THIS IS NO JUMPING CHICKEN, SAY CAMPAIGNERS FIGHTING FROG-SLAUGHTER IN GOA By Pamela D'Mello The Asian Age
Panaji, Apr 25: Two decades after hunting endangered wild frog species was declared illegal, wildlife activists are priming a campaign to have the ban seriously implemented this year. "We've had enough of giving people a chance. There's already a problem due to the increasing scale of frog hunting and we don't need another study to prove it," says Clinton Vaz of the WildGoa team. [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wildgoa/] The group are readying a plan to focus on frog hunting this monsoon. The impetus has come from the obvious dwindling of bull frog and grass frog varieties -- the two species hunted during monsoons mainly for their hind legs. Served up as "jumping chicken", they are a much sought after delicacy in gourmet restaurants. Frogs are hunted from open rice fields with a torch light, when they surface in the hundreds after the first monsoon showers. "While earlier, only a small number were hunted, demand from tourists and urbanites have increased their slaying, creating a major problem we can no longer ignore", says Vaz. While in 2002 frogs carpeted fields mainly in the river basin areas of Goa and their loud croaking filled early monsoon nights -- in the last two years, the noise and presence have noticeably declined. Vaz sees the corresponding rise in mosquito populations and the increasing tendency of snakes to venture into human habitations, as a direct fall out of frog population decline. Frogs consume mosquito larvae in fields and their hunting in forest areas as well, sends snakes into human habitation in search of food, says Vaz. WildGoa team members are now putting the onus of implementation of the 1985 ban on the forest department. Since the ban, not a single person or restaurant has been prosecuted. The department has agreed to send formal notices to restaurants in addition to its poster campaign. Activists have also decided to patrol some field areas at night to dissuade frog hunters. Restaurants pay Rs 60 per frog and store the amphibians live in tanks until a customer orders frog legs. WildGoa activists managed to release 250 frogs from twelve persons they caught in a single night during an earlier campaign. "One man had 120 frogs in his bag, and agreed only to release half when confronted," he said. Local youth also hunt catfish, snails, and turtles that surface in the fields along with the frogs after the first rains. While catfish and snails hunting are not banned, turtles and frogs are endangered species. Wildlife activists are hopeful that senior forest officials have agreed to form complaint cells this monsoon to support the campaign. Though frogs are similarly hunted in Kerala and Karnataka, awareness levels are higher in Goa, with the department and activists keen to do more this year. (ENDS) Send feedback to: Pamela D'Mello <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
