Guwahati: An adult tigress has been found dead at Agratoli range of Kaziranga National Park in Assam, the fourth such death in this month in the sanctuary.
Park officials said the carcass of the tigress was found on Friday in a highly decomposed state.
The reason behind the death is yet to be ascertained, they said.
It is the fourth tiger carcass to be found this month in Kaziranga National Park, which is a World Heritage Site.
Earlier, carcasses of three tigers, all in decomposed state, was found at Kohora, Agratoli and Bagori ranges of the Park. Officials had claimed that all deaths were natural.
Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/four-tiger-deaths-in-one-month-in-kaziranga-67446?
Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/four-tiger-deaths-in-one-month-in-kaziranga-67446?cp
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Sariska Tiger death not due to territorial fight or gun shot: Report
JAIPUR: The postmortem report of "ST-1", a translocated tiger found dead recently at Rajasthan's Sariska reserve, has ruled out any territorial fight or poaching as the cause of the death of the big cat.
"The postmortem report says that neigther it was a territorial fight or shooting which led to the tiger's death," Principal Chief Wildife Warden H M Bhatia said.
However, he said, it is not the final report and the exact reason for its death could be known only after the FSL report comes.
The carcass of "ST-1" was found by a forest department team in Sariska sanctuary on Sunday night.
On the other hand, Bhatia claimed, link through radio signals with the missing tiger ST-4 continues and the big cat is moving in the dense forest.
"We are constantly receiving radio signals but the tiger is not visible yet as the animal is moving in dense forest," he added.
"The postmortem report says that neigther it was a territorial fight or shooting which led to the tiger's death," Principal Chief Wildife Warden H M Bhatia said.
However, he said, it is not the final report and the exact reason for its death could be known only after the FSL report comes.
The carcass of "ST-1" was found by a forest department team in Sariska sanctuary on Sunday night.
On the other hand, Bhatia claimed, link through radio signals with the missing tiger ST-4 continues and the big cat is moving in the dense forest.
"We are constantly receiving radio signals but the tiger is not visible yet as the animal is moving in dense forest," he added.
Tiger corridor linking 3 states proposed
Authorities of the Palamau Reserve, which reportedly has only six tigers left, have suggested that a new corridor linking forests of Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh be set up to give more space to the endangered animal and boost its population.
"A proposal is being sent to the Centre requesting for sanction of a corridor connecting forests in the three states, which will help increase tiger population," Field Director Paritosh Upadhaya told PTI here today.
"We have also proposed to make the 10 km radius around the 1026 square km Reserve as an eco-sensitive zone," he said.Tiger census had taken place in 60 percent of Reserve area, which had put the big cat's population at six, he said, adding, another census will be taken up in the rest of the area soon to ascertain the exact number of the tigers there.
"The Centre for Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, has confirmed the scats sent by us were of six different species of tigers," he said.
In 2007, there were 17 tigers, he said."We have sent another proposal to the government to make arrangements for a three-month training at the Forest Research Institute, Dehradoon for field officers and employees of the forest department," Upadhaya said.
The Reserve has only one wildlife expert based in Latehar's Chhipadohar and it required more experts, he said.
"A proposal is being sent to the Centre requesting for sanction of a corridor connecting forests in the three states, which will help increase tiger population," Field Director Paritosh Upadhaya told PTI here today.
"We have also proposed to make the 10 km radius around the 1026 square km Reserve as an eco-sensitive zone," he said.Tiger census had taken place in 60 percent of Reserve area, which had put the big cat's population at six, he said, adding, another census will be taken up in the rest of the area soon to ascertain the exact number of the tigers there.
"The Centre for Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, has confirmed the scats sent by us were of six different species of tigers," he said.
In 2007, there were 17 tigers, he said."We have sent another proposal to the government to make arrangements for a three-month training at the Forest Research Institute, Dehradoon for field officers and employees of the forest department," Upadhaya said.
The Reserve has only one wildlife expert based in Latehar's Chhipadohar and it required more experts, he said.
