A House for Mr T-12 - Another controversy around shifting of Tiger to Sariska

So why did the Rajasthan forest department shift a 'wrong' tiger to the Sariska Tiger Reserve, endangering the animal, destroying the 'social structure' of both the reserves, and perhaps betraying the original experiment of tiger conservation?
Akash Bisht Delhi

A day after a new tiger (T-12) from Ranthambore Tiger Reserve (RTR) was introduced in the Sariska Tiger Reserve (STR), wildlife experts in RTR have raised doubts about the procedure involved in selecting the tiger. Many believe that the entire selection process has been nothing but shoddy and the Rajasthan wildlife department has much more to reveal than what meets the eye. The STR reserve had earlier set a rather unfortunate record in tiger conservation whereby all its tigers had disappeared, mostly poached, with the administration playing blind and deaf.

Dharmendra Kandhal, a field biologist in RTR, raised concerns about the entire selection process. "Scat (excreta) samples of tigers were sent to Bangalore for DNA tests to avoid genetic incompatibility. The area from where this tiger was selected was regularly frequented by more than eight tigers -- so how did the forest department determine which scats belonged to whom," he said.
Another wildlife expert corroborated the fact. The forest department was unable to locate the tiger they intended to shift to STR, he claimed. Hence, "in a last minute effort" T-12 was tranquilised and moved to avoid embarrassment.

KK Garg, Field Director, STR, confirmed the news: "We had zeroed down on two tigers. When we were unable to locate the first one, we decided to go with this one." He mentioned that the two tigers --T12 and T33 - had been selected after DNA tests were done by the National Centre for Biological Science in Bangalore.

Shockingly, Kandhal reveals that T-33 wasn't even among the short-listed tigers. Apparently, that forest department moved the tigers in an unusual hurry. He said, "The problem was that Jairam Ramesh was already there and so was the team from Wildlife Institute of India. To save themselves from humiliation, the forest department decided to dart the other tiger they didn't intend to."

Additionally, according to National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) guidelines, male tigers between 2 to 4 years and females between 2 to 3 years who are independent of the mother but are yet to establish their territory should be chosen for translocation. The guideline reads: "This age group is ideal for translocation as removal of these individuals may not result in disruptions to the source population (turnover of males, territorial fights, infanticide etc). They also have a high reproductive potential and are ideal for starting a new population. Breeding individuals from host populations should not be translocated."

Kandhal says that the newly relocated tiger is between the age group of 6 to 7 years and has a territory of his own in the core area. "Instead of choosing a sub-adult who doesn't have a territory of his own, the forest department went ahead with T-12. Why has the Rajasthan forest department flouted the NTCA guideline and shifted a tiger that could threaten the host population? They are compromising with the social structure of RTR and it will have an adverse implication on the tiger population of the park," Kandhal says.

Meanwhile, the newly shifted tiger has been kept in a one hectare enclosure and would be released once it gets acclimatised. Experts have mentioned that since the relocated tiger isn't a sub-adult and has a territory of its own in RTR, its 'homing instinct' could drive the predator back to its original habitat.

Recently, a tiger relocated to Panna Tiger Reserve (MP) walked 400 kms through hills, fields, human habitations and rivers towards his home at Pench Tiger Reserve (MP) before authorities caught him and transferred it back to Panna. The "homing instinct" is the animal's capability to perceive direction and helps the animal to return home. Experts believe that this unusual trait could be attributed to the animal's sensitivity to the earth's magnetic field. "The tigers shifted to Sariska earlier had no territory and frequented the peripheral forests so they didn't display such instincts. However, with this male, the Panna episode could well be repeated again," concludes Kandhal.

The distance between STR and RTR is 200 kms. However, experts say, since there is no forest or animal corridors between, the tiger's life can be endangered.

http://www.hardnewsmedia.com/2010/07/3625

NGO demands protection of TATR corridor

CHANDRAPUR: Eco-Pro organisation has taken up the demand for protection and conservation of fast depleting tiger corridor between Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) and the Indrawati tiger project in Andhra Pradesh. A delegation of the organisation brought the various aspects posing a threat to the tiger corridor to the notice of Union minister for forest and environment Jairam Ramesh and member secretary of National Tiger Conservation Authority Rajesh Gopal in New Delhi a couple of days back.

President of Eco-Pro Bandu Dhotre said that a continuous stretch of jungle from TATR passing through Lohara, Junona, Ballarpur, Kothari Dhaba forest areas in Chandrapur district connects it to the Chaprala sanctuary in Gadchiroli district and further to the Indrawati tiger project across the border in Andhra Pradesh. He claimed that there are around 50 tigers in the jungles of Chandrapur district, apart from in TATR.

