Dr. Gyanashree Dutta & Dr. Upankar Chutia
Assistant Professors, Alliance School of Law, Alliance University, Bangalore
"only a few small incidents of poaching are frequently highlighted towards the accomplishments made in Assam in the conservation and management of the greater one-horned rhinos. However, not enough attention has been paid to the problem of invasive alien species in the grasslands of Assam.."
Invasive alien species are those species which are not native to a particular biodiversity. Such species threatens human health, national economies, resource availability, ecological processes, and biodiversity at large[1], and this affects a lot in the socio-economic development of a nation. The main issue is that in India, till today, we do not have a specific comprehensive law which deals with the issue of Invasive alien species. Although we have laws like the Environment Protection Act, 1986, the Biodiversity Act, 2002, the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, etc., nowhere the issue of invasive alien species has been clearly mentioned. It is only under Article 8(h) of the Convention on Biological Diversity, 1992, which defines Invasive Alien Species as, “Remove, control, or prevent the introduction of alien species that pose a hazard to ecosystems, habitats, or species”.[2] It is to be observed here that Article 8(h) of the CBD does not define the word ‘invasive’.
The North-Eastern State of Assam has varied species of flora and fauna, and is a home to the greater one-horned rhinos, which is generally found in many of its National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries like the Kaziranga National Park, Manas National Park, Bardia National Park, Garumara National Park, Orang National Park, Pabitora Wildlife Sanctuary, etc.
In Assam, invasive alien species are considered as a major threat. The one-horned rhino of Assam which was earlier considered as an endangered species, is now recognised as a vulnerable species as provided under the Red List of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).[3] Again, another most alarming reasons behind the decreasing number of the one-horned rhinos of Assam is the tremendous increase in the growth of several invasive alien plants like mimosa diplotricha, ipomoea, congress grass, water hyacinth, lantana camara, mikania micrantha, chromolaena odorata, etc. in its grassland habitats.
It is to be noted here that today, only a few small incidents of poaching are frequently highlighted towards the accomplishments made in Assam in the conservation and management of the greater one-horned rhinos. However, not enough attention has been paid to the problem of invasive alien species in the grasslands of Assam, so far as to encourage conservation strategies and financial support related to it. This also gradually destroys the habitats for rhinos of Assam.
Global biological invasion is a serious and expensive environmental issue. However, the incidence and scope of invasions by non-indigenous species have increased dramatically because of the expanding human population and better worldwide transportation.[4] Human disruptions that are noticeable in forest areas can be connected to the distribution of invasive plants. In general, faster assimilation by alien species will probably result from increasing the frequency, intensity, geographical patterns, or degree of disturbances.[5] Most of these invasive plants are natives of South America, which got slowly introduced in the sub-continent of India as ornamental plants, or as fodder crops.
With the rapid increase in industrialisation and globalisation, today, there has been a drastic increase in tourism, trade, travel, and all other human related activities. This in turn, has led to both intentional and unintentional introductions of invasive alien species at an increased rate.
Mimosa, which tea garden owners initially introduced to Assam as nutrients, for the presence of nitrogen, and for economic development, is a clear example of an invasive plant that was intentionally introduced.[6] It is a native of Southern Central and South America, and the Kaziranga National Park now faces a serious threat from the mimosa invasion.[7] According to reports of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), it is harmful to herbivores and is one of the most dangerous alien invasive plants.[8] Again, the perennial creeping climber mikania micrantha is recognised for its rapid growth. It harms or kills other plants by blocking out the light, suffocating them, and competing with them for water and nutrients. After World War II, mikania micrantha, a plant originally from Central and South America, was imported to India to hide airfields. Mikania micrantha quickly climbs and twines on any vertical support, including crops, shrubs, trees, walls, and fences, after it has established itself. By suffocating and smothering grasses and tree saplings, mikania produces about 40,000 seeds annually and colonises forest regions quite quickly.[9]The pink morning glory or ipomoea carnea, which is a native of America is easily cultivated from toxic seeds and can be dangerous for herbivores.[10] Lantana Camara, which is a native of South America, is one of the most dangerous invasive plant species found in the Kaziranga National Park of Assam which destroys the other native plants and organisms nearby. Congress grass has been widely disseminating and has been continuously harming the environment, cattle, flora, and health of human beings. It is found in almost all parts of Assam. The rapid spread of this plant is recognised to its wide range of environmental adaptability, including its capacity to grow for the entire year, shorter life cycle, and ease of disposal by wind, water, vehicle, and animal movement. [11] Water hyacinth, a native to the tropical regions of South America, is found today in many parts of the Kaziranga National Park. It depletes oxygen and clog water bodies in water.[12] One of the main issues with its spread is that by preventing sunlight from penetrating the water, it reduces the levels of dissolved oxygen essential for aquatic species to survive. Furthermore, transportation and fishing are hampered by a dense bed of water hyacinth.[13] Again, today Chromolaena odorata is mostly found in many parts of the Manas National Park. This species is basically a native of Mexico, the West Indies, and Tropical South America. It was first brought to the Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden in Calcutta as an ornamental plant in 1845, and Jamaica was believed to be the most likely geographic source for India.[14] It is very destructive to the grassland habitats of the greater one-horned rhinos of Assam.[15]
Habitat management thus plays a very crucial role in this context. It requires a concerted effort from many organisations and partners, as well as passionate supporters of animal protection. Proper monitoring teams including scientists having special knowledge in environmental related aspects should be appointed so that they can investigate this matter more seriously and take all the adequate and efficient steps to eradicate or control such invasive alien plants.
