: A joint operation by the Forest Rangers and the Uttarakhand Police resulted in the arrest of six poachers from the Jim Corbett National Park located in the Kumaon region of Nainital.
The poachers were arrested on Tuesday from their hideout inside the tiger sanctuary.
"Six of them came here with the intention of poaching. Our combined team of police and forest rangers raided their hideouts and arrested them. We have seized leopard skins, skull and gadgets of animal capturing trap from them," said R S Meena, Inspector General of Police, Kumaon Range.
"They have been arrested under the Wild Life Act and Forest Act and will be produced before the court. We would take information about their other partners and buyers," he added.
According to the Corbett National Park Rangers, the arrest of the six poachers is a big achievement in the path of keeping a check on the smugglers.
As Jim Corbett National Park is tiger conservation centre, it is always under the threat of the poachers who are always trying to catch hold of the striped feline beauty, which is also the majestic national animal.
The national park has a tiger population of around 160, which makes it as the last and the most important bastion of this endangered species in India.(ANI)
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Project Tiger under threat in Kaziranga
After 1985 no fresh proposal for inclusion of land in the fringe areas of KNP has been taken and major portion of the six additions (measuring about 6.47 sq. km) to the park was handed over by the Revenue department only recently. The Kaziranga National Park is one of the best protected parks in the world and the people living in the vicinity and engaged in tourism sector need not worry about losing their land or job to the Project Tiger, he added. The Jeep Safari Association had also alleged that some wildlife NGOs were involved in creating problems for the local people by forcing the government to create a tiger reserve in the park to further their own interests. Aaranyak's secretary-general Bibhab Kumar Talukdar said his organization has always been supportive of eco-friendly tourism and believes that its benefits should reach most of the villages around the park and tourism activities promoted uniformly in all its five ranges including the north bank range. Talukdar said the visitors to the sprawling and resourceful national park should be encouraged to enjoy all corners of the park within the designated tourist areas. ''Flourishing tourism activities have provided livelihood opportunities to fringe villagers in Kaziranga Park and sustainable tourism shall inculcate deep-rooted commitment in the minds of tourists and general public towards conservation of flora and fauna in Kaziranga'', he said. The ongoing census of tigers using camera traps in Kaziranga National Park was initiated in 2009 by Aaranyak in collaboration with the authority in the park after it had been declared a Tiger Reserve in 2006. '' The objective of the research was to bring out information on number of tigers using modern scientific techniques and the initial findings has already put the Kaziranga in the global focus in respect of successful conservation of habitats that supports tigers along with one-horned rhinos and other species'', he said. During the ongoing census of tigers, the park authorities had given all possible logistic support to the team and there is no financial collaboration between the two institutions as alleged by some people, Talukdar asserted. KNP is the only park of its kind with a viable low land grassland ecosystem in south Asia and for its long-term sustainable development all stakeholders such as the government, non-governmental organizations, service providers, local people and the tourists should work together, Dutta felt.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Tiger attacks forest guard in Ranthambore TNN
JAIPUR: A forest guard at the Ranthambore National Park was admitted to a local hospital after a tiger pounced upon him on Tuesday. The guard is said to be out of danger.
According to a forest department official, "Around two days ago, a tiger had killed a buffalo owned by a local on the eastern fringes of the park near the Banas river. On Tuesday, cattle guard Roop Chand Meena visited the area to check the animal's carcass before processing claims for the compensation to be paid to the owner."
However, Meena ventured too close to the kill, unaware that the tiger was still present in the area. "The tiger attacked the villager out of fear. The guard sustained injuries on his leg, but is out of danger," said chief wildlife warden H M Bhatia.
"The guard has received at least 20 stitches on four or five different areas of his leg, but is out of danger. Camera traps have been put in the area to ascertain which tiger was involved in the attack though it is suspected that it could be the male tiger T-6," a source said.
The Ranthambore National Park has recently witnessed frequent attacks on human beings by the big cats. On February 6, one Ghanshyam Bairwa was attacked by a tiger while he was working in his field in the Mukundpura village. The tiger emerged from the nearby mustard crops, attacked Bairwa and fled. Bairwa fell unconscious and was taken to a hospital only after he raised an alarm when he regained consciousness.
The last big attack was on assistant conservator of forests Daulat Singh Shaktawat, who had to undergo a major surgery. Shaktawat is now back to work.
According to a forest department official, "Around two days ago, a tiger had killed a buffalo owned by a local on the eastern fringes of the park near the Banas river. On Tuesday, cattle guard Roop Chand Meena visited the area to check the animal's carcass before processing claims for the compensation to be paid to the owner."
However, Meena ventured too close to the kill, unaware that the tiger was still present in the area. "The tiger attacked the villager out of fear. The guard sustained injuries on his leg, but is out of danger," said chief wildlife warden H M Bhatia.
"The guard has received at least 20 stitches on four or five different areas of his leg, but is out of danger. Camera traps have been put in the area to ascertain which tiger was involved in the attack though it is suspected that it could be the male tiger T-6," a source said.
The Ranthambore National Park has recently witnessed frequent attacks on human beings by the big cats. On February 6, one Ghanshyam Bairwa was attacked by a tiger while he was working in his field in the Mukundpura village. The tiger emerged from the nearby mustard crops, attacked Bairwa and fled. Bairwa fell unconscious and was taken to a hospital only after he raised an alarm when he regained consciousness.
The last big attack was on assistant conservator of forests Daulat Singh Shaktawat, who had to undergo a major surgery. Shaktawat is now back to work.
Death of tiger: Forest dept officials deny foul play TNN
MYSORE: Forest department officials denied any foul play in the death of a tiger, the carcass of which was recovered from Sollepura forest range in Heggadadevanakote taluk on Monday.
An official press release said it could be a natural death. However, a doctors' team conducted the post-mortem. Senior forest officials PCCF (wildlife) B K Singh and CCF (wildlife) B J Hosmath visited the spot. The highly decomposed body of the tiger was found in the Sollepura forest range of Nagarhole National Park on Monday afternoon.
An official press release said it could be a natural death. However, a doctors' team conducted the post-mortem. Senior forest officials PCCF (wildlife) B K Singh and CCF (wildlife) B J Hosmath visited the spot. The highly decomposed body of the tiger was found in the Sollepura forest range of Nagarhole National Park on Monday afternoon.
Wildlife experts concerned over recent tiger deaths in Rajasthan
: Wildlife experts have expressed concern over the increasing number of tiger deaths in Ranthambore and Sariska tiger sanctuaries in Rajasthan.
Manish Saxena, a wildlife expert, on Tuesday said fighting, poisoning by villagers and poaching are the main reasons for the recent deaths of the tigers.
He added that the forest area is too small, which is why the tigers engage in fights, leading to casualties and deaths.
"Four tigers have been killed due to fight amongst themselves in which they got injured and died. Other four tigers including two cubs were killed due to poisoning. The villagers mixed poison in their food to avenge the killing of their pets by the tigers. This was the reason behind the deaths", said Saxena.
Meanwhile, R.S, Bhandari, a wildlife analyst, said that to control the situation more vigilance on the part of the forest department is required.
"More vigilance is required as the forest is so big and when a theft can happen in a city then why not in forest. However, near Sariska, poaching is quite impossible. As far as poisoning is concerned, it can be controlled by making the nearby villagers aware and keeping a check in the areas where a tiger has been killed," he added.
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has an interim relief programme, wherein villagers are paid Rs. 3,000 or less for every cow killed by a tiger or leopard. This plan has helped in reducing tiger mortality.
According to reports, almost eight tigers including cubs have been killed in Ranthambore and Sariska sanctuaries in the last four years.(ANI)
Manish Saxena, a wildlife expert, on Tuesday said fighting, poisoning by villagers and poaching are the main reasons for the recent deaths of the tigers.
He added that the forest area is too small, which is why the tigers engage in fights, leading to casualties and deaths.
"Four tigers have been killed due to fight amongst themselves in which they got injured and died. Other four tigers including two cubs were killed due to poisoning. The villagers mixed poison in their food to avenge the killing of their pets by the tigers. This was the reason behind the deaths", said Saxena.
Meanwhile, R.S, Bhandari, a wildlife analyst, said that to control the situation more vigilance on the part of the forest department is required.
"More vigilance is required as the forest is so big and when a theft can happen in a city then why not in forest. However, near Sariska, poaching is quite impossible. As far as poisoning is concerned, it can be controlled by making the nearby villagers aware and keeping a check in the areas where a tiger has been killed," he added.
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has an interim relief programme, wherein villagers are paid Rs. 3,000 or less for every cow killed by a tiger or leopard. This plan has helped in reducing tiger mortality.
According to reports, almost eight tigers including cubs have been killed in Ranthambore and Sariska sanctuaries in the last four years.(ANI)
And, expert’s reason for dipping tiger count: vanishing prey
“There are less than 3,500 tigers remaining in the world,” says K Ullas Karanth, with a curiously positive twang,” but the world has the potential to house around 45,000 tigers.”
