Decision to fine animal feeders at SGNP is welcome

Forest officials warn that feeding of wild animals by visitors is an infringement of the Wildlife (Protection) Act

To end the menace of feeding wild monkeys and spotted deer at the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) the forest authorities have decided to fine people Rs 1,000. Patrolling is going to be intensified to catch violators, a report in this paper stated. Officials in the report have been quoted as saying that people are feeding monkeys and spotted deer fruit, biscuits and other food, in spite of information boards asking them to desist from doing so.

Feeding these wild animals is bad, as they may ingest plastic wrappers which are harmful. Feeding also means adversely affecting their survival instincts which make them stay away from humans. Such behaviour blurs that line, and may expose them to poachers, the experts say. They also cite instances when emboldened monkeys, feeding off (pun intended) precisely such behaviour, have snatched food from tourist's hands. This is a very dangerous phenomenon.

The fine is welcome, as people are not adhering to the rules on the information boards. It should be properly implemented. Those patrolling must be fair and impose this on violators. There must be signboards announcing that those who feed these animals will be fined. This is to warn tourists from the very beginning and the R1,000 fine too should pinch. Then, if people continue to flout this rule even with advance warning, then they should be fined.

We do have a propensity to break rules, showing disrespect for animals and experts who are in charge. At the zoo for instance, there have been people wilfully breaking the ‘no feeding animals' rule, throwing peanuts in cages, teasing and taunting animals in the thrill of getting a rise out of them. Rules are made for a reason. Let us see this deliberate and cavalier approach to animal etiquette end, and if it takes a fine to impose some decorum, so be it.