Place of worship hits tiger conservation TNN

DALTONGANJ: A huge place of worship right in the middle of Palamu tiger reserve has hindered progress of conserving the big cats.

The pucca building at Labher on way from Betla to Garu has become a troubled zone also as a ranger had been beaten up by local villagers some years back.

National Tiger Conservation Authority member of east and northeast effective management evaluation Srivastava said the ranger had objected to the construction of the place of worship at Labher.

The Supreme Court has asked the state governments to ensure a relocation of all places of worship, which are in a way causing inconvenience to public.

Palamu Project Tiger field director Paritosh Upadhaya said: "First of all, this place of worship has not come up during the period I have been here but has drawn devotees over the last 50 years."

The Palamu directorate of Project Tiger has clearly and strictly asked the people of this place of worship not to raise, construct or expand any more.

He agreed that the issue is "sensitive" while corroborating manhandling of the then field ranger over the coming up of this pucca place of worship at Labher.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ranchi/TNN05tigerdocclearedSP/-193Place-of-worship-hits/articleshow/7636697.cms

Rajasthan to deploy special police to protect forests

Jaipur, March 4 (IANS) The Rajasthan government plans to deploy battalions of Rajasthan Armed Constabulary (RAC) to protect forest areas in the state, an official said Friday.

Rajasthan boasts of two tiger projects, a bird sanctuary and 25 wildlife sanctuaries.

'The tiger reserves, existing ones and those proposed, will be given priority in the deployment of RAC battalions,' a senior home department officer told IANS.

Acting on a proposal sent by the forest department to the state's chief secretary, the home department has asked the director general of police (DGP) to make necessary arrangements in this regard.

The DGP is supposed to make a detailed report on the deployment and send it to the home department before the scheme is implemented.

He added RAC battalions will be deployed at forest areas in Alwar, Sawaimadhopur, Bharatpur, Dholpur, Karauli, Nagaur, Kota, Jaipur, Udaipur, Rajsamand, Jalore and some other districts.

National Tiger Conservation Authority of India is considering some other dense forest areas in the state to develop them as tiger reserve besides Ranthambore in Sawaimdhopur district and Sariska in Alwar, due to growing population of big cats here, the officer said.

With this, there is a need to put a check on incidents of illegal grazing in the protected forest areas, illegal mining, poaching of wild life animals and attacks on foresters, he added.

'Recently there had been many incidents of tigers and leopards straying into the villages around forests areas following which the animals were attacked, even killed in some cases.

'While trying to rescue these wild animals, the foresters were also attacked. Stepped up security in these areas will hopefully help tackle such situation,' the official added.

http://www.sify.com/news/rajasthan-to-deploy-special-police-to-protect-forests-news-national-lderkmeighi.html

Nine held for possession of tiger, panther skins

Erode (TN), Mar 3 (PTI) Nine persons, including a woman, were arrested in Pollachi in nearby Coimbatore district for possession of tiger and panther skins, Erode District Forest Conservator said. According to Erode District Conservator of Forests, Arun, a team of Forest Department personnel in plainclothes travelled to Dharapuram in nearby Tirupur district yesterday following a tip-off. One of the officers, posing as a civilian, met Jailani, one of the accused, to purchase tiger skin, he said. Jailani demanded Rs five crore for the skin and took the undercover officer to Pollachi yesterday night, where he was shown the skins of a tiger, four panthers and a black panther, he said. He added that when the wildlife skin traders ultimately agreed to sell all the skins for a combined Rs one crore, the officer said he had to consult his friends before paying the sum, following which he informed the other officials waiting nearby. The accused persons, including Parameswari, in whose house the incident took place, were promptly rounded up and the wildlife skin were seized. The accused were booked under section nine of the Wildlife Protection Act, he said.

http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/nine-held-for-possession-of-tiger-panther-skins/596495.html

Migration hits counting of big cats - TNN

DALTONGANJ: The tigers of the Palamu Tiger Reserve (PTR) are not as lucky as the tigers of the Valmiki Tiger Reserve in Bihar s West Champaran! The tiger reserve of India is in close proximity to the Royal Chitwan Tiger Reserve in Nepal. In summer the tigers of the Valmiki Tiger Reserve slip into the Royal Chitwan Tiger Reserve in Nepal which is their summer resort and they go in and come out as they please.

