In Mowgli's land…

K. SANJANA One of the wild sights at the Pench Tiger Reserve. Photo: Special Arrangement National Tiger Ambassador K. Sanjana recounts her wild experience at the Pench Tiger Reserve. Our bags were packed and we were ready to go to Pench Tiger Reserve. After the train journey to Nagpur, my coordinator Arivazhagan Chelliah, teacher Annapoorni and I — the National Ambassador from Chennai — met with the other National Tiger Ambassadors from Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Ramnagar and Kolkata and their respective teachers and coordinators. The first thing we noticed when we reached the forest was that our cell phone had lost signal. This made it all the more exciting as we lost contact with the outside world. Pench Tiger Reserve is the place where Rudyard Kipling based his famous Jungle Book. So, we were very thrilled to be in the land of Mowgli. That night we armed ourselves with our binoculars, cameras and notepads and hopped into the open jeep. In the forest The first thing that caught our eye as we entered the forest was a group of spotted deer. We observed that they lifted their tails while running; this, we were told, was to warn the others about lurking danger. Then we were startled by a sound which we assumed to be an alarm call and we were expecting to see a tiger. Later, we came to know that it was a rutting call. Rutting calls are made by male deer to attract the female deer. As we moved on, we caught a glimpse of two jackals. It was interesting to learn that jackals don't hunt in packs and they mate for life. We also saw a variety of birds like the Jungle Babbler, Treepie, Roller Bird, Parakeet and lots more. Among the flora, the tree that fascinated me was the ghost tree. Its bark is white in colour and is devoid of any leaves in this season. So, at night it appears ghostly with fluttering arms. On many trees we saw rake marks (the marks of a tiger's claw). Along the way we saw many trees with their barks chipped off; the result of the deer rubbing their antlers on the trunks and the porcupines that would chew on them. While inside some water droplets fell on our face. Assuming it was the early morning dewdrops we eagerly lifted our faces to catch a few more. But, to our utter disgust, we were told that it was the defecation of the cicadas! But what really made our day was the sight of two tigers: Badi Matha and her grandchild. The experience of seeing a tiger face-to-face in the wild was truly unbelievable. The sessions We had lot of interactive sessions with Anish Andheria and Sahrdul Bajikar, which were interesting and informative. We learnt a lot about the estimation of tigers. We were taught about the capture-recapture technique and we also learnt about epiphytes and parasites. In the sessions we were informed that Pench Tiger Reserve was one of the best managed tiger reserves in the country. In short, the trip was extremely enlightening. It was not only a wake-up call towards conservation but it also taught us how to overcome our regional differences for a greater cause. http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/nxg/article3376539.ece

Tiger conservation: Centre asks states to raise, deploy STPF

Tags: Tiger conservation, STPF, Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan New Delhi: Advancing efforts to conserve the growing population of tigers, the Centre today asked the states to expedite steps towards raising, arming and deploying the Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF) in and around big cat habitats. "We persuade all the states to raise, arm and deploy the Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF). I would like to request all of you to ensure that this be expedited by all the states," Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan told All India Meeting of Field Directors of Tiger Reserves. Stating that field protection is something which continues to remain extremely high on tiger agenda of India, which holds over half the world's tiger population, the Minister said the Centre supported the states in a "very big way" to deploy the local workforce for protection of big cats. "Despite a 100 percent central assistance to four states-- Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and Orissa-- the deployment of STPF has not taken place," she said. Karnataka has emerged as the first state to deploy STPF. "I am happy to announce and also to congratulate Karnataka, which has emerged as the first state to implement the STPF," she said after distributing awards for best performance to various tiger reserves in the country. "Tiger conservation is a collective responsibility between government of India, state governments and civil society. Today tigers need support from one and all," Natarajan said. According to the latest tiger census report, the current tiger population is estimated at 1,706. The results include figures from 17 states with tiger reserves. The Minster also released a book 'Fundamentals of the Wildlife Management' written by Rajesh Gopal, Member Secretary, National Tiger Conservation Authority. Natarajan said that since last year, the Ministry has sharpened its focus on the tiger. "The centrally sponsored scheme of Project Tiger was revised in August 2011. Its allotment was stepped up to Rs 1216.86 crores, especially to support the states for securing inviolate space for tigers," she said. Spelling out the steps being taken by the Ministry, she said several additional components include change in the funding pattern in respect of north eastern states (90:10), raising compensation for man-animal conflict to Rs 2 lakh and acquisition of private land for making the core/critical tiger habitat inviolate. The Minister also said the Centre has given a nod for establishment of tiger safaris, interpretation/awareness centres under the existing component of 'co-existence agenda in buffer/fringe areas' and management of such centres through the respective Panchayati Raj institutions, and re- introduction of cheetah. PTI http://zeenews.india.com/news/eco-news/tiger-conservation-centre-asks-states-to-raise-d_772920.html

Tribal villages oppose tiger reserve in Sathyamangalam

COIMBATORE: The Tamil Nadu forest department's push to get Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary declared a tiger reserve suffered a setback on Wednesday when grama sabhas in all 19 tribal-majority panchayats in the region passed separate resolutions against the move. The resolutions said the department had not consulted the local communities on the project, though Section 38 V of the Wildlife Protection Act makes it mandatory. The Wildlife Protection Act stipulates that approval from the grama sabha is essential before tiger reserve status is awarded to a reserve forest area. In addition, government is required to constitute an expert panel to study the impact of declaring an area a tiger reserve on the local community and the findings must be discussed in the grama sabha in the presence of forest officials, environmentalists and social scientists. Before local communities are asked to shift out of reserved area, authorities are required to seek the opinion of the grama sabha on whether it believes the people can co-exist with the wildlife. Also, relocation packages and compensation plan have to be approved by the grama sabha, which has the right to reject proposals of the government. Bhavani Sagar MLA P L Sundaram said that the forest department is all set to award tiger reserve status to Sathyamangalam and Meghamalai in Theni in the next few weeks, but the local communities have not been consulted. Sundaram had prompted the concerned grama sabhas to adopt resolutions condemning the forest department's move. He along with representatives of 10 panchayats in Thalavadi, six in Sathyamangalam and three in Bhavani Sagar will meet chief minister J Jayalalithaa on May 7 and hand over the resolutions. They would request the chief minister to restart the entire process by taking the local community in confidence and abiding by the applicable laws. The delegation would also press for the implementation of the Forest Rights Act in Sathyamangalam to protect tribals living in the forest fringes from forced eviction. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/environment/developmental-issues/tribal-villages-oppose-tiger-reserve-in-sathyamangalam/articleshow/12973853.cms

`Tiger Dynasty`: Observational docudrama packed with emotions

Last Updated: Wednesday, May 02, 2012, 14:38 Tags: Tiger Dynasty, Observational docudrama New Delhi: National award-winning documentary "Tiger Dynasty", tracing the journey of translocated tigers in India and shown in Britain as part of a special BBC series on endangered wildlife, is an action-packed story of adaptation and survival in unfamiliar territory. Full of stunning close-up visuals of tigers and other animals in their natural habitat, the film by acclaimed wildlife cinematographer S Nallamuthu is about young tigress Baghani, who is chosen to start a new dynasty in Sariska, where rampant poaching had wiped out the entire big cat population. There she is left to hook up with hot-blooded male suitor Rajore amid leopards and threat of poachers. And for the next two years, every aspect of their lives is followed by the camera. "The film is about Baghani, daughter of Machli, who ruled the fort for over a decade in Ranthambore. Drugged and airlifted from her home in Ranthambore to her new life in Sariska, Baghani finds herself in new territory and faces opposition from leopards for territory," Nallamuthu, whose work bagged Rajat Kamal awards for best environment film and cinematography, told reporters. After some initial hitches, Baghani gradually goes on to prove that she is top cut in Sariska reigning supreme over leopards. However, there is a setback as Rajore is poisoned by villagers and Baghani is left alone without a mate. But authorities translocate another tiger to give Baghani company, and slowly it seems she is ready to be a mother and script history in Sariska`s conservation efforts. The film, with music by Brett Aplin, is of 59 minutes duration and shot in a high definition (HD) format. Infra red cameras have also been used. With many firsts to his credit, Nallamuthu has worked on some of the country`s premier television shows ? "Living on the Edge", "The Great Escape", "Off the Beaten Path" and "Wheels". Asked how his film is doing abroad, he says, "I was informed by BBC (which is showing the film in the UK. Animal Planet has bought the rights for the US) that the viewership in the first telecast was two million and the film got an 8.3 rating." Nallamuthu, whose "Tiger Queen" made in 2010 portrayed how Machli was overthrown by Baghani, does not want to preach through his films. "My films are mainly drama based ones. I love to make observational docudramas with lots of emotions and stories. My idea is to make people watch these dramas and realise for themselves how important animals are," he says. The jury at the National Awards chose "Tiger Dynasty" for the "filmmaker`s powerful narrative that takes us deep into the jungle of Sariska and gives us an intimate and sensitive portrait of the life of tigers as they fight for survival in a challenging environment". The judges also the rewarded the filmmaker for "photographing with stunning images tigers and other wildlife animals in their natural habitat and giving us visuals which are both unique and poetic". PTI http://zeenews.india.com/entertainment/and-more/tiger-dynasty-observational-docudrama-packed-with-emotions_110607.htm

Poachers on the prowl at tiger reserves: NCTA

Obalesh K H, Chamarajanagar, The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests and National Tiger Conservation Authority (NCTA) has asked the State government to tighten the vigilance in the five tiger reserves in Karnataka. According to a letter written by Dr Rajesh Gopal, Member Secretary, NCTA, a copy of which is in possession of Deccan Herald, gangs of poachers have planned to raid 29 tiger reserves in Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh. Bandipur, Nagarahole, Dandeli-Anashi, Bhadra and Biligiriranganathaswamy Temple tiger reserves in the State are on the list of the poachers. Snares laid by poachers in some protected reserves have been seized. Postmortem reports of some tigers have disclosed that they died due to poisoning, the letter says. The member secretary has directed the government to strengthen anti-poaching camps and set up new ones wherever required. The letter also asks the government to conduct combing operation in the core areas of the forests regularly, look out for snares particularly in the areas inhabited by tigers, near water sources and beef up security at vantage points. The secretary has called for synergy among district-level intelligence agencies, police and authorities of tiger reserves to check any possible intrusion by poachers. Tiger deaths According to the report published by the NCTA, a total of 56 tigers died in the country during 2011; of them, 11 were killed by poachers. Of the six tiger deaths reported from Karnataka, three died of natural causes and another three fell prey to poachers, the report says. http://www.deccanherald.com/content/246295/poachers-prowl-tiger-reserves-ncta.html

Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan urged to review 'defunct' tiger cells

TNN | May 1, 2012, 04.37AM IST NAGPUR: Worried by tiger poaching with the help of jaw traps in Palasgaon near Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR), chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, who is also the chairman of State Board for Wildlife (SBWL), has been urged to review functioning of tiger cells, anti-poaching units and law enforcement and come out with new and advanced mechanism to tackle the problem. In a letter written to Chavan on April 30, Kishor Rithe, member of SWBL and chief of Satpuda Foundation, said, "Time has come to think seriously about how effective our tiger cells are and whether we really need a new and advance mechanism in Maharashtra." The tiger cells and anti-poaching units were set up 10 years ago after detection of many wildlife poaching and trade cases in Maharashtra. "However, after almost a decade, I found that most of the district tiger cells are defunct. Police and forest officers conduct meetings as merely a formality. The tiger cells could not become an effective law enforcement mechanism with fixed objectives to regularly gather required intelligence and prevent and detect the wildlife crime cases in the state," Rithe said. In last so many years, forest department could not build its image as the best law (forest & wildlife) enforcement agency. The new Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF) will also make no difference if police and forest departments are not tuned to wildlife crime details and latest modus operandi of poachers and wildlife traders. What needs to be done? * Evolve a mechanism with police and forest departments to effectively use tiger cells, anti-poaching units. * Call a meeting of forest and home ministers and secretaries of departments concerned to tackle wildlife poaching and trade. * Take critical review of existing tiger cells and anti-poaching units and steps taken by them to curb illegal poaching and tiger deaths. * Send message to departments concerned through this meeting that government is really serious to protect tigers. * The meeting should be held before any such incident takes place. Gujarat government took such steps after poaching of lions in Gir and were successful. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Chief-Minister-Prithviraj-Chavan-urged-to-review-defunct-tiger-cells/articleshow/12944873.cms

Osmania university students to join anti-Kawal tiger reserve fight

Raghu Paithari, TNN | May 1, 2012, 01.34AM IST ADILABAD: With several tribal groups raising a hue and cry against the decision to declare Kawal wildlife sanctuary as a tiger reserve, Telangana students, who have been in the forefront of the separate statehood movement, have now decided to take up cudgels against the move. Osmania University students' JAC along with the district unit of the Telangana Vidyarthi Vedika will conduct padayatras in the interior mandals to educate tribals, though the forest department has allayed the apprehensions of displacement of tribals. Students have started touring villages and conducting door-to-door campaign against the tiger reserve. Villagers of Udampur and Allampalli in Utnoor mandal passed unanimous resolutions against the tiger reserve, emboldened by the student stir. The Kawal tiger reserve will have a core area of 839 square km and buffer zone of 1,123 sq km. OU JAC chairman Jagan told TOI that gram sabhas or panchayats should be consulted as per the Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas ( PESA) Act, 1996, before acquiring land in the scheduled areas for any development project. "But the forest officials did not bother to consult a single village panchayat," he said. He found fault with the government and forest officials for going ahead with the tiger reserve plan without taking the opinion of the majority adivasis, who would be displaced because of the project. "Tribals would lose their legitimate right on the forest once they are evacuated from the forest limits," he observed. Vidyarthi Vedika district president Sayanna pooh-poohed the Rs 10 lakh compensation offered by the government for the evacuees. "The money dole would not change the lives of adivasis. Their life revolves around the forest and its produce," he explained. Tribals belonging to 42 habitations in Jannaram, Kadem, Khanapur, Indravelli and Utnoor mandals which will have to be evacuated for the proposed tiger reserve would lose their livelihood. "We are students of this region and would fight until the government withdraws its proposal," Sayanna warned. The dalit groups are also trying to mobilise the people of 42 habitations in the forest area and its surroundings against the decision. Hitesh Malhotra, principal chief conservator of forests, at a recent press conference in Hyderabad said that there was no proposal to evacuate or shift any village or habitation from the area. "There is no question of any forcible evacuation. People will be shifted only if the gram sabhas of those habitations pass a resolution expressing their willingness to move out," he had said. A senior forest official of Jannaram disputed the theory that the Kawal tiger reserve has only two tigers and not 7-8 wild cats. "Once the conditions and habitat in the tiger reserve are improved, the tigers will come back because they would feel safe in their habitat. Also, the corridor linking Kawal with Maharashtra forest will be secure," he added. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/Osmania-university-students-to-join-anti-Kawal-tiger-reserve-fight/articleshow/12943349.cms

Brahmapuri pattern to be adopted nationally

Vijay Pinjarkar, TNN | May 1, 2012, 04.46AM IST NAGPUR: Impressed by the tiger monitoring model in Brahmapuri forest division in Chandrapur district, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has decided to adopt it in non-protected areas (NPAs) elsewhere too. Rajesh Gopal, member-secretary of NTCA, who was in the city on way to Delhi, said he was impressed by the Brahmapuri division, which is seriously monitoring resident as well as dispersing tigers in its area. Gopal was shown presentation on tiger monitoring by Sanjay Thawre, deputy conservator of forests (DyCF), Brahmapuri, during former's Palasgaon visit on April 28, where a tiger was poached. Thawre said, "I won't boast of a 'Brahmapuri model', but our field staff is seriously monitoring tigers in the area. There are around 21 tigers, 13 residents, in 1,500 sq km Brahmapuri forest division. We have pictures of each tiger in the beats." "Direct sightings, signs like scat, scrape marks, pugmarks etc. are recorded regularly. Whenever there is a cattle kill, cameras are deployed. This helps us know where our tigers are and what is happening. It also helps to tackle man-animal conflict," Thawre said. Gopal said a presentation on Brahmapuri model will be shown to wildlife wing officials at a meeting in Delhi on April 2. "This will be replicated elsewhere," he added. After poaching of tiger in Palasgaon, NTCA has issued an advisory to all tiger-bearing states cautioning about possible poisoning of tigers and stepping up protection by involving territorial staff. It also instructed not to delay paying cattle kill compensation. Gopal said NTCA would give all help to the state to curb poaching. "We will provide 100% assistance for setting up Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF). A MoU has been signed in this regard," said Gopal. The NTCA has also decided to strengthen Tadoba tiger conservation foundation (TCF) by giving additional funds. These funds will be distributed to 4-5 divisions in Tadoba landscape. "A proposal has been sought in this regard," Gopal said. The NTCA will also write to state government on giving control of Tadoba buffer to the field director of TATR. "Plans are afoot to sign MoUs with institutions coming up with irrigation, power, highway projects in buffer areas," said Gopal. On timber and bamboo felling in vulnerable areas in the buffer, PCCF (wildlife) SWH Naqvi said there was no ban on such activity being carried out as per working plan. "However, we will see to it that management of buffer is wildlife-centric," said Naqvi. He refused to reveal progress of probe in poaching case which was in a crucial stage. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Brahmapuri-pattern-to-be-adopted-nationally/articleshow/12944942.cms

Forest department revives Tiger Reserve tag plea for Kudremukh

Ashwini Y S, Bangalore, April 30 2012, DHNS: Says National Park area not to be expanded; no eviction of villagers The State Forest department has once again mooted the proposal to get Kudremukh National Park (KNP) declared a Tiger Reserve, a status which has been withheld despite the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) giving its in-principle approval several months ago. Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, during the campaign for the Udupi-Chikmagalur Lok Sabha byelection, had said the government would cancel the Tiger Reserve status enjoyed by Bhadra Tiger Reserve (BTR), besides dropping the proposal to get KNP declared a Tiger Reserve. The announcement had come at a time when villagers of both Bhadra and KNP had voiced concerns about being evicted. Now, with there being no election, the department is hoping that the government will revisit the proposal. Kaushik Mukherjee, Additional Chief Secretary, Forests, told Deccan Herald that he had written to Forest Minister C P Yogeeshwara to notify KNP as a Tiger Reserve. He said this would not mean any “extra status” to KNP in terms of protection. “I sent the file to the Forest minister 10 days ago. There was much opposition to declaring BTR Wildlife Sanctuary a Tiger Reserve as well. But, eventually it was notified as a Tiger Reserve. There will be no difference in status of protection – no villagers will be evicted from the area,” he said. Mukherjee said the department would not push for extension of the boundary of either Bhadra or KNP. “The expansion has been opposed, and I don’t want to go against the powers that be. Even if KNP is notified as a Tiger Reserve, the existing area will not change,” he said. Forest Minister Yogeeshwara was not available for comments. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) of the MoEF had given its in-principle approval to the State government’s proposal to declare KNP a Tiger Reserve last year, with the then Union Forest minister Jairam Ramesh strongly backing the proposal. The Centre’s nod ensures grants to the State under Project Tiger. The State has, however, withheld the status, not making efforts to hasten the process. KNP, which is spread over 600.57 sq km, has 29 villages. Of the 300-odd tigers in the forests of Karnataka, KNP is said to be home to around 15. Tiger conservationist Sanjay Gubbi says the government’s move to shut down the Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Limited has helped improve the eco-system. It is a unique tiger habitat with a mixture of evergreen forests and shola grasslands. It will be ideal if the government declares it a Tiger Reserve, he says. http://www.deccanherald.com/content/246054/forest-department-revives-tiger-reserve.html

Govt to release secret funds, launch Special Tiger Protection Force

Vijay Pinjarkar, TNN | Apr 30, 2012, 01.20AM IST NAGPUR: Stung by the poaching of a tiger in a jaw trap in Palasgaon range in the buffer zone of Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR), the state government has announced a host of measures, including release of secret funds to develop intelligence network and appointment of forest guards under Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF). "The incident is extremely tragic as well as an eye-opener after the electrocution of two tigers in the recent past in Tadoba landscape," said Praveen Pardeshi, principal secretary (forests). He said a red alert has been sounded around Tadoba, Melghat, Bor, Nagzira and Navegaon. After discussions with National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and senior forest officials, preventive steps to trace more traps in the periphery of these PAs have been announced. Directions have been issued to the staff to keep track of all water holes, particularly on the periphery of protected areas for traps on a daily basis. "Nagzira and Bor also need to be on high alert, with daily scanning of every waterhole and keeping track of tigers outside the parks," Pardeshi said. As per the Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), the latest poaching may be the handiwork of the gang involved in poaching near Tadoba in 2010. The pictures of those two culprits are already available with the forest department and Nitin Desai, Central India director of WPSI. Pardeshi has also directed recruitment of 90 forest guards under Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF) approved by the government for TATR. These guards will be put under the field director and posted in buffer zone for patrolling. The money for the secret fund will be released this week and announcement of awards for information leading to arrest or capture of contraband articles will be made on radio, bus stations, railway stations and village chavdies. Pardeshi also spoke to inspector general of police (IGP), Nagpur, and superintendent of police, Chandrapur. They are on high alert to capture and trace the suspects. Wildlife experts said that the system of monitoring waterholes twice daily has not been followed and needs to be strictly monitored and documented. Such poaching incidents are possible only during summer in landscapes of tiger reserves. However, the field staff come to know about it after several days. Therefore, divisional forest officials (DFOs) have been told to alert field staff on wireless immediately. In the next two days, officials have been told to meet staff and enforce various protocols of protection camps, including group patrol, daily monitoring of water holes, reaching out to local villagers for getting information of outsiders, enhanced frisking of strangers as well as villagers found in unusual locations, maintenance of diary by guards etc. At the same time, officials have been told not to press the panic button. It is being described as an exercise to boost confidence and vigilance level of the field staff, they were told. They have been further asked to ensure that pro forma of monitoring waterholes is regularly submitted by guards. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Govt-to-release-secret-funds-launch-Special-Tiger-Protection-Force/articleshow/12928568.cms

