A relocated tiger couple has met in Sariska, raising hopes that the big cat population in the park will increase, while two new cubs have been born in Ranthambore. "Rajasthan is sending some positive signals on the tiger population," environment minister Jairam Ramesh said, indicating the new tiger
census to be announced in December will show increase in tiger population in India.
As of the last census in 2007, there were 1,411 tigers in the country.
The minister hopes that the tiger couple --- T-4, a male tiger and T-2, a female --- mates and Sariska gets its first litter after the tigers went missing from India's first tiger reserve.
Many wildlifers are not enthused, saying tigers coupled have mated earlier, but there were no cubs. The reason for hope this time is that the tigress is different from the one who had mated earlier and was relocated from Ranthambore in 2009.
"She is vocalising," Ramesh said, meaning she is ready for mating.
Her vocalising has caught the attention of the tiger, who had gone missing earlier this month and has now returned to be with her. Both of them were spotted together in Kalighatti area of Sariska reserve, considered auspicious for birth of cubs.
A team of scientists from the Wildlife Institute of India and Rajasthan forest department is monitoring the couple through radio collaring devices. If all goes well, the forest department officials expect Sariska to have cubs by next monsoon.
About 200 km south in Ranthambore, the reserve got two new cubs.
A relocated tiger was apparently poisoned in Sariska and tigers faced the ire of villagers in Ranthambore for killing a woman. Both the incidents happened earlier this month.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
MP PCCF pro-tourism stance draws green ire
NAGPUR: Union environment and forest minister Jairam Ramesh has been urged to take action against chief wildlife warden of Madhya Pradesh for instigating tour operators to go against a PIL demanding ban on tourism in core areas of state`s tiger reserves.
Ajay Dubey of Prayatna, a Bhopal-based NGO working for environment protection for the past 10 years, filed a PIL against NTCA and others on September 8, in Jabalpur high court seeking ban on tourism in core zones of reserves. The respondents have been directed to file affidavits and the next hearing is slated for December 6.
Kishor Rithe, member of National Board for Wild Life (NBWL), on Tuesday sought Ramesh`s intervention in the matter mentioning that even though the matter was subjudice, an email from chief wildlife warden H S Pabla asking tour operators to go against the PIL was disturbing.
Pabla, on September 14, wrote to high-profile resort owners and tour operators in MP and apprised them of the case. The mail stated that although the government would oppose the PIL, if lodge owners, travel operators, guides etc. should also intervene if they did not want it to succeed.
"As the case may have serious consequences, kindly take whatever steps you think will be appropriate to protect your interests. As I`m travelling and do not have the mail ids of all, please inform others," Pabla wrote to select operators. Pabla confirmed having sent the mail, but refused to comment saying the matter was subjudice.
"This is a serious issue," Rithe said. It seems that chief wildlife warden has joined hands with the tour operators to oppose the petitioner, who is trying to implement the provisions of Wildlife Protection Act (WPA) 1972 and the NTCA guidelines about tourism in core areas.
"When the states and centre are shifting villages in reserves to make the core areas inviolate for tigers, will it be wise to open up the same areas for tourism," asked Rithe. Petitioner Ajay Dubey had filed the PIL following debacle in Panna where all 35 tigers vanished in five years
"Pabla is a government servant and it is very sad that he is using his position to lobby against the PIL like this. The words in the letter like `take whatever steps.." sound threatening," Dubey told TOI. Dubey urged the chief secretary of the state to provide security against such threats and constitute an inquiry against Pabla.
The NTCA in its reply admitted that Section 38V (4) (i) of the WPA provided for keeping the core/critical tiger habitats (CTHs) inviolate. The revised guidelines of the centrally sponsored schemes (CSS) of Project Tiger (February 2008) states, "Core and CTHs would not be used for any form of tourism, and the ongoing tourism activities in such areas should be phased out to fringe and buffer areas without affecting its corridor value."
On August 7, Ramesh had written to MP chief minister Shivrajsingh Chouhan cautioning about Pabla`s initiative `Patrolling the tiger land` involving tourists in patrolling of protected areas and reserves.
Ajay Dubey of Prayatna, a Bhopal-based NGO working for environment protection for the past 10 years, filed a PIL against NTCA and others on September 8, in Jabalpur high court seeking ban on tourism in core zones of reserves. The respondents have been directed to file affidavits and the next hearing is slated for December 6.
Kishor Rithe, member of National Board for Wild Life (NBWL), on Tuesday sought Ramesh`s intervention in the matter mentioning that even though the matter was subjudice, an email from chief wildlife warden H S Pabla asking tour operators to go against the PIL was disturbing.
Pabla, on September 14, wrote to high-profile resort owners and tour operators in MP and apprised them of the case. The mail stated that although the government would oppose the PIL, if lodge owners, travel operators, guides etc. should also intervene if they did not want it to succeed.