Karanth, a senior conservation scientist at the NewYork-based Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and director, WCS India Program, Bangalore, was speaking at the 5th Kirloskar Vasundhara International Film festival in the city on Tuesday.
The optimism in his voice came as a surprise at a time when discussions revolving the big cat are full of dismal figures and shoddy affairs. "I think if we work in the right direction from now, we can effectively save this species," says Karanth, who has worked in the interiors of states like Karnataka and Maharashtra.
"The save tiger story, is not about individual incidents that are so glorified today. We shout on television sets, write critically about how a tiger died, but we collectively don't think of the larger picture," said Karanth. So what exactly is the big picture? "Conservation, is not like business. There is no closure here. A tigress replaces herself 15 times in her lifetime. Meaning to say that mortality and reproductive cycles of tigers are quite fast. I don't mean to say that poaching should not be our concern. But our concerns should rise from individual stories. The biggest threat to tigers in India is depletion of their chief prey like deer, wild pigs and wild cattle. As a result, although around 300,000 square kilometres of tiger habitat still remains, much of it is empty of tigers since there is not enough food for them to survive and breed successfully."
Karanth, a senior conservation scientist at the NewYork-based Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and director, WCS India Program, Bangalore, was speaking at the 5th Kirloskar Vasundhara International Film festival in the city on Tuesday.
The optimism in his voice came as a surprise at a time when discussions revolving the big cat are full of dismal figures and shoddy affairs. "I think if we work in the right direction from now, we can effectively save this species," says Karanth, who has worked in the interiors of states like Karnataka and Maharashtra.
"The save tiger story, is not about individual incidents that are so glorified today. We shout on television sets, write critically about how a tiger died, but we collectively don't think of the larger picture," said Karanth. So what exactly is the big picture? "Conservation, is not like business. There is no closure here. A tigress replaces herself 15 times in her lifetime. Meaning to say that mortality and reproductive cycles of tigers are quite fast. I don't mean to say that poaching should not be our concern. But our concerns should rise from individual stories. The biggest threat to tigers in India is depletion of their chief prey like deer, wild pigs and wild cattle. As a result, although around 300,000 square kilometres of tiger habitat still remains, much of it is empty of tigers since there is not enough food for them to survive and breed successfully."
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Death report of tiger ST-1 submitted to govt TNN
JAIPUR/ALWAR: The special report on the death of male tiger ST-1 at the Sariska tiger reserve was submitted to the state government on Monday. The report comes on the 90-day mark, failing which the suspension of the two officers in the death of tiger would had been revoked.
According to M L Meena, special officer appointed by the state government to probe in the killing of ST-1, "I have submitted my report today. Now, it is on the state government to act on it." He, however, refused to divulge any details in the report.
Two officers of the forest department DFO B Praveen and ACF Mukesh Saini had been suspended after the recovery of the body of ST-1 on November 15. The officers were suspended on allegations of negligence and misinformation in tracking the animal.
However, looking into the seriousness of the crime the state government had immediately announced setting up a special probe panel into it and had appointed ML Meena to look into it. ST-1, the first male tiger to be relocated to Sariska, had been poisoned to death.
The state government had asked Meena to submit the report in seven days. However, Meena missed the mark and could submit it only on the 89th day. Meena's failure to submit the report in 90 days could have meant revoking the suspension of the two officers as under the law it is mandatory to give the reason for suspension of any officer in 90 days.
In fact, Meena had been issued a show cause notice by the state government for failure to submit the report. Many even accused Meena of a deliberate move for delaying the report in a bid to shield the two officers.
"I had to do many field visits, interview a host of people and do a lot of investigation. The delay was a fall out of all this," Meena said.
According to M L Meena, special officer appointed by the state government to probe in the killing of ST-1, "I have submitted my report today. Now, it is on the state government to act on it." He, however, refused to divulge any details in the report.
Two officers of the forest department DFO B Praveen and ACF Mukesh Saini had been suspended after the recovery of the body of ST-1 on November 15. The officers were suspended on allegations of negligence and misinformation in tracking the animal.
However, looking into the seriousness of the crime the state government had immediately announced setting up a special probe panel into it and had appointed ML Meena to look into it. ST-1, the first male tiger to be relocated to Sariska, had been poisoned to death.
The state government had asked Meena to submit the report in seven days. However, Meena missed the mark and could submit it only on the 89th day. Meena's failure to submit the report in 90 days could have meant revoking the suspension of the two officers as under the law it is mandatory to give the reason for suspension of any officer in 90 days.
In fact, Meena had been issued a show cause notice by the state government for failure to submit the report. Many even accused Meena of a deliberate move for delaying the report in a bid to shield the two officers.
"I had to do many field visits, interview a host of people and do a lot of investigation. The delay was a fall out of all this," Meena said.
Will tigress be collared before being released? Vijay Pinjarkar, TNN, Feb 15, 2011
NAGPUR: Heard of radio-collaring a tiger in Maharashtra? No? For the first time, the forest department is contemplating to collar the Katlabodi tigress which they had successfully rescued from a 35-feet-deep well, 40 kms from Nagpur on February 7.
"We are preparing for the post-monitoring of the tigress and exploring all the available methods," said N Rambabu, conservator of forests (Nagpur Division).
The forest department is making 'preliminary inquiries about getting a radio-collar'. "If we don't get it easily and early, we won't waste time as the tigress is fit to be released back into the wild. We are also in touch with the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) officials," Rambabu added.
Rajesh Gopal, member-secretary of the NTCA, did not respond to calls made by TOI and neither did he reply to a text message.
If all goes well, the Katlabodi tigress will be the first case of cat collaring in the state. This will also be the first success story of a rescued tigress being released to back where it belongs. Earlier, the wildlife wing had fixed chips in leopards that had strayed into the Ordnance Factory in Chandrapur.
"I see no reason why we should not keep track of the tigress. Thousands of animals are being studied and followed through radio collar or marking," said Asad Rahmani, director of Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS).
Rahmani added that the forest department is quite capable of executing their plan. They can put a radio-collar that can fall off after the battery is worn out or even before that.
"These days we get tailor-made radio-collars for a particular study for a particular animal and even for a particular sex with a set programme to provide required information. Radio-collaring, satellite tracking, ringing and banding are well-known techniques to study animals and also to follow the movement of the released animals," said Rahmani, who is also a member of the National Board for Wild Life (NBWL).
Another NBWL member Kishor Rithe said, "I don't see any problem. It's a good opportunity that has come walking to the forest officials. Collaring will help in knowing the source population. If not a collar, they should at least fit a transmission chip. The chief wildlife warden needs to take a call."
Nitin Desai, director of Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), Central India, suggested a satellite collar, which may cost somewhere between Rs 2-2.5 lakh.
Prafulla Bhamburkar, manager of Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), said that collaring the tigress is necessary as the officials will not only know its movement but also help infuse many inputs towards conservation of tiger corridors.
"Till today we don't know the exact status of tigers, the group they belong to or the place from where they have come. The WTI will support monitoring of the tigress," Bhamburkar said.
After the Sariska debacle in which the entire tiger population was poached, the Tiger Task Force (TTF) had in August 2005 recommended that all efforts should be made to encourage and facilitate intensive research and monitoring of tigers by using a variety of tools like photo-identification and monitoring, camera traps, radiotelemetry and DNA-based genetic studies in different landscape units.
Although radio-collaring is a good system to monitor animals, an intelligence report submitted to the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) in July 2009 had blamed 'radio-collaring' for the tiger deaths in the Panna tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh.
However, experts disagreed. They said Panna tigers died due to human interference and added that it's very convenient to blame scientists and methods. They say section 28(1) of the Wildlife Protection Act (1972) has provision for scientific research, investigation and study of wildlife.
In a court matter (October 2010), the Karnataka government and the forest department differed on radio-collaring tigers. While the Karnataka government said that there is nothing wrong with radio-collaring, the forest department rejected a proposal by wildlife researcher K Ullas Karanth to continue research on tigers by adopting radio-collaring.
Former PCCF of Madhya Pradesh, P M Lad was of the view that collaring is a secondary thing. The primary issue is that since the staff doesn't move around in the forest, it doesn't have adequate knowledge about straying tigers. "Officials should first know where the tigress came from and then go for the experiment. Radio collaring has both advantages and disadvantages," he added.
"We are preparing for the post-monitoring of the tigress and exploring all the available methods," said N Rambabu, conservator of forests (Nagpur Division).
The forest department is making 'preliminary inquiries about getting a radio-collar'. "If we don't get it easily and early, we won't waste time as the tigress is fit to be released back into the wild. We are also in touch with the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) officials," Rambabu added.
Rajesh Gopal, member-secretary of the NTCA, did not respond to calls made by TOI and neither did he reply to a text message.
If all goes well, the Katlabodi tigress will be the first case of cat collaring in the state. This will also be the first success story of a rescued tigress being released to back where it belongs. Earlier, the wildlife wing had fixed chips in leopards that had strayed into the Ordnance Factory in Chandrapur.
