By IANS
Jaipur : Untimely rains and hailstorms have hampered the Rajasthan forest department's efforts to conduct a wildlife census.
Officials said that the wildlife census began on May 2 but since then many parks and sanctuaries including Sariska have experienced heavy rainfall and hailstorms affecting the census. Though it was to be completed by May 18, the census will now have to be re-conducted in parts of the state.
Though no official dates have been announced but sources in the department said that the census is likely to be taken up from June 1. In Jaipur's Jamwaramgarh and Nahargarh forest area, the census might be held on June 1 and 2, sources added.
"We have sought information on rains from all wildlife parks and sanctuaries. Once reports are received the department would decide on the future dates of conducting census", forest department officials told IANS Tuesday.
They said that the census would now be undertaken mainly on the basis of water hole monitoring technique and pugmark tracking.
The wildlife census is considered to be crucial for Rajasthan. A report produced in March 2005 by the Wildlife Institute of India confirmed that there were no tigers left in the Sariska tiger reserve although an official census conducted in 2004 had indicated that between 16 and 18 tigers lived there. Enquiries revealed that poachers had killed all the tigers at Sariska.
Unconfirmed reports suggest disappearance of some tigers from the Ranthambore national park as well. The poaching activity appeared to be linked to a well-established network of tiger parts traders. Poachers have also targeted other animals such as leopards.
The state government has faced severe criticism from both political and non-political quarters on the dwindling tiger population of Sariska and Ranthambore.