New way to track tigers in the wild to ensure survival
Washington, Nov 19 (ANI): Indian experts have discovered that it is possible to accurately predict the number of tigers in the wild by monitoring both paw prints and feces.
“Tigers are cryptic, nocturnal and occur at low densities so they are extremely difficult to monitor. Unless we know how many tigers are left in the wild, and whether their numbers are increasing or decreasing, we will not be able to conserve them,” said Dr Yadvendradev Jhala of the Wildlife Institute of India, who led the study.
The big cats are among the most threatened species in the world, with less than 3,200 left in the wild. More than half live in India.
Jhala and colleagues assessed their method by collecting paw prints and faeces at 21 forest sites in central and northern India.
“Tiger faeces are the size of large beetroot and have a characteristic pungent, musky odour. Fresh tiger faeces are normally accompanied by urine sprays that smell like well-cooked basmati rice,” said Jhala.
When they compared this data with that from camera traps at the same sites, they found they could estimate tiger numbers as accurately by using the two tiger signs as they could with camera traps, but for a fraction of the price. By showing that it is possible to accurately estimate tiger numbers from their paw prints and faeces, we have opened up a new way of cost-effectively keeping our finger on the pulse of tiger populations and gauging the success of conservation programmes.”
He added that the finding could have crucial implications for conserving tigers and other endangered species worldwide.
The study is published in the Journal of Applied Ecology. (ANI)
“Tigers are cryptic, nocturnal and occur at low densities so they are extremely difficult to monitor. Unless we know how many tigers are left in the wild, and whether their numbers are increasing or decreasing, we will not be able to conserve them,” said Dr Yadvendradev Jhala of the Wildlife Institute of India, who led the study.
The big cats are among the most threatened species in the world, with less than 3,200 left in the wild. More than half live in India.
Jhala and colleagues assessed their method by collecting paw prints and faeces at 21 forest sites in central and northern India.
“Tiger faeces are the size of large beetroot and have a characteristic pungent, musky odour. Fresh tiger faeces are normally accompanied by urine sprays that smell like well-cooked basmati rice,” said Jhala.
When they compared this data with that from camera traps at the same sites, they found they could estimate tiger numbers as accurately by using the two tiger signs as they could with camera traps, but for a fraction of the price. By showing that it is possible to accurately estimate tiger numbers from their paw prints and faeces, we have opened up a new way of cost-effectively keeping our finger on the pulse of tiger populations and gauging the success of conservation programmes.”
He added that the finding could have crucial implications for conserving tigers and other endangered species worldwide.
The study is published in the Journal of Applied Ecology. (ANI)
World leaders to gather in St.Petersburg to save the tiger
Moscow, Nov 19 (DPA) World leaders and top politicians, including from India, are set to gather in St. Petersburg Sunday in an effort to wrestle out an agreement on how to protect the world's approximately remaining 3,200 wild tigers.
The conference's organisers want the 13 countries in which the world's biggest cats still live in the wild to promise to try to double their numbers by 2022.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's guests at the four-day summit include US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, World Bank President Robert Zoellick and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.
According to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) the conference will be the first at which leaders will discuss the preservation of a single species.
The adoption of an agreement is expected to take place Tuesday.
An estimated $350 million are needed to increase the tigers' habitat and up the fight against poachers and illegal traders in tiger parts.
A tiger was poisoned in the Sariska tiger reserve in northern India, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) said Wednesday, while another was shot dead by poachers in far eastern Russia. There are only 450 left in the region.
Gamekeepers arrested the poachers, but the punishment for killing tigers remains relatively lenient. They could receive a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a fine of $20,000, according to IFAW.
'We can't save the tigers unless we combat rampant poaching, which is the single greatest threat to the survival of this species,' said Masha Vorontsova, the director of IFAW in Russia.
'The summit is a last chance for tigers,' she added. We must make sure that talk translates into concrete action and effective, binding agreements that save tigers on the ground.'
Research by the WWF and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has shown that the border region between Myanmar, Thailand and China is playing a pivotal role in the illegal trade in tiger parts.