"I see no reason why we should not keep track of the tigress. Thousands of animals are being studied and followed through radio collar or marking," said Asad Rahmani, director of Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS).
Rahmani added that the forest department is quite capable of executing their plan. They can put a radio-collar that can fall off after the battery is worn out or even before that.
"These days we get tailor-made radio-collars for a particular study for a particular animal and even for a particular sex with a set programme to provide required information. Radio-collaring, satellite tracking, ringing and banding are well-known techniques to study animals and also to follow the movement of the released animals," said Rahmani, who is also a member of the National Board for Wild Life (NBWL).
Another NBWL member Kishor Rithe said, "I don't see any problem. It's a good opportunity that has come walking to the forest officials. Collaring will help in knowing the source population. If not a collar, they should at least fit a transmission chip. The chief wildlife warden needs to take a call."
Nitin Desai, director of Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), Central India, suggested a satellite collar, which may cost somewhere between Rs 2-2.5 lakh.
Prafulla Bhamburkar, manager of Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), said that collaring the tigress is necessary as the officials will not only know its movement but also help infuse many inputs towards conservation of tiger corridors.
"Till today we don't know the exact status of tigers, the group they belong to or the place from where they have come. The WTI will support monitoring of the tigress," Bhamburkar said.
After the Sariska debacle in which the entire tiger population was poached, the Tiger Task Force (TTF) had in August 2005 recommended that all efforts should be made to encourage and facilitate intensive research and monitoring of tigers by using a variety of tools like photo-identification and monitoring, camera traps, radiotelemetry and DNA-based genetic studies in different landscape units.
Although radio-collaring is a good system to monitor animals, an intelligence report submitted to the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) in July 2009 had blamed 'radio-collaring' for the tiger deaths in the Panna tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh.
However, experts disagreed. They said Panna tigers died due to human interference and added that it's very convenient to blame scientists and methods. They say section 28(1) of the Wildlife Protection Act (1972) has provision for scientific research, investigation and study of wildlife.
In a court matter (October 2010), the Karnataka government and the forest department differed on radio-collaring tigers. While the Karnataka government said that there is nothing wrong with radio-collaring, the forest department rejected a proposal by wildlife researcher K Ullas Karanth to continue research on tigers by adopting radio-collaring.
Former PCCF of Madhya Pradesh, P M Lad was of the view that collaring is a secondary thing. The primary issue is that since the staff doesn't move around in the forest, it doesn't have adequate knowledge about straying tigers. "Officials should first know where the tigress came from and then go for the experiment. Radio collaring has both advantages and disadvantages," he added.
Mixed views over Panna tigers' radio-collaring TNN
In 2009, a wildlife intelligence report had blamed 'radio collaring' for tiger deaths in Panna. It said that radio collaring compromised the overall security of the reserve. The report found that around 80% of tigers killed in Panna met their fate at the hands of poachers after they were radio collared.
The report said that radio collars restricted the movement of the animal for hunting its prey and free movement in the wild.
The radio-collar resulted in infections on the neck which later become fatal for the animal.
However, this may be because the standard operating procedures for radio-collaring were not followed. There are reasons to suggest that poachers may have also brought radio frequency catching devices to first locate the tiger and subsequently poach it.
Radio-collaring of tigers in Panna started in 1998. The wildcats were first tranquillized to tag collars. There were about 27 tigers till 2007 but later it was revealed that the reserve had no tigers left. The BNHS had slammed the report.
BNHS director Asad Rahmani told TOI that radio-collaring of big cats and other animals is an efficient method which is being used since 40 years. "Scientists have used radio-collaring and telemetry to study the ecology and behaviour of big cats. The results have been good," he said.
Radio-collaring never leads to poaching. There are several tiger sanctuaries in India where big cats have gone extinct even without the use of radio-collaring.
The report said that radio collars restricted the movement of the animal for hunting its prey and free movement in the wild.
The radio-collar resulted in infections on the neck which later become fatal for the animal.
However, this may be because the standard operating procedures for radio-collaring were not followed. There are reasons to suggest that poachers may have also brought radio frequency catching devices to first locate the tiger and subsequently poach it.
Radio-collaring of tigers in Panna started in 1998. The wildcats were first tranquillized to tag collars. There were about 27 tigers till 2007 but later it was revealed that the reserve had no tigers left. The BNHS had slammed the report.
BNHS director Asad Rahmani told TOI that radio-collaring of big cats and other animals is an efficient method which is being used since 40 years. "Scientists have used radio-collaring and telemetry to study the ecology and behaviour of big cats. The results have been good," he said.
Radio-collaring never leads to poaching. There are several tiger sanctuaries in India where big cats have gone extinct even without the use of radio-collaring.
Rise in tiger population causes man-big tiger conflict
Devika Devi became the 25th victim to a deadly tiger attack in India in Sunderkhal village near Jim Corbett Tiger Reserve in the last 13 months, which also left eight tigers dead. At the same time, wildlife experts suggest that increase in tiger population, caused by India’s success in tiger managem
ent and checking poaching, may have a link to this increasing tiger-human conflict.
Between 2006 and 2010, the tiger population is estimated to increase by atleast 100 from 1,411. The new tiger estimation will be announced on March 26.
“Increase in tiger population in areas such as Corbett is one of the reasons for the rising conflict,” said Vivek Menon, Chief Executive Officer of Wildlife Trust of India (WTI). Other experts such as Belinda Wright of Wildlife Protection Society of India term poaching of prey population and increase in human interference as primary causes for increase in conflict.
Tiger deaths in conflict with humans
2008 : Two, one each in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
2009: Six, two in Madhya Pradesh, two in Assam and one each in UttarPradesh and Maharashtra.
2010: Eight, three in Rajasthan, two in Assam, one each in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.
While tiger population has increased, the habitat during these four years has either remained stagnant or shrunk.
“At least 10 new hotels and resorts have come up in the buffer zone of Corbett in the last few years with the permission of district collector,” said a local forest official.
Over 700 kms south-west of Corbett in Ranthambore tiger reserve, the increase in tiger population has not only left three persons dead and another dozen injured in the past year, it has caused migration of at least four tigers to far-off places. Tigers using traditional forest corridors, which were dense forests till 1970s, reached Kuno and Morina in Madhya Pradesh and Kota and Bharatpur in Rahasthan.
“Constant habitat destruction and illegal mining is causing the wildlife stress,” Dharmendra Kandhal, a Ranthambore based wildlife biologist said. Another indication of this is that two tigress and five cubs have been spotted outside the core area of Ranthambore, having about 25 tigers.
Nothing illegal in these activities, but a cause of concern for wildlife experts that it was hindering free movement of tigers. For instance, Uttarakhand forest department have pictures of 36 tigers in two ranges divided by river Kosi and connected by a corridor where resorts and Sunderkhal village has come up, leading to increase in conflict.
“Very few tigers used to seen in this area a few years ago,” said Anil Baluni, vice-chairperson of Uttarankhand Forest Advisory Council.
Dhonia Devi, who lost her niece in the tiger attack in January 2011, confirmed higher tiger presence and said: "Since last few months I hear tiger roar almost every last night…We shut ourselves before dark to escape their fury".
Humans killed in conflict with tigers
2008: Nine deaths.
2009: 12 deaths.
2010-2011 till end of January: 25 deaths. Ten in Uttar Pradesh, one in Rajasthan, eight in Maharashtra, one in Assam and five in Uttaranchal.
Most tiger reserves, where tiger-animal conflict has been reported in the past year, have reported increase in big cat population.
The Wildlife Institute of India, which is conducting the estimation, has captured pictures of 12 tigresses with cubs in Dudwa tiger reserve in Uttar Pradesh, where a tiger killed two persons. In Tadoba-Andhari tiger reserve in Maharashtra, where six people had died in conflict, two tigresses with cubs have been spotted in the buffer area. Kaziranga, Assam, where increase in tiger population has earned the forest distinction of having highest tiger density per 10 sq kms in the country, is not different.
The conflict is unique to tigers as they are territorial animals unlike other carnivores. “A 10 sq km area is normally territory marked by a tiger, where only the stronger male can live,” said P K Sen, former director of Project Tiger. As the population grows, the weaker tigers move out and spread into buffer areas, encroached by human settlements or tourist industry, resulting in the conflict.
Nationally, the core tiger area has shrunk to 31,207 sq kilometers in 37 tiger reserves as compared to over one lakh sq kms in 1970s, when Project Tiger was launched. “To have 20 breeding tigresses a minimum area of 800-1,200 sq kms needs to be kept inviolate as a core area for tigers with an exclusive tiger agenda,” said Rajesh Gopal, member secretary of National Tiger Conservation Authority, in its journal stripes.
It means that many tiger reserves such as Ranthambore, Corbett, Kaziranga and Bandhavgarh in Madhya Pradesh may have reached its threshold limit with estimated increase in population with some check on poaching.
One possible solution to the increasing tiger problem – relocation of tigers straying out – has been successfully implemented in Assam, where a man-eating tiger from Kaziranga has been successfully rehabilitated in Manas Wildlife Sanctuary.