According to D S Srivastava, member of the Effective Evaluation Management East and North East of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), Delhi, tigers of Valmiki Reserve move towards the Royal Chitwan Tiger Reserve in Nepal to beat the heat.

However, he lamented that such a luxury is not available to the tigers of the Palamu Reserve, where they remain within the precincts of the PTR. India is perhaps the only country where this highly endangered species travels across the border. When asked whether the migration affects counting of the big cat he replied in the affirmative.

The PTR is spread over 1,026 square kilometers. This wildlife activist was aghast to see flock of sheep passing through the core zone of the PTR as he said sheep carries high risk infection and where ever the flock of sheep drinks water at the water hole that water is bound to be contaminated and not fit for the tigers and other wildlife. He said he came across the flock of sheep numbering 50 to 60 10 km away from Betla on Wednesday.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ranchi/Migration-hits-counting-of-big-cats/articleshow/7622553.cms

Rough weather in four reserves on Forest Rights Act rollout - TNN

In the recent meeting of the apex National Tiger Conservation Authority, members pointed out seven specific instances where Forest Rights Act has been violated in an attempt to hastily declare an area free of people. Environment minister Jairam Ramesh said he would investigate each claim and allegation of violation of FRA. TOI highlights four such reserves. Will he now send a fact finding team to these sites?

BRT Tiger reserve, Karnataka

The establishment of the Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple wildlife sanctuary in 1974 displaced the Soliga tribals from their shifting cultivation sites to settled colonies. The collection of NTFP (non-timber forest products ) was banned in 2005, affecting their livelihood. Under FRA, 787 Soligas families have received land titles and 400 are awaiting them. Soligas are also in the process of receiving formal community rights shortly. But the state government has declared it a tiger reserve without discussing the proposal with the Soligas. Wildlife scientists have suggested that BRT not be turned into a tiger reserve but could be the first experiment of community management. The state government has paid no heed.

Sunabeda sanctuary, Orissa

There are 64 villages within this sanctuary in Nuapara district of Orissa. Of these, 42 are revenue villages and the rest are termed "encroached villages" by the forest department . These are actually villages that haven't been surveyed and for which no revenue settlement has been done to date. The sanctuary consists of 22,000 people and 87% comprises tribes such as the Gonds and Bhunjia . The forest department has claimed that gram sabhas have agreed to declaring it a tiger reserve and to be relocated. Through RTI, it was found that no village had agreed. The villages have now passed resolutions against the move. Meanwhile, Maoists have moved in and NTCA has given "in-principle" approval for declaring it as tiger reserve.

Mudumalai, Tamil Nadu

Mudumalai was declared as a critical tiger habitat in December, 2007 without any scientific study or evidence. Numerous protests by the local communities from 2009 and on December 30 that year, more than one lakh people held a demonstration. Relocation attempts have been made but no family has actually moved. FRA has not been implemented to date. Tamil Nadu says only 271 claims have been received from the entire Niligiri district and none has been decided yet (as of May last year, whereas relocation funds were allocated in 2009). No consent of gram sabha has been taken for relocation.

Melghat, Maharashtra

The declaration of the critical tiger habitat was done without the inclusion or knowledge of the local communities. They got to know of the changed status only when forest officials told them they would have to move out. Five villages are being relocated in the first phase, consent for which has been obtained on an individual basis and not from gram sabhas. The Korku tribe did not want to move out while other tribes and pastoralists took the offer.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Rough-weather-in-four-reserves-on-Forest-Rights-Act-rollout/articleshow/7624593.cms

'Tiger man' Fateh Singh Rathore passes away TNN

JAIPUR: India's best known tiger conservationist Fateh Singh Rathore, whose name became synonymous with Project Tiger, died of cancer at his home in Sawai Madhopur on Tuesday at age 72. A former field director of Ranthambore National Park, Rathore's cancer of the lung had spread to his ribs and the end came around 10:45am.

''Doctors found his cancer had spread in January. Since then we've been treating him at various hospitals. About a week back, realising that he won't survive, Fatehji said he wanted to spend his last days among the hills and forests in Ranthambore. So he was brought here,'' said an associate in Sawai Madhopur.