Community based eco-tourism, a success story

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT K. Vijayanandan, Deputy Director and Wildlife Warden of Parambikulam Tiger Reserve, speaking at the Enviro Meet organised by Osai, an NGO, in the city on Sunday. Photo: S. Siva Saravanan Parambikulam Tiger Reserve has been able to make rapid strides in initiatives relating to eco-tourism as well improve forest management through community based eco-tourism, said K. Vijayanandan, Deputy Director and Wildlife Warden of Parambikulam Tiger Reserve (PTR). He was speaking on the topic “Tribal Development through community based eco-tourism - Parambikulam Experience” at the Enviro Meet organised by Osai – Voice for Nature, an NGO. Mr. Vijayanandan said that Parambikulam Tiger Reserve has many firsts to its credit, made possible through the participation of tribal people. Being a most protected forest area, the reserve has nearly five endemic flora varieties, he said. Ever since the Joint Forest and Participatory Management was introduced, the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve has not witnessed even a single incident of poaching since 2004 and since 2007 there had not been a single incident of forest fire. Employment opportunity for 234 tribal people, benefitting over 260 families, has resulted in the reserve becoming the first domestic cattle-free protected forest area. Tribal people have become part of the Social Tiger Protection Force and are effectively combating forest and wildlife-related offences. There are seven eco-development committees serving the restricted and regulated eco-tourism needs and looking after the livelihood of tribal people. There are 13 eco-tourism packages being made available to tourists by the Department through tribal people. Plastic waste has reduced tremendously and remaining waste are recycled and made into key chains embedded with PTR related images and slogans. They are sold as souvenir for the tourists. The tourism is regulated carefully avoiding disturbance to wildlife by banning the entry of private vehicles. Four new vehicles with 18 seats each have been inducted for taking the tourists around the reserve. Referring to the farming activity in Poopara hamlet by the tribal people, Mr.Vijayanandan said that banana cultivation earlier led to human – animal conflict. Now, with inputs from Forest Department, the tribal people have switched over to ginger, coffee, pepper and turmeric cultivation, which are not sought after by wild animals. Organic certification and good price has turned them a happy lot today, he added. REVENUE Mr. Vijayanandan said that the PTR recorded revenue of Rs. 1.25 crore during 2009-10 and it became Rs. 1.86 crore in 2010-2011 and in 2011-2012 it had risen to Rs. 2.45 crore. Of the revenue generated during the last year, Rs. 85 lakh was disbursed as salary to tribal people employed by the Forest Department, while Rs. 90 lakh was spent towards maintenance and upkeep. He said that with eco-tourism initiatives aided by tribal people, the tiger reserve has become almost self-sufficient. During the previous fiscal, a total of 47,500 tourists had visited the tiger reserve, he said. Referring to the ongoing problem of tree cutting in Coimbatore, Mr. Vijayanandan said that the 245-year-old Connemara teak, the oldest in the entire country, has so far benefitted the earth to a tune of Rs. 8 crore in terms of oxygen generation. He said that trees need to be looked at for the ecological value and the benefits it gives to humanity. On involving the generations of tomorrow towards the task of conservation and inculcating the ability to appreciate nature, Mr. Vijayanandan said that during 2011-2012, as many as 60 nature camps benefitting 2,250 students were held providing free food and accommodation. C.R. Jayaprakash, Assistant Professor of PSG College of Arts and Science, presided over the function and K. Kalidasan, president of Osai, took part. http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/article3369378.ece

Rs 10,000 reward for info on tiger poachers

TNN | Apr 30, 2012, 01.29AM IST CHANDRAPUR: The Chandrapur forest department and NGO Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) have announced separate cash prizes of Rs 10,000 each for any information about the poachers responsible for death of tigers in Palasgaon range. WPSI started distributing pamphlets seeking information on poachers in rural areas on Sunday, while the forest department would start a similar campaign on Monday. Both agencies have sought information about the gang of poachers or any individual having involvement in poaching of tigers in Palasgaon range with the help of jaw traps. Any person giving information about poachers would get a prize of Rs 10,000 cash and his name will be kept secret, forest department and WPSI have assured. Those having information can contact DCF P Kalyankumar (9890954572) and ACF Raju Dhabekar (9422820770) to give information to forest department. Similarly, WPSI's Central India director Nitin Desai (9422803037) can be contacted to reveal any information about poachers. Meanwhile, the forest department has stepped up search operations for poacher gangs in the district. Assistant director of Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) Shaik Karimulla along with his associate Madivanan too have arrived in Chandrapur to investigate and assist in the case. "We are here as the matter is related to professional poaching. Death of a tiger and injury to other one is unfortunate," said Karimulla. Sources claimed that the forest department suspects the involvement of hard-core poacher Keru Rajgond and his cousin Ajit alias Rajkumar in the case. Intelligence information of his presence in Chandrapur and Gadchiroli around two months back has led to the suspicions. Chandrapur police had arrested Keru and Ajit with assistance of WPSI here in November in connection with recovery of tiger skins and bones in Sampark Kranti Express in Nagpur. The accused duo was handed over to CBI, which was investigating the case. But both disappeared once they were given bail by the court, nine months after staying in jail under MCR. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Rs-10000-reward-for-info-on-tiger-poachers/articleshow/12928631.cms

Valparai tiger loses battle

TNN Apr 29, 2012, 04.16AM IST COIMBATORE: The tiger that entered a homestead in Valparai and got gored by a cow died on Saturday morning. A postmortem on Saturday evening linked its death to a bad meal the big cat had a few hours before it went to retrieve the remains of a previous kill it left behind two days ago in the cowshed. The tiger, according to the postmortem report, had eaten a porcupine hours before attacking the cow. Quills of the porcupine had pierced the tiger's heart and intestine. The tiger breathed its last at around 8am on Saturday inside the cage where it was kept after given the tranquilizing shot late Friday evening, according to Manampallai forest ranger officer Arokiaraj Xavier. The medicines administered by veterinarian Dr N Kalaivanan, who had come from Mudumalai National Park in the Nilgiris on Friday evening to tranquilize the tiger, could not save the 10-year-old animal. The attack of the cow and the internal injuries it suffered after eating the porcupine had left the tiger weak. Throughout the day, the animal was confined to the cowshed of R Gnanasekaran, a resident of Periyar Nagar in Valparai. The absence of a vet with expertise in the use of tranquilizers locally had delayed officials from providing proper treatment to the animal. Forest officials did not dare to go anywhere near the injured animal to provide food, water or medicines fearing retaliation. The aged animal, officials, said could not fight off the fatigue and the injuries. At 1.30pm on Saturday, Kalaivanan returned to conduct the autopsy in the Manampally Forest Range Office premises in the presence of senior forest officials, World Wide Fund For Nature representatives Dr Ajay and Mohanraj and Valparai police inspector M Subramanian. The autopsy revealed that one of the legs of the tiger was damaged in the attack by the cow. Its nails were broken and blood stains found on the nail beds. There was a deep cut on the stomach which was caused by the sharp quills of the porcupine. There were numerous cysts in the intestine and the lungs too were damaged. Two quills had pierced its heart. According to Kalaivanan, the tiger would have hunted and eaten a porcupine before moving to Gnanasekaran's property. The tiger was cremated at a spot close to Meenparai on the way to Top Slip in the presence of a large crowd. Meanwhile, forest officials assured locals that they would take up the request to station a vet with expertise in tranquilizing animals in Anamalai Tiger Reserve, which includes the forests in and around Valparai. Residents of Valparai are prone to frequent attacks by elephants and leopards. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-04-29/coimbatore/31475659_1_porcupine-quills-forest-officials

Tiger found dead

Hunsur, (Mysore dist), April 29 2012, DHNS: A male tiger, about five years old, was found dead with severe injuries in Nagarahole National Park on Sunday morning. The incident came to light during the routine beat of the forest staff. It is suspected that two male tigers had fought near Gadde Hadi in Nagarahole range on Saturday, leading to the death of one of them, said Nagarahole Conservator of Forests Vijay Ranjan Singh. There are deep injury marks on the dead tiger, which are believed to be inflicted by another tiger, he added. The tiger succumbed to the injuries. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests B K Singh and Field Director of Project Tiger B J Hosmath visited the spot. Veterinary Officer Dr Umashankar conducted the postmortem. http://www.deccanherald.com/content/245788/tiger-found-dead.html

