M F AHMAD
Daltonganj, June 27: It is the bat that is shot at with a slingshot (gulel) more than the bird in the jungles of the Palamu Tiger Reserve (PTR).
Most of the bats are nocturnal. They fly and forage for food at night. They sleep during the day and that makes bats vulnerable to being caught or shot down with the slingshot.
Range officer of Mahuadanr forest of the PTR Brinda Pandey said tribal youths are pretty fond of using slingshots. They carry it along with their cell phone.
These tribal youths shoot down bats with slingshots. Such incidents are high. On being asked as to what they do with it. Pandey said “I am told they eat it.”
About the commercial stake of the bats, ranger, Pandey said. “I have no idea about it.”
Barring two species all other bats are categorised as vermin and thus are out of the purview of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.
Only two varieties namely fruit bat and Wroughton’s tree tail end bat are under the Wildlife Protection Act.
Sources said this is the major stumbling block in taking action against people who hunt bats.
Chief conservator of forest and field director of the PTR Kumar Ashutosh said, “What we can do is to keep a vigil on youths entering our jungles of the Palamu Tiger Reserve with slingshots. We will tell them to spare the lives of the bats. Bats should be allowed to have a normal life.”
Ashutosh said we will not hesitate to ‘snatch’ slingshots from those youths who pose to be a nuisance to the bats and birds in the PTR. He appealed to the guardians to prevail upon their children from using slingshots to bring down bats and birds.
A slingshot is not a weapon, said a police officer and hence no offence can be made out against a person having a slingshot.
However, the police officer said in tiger reserves, sanctuaries, national parks etc it is advisable not to carry anything that can harm flora and fauna.
