Our recent posts on Similipal had cited media reports of the deteriorating situation in the reserve and if the govt doenst do something in a hurry to stem the rot another siriska is unfolding right in front of our eyes.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Similipal Tiger Reserve being plundered - Act before all tigers vanish
Reports from Similipal Tiger reserve in Orrisa are getting worse. After the reported incidents of maoists and poaching mafia having taken over the reserve comes news of large scale hunting going on inside the park. Local activists have reported sighting rampant tree felling and daily killing of wild animals from within the reserve and some doubt whether any tigers are left inside the park. At last count there were found to be 61 tigers in the park in January this year down from almost 100 a couple of years back.
Maharashtra Minister found guilty
As per a report in DNA today the forest ministry has found the minister who entered a tiger cage in Nagpur guitly of having flouted wildlife rules. The ministry has also decided to take action against Zoo officials who encouraged the minister to enter the cage. With the minsiter belonging to the ruling party and from an important state which goes to election this year it will be interesting to see if the centre has any will to take action against him or as usually happens low level zoo officials will be made scapegoats and the matter buried.
Minister guilty of molesting tiger
Tadoba man-animal conflict takes deadly turn again
After the lull of a few months when no incidents of tigers attacking humans were reported in the latest one a Leopard attacked and injured 5 people on the outskirts of the tiger reserve. This comes on the back of another reported incident of a tiger killing a man around the reserve last week (http://planettiger.blogspot.com/2009/08/man-animal-conflict-at-tadoba.html)
It doesnt seem the wildlife officials have any plan to prevent these incidents from repeating. After the numerous incidents of the last few years one would expect the forest dept to have learnt some lessons and found out a way of stopping these attacks. But it seems they are just waiting for the villagers to poison and kill these beasts to prevent these attacks. If there is an area taht needs urgent attention on Chandrapur apart from revoking licences for mining it is figuring out a way of preventing these conflits as they can cause serious harm to the wildlife inthe long run
Leopard wreaks havoc in Chandrapur, five injured
Two more poachers arrested - The killing continues
As per a TOI report, two men with the skin of a young tiger were caught by the TN state wildlife officials. Though cases of poachers/traders being netted are coming to light often there seems to be little concerted effort to break the back of poaching mafia across the country. As this blog has been saying the central ministry needs to set up crime investigation and prosectution for wildlife cases on the lines of CBI. A nodal body which works closely with states and looks at a pan india picture. With wildlife crime becoming an inter state phenomenon only a central body with mandate to operate across state borders can put a lid on the continuing killing of wild animals.
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