Injured tiger brought to Nagpur for treatment

Vijay Pinjarkar & Mazhar Ali, TNN | Apr 29, 2012, 02.05AM IST NAGPUR/CHANDRAPUR: The full-grown tiger that got injured in jaw traps set by poachers and was rescued on Friday was brought to Nagpur for treatment on Saturday at 11am. A sub-adult tiger had died in the same incident that took place at a water hole in the Palasgaon range on the outskirts of Tadoba and Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) in Chandrapur district. Doctors from the Government Veterinary College - NP Dakshinkar, Shirish Upadhye and Gautam Bhojane - are supervising the treatment. Medication has been started to ensure that gangrene doesn't set in on the tiger's injured left paw. "The further course will be decided after x-ray and operation if any will be done only on Monday," said sources involved in the rescue. Veterinary doctor PD Kadukar, who supervised the rescue and initial medication, claimed that the injury is serious. "There's swelling on the paw and the tiger has difficulty in standing," he said, adding that the tiger has been under tremendous strain for almost 18 hours while its leg was caught in jaw trap. "It could have struggled hard to release his paw, which only worsened its injury," Kadukar added. Earlier during the day, National Tiger Conservation Authority member-secretary Rajesh Gopal visited the spot. Terming the incident as unfortunate, he instructed forest officials to enhance surveillance and strengthen intelligence gathering to prevent such incidents. He held meetings with APCCF (wildlife) AK Saxena and TATR CCF Vinay Kumar Sinha in Chimur. "Gopal revealed some intelligence information he had regarding poaching and asked for enhancement of vigilance," said Sinha. Saxena said that Gopal had called for strengthening of surveillance in jungles, particularly at vulnerable spots. "He claimed similar poaching attempts were happening elsewhere in the country. He stressed on complete scanning of all waterholes in forests of Chandrapur to check presence of similar traps at other places," said Saxena. State PCCF (wildlife) SWH Naqvi commended the forest staff for the quick detection. "It was possible only because Phase IV of the census is on. It's sad that one tiger is dead," he said. "We will start group patrolling during the monsoon season." He said it's too early to talk about the injured tiger's release. "Should it be radio-collared and where should it be released will be decided in consultation with NTCA and other experts," said Naqvi. "Moreover, we will have to see how quickly the tiger will recover from its trauma and injuries." Following the success of a tigress being released with a radio collar in November last year, the forest department may repeat the experiment with the current injured tiger. "Radio collaring is a possibility," said Naqvi. After the tiger was brought to the Forest Department's premises in Seminary Hills from Chandrapur, it took nearly three hours and 20 people to lower the cage. The forest officials didn't seem ready with any plans. Only after the cage was lowered was a 500 sq ft area enclosure created with a white cloth. A cooler has been kept near the cage. The tiger is readily lapping up a lot of water but was yet to touch the mutton pieces that it's being fed when reports last came in. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Injured-tiger-brought-to-Nagpur-for-treatment/articleshow/12916448.cms

Watching Machli, the Tiger Queen of yore…

SUNNY SEBASTIAN Machli, once the reigning carnivore in the entire Ranthambhore is a toothless tiger now. She needs feeding. The photograph was taken by Bina Kak, Rajasthan Minister for Forest and Environment The Queen Mother of the tiger dynasty is now in her sunset days. It may be a painful fact to accept but Machli, the tigress that reigned supreme in the woods of Ranthambhore for over a decade and produced numerous litter, is now a toothless tigress. Not that Machli, now 17 years old, has lost all her grace. The animal, though without most of her canines, still remains a magnificent creature, with her attractive fur and elegant looks intact. Age has not withered her. Perhaps only when she moves, does the infirmity show. Machli is a celebrated tigress — she was the subject of “Tiger Queen” a 50- minute film by ace cameraman Nalla Muthu which was shown in National Geography and Animal Planet channels a few years back. Continuing with the tiger dynasty trail, Nalla Muthu followed Machli's daughter Bhagani (T-18) to the Sariska Tiger Reserve where she was shifted to from the Ranthambhore National Park in July 2008 as part of a project to revive the extinct tiger population there. Nalla Muthu's encounters with Bhagani have led to the making of the impressive wildlife film, Tiger Dynasty. Tiger Queen presented Machli as the “most dominant carnivore of Ranthambhore” during her heyday. As Machli had displaced her mother to be the reigning queen of the woods, her daughter, a doughty female with the code name T-17, did the same to Machli too some years back. Now every animal in the forest is seemingly doing the same to a toothless Machli. Rajasthan Minister for Environment and Forests Bina Kak, who was in the Ranthambhore National Park recently, watched her, talked to her (that is what the Minister told The Hindu!!!) and clicked her pictures. That surely gave her some insights into the lives of tigers in the wild when they are aged. “All her canines are gone. She has difficulty in chewing. Now she survives on the baits [domestic animals tied to a tree or post] provided on a regular basis by the staff of the Forest Department,” Ms. Kak told The Hindu on her return. “At times, even the bait kept for her is snatched away by other tigers — like T-24 and T-25. Machli is old. She needs protection now,” Ms. Kak, observed. This may be defying the law of the jungle in which only the fittest survive. “A dedicated team is looking after her in Ranthambhore. There is a viewpoint in conservation circles that the animal should be allowed to die a natural death. But with Machli, with a tigress they all knew so intimately, they say, they cannot do that,” Ms. Kak said. Yet, in her difficult days also, Machli's survival instincts are helping her. “She is a clever female. Once she kills the calf that is tied as bait, she immediately drags it across a stream and hides it on the other side of the bank. This way the other animals would not follow the scent and snatch the prey from her,” Ms. Kak explained. “I saw it at least three times. I am sure she is doing it purposely to evade the rest of the predators and scavengers,” Ms. Kak asserted. http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/article3364894.ece

Tiger conservation body member calls for heightened surveillance to prevent poaching

TNN | Apr 29, 2012, 01.54AM IST CHANDRAPUR: National Tiger Conservation Authority member-secretary Rajesh Gopal visited the tiger poaching site at Palasgaon range on Saturday. Terming the incident as unfortunate, he instructed officials to enhance surveillance and strengthen intelligence gathering to prevent such incidents in the future. A sub-adult tiger died while a full-grown one was injured after getting stuck in traps laid by poachers on Thursday. Gopal was received by APCCF (wildlife) AK Saxena and CCF, TATR, Vinaykumar Sinha in Chimur. After inspection of the site, Gopal also held a meeting with forest department officials. "Gopal revealed some intelligence information he had regarding poaching and asked for enhancement of vigilance," said Sinha. Saxena claimed that Gopal had called for strengthening of surveillance in jungles, particularly at vulnerable spots. "He claimed similar poaching attempts were happening elsewhere in the country. He stressed on complete scanning of all waterholes in forests of Chandrapur to check presence of similar traps at other places," Saxena said. He said that the forest department has already initiated scanning of all waterholes as such places are most vulnerable spots during summer. "We will ensure complete surveillance of waterholes during summer. Where there is lesser manpower, additional forest labourers will be deployed for protection to check such incidents," he said. He denied the possibility of initiating action against anybody for failure of protection in this case. At the poaching site, Gopal inspected the places and the waterhole where poachers had laid the trap. He also took stock of efforts being taken to track the poachers responsible for laying traps. NGO activist Bandu Dhotre gave demonstration of operation of jaw traps used for poaching to Rajesh Gopal. Gopal also visited proposed rehabilitation site for TATR's village Navegaon (Ramdegi) in Chimur tehsil on his way back to Nagpur. He, however, did not respond to phone calls made for his comment. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Tiger-conservation-body-member-calls-for-heightened-surveillance-to-prevent-poaching/articleshow/12916372.cms

Tiger, panther census from May 1

T. LALITH SINGH Forest Department to take up the annual exercise for a week To generate data on the tiger and panther presence in the State, the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department would be initiating a week-long census starting May 1. Apart from enumerating the carnivore, the exercise plans to make an estimate of herbivore abundance at different sanctuaries and national parks. For the annual exercise, the department officials along with volunteers from different animal welfare groups would scout the wild using techniques such as pugmark track, walking trails and water hole. The trails left by tigers and panthers along with other wildlife would be picked up and documented. Locations to be covered include Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary of Jannaram forests in Adilabad district, Eturnagaram and Pakhal Wildlife Sanctuary of Warangal district, Kinnerasani Wildlife Sanctuary of Khammam district, Papikonda and Chintalapally apart from Sri Venkateswara Wildlife Sanctuary, Tirupati and Srisailam Tiger Reserve. According to the officials, the field work was planned to be carried out from May 1 to 7 along with about 40 to 50 volunteers. “This will be followed by required work to go through the data in the next three days and eliminate possible duplications and arrive at right figures about wildlife in these areas,” said A Sankaran, Deputy Conservator of Forests. About herbivores, the initiative would be broader and involve estimating low, medium and high abundance of their presence. “By the end of May, we will have compiled the numbers and details of the national parks and sanctuaries,” he said. The Forest Department looks at enrolling at least 40 volunteers and then deploying at least three to four volunteers for each division. The officials said that different voluntary agencies and animal welfare groups were being approached for the purpose and the volunteer force would be drawn from Bird Watchers Society, Friends of Snakes, People For Animals (PFA) and the Hyderabad Tiger Conservation Society (HYTICOS). http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/article3357695.ece

Tiger dies in trap, another found trapped near Tadoba

TNN | Apr 27, 2012, 01.48AM IST CHANDRAPUR: A tiger died after it was trapped in an iron jaw trap laid by professional trappers in Palasgaon range in the buffer zone of Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve. Another tiger is still trapped in a nearby snare, but it is alive, said foresters. The dead body of the tiger was discovered by a team of foresters on Thursday evening. One of the forest guards at the spot was also injured when his leg got trapped in a jaw trap while approaching the dead body. The foresters said that the tiger that is still trapped can be heard calling from a distance in Palasgaon range. RFO, Palasgaon Range, Rahul Sorte said that poachers had laid multiple iron jaw traps in compartment no. 559 under Vanmali beat of Palasgaon range on Wednesday night. There is presence of a tigress and a tiger in the area. Both the tigers appear to have been trapped in the jaw traps sometime in the night. One of the two tigers succumbed to its injures, while the other was still trapped when foresters reached the scene on Thursday evening. "The area is frequently patrolled by our forest guards as phase-IV tiger monitoring exercise is underway. Our guards had gone to the area to install camera traps on Wednesday, but they had returned without placing the cameras since the tigress was present in the area. The forest guard again went to the same place on Thursday at around 5pm to install the camera traps. This time he was shocked to find the dead body of a tiger in a jaw trap," said Sorte. He said that the foreleg of the deceased tiger was trapped in the jaw trap. He however did not disclose whether the dead tiger was male or female. Sorte claimed that another tiger is sitting close to the dead body and growling hard. It is likely that this tiger too is trapped in another jaw trap. However, foresters have refrained from approaching this tiger fearing an attack. Tranquillizing experts have been summoned to the spot and an alert has been issued in the district for Baheliya and Bawariya poachers, who have expertise in poaching with jaw traps. Foresters and police department have issued a lookout for traditional medicine sellers, as Baheliya poachers usually enter forest areas in this disguise. Forest guard MB Zade was injured in the evening after his leg got trapped in a jaw trap when a team of forest officers reached the spot. His leg escaped serious injury thanks to the shoes he was wearing. Forest officials expertly removed his leg from the trap, leaving the shoe in the trap. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Tiger-dies-in-trap-another-found-trapped-near-Tadoba/articleshow/12887369.cms