Fateh Singh is survived by his wife, son Goverdhan Singh Rathore and two daughters — Padmini and Jaya. After retiring from the forest department, Rathore was heading an NGO 'Tiger Watch' in Sawai Madhopur. His death was mourned by activists and commoners alike and thousands came to his home in grief. ''He will be cremated in his farm house on Wednesday,'' said Dharmendra Khandal, a conservation biologist and Fateh's co-worker at Tiger Watch.

''It's a great loss for me; the umbrella under which I was growing up for the past seven years is no longer with me. We were planning some celebration this year as this was his 51st year in conservation. But now the plans will have to be changed,'' added Khandal.

Rathore made his last public appearance in Jaipur in February when he received World Wildlife Fund's Lifetime Achievement Award. He then went into his beloved Ranthambore for the last time on February 11 with his son, grandson and conservationist Belinda Wright.

Known to anyone who has ever been to Ranthambore, Fateh Singh joined the Indian Forest Service in 1960 and was part of the first Project Tiger team. Widely acknowledged as ''tiger guru'' for his legendary knowledge of the big cat, he had the uncanny ability to predict a tiger's whereabouts. His single-minded drive to protect Ranthambore National Park made him an enemy of poachers who once robbed him. In 1983, Fateh Singh got the International Valour Award for bravery in conservation.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Tiger-man-Fateh-Singh-Rathore-passes-away/articleshow/7606695.cms

14 tigers died in two months in India

New Delhi, March 1 (IANS) As many as 14 tigers have died in the country till February this year alone, including two due to poaching, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh told Lok Sabha Tuesday.

Replying to a question in Rajya Sabha, Ramesh said 161 tigers - 51 due to poaching -- have died since 2008.

'About 14 tigers have died, 12 due to natural and other causes and two due to poaching, till Feb 22 this year,' Ramesh told the upper house.

From projections done on the basis of the last tiger census done in 2008, there are less than 1400 tigers left in India.
http://www.sify.com/news/14-tigers-died-in-two-months-in-india-news-national-ldbsEqacffj.html

CID preparing data bank to tackle wildlife crime in Karnataka - DNA

With the arrest of notorious poacher Durru, who set a jaw trap to capture a three-legged tiger — Maasti — in Maastigudi in Nagarhole Tiger Reserve, the CID Forest Cell has confirmed the prevalence of inter-state wildlife crime since 1982. They have now decided to maintain a DNA profile of all the seizures.

The measure would help them bust cases in a better way and maintain a scientific data bank. Additional-director general of police (forests), KSN Chikkerur, said that samples in all cases, irrespective of what was seized, would be sent to the head office in Bangalore, from where they would be sent to National Centre for Biological Sciences for DNA profiling. “To begin with, we are doing DNA profiling of tiger, leopard and other skins. As the next step, we will start with ivory,” he said.

Chikkerur said that DNA profiling had been done for the 23 leopards, 43 small claw-less and smooth-coated other pelts and a tiger skin, seized from the house and guest house of Prabhakar Keshav Gajakosh in Haliyal and Hubli, a wildlife product dealer, in 2007.

The biggest seizure by the CID Forest Cell sleuths established that Durra, an associate of poacher Sansar Chand who is in Tihar jail, was supplying pelts to Prabhakar. The sleuths arrested Prabhakar and 10 others, including Sansar Chand’s brothers Rajkumar and Narayan, in July in 2009.

Durru, alias Kanka Lal, 38, who has been sent to Bhavnagar in Gujarat to appear in a trial, would be brought back to Bangalore on March 17. Durru is the son of Hariprasad Lasakchand, another notorious poacher and a resident of Birahuli village in Madhya Pradesh.

Durru has been booked in three cases — two for seizures in Hubli and Haliyal in 2007 and for escaping from judicial custody in 2009.
http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report_cid-preparing-data-bank-to-tackle-wildlife-crime-in-karnataka_1514376

Tiger carcass found in Sunderbans, TNN

SAJNEKHALI: Sunderbans Tiger Reserve (STR) officials discovered the carcass of a tiger at Pirkhali Jungle near Sajnekhali in the Sunderbans on Monday afternoon. There are indications that the animal died of old age.

