Who killed the Panna tigers: CBI probe sought

The complete disappearance of tigers from the Panna reserve continues to stoke controversy. Now the Madhya Pradesh forest minister himself says the big cats were poached and has asked for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe.

Panna Tiger Reserve, which was found to have around two dozen tigers after the census in January 2006, was left with no tigers by December 2008, according to wildlife experts.

'We have sent our request for a CBI probe into the disappearance of big cats from the reserve to the state government which will forward it to the centre,' Sartaj Singh told IANS.

'No arrests have been made till now even though it is clear that the tigers have been poached. The CBI could apprehend the guilty, some of whom are suspected to have inter-state links,' the minister added.

The minister said there are many aspects in the case that need to be closely looked into and the CBI would be an appropriate agency for the purpose.

The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) team sent to Panna in 2009 to look into the disappearance observed that there were no tigers in the reserve.

Later the state government ordered its own probe after it disagreed with the findings of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up by the union environment and forests ministry.

The central government team's report, submitted in June 2009, said the reserve lost most of its tigers to poachers and alleged that the forest officials did little despite adequate warnings.

But the state committee's report submitted in the last week of February said a skewed male-female ratio, territorial fights, revenge killings by villagers, unbridled tourism activities and poaching were among the reasons behind the fall in tiger population.

'There were many reasons for the tiger's disappearance and poaching didn't occur inside the park,' said former principal chief conservator of forests J.J. Dutta, a member of the state team.

A forest department official told IANS: 'One of the seven members of the state committee did not put his signature on the report as he disagreed with some of the findings.'

Unhappy with the report submitted by the state committee, Minister Singh now wants a CBI inquiry into the disappearance of tigers.

On whether such a request would not embarrass his own government, the minister said: 'No. Fingers have been pointed at the forest ministry and its officers in the past. I want to get the taint cleared once and for all.'

Earlier, the CBI had in 2005 probed the disappearance of tigers from Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan.

http://sify.com/news/who-killed-the-panna-tigers-cbi-probe-sought-news-national-kd5kOccheic.html

Tiger! Buxa earns its stripes

Alipurduar, March 30: Buxa can breathe a little easy: a Royal Bengal tiger — or something that resembles the magnificent beast — has been spotted in the reserve and captured on film too.

One tiger in a tiger reserve may not appear too much of a big deal to the uninitiated but it is a milestone moment for north Bengal’s Buxa, where no big cat has been spotted in the past 40 years.

Certainly not since 1983, when the reserve, 8km from Alipurduar town in Jalpaiguri district and contiguous to Bhutan, was formally inducted into Project Tiger, India’s flagship conservation programme.

All these years, all that Buxa Tiger Reserve had to justify its moniker was a few growls in the dead of the night — presumably a hungry cat making a kill — scat and an estimate that the area housed at least a dozen big cats.

The ignominy — imagine calling yourself a tiger reserve with no tiger to show — appears to have ended now, thanks to beat officer Manindra Sarkar who has come up with a grainy image of a golden creature.

Sarkar’s colleagues say he caught the tiger on camera when it turned around and made a royal walkout. Sarkar was on tiger census duty that started in early February.

“It’s indeed a happy day as for the first time in the history of the tiger reserve, we have been able to record direct evidence of tigers in Buxa. So far, our staff had to be satisfied with the pugmarks, scat and distant roars. But this is the first close encounter,” said S.B. Mondol, the chief wildlife warden, in Calcutta.

He added that the exact location from where the photograph was taken was not being disclosed for the safety of the animal.

According to the reserve’s deputy field director, Subhankar Sengupta, Sarkar had gone to investigate a bush in which he suspected an animal was lurking.

“When he approached the bush from behind, he saw the tiger, about five to six years old, come out,” Sengupta said. “The tiger began walking away and when it turned around once, Sarkar managed to take two snaps,” the official added. He said the foresters later collected plaster casts of the pugmarks.

Animesh Bose, the secretary of the Siliguri-based Himalayan Nature and Adventure Foundation, said: “We are happy. No one had been able to photograph a tiger even before it was declared a tiger reserve.”

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100331/jsp/frontpage/story_12285410.jsp

Tigress strays into village, kills teenager

BHOPAL - A tigress strayed into a village located on the outskirts of the BandhavgarhNational Park in Madhya Pradesh and killed an 18-year-old girl Tuesday. It is hiding in a farm and all efforts to nab it have so far proved futile, an official said Wednesday.

“The park officials are trying to nab the tiger hiding in the farm, where it had killed the girl and a bullock,” the park’s Deputy Director K.S. Alawa told IANS.

Dwarika Prasad Tiwari’s daughter Anjana went to collect mahua, a forest produce, from her father’s farm in village Kuchwahi when the feline, which had earlier killed a bullock, attacked and killed her.

The villagers reached the place but the feline hid itself inside the farm. The park officials also reached the spot and cordoned off the area.

“Our efforts to capture the animal were futile as the big cat was still hiding inside the farm,” Alawa said, said adding that Rs.1 lakh as ex-gratia was released for the victim’s family as per government norms.

http://blog.taragana.com/science/2010/03/31/tigress-strays-into-village-kills-teenager-9597/

Nath writes to PM to clear environmental roadblock

After issues like finances and land acquisitions, now it is India dwindling tiger population that is posing a problem for Road Transport Minister Kamal Nath's road building programme.