Tiger count in AP over 100, says Forest Department

PTI | 06:04 PM,Apr 26,2012 Hyderabad, Apr 26 (PTI) The number of tigers in Andhra Pradesh could be over 100 and their habitat is expanding, facilitating the growth of the big cats, a top Forest Department official said today. "As per our count, it is more than 100. Of course, there is always this problem (difference in number) with our counting and the counting of wildlife activists," Hitesh Malhotra, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, told reporters here. The peak population of tigers in the state was 141, he said. As per the census conducted in 2010 by Wildlife Institute, 72 tigers were reported in the state, officials said, adding the figure does not include cubs. Noting that the habitat is expanding as a tigress with two cubs and a tigress with three cubs have been spotted separately, he expressed the confidence that the big cat population would grow further. The tiger census, to be undertaken by the State Forest Department in summer, will see 'camera trap' being used and also the participation of NGOs this year, Malhotra said. PTI SJR RSY http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/tiger-count-in-ap-over-100-says-forest-department/990947.html

Runaway tiger caged after gruelling 108 days

Published: Thursday, Apr 26, 2012, 7:57 IST By Deepak Gidwani | Place: Lucknow | Agency: DNA Finally, after a grueling exercise lasting as many as 108 days which involved over two dozen forest officers, experts and employees, the runaway tiger was tranqulised and caught in the wee hours of Wednesday. The tiger, a healthy male of about four years, had strayed from its habitat about 250km from here, and settled down in the 400-acre farm of the Central Subtropical Horticulture Institute of the Union agriculture ministry at Rahmankheda, about 15km from Lucknow. The foresters had tried all the tricks in their bag, but the big cat managed to evade arrest for over three months. At one point of time, the forest department had totally given up hope of caging it, and was, in fact, coming around to the idea of developing a safari around it. Interestingly, the tiger had got followers in several countries as one avid wildlifer put it on a social networking site aptly naming it ‘Badshah’ (king). With the capture of the tiger, the terrified villagers living around the area as well as the forest department officials have heaved a sigh of relief. “It is indeed a big achievement for us to catch the tiger after such a long time without any harm to the human population,” said Ashok Mishra, Lucknow division forest officer (DFO). “It is perhaps a record of its own kind anywhere in the world,” he added. The operation started at first light around 4am, and the tiger was brought down with a dart around 6.30am. Another DFO PP Singh, a tiger expert who planned the entire operation, said the catch was the result of accurate planning. First, over the past few days, the tiger was localised to a particular patch, a ‘sheesham’ thicket, in the forest where there was dense foliage. This area was regularly watered to keep it cool, offering the tiger a perfect hideout. A water body near the area completed the picture. When the tiger started roaming this area frequently, the foresters tied a buffalo at this spot on Monday. As expected, the tiger made the kill, and the foresters let it relish the prey for one night. “The tiger did not venture far this time as water was also available nearby. The idea was to take advantage of the situation in which the tiger eats and drinks water more than usual due to no disturbance. This makes the cat slow and lazy,” explains PP Singh. Early on Wednesday morning, the foresters’ party mounted on three elephants surrounded the area. Dr Utkarsh Shukla, a vet and a darting expert, managed to get a clear hit on his second shot as the tiger moved towards his elephant. Soon, a huge crowd of villagers reached the spot to get a glimpse of the beast which had terrified them. The foresters managed to whisk it away to the Dudhwa National Park where it would be rehabilitated. http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_runaway-tiger-caged-after-gruelling-108-days_1680791

Tiger presence confirmed in Mizoram's Dampa reserve forest

PTI | 03:04 PM,Apr 25,2012 Guwahati, Apr 25 (PTI) Significant tiger presence has been confirmed in Mizoram's Dampa reserve forest through DNA- based analysis techniques. The presence of the big cats was confirmed during a joint field survey conducted by the forest reserve's field directorate, World Wildlife Fund and 'Aaranyak', a society for biodiversity conservation, in March last as part of the country-wide phase four of tiger monitoring programme initiated by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). "We successfully used DNA-based analysis techniques for identifying tiger faecal samples, collected during the joint field survey", Aaranyak's head of Wildlife Genetics Programme Udayan Borthakur said here today. Efforts are now on to find out the minimum number of tigers present in Dampa through the use of DNA fingerprinting techniques, Borthakur said. Dampa Tiger Reserve is situated in the western part of Mizoram and is spread in an area of 550 sq km at the international border with Bangladesh. It consists of a forest with a difficult terrain interpolated with hills, valleys, streams and a rivulet and is a hot spot of bio-diversity with a variety of flora and fauna of Indo-Malayan origin. NTCA has categorised Dampa Tiger Reserve as one of the low density Tiger Reserves in India with deficiency of data on the current population status of tigers in the area, Borthakur said. PTI DG KK http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/tiger-presence-confirmed-in-mizorams-dampa-reserve-forest/990337.html

Now, entry in Pench, Nagzira to cost more

Vijay Pinjarkar, TNN | Apr 26, 2012, 06.10AM IST NAGPUR: Close on the heels of Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) jacking up rates for tourists, Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR) and Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary have followed suit. In Nagzira, the guide fee has been doubled from Rs 100 to Rs 200 from April 24. The fee hike in PTR will come into force from May 1, 2012. Now a group of six will have shell out Rs 370 in Nagzira. It will include Rs 200 towards guide fee and Rs 170 towards entry (Rs 20 per person), vehicle (Rs 50) and camera (Rs 5). The fees will be charged per entry. "We have not hiked the gate fees. The guide fee has been doubled to benefit local people who play an important role in protecting the sanctuary," said M S Reddy, conservator of forest (CF) for Gondia Wildlife Division. He added that the instructions were passed on by principal secretary (forest) Praveen Pardeshi during his visit to Nagzira on Saturday and Sunday. "Taking a cue from Nagzira, we may also hike guide fee in Bor and Tipeshwar," said A Ashraf, chief conservator of forests (CCF) and field director for PTR. Ashraf said the executive committee of Pench Tiger Conservation Foundation (TCF) on Wednesday had already decided to increase entry fee per vehicle to Rs 300. In addition, guide fee of Rs 200 will have to be paid. It comes to Rs 500 per vehicle now. "For 10 or more persons, including driver and guide, an additional Rs 22 per person will be charged," Ashraf added. "The fee will be applicable to capacity of the vehicle as approved by the regional transport office (RTO). The tourists should keep one seat vacant for guide," Ashraf said. Fee for eco-hut has also been increased from Rs 400 per day to Rs 500. The meeting did not discuss entry fee for students. On October 19, 2011, the governing body of tiger conservation foundations headed by forest minister Patangrao Kadam, had increased guides fee from Rs 100 to Rs 200 per trip in three tiger reserves - Pench, Tadoba and Melghat. The new rate has already come into force in reserves and now sanctuaries too are implementing it. The Maharashtra State Sanctuaries Guides Union (MSSGU) members have hailed the move. "Even as inflation flared, guides used to get Rs 100 per trip only. The demand to revise the fee was pending for long. There will be no discrimination too, as guides now operate as per roster system," said Prakash Kumre and Puresh Kodape, both guides in Nagzira. Pay more for tigers Tadoba-Andhari: Rs 700 Pench Tiger Reserve: Rs 500 Melghat, Tipeshwar, Bor, Navegaon, Nagzira and other PAs: Rs 375 (Sanctuary fee includes Rs 20 for adults, Rs 10 for children, Rs 50 for vehicle and Rs 5 per camera) Tiger capital issue in LS Congress MP from Nagpur Vilas Muttemwar, on Wednesday, raised the issue of promoting Nagpur as the 'world tiger capital' in Lok Sabha under Rule 377. "Nagpur has immense potential to emerge as a gateway for eco-tourism, especially tiger tourism at global level. The aim of promoting Nagpur as world tiger capital is to make it a safe haven for tigers in the Central Indian landscape," Muttemwar told the Lok Sabha. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Now-entry-in-Pench-Nagzira-to-cost-more/articleshow/12875034.cms

Tigress carcass found in Kaziranga

TNN | Apr 26, 2012, 03.57AM IST JORHAT: A carcass of an adult tigress was found in Kaziranga National Park on Wednesday. Park officials suspect that the tigress died due to infighting between tigers. Divisional forest officer (Kaziranga) Dibyadhar Gogoi said, "We found a carcass of a tigress at Honuman area under Kohora forest range of the park this afternoon. The tigress was about five years old and the animal died due to infighting between tigers." He added, "Preliminary investigations suggest that the animal was attacked by other tiger one or two days ago. We found some injury marks on her body; she was mauled by the other animal. The tigress lost her left eye during the fight, but the other parts of her body was found intact." "We conducted the autopsy of the animal in presence of the representatives of the National Tiger Conservation Authority of India along with the national park authorities on Wednesday," he said. The national park lost another tigress in December last year when a personnel of the Assam police armed battalion opened fire to save some locals near Kohora forest range of the park. The adult tigress attacked two persons at Bosagaon area near the park. In April 2011, a tiger carcass was also found at the Kathanibari forest under the same forest range in Kaziranga. However, the reason of the tiger's death could not be ascertained. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/Tigress-carcass-found-in-Kaziranga/articleshow/12874026.cms

CRPF vacates PTR premises

TNN | Apr 26, 2012, 06.04AM IST DALTONGANJ: The CRPF has finally vacated the tree house, cottage meant for tourists, canteen and the rest house of the Palamu Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Betla. Sources said with this, the ongoing operation against the rebels, Operation Octopus, has also come to a halt. These places were occupied by the CRPF since March 30. The divisional forest officer (DFO), core, Premjit Anand, quoting the Betla forest ranger, Ajit Singh, said, "The CRPF moved out of the tree house, cottage, canteen and the rest house on April 24." Anand said PTR officials will now have to find out if things are in "shape or not". A ranger has been asked to keep a record of the accessories. "Bills over Rs 1 lakh have been sent to the Latehar SP," said the DFO as he is the sanctioning authority. According to sources, it was because of the efforts of principal chief conservator of forest (PCCF) A K Singh, that the CRPF vacated the PTR. The PCCF held parleys with the IG (operations), CRPF, D K Pandey, in this matter and was reported to have communicated to the IG CRPF that the occupancy of PTR buildings had made the structure, officers and staff vulnerable to rebels. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ranchi/CRPF-vacates-PTR-premises/articleshow/12874966.cms

4 chief conservators of forests, 6 divisional forest officers transferred

TNN | Apr 26, 2012, 07.33AM IST NAGPUR: The season of transfers and postings has started in the forest department. In a minor reshuffle, six divisional forest officers (DFOs) and four chief conservators of forests (CCFs) were shifted on Wednesday evening. Sources told TOI, among the 4 CCFs, A K Mishra, field director of Melghat Tiger Reserve (MTR), has been shifted to Nagpur as CCF (planning & management) in PCCF (wildlife) office. He will replace A R Mande, who has been posted as CCF (tendu). Mishra will be replaced by K P Singh, who was with Working Plan, Thane. B R Khaire, who was in Mantralaya, has been posted in place of Singh at Thane. Among the 6 DFOs, D B Shrikhande, who was working in Pandharkawda division in Yavatmal Circle, has been shifted to social forestry department (SFD) as deputy director, Bhandara. Shrikhande will be replaced by A P Girhepuje, who was DFO in PCCF (wildlife) office. Similarly, Suresh Allurwar, DFO (planning), Nagpur Circle, has been shifted to Pusad. G S Balki, who was in Pusad, has been posted to Washim in social forestry department. Besides, G P Narawne, a probationer, has been posted at Dahanu. P G Rahurkar, who was DFO (planning) at Dhule, has been shifted to Yaval division. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/4-chief-conservators-of-forests-6-divisional-forest-officers-transferred/articleshow/12875715.cms