And a report by the WWF and conservationist group TRAFFIC published Friday to coincide with the upcoming conference reported that tiger parts were being offered openly on black markets in the region, especially in parts of Myanmar not under the direct control of the government.
'Tigers are easy money for everyone from mafia types to anti-government opposition groups,' TRAFFIC's south-east Asia regional director William Schaedla said.
The markets are particularly attractive to Chinese tourists, who want to buy tiger parts for use in herbal medicines, as lucky charms or simply for their fur.
Conservationists are particularly hopeful that the US, where 10,000 tigers live in captivity, will play a large part in pushing next week's conference forward.
Clinton's presence is regarded as a token of how seriously Washington is taking the issue.
The conference's organisers want the 13 countries in which the world's biggest cats still live in the wild to promise to try to double their numbers by 2022.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's guests at the four-day summit include US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, World Bank President Robert Zoellick and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.
According to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) the conference will be the first at which leaders will discuss the preservation of a single species.
The adoption of an agreement is expected to take place Tuesday.
An estimated $350 million are needed to increase the tigers' habitat and up the fight against poachers and illegal traders in tiger parts.
A tiger was poisoned in the Sariska tiger reserve in northern India, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) said Wednesday, while another was shot dead by poachers in far eastern Russia. There are only 450 left in the region.
Gamekeepers arrested the poachers, but the punishment for killing tigers remains relatively lenient. They could receive a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a fine of $20,000, according to IFAW.
'We can't save the tigers unless we combat rampant poaching, which is the single greatest threat to the survival of this species,' said Masha Vorontsova, the director of IFAW in Russia.
'The summit is a last chance for tigers,' she added. We must make sure that talk translates into concrete action and effective, binding agreements that save tigers on the ground.'
Research by the WWF and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has shown that the border region between Myanmar, Thailand and China is playing a pivotal role in the illegal trade in tiger parts.
And a report by the WWF and conservationist group TRAFFIC published Friday to coincide with the upcoming conference reported that tiger parts were being offered openly on black markets in the region, especially in parts of Myanmar not under the direct control of the government.
'Tigers are easy money for everyone from mafia types to anti-government opposition groups,' TRAFFIC's south-east Asia regional director William Schaedla said.
The markets are particularly attractive to Chinese tourists, who want to buy tiger parts for use in herbal medicines, as lucky charms or simply for their fur.
Conservationists are particularly hopeful that the US, where 10,000 tigers live in captivity, will play a large part in pushing next week's conference forward.
Clinton's presence is regarded as a token of how seriously Washington is taking the issue.
Tiger census results to be out by month end
New Delhi, Nov 19 (IANS) The preliminary results of the tiger census will be released by the end of November, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said Friday.
'The broad preliminary numbers of the tiger population in the country will be available by the end of November. The final results will only be possible by early next year,' Ramesh told reporters here.
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.
'The broad preliminary numbers of the tiger population in the country will be available by the end of November. The final results will only be possible by early next year,' Ramesh told reporters here.
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.
Tiger deaths: BJP seeks judicial probe
JAIPUR: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has demanded a judicial inquiry into the deaths of missing tigers from the Sariska and Ranthambore tiger reserves. Demanding a white paper on the incidents from chief minister Ashok Gehlot, the BJP raised nine questions.
Taking a cue from Union forest and environment minister Jairam Ramesh's official communications with the state government on the subject, the BJP's state spokesperson Sunil Bhargava alleged on Friday the chief minister was shirking responsibility for the mysterious killings and disappearance of tigers by just suspending forest officials.
"Can the government be absolved of its inaction and carelessness, as alleged by the Union minister, in tiger conservation simply by suspending two officials," Bhargava asked.
The BJP wanted the chief minister to tell people what steps his government took on the six letters that the union forest and environment minister has dispatched to him (Gehlot) in the past six months.
"Let us hear what the chief minister has to say on the Union minister holding the inactive and directionless' state government responsible for the carelessness towards tiger conservation," said Bhargava.