Nath has sought the Prime Minister's intervention to get the environmental clearances so that he can achieve his target of building 20 km of roads every day by building right through the sanctuaries.

At least seven highway stretches pass through wildlife sanctuaries which are home to several endangered species as well as the most precious tiger. The road transport ministry wants these stretches upgraded to 4 and 6 lane highways which means destroying vast expanse of wildlife.

Most of these projects are stuck for over five years now. The environment ministry's version is to divert the highways and acquire land around the sanctuaries. But the huge costs and the entire problem of land acquisition are things that the Road transport ministry surely wants to steer clear from.

The Prime Minister's Office has asked the Cabinet Secretary to resolve the green clearance issue delaying road projects.

Nath had written to the Prime Minister on the issue. Five road projects are stuck due to delays in environmental clearances. Four of the highway projects are in Pench sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh. Two are in Hastinapur sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh. These stretches have to be upgraded to 4 and 6 lane national highways.

It is now a tussle between nature and infrastructure development and the ball is in the cabinet secretary's court. He has to do a balancing act between environment and development.

http://beta.profit.ndtv.com/news/show/nath-writes-to-pm-to-clear-environmental-roadblock-32825

Straying tigers worry for wildlife officials in Nagarhole

NEW DELHI: Two fully grown male big cats have been straying out of the Nagarhole Tiger Reserve in Karnataka for the last few days, keeping wildlife officials on their toe as they fear the animals might intrude into human habitats or be targeted by poachers.
"It is for the last one week that the duo are roaming in the fringes of the reserve and have killed a few cattle there as well. The two aged tigers seem to have been driven out by their counterparts in a territorial fight in the reserve," said B K Singh, Karnataka Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF).

The staff has been alerted which is keeping a close watch on their movement and making efforts to drive them back to the reserve, he said.

"We hope that they do not get into poachers' trap or enter into nearby villages as it can result into a serious man-animal conflict," he said referring to the recent death of the two tigers in Ranthambore in Rajasthan who were poisoned by angry villagers.
Two 17-month-old cubs were found dead early this month in Ranthambore, allegedly poisoned by villagers apparently upset over the killing of their livestock by the tigers.

Though straying of animals was a natural phenomenon, at times lack of enough space in their habitat due to over-population becomes the main reason for such action, he said.

"This is the second incident of straying of tigers this year, with the previous one being in February when a big cat was chased back to the sanctuary."

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Flora-Fauna/Straying-tigers-worry-for-wildlife-officials-in-Nagarhole/articleshow/5743954.cms

NTCA calls Meet to review save-tiger plan

PATNA: As many as 13 tiger deaths have been reported in India so far in 2010. If one adds the two cases in which tiger body parts were seized this year, the number of big cat deaths stands at 15 this year.

It is more or less a continuation of the previous year's trend when as many as 66 tiger deaths and 29 cases of seizure of tiger body parts were reported from different parts of the country.

An alarmed National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has planned a review of the tiger protection strategy. It may issue fresh guidelines to protect the big cats in a better way. NTCA has convened a meeting of directors of the 39 tiger reserves of the country to discuss the issue. Experts from Wildlife Institute of India (WII)- Dehradun and chief wildlife wardens of 17 states, where these reserves are situated, have been invited to the meeting which would be held at Jim Corbett National Park from April 10 to 12.

On April 10, NTCA member secretary Rajesh Gopal along with other senior NTCA officials would discuss the issue with forest officials of northern and north-eastern states. Forest officials of central states would share their views with the NTCA on April 11 and on the last day it would be the turn of those coming from the southern states.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/Meet-to-review-save-tiger-plan/articleshow/5740980.cms

Sariska likely to get more tigers soon

JAIPUR: The long wait for big cats at Sariska tiger reserve may soon come to an end, as the forest is likely to come alive with the roar of two more tigers that may be relocated to it in the near future.

Experts from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun have arrived in the park and are studying the two tigers that had strayed outside the park.

The visit of the experts come close on the heels of a tiger from the park killing a 50-year-old man at the park on Sunday.

"Some experts from WII are visiting the park. However, they are not in connection with the killing but to help us in the identification and subsequent relocation of the straying tigers," said an official.

The Union forests ministry and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) have recently granted the nod to the state government for the relocation of the two straying tigers from Ranthambore.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Sariska-likely-to-get-more-tigers-soon/articleshow/5720540.cms

Fire in Valmikinagar tiger reserve in Bihar

Bagaha (Bihar): Forest cover in about 100 hectares in Valmikinagar tiger reserve in Bihar's West Champaram district was reduced to ashes today.

Madanpur forest ranger Junaid Ali said water was being drawn from tanks in the area by forest employees to douse the fire.

Casualty, if any to animal life in the forest reserve is yet to be ascertained.

The cause of the fire in the reserve, which falls in the Madanpur forest range is also yet to be known, Ali said.