Tiger dies in Corbett National Park

PTI | 08:04 PM,Apr 24,2012 Nainital, Apr 24 (PTI) A tiger died at Corbett National Park, near here, today while being treated by a veterinary team for serious injuries, a forest department official said. The injured tiger was spotted this morning at the periphery of the park, following which a veterinary team was rushed to the spot, Rajendra Singh Bisht, Conservator Western Circle, said. The tiger, however, died without responding to the treatment, he said, adding a postmortem would be conducted tomorrow to ascertain the cause of the feline's death. PTI CORR http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/tiger-dies-in-corbett-national-park/990088.html

'Badshah' still playing hide-and-seek

TNN | Apr 25, 2012, 03.18AM IST LUCKNOW: The Rahmankhera tiger, nicknamed 'Badshah' by wildlife enthusiasts and social media, continues to play hide-and-seek with the trackers. The big cat killed and partially ate a buffalo tied as bait at Rahmankhera on Monday night. It was the 20th bait killed by the tiger even as forest officials remain clueless. The tiger has now shifted its location to a patch of forest with a dense canopy of 'sheesham' trees. On Monday night, it killed and dragged the bait to the sheesham thickets. The tracking team has set up a 'machaan' close to its current location. The bait is being tied to lure the big cat, so that it can be tranquilised once it comes close to the animal. But the strategy, which has been repeatedly tried in Rahmankhera for past four months, has failed to yield result. The tiger was first spotted at Rahmankhera on January 8. "The entire effort is focused on keeping the tiger localised at Rahmankhera rather than tranquilising it," said wildlife enthusiast Kaushalendra Singh. The forest department has not fixed any deadline for tranquilising the tiger. In such a case, the operation might continue without any interference from the agencies that matter. Wildlife activists have demanded that the government should fix a deadline for the operation since lot of money has already been spent on it. And, in case the department fails to trap the tiger in a given time, it might seek help from other quarters. Though the tracking team is now continuing the operation during night as well, activists say it should become more regular. "The team can monitor the behaviour of the tiger to find out when it strkes, in the evening or late night, and can keep a watch accordingly," said secretary, Tiger and Terrain, Sanjay Narayan. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Badshah-still-playing-hide-and-seek/articleshow/12859932.cms

Tribals unwilling to relocate from PTR area

TNN | Apr 25, 2012, 03.20AM IST DALTONGANJ: For the 22-odd tribal families living on the Jaigeer hill area, 3,133 feet above sea level and surrounded by hills from four sides - life means total confinement. This village is bereft of roads and electricity as well as drinking water and irrigation. There is only one school. Deprived of basic infrastructure, these families have been asked to relocate since their village and several others fall under the Palamu Tiger Reserve. Once relocated to the plains earlier, these families will also enjoy a better life and all benefits under various government schemes, said DFO (buffer) Anil K Mishra. There are three other villages falling in the core area of PTR - Ramandaag (150 houses), Latoo (50 houses) and Kujrum (40 houses).But the families do not want relocation. Lakhan Oraon, living here, is sceptical about his relocation. "What if I don't get land at the place I'm relocated," he said. Premchand Birjiya is suspicious of the forest department's designs. Lakho Devi said she had grown up here and vowed not to move out from here as her soul lives here. Mishra said he had a plan to take five of the villagers to Satpura National Park in Madhya Pradesh to see for themselves how people who lived in the park area have been suitably relocated with drinking water, health services, education, irrigation etc. Krishna Trushti, a PTR research assistant, compared the life here and at Kanha tiger reserve and said, "The tribals here have resigned themselves to fate. The valley is their world." http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ranchi/Tribals-unwilling-to-relocate-from-PTR-area/articleshow/12859956.cms

National highways may endanger lives of big cats

Sudipta Sengupta, TNN | Apr 24, 2012, 02.39AM IST HYDERABAD: The talk of upgrading some of Andhra Pradesh's state highways to national highways, which seems to be fast gaining momentum now, has left local environmentalists worried. Two state highways -- the Hyderabad-Srisailam-Dornala-Atmakur-Nandyal stretch (354km) and the Nirmal-Khanapur-Luxeettipet (108km) -- pass through AP's most prominent tiger reserves, the Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve (NSTR) and the recently declared Kawal Tiger Reserve, respectively. Quoting instances from other states, experts say that the move to elevate them as national highways would increase the vehicular traffic on these roads and endanger the lives of the 'big cats' living in these forest belts. Currently, NSTR has close to 60 tigers while Kawal boasts of a population of about seven. The proposed upgradation is feared to not just increase traffic movement manifold (from two-lane roads they will become four or even six-lane roads), but even lead to relaxation of time restrictions imposed in these belts at present. This, experts fear would in turn push the tiger casualty figures upward. In the NSTR for instance, vehicular movement is now banned between 9pm and 6am. "But this could be done away with once it becomes a national highway," said Imran Siddiqui a wildlife expert from the AP, adding, "We are, therefore, planning to take up the matter with the state authorities. We hope to convince the government to either shelve the proposal or realign the routes." Quoting from a recent study conducted by the Current Science Association along with the Indian Academy of Sciences in the Nagarhole Tiger Reserve area (Karnataka), Siddiqui noted how the death of large mammals in the belt had shot phenomenally owing to a rise in vehicular traffic. Even in belts such as the Bandipur Tiger Reserve (Karnataka), Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (Uttar Pradesh) and Nagriza Wildlife Sanctuary & Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra), all of which are located close to national highways, cases of tiger deaths have been reported consistently. Experts attribute these casualties to the speeding traffic on these highways that is most often not monitored by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). "As a result drivers touch speeds up to 120kmph (they should restrict it to 70-80kmph) on these national highways. Animals, especially in the night, misjudge the speed and fall prey to accidents," said wildlife biologist Milind Pariwakam who has been, for long, battling for the realignment of NH-7 that runs through Pench National Park in Madhya Pradesh. Intriguingly, NHAI authorities, by their own admission, seem to have paid little attention to this issue prior to tabling the proposal before the central government. When contacted, Siva Reddy, engineer-in-chief, NHAI said, "Such concerns will be addressed once the Centre gives its nod to upgrade these state highways." He hastily added that a few speed-breakers would be laid on the roads to control vehicular movement. State forest department officials too seemed remotely cautioned. In fact, the principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife), S V Kumar, feigned complete ignorance on the subject. This, when the rulebook clearly notes that such proposals should be passed by local forest authorities before being sent to the Centre. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/National-highways-may-endanger-lives-of-big-cats/articleshow/12844251.cms

National Tiger Conservation Authority seeks report on irrigation projects near Melghat

Vijay Pinjarkar, TNN | Apr 24, 2012, 02.29AM IST NAGPUR: Even though wildlife and territorial wings of forest department have turned mute spectators to construction of two minor irrigation projects Arkacheri in Sonala and Alewadi in Buldhana, both falling within the 10 km of Melghat Tiger Reserve (MTR), the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has sought a detailed report on them. TOI had reported on April 9 that Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC) was implementing both the projects without seeking permission from National Board for Wildlife (NBWL). As the projects fall within 10 km radius of Ambabarwa wildlife sanctuary (part of MTR) and are also in the notified buffer zone of the reserve, NBWL nod is a must. Aggrieved farmers from Sonala have already moved the high court here against VIDC for forcing Arkacheri on them. They claim the project would help land that is already under irrigation. "We are not against the project as such, but want it shifted to more suitable site. When there is no demand from the people for a dam, why is the project being forced upon them? There is presence of wildlife in and around Sonala and the project may cause man-animal conflict," said petitioner Ramdas Kothe from Sonala. Taking serious note of TOI report, NTCA at Delhi has sought details. "I've been asked to report the developments in Alewadi and Sonala. The matter is in high court. We will reply once the notices are received," said Ravikiran Govekar, assistant inspector general (AIG), NTCA, Nagpur. Govekar will visit both the sites soon. The MTR officials are not concerned as control of buffer lies with territorial wing. Mohan Jha, chief conservator of forests (CCF), Amravati Circle, says, "As the work is being done on non-forest land, we technically have no role to play. But as both the projects fall within 10 km of a sanctuary, VIDC should have taken a NOC from wildlife wing. I'm conveying the same to MTR field director." Executive engineer for minor irrigation department U M Padmane had earlier said that wildlife permissions would be obtained when need was felt. He did not specify who would feel this need. NBWL member Kishor Rithe said state chief wildlife warden should act immediately. "As decided in last NBWL meeting, wardens are our eyes and ears in the states. They should be the first to take note of such violations," Rithe said. "I will visit the site in May first week and if violations are found, will report them to the union environment ministry (MoEF) as a NBWL member," he stressed. Conservationist Prafulla Bhamburkar said VIDC planned to divert Ar river into Kacheri nala but Ar comes from Wan sanctuary. As per Wildlife Protection Act 1972, diversion of river water coming from a protected area was prohibited without nod from chief wildlife warden, he said. Bhamburkar said irrigation department contention that buffer was notified after the projects were sanctioned was not right. "Though the projects were sanctioned earlier, work started after buffer was notified. Hence state wildlife board's and NBWL's permission should have been taken," he said. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/National-Tiger-Conservation-Authority-seeks-report-on-irrigation-projects-near-Melghat/articleshow/12844175.cms

