Declare Nagzira as tiger reserve, urge conservationists

NAGPUR: With the high-powered state and NTCA committee expressing itself against diversion of land for expansion of Adani Power Maharashtra Limited (APML) in Tiroda, the old demand of declaring Nagzira a tiger reserve has emerged strongly from local naturalists as well as wildlife conservationists.

Greens from Bhandara and Gondia districts told TOI it was a decade-old demand and they would once again push for Nagzira as a new tiger reserve. The individuals and groups said they would now request MoEF ministerJairam Ramesh and PCCF (wildlife) to declare Nagzira as a tiger reserve.

"The 152 sq km Nagzira is rich in wildlife and has tigers. If adjoining Umarzari forest under the FDCM is added, it can be the best tiger reserve in the state. There are several natural water bodies and a habitat ideally needed for wild cats. The biggest advantage is that there are no villages to be relocated in Umarzari area," stressed Rajkamal Job, former honorary wildlife warden and chief of Bhandara Nisarg Mandal.

He felt that Adani power plant at Tiroda should not be expanded as it fell within critical distance of Nagzira and would be detrimental for it. Mukund Dhurve, chief of Gondia Nisarg Mandal, echoed the same feeling.

"If the reserve comes through, it will boost wildlife tourism in Gondia. Gondia-Bhandara MP Praful Patel should take initiative to convince Ramesh to declare Nagzira as state's 5th tiger reserve. We will write to the respective authorities," he opined.

Dhurve claimed presence of six tigers in Nagzira but a tiger reserve with appended area viz. Nagzira, Chorkhamara, Umarzari, Koka and Amgaon had potential to accommodate at least 18-20 tigers. He felt that four-laning of NH-6 had already caused damage to Nagzira-Navegaon corridor and expansion of Adani power plant should not be allowed at any cost.

On September 8, 2009, Ramesh has written to chief minister regarding submission of proposal of Nagzira tiger reserve. "There is a strong case to declare Nagzira a tiger reserve. We will renew this demand with Patel.

The Adani plant is close to the sanctuary from south side but whether it will affect Nagzira is a matter of study. Yet, it should be upgraded as a national park and subsequently a tiger reserve. The move will bring in more funds for tigers," said Sunil Dhote of Nagzira Foundation, Gondia. Prof Ashok Gaidhani of Global Nature Club, Sakoli, said repeated requests to create Nagzira tiger reserve had fallen on deaf ears.

"Administrative and political will is needed. We will push the demand once again with the committee going against Adani expansion," he said. "There should be a public hearing for further expansion of the power project where we will express views," he added
.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Declare-Nagzira-as-tiger-reserve-urge-conservationists/articleshow/6302932.cms

Poacher held with tiger's claw in Uttar Pradesh

A poacher was nabbed with a tiger's claw near a forest area in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur district Saturday, officials said.

Dinesh Kumar, was nabbed by a team of forest officials, who found him moving suspiciously near the Dudhwa forest reserve, some 200 km from Lucknow.

'The claw recovered from him is of a sub-adult tiger,' Divisional Forest Officer Shailesh Prasad told reporters in Lakhimpur.

'Our officials are trying to gather more information related to the illegal wildlife trade from the man, who has been booked under multiple sections of the Wildlife Protection Act (WPA),' he added.

According to sources, the man has admitted that he has been into the illegal wildlife trade for nearly last five years.

Dudhwa, one of the country's largest tiger reserve, had 106 tigers as per the last census.

http://sify.com/news/poacher-held-with-tiger-s-claw-in-uttar-pradesh-news-national-kioxObddcdf.html

No tourist entry inside core tiger territory

LUCKNOW: Tourism will have to be kept out from tiger havens. The National Tiger Conservation Authority's (NTCA) latest instructions to field directors of tiger reserves could be a reaction to what MP government had ordered recently -- opening tiger reserves, sanctuaries and all parks to tourism to the extent that tourists do not have access to the forest guard posts deep inside a tiger area.

The letter issued by Rajesh Gopal, member secretary, National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), on Thursday, reads: "Patrolling camps/chowkis/watch towers inside a tiger reserve (core as well as buffer) should not be used for accommodating tourists or facilitating tourism. As these structures have been constructed under Project Tiger, for the sole purpose of accommodating the frontline field staff (at places with wireless), it needs to be ensured that they are solely used for patrolling/anti-poaching work."

The letter has reached officials at Dudhwa. "Tourism inside core area or any such part of reserve where tiger population is based cannot be allowed," said an official. The humans and external influence will disturb tigers which are known to be "reclusive". Even if a tiger population is thriving in certain pockets of a buffer area, it should be sealed against human interference. Besides, human interference in core area can also jeopardise safety of humans entering it, leave alone disturbance to the big cats.

NTCA highlights the concern. "Tourists allowed to patrol in critical tiger habitat areas will not only disturb tigers but also jeopardise safety of tourists. Besides, exposing tourists to sensitive patrolling routes/paths/spatial presence of animals and patrolling strategy will make habitat vulnerable by exposing such details which may be confidential for apprehending poachers," states the letter. It might, however, be difficult to check that no poacher disguised as a tourist enters the core area.

