Revival of Manas National Park by Maozigendri Ecotourism Society

Much of the credit of Revival of Manas National Park goes to Manas Maozigendri Ecotourism society (MMES). It is a group of locals who joined hands to work for conserving the forests of Manas and revived the Manas National Park. My tour to this society in Bodoland Assam was truly a phenomenal experience. I particularly remember the poachers who shared their stories of poaching for survival during the dark days of Bodoland movement.

One among them stands out distinctly. He is Mr. Buddhiswar Boro. Read my interview with him here:

How I went from Poaching Elephants and Rhinos to Protecting Them

Mr Buddhiswar Boro Bodoland

Local Bodo villagers set up their own Eco-tourism Society on the 13th December 2003. Most of the staffs here were once loggers and dreaded poachers. Some were Bodo Liberation activists. Today they are actively involved into anti-poaching and anti-logging campaigns!

Manas in Assam, India, is a Tiger Reserve since 1973. It got UNESCO World Heritage Site tag in 1985. It was declared National Park in 1990. Manas Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the State of Assam in North-East India, a biodiversity hotspot. It is spread over an area of 39,100 hectares. The park spans the Manas River and is bounded to the north by the forests of Bhutan.

Revival of Manas National Park – Rhinoceros

But how is it that they became poachers in the first place and then how did this transformation happen in them to reach here where they are now?

In the late eighties and early nineties Bodo people of Assam started a mass movement for a separate state. Their main grievance was that they were sidelined by Assam government. In 1993 after the signing of historic agreement by Bodo leaders, Central government and State government the region saw some peace. However failure of complete implementation of the agreement led to Bodo inhabitants taking up arms again.

Bodoland movement, the dark era of Assam, saw the rise of unemployment, lawlessness and Bodo rebels. Manas National Park faced the brunt of this restlessness in the youth. Trees were felled, animals killed to satiate the greed of ivory lovers. Forest officials weren’t spared and soon they fled their offices leaving the green zone to trigger happy people. Manas was rampantly depleted with mindless hunting of wildlife.

In the early eighties there had been as many as 100 rhinos in Manas. During the period of insurgency, between 1986 and 2003, all of them were wiped out. It was only in 2003, after Bodo autonomy was given recognition, these merciless killing stopped.

Reformed Poachers with Mr Kalen Basumatary

Involved in Poaching due to Poverty

“We were young then. Due to extreme poverty and no money to buy food we took up whatever came our way. Elephant tusks were in huge demand. With guns in hand we felt powerful.” Buddhiswar Boro says he was just fourteen when he got into this wildlife hunting game. “No one told me it is wrong”, he adds.

Those days, a kilo of ivory would fetch Rs3000. Rhino horns fetched more. He would go for the next kill when he exhausted the money and that would be after many months of rest. “I lost my arm when a wild boar attacked me and I was grievously injured.” That put us to silence for a while.

Mr. Hemanto Basumatary, another poacher turned protector, added, “I must have killed at least 50 elephants.” After a pause he added, “After the formation of Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) and campaign of the MMES officials I gave up hunting. The forest is mine and so is the responsibility of protecting the animals.”

A lone peacock in Manas

Reformed Poachers help in Revival of Manas National Park

These reformed poachers knew the interior of the forests like the back of their hand. Interestingly it is this knowledge that is helping them track down miscreants, present day poachers, rescue and rehabilitate animals. Locals have become more responsible and took to conservation of the park wholeheartedly.

In their new avatar of Conservation guards, they work jointly with the forest officials to locate the areas with maximum poaching and logging. They are now committed to conserve the rich biodiversity of Manas. Not all stay back to become protectors. Some of those who were reformed left the society to start their own business. Those who stay back actively campaign for a sustainable conservation of the forest area and promote responsible tourism in Manas and adjacent areas.

During patrolling of these sensitive areas the new volunteers had to face stiff resistance from those still involved in logging. Hemanto Basumatary narrated how the role reversal increased his self esteem. There were instances when their team seemed helpless against larger gangs of poachers and it was sheer willpower that helped overpower the foul players. Mr. Abhijit Rabha, the then park director, provided support and assistance to the team keeping their morale high.

Wild buffalo in Manas National Park

Reforming Poachers, the Early Years

Kalen Basumatary, engaged with this Ecotourism Society chatted up with us about the initial days, way back in the early years of 2000. Almost every day they would go out with a mission to reform former poachers. Kalen and his friends ran anti-poaching and anti-logging campaigns, counselling the poachers to become protectors. “I would find it so rewarding at the end of the day when I would be successful in reforming at least one of them. Often the efforts to convince them would take as long as a week. But once reformed none of them have gone back to their old poaching habits.”

Poaching and Encroachment Continues

However poaching is still on, add to that encroachment of land for agriculture. The criminals get away easily and there is low conviction rate in wildlife crime cases nationwide. Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) provide legal assistance to forest department personnel in filing cases related to wildlife crime in a comprehensive and error-free manner.

Maozigendri Ecotourism Society revived Manas National Park

Mr Kalen said their efforts paid off. “Over the years our joint effort with similar societies has increased the count of animals from the state of near extinct.” He then gave some stunning statistics: Rhinoceros count had become zero because they were targeted for horns. After community participation in conservation, they brought in a few Rhinos from Pobitora and Kaziranga. Their population has now swelled to 40.

Swamp deer was not seen earlier now its tribe has increased in good number. Similarly Asiatic elephants were not seen earlier, but now their count is approximately 2000. Royal Bengal Tiger too had almost vanished but recent sightings record 36 of them.

Some of the rarer species like Black Panther, clouded leopard, and common leopards are being sighted frequently now. 476+ bird species have been identified. The Manas National Park was removed from the Danger List in 2011.

Revival of Manas National Park – increase in number of elephants and rhinos

Accommodation around Manas National Park

I have visited both these accommodation and can vouch for their good service.

• Thobgang Jungle Camp run by Manas Maozigendri Ecotourism Society
•  Smiling Tusker Elephant Camp

Thobgang jungle tourist camp

Pin this for later