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_fire-in-valmikinagar-tiger-reserve-in-bihar_1362906

Maharashtra lost 120 tigers, 425 panthers in 2 yrs

Mumbai, Mar 24 (PTI) In the backdrop of widespread concern over the declining tiger population in the country, it has come to notice that Maharashtra lost 120 tigers between 2005 and 2007.
The Economic Survey 2009-10 which was tabled in the state Legislature yesterday says that there are only 148 tigers in the state as compared to 268 in 2007.
Similarly, the number of panthers has drastically come down from 717 in 2005 to only 292 in 2007.
There are three tiger projects in the state - Melghat, Tadoba-Andhari and Pench situated in the Vidarbha region.
Recent figures state that there are only 1,411 tigers in the country.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/579528_Maharashtra-lost-120-tigers--425-panthers-in-2-yrs

NGO makes hi-tech database for Manas Tiger reserve

Guwahati, March 24: The Manas National Park, in keeping with the times, is going hi-tech.

Aaranyak, a wildlife NGO, has developed a customised database for the park called the Manas Tiger Reserve Information System (Mantris) which will help forest officials to get information on various aspects of the range and also facilitate commoners to get an overview of the entire Manas foothill landscape.

The geographic information system (GIS)-based Mantris is designed for the entire Manas tiger reserve area, which extends from Sankosh river in the west to Dhansiri river in the east, along the Indo-Bhutan boundary. There are 18 ranges in the Manas tiger reserve covering an area of more than 2,800-square km.

The system is ready and will soon be soon handed over to the forest department officials.

Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, Agence Française de Développement, Conservation International, the Global Environment Facility, the Japan government, the MacArthur Foundation and the World Bank funded the project.

“There is not enough geo-spatial data and information regarding this important biodiversity-rich area. Mantris is the first web-GIS-based database designed by the geo-spatial technology application programme of Aaranyak for this area,” project coordinator of Aaranyak Bibhuti Lahkar said today.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100325/jsp/northeast/story_12259172.jsp

Tourist access restricted in Ranthambore

JAIPUR: A day after a villager and his donkey were killed by a tiger on the periphery of the Ranthambore National Park, certain portions of the park have been made out of bound for tourists.

There is a tourist track nearly five kilometres from Naharkhora where a tiger attacked 50-year-old Badri Kumar and his donkey on Monday. "Now what we have done is to barricade a further five kms of the track so as to ensure that tourists are atleast 10 kms away from the spot where the incident took place. We will keep this provision on for the next 10-15 days," said a forest official.

Even the small ongoing work in the area like construction of roads have been halted as a safety measure. "Instead, we have set up trap cameras in a bid to locate the big cat. Additional staffers have also been deployed in the area," said the official.

The tiger, after the kill, had eaten the donkey partially though not the man. On Monday, the officials remained busy collecting the post-mortem report and the FIR from the police. The post-mortem report confirmed that the man was killed by the tiger.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Tourist-access-restricted-in-Ranthambore-/articleshow/5717309.cms

Tiger kills man in Ranthambore - A first in almost 2 decades

JAIPUR: Tourist haven Ranthambore woke up to a grisly morning on Monday: a tiger had killed a man on the forest’s periphery. The tiger had gone for the man’s throat and shoulders.

So, is there a man-eater at large in Ranthambore which sees a steady stream of visitors, including VVIPs like Priyanka Gandhi and Sheila Dixit? Forest officials were quick to deny this, arguing that this was an accident.

“There are canine marks on the shoulder and throat of the man. Though the buttocks of the man appear to be eaten, we are ruling out that this was done by the tiger. He must have been eaten later by jackals which also roam in the area,” an official of the state forest department said.

But the rare occurrence has left forest officials worried. The last time a tiger killed a man in the state was in the early 1990s. This happened in Sariska, when a big cat mauled a sadhu.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Tiger-kills-man-in-tourist-hotspot/articleshow/5713952.cms

Panna disaster investigation caught in political slugfest

Tiger on its last leg

The Madhya Pradesh government remained in denial mode for years about the declining number of tigers in Panna till the wild cat went locally extinct, but its new Forest Minister has brought some hope for the beleaguered Park with his plainspeak. Sartaj Singh’s recommendation for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the Panna fiasco, almost countering the findings of a state inquiry committee report, is surely not a magic pill and is definitely not going to win him any friends in the bureaucracy and forest set-up. But the recommendation, if followed up by that by the Chief Minister, is surely a welcome change from the stand taken by the minister’s predecessors, who went blindly by the figures provided by the forest department officers and were hyper-sensitive to criticism.

The first warning bells in Panna were sounded by wildlife expert Raghu Chundawat several years ago when the then premier Park’s priority shifted from protection and monitoring to tourism.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Tiger-on-its-last-leg/594376

India rejects modification on China tiger farms by EU

India has rejected a proposal by the European Union to modify an existing decision for China to phase out Chinese tiger farms.

India made an intervention at the ongoing Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Conference of Parties in Doha, after the European Union suggested that tiger-range countries adopt an EU reporting system for making a wildlife crime database. The EU has suggested that the EU-TWIX database system be followed by tiger-range countries. And while the proposal also asks for phasing out of tiger farms, India thinks the proposal was not discussed with tiger-range countries, which are Asian, before being presented.