Forest officials said the STR team stumbled upon the carcass around 2.30pm while on a regular patrol. A four-member medical team, three NGO members, forest officials and a videographer have started out for the spot for a detailed inquiry. Primary probe indicated the tiger had died 15 days ago. "No injury mark was found on its body, though we are investigating if it was poisoned or shot," said Subrat Mukherjee, STR director.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata-/Tiger-carcass-found-in-Sunderbans/articleshow/7598064.cms

Tiger mauls two troopers in Bihar

Patna, Feb 28 (IANS) A tiger injured two paramilitary troopers in Valmiki National Park in West Champaran district of Bihar Monday, police said.

The injured troopers of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) were admitted in a hospital in district headquarters Bettiah, a police officer said.

Valmiki National Park, Bihar's only tiger project, is over 250 km from here.

The incident has created panic among the security personnel who move about freely in the national park despite warnings by forest officials.

A few years ago, a SSB trooper was killed by a tiger in the park.

The tiger population in the Valmiki National Park has been decreasing at an alarming rate, according reports.

There were 56 tigers in the park in 2002, but their number came down to 10-12 in 2010, the reports said.

http://www.sify.com/news/tiger-mauls-two-troopers-in-bihar-news-national-lc2uOpdjihc.html

Mating of tigers affects pilgrimage, Deccan Chronicle

Feb. 28: What can mating of tigers have to do with a religious pilgrimage? A lot it seem as devotees from north Karnataka and south Maharastra may have to tip-toe through the forests of Kadali and Nallamala, which support one of the largest tiger reserves in the country, on their way to the Srisailam temples in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh this year to allow the big cats to procreate in peace.
Not only may the entry of pilgrims into the Nallamala forests be banned after 6 pm but they may also not to be allowed make noise during the day while travelling through the forests on foot. The authorities may permit the singing of bhajans but not the playing of musical instruments.
Afraid that the tigresses which mated in November and December, will find it difficult to give birth if they are disturbed this time of the year, Atmakur forest officials have shot off letters to the Union and state governments not to allow devotees to enter these forests from April onwards. If the governments give their go ahead the devotees may prefer to travel to Srisailam via Dornala from Atmakur for the Ugadi celebrations and give the forests a miss altogether considering the restrictions imposed.
More than three lakh pilgrims from north Karnataka and neighbouring Maharashtra visit the Srishaila temples during Ugadi.
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/bengaluru/mating-tigers-affects-pilgrimage-687

Central Govt releases Rs 5.73 Crore for Tiger reserves in Assam: Tiger of Assam : Luit Chaliha,

The Central Govt has released the first instalment of conservation funds sanctioned for three tiger reserves in Assam with the rider that they utilise it according to the agreement signed with it and Dispur last year. The Central Govt has released Rs. 573.08 lakh for the current fiscal, of which Rs 272.72 lakh will go to Kaziranga, Rs 237.50 lakh will go to Manash and Rs 63.58
http://www.timesofassam.com/headlines/central-govt-releases-rs-5-73-crore-for-tiger-reserves-in-assam

Project Tiger gets more area in Anashi forest: TNN

KARWAR: The 850 sq km area that covers Project Tiger in Anashi forest in Uttara Kannada district will be extended by adding another 270 sq. km buffer area, according to the forest department.

The conservator of forest has already issued the notification in this regard. Project Tiger has gained importance in the country of late and about 7,748 hectares in Kadra range and 16,333 hectares in Diggi forest range was added to the existing project area. And this 270 sq. km area is already handed over to the wild life division of the forest department, according to Sunil Panwar, deputy conservator of forest.

The villages Kadra, Balemane and Birkol-Sulageri on the left bank of Kali River were added to Project Tiger. According to G K Shet, the range forest officer of Balni in Karwar taluk, he saw a tiger on the road of Balni village during mid-night recently. The importance of the Balni forest is enhanced by the presence of the tigers in the region, he said. For last two years no poaching incidence was reported from the forest. Tigers, panthers, black panthers and bison are being spotted in the Balemane-Sulageri forest, Shet said.