“If done scientifically such relocation is possible elsewhere,” Menon said.
The NCTA and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has identified 15 new forest areas across India to provide homes to tigers living in stress. “Tigers need inviolate space which is available in India,” said Ravi Chellam of Wildlife Conservation Society, which recently did found that 15 tiger reserves can hold 1,500 tigers if the habitat is improved. These emerging tiger issues will be discussed with international experts in Delhi on March 7.
Frightened by frequent tiger attacks, over 1,000 people are willing to leave their abode in Sunderkhal since 1974 provided the compensation is good, they get agriculture land and jobs.
ent and checking poaching, may have a link to this increasing tiger-human conflict.
Between 2006 and 2010, the tiger population is estimated to increase by atleast 100 from 1,411. The new tiger estimation will be announced on March 26.
“Increase in tiger population in areas such as Corbett is one of the reasons for the rising conflict,” said Vivek Menon, Chief Executive Officer of Wildlife Trust of India (WTI). Other experts such as Belinda Wright of Wildlife Protection Society of India term poaching of prey population and increase in human interference as primary causes for increase in conflict.
Tiger deaths in conflict with humans
2008 : Two, one each in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
2009: Six, two in Madhya Pradesh, two in Assam and one each in UttarPradesh and Maharashtra.
2010: Eight, three in Rajasthan, two in Assam, one each in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.
While tiger population has increased, the habitat during these four years has either remained stagnant or shrunk.
“At least 10 new hotels and resorts have come up in the buffer zone of Corbett in the last few years with the permission of district collector,” said a local forest official.
Over 700 kms south-west of Corbett in Ranthambore tiger reserve, the increase in tiger population has not only left three persons dead and another dozen injured in the past year, it has caused migration of at least four tigers to far-off places. Tigers using traditional forest corridors, which were dense forests till 1970s, reached Kuno and Morina in Madhya Pradesh and Kota and Bharatpur in Rahasthan.
“Constant habitat destruction and illegal mining is causing the wildlife stress,” Dharmendra Kandhal, a Ranthambore based wildlife biologist said. Another indication of this is that two tigress and five cubs have been spotted outside the core area of Ranthambore, having about 25 tigers.
Nothing illegal in these activities, but a cause of concern for wildlife experts that it was hindering free movement of tigers. For instance, Uttarakhand forest department have pictures of 36 tigers in two ranges divided by river Kosi and connected by a corridor where resorts and Sunderkhal village has come up, leading to increase in conflict.
“Very few tigers used to seen in this area a few years ago,” said Anil Baluni, vice-chairperson of Uttarankhand Forest Advisory Council.
Dhonia Devi, who lost her niece in the tiger attack in January 2011, confirmed higher tiger presence and said: "Since last few months I hear tiger roar almost every last night…We shut ourselves before dark to escape their fury".
Humans killed in conflict with tigers
2008: Nine deaths.
2009: 12 deaths.
2010-2011 till end of January: 25 deaths. Ten in Uttar Pradesh, one in Rajasthan, eight in Maharashtra, one in Assam and five in Uttaranchal.
Most tiger reserves, where tiger-animal conflict has been reported in the past year, have reported increase in big cat population.
The Wildlife Institute of India, which is conducting the estimation, has captured pictures of 12 tigresses with cubs in Dudwa tiger reserve in Uttar Pradesh, where a tiger killed two persons. In Tadoba-Andhari tiger reserve in Maharashtra, where six people had died in conflict, two tigresses with cubs have been spotted in the buffer area. Kaziranga, Assam, where increase in tiger population has earned the forest distinction of having highest tiger density per 10 sq kms in the country, is not different.
The conflict is unique to tigers as they are territorial animals unlike other carnivores. “A 10 sq km area is normally territory marked by a tiger, where only the stronger male can live,” said P K Sen, former director of Project Tiger. As the population grows, the weaker tigers move out and spread into buffer areas, encroached by human settlements or tourist industry, resulting in the conflict.
Nationally, the core tiger area has shrunk to 31,207 sq kilometers in 37 tiger reserves as compared to over one lakh sq kms in 1970s, when Project Tiger was launched. “To have 20 breeding tigresses a minimum area of 800-1,200 sq kms needs to be kept inviolate as a core area for tigers with an exclusive tiger agenda,” said Rajesh Gopal, member secretary of National Tiger Conservation Authority, in its journal stripes.
It means that many tiger reserves such as Ranthambore, Corbett, Kaziranga and Bandhavgarh in Madhya Pradesh may have reached its threshold limit with estimated increase in population with some check on poaching.
One possible solution to the increasing tiger problem – relocation of tigers straying out – has been successfully implemented in Assam, where a man-eating tiger from Kaziranga has been successfully rehabilitated in Manas Wildlife Sanctuary.
“If done scientifically such relocation is possible elsewhere,” Menon said.
The NCTA and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has identified 15 new forest areas across India to provide homes to tigers living in stress. “Tigers need inviolate space which is available in India,” said Ravi Chellam of Wildlife Conservation Society, which recently did found that 15 tiger reserves can hold 1,500 tigers if the habitat is improved. These emerging tiger issues will be discussed with international experts in Delhi on March 7.
Frightened by frequent tiger attacks, over 1,000 people are willing to leave their abode in Sunderkhal since 1974 provided the compensation is good, they get agriculture land and jobs.
Clarification by Minister of State for Environment and Forests on Tiger Reserves, Critical Wildlife Habitats and Forest Right Act, 2006
The Minister of State for Environment and Forests clarified the issues regarding Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act in tiger reserves and in the critical wildlife habitats. The Minister states that:
1. “Section 38V of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (as amended in 2006) explains the core or critical tiger habitat as well as the buffer or peripheral area of a tiger reserve.
2. A tiger reserve includes two parts:
A. Core or critical tiger habitat (National Park or Sanctuary status).
B. Buffer or peripheral area.
3. The phrase ‘core or critical tiger habitat’ is mentioned only in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, as a sequel to amendment made to the said Act in 2006. It is NOT defined in the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.
4. The phrase ‘critical wildlife habitat’ is defined only in the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, and NOT in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
5. ‘Core or critical tiger habitat’ is different from the ‘critical wildlife habitat’. Since tigers are territorial big cats, hence considering their social land tenure dynamics, the ‘core / critical tiger habitat’ has been viewed separately from the ‘critical wildlife habitat’, which is applicable to other wild animal species.
6. Based on deliberations with experts and simulation results from scientific data, it has been found that a minimum inviolate area of 800-1200 sq.km. is required to sustain a viable population of tigers (20 breeding females).
7. Establishing the core / critical tiger habitat as ‘inviolate’ involves two steps as per the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972:
A. Identifying the core / critical tiger habitat by establishing on the basis of scientific and objective area that such areas are required to be kept as inviolate for the purpose of tiger conservation, without affecting the rights of the Scheduled Tribes or such other forest dwellers, and notified as such by the State Government in consultation with an expert committee constituted for the purpose (out of 17 tiger States, 16 have notified the core / critical tiger habitat following this process, and action is pending only from Bihar).
B. Establishing the identified core / critical tiger habitat as inviolate through voluntary relocation on mutually agreed terms and conditions, provided that such terms and conditions satisfy the requirements laid down in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. No Scheduled Tribes or other forest dwellers shall be resettled or have their rights adversely affected for creating inviolate areas for tiger unless:
(i) The process of recognition / determination of rights and acquisition of land or forest rights of the ST and such other forest dwelling persons is complete.
(ii) The concerned agencies of the State Government need to establish with the consent of the ST and such other forest dwellers in the area, besides also consulting an ecological and social scientist familiar with the area, that the activities of the ST and other forest dwellers or the impact of their presence upon wild animals is sufficient to cause irreversible damage and shall threaten the existence of tigers and their habitat.
(iii) The State Government has to obtain the consent of the ST and other forest dwellers and come to a conclusion (besides consulting an independent ecological / social scientist) that no coexistence options are available.
(iv) Resettlement package needs to be prepared providing for livelihood of affected individuals, while fulfilling the requirements of the National Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy.
(v) The informed consent of Gram Sabhas and affected persons has to be obtained for resettlement.
(vi) The facilities and land allocation at resettlement area are to be provided, otherwise the existing rights of people shall not be interfered with.
8. The above provisions laid down in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (section 38V), subsequent to the 2006 amendment are specific to tiger conservation, and are not only compatible but more stringent than the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.
9. Under the revised Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Project Tiger (2008), two options have been given to people:
Option-I: Payment of Rs. 10 lakhs per family in case the family opts so, without any rehabilitation / relocation process by the Forest Department.
Option-II: Carrying out relocation / rehabilitation by the Forest Department with the following per family norms out of Rs. 10 lakhs:
(a)
Agricultural land procurement (2 ha.) and development
35% of the total package
(b)
Settlement of rights
30% of the total package
(c)
Homestead land and house construction
20% of the total package
(d)
Incentive
5% of the total package
(e)
Community facilities (access road, irrigation, drinking water,
sanitation, electricity, telecommunication, community centre,
places of worship, cremation ground)
10% of the total package
The cash option has been provided for catering to people who are not interested in a resettlement and are prepared to establish themselves elsewhere under ‘mutually agreed terms and conditions’, as indicated in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
1. This has checks and balances as the money is provided through the District Collector after the villager produces evidence of his procuring land etc.