Further, India does not want any tampering with a previous decision in which CITES, the apex body for monitoring wildlife trade, pressed China for shutting tiger farms, keeping them only to a level which “supports” conservation of wild tigers, meaning minimising captive tiger farming as much as possible. As a result of another previous intervention made by India, it was decided that China report to the international body how it was shutting down its farms.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/India-rejects-modification-on-China-tiger-farms-by-EU/594371

No more resorts near Corbett: Jairam Ramesh

New Delhi: The environment ministry is worried about luxury resorts mushrooming around Jim Corbett tiger reserve and wants to stop more from coming up. In 1991, there were only six such resorts around Corbett, but at present there are 74.

Environment minister Jairam Ramesh recently said the growing influence of land mafia near the reserve was one of the major reasons for tiger deaths and rise in cases of man-animal conflict.

He has also written to Uttarakhand chief minister Ramesh Pokhriyal not to permit any more resorts around Corbett.Ramesh has also persuaded Manmohan Singh to monitor whether state governments are taking steps to protect the sanctity of reserves.

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_no-more-resorts-near-corbett-jairam-ramesh_1361832

Tiger deaths continue unabated

New Delhi, Mar 22 (PTI) In just ten weeks since January, at least 13 tigers have died, five each in January and March in various reserves across the country. Last year, 60 deaths were recorded. Now, merely 3,500 big cats are left in the wild of which 1,411 are in India.

Little wonder that the whole world is crying itself hoarse over the sharp drop in the population of this endangered species from the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh deciding to step in to save the big cats and Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh making a wakeup call by blaming mafia supported by politicians for its extinction.

A UN's wildlife body, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) too in its ongoing meeting in Doha has noted that despite several years of efforts the world has failed miserably to protect tigers.

Man vs Wild: lack of space endangering tigers

New Delhi: It’s an incident which sent shock waves across India's best managed park. On March 7, two tiger cubs brutally killed and poisoned by local people in retaliation for killing their goats.

Deputy director, Ranthambore Shekhawat said, “We were very upset because the goats were killed, we took stock of situation and decided to take people in custody and we were fortunate the culprits were also caught.”

Reaching the tiger graveyards is not easy. The area is far from the tourist zone, deep in the ravines near a dry river bed.

The village of Tadla Khet where the killings were planned by the Gujjars has been deserted, except for Ram Khiladi, whose son is the main accused in the tiger killings and is now in custody

Ram Khiladi said, “People have run away for fear of forest department, because they are arresting everyone.

While swift action enabled the forest department to nab the culprits, experts say the problem runs deeper

“We should control their livestock, 15- 250 goats is a lot.. secondly the animals come for grazing and are killed, we should compensate fast... see for 2,000 goat we have lost 2 tigers,” says Tiger expert Dharmendr

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/man-vs-wild-lack-of-space-endangering-tigers/111861-3.html?from=tn

Manmohan concerned over unnatural deaths of tigers

Concerned over increasing incidents of unnatural deaths of tigers in various reserves in the country, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has decided to personally take up the matter with State Governments

Concerned over increasing incidents of unnatural deaths of tigers in various reserves in the country, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has decided to personally take up the matter with State Governments, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said on Saturday.

The Prime Minister expressed his concern during a meeting of the National Board for Wildlife Thursday, Mr. Ramesh told reporters here.

“The prime minister has agreed to lend weight of his office for monitoring state governments. He will also take up the matter with the chief ministers of various states, especially with the Uttarakhand government, as unnatural mortality of tigers have been reported from Corbett National Park,” he said.
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article260567.ece?homepage=true#

4 get 3-yr jail for poaching tiger

In only the second case of its kind in the state and the first in Vidarbha, four persons were convicted in a tiger poaching case on Saturday by the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) court of Sakoli, Bhandara.

JMFC, AR Surve, sentenced Chandkiran Kodape, Tarachand Soyam, Sampat Soyam and Shiva Pingare to three years in jail and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on them for poisoning a tiger on September 29, 1992, near Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary.

The tiger had killed a cow and the accused had poisoned the carcass later using the chemical Thimet.

Range Forest Officer (RFO) Pradip Kottewar had investigated the case and seized the tiger skin from the accused. Assistant Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) Kishore Mishrikotkar pushed the case to bring about the conviction.

Assistant Public Prosecutor H P Randive said, “In the absence of efforts by forest officers like Kottewar and Mishrikotkar, it’s difficult to get convictions. Most of the time, officers are transferred and not available to attend proceedings...”

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/4-get-3-yr-jail-for-poaching-tiger/593503

‘Tiger poaching is only getting accelerated’

BANGALORE: The year 2009 saw the maximum number of tiger deaths in the country due to poaching, with the toll reaching 32. However, 16 tigers were killed so far this year, in less than even three months.

If the Chinese government legalised tiger trade, it would sound death knell for the wild cat species as they were poached due to the demand in China for making traditional Chinese medicine.

Belinda Wright of the Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) made these observations at the Bangalore Press Club on Saturday at the screening of a documentary delving into the plight of the tiger. The Truth About Tigers is made by renowned conservationist and wildlife filmmaker Shekar Dattatri.

