How wildlife trade features in the day-to-day politics of Assam

Political unrest and economic instability are feeding a thriving illegal wildlife trade in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district

As we wind our way down to Diphu from Guwahati through large farms and rolling hills, our driver tells us that this “vastness” is what attracts Bangladeshi immigrants to India. “They think all this is free land,” he says. We can sense his simmering resentment towards immigrants, a sentiment that contributes significantly to the politically charged atmosphere of this region. The district of Karbi Anglong, Assam’s largest district, is home to a diversity of human cultures that include tribes such as Karbis, Bodos, Kukis, Dimasas, Hmars, Garos, Rengma Nagas, Tiwas, and Man. This district also has a history of political unrest. It is administered by the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) and has seen a long-drawn struggle for the creation of an autonomous State within Assam. Caught in the middle of this socio-political turmoil is a silent entity: wildlife. Located adjacent to Kaziranga National Park on one side and Nagaland on the other, Karbi Anglong has an official forest cover of over 40%. And the district is home to tigers, rhinos, leopards, elephants, pangolins and more.