2. The relocation is voluntary, and is done only if people are willing to move.
3. Monitoring committees at the District as well as State levels are required to be constituted and detailed guidelines have been issued for handholding the people after relocation, besides ensuring the centrality of PI institutions, while involving independent agencies.
4. Advisories have been issued to States for complying with the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 read with the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.
Critical Wildlife Habitats
FRA had come into force in January 2007 and the MoE&F had issued guidelines to the State/UT Governments for notification of the Critical Wildlife Habitats (CWLHs) in October 2007. During the last three years, not much headway could be made in notification of CWLHs. The State/UT Governments have been expressing difficulties in notifying CWLHs on the basis of the 2007 guidelines. Accordingly, MoE&F convened meetings with the Chief Wildlife Wardens and officers of the Wildlife Institute of India, discussed the guidelines and has now issued the revised guidelines, which are in consonance with the FRA.
CWLHs are such areas of the National Parks and Sanctuaries that are required to be kept as ‘inviolate’ for the purpose of wildlife conservation as determined and notified by the MoE&F, after an open process of consultation by an Expert Committee. Such areas are to be clearly identified on case-to-case basis following scientific and objective criteria and only after settling the rights of tribals and other traditional forest dwellers.
The identification and declaration of CWLHs are two distinct processes. While the identification of an area required for betterment of wildlife conservation is purely a scientific exercise to be carried out by the Forest Departments on a case-to-case basis in consultation with the scientific institutions (the criteria for identification of CWLHs have to be site-specific), its notification is to be done only after extensive consultations (means consent) with the Gram Sabha and the affected persons/stakeholders .
The guidelines ensure that CWLHs are declared only with the voluntary consent of the affected people. It also gives ample scope to the State/UT Governments to explore the possibility of ‘co-existence’. If such a possibility is not practicable, the Expert Committee, which also includes the District Tribal Welfare Officer and an NGO working in the field of Tribal Welfare, will have consultations with the Gram Sabha /affected persons for their relocation, during which the available options (Option –I for payment of rupees ten lakhs per family and Option-II for comprehensive rehabilitation by providing land, house with facilities, community rights, by the Forest Department) for voluntary relocation would also be explained. The relocation involves providing secure livelihoods to the persons to be relocated. In fact they may choose the option most suited to them.
The guidelines for notification of CWLHs apply only to the National Parks and Sanctuaries and not to other forest areas.
The Ministry of Environment and Forests will take all steps to ensure that the letter and spirit of FRA, 2006 is respected and followed in all wildlife conservation programmes. If there is any violation anywhere and that violation is reported with full documentation and evidence, it will be prepared to intervene to ensure that the situation is rectified forthwith”.
KP
1. “Section 38V of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (as amended in 2006) explains the core or critical tiger habitat as well as the buffer or peripheral area of a tiger reserve.
2. A tiger reserve includes two parts:
A. Core or critical tiger habitat (National Park or Sanctuary status).
B. Buffer or peripheral area.
3. The phrase ‘core or critical tiger habitat’ is mentioned only in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, as a sequel to amendment made to the said Act in 2006. It is NOT defined in the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.
4. The phrase ‘critical wildlife habitat’ is defined only in the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, and NOT in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
5. ‘Core or critical tiger habitat’ is different from the ‘critical wildlife habitat’. Since tigers are territorial big cats, hence considering their social land tenure dynamics, the ‘core / critical tiger habitat’ has been viewed separately from the ‘critical wildlife habitat’, which is applicable to other wild animal species.
6. Based on deliberations with experts and simulation results from scientific data, it has been found that a minimum inviolate area of 800-1200 sq.km. is required to sustain a viable population of tigers (20 breeding females).
7. Establishing the core / critical tiger habitat as ‘inviolate’ involves two steps as per the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972:
A. Identifying the core / critical tiger habitat by establishing on the basis of scientific and objective area that such areas are required to be kept as inviolate for the purpose of tiger conservation, without affecting the rights of the Scheduled Tribes or such other forest dwellers, and notified as such by the State Government in consultation with an expert committee constituted for the purpose (out of 17 tiger States, 16 have notified the core / critical tiger habitat following this process, and action is pending only from Bihar).
B. Establishing the identified core / critical tiger habitat as inviolate through voluntary relocation on mutually agreed terms and conditions, provided that such terms and conditions satisfy the requirements laid down in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. No Scheduled Tribes or other forest dwellers shall be resettled or have their rights adversely affected for creating inviolate areas for tiger unless:
(i) The process of recognition / determination of rights and acquisition of land or forest rights of the ST and such other forest dwelling persons is complete.
(ii) The concerned agencies of the State Government need to establish with the consent of the ST and such other forest dwellers in the area, besides also consulting an ecological and social scientist familiar with the area, that the activities of the ST and other forest dwellers or the impact of their presence upon wild animals is sufficient to cause irreversible damage and shall threaten the existence of tigers and their habitat.
(iii) The State Government has to obtain the consent of the ST and other forest dwellers and come to a conclusion (besides consulting an independent ecological / social scientist) that no coexistence options are available.
(iv) Resettlement package needs to be prepared providing for livelihood of affected individuals, while fulfilling the requirements of the National Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy.
(v) The informed consent of Gram Sabhas and affected persons has to be obtained for resettlement.
(vi) The facilities and land allocation at resettlement area are to be provided, otherwise the existing rights of people shall not be interfered with.
8. The above provisions laid down in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (section 38V), subsequent to the 2006 amendment are specific to tiger conservation, and are not only compatible but more stringent than the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.
9. Under the revised Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Project Tiger (2008), two options have been given to people:
Option-I: Payment of Rs. 10 lakhs per family in case the family opts so, without any rehabilitation / relocation process by the Forest Department.
Option-II: Carrying out relocation / rehabilitation by the Forest Department with the following per family norms out of Rs. 10 lakhs:
(a)
Agricultural land procurement (2 ha.) and development
35% of the total package
(b)
Settlement of rights
30% of the total package
(c)
Homestead land and house construction
20% of the total package
(d)
Incentive
5% of the total package
(e)
Community facilities (access road, irrigation, drinking water,
sanitation, electricity, telecommunication, community centre,
places of worship, cremation ground)
10% of the total package
The cash option has been provided for catering to people who are not interested in a resettlement and are prepared to establish themselves elsewhere under ‘mutually agreed terms and conditions’, as indicated in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
1. This has checks and balances as the money is provided through the District Collector after the villager produces evidence of his procuring land etc.
2. The relocation is voluntary, and is done only if people are willing to move.
3. Monitoring committees at the District as well as State levels are required to be constituted and detailed guidelines have been issued for handholding the people after relocation, besides ensuring the centrality of PI institutions, while involving independent agencies.
4. Advisories have been issued to States for complying with the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 read with the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.
Critical Wildlife Habitats
FRA had come into force in January 2007 and the MoE&F had issued guidelines to the State/UT Governments for notification of the Critical Wildlife Habitats (CWLHs) in October 2007. During the last three years, not much headway could be made in notification of CWLHs. The State/UT Governments have been expressing difficulties in notifying CWLHs on the basis of the 2007 guidelines. Accordingly, MoE&F convened meetings with the Chief Wildlife Wardens and officers of the Wildlife Institute of India, discussed the guidelines and has now issued the revised guidelines, which are in consonance with the FRA.
CWLHs are such areas of the National Parks and Sanctuaries that are required to be kept as ‘inviolate’ for the purpose of wildlife conservation as determined and notified by the MoE&F, after an open process of consultation by an Expert Committee. Such areas are to be clearly identified on case-to-case basis following scientific and objective criteria and only after settling the rights of tribals and other traditional forest dwellers.
The identification and declaration of CWLHs are two distinct processes. While the identification of an area required for betterment of wildlife conservation is purely a scientific exercise to be carried out by the Forest Departments on a case-to-case basis in consultation with the scientific institutions (the criteria for identification of CWLHs have to be site-specific), its notification is to be done only after extensive consultations (means consent) with the Gram Sabha and the affected persons/stakeholders .
The guidelines ensure that CWLHs are declared only with the voluntary consent of the affected people. It also gives ample scope to the State/UT Governments to explore the possibility of ‘co-existence’. If such a possibility is not practicable, the Expert Committee, which also includes the District Tribal Welfare Officer and an NGO working in the field of Tribal Welfare, will have consultations with the Gram Sabha /affected persons for their relocation, during which the available options (Option –I for payment of rupees ten lakhs per family and Option-II for comprehensive rehabilitation by providing land, house with facilities, community rights, by the Forest Department) for voluntary relocation would also be explained. The relocation involves providing secure livelihoods to the persons to be relocated. In fact they may choose the option most suited to them.
