Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Corbett tiger found dead in wire snare
At a time when tiger census is in progress amid concerns over the dwindling population of tigers, yet another tiger was found dead in Fonto Range of Tarai West Division of Corbett Tiger Reserve.
A male tiger estimated to be six or seven years was found trapped in a wire snare near agriculture fields. The body of the tiger was lying there for the last 48 hours. The post-mortem report also revealed that the big cat died of a wire snare which had caused a wound in its belly.
"I believe there was no involvement of poachers as all the organs of the feline was found intact. It seemed to be a case of human-animal conflict, as farmers placed a wire snare near agriculture field to prevent wild boars from reaching the field. The feline trapped in the same snare and died due to bleeding, said RK Mishr, Director of Corbett National Park.
Mishr added that a red alert has been sounded and teams have been pressed to remove wire snares placed near agriculture fields. Divisional Forest Officer of Tarai West Division said that a search for culprits is being undertaken in 30 villages falling within 5 kilometre radius of the site where tiger was found. A sniffer dog from Rajajji National Park is also being used in the search operation. This is third reported tiger death since January this year. As many as nine tiger have died under the area of Corbett Tiger Reserve since January 2009.
Tiger, on its last leg
| The Observer | |
Conservationists believe the number of tigers left in India may be little over half the official tally and that at the present rate of decline, the tiger will cease to be a viable wild species in India within five years, writes Gethin Chamberlain The poachers perch on the rough platforms they have built in the trees, waiting for the tiger to come. They have been searching the forests of Ranthambhore reserve for days, following the pug marks and other tell-tale signs. When they found the fresh kill, they knew it would only be a matter of time before the tiger returned to eat. They placed their traps on the path, scattering small stones across the sandy soil, knowing that tigers hate to walk on them and will pick their way around. The tiger pads forward into the trap, which springs shut with a snap. Desperate to free itself, the tiger thrashes around. Another foot catches in another trap, then a third. The poachers watch to make sure it cannot free itself. One man carries a bamboo stick into which he has poured molten lead to give it more weight. The other has a spear on the end of a 10ft pole. As the tiger opens its mouth, the poacher with the spear lunges forward, stabbing between its open jaws. His colleague smashes the tiger over the head with the stick. http://www.deccanherald.com/content/58279/tiger-its-last-leg.html | |
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Two more tigers to be shifted to Sariska
Jaipur, Mar 12 (PTI) Two more tigers would be shifted from Ranthambhore National Park (RNP) to Sariska sanctuary in Alwar district as soon as they are located, Rajasthan Assembly was informed today.
Replying to a question, State Forest and Environment Minister Ramlal Jat said a helicopter would be used to locate two tigers T-37 and T-47 which had strayed from RNP range and were roaming in adjoining districts of Karauli and Bharatpur forests.
So far two tigresses and one tiger were shifted from RNP to Sariska, and two more would be shifted as soon these were located, he said.
The tiger population had disappeared in Sariska in 2005.
BJP MLA Gajendrasingh Kheenvsar alleged that the tigers were not shifted due to pressure from NGOs and tourism lobbies, which drew a sharp response from Congress members.
Replying to a question, State Forest and Environment Minister Ramlal Jat said a helicopter would be used to locate two tigers T-37 and T-47 which had strayed from RNP range and were roaming in adjoining districts of Karauli and Bharatpur forests.
So far two tigresses and one tiger were shifted from RNP to Sariska, and two more would be shifted as soon these were located, he said.
The tiger population had disappeared in Sariska in 2005.
BJP MLA Gajendrasingh Kheenvsar alleged that the tigers were not shifted due to pressure from NGOs and tourism lobbies, which drew a sharp response from Congress members.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Another tiger dead, this time in Bihar
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Fortnight before tiger death, govt cleared relocation
JAIPUR: Barely a fortnight before the death of two tiger cubs on the outskirts of Ranthambore national park, the ministry of forest and environment had given permission for the relocation of 'straying' tigers from the park.
Rajesh Gopal, director of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), said, "The ministry of environment and forests has written a letter to the chief minister of Rajasthan in this context."
Sunita Narain: Getting to the 1,412th tiger
Only 1,411 tigers are left. So says the latest advertisement campaign of a new telecom company and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). It is powerful. It plays to our emotions. But it does not tell us what is being done, or should be done about it. It does not tell us how we, the consuming class, can be part of the solution to protect the tiger.
The reason is simple. One must gloss over the bitter, inconvenient truth that India cannot have more than 1,411 tigers — the figure is the mid-range of the last census — unless one imagines conservation differently, very differently. In fact, if there are these many tigers, that’s amazing. Forget more.
Let me explain what I have learnt from some reputed wildlife experts in the country: Tigers are territorial. They literally need land to roam. With the birth of a new male tiger, this search starts. Either the old tiger gives way or the new male tiger looks for a new ground. But where is that ground? All around our parks, forests are destroyed. People who live in areas adjoining tiger reserves resent this animal, which kills their cattle. They have no use for the reserve forest, which protects the herbivores and the wild boars that eat their growing crop. They get nothing in return for living around tiger land. They want no tigers on their land.
First phase of tiger census in the Sunderbans completed
The first phase of the tiger census, which included collection of signage and direct sightings of the big cats, in the Sunderbans was completed on Tuesday, although officials said that it would probably take a year to obtain estimates of the population.
“The first phase that began on March 4 went off smoothly and has shown some positive signs as there were a number of direct sightings,” Pradeep Vyas, director of the Sunderban Biosphere Reserve said.
“I personally observed three tigers during the field study,” said Raju Das, joint-director of the reserve.
The data collected by the 35 teams on the field is yet to be collated. It will take about two months to process the data collected after which it will be sent to the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) where it will be analysed. The third phase of the project involves the setting up of camera traps and radio-collars, Mr. Vayas said.
http://beta.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/article228879.ece
Radio collar fitted to Sunderbans tigress falls off
KOLKATA: Animal instinct seems to have won over human intervention in one particular case as a pair of tigers detached the radio-collar fastened onto a tigress less than two weeks ago by officials of the State's forest department as part of the ongoing tiger census.
The abandoned, fully functional radio-collar was found in fairly good condition in the Pirakhali forest area of the reserve on Thursday.
“For the last three days we had stopped receiving the satellite signal from the tigress so we went into the forest area to investigate. By tracing the collar via an antenna we found that it had had fallen off,” said Subrat Mukherjee, field director of the Sunderban Tiger Reserve (STR).
The collar will be fastened to another animal after the nuts and bolts have been changed, Mr. Mukherjee added.
So far, radio collars have been fastened to two tigresses as a part of the tiger census.
The project, for which the reserve paid Rs. 35 lakh to the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), involves the tagging of 8 tigers within the reserve that will be monitored for about a year by experts of the institute and officials of the forest department.