"This continuous stretch of forest land, though thinned at some places, acts as a corridor for tigers and other wild animals up to Indrawati tiger reserve in Andhra Pradesh. However, tree felling by FDCM authorities in Dhaba forest range and illegal felling and increasing traffic on the roads intersecting the forest areas are causing hindrance to the movement of wildlife and disturbing the corridor," said Dhotre.

He claimed that tigers had vanished from Chaprala way back in 2000. However, a pair of tiger has reappeared in this sanctuary this year, thanks to the same corridor after nine long years. "Any disturbance in this corridor would be detrimental to the wildlife and its movement," he said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/NGO-demands-protection-of-TATR-corridor/articleshow/6208616.cms

NTCA Team To Check 39 Reserves On Various Parameters

LUCKNOW: The eight tiger reserves identified to be lying in naxalite affected belt of the country will go in for management effectiveness evaluation this August. The three-member team of experts constituted by NTCA will start from Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam (Andhra Pradesh) on August 10 and move on to Palamau (Jharkhand), Similipal, Satkosia (Orissa), Indravati, Achanakmar, Udanti-Sitanadi (Chhattisgarh) and Valmiki (Bihar).

"We have to visit five states -- Orissa, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand. We have planned to give at least a month to one state," said R L Singh, former director, Project Tiger, GoI and the chairman of one of the five committees set up for evaluation of reserves. National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), in May, had come up with the project. It has roped in wildlife experts, researchers, conservationists and activists to field visit all 39 reserves in the country and evaluate the effectiveness of their management plans.

The meeting of the study-teams and project tiger officials held on July 7 worked out the nitty-gritties of the project. The project report is to be submitted by December, 2010. The ever rising man-animal conflict, increasing incidents of wildlife crime, poaching threat and subsequent decline in number of tigers has led NTCA to design the said project. "A decade back there were 4 crore tribals living in forests, their number now has shot up to 11 crore," said Singh.

Singh, along with two members of the committee -- one from forest research institute and other from WII -- will evaluate Cluster-III reserves, all of which lie in naxal-affected areas. All 39 tiger reserves of the country have been divided into five clusters, state-wise and region-wise, for evaluation. The five committees, each having a chairperson and two members, will monitor the reserves on Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) framework and assessment criteria independently.

"Prime focus would be on figuring out if there is a sizable, breedable population of tigers present in reserves," said Singh. The status of the staff, water conservation and prey base will also be studied. The management plans for different reserves can then be changed on the basis of the project report with their basic plan being same.

The management evaluation will include finding out if the staff posted at the reserve is trained and if it is deployed in sufficient number. The vegetation in reserve area, if it is more of weeds or palatable grasses, will also be checked to understand technique for regeneration of indigenous vegetation.

The committees will have to see whether the funds allocated to reserves are being used effectively for meeting the objectives of management as laid down in the respective tiger conservation plans. Besides, what activities have been taken up by people living within and on the periphery of the reserve area, status of poaching, cattle-lifting incidents, amount of compensation decided for the victims of tiger attacks by different states and efforts taken up the states for village translocation will all be evaluated independently for each reserve.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/NTCA-Team-To-Check-39-Reserves-On-Various-Parameters/articleshow/6207481.cms

NDA takes up the cause of tigers

PUNE: Moved by the dwindling number of tigers in the country, the National Defence Academy (NDA) here has joined hands with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to take up the cause of the big cats.

"Many of our cadets are dedicated to environmental issues and often take up related activities. They are now eager to work on concrete projects, which could create awareness on a larger level about the need to save tigers," NDA officials said.

"The academy conducts various activities regarding environment protection. It has ensured thriving of the flora and fauna on the 8,300-acre land near the Mutha river (Khadakwasla lake)," officials said.

"The tie-up with the WWF has been planned by Major Bhagirath Dey, public relations officer. The joint programme will emphasise on activities that will create awareness about the falling number of tigers and the importance of saving them."

A national-level signature campaign has been planned as part of the activities, Dey said. "A cross-country run and a photo exhibition dedicated to tigers are also on the cards. There are also plans to take WWF's help to maintain the rich and wild habitat at the NDA."

Meanwhile, wildlife experts feel that efforts at the government level are needed to deal with the problem of reducing numbers of tiger.

"Killing of tigers is an international issue," wildlife expert Shekhar Nanajkar said. "The problem is big in our country and strict measures by the government can help fight the problem."

V B Sawarkar, member of the expert committee on evaluation and monitoring of tiger reserves, Government of India, said that the problem can be addressed with the help of such campaigns. "Youngsters can use modern methods of communication to spread awareness."

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/NDA-takes-up-the-cause-of-tigers/articleshow/6207220.cms