The stray dog menace

For several weeks now, there has been a raging debate about stray dogs. Some conservationists believe that they have every right to live on the roads and in villages. Those opposing this viewpoint say that given the number of people who die of rabies every year, stray dogs have to be taken to task.

For several weeks now, there has been a raging debate about stray dogs. Some conservationists believe that they have every right to live on the roads and in villages. Those opposing this viewpoint say that given the number of people who die of rabies every year, stray dogs have to be taken to task.

A rough calculation suggests that in Junnar, Maharashtra, 24 people lose their lives to rabies annually. In contrast, leopards kill the same number of people over 10 years. Yet, leopards are trapped but stray dogs are allowed to roam around freely.

Interestingly, there is a link between leopards and stray dogs. Studies show that the domestic dog forms 64 per cent of the leopard's diet in the Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Maharashtra (some people think that's a good way to handle stray dogs).

The sterilisation of all male dogs is not possible. Besides, sterilisation doesn't help in checking the spread of rabies. Some say that only the dominant male in each area be sterilised, but that's a task too. Some fear that these dogs will not be accepted as the dominant male when they are re-introduced after the process.

Another hitch is that the anti-rabies vaccine is only useful if all the stray dogs in a particular area are vaccinated every 11 months. To some degree, denying them food from the garbage bin could be useful, but it is not a stand-alone solution. Do you have any suggestions?

Lizards killed for drums

Traditional drums, or ghumats, used on Ganesh Chaturthi apparently spell doom for the Monitor Lizard, killed for the membranous surface. Although there are no figures available for the number of lizards sacrificed for this annually, some conservationists expect that it must be much wider than we realise.

Killing of the Monitor Lizard is already banned under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. For this ban to be successful, public support is needed. Most importantly, alternatives for the membrane have to be found and traditional drum-makers trained to earn their livelihood through other vocations.

There are many inspiring examples of such change in India itself. In the Northeast, artificial hornbill beaks are replacing the original stuff used ritually, thus sparing the rare bird. Although it's too late to make a big difference for the Monitor Lizard this year, it's the right time to begin work for next year.

(If you feel for Planet Earth then write to Earthwatch1@rediffmail.com)