While the instance of a radio collar falling off is not uncommon (there have been 17 such incidents all over the country), concerns have been raised about the success of the initiative in the Sunderbans.
In December 2007, a tigress was fitted with a radio collar which stopped functioning in just over three months, after the animal had roamed an area of 35 sq km. Although the cause of the malfunction could not be ascertained, it is speculated that a “saline water shock” could be responsible.
http://www.hindu.com/2010/03/12/stories/2010031260322000.htm
No irregularities in Kerala tiger census: Minister
Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 11 (PTI) Kerala Government today termed allegations of irregularities in the ongoing tiger census, especially in the Idukki and Ernakulam forest regions of the state, as completely "baseless".
The presence of tiger in Mankulam, Pooyamkutty, Malayatour, Thatekkad and Neriyamangalam in Idukki and Ernakulam forest regions had been recorded in the datasheet during the first phase of census itself, state Forest Minister Binoy Viswam told the state Assembly.
The census was conducted scientificaly under the leadership of Periyar Foundation and Wild Life Institute of India (WWI), Dehradun, Viswam said.
Raising the issue as a submission, Congress leader V D Sateeshan alleged that incidents of tiger presence in these regions were deliberately omitted from the records to help the forest encroachers and tourist resorts.
The encroachers and resort owners apprehend restriction in their activities if the area came under the ambit of tiger habitat, he said.
The presence of tiger in Mankulam, Pooyamkutty, Malayatour, Thatekkad and Neriyamangalam in Idukki and Ernakulam forest regions had been recorded in the datasheet during the first phase of census itself, state Forest Minister Binoy Viswam told the state Assembly.
The census was conducted scientificaly under the leadership of Periyar Foundation and Wild Life Institute of India (WWI), Dehradun, Viswam said.
Raising the issue as a submission, Congress leader V D Sateeshan alleged that incidents of tiger presence in these regions were deliberately omitted from the records to help the forest encroachers and tourist resorts.
The encroachers and resort owners apprehend restriction in their activities if the area came under the ambit of tiger habitat, he said.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
11 tigers dead in two months
New Delhi, Mar 8 (PTI) At least 11 tigers have died across the country in the last two months due to various reasons including poaching and poisoning, Government said today.
In reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said that two tigers each died due to infighting inside Corbett in Uttarakhand and Kaziranga in Assam while one was found poisoned in Pench tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh.
"Six tiger deaths were reported from outside the tiger reserves in Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Arunanchal Pradesh, Bandipur, Assam and Karnataka/ Tamilnadu border in January and February this year," the minister said quoting data made available by the states.
According to government statistics, last year a total 66 tigers died including 46 inside the tiger reserves across the country.
The Minister said the government has released Rs 197.24 crore in 2009-2010 against Rs 154.
In reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said that two tigers each died due to infighting inside Corbett in Uttarakhand and Kaziranga in Assam while one was found poisoned in Pench tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh.
"Six tiger deaths were reported from outside the tiger reserves in Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Arunanchal Pradesh, Bandipur, Assam and Karnataka/ Tamilnadu border in January and February this year," the minister said quoting data made available by the states.
According to government statistics, last year a total 66 tigers died including 46 inside the tiger reserves across the country.
The Minister said the government has released Rs 197.24 crore in 2009-2010 against Rs 154.
Camera-trapping of tiger starts, partial census results by December
NEW DELHI: The number of tigers in three major landscapes - Terrai, Central India and the Western Ghats - home to 80 percent of India's tigers, will be known by December, but a countrywide total would be available only by March next year, an official involved in the ongoing census of big cats said.
will be known by December, but a countrywide total would be available only by March next year, an official involved in the ongoing census of big cats said.
He said: "not only tiger reserves, but all forest areas in the country will be covered."
The last census in 2005-06 showed a sharp fall in tiger numbers. The census then conducted with an improved method revealed India had just 1,411 tigers left in the wild, raising serious concern about their survival.
Jhala said a new phase involving camera-trapping of tigers has begun. "Researchers have started this exercise, as the ground work involving the forest staff is almost completed."
Each camera costs about Rs. 10,000 and is especially designed for deployment in forests. It has censors that trigger the camera to take pictures automatically whenever animals come within range in front of its lens. They are usually attached to a tree. Batteries and the film of the camera are replaced manually when they run out.
The last census in 2005-06 showed a sharp fall in tiger numbers. The census then conducted with an improved method revealed India had just 1,411 tigers left in the wild, raising serious concern about their survival.
Jhala said a new phase involving camera-trapping of tigers has begun. "Researchers have started this exercise, as the ground work involving the forest staff is almost completed."
Each camera costs about Rs. 10,000 and is especially designed for deployment in forests. It has censors that trigger the camera to take pictures automatically whenever animals come within range in front of its lens. They are usually attached to a tree. Batteries and the film of the camera are replaced manually when they run out.
Sanctuaries remain vulnerable as staff prefer cushy postings
JAIPUR: If the endangered species in Rajasthan's forests often become the target of poachers or villagers, then not only the shortage of manpower, even the uneven deployment of the staff are to be blamed.
According to officials of forest department, nearly two-thirds of the existing manpower have been deployed in areas where there are no forests or just to lookafter social forestry while just a one-third are guarding forest areas, leaving wildlife in them vulnerable.
Take the case of the Ranthambore National Park. Out of a sanctioned post of 132 ex-armymen, only 50 are posted there currently while out of a sanctioned strength of 92 forest guards, the park has just 40. On the other hand, places like Sikar and Jaipur, which have nil or minuscule forest areas, have a number of people posted there.
According to officials of forest department, nearly two-thirds of the existing manpower have been deployed in areas where there are no forests or just to lookafter social forestry while just a one-third are guarding forest areas, leaving wildlife in them vulnerable.
Take the case of the Ranthambore National Park. Out of a sanctioned post of 132 ex-armymen, only 50 are posted there currently while out of a sanctioned strength of 92 forest guards, the park has just 40. On the other hand, places like Sikar and Jaipur, which have nil or minuscule forest areas, have a number of people posted there.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Two tiger cubs found dead in Ranthambhore National Park
Jaipur, Mar 7 (PTI) Two tiger cubs were today found dead under mysterious circumstances in the Ranthambhore National Park (RNP) in Rajasthan's Sawaimadhopur district.
"Carcasses of two male cubs were spotted along with two carcasses of goats near Taleda village located in the North of RNP, which is 175 km from here," R N Mehrotra, the state Chief Wildlife Warden, told PTI.
The cause of their death was yet to be ascertained, he said, adding that, however, that prima facie it seemed like a case of poisoning.
When asked to clarify whether it was a poaching incident, he said it was too early to draw such a conclusion.
The carcasses have been sent for post-mortem.
According to a census conducted by the forest department in May 2009, there were 40 tigers in and around Ranthambore National Park and Sawai Madhopur wildlife sanctuary.