The guidelines for notification of CWLHs apply only to the National Parks and Sanctuaries and not to other forest areas.
The Ministry of Environment and Forests will take all steps to ensure that the letter and spirit of FRA, 2006 is respected and followed in all wildlife conservation programmes. If there is any violation anywhere and that violation is reported with full documentation and evidence, it will be prepared to intervene to ensure that the situation is rectified forthwith”.
KP
'Conservation of smaller species as important as saving tigers' TNN
PUNE: Focus of conservationists and environmentalists should not be protecting tigers alone, there was a need to protect smaller species of animals as well, nature and environment experts said on Monday.
They were speaking at the inauguration of the fifth Kirloskar Vasundhara International Film Festival by Madhav Gadgil, environmentalist and chairman of the Western Ghat experts panel.
Conservationist and tiger expert Ulhas Karanth, who has received the 'Vasundhara Mitra' award, said that humans should understand that the world where we are living is not just ours, but the space should be shared with other living creatures. "Human beings are poorer without them," he said during an interaction with the media.
Karanth, who is also director of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) - India Programme, said that biodiversity was the key component of environment. "But it is becoming extremely difficult to conserve the vulnerable species. They need space and so they come in conflict with humans; there is also much demand for their body parts," he said.
"But I have a positive outlook. At present, we have 1,400 tigers left. But there is room for 10,000 tigers in India. We need practical models and blending of science and social pragmatism to protect and conserve them,'' Karanth said.
Film maker Naresh Bedi and director of Centre for Environment Education, Ahmedabad, Kartikeya Sarabhai were also honoured with the `Vasundhara Mitra awards.'
Bedi, who received the award in recognition of his contribution to filmmaking on India's wildlife and natural history, said that at present tourism has become more tiger-centric. The visitors to sanctuaries and parks just like to see tigers and fail to appreciate other smaller species.
He added that the media like to sensationalise news -- a tiger's death gets reported in all papers and channels, but one has to understand that tigers are just like other animals.
On the government's role, Bedi said that funding was a major problem in filmmaking on environmental issues. The government should make arrangements so that documentaries on wildlife are shown during prime time. This will help create public awareness.
Bedi, who has made documentaries on Ganges Gharial, Man-eating Tiger, Saving the Tiger, Elephant -- Lord of the Jungles, Whistling Humter, and Ladakh -- Desert in the Skies, said that his current documentary on tigers will depict the changes in the population, habitat and challenges faced since 1960s. There will also be interviews of locals who are being relocated from the parks and sanctuaries.
Environmentalist and industrialist Sarabhai spoke on how a child looked at nature and observed it. "There is a need to reach out to more students and give them education-related projects. We encourage students to take up projects like water conservation, planting trees, waste management, energy and transport,'' he said. There are laws to protect the environment but the most important thing was that one should love nature and do things out of liking and not because of laws, he added.
They were speaking at the inauguration of the fifth Kirloskar Vasundhara International Film Festival by Madhav Gadgil, environmentalist and chairman of the Western Ghat experts panel.
Conservationist and tiger expert Ulhas Karanth, who has received the 'Vasundhara Mitra' award, said that humans should understand that the world where we are living is not just ours, but the space should be shared with other living creatures. "Human beings are poorer without them," he said during an interaction with the media.
Karanth, who is also director of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) - India Programme, said that biodiversity was the key component of environment. "But it is becoming extremely difficult to conserve the vulnerable species. They need space and so they come in conflict with humans; there is also much demand for their body parts," he said.
"But I have a positive outlook. At present, we have 1,400 tigers left. But there is room for 10,000 tigers in India. We need practical models and blending of science and social pragmatism to protect and conserve them,'' Karanth said.
Film maker Naresh Bedi and director of Centre for Environment Education, Ahmedabad, Kartikeya Sarabhai were also honoured with the `Vasundhara Mitra awards.'
Bedi, who received the award in recognition of his contribution to filmmaking on India's wildlife and natural history, said that at present tourism has become more tiger-centric. The visitors to sanctuaries and parks just like to see tigers and fail to appreciate other smaller species.
He added that the media like to sensationalise news -- a tiger's death gets reported in all papers and channels, but one has to understand that tigers are just like other animals.
On the government's role, Bedi said that funding was a major problem in filmmaking on environmental issues. The government should make arrangements so that documentaries on wildlife are shown during prime time. This will help create public awareness.
Bedi, who has made documentaries on Ganges Gharial, Man-eating Tiger, Saving the Tiger, Elephant -- Lord of the Jungles, Whistling Humter, and Ladakh -- Desert in the Skies, said that his current documentary on tigers will depict the changes in the population, habitat and challenges faced since 1960s. There will also be interviews of locals who are being relocated from the parks and sanctuaries.
Environmentalist and industrialist Sarabhai spoke on how a child looked at nature and observed it. "There is a need to reach out to more students and give them education-related projects. We encourage students to take up projects like water conservation, planting trees, waste management, energy and transport,'' he said. There are laws to protect the environment but the most important thing was that one should love nature and do things out of liking and not because of laws, he added.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Tiger, leopard found dead in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve
A tiger and a leopard were found dead in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) near here on Sunday.
Field Director, MTR, Rajiv K. Srivastava, told TheHindu that anti-poaching watchers had come across the carcasses of the tiger at Manjukaadu near Moyar along the MTR-Sigur border and the leopard inside a bamboo clump.
Pointing out that the tiger was a sub-adult female aged about four years and the leopard was a male aged about nine years, he said that preliminary investigations aided by the blood stains found on the spot indicated that the two had died about 24 to 30 hours ago in a fight.
The leopard had sustained extensive injuries.
“Though there were no indications of poisoning or any other kind of foul play, we are not taking any chances”, Mr. Srivastava said and added that the carcass of the tiger would be kept in a freezer.
A post-mortem was conducted by a forest veterinarian.
Field Director, MTR, Rajiv K. Srivastava, told TheHindu that anti-poaching watchers had come across the carcasses of the tiger at Manjukaadu near Moyar along the MTR-Sigur border and the leopard inside a bamboo clump.
Pointing out that the tiger was a sub-adult female aged about four years and the leopard was a male aged about nine years, he said that preliminary investigations aided by the blood stains found on the spot indicated that the two had died about 24 to 30 hours ago in a fight.
The leopard had sustained extensive injuries.
“Though there were no indications of poisoning or any other kind of foul play, we are not taking any chances”, Mr. Srivastava said and added that the carcass of the tiger would be kept in a freezer.
A post-mortem was conducted by a forest veterinarian.
Kaziranga in turmoil as tiger turns villain on rhino turf
Kaziranga. A World Heritage Site since 1985, the park was declared a tiger reserve in 2006.
These organizations converged at Bokakhat near Kaziranga on Saturday to launch a movement for restoring Kaziranga’s pre-Project Tiger status. Their argument: the tiger tag has invited restrictions that threaten to hurt their tourism dependent economy.
Kaziranga is home to some 2,200 one horned rhinos, almost 60% of the world population. But the tiger upstaged the herbivore last year after its number was found to be 32 per 100 sq km, the highest on earth.
The park authorities have since been under pressure to adhere to specifications laid down for a Project Tiger site. “We have accordingly declared 430 sq km (of the 860 sq km Kaziranga) as core area where entry of tourists would be restricted,” said the park’s field director Surajit Dutta.
Forest officials had earlier banned construction of new hotels besides cutting down on the number of jeeps – 250 at present – used for safaris inside the core area. Trouble started last week when it was rumored people living on the fringes would be relocated.
“The tiger has always been around, but Kaziranga is nothing without the rhino. This hype about the striped cat and this tiger tag is hurting us. We won’t let that happen,” said Punen Gogoi, president of the Kaziranga Jeep Association.
“There is too much at stake just for the tiger. We don’t want any project in Kaziranga that would harm the local people,” said Prahlad B. Barua, head of a local students’ organization, adding eviction of locals for the tiger would have ‘serious consequences’.
Green groups, insisting Kaziranga needs Project Tiger for more funding toward better upkeep have offered to broker a “way out of this mess”.
These organizations converged at Bokakhat near Kaziranga on Saturday to launch a movement for restoring Kaziranga’s pre-Project Tiger status. Their argument: the tiger tag has invited restrictions that threaten to hurt their tourism dependent economy.
Kaziranga is home to some 2,200 one horned rhinos, almost 60% of the world population. But the tiger upstaged the herbivore last year after its number was found to be 32 per 100 sq km, the highest on earth.
The park authorities have since been under pressure to adhere to specifications laid down for a Project Tiger site. “We have accordingly declared 430 sq km (of the 860 sq km Kaziranga) as core area where entry of tourists would be restricted,” said the park’s field director Surajit Dutta.
Forest officials had earlier banned construction of new hotels besides cutting down on the number of jeeps – 250 at present – used for safaris inside the core area. Trouble started last week when it was rumored people living on the fringes would be relocated.
“The tiger has always been around, but Kaziranga is nothing without the rhino. This hype about the striped cat and this tiger tag is hurting us. We won’t let that happen,” said Punen Gogoi, president of the Kaziranga Jeep Association.