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=‘Tiger+poaching+is+only+getting+accelerated’&artid=nO7WlxYonGE=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=

Trapped Sundarbans tiger to be released Sunday

2010-03-20 20:10:00

A tiger from the Sundarbans biosphere reserve, which strayed into a village on the outskirts and was later tranquilised, would be released back into the forest Sunday, according to a top forest department official. The big cat has been kept under medical observation. It was roaming in the jungles with a tigress when it entered the human habitation near Luxbagan in South 24-Pargana district and was caught. 'We trapped a male tiger from Netidhopani-I forest in Sundarbans yesterday (Friday). The tiger has now been shifted to a squeeze cage,' Sundarbans field director Subrata Mukherjee told IANS Saturday. 'The forest department officials successfully tranquilised the tiger by administering ketamine and also radio-collared the animal,' he said. http://sify.com/news/trapped-sundarbans-tiger-to-be-released-sunday-news-national-kduukdbaejb.html

Corbett tiger found dead in wire snare

At a time when tiger census is in progress amid concerns over the dwindling population of tigers, yet another tiger was found dead in Fonto Range of Tarai West Division of Corbett Tiger Reserve.

A male tiger estimated to be six or seven years was found trapped in a wire snare near agriculture fields. The body of the tiger was lying there for the last 48 hours. The post-mortem report also revealed that the big cat died of a wire snare which had caused a wound in its belly.

"I believe there was no involvement of poachers as all the organs of the feline was found intact. It seemed to be a case of human-animal conflict, as farmers placed a wire snare near agriculture field to prevent wild boars from reaching the field. The feline trapped in the same snare and died due to bleeding, said RK Mishr, Director of Corbett National Park.

Mishr added that a red alert has been sounded and teams have been pressed to remove wire snares placed near agriculture fields. Divisional Forest Officer of Tarai West Division said that a search for culprits is being undertaken in 30 villages falling within 5 kilometre radius of the site where tiger was found. A sniffer dog from Rajajji National Park is also being used in the search operation. This is third reported tiger death since January this year. As many as nine tiger have died under the area of Corbett Tiger Reserve since January 2009.

http://www.dailypioneer.com/242520/Corbett-tiger-found-dead-in-wire-snare.html

Tiger, on its last leg

The Observer

Conservationists believe the number of tigers left in India may be little over half the official tally and that at the present rate of decline, the tiger will cease to be a viable wild species in India within five years, writes Gethin Chamberlain The poachers perch on the rough platforms they have built in the trees, waiting for the tiger to come. They have been searching the forests of Ranthambhore reserve for days, following the pug marks and other tell-tale signs. When they found the fresh kill, they knew it would only be a matter of time before the tiger returned to eat. They placed their traps on the path, scattering small stones across the sandy soil, knowing that tigers hate to walk on them and will pick their way around. The tiger pads forward into the trap, which springs shut with a snap. Desperate to free itself, the tiger thrashes around. Another foot catches in another trap, then a third. The poachers watch to make sure it cannot free itself. One man carries a bamboo stick into which he has poured molten lead to give it more weight. The other has a spear on the end of a 10ft pole. As the tiger opens its mouth, the poacher with the spear lunges forward, stabbing between its open jaws. His colleague smashes the tiger over the head with the stick. http://www.deccanherald.com/content/58279/tiger-its-last-leg.html

Two more tigers to be shifted to Sariska

Jaipur, Mar 12 (PTI) Two more tigers would be shifted from Ranthambhore National Park (RNP) to Sariska sanctuary in Alwar district as soon as they are located, Rajasthan Assembly was informed today.

Replying to a question, State Forest and Environment Minister Ramlal Jat said a helicopter would be used to locate two tigers T-37 and T-47 which had strayed from RNP range and were roaming in adjoining districts of Karauli and Bharatpur forests.

So far two tigresses and one tiger were shifted from RNP to Sariska, and two more would be shifted as soon these were located, he said.

The tiger population had disappeared in Sariska in 2005.

BJP MLA Gajendrasingh Kheenvsar alleged that the tigers were not shifted due to pressure from NGOs and tourism lobbies, which drew a sharp response from Congress members.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/561271_Two-more-tigers-to-be-shifted-to-Sariska

Another tiger dead, this time in Bihar

A tiger was found dead in the Valmiki National Park, Bihar's only tiger reserve, an official said Friday, adding it could have been killed by poachers. Bihar's chief wildlife warden B.A. Khan said the tiger was found in a ditch in the Madanpur range of the park Thursday. The reserve is in Bagaha district, about 250 km from here. According to the latest census, there are only 8-10 tigers in the park. http://sify.com/news/tiger-dies-in-bihar-park-news-national-kdmlO6iidgb.html

Fortnight before tiger death, govt cleared relocation

JAIPUR: Barely a fortnight before the death of two tiger cubs on the outskirts of Ranthambore national park, the ministry of forest and environment had given permission for the relocation of 'straying' tigers from the park.

Rajesh Gopal, director of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), said, "The ministry of environment and forests has written a letter to the chief minister of Rajasthan in this context."