The spokesperson stated the Union minister has accused the Gehlot government of not sticking to the Centre's policy. "The Union minister has alleged that the state government was ignoring tiger conservation under pressure from the mine-mafia and influential persons," Bhargava pointed out, asking the chief minister to explain his position on the allegations from his own party minister.
Referring to the Union minister's statement the tiger at Sariska could have been a victim of poisoning, the BJP has asked the state government to tell if it was ready to own up responsibility for the same. Bhargava emphasised that even though the Centre has doubled the strength of forest officers in the state, why adequate number of inspectors were not deployed at the two tiger reserves. "The government is keen to translocate tigers, but it is indifferent in ensuring proper rehabilitation of the big cats. Why is this so?" the BJP wanted to know.
The BJP demanded the state government make it public its' scheme for shifting and rehabilitating the villagers from the tiger reserve areas, since the Centre has agreed to pay Rs 30 crore for the purpose.
Meanwhile, the Ranthambore Bachao Andolan made a representation before the Bharatpur divisional commissioner Rajeshwar Singh complaining against the Sawai Madhopur district administration apathy towards the killing and missing of tigers at Ranthambore. Singh was at Ranthambore to monitor the "Prashashan gaon ke sang" camp on Friday.
"The divisional commissioner assured us of action in the matter. We will now organise a mahapanchayat of locals to save the tigers and decide on shifting of villagers from the reserve," Andolan's president Akshay Sharma said.
Taking a cue from Union forest and environment minister Jairam Ramesh's official communications with the state government on the subject, the BJP's state spokesperson Sunil Bhargava alleged on Friday the chief minister was shirking responsibility for the mysterious killings and disappearance of tigers by just suspending forest officials.
"Can the government be absolved of its inaction and carelessness, as alleged by the Union minister, in tiger conservation simply by suspending two officials," Bhargava asked.
The BJP wanted the chief minister to tell people what steps his government took on the six letters that the union forest and environment minister has dispatched to him (Gehlot) in the past six months.
"Let us hear what the chief minister has to say on the Union minister holding the inactive and directionless' state government responsible for the carelessness towards tiger conservation," said Bhargava.
The spokesperson stated the Union minister has accused the Gehlot government of not sticking to the Centre's policy. "The Union minister has alleged that the state government was ignoring tiger conservation under pressure from the mine-mafia and influential persons," Bhargava pointed out, asking the chief minister to explain his position on the allegations from his own party minister.
Referring to the Union minister's statement the tiger at Sariska could have been a victim of poisoning, the BJP has asked the state government to tell if it was ready to own up responsibility for the same. Bhargava emphasised that even though the Centre has doubled the strength of forest officers in the state, why adequate number of inspectors were not deployed at the two tiger reserves. "The government is keen to translocate tigers, but it is indifferent in ensuring proper rehabilitation of the big cats. Why is this so?" the BJP wanted to know.
The BJP demanded the state government make it public its' scheme for shifting and rehabilitating the villagers from the tiger reserve areas, since the Centre has agreed to pay Rs 30 crore for the purpose.
Meanwhile, the Ranthambore Bachao Andolan made a representation before the Bharatpur divisional commissioner Rajeshwar Singh complaining against the Sawai Madhopur district administration apathy towards the killing and missing of tigers at Ranthambore. Singh was at Ranthambore to monitor the "Prashashan gaon ke sang" camp on Friday.
"The divisional commissioner assured us of action in the matter. We will now organise a mahapanchayat of locals to save the tigers and decide on shifting of villagers from the reserve," Andolan's president Akshay Sharma said.
Maneater' fear stalks Corbett after 2 deaths
Two incidents of local women being mauled and partially eaten by a tiger in and around the Corbett National Park have thrown the area into panic and left forest officials fearing that a big cat in India's most famous reserve may have turned maneater.
The key question officials are seeking to answer is whether the attacks came from the same tiger. They say if that is indeed the case, Corbett may have a maneater problem to deal with. ''At the moment, we have no conclusive evidence either way,'' park warden U C Tiwari told TOI on Friday, after spending the day in the field trying to track the killer.
