpur Sanctuaries and black buck in Bagdara sanctuary also lost ground. The Florican bird, which is a monsoon visitor to Madhya Pradesh may have suffered more from the power lines and windmills en route.