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Fortnight-before-tiger-death-govt-cleared-relocation/articleshow/5669868.cms

Sunita Narain: Getting to the 1,412th tiger

Only 1,411 tigers are left. So says the latest advertisement campaign of a new telecom company and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). It is powerful. It plays to our emotions. But it does not tell us what is being done, or should be done about it. It does not tell us how we, the consuming class, can be part of the solution to protect the tiger.

The reason is simple. One must gloss over the bitter, inconvenient truth that India cannot have more than 1,411 tigers — the figure is the mid-range of the last census — unless one imagines conservation differently, very differently. In fact, if there are these many tigers, that’s amazing. Forget more.

Let me explain what I have learnt from some reputed wildlife experts in the country: Tigers are territorial. They literally need land to roam. With the birth of a new male tiger, this search starts. Either the old tiger gives way or the new male tiger looks for a new ground. But where is that ground? All around our parks, forests are destroyed. People who live in areas adjoining tiger reserves resent this animal, which kills their cattle. They have no use for the reserve forest, which protects the herbivores and the wild boars that eat their growing crop. They get nothing in return for living around tiger land. They want no tigers on their land.

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/sunita-narain-getting-to1412th-tiger/388280/

First phase of tiger census in the Sunderbans completed

The first phase of the tiger census, which included collection of signage and direct sightings of the big cats, in the Sunderbans was completed on Tuesday, although officials said that it would probably take a year to obtain estimates of the population.

“The first phase that began on March 4 went off smoothly and has shown some positive signs as there were a number of direct sightings,” Pradeep Vyas, director of the Sunderban Biosphere Reserve said.

“I personally observed three tigers during the field study,” said Raju Das, joint-director of the reserve.

The data collected by the 35 teams on the field is yet to be collated. It will take about two months to process the data collected after which it will be sent to the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) where it will be analysed. The third phase of the project involves the setting up of camera traps and radio-collars, Mr. Vayas said.

http://beta.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/article228879.ece

Radio collar fitted to Sunderbans tigress falls off

KOLKATA: Animal instinct seems to have won over human intervention in one particular case as a pair of tigers detached the radio-collar fastened onto a tigress less than two weeks ago by officials of the State's forest department as part of the ongoing tiger census.

The abandoned, fully functional radio-collar was found in fairly good condition in the Pirakhali forest area of the reserve on Thursday.

“For the last three days we had stopped receiving the satellite signal from the tigress so we went into the forest area to investigate. By tracing the collar via an antenna we found that it had had fallen off,” said Subrat Mukherjee, field director of the Sunderban Tiger Reserve (STR).

The collar will be fastened to another animal after the nuts and bolts have been changed, Mr. Mukherjee added.

So far, radio collars have been fastened to two tigresses as a part of the tiger census.

The project, for which the reserve paid Rs. 35 lakh to the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), involves the tagging of 8 tigers within the reserve that will be monitored for about a year by experts of the institute and officials of the forest department.

While the instance of a radio collar falling off is not uncommon (there have been 17 such incidents all over the country), concerns have been raised about the success of the initiative in the Sunderbans.

In December 2007, a tigress was fitted with a radio collar which stopped functioning in just over three months, after the animal had roamed an area of 35 sq km. Although the cause of the malfunction could not be ascertained, it is speculated that a “saline water shock” could be responsible.

http://www.hindu.com/2010/03/12/stories/2010031260322000.htm

No irregularities in Kerala tiger census: Minister

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 11 (PTI) Kerala Government today termed allegations of irregularities in the ongoing tiger census, especially in the Idukki and Ernakulam forest regions of the state, as completely "baseless".

The presence of tiger in Mankulam, Pooyamkutty, Malayatour, Thatekkad and Neriyamangalam in Idukki and Ernakulam forest regions had been recorded in the datasheet during the first phase of census itself, state Forest Minister Binoy Viswam told the state Assembly.

The census was conducted scientificaly under the leadership of Periyar Foundation and Wild Life Institute of India (WWI), Dehradun, Viswam said.

Raising the issue as a submission, Congress leader V D Sateeshan alleged that incidents of tiger presence in these regions were deliberately omitted from the records to help the forest encroachers and tourist resorts.

The encroachers and resort owners apprehend restriction in their activities if the area came under the ambit of tiger habitat, he said.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/558869_No-irregularities-in-tiger-census--Viswom

11 tigers dead in two months

New Delhi, Mar 8 (PTI) At least 11 tigers have died across the country in the last two months due to various reasons including poaching and poisoning, Government said today.

In reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said that two tigers each died due to infighting inside Corbett in Uttarakhand and Kaziranga in Assam while one was found poisoned in Pench tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh.

"Six tiger deaths were reported from outside the tiger reserves in Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Arunanchal Pradesh, Bandipur, Assam and Karnataka/ Tamilnadu border in January and February this year," the minister said quoting data made available by the states.

According to government statistics, last year a total 66 tigers died including 46 inside the tiger reserves across the country.

