TALA (BANDHAVGARH): All is not well with Bandhavgarh National Park. Just five months after a big cat was killed in a car crash right inside the park, a tigress was allegedly poisoned by local villagers and a male tiger was found with severe injury, apparently following a territory fight.
Around two weeks ago, a tigress, known as Aamnullahwali Sherni, was allegedly poisoned by a resident of Malagaon — a village bordering the reserve — after it killed one of his goats. According to forest officials, the animal had killed and eaten a portion of the goat and left the rest near a bush to have it later. The villager, Rewa Burman, found the carcass and allegedly laced it with poison, knowing that the tigress would return to her kill. After a few hours, a forest patrol found the unconscious tigress in the Kathli beat of Tala range. Senior officers, including forest department veterinarian Nitin Gupta, rushed to the spot. The tigress was administered an injection and soon it regained consciousness. "It's now doing quite fine," said range officer (tourism) S C Pandey.
"Initially we had thought that the animal was ill. But then our vet examined it and decided that the tigress had been poisoned. It had vomited copiously and maybe we could save it because of that only," Pandey added. The vomit samples have been sent to the forensic laboratory in Sagar, Madhya Pradesh. The reports, however, are yet to reach Bandhavgarh, said the range officer.
Burman, meanwhile, has been languishing behind bars — in judicial custody. "It's the forest department which has prosecuted him and the charges under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act are non-bailable," said V C Verma, superintendent of police, Umaria district.
A section of villagers, however, claim that Burman is a just a scapegoat. "The tigress got caught in the wire fencing put up by the forest department while trying to enter the village. The forest officials are trying to cover it up and showing it as a case of poisoning," said a villager, refusing to reveal his identity.
The range officer, however, rejected the claim. "There was no injury mark on the tigress, which was lying unconscious. Its front legs had been tied up with a rope before it was administered the injection. And just a few minutes after the antidote was injected, the animal gained such strength that it snapped the rope and jumped away," said Pandey, who incidentally was not on the spot.
What kind of poison do the villagers use to kill the big cats? And what drugs are used to treat a poisoned tiger? The range officer is not aware. "Dr Gupta would be able to tell you," he says. But unfortunately, Gupta could not be contacted.
Wildlife painter Mahesh Jangam, who hails from Rajasthan's Ranthambore and runs an art school in Bandhavgarh, seems better-informed. "Generally, the villagers use a strong pesticide called Aldrin to kill the tigers. It's the same poison that had been used to kill two cubs in Ranthambore in March this year," he says.
Meanwhile, a male tiger has been found in Tala range with a four-inch wound on its neck. The tiger, identified as 13-year-old B2, is under observation. "But it could not be treated so far," says a forest official. The department came to know about the injury on October 29. "Later, trackers on elephant managed to spot it, but every time, the tiger managed to run away. And the wound is difficult to heal since it's on the neck and the animal cannot lick it," the official added. "It was probably injured in a territory fight with some other male tiger," said a forest guide.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
India bhutan to jointly monitor Manas tigers
India, Bhutan to jointly monitor Manas tigers
ROOPAK GOSWAMI
Manas National Park
Guwahati, Nov. 10: The forest authorities of India and Bhutan have agreed to start a joint initiative to “camera trap” tigers moving across the international border from November 20, marking the beginning of a new chapter in cooperation between the two countries for wildlife conservation.
This was decided at a meeting between representatives of Manas National Park India and Royal Manas National Park Bhutan at Bansbari in Manas today. The idea behind the exercise is to monitor the movement of tigers between the two parks having contiguous areas.
The field director of Manas National Park, A. Swargiari, told this correspondent that both the countries had decided to go ahead with the joint camera trapping from November 20. “This is a historic day for both the countries in wildlife cooperation, and both sides have assured their support,” he said.
Around 450 square km will be covered on both sides of the boundary and the exercise will continue for two months. In Manas India, the areas covered would be Bansbari and Bhuyanpara while in Bhutan, authorities would be covering the Manas range of Royal Manas National Park.
Bivash Pandav from WWF International, who was present at the meeting, said the results of the first-ever joint camera trapping should be out by February and a joint report would be brought out. “This would be the biggest area covered jointly with another country,” he said.
Royal Manas National Park manager Tenzi Wangchuk represented Bhutan, which has provided full support to the exercise.
The meeting discussed the concept of Greater Manas which has already got the support from World Heritage Committee. The need for trans-border property cooperation and for having regular joint meetings was also discussed. A resolution was passed for conservation of greater Manas landscape.
While Manas India has an area of 500 square km, Royal Manas Bhutan covers 1,057 square km and tigers move from Phibsoo wildlife sanctuary in Bhutan to Manas tiger reserve, Buxa tiger reserve and Jaldapara wildlife sanctuary in India.
Standard monitoring protocol will be followed for the entire exercise, a senior forest official said.
The meeting also discussed the idea of having a similar exercise for monitoring elephants.
Apart from WWF, Aaranyak and Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment also rendered their support.
The World Heritage Committee has been saying that the co-operation was highly valuable and even necessary for wildlife conservation for which Manas was inscribed on the World Heritage List.
The Royal Manas National Park, Bhutan has been saying that disturbance on the Indian side affects them and working together would be beneficial to both sides.
ROOPAK GOSWAMI
Manas National Park
Guwahati, Nov. 10: The forest authorities of India and Bhutan have agreed to start a joint initiative to “camera trap” tigers moving across the international border from November 20, marking the beginning of a new chapter in cooperation between the two countries for wildlife conservation.
This was decided at a meeting between representatives of Manas National Park India and Royal Manas National Park Bhutan at Bansbari in Manas today. The idea behind the exercise is to monitor the movement of tigers between the two parks having contiguous areas.
The field director of Manas National Park, A. Swargiari, told this correspondent that both the countries had decided to go ahead with the joint camera trapping from November 20. “This is a historic day for both the countries in wildlife cooperation, and both sides have assured their support,” he said.
Around 450 square km will be covered on both sides of the boundary and the exercise will continue for two months. In Manas India, the areas covered would be Bansbari and Bhuyanpara while in Bhutan, authorities would be covering the Manas range of Royal Manas National Park.
Bivash Pandav from WWF International, who was present at the meeting, said the results of the first-ever joint camera trapping should be out by February and a joint report would be brought out. “This would be the biggest area covered jointly with another country,” he said.
Royal Manas National Park manager Tenzi Wangchuk represented Bhutan, which has provided full support to the exercise.
The meeting discussed the concept of Greater Manas which has already got the support from World Heritage Committee. The need for trans-border property cooperation and for having regular joint meetings was also discussed. A resolution was passed for conservation of greater Manas landscape.
While Manas India has an area of 500 square km, Royal Manas Bhutan covers 1,057 square km and tigers move from Phibsoo wildlife sanctuary in Bhutan to Manas tiger reserve, Buxa tiger reserve and Jaldapara wildlife sanctuary in India.
Standard monitoring protocol will be followed for the entire exercise, a senior forest official said.
The meeting also discussed the idea of having a similar exercise for monitoring elephants.
Apart from WWF, Aaranyak and Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment also rendered their support.
The World Heritage Committee has been saying that the co-operation was highly valuable and even necessary for wildlife conservation for which Manas was inscribed on the World Heritage List.
The Royal Manas National Park, Bhutan has been saying that disturbance on the Indian side affects them and working together would be beneficial to both sides.
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