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Field activities were initiated in the beginning of May. An immediate
concern is the high levels of intrusion and human disturbance
within the park, and the general inadequacy of the current park
management to cope with the current crisis levels of illegal activities.
One of the project activities agreed by PHKA includes the installation
and re-initiation of long-term camera monitoring of the tiger
population and its prey species. Field surveys have shown that
the current levels of intrusion in the park prohibit the safe
and undisturbed operation of these units. Recognizing this, the
team has focused on producing a detailed report for the national
park chief that outlines the nature, intensity and extent of current
threats and illegal activities in the park, and how these factors
will prevent the program from achieving its objectives.
The report has stimulated significant action throughout the park
management and in the last week of June a total of 15 intruders
were apprehended by forest rangers. A portal gate was installed
to prevent fishermen from using the core tiger habitat as recreational
fishing grounds. Three tractors were confiscated in a preliminary
effort to deal with illegal settlers and farmers in the park.
Recommendations are being made and a new timetable developed
for the implementation of the program camera monitoring in synchrony
with increasing security in the core tiger area. Approximately
45 field team days have been expended in reviewing conditions
within and around the perimeter of the park, including an assessment
of the extent and nature of illegal settlement, illegal logging,
fishing and professional hunting, illegal logging and other security
issues. Levels of conflict between local people and the national
park and conflict between local people and wildlife are also being
reviewed.
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