Experts oppose release of pigs in National park

Mysore, June 20 (UNI) Former member of Wildlife Advisory Board and former Director of Zoo Authority of Karnataka Krishna Vattam today strongly opposed pigs caught here, following outbreak of Chikungunya, being released in Nagarahole National park.

In a statement today, he said the forest officials had done well in taking a serious note of the action. If these pigs, known for carrying parasites, were released into the park, it would certainly have had disastrous consequences on the health of other animals in the park.

About two years ago there was a move to release the monkeys caught in the city into a reserve forest, which was stalled following protests from wildlife activists.

Similarly, in 1970s the bisons in Bandipur National park had almost been wiped out following rinder pest disease, transmitted from stray cattle found on the periphery of the park. Later, the park authorities took the villagers into confidence and arranged periodical vaccination of the animals as preventive steps.

It took some years for the reappearance of bisons in the park, he pointed out.

UNI