July date for Indo-Bangla joint tiger census

TNN | Apr 23, 2012, 12.58AM IST KOLKATA: Finally, there will be a joint survey across 10,200 square kilometres of Sunderbans, spread across Bangladesh and India, this July to determine the exact number of tigers on the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The numbers, given by the Bangladeshi forest department and its Indian counterparts till date, are disputed on the ground that big cats frequently cross over the Indo-Bangla border. Every time, Sundarbans authority in India or that of Bangladesh comes up with their respective tiger census figures, they are disputed on the ground of tigers' frequent crossing over the political Indo-Bangla border. Bangladesh and India have signed a protocol to prevent poaching and smuggling of the tigers and their body parts from their sanctuaries. According to the protocol, the two countries will undertake joint scientific research, launch projects to promote understanding and knowledge of Royal Bengal tigers, develop information systems, share research, and exchange personnel for training and education. "There will be an attempt to conduct the tiger census simultaneously in Sunderbans on either side of the border using a common methodology. If necessary, Wildlife Institute of India ( WII) will help the Bangladesh Sunderbans officials with technical expertise for conducting the census," said sources. According to the last tiger census in 2003, there are 440 tigers in Bangladesh. On the other hand, a census in 2006 had claimed that Indian Sunderbans had 270 tigers, which was disputed by wildlife experts. The latest tiger census in India, conducted in 2010, pegged the big cat numbers in Sunderbans between 60 and 90. But the cross-border movement has always put question mark on the claims. According to the protocol, two countries will start patrolling of the waterways that crisscross the mangrove forests on their respective sides to prevent poaching of tigers. The wildlife monitoring is extremely important to the management to ascertain how the species are responding to the current management practices. Based on monitoring results, the necessary changes are made in the management practices to make those more effective. "The tiger estimation has traditionally been done in Sunderbans by using pugmark method, where the fresh left hind leg pug mark impression is collected from the field and analysed," said a Sunderbans Biosphere Reserve officer. The method was field-friendly but due to some drawbacks, Project Tiger developed a new methodology - Status of Tigers, Co-predators and Prey. Later, camera trapping, DNA tests were included to ascertain the range of tiger population in Indian Sunderbans. All these, forest department officers said, began during the tenure of Jairam Ramesh as Union environment and forest minister. Ramesh had suggested that India and Bangladesh should join hands to protect the Sunderbans from environmental degradation by forming Indo-Bangladesh Sunderbans Eco-System Forum. When Prime Minister Manmohan Singh headed to Dhaka, he formalized Ramesh's forum through a specific Indo-Bangladesh Bilateral Environmental Treaty for the Sunderbans. The treaty was to facilitate implementation of the programmes under the forum and mandate inclusive and coordinated reform between the two nations at state, district and grass roots levels. This, according to an official, will help tackle the problems of sensitive ecosystems as a whole rather than in the separate and piecemeal form, currently the norm in both countries. The joint relocation and emergency evacuation programme was considered for sudden climate disasters such as cyclones or flooding. Both nations can use their strong grass roots institutions to ensure policies are practically implemented. Micro-credit programmes like micro-loans for livelihoods and micro-insurance for environmental disasters are also being worked out. Several proposals are being thought for joint and simultaneous execution by both India and Bangladesh. There is no dearth of funds. Last year, the Centre had allocated Rs 300 crore, from the Rs 1,156-crore Integrated Coastal Zone Management project for West Bengal and most of it for Indian Sunderbans. The funds were for prevention of erosion of the islands, building of storm shelters, promotion of ecotourism and livelihood improvement. In addition, a Rs 450 crore central grant was announced for strengthening embankments at critical areas in the Indian Sunderbans. Bangladesh has similar allocations - Rs 700 crore - for its Sunderbans. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/July-date-for-Indo-Bangla-joint-tiger-census/articleshow/12829329.cms

Tribal activist fails to impress Melghat villagers

Vijay Pinjarkar, TNN | Apr 23, 2012, 03.59AM IST NAGPUR: Melghat tribals on Friday failed to get carried away by a section of tribal activists from Pune against relocation of villages inside the Melghat Tiger Reserve (MTR) in Amravati. Last year, three villages - Amona, Barukheda and Nagartas - from the Wan wildlife sanctuary and this year, Dhargad (barring a few houses) - were relocated from MTR. In February, TOI had reported how villagers were better off post-resettlement. Pune-based Kusum Karnik, who works for tribal welfare and runs an NGO called Shaswat in Manchar near Bhimashankar, was in Kasod near Akot on Friday to meet villagers who were relocated from Amona in Wan. She was accompanied by some activists whom she introduced as villagers from the Bhimashankar sanctuary in Pune. Karnik raised the issue of water and bad roads in Kasod. She also asked people whether they were happy and why they opted for relocation. Villagers did not like it as it was like rubbing salt into their wounds. "The water problem has already been solved. Earlier, villagers used to walk three km to fetch water but now there are bore wells and wells in the village. Roads are being made under EGS," said honorary district wildlife warden of Akola Devendra Telkar. According to Telkar, people told Karnik that there was no point in staying in the tiger reserve as there were no education and better healthcare facilities. To this, Karnik said tribals don't need much education and health facilities. Talking to TOI, Karnik said that tribals have been living in the forests since ages. On education, she said that ashramshalas can solve the problem. She accused the officials of forceful relocation. "Tribals were never told about the third option of co-existence," she added. It implies that tribals should live in the tiger reserve only. Karnik didn't come out with any alternative package. As present, resettlement of Dhargad is on and NGOs from Akola and Amravati are busy helping tribals to resettle smoothly. NGO representatives Uday Waze, Amol Sawant, Nilesh Dehankar and Anant Gawande were also present during Karnik's visit. "Karnik's statement has shocked us. Tribals themselves are demanding resettlement as they know that they don't have a future in the reserve. Besides, they are getting a package of Rs 10 lakh per family," Waze said. After seeing that resettlement was not an issue in Kasod, Karnik left for Somthana, a village inside Wan which is in the process of being relocated. She was accompanied by Akot deputy conservator of forests VM Godbole and others. In Somthana, Karnik told villagers that she visited resettled village Kasod and saw their problems. Why do they want to rehabilitate? Villagers told her that Nagartas and Barukheda were remotely situated and were isolated from the outside world. "We too are not safe as we see tigers in the day time. Besides, wild animals damage our crops," they said. To this Karnik said all villages together should have been opposed rehabilitation like she did in Bhimashankar. "This is a conspiracy of the forest department to divide villagers. Amona, Nagartas and Barukheda were forced to leave. Now it's Somthana's turn," she said. When pointed out that villagers were keen to move out, Karnik said they were saying so because forest officials were present during the meeting. She gave examples of Churni, Pastalai and Vairat villages in MTR where villgers are co-existing. However, most families of these villages have already been relocated. In Somthana, some local tribals asked Karnik how can they get facilities like health, education etc. They also wanted to know how landless people get land inside in the forest and how can they save this land from wildlife? To this, Karnik reiterated that tribals don't need much education and health facilities. Karnik's response irked some women and they ended up having a heated argument with her. After the Somthana meeting, Karnik was asked by the officials to visit Dhargad to clear her doubts, but she left as the villagers favoured relocation. Vishal Bansod, honorary wildlife warden of Amravati, said NGOs should come to Melghat to help tribals in resettlement work and not misguide them. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Tribal-activist-fails-to-impress-Melghat-villagers/articleshow/12830884.cms

E-eye to protect tigers at Corbett National Park

Published: Monday, Apr 23, 2012, 9:08 IST | Updated: Monday, Apr 23, 2012, 1:15 IST By Mayank Aggarwal | Place: New Delhi | Agency: DNA Imagine sitting in a cosy room but keeping an eye on hundreds of kilometers of jungle. Battling acute manpower shortage, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has launched a pilot project for 24X7 surveillance of the Corbett National Park using high-tech infrared and thermal imaging cameras. The project ‘E-eye’ (electronic eye), whose estimated cost is around Rs3.5crore, was started around six months ago when ten high-tech cameras having infrared and thermal imaging capabilities were installed on 10-20 metres high towers. They were set up on Corbett’s sensitive southern boundary bordering UP from where maximum poaching cases have been reported in the past. Of around 800 square kilometers of Crobett area, the cameras are covering around 350 square kilometers area to mainly check poaching. The cameras detect anything weighing more than 20 kilograms and send immediate alert to the control room set up at the Corbett. They have powerful zoom capabilities, can pan and tilt and works even in adverse weather conditions. “Nothing can match human patrolling but we have got fantastic results from this project in the last six months as infiltration incidents has come down drastically. We have successfully checked movement of villagers and on one occasion a tractor involved in illegal mining in the park was also caught,” NTCA’s deputy inspector general SP Yadav told DNA even as he controlled cameras using his computer in Delhi sitting nearly 300 kilometers away from the place. As per Yadav, shortage of field staff at tiger reserves is the primary reason for this project and also that cameras work 24x7x365 is an unmatchable advantage. As per NTCA’s data, there is a shortage of over 1,500 officials including forest ranger officers, forest guards, forest range officers and others. NTCA would soon set up a control room in Delhi as well but at present the only control room is at the Corbett itself. “Whenever an alert about any unauthorized vehicle or infiltrators is received, a rapid response team rushes to the spot to check it. E-eye has created fear amongst locals because of which they have stopped entering the protected zone. This is all what we wanted,” Yadav said. “It is for the first time that such a thing has been done. Nowhere in world is such system used in a national park. We will monitor it for one year before we take a final call for doing it at other reserves across the country,” he added. Yadav also explained that with this system’s help, human-elephant conflict can also be avoided as locals can easily be alerted in advance. Besides NTCA, Pune’s Binomial Solutions too has worked on E-eye. http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_e-eye-to-protect-tigers-at-corbett-national-park_1679437

Missing forest labourer found killed by tiger

TNN | Apr 22, 2012, 01.10AM IST NAGPUR: The mystery of the missing forest worker from Bor was solved as remains of his body were found within the radius of 500 metres of a water hole near Chinchkhori. Sitaram Wadwe, a permanent forest labourer (van majoor) posted in Pendhri beat of Bor wildlife sanctuary was attacked and eaten by a tigress. Wadwe had gone missing on Friday. As soon as news about Wadwe going missing spread, a group of 35 villagers and forest officials led by Bor assistant conservator of forests (ACF) Uttam Sawant started a combing operation at 6pm. The operation continued up to midnight, but till then, nothing but faint evidences of a tiger attack like scarf, slipper and some hair of the victim were found. The search operation began again on Saturday morning around 7am. Around 10.30am, Wadwe's skull was found. A Ashraf, chief conservator of forests (CCF) and field director, Pench Tiger Reserve, led the search after 9am. He said, "We also found Wadwe's pants in which the keys to his vehicle were found." Nearly the whole body was eaten by the tiger as only a few body parts of the deceased could be found by the search party. His remains have been sent to Selu primary health centre for post mortem. "His family will be receiving Rs four lakh as compensation and an additional Rs 50,000 from Pench Conservation Foundation. His wife will be considered for employment in forest department on compassionate grounds," Ashraf said. Wadwe, along with two other van majoors, had gone to fill a water hole at 10am on Friday near Chinchkhori. As he was on his bike, he asked his colleagues to proceed, saying he would follow them after filling the water hole and cut the tall grass near the spot. A tigress and her cubs were being constantly sighted near the water hole. Despite knowing this, Wadwe went into the area alone. It is possibly not an incident of a tiger attacking humans. "Wadwe was in a crouching position and the attack happened from behind. It is quite possible that the tiger mistook him for a prey and attacked him," Ashraf said. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Missing-forest-labourer-found-killed-by-tiger/articleshow/12816609.cms