The Minister said the government has released Rs 197.24 crore in 2009-2010 against Rs 154.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/553927_11-tigers-dead-in-two-months

Camera-trapping of tiger starts, partial census results by December

NEW DELHI: The number of tigers in three major landscapes - Terrai, Central India and the Western Ghats - home to 80 percent of India's tigers, will be known by December, but a countrywide total would be available only by March next year, an official involved in the ongoing census of big cats said.

will be known by December, but a countrywide total would be available only by March next year, an official involved in the ongoing census of big cats said.

He said: "not only tiger reserves, but all forest areas in the country will be covered."

The last census in 2005-06 showed a sharp fall in tiger numbers. The census then conducted with an improved method revealed India had just 1,411 tigers left in the wild, raising serious concern about their survival.

Jhala said a new phase involving camera-trapping of tigers has begun. "Researchers have started this exercise, as the ground work involving the forest staff is almost completed."

Each camera costs about Rs. 10,000 and is especially designed for deployment in forests. It has censors that trigger the camera to take pictures automatically whenever animals come within range in front of its lens. They are usually attached to a tree. Batteries and the film of the camera are replaced manually when they run out.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Flora-Fauna/Camera-trapping-of-tiger-starts-partial-census-results-by-December/articleshow/5664116.cms

Sanctuaries remain vulnerable as staff prefer cushy postings

JAIPUR: If the endangered species in Rajasthan's forests often become the target of poachers or villagers, then not only the shortage of manpower, even the uneven deployment of the staff are to be blamed.

According to officials of forest department, nearly two-thirds of the existing manpower have been deployed in areas where there are no forests or just to lookafter social forestry while just a one-third are guarding forest areas, leaving wildlife in them vulnerable.

Take the case of the Ranthambore National Park. Out of a sanctioned post of 132 ex-armymen, only 50 are posted there currently while out of a sanctioned strength of 92 forest guards, the park has just 40. On the other hand, places like Sikar and Jaipur, which have nil or minuscule forest areas, have a number of people posted there.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Sanctuaries-remain-vulnerable-as-staff-prefer-cushy-postings/articleshow/5660580.cms

Two tiger cubs found dead in Ranthambhore National Park

Jaipur, Mar 7 (PTI) Two tiger cubs were today found dead under mysterious circumstances in the Ranthambhore National Park (RNP) in Rajasthan's Sawaimadhopur district.

"Carcasses of two male cubs were spotted along with two carcasses of goats near Taleda village located in the North of RNP, which is 175 km from here," R N Mehrotra, the state Chief Wildlife Warden, told PTI.

The cause of their death was yet to be ascertained, he said, adding that, however, that prima facie it seemed like a case of poisoning.

When asked to clarify whether it was a poaching incident, he said it was too early to draw such a conclusion.

The carcasses have been sent for post-mortem.

According to a census conducted by the forest department in May 2009, there were 40 tigers in and around Ranthambore National Park and Sawai Madhopur wildlife sanctuary.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/552446_Two-tiger-cubs-found-dead-in-Ranthambhore-Park

CBI probe into Panna tiger disappearance sought

Bhopal, Mar 7 (PTI) The Madhya Pradesh Forest Department has sought a CBI probe into the disappearance of tiger population from Panna Tiger Reserve in the state.

"We have sent our request to the state government for a CBI inquiry into the disappearance of big cats from the Panna Tiger Reserve," Madhya Pradesh Forest Minister Sartaj Singh told PTI today.

"Now the state government will forward our request to the Centre for the CBI probe into missing of tigers from the Panna reserve," he added.

The Forest Department has sought the CBI probe after an Experts committee formed by it to look into the disappearance of tigers submitted its report a week back with one of its seven members reportedly not putting his signature on it following differences.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/552137_CBI-probe-into-tiger-disappearance-sought

Tiger kills girls, injures four others

Bahraich, Mar 5 (PTI) A 12-year-old girl was killed and four others, including her mother were injured by a tiger in Mayraha village near Katarniyaghat wildlife sanctuary here.

The animal attacked the victim while she was working in an agriculture field yesterday. Four others were injured in the incident as they rushed to save the girl from the beast.

The incident evoked a strong reaction from locals who held a forest department team hostage, which had visited the area late in the night.

Senior forest department officials said that body of the girl has been sent for post mortem examination and the injured have been admitted to hospital.

Ex gratia was being provided to her family members while monetary help is being provided to the injured for treatment, they said.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/548811_Tiger-kills-girls--injures-four-others

Corbet lost 15 tigers in last four years

New Delhi, March 3:
The year 2009 has been very bad for tigers in their world famous habitat, the Corbet Tiger Reserve, with six of the big cats dying or being killed, the Lok Sabha was informed today.
The new year has also reported two deaths so far.
Minister for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh told the Lok Sabha in a written reply that 2007 had also seen five deaths of tigers due to poaching or natural causes.
In 2008, two tigers were killed.
Thus a total 15 tigers died in the Corbet National Park in the last four years.
He said poaching of other animals in the national park like elephants and spotted deer and seizure of their body parts had also been reported.
Replying to a question on conservation of Asiatic lions, the Minister said the Gujarat Government had submitted a project 'A Plan for consolidating long-term conservation of Asiatic lions in the greater Gir region' which demands Rs 236.17 crore with the Central Government share being 90 per cent.
He said the Ministry had requested the Planning Commission to provide additional funds under a centrally sponsored scheme 'Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitat' for the Gujarat proposal.
Mr Ramesh said the state was provided Rs 32 lakh and Rs 92.08 lakh in 2008-09 and 2009-10 respectively for lion conservation.