“There is too much at stake just for the tiger. We don’t want any project in Kaziranga that would harm the local people,” said Prahlad B. Barua, head of a local students’ organization, adding eviction of locals for the tiger would have ‘serious consequences’.
Green groups, insisting Kaziranga needs Project Tiger for more funding toward better upkeep have offered to broker a “way out of this mess”.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Tadoba Gypsy operators want relaxation of norms Mazhar Ali, TNN
CHANDRAPUR: With forest and RTO authorities inclined to enforce law for tourist vehicles operating in Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR), the entire tourist Gypsy business in this tiger abode faces the threat of virtual closure.
Having old and second-hand vehicles without rooftops, Gypsy operators can never obtain tourist permit for their vehicles. Tourist gypsy operators have cried foul and demanded intervention of forest department and relaxation in rules to help them continue to earn livelihood from tourism.
Around 43 tourist Gypsies are operated by local youths of Moharli village, tourist resorts and a few private players in TATR. After it was exposed that the tourist vehicles are operating in blatant violation of RTO regulations, TATR authorities had asked the vehicle operators to comply by all norms by February 28.
TOI had reported on January 23 and February 6 on how many tourist vehicles had illegally installed CNG kits, indulged in overloading of passengers and were not registered with Chandrapur RTO.
However, it turns out that if the tourist Gypsy operators now seek tourist permits, none of them would get it. "As per laws, vehicles older than eight years and not having rooftops cannot get tourist permit. If the operators want tourist permits, they will have comply with norms," said deputy RTO, Chandrapur, Steven Alvares.
The 'Gypsy Chalak Malak Sangh,' a union of tourist Gypsy operators, have sought for relaxation in norms. Union chief Sanjay Mankar agreed that most of the tourist gypsy vehicles are more than eight years old and all of them are roofless. "Former TATR officers encouraged Moharli villagers to take up tourist Gypsy operations a couple of years back. The then officers had assured banning diesel vehicles in TATR as per regulation of NTCA and authorising gypsy vehicles for sole tourist operation in TATR on the lines of Kanha and Bandhavgarh tiger reserves. While none of these assurances have been fulfilled, present officials now talk about law enforcement to snatch away the livelihood of local youths," alleged Mankar.
"At a time when forest officials are talking about creating employment opportunities for villagers living inside buffer zone of TATR, enforcement of traffic-related laws would deny 28 families of Moharli from livelihood. Only relaxation in norms in special case for the TATR could help these poor people out of trouble," pleaded Mankar. "When Gypsies could ply in Kanha and Bandhavgarh, why not in TATR?" he asked.
Having old and second-hand vehicles without rooftops, Gypsy operators can never obtain tourist permit for their vehicles. Tourist gypsy operators have cried foul and demanded intervention of forest department and relaxation in rules to help them continue to earn livelihood from tourism.
Around 43 tourist Gypsies are operated by local youths of Moharli village, tourist resorts and a few private players in TATR. After it was exposed that the tourist vehicles are operating in blatant violation of RTO regulations, TATR authorities had asked the vehicle operators to comply by all norms by February 28.
TOI had reported on January 23 and February 6 on how many tourist vehicles had illegally installed CNG kits, indulged in overloading of passengers and were not registered with Chandrapur RTO.
However, it turns out that if the tourist Gypsy operators now seek tourist permits, none of them would get it. "As per laws, vehicles older than eight years and not having rooftops cannot get tourist permit. If the operators want tourist permits, they will have comply with norms," said deputy RTO, Chandrapur, Steven Alvares.
The 'Gypsy Chalak Malak Sangh,' a union of tourist Gypsy operators, have sought for relaxation in norms. Union chief Sanjay Mankar agreed that most of the tourist gypsy vehicles are more than eight years old and all of them are roofless. "Former TATR officers encouraged Moharli villagers to take up tourist Gypsy operations a couple of years back. The then officers had assured banning diesel vehicles in TATR as per regulation of NTCA and authorising gypsy vehicles for sole tourist operation in TATR on the lines of Kanha and Bandhavgarh tiger reserves. While none of these assurances have been fulfilled, present officials now talk about law enforcement to snatch away the livelihood of local youths," alleged Mankar.
"At a time when forest officials are talking about creating employment opportunities for villagers living inside buffer zone of TATR, enforcement of traffic-related laws would deny 28 families of Moharli from livelihood. Only relaxation in norms in special case for the TATR could help these poor people out of trouble," pleaded Mankar. "When Gypsies could ply in Kanha and Bandhavgarh, why not in TATR?" he asked.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Special tiger force for 2 Maharashtra reserves
Sensing that the current security structure at two tiger reserves in the state is inadequate, the Maharashtra government is planning to raise a special task force to protect the animals and current forest guards from poachers. The state finance department has given the nod to create this force in two tiger reserves of the four in the state.
Stating this on Friday, principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) Dineshchandra Pant said: "The state finance department has decided to give the green signal for the special armed force."
"In addition to setting up the special armed force, the state government has decided to strengthen the wildlife wing, for which the number of posts will be increased," Pant added.
The force's mandate will also be to reduce man-animal conflicts in areas abutting the sanctuaries.
Of the tiger reserves in Melghat, Sahyadri, Tadoba and Pench (bordering MP), the last two will get the protection force. The two together have about 65 tigers.
Each will get 112 additional armed personnel, including 96 forest guards, 12 foresters, three range forest officers and one assistant conservator of forests. The state police department will train them and they will be paid by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
Apart from weapons, the tiger task force will be provided with terrain vehicles.
Stating this on Friday, principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) Dineshchandra Pant said: "The state finance department has decided to give the green signal for the special armed force."
"In addition to setting up the special armed force, the state government has decided to strengthen the wildlife wing, for which the number of posts will be increased," Pant added.
The force's mandate will also be to reduce man-animal conflicts in areas abutting the sanctuaries.
Of the tiger reserves in Melghat, Sahyadri, Tadoba and Pench (bordering MP), the last two will get the protection force. The two together have about 65 tigers.
Each will get 112 additional armed personnel, including 96 forest guards, 12 foresters, three range forest officers and one assistant conservator of forests. The state police department will train them and they will be paid by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
Apart from weapons, the tiger task force will be provided with terrain vehicles.
NGO tries to make peace in Kaziranga
Jorhat, Feb. 11: Aaranyak, an NGO involved in the ongoing tiger census at Kaziranga National Park, today asked the park authorities not to enforce a total ban on tourist movement in areas already marked as tourism zones, so as not to dent livelihood avenues.
The request came after local organisations, opposed to Project Tiger for its myriad restrictions, asked Aaranyak to stall all its activities and leave Kaziranga.
The organisations, led by the Kaziranga Jeep Safari Association, fear that the tiger project in Kaziranga would hit the flourishing tourism industry, given the restrictions on flow of tourists to the core area of the park once Project Tiger is implemented completely. Besides, they felt that the focus on the big cat would rob Kaziranga of its glamour, since the national park has long been a draw for being the home of the rhino.
Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, secretary general of the NGO, said Aaranyak was supportive of eco-friendly tourism at Kaziranga and felt that the benefits of tourism should reach most of the villages around the park.
“Tourism activities should be promoted uniformly in all the five ranges of the park, including the north bank range,” he said. Talukdar said the ongoing census of tigers using camera traps at Kaziranga was initiated in 2009 in collaboration with the authorities of the park after it was declared a tiger reserve in 2006.
“The objective of the research was to bring out information on the number of tigers using modern scientific techniques and the initial findings have already put Kaziranga in the global focus with respect to successful conservation of habitats that support tigers along with one-horned rhinos and other species,” he said.
Kaziranga was found to have the highest density of tigers in the world in a finding by Aaranyak a few years back.
Punen Gogoi, president of the Kaziranga Jeep Safari Association, however, alleged that Aaranyak members, who are working at Kaziranga did not take the people near the park into confidence.
“They never held any discussion with the local people and worked on their own will. We will not allow them to work here unless they take us into confidence,” he said.
The request came after local organisations, opposed to Project Tiger for its myriad restrictions, asked Aaranyak to stall all its activities and leave Kaziranga.
The organisations, led by the Kaziranga Jeep Safari Association, fear that the tiger project in Kaziranga would hit the flourishing tourism industry, given the restrictions on flow of tourists to the core area of the park once Project Tiger is implemented completely. Besides, they felt that the focus on the big cat would rob Kaziranga of its glamour, since the national park has long been a draw for being the home of the rhino.
Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, secretary general of the NGO, said Aaranyak was supportive of eco-friendly tourism at Kaziranga and felt that the benefits of tourism should reach most of the villages around the park.
“Tourism activities should be promoted uniformly in all the five ranges of the park, including the north bank range,” he said. Talukdar said the ongoing census of tigers using camera traps at Kaziranga was initiated in 2009 in collaboration with the authorities of the park after it was declared a tiger reserve in 2006.