Meanwhile, the forest department with the help of NGOs has taken up a novel programme of creating awareness among the students about wild life protection. About 1,400 students of 52 villages that fall under the Anashi-Dandeli protected forest were made to participate in the nature camp. These students are creating awareness among their family members and this has considerably reduced poaching in the area, Panwar said. At their homes these students were successful in stopping the preparation of food using the meat of the wild animals. Now local people have almost stopped poaching, he said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hubli/Project-Tiger-gets-more-area-in-Anashi-forest/articleshow/7582859.cms

Illegal villas in critical wilderness, Subhash Chandra N S, DHNS

The wolf is at Bandipur’s door. Already plagued by immense tourist pressure, the Bandipur National Park — a critical tiger reserve — is now faced with a new threat: Allegedly violating all norms, a gated community resort / villa project is all ready to come up barely 700 meters from the Park.

The project, called “NSB Wild Hunt Resort”, is being developed near Mangala village along the Bandipur-Mudhumalai road, on a patch of 19.13 acres in the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ). The project potentially interrupts the movement of large mammals (including elephant, tigers and other animals).

The project, which will house over 50 villas and 200 cottages once complete, is allegedly in violation of Section 3 of the Environment Protection Act 1986.

Wildlife experts say the project is right on the path used by animals as a corridor to migrate. Such building constructions require the permission of the State Board for Wildlife, National Board for Wildlife, Ministry of Environment and Forests.  Construction work has been initiated without any of the mandatory permits by the Pune-based promoters.

Besides being in the ESZ, the project location comes under the notified buffer zone of the Bandipur Tiger Reserve where construction activities are clearly regulated. Resorts and other properties have been threatening the wildlife habitat in this region for some time now. Some of these resorts are built near natural water bodies and act as barriers for animals when they want to use water, especially during the dry summer months.

The guidelines for ESZs mandate that change of land use from green (orchards, horticulture, etc) to non-green uses need clearance from the Environment Ministry.

Principal Chief Conservator of Forests B K Singh confirmed that the proposed villa is in the buffer zone where there is tiger and elephant movement. “This is the place known for human-animal conflicts,” he said.

Workshop calls for beefing up protection in Tadoba, Mazhar Ali, TNN

CHANDRAPUR: As many as 28 tiger cubs were born in Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) in 2010. But since many tigers also move out of TATR, protection in core area as well as corridors in imperative. This was one of the main issues highlighted at a workshop 'Vision Tadoba' to mark the 16th foundation day of TATR on Wednesday.

During the workshop, wildlife activists expressed concern over protection of tigers and constriction of corridors in Tadoba landscape, and gave valuable suggestions over sustainable development of buffer area of Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR).

The state forest department, under the banner of Tadoba Andhari Tiger Conservation Foundation, had organised the workshop with the objective of seeking, suggesting and roping in the support of NGOs in chalking out the development plan for 79 villages in buffer area and its implementation in coming days, said CF and field director, TATR, Vinaykumar Sinha. Regional manager, North FDCM, SH Patil, who is former field director of TATR, pointed out issues hindering better management of wildlife in Tadoba landscape.

Key issues like steps needed for protection of ecology, regulation for conservation and protection of wildlife, and socioeconomic measures for development of TATR and its buffer area were discussed during the programme.

NGO activist Yogesh Doodhpachare strongly opposed the move of tourism ministry to open three more entrance gates in TATR, while Sachin Wazalwar demanded regular updating of checklist of flora and fauna and satellite mapping of landscape and maintaining standard records to analyse the shifting perception of landscape.

Ex-wildlife warden (honorary) Uday Patel voiced concern over constricting tiger corridors and pressed for active involvement of NGOs in protection and conservation of wildlife. He also stressed for effective control of forest fires and prohibition of illegal plucking of tendu leaves and bamboo felling to prevent habitat degradation.

"As many as 28 tiger cubs were born in TATR during 2010, but the spill over rate of tiger from TATR too is high. Around 8-10 tigers move out of core area into buffer and forest ahead. Hence, conservation of speedily degrading corridors is necessary," said Patel.

Wildlife activist Bandu Dhotre expressed concern over the blockage passages out of tiger reserve for wildlife due to mushrooming tourist resorts and demanded shifting all resorts out of buffer area. He gave suggestions for economical development of villagers living in buffer area.

Around 50 wildlife activists connected to different NGOs along with the representative of tourist resorts, tourist vehicle operators and guides took part in the workshop. CF, Chandrapur circle, GRK Rao, DCF Madan Kulkarni, DCF Ravi Govekar along with senior NGOs activists like Sanjay Karkare, Harshawardhan Dhanwatey and others guided the attendees.