Aranyak, which is a recognised society in Guwahati since 1989, and which has worked in diverse areas to conserve biodiversity in the North-East India, should conduct more management and training programs on how to control such species, and what adverse effects these might have in our near future. It can also plan out systematic strategies and programs for the proper control and management of such invasive species.
Also, the Government of Assam should provide a framework for creating highly important management components, such as the efficient design of “priority areas” for invasive species control, and the integration of mitigation strategies with the already-existing park management plans and activities. This in fact, will help us in maintaining sustainable development, which will focus more towards protecting our future resources, and will also bring a widespread balance in ecological conservation and restoration. This in turn will help in increasing the number of one-horned rhinos and will make a better habitat for them to survive in the various grassland habitat of Assam.
No doubt, several initiatives like the Indian Rhino Vision 2020 are being taken by the Forest Department of Government of Assam, but till date, there are no strict rules or legal regulations on protection of rhinos from the invasive alien plants found in the grasslands of the National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries of Assam. Thus, proper control, management, and protection of such species in proper time is the need of the hour. If such species increases in the grasslands of Assam, then the population of rhinos will severely decline, and this will have a huge impact on tourism, and on the social and economic prosperity of the State. Plethora of laws exists on protecting the environment, but no legal provision specifically highlights the problem of invasive alien species. Thus, keeping in our minds that rhinos are the pride of Assam, it must be protected from the deleterious ill-effects of invasive alien species, and this is possible only if a strict and comprehensive national law is being implemented by the State of Assam at the earliest.
[1]Ricciardi A., Steiner, W.W.M., Mack R.N., Simerloff. D, “Towards a global information system for invasive species”, BioScience, 2000, Vol. 50, Issue 3, Pp. 239-44 [2]Available at https://www.cbd.int/doc/legal/cbd-en.pdf, accessed on Nov. 28, 2022 [3]Available at https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/04/14/indian-rhino-vision-2020-irv-2020/, accessed on Nov. 28, 2022 [4]Ewel, J.J., O’Dowd,D.J., Bergelsen, J., Daehler, C.C., D’Antonio, C.M., Gomez, L.D., “Deliberate introductions of species:Research needs”, Bioscience, Vol. 49, pp. 619-30 (1999). [5]Bibhuti Lahkar, Pranjit Kumar Sarma, “Invasive species in grassland habitat: an ecological threat to the greater one-horned rhino (Rhinoceros unicornis)”, Jan 2011, available at http://www.rhinoresourcecenter.com/pdf_files/131/1316403579.pdf, accessed on Nov. 29, 2022. [6]Id. [7]Bikash Kumar Bhattacharya, “Assam’s rhino habitat overtaken by invasives”, available at https://india.mongabay.com/2019/03/assams-rhino-habitat-overtaken-by-invasives/, 25 March 2019, accessed on Nov. 30, 2022. [8]Joseph Vattakkavan, N. K. Vasu, Surendra Varma, Nidhi Gureja, Ambika Aiyadurai, “Eradication of Mimosa in Kaziranga National Park”, Assam, Occasional Report No. 12, Assam Forest Department, 2005, available at https://www.wti.org.in/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/pub_silent_stranglers.pdf, accessed on Nov. 30, 2022. [9]Bikash Kumar Bhattacharya, “Assam’s rhino habitat overtaken by invasives”, available at https://india.mongabay.com/2019/03/assams-rhino-habitat-overtaken-by-invasives/, 25 March 2019, accessed on Nov. 30, 2022. [10] Available at https://backyardnature.net/yucatan/tree-m-g.htm, accessed on Nov. 30, 2022. [11]N Irabanta Singh, “Congress grass menace in North-East India”, available at http://e-pao.net/epSubPageExtractor.asp?src=education.Science_and_Technology.Congress_grass_menace_in_North_East_India_By_N_Irabanta, accessed on Nov. 30, 2022. [12] Available at https://abhipedia.abhimanu.com/Article/State/NDQ4NQEEQQVVEEQQVV/Problems-of-Kaziranga-National-Park-Assam-State, accessed on Nov. 30, 2022. [13] Shabrin Raisa Rahman, “Water Hyacinth: Prospects of A Thriving Rural Economy in The Context of Assam”, The Sentinel, 30 Nov, 2022, available at https://www.sentinelassam.com/editorial/water-hyacinth-prospects-of-a-thriving-rural-economy-in-the-context-of-assam-559114, accessed on Nov. 30, 2022. [14] Roopak Goswami, “Manas under invasive plant species threat”, The Telegraph Online, 30 November 2022, available at https://www.telegraphindia.com/north-east/manas-under-invasive-plant-species-threat/cid/1691406, accessed on Nov. 30, 2022. [15] Id.