The tourism zone within a tiger reserve is demarcated in the management plan. Any change in it can be made only by permission of chief wildlife warden of the state. Also, since reserves get their funding from the Central government, the Centre will have an over-riding effect. Dudhwa reserve has about 110 sq km area identified as tourist zone. The new management plan is getting ready for the next 10 years. To keep up with the increase in flow of tourists, some new tourist spots might be identified. Though officials said it was too early to confirm that.

In keeping with NTCA's reiteration that provisions under section 38V of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, should be implemented for ensuring inviolate status of critical tiger habitat, UP has done its bid. On June 9 this year, government issued a notification on the same. Total 1093.79 sq km area, including 490.29 sq km of Dudhwa national park, 203.41 sq km of Kishenpur wildlife sanctuary and 400.09 sq km of Katarniaghat wildlife sanctuary, have been notified as critical tiger habitat of Dudhwa. It will be kept inviolate for conservation of tigers without affecting the rights of STs and

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/No-tourist-entry-inside-core-tiger-territory/articleshow/6312801.cms

Private forest safari vehicles face ban in Karnataka

Tourists staying in private resorts and hotels will soon have to stand in queues to use vehicles of the forest department or Jungle Lodges to go on safaris in tiger reserves.

This follows a proposal by the state wildlife board to ban the entry of private safari vehicles in tiger reserves.

The board made the suggestion after reviewing the increasing pressure of tourist vehicles on forest land. The state government is expected to implement the decision soon.

Private resort firms are unhappy and say this will affect eco-tourism and their business. Shiva Kumar, manager of Tusker Trails, a private resort in the fringes of Bandipur tiger reserve, said “This is a wrong decision. Tourists usually don’t opt for government vehicles as they are not generally good.”

Ashwin Pinto, operations manager of Cicada Resorts, Bandipur, saidtourists preferred the services of private resorts to government agencies.

“This decision, if implemented, will also hamper tourist operations. During peak season, we receive around 800 guests,” he said.

But experts said the ban was necessary to cap the mushrooming of private resorts in the fringes of forests.

Wildlife board committee member and assistant director of Wildlife Conservation Society-India Programme Sanjay Gubbi said their aim was to phase out the increasing number of vehicles inside forest areas.

In Kabini, for instance, the entry of vehicles is restricted to 21. The aim is to put such curbs on all national parks and sanctuaries, depending on the road distance for safari and the forest’s carrying capacity.

Increasing vehicular pollution had affected the health of wild animals, experts said.

http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report_private-forest-safari-vehicles-face-ban-in-karnataka_1423990

Tiger attacks man near Bhiwapur

NAGPUR: Close on the heels of a tiger injuring a shepherd in Kitadi forest in Bhiwapur forest range recently, one more person was attacked near the same spot on Thursday evening. The place is 65 km from Nagpur.

According to conservator of forests for Nagpur Division, the attack took place around 4 pm when Raju Domaji Fofse, aged around 30 years, had gone about 5 km into the forest to graze his goats. The incident took place in compartment 450, where a shepherd was attacked earlier.

Fofse, a resident of Ranmangli village, had a miraculous escape as the tiger injured his leg leading to dislocation. The victim has been brought to the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in the evening. "We learn that Fofse went too close to the tiger despite the animal giving a warning by roaring," said Rambabu.

This is the third attack, second in 15 days in the area. Earlier, a woman Barjabai Boje of Ranmangli had died on April 18 after being attacked by a tiger while collecting mahua flowers.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Tiger-attacks-man-near-Bhiwapur/articleshow/6302833.cms

Tiger Reserve Defends Cub Decision

“The decision to keep the three orphaned cubs of the Jhurjhura tigress, killed on May 19 by a rashly driven vehicle inside the Bandhavgarh tiger reserve, in an enclosure at the same spot where they had been found as they were familiar with the area was taken during the visit of member secretary of National Tiger Conservation Authority to Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve on May 31 and June 1.”

This has been pointed out in a letter written to Mr Rajesh Gopal, the member secretary of NTCA by the field director, Bandhagarh Tiger Reserve, Chandrakant Patil on Thursday. In his letter, sent after one of the orphaned cubs was found dead, Mr Patil has said that the area is hilly and due to this reason it was difficult to put up a chainlink fence. This is also a favourite spot of tigers because of the presence of large number of caves in the area.
A 3-kilometre-long Chainlink fencing was prepared to enclose about 45.208 hectare area. A machan (watch tower) was also constructed near the Jhurjhura pond and the cubs were given feed near this place. After the commencement of monsoon, the cubs were not visiting this place regularly since July 27. They were, however, seen near a cave on July 28 morning by Mahaout (elephant rider) Ramzan and Jannu along with beat guard Gohadi.
Mr Patil has further said in his letter that on August 6 at about 8.30 pm, the range officer, Tala, informed him that he had seen some bones within the enclosed area and was wondering whether or not these were the bones of a tiger cub.
The next morning, they reached the spot where the bones had been sighted.

http://www.asianage.com/india/tiger-reserve-defends-cub-decision-915