"Carcasses of two male cubs were spotted along with two carcasses of goats near Taleda village located in the North of RNP, which is 175 km from here," R N Mehrotra, the state Chief Wildlife Warden, told PTI.
The cause of their death was yet to be ascertained, he said, adding that, however, that prima facie it seemed like a case of poisoning.
When asked to clarify whether it was a poaching incident, he said it was too early to draw such a conclusion.
The carcasses have been sent for post-mortem.
According to a census conducted by the forest department in May 2009, there were 40 tigers in and around Ranthambore National Park and Sawai Madhopur wildlife sanctuary.
CBI probe into Panna tiger disappearance sought
Bhopal, Mar 7 (PTI) The Madhya Pradesh Forest Department has sought a CBI probe into the disappearance of tiger population from Panna Tiger Reserve in the state.
"We have sent our request to the state government for a CBI inquiry into the disappearance of big cats from the Panna Tiger Reserve," Madhya Pradesh Forest Minister Sartaj Singh told PTI today.
"Now the state government will forward our request to the Centre for the CBI probe into missing of tigers from the Panna reserve," he added.
The Forest Department has sought the CBI probe after an Experts committee formed by it to look into the disappearance of tigers submitted its report a week back with one of its seven members reportedly not putting his signature on it following differences.
"We have sent our request to the state government for a CBI inquiry into the disappearance of big cats from the Panna Tiger Reserve," Madhya Pradesh Forest Minister Sartaj Singh told PTI today.
"Now the state government will forward our request to the Centre for the CBI probe into missing of tigers from the Panna reserve," he added.
The Forest Department has sought the CBI probe after an Experts committee formed by it to look into the disappearance of tigers submitted its report a week back with one of its seven members reportedly not putting his signature on it following differences.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Tiger kills girls, injures four others
Bahraich, Mar 5 (PTI) A 12-year-old girl was killed and four others, including her mother were injured by a tiger in Mayraha village near Katarniyaghat wildlife sanctuary here.
The animal attacked the victim while she was working in an agriculture field yesterday. Four others were injured in the incident as they rushed to save the girl from the beast.
The incident evoked a strong reaction from locals who held a forest department team hostage, which had visited the area late in the night.
Senior forest department officials said that body of the girl has been sent for post mortem examination and the injured have been admitted to hospital.
Ex gratia was being provided to her family members while monetary help is being provided to the injured for treatment, they said.
The animal attacked the victim while she was working in an agriculture field yesterday. Four others were injured in the incident as they rushed to save the girl from the beast.
The incident evoked a strong reaction from locals who held a forest department team hostage, which had visited the area late in the night.
Senior forest department officials said that body of the girl has been sent for post mortem examination and the injured have been admitted to hospital.
Ex gratia was being provided to her family members while monetary help is being provided to the injured for treatment, they said.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Corbet lost 15 tigers in last four years
New Delhi, March 3:
The year 2009 has been very bad for tigers in their world famous habitat, the Corbet Tiger Reserve, with six of the big cats dying or being killed, the Lok Sabha was informed today.
The new year has also reported two deaths so far.
Minister for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh told the Lok Sabha in a written reply that 2007 had also seen five deaths of tigers due to poaching or natural causes.
In 2008, two tigers were killed.
Thus a total 15 tigers died in the Corbet National Park in the last four years.
He said poaching of other animals in the national park like elephants and spotted deer and seizure of their body parts had also been reported.
Replying to a question on conservation of Asiatic lions, the Minister said the Gujarat Government had submitted a project 'A Plan for consolidating long-term conservation of Asiatic lions in the greater Gir region' which demands Rs 236.17 crore with the Central Government share being 90 per cent.
He said the Ministry had requested the Planning Commission to provide additional funds under a centrally sponsored scheme 'Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitat' for the Gujarat proposal.
Mr Ramesh said the state was provided Rs 32 lakh and Rs 92.08 lakh in 2008-09 and 2009-10 respectively for lion conservation.
The year 2009 has been very bad for tigers in their world famous habitat, the Corbet Tiger Reserve, with six of the big cats dying or being killed, the Lok Sabha was informed today.
The new year has also reported two deaths so far.
Minister for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh told the Lok Sabha in a written reply that 2007 had also seen five deaths of tigers due to poaching or natural causes.
In 2008, two tigers were killed.
Thus a total 15 tigers died in the Corbet National Park in the last four years.
He said poaching of other animals in the national park like elephants and spotted deer and seizure of their body parts had also been reported.
Replying to a question on conservation of Asiatic lions, the Minister said the Gujarat Government had submitted a project 'A Plan for consolidating long-term conservation of Asiatic lions in the greater Gir region' which demands Rs 236.17 crore with the Central Government share being 90 per cent.
He said the Ministry had requested the Planning Commission to provide additional funds under a centrally sponsored scheme 'Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitat' for the Gujarat proposal.
Mr Ramesh said the state was provided Rs 32 lakh and Rs 92.08 lakh in 2008-09 and 2009-10 respectively for lion conservation.
EVERY TIGER, NATION’S CONSCIENCE
The principle cog in the food and ecological cycle, with every tiger gone, the entire country's survival is at stake. Beware India. Protect the big cat in the wild. Hardnews joins the campaign to protect the most majestic and magnificent creature in the animal kingdom
Akash Bisht Delhi
February 14 this year marked the beginning of the Chinese Year of the Tiger. Ironically, the majestic species faces serious threats of extinction owing to a speculated increase in the obsessive and irrational Chinese demand for tiger parts in its namesake year.
Conservationists believe that the year poses direct, sinister and organised threat to tiger populations across the globe. The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), during its investigation on the sale of tiger parts in China, confirmed with traders that the demand for tiger parts is bound to see an unprecedented surge.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Ramesh tells Karnataka to stop mining in tiger zone
A cabinet decision by Karnataka's BJP government to open up the state's forests, including the Bandipur tiger reserve, for mining has evoked a stern warning from environment and forests minister Jairam Ramesh.
In a letter to Karnataka chief minister B. S. Yeddyurappa, Ramesh has said dereserving any forest land can be done only with the prior permission of the ministry of environment and forests.
Ramesh said: "The ministry has not been consulted by the state. Though the state government might have given permission, the final authority for diversion of forest land for non- forestry (including mining) purposes is the Union ministry of environment and forests." The Karnataka cabinet decided to dereserve 13,960 sq km of forest land in the districts of Bellary, Shimoga and Mysore to allow mining there. This is said to have been done keeping in mind the requirements of the Laxmi Mittal headed Arcelor- Mittal group, whom Yeddyurappa is wooing to set up a steel plant in Karnataka.
The move will also benefit friends of Karnataka's powerful tourism and infrastructure minister G. Janardhan Reddy, who is known to be close to Lok Sabha opposition leader Sushma Swaraj.
