No to ritual hunting

POACHERs are motivated purely by commercial gain. But the tribals of Simlipal
in Orissa are prompted by almost sacrosanct tradition - an annual hunting
ceremony known as akhand shikar or
.mass hunting excursion", which turns
them into ferocious killers of even protected animals.

The ritual normally begins in mid-April on Chaitra Sankranti. This year,
Orissa forest authorities sealed off the
Simlipal National Park, home to many
protected species. This prevented the
en masse infiltration of tribals armed
with bows and arrows. The park will
remain sealed till May 31.

, During the ritual, the tribals set up
shikar camps and hunt down animals
mercilessly. The Simlipal Forest Reserve
authorities, along with a local tribal
organisation called the Society for
Research and Development of Tribs
Culture, have distributed leaflets prined in Oriya and Santhali languages to
hammer home the message of wildlife
conservation.