Forest authorities assured to document the valuable suggestions of NGO activists given in the workshop and forward it to higher authorities and government for consideration.

The forest officials assured to consider demands such as Promotion of village oriented ecotourism, checking of mushrooming of tourist resorts around TATR and better residential facility and additional incentive for staff.

However, forest officers responded in negative to some suggestions such as shifting core area of TATR to minimise human pressure on forestand building boundary wall to prevent movement of wildlife in non-forest areas from TATR.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Workshop-calls-for-beefing-up-protection-in-Tadoba/articleshow/7565906.cms

Chinese national arrested in Nepal with tiger skin

Kathmandu, Feb 24 (PTI) Nepalese authorities have arrested a Chinese national and seized four pieces of tiger skin from his possession.

Gama Tumeng was arrested from the Tribhuvan International Airport here yesterday as he landed from a Thai Airline flight carrying four pieces of tiger skin, police said today.

Nepal has been used by international illegal wildlife traders as transit country for smuggling parts of endangered wildlife species including tigers brought from India and other third countries into Chinese market, they said.

Tiger parts have high demand in China''s black market as it is used for manufacturing traditional Chinese medicine.

Tiger translocated to Sariska

Alwar, Feb 23 (PTI) A tiger was translocated to Sariska Tiger Reserve in Alwar district from Bharatpur''s Keoladev area tonight.
"The big cat T-7, who was shifted to Bharatpur range from Sawaimadhopur''s Ranthambore national park, was tranquillised and brought to Alwar in a canter by road under the supervision of teams of experts and was shifted to the park," Sariska Field Director R S Shekhawat said.
This is the sixth big cat translocated to Sariska but one of the tiger was poisoned to death in November last year.
Now there are two tigers and three tigress in the Sariska sanctuary.

Tiger cub, elephant calf born at National Park

A tiger cub and a baby elephant were born at Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP) yesterday. The cub was born to nine-year-old tigress Menaka. According to BBP officials, the cub is healthy and the mother is taking good care of it.

Meanwhile, Veda, a 12-year-old elephant, gave birth to the calf around 5.30 pm in the forest outside the park limits. The forest guards informed the BBP officers, who are expected to bring back the mother and calf to the BBP today.

However, there was a bit of bad news too. The condition of Guru, a 15-year-old lion suffering from renal failure since January 1, is said to be critical. The lion has not been eating for the past week and is being given a liquid diet.

Curious case of 40 ‘missing’ Simlipal tigers

A controversy rages over the count of big cats in Simlipal Tiger Reserve. At its entrance gate at Tulsiboni, the reserve flaunts the number of “Royal Bengal Tigers” as 101. But the claim of the State forest department is disputed by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII).

In the backdrop of such disputes, uncertainty prevails over the outcome of the ongoing nation-wide census, whose results are expected next month. The first phase of the census work has been so far completed in the reserve. The WII has so far not landed there to conduct its part of the exercise so far.

However amidst these confusions, members of the Simlipal Tiger Protection Force (STPF) — founded by wildlife activist Bhanoo Mitra Acharya — are ground-tracking the predators in the reserve. The STPF comprises local youths who are passionate of forest and wildlife.

According to PCCF PN Padhi, “The data collected from first phase of our survey work was sent to WII last year.” This was based on various signages, including direct and indirect evidence of predators as pug marks, scratches on ground, scrapes on trees, scat, calls, etc, he said.

In addition, prey density with dung pellet count and vegetation survey of the habitat of herbivores, etc, have been analysed and forwarded to WII, he said.

Padhi would like to keep his fingers crossed over the census in the reserve wondering how the WII would be able to complete its job, which involves using camera traps and other elaborate methods. “They were supposed to come in October,” he said.

Member Secretary of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) Rajesh Gopal, however, told The Pioneer that the March report of the tiger census would have the figures from across the country, including Simlipal.

Confusions started over the number of tigers in the reserve when the State Forest department, in its 2004 census report, claimed presence of 101 tigers citing pug mark method.

These included 94 in the core area and seven others in the buffer and its immediate periphery.