Yeddyurappa and state home minister V. S. Acharya justified the decision as environment friendly. They said the area identified for mining would be right next to steel plants and would thus reduce the impact of transporting ore to the factory.
Acharya also said the move to de- reserve was taken in conjunction with the Centre.
Ramesh denied Acharya's claim. He said he had come to know about the decision through media reports and after several Karnataka MPs had registered their protest over the move.
"All decisions to be initiated by the companies following the decision of the state government must necessarily get prior approval from the Union ministry of environment and forests," his letter to Yeddyurappa stated.
Prior to this, Ramesh had written to Goa chief minister Digambar Kamat imposing a moratorium on all mining in the state, till a minerals policy was worked out by the Congress government there.
Kamat has been trying to control the mining mafia in Goa, which has allegedly destroyed about 90 km of Goa's 100- km beaches.
Sathyamangalam in TN could be a tiger reserve
CHENNAI: As the magnificent big striped cats are being repeatedly spotted in the jungles of Sathyamangalam sanctuary, the state government will soon take efforts to turn it into a tiger reserve. Last week, there were as many as five direct sightings during an official survey.
In the six-day carnivore sign survey taken up by the state forest department, five tigers were directly sighted by foresters and volunteers involved in the census in Hasanur and Bhavanisagar ranges of Sathyamangalam forest division, adjoining the Mudumalai and Bandipur tiger reserves. The survey team has also found evidence that there could be four more tigers roaming these forests.
When state forest minister N Selvaraj visited Sathyamangalam, the division’s forest officials briefed him on the need to make it a tiger reserve as there was solid and clinching evidence that the tigers have made the scrub jungles their home over the past few years. “Yes, I was told about the importance of Sathyamangalam forests and the need to make it a tiger reserve. We will certainly consider it,” Selvaraj told TOI.
Sathyamangalam forests link the Eastern and Western Ghats allowing gene flow between diverse populations of the two habitats. Incidentally, the Karnataka forest department has sent a proposal to make Biligiri Rangaswamy (BR) Wildlife Sanctuary, contiguous to Sathyamangalam, as a tiger reserve, officials note.
Tamil Nadu already has three tiger reserves in Kalakad-Mundanthurai, Mudumalai and Anamalai. Sathyamangalam which has been in the spotlight for the past five years for sighting of tigers could be the fourth.
Interestingly, tigers were sighted in Kodaikanal forests after a long time during the six-day survey that concluded on Thursday. A tigress and her cub were spotted playing in the wild. The forest officials are sifting through columns of data scouring for clear evidence to work out an estimate of the tiger numbers based on indirect evidence like pug marks, scats and scratches.
In the six-day carnivore sign survey taken up by the state forest department, five tigers were directly sighted by foresters and volunteers involved in the census in Hasanur and Bhavanisagar ranges of Sathyamangalam forest division, adjoining the Mudumalai and Bandipur tiger reserves. The survey team has also found evidence that there could be four more tigers roaming these forests.
When state forest minister N Selvaraj visited Sathyamangalam, the division’s forest officials briefed him on the need to make it a tiger reserve as there was solid and clinching evidence that the tigers have made the scrub jungles their home over the past few years. “Yes, I was told about the importance of Sathyamangalam forests and the need to make it a tiger reserve. We will certainly consider it,” Selvaraj told TOI.
Sathyamangalam forests link the Eastern and Western Ghats allowing gene flow between diverse populations of the two habitats. Incidentally, the Karnataka forest department has sent a proposal to make Biligiri Rangaswamy (BR) Wildlife Sanctuary, contiguous to Sathyamangalam, as a tiger reserve, officials note.
Tamil Nadu already has three tiger reserves in Kalakad-Mundanthurai, Mudumalai and Anamalai. Sathyamangalam which has been in the spotlight for the past five years for sighting of tigers could be the fourth.
Interestingly, tigers were sighted in Kodaikanal forests after a long time during the six-day survey that concluded on Thursday. A tigress and her cub were spotted playing in the wild. The forest officials are sifting through columns of data scouring for clear evidence to work out an estimate of the tiger numbers based on indirect evidence like pug marks, scats and scratches.
Tiger presence reported in Panna
Chronicle News Service
Panna, Feb 28:
Tiger presence has been indicated in Kalda Forest Circle and comes as a positive sign after the Panna Tiger Reserve and this district's jungles were rendered almost tiger-less.
Villagers said that roars were being heard over a week. Recently, a buffalo was hunted in Fulha nullah and a cow in Gahadra nullah.
Forest officials confirmed pugmarks observed in Sarangpur. ''The matter is being probed,'' Reserve Deputy Director Vikram Singh Parihar told reporters.
Pointing out that Kalda adjoins Bandhavgarh National Park, tiger expert Dr Raghunandan Chundawat said that a carnivore could have reached from there.
Panna, Feb 28:
Tiger presence has been indicated in Kalda Forest Circle and comes as a positive sign after the Panna Tiger Reserve and this district's jungles were rendered almost tiger-less.
Villagers said that roars were being heard over a week. Recently, a buffalo was hunted in Fulha nullah and a cow in Gahadra nullah.
Forest officials confirmed pugmarks observed in Sarangpur. ''The matter is being probed,'' Reserve Deputy Director Vikram Singh Parihar told reporters.
Pointing out that Kalda adjoins Bandhavgarh National Park, tiger expert Dr Raghunandan Chundawat said that a carnivore could have reached from there.
Census concludes; eight tigers spotted in Wayanad
SULTHAN BATHERY: Around eight tigers were spotted in the tiger census which concluded on Saturday at the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, the Forest officials said on Sunday.
Two tigers each were found at Tholppetti and Muthanga ranges while four tigers were found in Sulthan Bathery range. Two tigers died this year, one at Kurichiad and another at Tholppetti.The results of the census indicate an increase in tiger population.The survey team had collected details regarding the tiger population, prey density, herbivore and carnivore count and habitat details like human habitation, cattle grazing, vulnerable areas, foot plasters of carnivores, droppings of various herbivores, vegetation survey and condition of protected areas.The survey was conducted as part of the nation-wide ‘Tiger Census’ conducted by the Centre in association with the Wildlife Institute of India in the backdrop of the alarming depletion in the ‘big cat’ population . An elaborate training programme also was organised for officials as well as volunteers for foolproof collection of data.Though another census was conducted earlier in May last year, the result of it is yet to be released.The details collected would be handed over to the Periyar Tiger Foundation for initial analysis and would be transferred later to the National Tiger Conservation Authority, Dehradun.Monday, February 22, 2010
To curb tiger poaching, a course in wildlife crime management for foresters
In a bid to strengthen the prosecution against those involved in poaching tigers in India, the Gujarat Forensic Science University (GFSU) will organise a five-day wildlife crime management programme from Monday for forest officers.
