The Jomlo Mongku Mithun Farmer Federation has expressed grave concern over the reported decline of the mithun population in Arunachal Pradesh at an alarming rate, and has urged the authorities concerned to regulate the slaughter of the animal during elections and festivals.
It noted that the balance between celebration and conservation – once maintained by customary norms – is now under strain due to increased political feasting, competitive displays of wealth, and the absence of clear, community-backed limits on slaughter.
The concerns raised are legitimate, as the slaughter of mithuns has continued unabated, and there is no scientific effort to curb it. If left unchecked, and without timely intervention, the animal – revered as a cultural symbol – risks becoming extinct. Therefore, there is an urgent need for community-imposed caps on the number of animals that can be slaughtered during festivals, rituals, and marriages. Even the daily buying and selling of mithun for consumption has continued without any limit on the number that can be used as food.
If conservation is truly being considered, the government should accord the required attention and seriously explore conservation measures.
In recent years, however, there has been a disturbing rise in large-scale and often unregulated mithun slaughter, especially during elections, festivals, feasts, and community celebrations.
As the organisation notes, there has been a severe decline in the number of mithuns, and such a decline is not just a loss of livestock but a blow to the cultural fabric and economic security of mithun-rearing communities.
It is time for the government to intervene and act, in consultation with the mithun rearers of the state.