http://www.centralchronicle.com/viewnews.asp?articleID=28544

EVERY TIGER, NATION’S CONSCIENCE

The principle cog in the food and ecological cycle, with every tiger gone, the entire country's survival is at stake. Beware India. Protect the big cat in the wild. Hardnews joins the campaign to protect the most majestic and magnificent creature in the animal kingdom
Akash Bisht Delhi

February 14 this year marked the beginning of the Chinese Year of the Tiger. Ironically, the majestic species faces serious threats of extinction owing to a speculated increase in the obsessive and irrational Chinese demand for tiger parts in its namesake year.

Conservationists believe that the year poses direct, sinister and organised threat to tiger populations across the globe. The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), during its investigation on the sale of tiger parts in China, confirmed with traders that the demand for tiger parts is bound to see an unprecedented surge.

http://www.hardnewsmedia.com/2010/03/3472

Ramesh tells Karnataka to stop mining in tiger zone

A cabinet decision by Karnataka's BJP government to open up the state's forests, including the Bandipur tiger reserve, for mining has evoked a stern warning from environment and forests minister Jairam Ramesh.

In a letter to Karnataka chief minister B. S. Yeddyurappa, Ramesh has said dereserving any forest land can be done only with the prior permission of the ministry of environment and forests.

Ramesh said: "The ministry has not been consulted by the state. Though the state government might have given permission, the final authority for diversion of forest land for non- forestry (including mining) purposes is the Union ministry of environment and forests." The Karnataka cabinet decided to dereserve 13,960 sq km of forest land in the districts of Bellary, Shimoga and Mysore to allow mining there. This is said to have been done keeping in mind the requirements of the Laxmi Mittal headed Arcelor- Mittal group, whom Yeddyurappa is wooing to set up a steel plant in Karnataka.

The move will also benefit friends of Karnataka's powerful tourism and infrastructure minister G. Janardhan Reddy, who is known to be close to Lok Sabha opposition leader Sushma Swaraj.

Yeddyurappa and state home minister V. S. Acharya justified the decision as environment friendly. They said the area identified for mining would be right next to steel plants and would thus reduce the impact of transporting ore to the factory.

Acharya also said the move to de- reserve was taken in conjunction with the Centre.

Ramesh denied Acharya's claim. He said he had come to know about the decision through media reports and after several Karnataka MPs had registered their protest over the move.

"All decisions to be initiated by the companies following the decision of the state government must necessarily get prior approval from the Union ministry of environment and forests," his letter to Yeddyurappa stated.

Prior to this, Ramesh had written to Goa chief minister Digambar Kamat imposing a moratorium on all mining in the state, till a minerals policy was worked out by the Congress government there.

Kamat has been trying to control the mining mafia in Goa, which has allegedly destroyed about 90 km of Goa's 100- km beaches.

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/86203/India/Ramesh+tells+Karnataka+to+stop+mining+in+tiger+zone.html

Sathyamangalam in TN could be a tiger reserve

CHENNAI: As the magnificent big striped cats are being repeatedly spotted in the jungles of Sathyamangalam sanctuary, the state government will soon take efforts to turn it into a tiger reserve. Last week, there were as many as five direct sightings during an official survey.

In the six-day carnivore sign survey taken up by the state forest department, five tigers were directly sighted by foresters and volunteers involved in the census in Hasanur and Bhavanisagar ranges of Sathyamangalam forest division, adjoining the Mudumalai and Bandipur tiger reserves. The survey team has also found evidence that there could be four more tigers roaming these forests.

When state forest minister N Selvaraj visited Sathyamangalam, the division’s forest officials briefed him on the need to make it a tiger reserve as there was solid and clinching evidence that the tigers have made the scrub jungles their home over the past few years. “Yes, I was told about the importance of Sathyamangalam forests and the need to make it a tiger reserve. We will certainly consider it,” Selvaraj told TOI.

Sathyamangalam forests link the Eastern and Western Ghats allowing gene flow between diverse populations of the two habitats. Incidentally, the Karnataka forest department has sent a proposal to make Biligiri Rangaswamy (BR) Wildlife Sanctuary, contiguous to Sathyamangalam, as a tiger reserve, officials note.
Tamil Nadu already has three tiger reserves in Kalakad-Mundanthurai, Mudumalai and Anamalai. Sathyamangalam which has been in the spotlight for the past five years for sighting of tigers could be the fourth.

Interestingly, tigers were sighted in Kodaikanal forests after a long time during the six-day survey that concluded on Thursday. A tigress and her cub were spotted playing in the wild. The forest officials are sifting through columns of data scouring for clear evidence to work out an estimate of the tiger numbers based on indirect evidence like pug marks, scats and scratches.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Sathyamangalam-could-be-a-tiger-reserve/articleshow/5629661.cms