GFSU is jointly organising the workshop with the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and TRAFFIC-India. This is the first time GFSU is organising a workshop for the conservation of tigers in the country.
WII Dean B V Mathur said: “The current initiative is a part of the capacity-building process. Though WII has a forensic laboratory, it needs to increase its strength as far as analysing samples, parts, products, and skin of the tiger is concerned. This is the reason why our lab expert S P Goyal and other technicians will have sessions with the ground level staff. Wildlife crime is happening, but poachers in these cases are not being nabbed. The forest staff need to be more quick, and surveillance should be proper in collecting samples.”
He added: “Prosecution requires evidences, which come through precision. Like human beings, DNA analysis plays an important part in the investigation.”
GFSU Director General J M Vyas said: “We will train 30 conservators of forests and deputy conservators of forests in wildlife crime management. This initiative was taken following requests from NTCA and TRAFFIC-India.”
He said each tiger fetches Rs 2 crore in the international market as everything from the predator’s bones to the teeth has a value.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
At Dudhwa, double jump in tiger cub sightings
There is finally some good news on tiger population. The Dudhwa Tiger Reserve situated on the Indo-Nepal border in Lakhimpur-Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh has reported sightings of two dozen tiger cubs — double the figure of the cubs that were sighted in 2008.
The forest department officials said that between January to December 2008, 12 cubs below two years of age were sighted at the tiger reserve, which is spread in an area of 884 sq km.
In 2009, the number of cubs sighted has jumped to 24.
The increase in tiger cub numbers has come as a welcome relief just ahead of a tiger census scheduled to be held this year.
“Basic things required for increase in tiger population are adequate security cover and proper green cover for the herbivores to thrive. In the last year, we have focused on these areas and as a result there in an increase in the tiger population in the state,” said Sanjay Pathak, Field Director, Dudhwa Tiger Reserve.
The tiger cubs are usually born between February and March but it is difficult to sight them for the next three months as they don’t move out in open during this period.
The forest department officials can only sight new cubs by June, once they start moving in the nearby areas. “We have regularly been monitoring the progress of the cubs and ensuring the safety of the big cats,” added Pathak.
In 2007, 64 tigers were spotted at Dudhwa Tiger Reserve — 21 male, 31 female and 12 cubs. In 2009, the total number of sightings of big cats rose to 99 — 48 male, 27 female and 24 cubs. In the month of January this year, three male and three female tigers have sighted along with three cubs. “We are still in the process of compiling figures for the month of February,” said the field director.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/At-Dudhwa--double-jump-in-tiger-cub-sightings/582084
India's 38th tiger reserve opens
PALAKKAD (Kerala): India's 38th tiger reserve and Kerala's second was Friday declared open by environment and forests minister Jairam Ramesh. It would be known as the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve.
There has been a sharp decline in the number of tigers in India, with only 1,411 of them left, according to official estimates.
The tiger reserve was known as the Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary when it was set up in 1973 in a 285-sq-km protected area in Chittur area of Palakkad.
Another 358 sq km of forests were added, and the tiger reserve now has an area of 643 sq km.
It has a rich diversity of animal life. It also has a variety of trees, including teak, neem, sandalwood and rosewood.
Kerala's first tiger reserve -- Periyar Tiger Reserve -- is situated in Thekkadi in Idukki district.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Indias-38th-tiger-reserve-opens-/articleshow/5595228.cms
There has been a sharp decline in the number of tigers in India, with only 1,411 of them left, according to official estimates.
The tiger reserve was known as the Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary when it was set up in 1973 in a 285-sq-km protected area in Chittur area of Palakkad.
Another 358 sq km of forests were added, and the tiger reserve now has an area of 643 sq km.
It has a rich diversity of animal life. It also has a variety of trees, including teak, neem, sandalwood and rosewood.
Kerala's first tiger reserve -- Periyar Tiger Reserve -- is situated in Thekkadi in Idukki district.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Indias-38th-tiger-reserve-opens-/articleshow/5595228.cms
Thursday, February 18, 2010
40 tigers in Ranthambore, says survey
JAIPUR: There are 40 tigers in and around Ranthambore National Park and Sawai Madhopur wildlife sanctuary as per a census conducted in May 2009, a forest department release said on Wednesday.
The census done in the core division of these tiger project (from April 30, 2009 to May 10, 2009) reveals that there were 14 males, 16 females and 10 cubs, said a senior official.
As far as mortality is concerned, the official said that from January to November 30, 2009, only 1 tiger lost its life due to the struggle among the animals in Bakola forest area. Illegal activities in the protected areas have come down drastically and the department has collected Rs 74,000 as fine during the period, the department said.
The census done in the core division of these tiger project (from April 30, 2009 to May 10, 2009) reveals that there were 14 males, 16 females and 10 cubs, said a senior official.
As far as mortality is concerned, the official said that from January to November 30, 2009, only 1 tiger lost its life due to the struggle among the animals in Bakola forest area. Illegal activities in the protected areas have come down drastically and the department has collected Rs 74,000 as fine during the period, the department said.
Villagers angry as tiger kills 4 in 13 days in Tadoba
A day after a tiger on the prowl killed a fourth person in the same forest range, Shivni, in north Chandrapur forests adjoining Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR), anger reminiscent of 2007 is returning to the conflict zone. Agitated villagers poured out into the street and marched to the residence of Range Forest Officer PT Brahmne, demanding immediate protection against the tiger which is now clearly appearing to stalk human beings.
Tuesday’s attack happened in the farm of the deceased, Eknath Dandekar, unlike the previous ones that happened inside the forest, turning it into a cause for concern.
Forest officials, however, have no concrete response to the situation that is all set to turn ugly like in 2007 when villagers had virtually put an official under “house arrest” after a tiger killed four persons in a month. The tiger was later shot dead.
The tiger has now killed four in just 12 days. Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) Alok Joshi, who hasn’t yet visited the problem area, agreed that all killings could be attributed to a single tiger. “But remember all attacks have happened inside forest,” he argued.
On their plans, Joshi said, “we will do whatever best can be done.” Asked to elaborate, Joshi repeated the reply.
“There are well-laid down options like what his predecessor B Majumdar had followed. First, the tiger can be lured away from the spot by putting a bait, or it can be scared away by drumming of beats (haka). If these things don’t work, the tranquilising option has to be explored. The last report is to shoot the animal dead,” an activist said.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Villagers-angry-as-tiger-kills-4-in-13-days/581253
Tigers not burning bright in India
New Delhi: How many tigers are actually left in India? If an advertisement featuring sport personalities like Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Baichung Bhutia is to be believed, India has 1,411 big cats. But the authorities in Delhi say the figure is exaggerated.
At a time when scientific data is increasingly found to be faulty, especially after the fiasco surrounding the vanishing of Himalayan glaciers, it seems the case is no different for tigers.