The incidents have come within six days of each other; the spots separated by just 8-10km as the crow flies.
Reports said on Thursday 30-year-old Kalpha Mehra was mauled to death at Chukam village near the eastern boundary of Corbett when she had gone to the jungle to collect fodder. The site falls under the Ramnagar forest division.
The first incident took place in the Corbett buffer zone on November 12. The victim, Nanda Devi, was attacked in daylight as she was returning to Sundarkhal village with two other women. Significantly, both bodies were half-eaten when villagers found them.
Read more: 'Maneater' fear stalks Corbett after 2 deaths - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Maneater-fear-stalks-Corbett-after-2-deaths/articleshow/6957144.cms#ixzz15nnyn4RP
The key question officials are seeking to answer is whether the attacks came from the same tiger. They say if that is indeed the case, Corbett may have a maneater problem to deal with. ''At the moment, we have no conclusive evidence either way,'' park warden U C Tiwari told TOI on Friday, after spending the day in the field trying to track the killer.
The incidents have come within six days of each other; the spots separated by just 8-10km as the crow flies.
Reports said on Thursday 30-year-old Kalpha Mehra was mauled to death at Chukam village near the eastern boundary of Corbett when she had gone to the jungle to collect fodder. The site falls under the Ramnagar forest division.
The first incident took place in the Corbett buffer zone on November 12. The victim, Nanda Devi, was attacked in daylight as she was returning to Sundarkhal village with two other women. Significantly, both bodies were half-eaten when villagers found them.
Read more: 'Maneater' fear stalks Corbett after 2 deaths - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Maneater-fear-stalks-Corbett-after-2-deaths/articleshow/6957144.cms#ixzz15nnyn4RP
Maneater' fear stalks Corbett after 2 deaths
Two incidents of local women being mauled and partially eaten by a tiger in and around the Corbett National Park have thrown the area into panic and left forest officials fearing that a big cat in India's most famous reserve may have turned maneater.
The key question officials are seeking to answer is whether the attacks came from the same tiger. They say if that is indeed the case, Corbett may have a maneater problem to deal with. ''At the moment, we have no conclusive evidence either way,'' park warden U C Tiwari told TOI on Friday, after spending the day in the field trying to track the killer.
The incidents have come within six days of each other; the spots separated by just 8-10km as the crow flies.
Reports said on Thursday 30-year-old Kalpha Mehra was mauled to death at Chukam village near the eastern boundary of Corbett when she had gone to the jungle to collect fodder. The site falls under the Ramnagar forest division.
The first incident took place in the Corbett buffer zone on November 12. The victim, Nanda Devi, was attacked in daylight as she was returning to Sundarkhal village with two other women. Significantly, both bodies were half-eaten when villagers found them.
Read more: 'Maneater' fear stalks Corbett after 2 deaths - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Maneater-fear-stalks-Corbett-after-2-deaths/articleshow/6957144.cms#ixzz15nnyn4RP
The key question officials are seeking to answer is whether the attacks came from the same tiger. They say if that is indeed the case, Corbett may have a maneater problem to deal with. ''At the moment, we have no conclusive evidence either way,'' park warden U C Tiwari told TOI on Friday, after spending the day in the field trying to track the killer.
The incidents have come within six days of each other; the spots separated by just 8-10km as the crow flies.
Reports said on Thursday 30-year-old Kalpha Mehra was mauled to death at Chukam village near the eastern boundary of Corbett when she had gone to the jungle to collect fodder. The site falls under the Ramnagar forest division.
The first incident took place in the Corbett buffer zone on November 12. The victim, Nanda Devi, was attacked in daylight as she was returning to Sundarkhal village with two other women. Significantly, both bodies were half-eaten when villagers found them.
Read more: 'Maneater' fear stalks Corbett after 2 deaths - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Maneater-fear-stalks-Corbett-after-2-deaths/articleshow/6957144.cms#ixzz15nnyn4RP
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