Forest officials let stray tiger identify its own safari and live there

Published: Friday, Apr 20, 2012, 9:45 IST By Deepak Gidwani | Place: Lucknow | Agency: DNA The sly manoeuvres of a big cat have got the better of trained foresters in Uttar Pradesh. A group of over 20 forest officials and workers have been tracking a stray tiger for more than three months now. Tired of their futile search, they are now coming around to finalising a proposal to let the big cat be where it is, and instead of trying to cage it, develop a tiger safari around it. Forest officials say the tiger, a healthy male of four years, has strayed from its habitat in Lakhimpur Kheri, more than 200 km from Lucknow. It was first sighted in the first week of January in Hardoi, about 100 km from here. The tiger later settled down in the 400-acre farm of the Central Subtropical Horticulture Institute of the Union agriculture ministry at Rahmankheda,about 15 km from Lucknow. Since then, over three months have passed but despite the big cat being sighted a number of times, it has defied all the foresters’ tricks to cage it. Apart from calling in Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) experts, the UP forest department also engaged the services of several darting experts, including one from Orissa, but all their efforts remained futile. The tiger has already made short work of almost a dozen calves and goats tied as bait. Cages put up at several places in the area have also failed to lure it. Some days ago, the foresters had dug a 12-feet deep pit, covered it and tied a bait in a bid to catch the tiger. The cunning cat did come and even fell into the pit but before the forest officials could reach the spot, it surprisingly managed to escape. With their desperation and the costs of the operation mounting by the day, the forest department officials have now prepared a report proposing to develop a tiger safari around the elusive cat. The proposal includes the bringing in of two tigresses which could help in natural breeding. The tiger safari would cost about Rs10 crore and would be only the second one in the country apart from the only one in Bhopal. A senior forest department official says the preliminary report for developing the safari notes that the tiger has made the expansive farm of the horticulture institute its home as it has all the ingredients needed for its natural habitat. The farm has a water body (a ‘nullah’) running through it which has water supply all year round. It has dense forest cover and enough natural prey for the tiger in the form of blue bulls. “Developing a tiger safari there is the best solution in the given circumstances,” says tiger expert and former UP wildlife warden Ram Lakhan Singh. He points out that the tiger has never engaged in any conflict with human beings which, he says, is a very positive sign. “This way, UP will boast of its own tiger safari and the area can be developed as a tourist centre,” he adds. http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_forest-officials-let-stray-tiger-identify-its-own-safari-and-live-there_1678280

Three arrested with tiger skins in Chhattisgarh

IANS Apr 20, 2012, 05.29PM IST Wildlife Protection Act|tiger skin|Raipur|Chhattisgarh RAIPUR: Three men were arrested with tiger skins while they were trying to sell these in Chhattisgarh, police said here Friday. According to police, the three men were arrested under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, Thursday evening by forest department officials in Kanker district's Bhanupratapur area, some 240 km south from state capital Raipur. According to the forest department, two tiger skins were seized from them and were valued at over Rs.500,000 in international market. "The three were arrested based on specific intelligence inputs. They could be members of an inter-state poaching gang. The police are investigating," Arun Kumar Pandey, forest conservator in Kanker, told IANS over phone. He said that since January this year 17 people have been arrested in Kanker district for anti-poaching activities. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-04-20/flora-fauna/31373609_1_tiger-skins-kanker-anti-poaching

Tiger census begins in Nallamala

TNN | Apr 19, 2012, 01.47AM IST HYDERABAD: Amidst growing concerns over the dwindling tiger population in the Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve (NSTR) and calls for initiating more conservation measures to increase the population of the wild cats, the forest officials have begun the tiger census in the Nallamala forest. The exercise was launched at Atmakur in Kurnool and Markapuram in Prakasam district four days ago. Sources said the 45-day exercise would also be taken up at Achampet in Mahbubnagar and Nagarjunasagar in Nalgonda district. Forest officials said 200 digital cameras would be used to photograph the pugmarks, which would be analyzed using computers to identify tigers on various parametres. "But the availability of good quality pugmarks suitable for analysis would be not more than 20 to 25 per cent," a senior forest ranger pointed out. The census would be conducted on the basis of digital photographs of the tiger pugmarks and camera tracks which would be evaluated with the help of the latest software. During the exercise, the forest teams would count the pugmarks at water holes in the forest core area spread across 2,527 square km. A retired forest official Tulasi Rao said proliferation of tigers and other wild animals is linked to availability of food, which flourished only when the green cover is improved. NSTR, which has been renamed Rajiv Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary, has its tiger numbers grow to 70 with a healthy male-female-cubs ratio in the last census. In fact, the wild cat numbers plummeted to 30 in the last 6-7 years. NSTR, spread over five districts of the Nallamala mountain ranges and encompassing more than 3,500 square km, was the abode for nearly 100 tigers in 1990. There are over 300 leopards in the sanctuary. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/Tiger-census-begins-in-Nallamala/articleshow/12723477.cms

Rescued tiger cub healthy, say Panna Reserve officials

TNN Apr 18, 2012, 11.29AM IST BHOPAL: After being rescued from a cave last week, the feeble wild cub abandoned by a tigress is recovering rapidly and is in good health at Panna Tiger Reserve in eastern Madhya Pradesh. "The two-month-old cub is fast recovering. We are monitoring its health round the clock," reserve veterinarian Dr Sanjeev Gupta said. "The tiger cub is being fed milk and other supplements," reserve field director R S Murthy said. The cub was abandoned by a tigress -- T-1 -- some 15 days ago. T-1 gave birth to three more cubs in a cave on February 16. On March 29, it shifted to another cave some 2 km away but did not carry the fragile cub. It, although, returned to the cave on April 2 and fed the abandoned cub. However, T-1 did not carry the cub. Since then, the reserve authorities kept a watch through electronic gadgets. They found that the condition of the cub deteriorated nine days ago in the cave. The cub was rescued from the cave on April 12. It is being kept in a well-equipped room since then. This cub was born in the second litter. T-1 had given birth to four cubs in its first litter two years ago. Only two cubs survived then, officials said. Felines usually abandon their cubs when they turn weak, according to wildlife experts. After the reserve became devoid of big cat population in early 2009 allegedly due to poaching, the state forest department had translocated four tigresses and a tiger to Panna from different tiger reserves in an attempt to revive their population. The translocation plan has seen success with increasing number of cubs. Now 12 cubs, including two young ones are in the reserve. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-04-18/bhopal/31360641_1_tiger-cub-big-cat-population-translocated

Rehabilitation process of Navegaon village begins

TNN | Apr 19, 2012, 02.46AM IST CHANDRAPUR: The rehabilitation of village Navegaon (Ramdegi) located inside Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) practically kicked off on Tuesday after plots were distributed among the beneficiary families. In a programme held under supervision of Warora SDO Ghanshyam Bhugaonkar, a total of 111 beneficiaries picked up their plots through lottery system in the village. After Navegaon villagers agreed for relocation out of tiger reserve, administration identified in all 220 beneficiaries in town under the Centre's 10 lakh rehabilitation package. The villagers were given separate options of cash compensation and rehabilitation. Under option-I, beneficiaries take cash compensation and move out of village on their own, while under option-II, government arranges for beneficiary's rehabilitation on the site selected by villagers. In Navegaon, a total of 119 beneficiaries, including 100 land owners and 19 landless beneficiaries, opted for option-I, while remaining 111 beneficiaries, including 101 land owners and 10 landless beneficiaries, have opted for option-II. "The beneficiaries of Navegaon have selected their rehabilitation site in compartment no. 29 of Chimur tehsil. The land has been cleared of the forest and plots marked. Tenders of the road have been finalized and construction will begin soon. Construction of water supply tank is under progress, while laying of pipeline will begin soon. Two handpumps have also been installed on the relocation site," claimed ex-deputy sarpanch, Azhar Sheikh, who is a representative of villagers to oversee rehabilitation procedure. Officials said that while villagers have decided to build their homes themselves, government will provide them land along with sum for house construction. Apart from this, the government will build amenities like water supply scheme, bus stand, weekly market, gram panchayat, police station, post office, dispensary, water reservoir, primary and high school, play ground and leave open space for community programmes. As plots on rehabilitation site were marked, the gram sabha of the village forwarded a proposal to the administration asking for distribution of plots through lottery system. Therefore, a programme was organized in Navegaon on Tuesday to distribute the plots to 111 beneficiaries of rehabilitation. Landowner beneficiaries were entitled for plot of 371 sq metre each, while landless beneficiaries were entitled for plot of 185 sq metre each. However, those having five or more members in family were given plots with some additional land. The plot distribution started in presence of SDO Ghanshyam Bhugaonkar, Chimur tehsildar Dilip Akhade, Bramhapuri division ACF AN Dhote, Chimur range RFO LM Belekar and president of NGO Eoc-Pro orgnaisation Bandu Dhotre, appointed by high court to facilitate smooth rehabilitation. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Rehabilitation-process-of-Navegaon-village-begins/articleshow/12723924.cms

Forest officers on pugmark chase to nab runaway tiger near Lucknow

TNN Apr 18, 2012, 03.51AM IST LUCKNOW: It was another day gone in vain at Rahmankhera. The big cat made its appearance in the area by way of its pugmarks only. The tracking team, however, kept waiting for the big cat near a partially-eaten bait, on Tuesday. The team had to intensively search for the tiger as in the morning there was no trace of the feline, giving the apprehension that it could have changed location, specially after the Monday incident. Sources said on Monday the tiger and the combing elephants came face to face. The tracking team had set a half-eaten carcass as bait near the deep pit which has been dug by the team at Rahmankhera to trap the tiger. The tiger had dragged the flesh to the patch of forest and was eating it when one of the elephants combing the area went close it. And as the tiger resisted the forward movement of the elephant, even the jumbo got aggressive. The other two elephants, which were also combing the area, too became aggressive. Seeing the three elephants ganging up against it, the tiger made a quick escape. It wasn't spotted till late Tuesday morning. It was only later in the day that the team could locate its pugmarks. While the tracking team is still focusing on luring the tiger to the bait tied close to the deep pit, this time around the team has also done some fencing around the pit. Experts, however, said the Monday incident shows the big cat can charge if put under pressure. "The tiger is a tiger and the operation has to be handled keeping the fact in time," said Kaushlendra Singh, a wildlife enthusiast. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-04-18/lucknow/31360792_1_partially-eaten-tiger-big-cat