Friday, April 09, 2010

breeding of peafowl and Chinkara

April 09- Haryana Forest Department has a plan for
conservation breeding of peafowl and Chinkara  in their natural
habitat of village Manethi in district Rewari.


While stating this today, Forest and Wild Life Minister, Capt.Ajay
Singh said that the objective of this plan was to provide the
facilities of the conservation breeding of Peafowl and Chinkara in
enclosures in their natural and undisturbed habitat in Panchayat area
of village Manethi and thereby restocking of these diminishing species
by releasing the increased population from the breeding centre.
Necessary infrastructures for the breeding centre would be built in
the village.

The project of conservation breeding was envisaged twenty years ago, he added.
The Minister said that breeding of Peafowl would be facilitated in
three aviaries with close monitoring by CCTV, whereas the breeding of
Chinkara would be monitored in the enclosures.  Aviaries would be
covered from the top also.  Size of the aviaries would be 40 mx15mx6m

Enclosures and aviaries would be chain-link-wire mess of 12 gauge
with 2”x2” hole.  Height of enclosure would be 10 ft.  Proper record
of breeding, increased population and survival after release would be
maintained at the centre by the Staff.

Mr. Yadav said that one veterinary Doctor would be engaged on
contract basis to look after the health of the animals and giving
treatment to the diseased ones. Breeding centre would be provided with
a deep tubewell and sprinkler set for growing green fodder for the
animals.

The total expenditure of the project for 20 years would be over Rs.
19.85 crore, he added.
Peafowl(Pavo Cristatus), a Pheasant and Chinkara (Gazzella Gazzella)
a antelope live in same type of habitat in semi arid to arid areas in
south west Haryana.  Both likes secluded areas in dry deciduous and
thorn forests free from any type of interference.  These species have
been placed in Schedule-I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 for
the assured protection.  Once they were in abundance in Aravalis of
Haryana but in recent past their population felled drastically due to
increased infrastructure and biotic interference deep in their
habitat.

An area of about 60 acre of panchayat land will be fenced for the
breeding centre of both the species.  Other reasons of threat are the
changed cropping pattern in the semi-arid areas, conversion of
sandy-hills into plan cultivated land, excess use of chemical spray on
crops and sowing the chemically treated seeds.  Now they are rarely
seen and if the pattern of decrease in population continues, both
species will extinct from Haryana.  There is need for conservation of
these wild species by protecting their natural habitat in controlled
area for their breeding and assured protection.

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