Corrupt cops implicate activist as abettor in Goa Tiger Killing case

Panaji: The investigation into the last year's tiger killing in the state, has named state’s renowned environmentalist Rajendra Kerkar as abettor in the crime as he (Kerkar) did not reveal the source of information.

The investigation document mentions that Kerkar, who initially exposed the case through a newspaper, did not reveal the source of information and claimed it as a "secret source."

The State government has got the formal confirmation about the tiger killing from the Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India (WII). It has confirmed that the animal killed in the forest of Keri village, 60 kms away from here, was a tiger. The tiger poaching case was brought to light by Kerkar through his writing in the newspaper and had carried the picture of an animal carcass lying between two boulders.

"He had to be made abettor as he was not cooperating with the officers. Initially for almost one-and-half-months, we were scouting through vast jungle to get a clue based on the photograph carried in the newspaper," a senior Forest officer said. The tiger was killed in last week of February last year, the incident was reported in April.

The Forest Department has said that they had made Kerkar as abettor as they wanted to confirm the computer in which the picture of tiger was downloaded. "Kerkar also claimed that the tiger was seen in the area for last two years and it had killed the cattle. We wanted to see whether there were any report of cattle killed during the period," the officer stated.

Forest Department has already zeroed on two accused belonging to Majik community who allegedly shot the wounded tiger who had got entangled in the wire snares. When questioned Chief Conservator of Forest Shashi Kumar said that he would not like to comment on Kerkar being made abettor as 'case is being investigated.’

Kerkar said today that the Forest Department’s action was expected. "The department is more interested in covering up the incident," he alleged.

He said that as a journalist, he had carried the picture in the newspaper and had not told about the origin of picture so as to protect the source.

http://www.zeenews.com/news602781.html

Tiger census in Madhya Pradesh starts Wednesday

Seven months after the shocking revelation that the Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh had no tiger left, the state is set to conduct the a much-awaited big cat census.

The census was originally scheduled Jan 18-23. However, the task would now be undertaken Feb 10-16 and after the collection and compilation of data, a report would be submitted to the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) by March 10.

"The tiger census, which was initially slated to start Jan 18, was postponed as the state was witnessing three-tier panchayat polls during the period," said Chief Conservator of Forest (Coordination) Shivendu Srivastava.

The project of wild animal census 2009-10 is being undertaken on the directive of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), New Delhi, Srivastava said, adding that the officials of the state "spearhead team" were trained for the purpose in Ranthambhore (Rajasthan) Oct 21-23 last year.

After the sudden disappearance of tigers from the Panna Tiger Reserve, the WII conducted an intensive tiger census at the reserve from November 2008 to June 2009. Initially only one tiger was traced and that too disappeared later.

Some other famous tiger reserves in the state include Kanha, Bandhavgarh an

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/the-good-earth/Tiger-census-in-Madhya-Pradesh-starts-Wednesday-/articleshow/5553264.cms

Maneaters on loose around Corbett park ?

About this time last February, the Corbett National Reserve declared a tiger a maneater. The big cat had killed a woman in the buffer zone. It was yet another testimony in blood to a rise in the man-animal conflict. Last Friday, the reserve again awoke to the news of a tiger attack on humans. Three local youths had been walking along the park boundary when they were attacked. One of them was wounded and is undergoing treatment at the Forest Hospital in Haldwani. The reserve was already neck deep in questions raised by the mysterious death of four tigers within one-and-a-half months. Friday's attack has added another to the long list: Was there a maneater on prowl? Tigers are recorded to have killed more people than any other big cat. But unlike leopards and lions, maneating tigers rarely enter human habitations in order to acquire prey. The majority of victims are reportedly in the tiger's territory when the attack takes place. Ranjan Kumar Mishra, the director of the Jim Corbett National Park, said it cannot yet be termed a deliberate attack on humans. "The tiger must have been on the prowl when the three went into the forest," he said. But the recovery of a body on Saturday, apparently mauled by a wild animal, has deepened doubts. "It seems some wild animal had attacked the man. Flesh had been eaten off his back. But we believe it was a leopard that had attacked as pugmarks found next to the body indicated," a forest official said. Early on Monday, blood stains were found on a pathway in the park. This raised fears that a third attack had taken place, although officials said they were "not necessarily human blood stains". According to wildlife enthusiast Ajay Suri, the attacks were the result of a rise in human incursion into animal territory. "Five star hotels have come up around the area. Such structures have blocked the movement of wild animals. ...Four tigers have died and the authorities still don't know why they died," said Suri who was shooting for a film on tigers in the reserve. Forest officials said they were trying to ascertain why the tigers had died. "Of the four tiger deaths, only one is suspicious. Three tigers seem to have died of natural causes -- old age or fights. In the fourth case, though, we are awaiting the results of the viscera examination. Poisoning or other reasons cannot be ruled out in that case," an official said. Mishra could not be contacted for his comments on the fourth case, but other officials confirmed that viscera of the dead tigers had been sent to the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) in Bareilly. "It normally takes IVRI about a month to prepare their reports. We are awaiting their reports," a Corbett official said.

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/83274/India/Maneaters+on+loose.html

Man-animal conflict: Corbett Park officials seek help

Aligarh, Feb 9 (PTI) Faced with mounting public anger over attacks by tigers in areas adjoining the Jim Corbett National Park, authorities have placed a cage inside the forest to trap the man-eaters and sought the help of people in tackling the problem.

A woman was recently killed and three youths were injured in two separate incidents of tiger attacks in the sanctuary area, officials said.

After protesting villagers blocked roads in the past few days demanding adequate safety measures, park authorities sought to mollify them and conceded to their demands by placing a cage inside the forest to trap the man-eaters.

"We have put in place a crisis management plan and two teams of forest rangers are now patrolling roads passing through the park to prevent any further attacks," Deputy Director of the Park, Kabi Dayal, told PTI.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/508048_Man-animal-conflict--Corbett-Park-officials-seek-help