CHAPTER XXII 



THE ECONOMIC VALUE OF THE FAUNA 



The Government of India have proprietary rights to fauna — Economic 

 value of fauna — Preservation of this value — The professional bird- 

 snarer and poacher — Animals of commercial value in danger of exter- 

 mination — Supervision required — Economic products of fauna to be 

 treated on similar lines to minor products of forests — Forest Officer 

 as gamekeeper — Licences required for all killers of animals — Royalty 

 to be paid on products secured — Advisory Officers— Bird-farming — 

 Inland fishery industry. 



IT has been previously mentioned that the Govern- 

 ment of India, as the successors to the former rulers 

 of the country, became the owners of the fauna of 

 the forests and waste lands. This fauna has a very 

 considerable economic value, the realization of which has 

 so far not been apparent. Practically the only pecuniary 

 return as yet achieved has been from the sale of shooting 

 licences to sportsmen. And yet the value of the flesh, horns 

 and skins of the mammals annually killed throughout the 

 country must be very considerable. That there is a ready 

 market has been mentioned and is well known to many. The 

 economic value of these products in all probabiHty runs into 

 many lacs of rupees annually. No steps appear to have 

 been yet taken to tap this source of revenue. And it cannot 

 be tapped until the matter is approached from the proper 

 view-point. The mere passing of an Act, and the notifica- 

 tion of Regulations under the Act by Local Governments, 

 will not be sufficient to deal adequately with the question. 

 The effective preservation of the mammals, birds and 

 fish of a country as large as India is a matter requiring 

 constant and unremitting attention if they are to be safe- 

 guarded. That this matter has not been envisaged from the 

 correct point of view to date is perhaps not surprising. To 

 the old-time sportsman it did not occur. Why should it ? 



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