Destruction of life in India by wild animals / J. Fayrer.

  • Joseph Fayrer
Date:
1883
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Destruction of life in India by wild animals / J. Fayrer. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    14/17 page 257
    Hyderabad Madras ... Mysore ... ... ... North-West Provinces Oudh 8 annas to 2 rupees 1 anna 8 annas 2 rupees Punjab ... Rajpootana 2 annas I to 8 annas No rewards appear officially proclaimed for elephants, buffaloes, or bisons. In cases of notorious rogue ele- phants rewards have been specially given. In Burmah 5 to 20 rupees offered for alligators ; in special cases, more has been given in Bengal and Madras. The difference in the amount of the rewards appears to indicate that higher sums were offered in special cases, probably when the creature was a notorious man or cattle-slayer. Now I cannot help thinking that if Government made it part of the duty of district officers, not only to pro- claim these rewards but to encourage the destruction of wild animals and snakes, by mons of an organised establishment, which should be sunDlied in these dis- tricts, much benefit might result. Tne money rewards already offered would probably suffice for wild animals, but those for venomous snakes should be increased; if, at the same time, the people were encouraged to work for the rewards, and were aided by persons acting under properly selected superiors, the result would soon show a diminution of the wild animals and snakes. But, I repeat that not until some organised establishment is formed, to be worked steadily throughout the whole country—not dependent on the will or subject to the caprice of individuals, but under local officers subject to one head—will any real or progressive amelioration of the evil be effected. Such a department under a selected officer, would, as was the case with the Thugs and Dacoits, soon make an impression on a death-rate which, so long as it continues in its present condition, must be referred to a defect in our administration. J. Fayrer
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