Wild boar poses threat to Himachal national park wildlife

The traps are equipped with automatic cameras and installed across the park for recording wildlife and keeping tabs on poachers.
For representational purposes (File Photo | EPS)
For representational purposes (File Photo | EPS)

CHANDIGARH: For the first time, a wild boar has been spotted at the Great Himalayan National Park, a Unesco World Heritage site at Kullu in Himachal Pradesh. It was caught on camera by the authorities. Its presence can pose a serious threat to the native wildlife species of the park.

Sources said that the boar tripped the automatic camera trap laid by park authorities on the park’s Tirthan side. These cameras are installed for recording wildlife and keeping tabs on poachers. The wild boar, which was spotted at an altitude of 3,000 metres, can pose a serious threat to the goral, a small antelope. Because wild boars are highly adaptable and prolific breeders, they are also a threat to visitors.
Many invasive species are successful because they have no natural predators in their new ecosystem. Invasive flora and fauna species often threaten native ones by either damaging their habitat, spreading disease or by competing with their food chain.

Principal Chief Conservator (Wildlife) Savita said, “As of now, only one wild boar has been recorded. We are trying to estimate the exact number of these animals. After figuring out the exact number, we will try to create a strategy to check and minimise its impact on native wildlife species of the park.’’

The park, notified in 1999, is home to the snow leopard, the Tibetan wolf, the Himalayan brown and black bear, the blue sheep, the ibex, the red fox, the weasel and the yellow throated marten besides small mammals which include the grey shrew, royal mountain vole, Indian pika, giant Indian flying squirrel, porcupine and the Himalayan palm civet.

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