However, these figures were not accepted by the WII when it conducted a census by using the camera trap method in 2008. The WII put the total number of big cats in Orissa STR at 20. Upset over the dismal figure reported by the WII, it conducted a repeat survey in Simlipal in 2009 and came out with the figures of 61, using the same old pugmark method.

“What happened to the missing 40 big cats in the STR remains unanswered till date,” quipped Sanjukta Basa, Honorary Wildlife Warden, Mayurbhanj. “Were the earlier figures of 101 tigers furnished by the State fudged or is it that 40 tigers disappeared from Simlipal during 2004 and 2009?

Padhi avoided joining the issue about the “missing tigers”, but quipped, “WII census in 2009 had covered a very small area, it certainly did not reflect the total tiger population of the reserve spread over 2,750 sqkm.”

Despite Padhi’s claims, tigers have become illusive for the local villagers. Village elder Rohidas Giri from Lulong in the reserve claimed, “I have not seen a tiger for the past 10-12 years.” He further said that far from tigers even leopards are spotted rarely these days.

“The situation could have been better had the forest department accorded more importance to the STPF and worked with better coordination,” said environmentalist Biswajit Mohanty, one of the members of NTCA team on Simlipal. The plight of STPF, their erratic and poor service conditions find a prominent mention in the report.

While there is vacancy in the various cadre of the reserve, a large number of personnel are above the age of 50, so these local youths of STPF are the “ears and eyes” of the reserve today, bringing out incidents of poaching and killing of animals here, he added.

There is certainly a trust deficit and lack of coordination between the STPF and forest department which need to be rectified for the betterment of the park, said Bhanoo Mitra Acharya.

The members are terminated, their salaries deducted without any reason, especially when they unearth instances of poaching and killing of animals in the reserve, Acharya charged.
STPF member Sonaram Saiyan from Naona range echoed his views. “Instead of being engaged in wildlife protection work, I am being given casual work as trench cutting, digging, etc. This is not for which I have been deputed,” Sonaram said.

15 tiger deaths in less than two months Neha Shukla

LUCKNOW: All is certainly not well with the big cats, as 15 tigers have died in less than two months this year. According to Project Tiger officials, the number of deaths is much higher as compared to the previous year. Most of the deaths have been termed as natural.

In 2010, 55 tiger deaths were reported (38 mortalities and 17 seizures) from across the country.

The consolation for Uttar Pradesh is that of the 15 deaths, none have been reported from the state.

Out of the 17 tiger states, deaths have been reported from nine. According to the MoEF, Uttarakhand has topped the chart with four tiger deaths reported between January 5 and February 19 this year. Three deaths took place in Corbett Tiger Reserve and one in West Terai Forest Division.

Kerala, Maharashtra and TN have reported two tiger deaths each, while one tiger died in Orissa, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Assam. Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and West Bengal did not report any tiger death.

As per the data of tiger mortalities and seizures in 2011 obtained from the ministry of environment and forest, seven deaths were reported each in January and February, a tiger skin was also seized from Chandrapur in Maharashtra in January.

When contacted, SP Yadav, deputy IG, Project Tiger, said, "Most of the deaths are natural. But, this does not mean that crime against the big cats has gone down. The average age of tigers in the wild is anywhere close to 10 years and it is natural that they die after a certain age,'' he said.

Wildlife experts, however, said it was difficult to say how many deaths are natural. Even if a tiger is poisoned it is difficult to establish it. If the carcass is found after a gap of few days poisoning is mostly not established in autopsy report.

It is only within few hours of the death that poisoning as a cause of death can be established in the report. For this reason, in many cases the exact cause of death could not be established. Even the post-mortem reports could be inconclusive.

As per the Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), an agency which works with the state forest departments and enforcement agencies, out of the 15 tiger deaths in 2011, there has been one case of seizure, two suspected cases of poisoning, four cases of natural deaths and one case of shooting down of a tiger by the forest department.

In addition to this, four cases of infighting, one case of leopard-tiger clash in which both died, a case of a tiger being killed by an elephant and one case of tiger carcass being recovered (reason of death not known), were cited by the WPSI.

"We collect information through our own workers, from forest and police officers,'' said Tito Joseph, programme manager, WPSI. MoEF's database is recent but WPSI has been compiling data for several years.