A day after Union environment and forest minister Jairam Ramesh admitted that India may not have 1,411 tigers, the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), which had carried out a survey, said that it too did not know how the authorities in Delhi reached the figure.
Ramesh had said on Tuesday that the figure of 1,411 was exaggerated. “We never gave the figure of 1,411 to anyone. We had only given an estimation of 1,100-1,600 after the survey. We don’t know how the ministry arrived at that figure. It is not part of our research. If the ministry wants to reject its figures on tiger population, that is not our problem. If someone in the ministry finds a midpoint of the estimates, we can’t do anything about it,” YV Jhala, faculty member of WII, who was part of the tiger census in India, said.
“It is glamourous to quote a figure while speaking in front of a gathering in Delhi, but the fact is that it is impossible to find out the tiger population in India. A tiger census doesn’t happen like that. We can only give estimates and not specific numbers,” Jhala added.
The confusion surrounding tiger numbers deepened after World Wildlife Fund (WWF) used the figure of 1,411 given by the national tiger conservation authority (NTCA) in an advertisement to boost public awareness on the diminishing number of tigers in India. The campaign, featuring Indian cricket team skipper Dhoni, is on air and is being promoted by a telecom company.
“The minister was only trying to say that tiger numbers have gone down since the last census. The figure of 1,411 is an average and it was calculated in 2006. It has been four years since then and now a fresh census is under way,” said Belinda Wright, an expert on tigers.
Since the last census figures came out in 2006, over 127 tigers have died in India. The worst was 2009, when 66 tigers died and the start of 2010 was also not good, with six deaths reported so far.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_tigers-not-burning-bright-in-india_1349260
NTCA orders work on NH7 stopped
NAGPUR: The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), a statutory body under the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) monitoring tiger reserves in India, on Tuesday ordered work on four-laning of National Highway 7 (NH-7) in 15 km patch between Mansar and Kanhan in the district be stopped immediately.
The NTCA directions came on Tuesday afternoon after it came to know that work had already started with large-scale tree felling. TOI had on February 13 reported how NHAI started the work even as the issue was before the Supreme Court with a hearing on Feb 19.
Talking to TOI on Tuesday, Rajesh Gopal, membersecretary, NTCA, said, “After ascertaining the facts, I have issued letter to Krishna Mohan, chief conservator of forests (CCF), Nagpur Territorial Circle, to immediately stop the four-laning work from Mansar to Kanhan as it is a violation of Forest Conservation Act (FCA) 1980.” Gopal on Monday had asked Mohan Jha, field director of Pench Tiger Reserve, to ascertain the facts about violation by NHAI. Coand not aware of any communication to stop work. Kale did not come clear on stopping of work.
“The work to fell non-schedule trees was started after a go ahead from Ramtek sub-divisional officer (SDO). We have not done any work in the forest patch from Madhya Pradesh side to Mansar, forest clearance for which is pending,” Kale said. Work between Mansar and Kanhan could not be termed as waste as the road would link NH-7 and NH-6 near Mouda.
The FCA has decided that if a project involves forest as well as non-forest land, work should not be started untill approval under the FCA. pies of the letter have been marked to MoEF minister Jairam Ramesh and chief secretary and forest secretary of Maharashtra. “Even if it is on revenue land, NHAI cannot start work as the matter is subjudice,” Gopal said.
Krishna Mohan said orders were verbally communicated to the project director of NHAI and a letter is also being despatched to stop work. “We will examine the facts and see what action can be taken if violations are noticed,” Krishna Mohan said. Vivek Jaiswal, project director, NHAI, was not available for comments. Arvind Kale, manager (technical), NHAI, said he was in Delhi.
The NTCA directions came on Tuesday afternoon after it came to know that work had already started with large-scale tree felling. TOI had on February 13 reported how NHAI started the work even as the issue was before the Supreme Court with a hearing on Feb 19.
Talking to TOI on Tuesday, Rajesh Gopal, membersecretary, NTCA, said, “After ascertaining the facts, I have issued letter to Krishna Mohan, chief conservator of forests (CCF), Nagpur Territorial Circle, to immediately stop the four-laning work from Mansar to Kanhan as it is a violation of Forest Conservation Act (FCA) 1980.” Gopal on Monday had asked Mohan Jha, field director of Pench Tiger Reserve, to ascertain the facts about violation by NHAI. Coand not aware of any communication to stop work. Kale did not come clear on stopping of work.
“The work to fell non-schedule trees was started after a go ahead from Ramtek sub-divisional officer (SDO). We have not done any work in the forest patch from Madhya Pradesh side to Mansar, forest clearance for which is pending,” Kale said. Work between Mansar and Kanhan could not be termed as waste as the road would link NH-7 and NH-6 near Mouda.
The FCA has decided that if a project involves forest as well as non-forest land, work should not be started untill approval under the FCA. pies of the letter have been marked to MoEF minister Jairam Ramesh and chief secretary and forest secretary of Maharashtra. “Even if it is on revenue land, NHAI cannot start work as the matter is subjudice,” Gopal said.
Krishna Mohan said orders were verbally communicated to the project director of NHAI and a letter is also being despatched to stop work. “We will examine the facts and see what action can be taken if violations are noticed,” Krishna Mohan said. Vivek Jaiswal, project director, NHAI, was not available for comments. Arvind Kale, manager (technical), NHAI, said he was in Delhi.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Mining lobby stalling Tadoba buffer?
NAGPUR: After being thrown out from projects around Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR), the mining lobby, in collusion with some forest officials, seems to be making last ditch efforts to see that reserve’s buffer zone is not notified.
Once the buffer zone is notified, mines will automatically not be permitted in the area. The 625 sq km TATR is proposed to have an additional buffer of over 1150 sq km that includes 79 villages. Notifying buffer around tiger reserves has become mandatory after September 4, 2006, amendment in Wildlife Protection Act (1972). Buffer areas with forest connectivity are imperative for tiger conservation as they foster tiger population. These areas also absorb poaching ‘shock’.
However, the state is not serious about notifying buffers. Forest minister Patangrao Kadam has called a meeting on February 25, in Chandrapur, to hear views of people representatives. The letter issued by the forest ministry on February 10 about the meeting doesn’t call it ‘public hearing’.
Yet, a section of forest officials, allegedly on behalf of by the mining lobby, are terming this as ‘public hearing’. It is being done to prompt opposition from villagers to the buffer zone. Actually, the process of consultation in all 79 villages in the proposed buffer has been done and people’s views have been submitted through a report to the committee on buffer.
The wildlife wing had promised to address their fuel wood and fodder issues through a comprehensive plan and finally the panel had recommended the buffer. Kishor Rithe, president of Satpuda Foundation, an NGO working for tiger conservation in Central India, has strongly objected to such ‘public hearing’. He says ‘public hearing’ or ‘public consultation’ is conducted under the Environment Protection Act (EPA) 1986 for certain projects and TATR buffer does not fall under such projects.