“The objective of the research was to bring out information on the number of tigers using modern scientific techniques and the initial findings have already put Kaziranga in the global focus with respect to successful conservation of habitats that support tigers along with one-horned rhinos and other species,” he said.
Kaziranga was found to have the highest density of tigers in the world in a finding by Aaranyak a few years back.
Punen Gogoi, president of the Kaziranga Jeep Safari Association, however, alleged that Aaranyak members, who are working at Kaziranga did not take the people near the park into confidence.
“They never held any discussion with the local people and worked on their own will. We will not allow them to work here unless they take us into confidence,” he said.
Circle of life moves Ranthambore TNN
JAIPUR: The circle of life goes on at the Ranthambore National Park. The spotting of two cubs after the death of the mother T-5, popularly known as Kachida tigress, has brought cheers to wildlife lovers and forest officials alike.
Another tigress T-31 was recently caught on a trap camera with two cubs. With confirmation of these two new births in Indala region of the park, the official figure of tiger cubs in the park since September last year has reached nine. Earlier, tigress T-13 gave birth to two cubs and tigress T-26 was caught on the camera with three cubs.
Morever, officials of the forests department hinted at two more cubs births though they were yet to be confirmed. "The cub count may reach to 11 but since we have not yet caught the new mother and her cubs on a camera, we cannot confirm their birth. Once their presence is established, the tiger count in Ranthambore will reach the figure of 40," an official said.
The new-born cubs, however, come with safety concerns, including the mothers concerned. "The tigress T-13 and her cubs are outside the park. Even T-26 had ventured outside the park earlier this week. Therefore, the forest department must draw up a specific action plan to ensure the safety of these tigers. They must be monitored 24'7. It is not just enough to take up only damage control after something goes wrong at the park," an activist said.
Officials of the department felt that it was difficult to monitor all the big cats round the clock. "We do keep track of the tigers and whenever any male tries to enter the territory of a mother we try and woo it away. But it is very difficult in a forest to keep a tiger in a particular place," another official said.
He also said the agriculture fields adjoining the park pose a special problem. These fields are filled with mustard and when these crops are four to five feet high they are mistaken as grassland by tigers. The big cats often get lost in these fields and ultimately get into conflict with humans. If the wandering tigresses are lactating mothers, the conflict reaches a higher dimension as they fiercely protect their cubs.
"In such cases, the alternative before us is to distract the them away from these fields by bursting fire crackers. It is a major concern for us as the nearby dwellers are dependent on these fields," the official added.
Another tigress T-31 was recently caught on a trap camera with two cubs. With confirmation of these two new births in Indala region of the park, the official figure of tiger cubs in the park since September last year has reached nine. Earlier, tigress T-13 gave birth to two cubs and tigress T-26 was caught on the camera with three cubs.
Morever, officials of the forests department hinted at two more cubs births though they were yet to be confirmed. "The cub count may reach to 11 but since we have not yet caught the new mother and her cubs on a camera, we cannot confirm their birth. Once their presence is established, the tiger count in Ranthambore will reach the figure of 40," an official said.
The new-born cubs, however, come with safety concerns, including the mothers concerned. "The tigress T-13 and her cubs are outside the park. Even T-26 had ventured outside the park earlier this week. Therefore, the forest department must draw up a specific action plan to ensure the safety of these tigers. They must be monitored 24'7. It is not just enough to take up only damage control after something goes wrong at the park," an activist said.
Officials of the department felt that it was difficult to monitor all the big cats round the clock. "We do keep track of the tigers and whenever any male tries to enter the territory of a mother we try and woo it away. But it is very difficult in a forest to keep a tiger in a particular place," another official said.
He also said the agriculture fields adjoining the park pose a special problem. These fields are filled with mustard and when these crops are four to five feet high they are mistaken as grassland by tigers. The big cats often get lost in these fields and ultimately get into conflict with humans. If the wandering tigresses are lactating mothers, the conflict reaches a higher dimension as they fiercely protect their cubs.
"In such cases, the alternative before us is to distract the them away from these fields by bursting fire crackers. It is a major concern for us as the nearby dwellers are dependent on these fields," the official added.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Tiger census result to be out on March 26
New Delhi, Feb 10 (PTI) The results of the much-awaited scientific census of tigers, currently underway, will be made public at the end of next month, Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh said here today. "It is on 26th March," Ramesh said when asked when is the results of the census of the big cat are expected. Tigers are there in "protected areas" -- tiger reserves, national parks and wildlife sanctuaries -- in 19 states in the country. The census is being carried out by installing cameras at strategic points, like water bodies in the forests where the tigers go for water, in their respective territories and a computer analysis is being done to ascertain their presence. Though preliminary analysis of the ongoing census of tigers in the forests indicates that their numbers might have increased, there has been concern over the rise in the cases of man-animal conflict. Forest officials had killed a "man-eater" tiger in January after a half-eaten human body was recovered in Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand. A tigress, suspected of killing four women in two weeks, was also shot by hunters in January. The 2007 census had shown a sharp fall in the number of tigers in the country. According to it, India had only 1,411 wild cats left in its forests.
Cubs of T-5 tigress spotted Anindo Dey, TNN
JAIPUR: The two cubs of T-5, which died in Ranthambore on Wednesday, have been spotted by forest department officials on Thursday.
Both cubs are in good health and are spotted on a hilltop, officials said. "They consumed some dressed meat and water. But when we tried to catch them, they ran way. We will not be chasing them now as it might scare them away from the area and make it more difficult to catch them. We will wait for them instead," a forest official said.
"We have designed a special cage for the cubs in which we hope to keep them after we catch them. But plans thereafter are yet to be framed," state chief wildlife warden H M Bhatia said.
He said the department is in consultation with the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) to take care of the cubs, which have also been caught by a trap camera.
R N Mehrotra, principal chief conservator of forest and head of forest forces, however, ruled out the possibility of keeping the cubs in a zoo. "There is no point keeping them in a zoo. It has been ruled out," he said.
Officials said the best place for the cubs would be the already existing enclosure at the Sariska reserve. "Safety of the cubs is our prime concern and Sariska promises to be a better place for them than Ranthambore. We will hand raise them for some years in a protected cage. After that whether we leave them in Sariska or bring them back to Ranthambore will be decided," an official said.
He said raising the two cubs would be a difficult task but the Ranthambore staff had already looked after at least two cubs in the past. "The Guda tigress had died around September 1, 2007 leaving behind two cubs. These cubs, later renamed T-36 and T-37, were hand raised by the staff at Ranthambore.
"Of course, the cubs then were about one or two moths older than these ones. We brought them up till they were two years old and then released them. I remember their first kill was a goat and though they were not good at all then but nature slowly taught them. The T-36 tiger is still alive and is with the T-42 male in the Quwalji area," the official said.
"In 2001-02, the Bairda tigress, too, had died and her cubs were raised by our staff Ranjit, who is still serving with us. He may be assigned the task for these cubs too. The Ranthambore staff are experienced in such cases and they can do a good job," he added.
T-5, popularly known as Kachida tigress, died on Wednesday. She underwent an emergency surgery recently at the Ranthambore National Park after tourism minister Bina Kak spotted it with a wound on its rear.
Both cubs are in good health and are spotted on a hilltop, officials said. "They consumed some dressed meat and water. But when we tried to catch them, they ran way. We will not be chasing them now as it might scare them away from the area and make it more difficult to catch them. We will wait for them instead," a forest official said.
"We have designed a special cage for the cubs in which we hope to keep them after we catch them. But plans thereafter are yet to be framed," state chief wildlife warden H M Bhatia said.
He said the department is in consultation with the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) to take care of the cubs, which have also been caught by a trap camera.
R N Mehrotra, principal chief conservator of forest and head of forest forces, however, ruled out the possibility of keeping the cubs in a zoo. "There is no point keeping them in a zoo. It has been ruled out," he said.
Officials said the best place for the cubs would be the already existing enclosure at the Sariska reserve. "Safety of the cubs is our prime concern and Sariska promises to be a better place for them than Ranthambore. We will hand raise them for some years in a protected cage. After that whether we leave them in Sariska or bring them back to Ranthambore will be decided," an official said.
He said raising the two cubs would be a difficult task but the Ranthambore staff had already looked after at least two cubs in the past. "The Guda tigress had died around September 1, 2007 leaving behind two cubs. These cubs, later renamed T-36 and T-37, were hand raised by the staff at Ranthambore.
"Of course, the cubs then were about one or two moths older than these ones. We brought them up till they were two years old and then released them. I remember their first kill was a goat and though they were not good at all then but nature slowly taught them. The T-36 tiger is still alive and is with the T-42 male in the Quwalji area," the official said.
"In 2001-02, the Bairda tigress, too, had died and her cubs were raised by our staff Ranjit, who is still serving with us. He may be assigned the task for these cubs too. The Ranthambore staff are experienced in such cases and they can do a good job," he added.
T-5, popularly known as Kachida tigress, died on Wednesday. She underwent an emergency surgery recently at the Ranthambore National Park after tourism minister Bina Kak spotted it with a wound on its rear.
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