Boma Technique

In News 

• An uncommon experiment with Africa’s Boma technique undertaken at Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan’s Bharatpur district for capturing and translocating spotted deer is set to improve the prey base in Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve.
  • The move will lead to herbivores populating the forests ahead of the proposed shifting of two tigers to Mukundara.

About the Technique 

• The Boma capturing technique, which is popular in Africa, involves luring animals into an enclosure by chasing them through funnel-like fencing. 
• The funnel tapers into an animal selection-cum-loading chute, supported with grass mats and a green net to make it opaque for animals, which are herded into a large vehicle for their transport to another location.
• The technique is preferred since it does not require chemical immobilisation of the animal involved. 
  • If mass capture is the task at hand, the Boma method is adopted as it is not feasible to dart and sedate numerous animals at once within a limited time frame.”
• This old technique was earlier utilised to capture wild elephants for training and service. 

• Benefits: 
  • The passive capture of ungulates with the first-ever utilisation of the Boma technique will make a significant contribution to the prey base management in the State. 
  • The inadequate prey base in the project tiger areas had led to less breeding success for the felines, while the attempts to centre them around a new habitat would depend on the availability of prey. 
    • The translocation of herbivores would reduce preying upon rural cattle, sheep and goats around the tiger reserves.

Source:TH