“How can anybody call a ‘public hearing’ on this?” he asked. Rithe, who was also a member on the committee to notify buffer, has stated that TATR buffer has to be notified under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 and not under the EPA, which needs a public hearing. Under WPA, the government can issue notification directly.
“We have already pointed out this delay to the forest secretary B P Pande in presence of union environment minister Jairam Ramesh during latter’s visit to Chandrapur last month,” Rithe said. Rithe felt arranging public hearing or public consultation again, may have legal implications.
“The possibility of some efforts by mining lobby to oppose the buffer by raising some irrelevant issues cannot be ruled out,” he apprehended. Sudhir Mungantiwar, BJP MLA from Ballarshah, agrees. “I’m not opposed to buffer. TATR buffer needs to be notified to keep mines away.
We have suffered a lot due to mining and people don’t want it. However, we want a written assurance from the state that even if buffer is notified, compensation towards cattle and human kills by tigers and damage to crop by wildlife will not be stopped. The government should also commit that villages coming in the buffer will be relocated in future,” Mungantiwar said.
Once the buffer zone is notified, mines will automatically not be permitted in the area. The 625 sq km TATR is proposed to have an additional buffer of over 1150 sq km that includes 79 villages. Notifying buffer around tiger reserves has become mandatory after September 4, 2006, amendment in Wildlife Protection Act (1972). Buffer areas with forest connectivity are imperative for tiger conservation as they foster tiger population. These areas also absorb poaching ‘shock’.
However, the state is not serious about notifying buffers. Forest minister Patangrao Kadam has called a meeting on February 25, in Chandrapur, to hear views of people representatives. The letter issued by the forest ministry on February 10 about the meeting doesn’t call it ‘public hearing’.
Yet, a section of forest officials, allegedly on behalf of by the mining lobby, are terming this as ‘public hearing’. It is being done to prompt opposition from villagers to the buffer zone. Actually, the process of consultation in all 79 villages in the proposed buffer has been done and people’s views have been submitted through a report to the committee on buffer.
The wildlife wing had promised to address their fuel wood and fodder issues through a comprehensive plan and finally the panel had recommended the buffer. Kishor Rithe, president of Satpuda Foundation, an NGO working for tiger conservation in Central India, has strongly objected to such ‘public hearing’. He says ‘public hearing’ or ‘public consultation’ is conducted under the Environment Protection Act (EPA) 1986 for certain projects and TATR buffer does not fall under such projects.
“How can anybody call a ‘public hearing’ on this?” he asked. Rithe, who was also a member on the committee to notify buffer, has stated that TATR buffer has to be notified under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 and not under the EPA, which needs a public hearing. Under WPA, the government can issue notification directly.
“We have already pointed out this delay to the forest secretary B P Pande in presence of union environment minister Jairam Ramesh during latter’s visit to Chandrapur last month,” Rithe said. Rithe felt arranging public hearing or public consultation again, may have legal implications.
“The possibility of some efforts by mining lobby to oppose the buffer by raising some irrelevant issues cannot be ruled out,” he apprehended. Sudhir Mungantiwar, BJP MLA from Ballarshah, agrees. “I’m not opposed to buffer. TATR buffer needs to be notified to keep mines away.
We have suffered a lot due to mining and people don’t want it. However, we want a written assurance from the state that even if buffer is notified, compensation towards cattle and human kills by tigers and damage to crop by wildlife will not be stopped. The government should also commit that villages coming in the buffer will be relocated in future,” Mungantiwar said.
Parambikulam Wildlife sanctuary to be made Tiger Reserve
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Parambikulam wildlife sanctuary in Palakkad district in Kerala, home to some of the most endangered species of animals and birds, will be declared a tiger reserve on February 19 by union environment minister Jairam Ramesh.
"It will then become the second 'tiger reserve' in Kerala after Thekkady wildlife sanctuary and 38th in the country," state forest minister Binoy Viswam told reporters here.
The sanctuary will have a core area of 390.88 sq km and a buffer area of 252.77 sq km coming under Chalakudy, Vazhachal and Nermara forest division, he said.
Viswam said the government had taken all steps to ensure that functioning of plantations in the area was not affected due to the sanctuary being declared a tiger reserve.
He said the government had also taken number of steps to protect the environment and bio-diversity of the state, but did not specify what they were.
The sanctuary is home to animals like lion tailed macaques, Nilgiri Tahr and Gaur, reptiles like Indian rock python, Malabar pit viper, Travancore tortoise, south Indian forest ground gecko, 134 species of rare birds and 47 varieties of fish, of which seven have been listed as endangered.
"It will then become the second 'tiger reserve' in Kerala after Thekkady wildlife sanctuary and 38th in the country," state forest minister Binoy Viswam told reporters here.
The sanctuary will have a core area of 390.88 sq km and a buffer area of 252.77 sq km coming under Chalakudy, Vazhachal and Nermara forest division, he said.
Viswam said the government had taken all steps to ensure that functioning of plantations in the area was not affected due to the sanctuary being declared a tiger reserve.
He said the government had also taken number of steps to protect the environment and bio-diversity of the state, but did not specify what they were.
The sanctuary is home to animals like lion tailed macaques, Nilgiri Tahr and Gaur, reptiles like Indian rock python, Malabar pit viper, Travancore tortoise, south Indian forest ground gecko, 134 species of rare birds and 47 varieties of fish, of which seven have been listed as endangered.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Nath proposes new circuitous route to avoid Pench tiger reserve
Road transport and highways minister Kamal Nath has finally proposed an alternative route that circumvents the Pench Tiger Reserve to complete the North-South corridor. Earlier, his ministry had suggested widening an existing 18-metre road passing through the reserve, but this was opposed by the environment ministry because it endangered the tigers’ natural habitat in Pench.
The project hit a legal hurdle with the Supreme Court asking its Central Empowered Committee to study the proposal. The CEC had recommended that widening of the road to 30 metres should be avoided at all cost. The new route that Nath’s ministry has proposed entails an additional investment of Rs 650 crore and it passes through his constituency Chhindwara, Seoni, Multai, Narsinghpur and Amarawada.
The road ministry has just filed an affidavit suggesting the new route with the Supreme Court. The apex court will study it. A Bench had earlier asked officials of the two ministries to thrash out the differences and present a composite plan.
Government officials said the new route is proposed to leave the Pench Tiger Reserve untouched and would pass through Multai-Chhindwara-Seoni (National Highway 69A) and Narsinghpur-Amarawada-Chhindwara (NH 26B). The total cost for multi-laning the single-lane road is estimated to be Rs 1,575 crore now, and is likely to be awarded as an EPC project. About Rs 776 crore will be made available from the resources of the present Five-Year Plan. The ministry will soon approach the Public Investment Board with the fresh proposal.
“The new route will not only protect the reserve but also serve as a vehicle for economic development of the region. It has been charted out in a way so as to address the concerns of the CEC set up to take a look into the issue,” a government official said.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Tiger found dead at Kaziranga
The carcass of a full-grown Royal Bengal tiger was found on a sand isle of the Brahmaputra to the north of the core area of the Kaziranga National Park (KNP) on Sunday.
A senior park official said the carcass would be sent for post-mortem on Monday.
A team of park officials, a veterinarian and an NGO worker would reach the location on Monday for a detailed investigation, the official said.
Ramesh locks horns with NCP in tiger territory
Union Minister for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh is taking on the NCP again - this time in its den in Maharashtra. And the bone of contention is a proposed coal mining project inside a tiger reserve.
In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the minister has clearly stated that permission cannot be granted for coal mining in the buffer zone of the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) in the state.
This is the second instance of Ramesh not giving in to the NCP. He recently opposed the commercial cultivation of Bt brinjal, a proposal that had the support of Union Agriculture Minister and NCP chief Sharad Pawar.
The environment minister has been under tremendous pressure to permit mining in the Lohara West and Lohara Extension areas that lie within the TATR. The Adani group of industries was allotted captive coal mines at the sites in November 2007, when the prime minister himself held the coal portfolio.
The coal extracted from Tadoba will fuel a power plant to be set up by the Adani group in Tiroda in Gondia district. This is the constituency of civil aviation minister and NCP leader Praful Patel.
He has been vociferously demanding a captive coal mine because his constituency is reeling under a severe power crunch. A power plant is, therefore, urgently required in the region. But the environment minister clearly begs to differ.
Ramesh told Mail Today: "There is a rejection letter from my ministry saying that these mines cannot be permitted. I also visited the site on January 26 and have given the same opinion in a letter to the PM." Ramesh said mining could not be permitted in the region on four grounds. Firstly, the TATR was a tiger reserve and needed to be protected. Secondly, the entire region was thickly forested and rich in teak. The third reason cited by the minister was that even locals were strongly opposed to the project.
In addition to this, Chandrapur - the town closest to the TATR - was already an extremely polluted industrial cluster.
"Chandrapur is actually the fourth most polluted industrial cluster in the country with a large number of cement factories. Coal mining will add to this problem. The Western Coalfields, which carry out mining in the area, also have a very poor pollution record," Ramesh said.
The minister, however, has managed to stave off opposition from the NCP by seeking alternative coal mines for the Adani power plant in Gondia. "We have written to the coal ministry asking them to find an alternative site for the captive mines," he stated.
For his part, Patel told Mail Today: "We do need a power plant in Gondia, for which a captive coal mine is necessary. Alternative mines can be allotted to Adani and the respective ministries will take a call on the issue. I do not wish any harm to be caused to the environment." Earlier, Congress MPs from the Vidarbha region had written letters to party chief Sonia Gandhi, asking her to intervene and stop the mining project.
The BJP units in the area are part of the ongoing agitation against it.
When the Prime Minister's Office was apprised of the matter, Ramesh was asked to look into it. The environment ministry had earlier, too, refused permission to the mining project on January 7. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) also raised serious objections to it.
This is also the second time in the recent past that Ramesh has taken on his Cabinet colleagues over an environmental issue. He had opposed the project of another Cabinet colleague, road transport and highways minister Kamal Nath, to widen a national highway stretch that goes through the Pench tiger reserve.
The road connects Nagpur to Jabalpur and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) was very keen to widen it. The Supreme Court's central empowered committee (CEC) had observed that the widening of the road would cause harm to the sanctuary.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Tiger Farms in China Feed Thirst for Parts- NY Times
GUILIN, China — The crowd-pleasing Year of the Tiger, which begins Sunday, could be a lousy year for the estimated 3,200 tigers that still roam the world’s diminishing forests.
With as few as 20 in the wild in China, the country’s tigers are a few gun blasts away from extinction, and in India poachers are making quick work of the tiger population, the world’s largest. The number there, around 1,400, is about half that of a decade ago and a fraction of the 100,000 that roamed the subcontinent in the early 20th century.
Shrinking habitat remains a daunting challenge, but conservationists say the biggest threat to Asia’s largest predator is the Chinese appetite for tiger parts. Despite a government ban on the trade since 1993, there is a robust market for tiger bones, traditionally prized for their healing and aphrodisiac qualities, and tiger skins, which have become cherished trophies among China’s nouveau riche.
With pelts selling for $20,000 and a single paw worth as much as $1,000, the value of a dead tiger has never been higher, say those who investigate the trade. Last month the Indian government announced a surge in killings of tigers by poachers, with 88 found dead in 2009, double the previous year. Because figures are based on carcasses found on reserves or tiger parts seized at border crossings, conservationists say the true number is far higher.
“All of the demand for tiger parts is coming from China,” said Belinda Wright, executive director of the Wildlife Protection Society of India. “Unless the Chinese change their attitude, the tiger has no future on this earth.”
Goa tribals killed tiger after trapping it in wire snare
The investigation into a tiger poaching case in Goa has revealed that the big cat was shot dead by tribals of Majik community after trapping it into a wire snare.
The state forest department, which is investigating the case, in its probe report has reconstructed the entire sequence of incidents that led to the killing. “Three women were amongst the half a dozen Majik community members, who witnessed the killing, which happened in February last year. While two main accused shot the tiger to death after trapping it in wire snare, others witnessed the cold-blooded killing sitting atop a tree fearing that the tiger may jump on them,” the report said.
A Royal Bengal Tiger was killed at Keri February last year and the incident was brought to light in April after a picture of the dead animal was published in a local newspaper.
“The group of villagers fearing the aftermath later burnt the tiger by dragging it for almost 250 metres in the same cashew plantation,” the probe further stated.
A senior forest department official said that the killing might not have been exposed, if not for the act of one of the local youth to click the dead tiger on his mobile.
Forest department officials stated that it took almost one-and-a-half months for the forest officials to locate the spot, which borders Mhadei wildlife sanctuary in state’s Sattari taluka.
The department officials, accompanied by volunteers, had to comb the entire area to locate the two boulders visible in the photograph. “Finally when the spot was identified the task became more arduous because there was no evidence to establish the poaching,” a senior officer stated. It was only after thorough interrogation of the accused that the sequel to the killing in the form of burning the carcass was revealed.
Forest department’s records indicate that the two accused, Ganesh and Naguesh Majik, killed the tiger. Both have however feigned innocence in the case stating that they were not involved and instead had not even visited the cashew the area on the fateful day, officials said.
Investigation records mention that nearly twenty samples like burnt bones, fur, broken lower jaw were recovered from the site.
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