"As the case may have serious consequences, kindly take whatever steps you think will be appropriate to protect your interests. As I`m travelling and do not have the mail ids of all, please inform others," Pabla wrote to select operators. Pabla confirmed having sent the mail, but refused to comment saying the matter was subjudice.
"This is a serious issue," Rithe said. It seems that chief wildlife warden has joined hands with the tour operators to oppose the petitioner, who is trying to implement the provisions of Wildlife Protection Act (WPA) 1972 and the NTCA guidelines about tourism in core areas.
"When the states and centre are shifting villages in reserves to make the core areas inviolate for tigers, will it be wise to open up the same areas for tourism," asked Rithe. Petitioner Ajay Dubey had filed the PIL following debacle in Panna where all 35 tigers vanished in five years
"Pabla is a government servant and it is very sad that he is using his position to lobby against the PIL like this. The words in the letter like `take whatever steps.." sound threatening," Dubey told TOI. Dubey urged the chief secretary of the state to provide security against such threats and constitute an inquiry against Pabla.
The NTCA in its reply admitted that Section 38V (4) (i) of the WPA provided for keeping the core/critical tiger habitats (CTHs) inviolate. The revised guidelines of the centrally sponsored schemes (CSS) of Project Tiger (February 2008) states, "Core and CTHs would not be used for any form of tourism, and the ongoing tourism activities in such areas should be phased out to fringe and buffer areas without affecting its corridor value."
On August 7, Ramesh had written to MP chief minister Shivrajsingh Chouhan cautioning about Pabla`s initiative `Patrolling the tiger land` involving tourists in patrolling of protected areas and reserves.
NTCA meet on NH6 inconclusive
NAGPUR: The meeting called by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), on Tuesday, to look into the violations in four-laning of national highway No 6 in the 85-km patch between Deori and Lakhni in Gondia and Bhandara districts remained inconclusive.
This was for the first time in the past two years that the NTCA called a meeting in Delhi. It was attended by joint director SP Yadav, chief conservator of forest (CCF) Nagpur Wildlife Circle, AK Saxena, National Highway Authority of India's (NHAI) VK Sharma, assistant inspector general of forests (IGF) Umakant and manager of Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) Milind Pariwakkam.
Sources said the meeting remained inconclusive as the principal chief conservator of forests for wildlife is yet to give his opinion on the report submitted by the CCF on series of violations and how the four-laning work cuts tiger corridor. Another meeting will be held on December 20.
Although the official from the state supported his stand of constructing open span bridges (flyovers) in five vulnerable patches which will threaten wildlife, the NHAI official from Delhi was non-committal.
Sharma is learnt to have told the NTCA that the NHAI had appointed consultant RN Indurkar, retired chief wildlife warden, to study the vulnerable areas and accordingly prepared a mitigation plan. However, the report has been rejected by the CCF's office.
On October 13, the standing committee of National Board for Wild Life (NBWL), headed by union environment minister Jairam Ramesh, has already rejected NHAI's proposal to divert 85 hectare forest land (now curtailed to 38 hectare) for four-laning under the Forest Conservation Act (FCA) 1980.
The four-laning work has seen large-scale violations of Forest Conservation Act 1980. It has also destroyed the tiger corridor in many patches connecting Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary and Navegaon National Par.
This was for the first time in the past two years that the NTCA called a meeting in Delhi. It was attended by joint director SP Yadav, chief conservator of forest (CCF) Nagpur Wildlife Circle, AK Saxena, National Highway Authority of India's (NHAI) VK Sharma, assistant inspector general of forests (IGF) Umakant and manager of Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) Milind Pariwakkam.
Sources said the meeting remained inconclusive as the principal chief conservator of forests for wildlife is yet to give his opinion on the report submitted by the CCF on series of violations and how the four-laning work cuts tiger corridor. Another meeting will be held on December 20.
Although the official from the state supported his stand of constructing open span bridges (flyovers) in five vulnerable patches which will threaten wildlife, the NHAI official from Delhi was non-committal.
Sharma is learnt to have told the NTCA that the NHAI had appointed consultant RN Indurkar, retired chief wildlife warden, to study the vulnerable areas and accordingly prepared a mitigation plan. However, the report has been rejected by the CCF's office.
On October 13, the standing committee of National Board for Wild Life (NBWL), headed by union environment minister Jairam Ramesh, has already rejected NHAI's proposal to divert 85 hectare forest land (now curtailed to 38 hectare) for four-laning under the Forest Conservation Act (FCA) 1980.
The four-laning work has seen large-scale violations of Forest Conservation Act 1980. It has also destroyed the tiger corridor in many patches connecting Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary and Navegaon National Par.
Poaching threat: High alert sounded at R’bore
JAIPUR: A high alert has been sounded at the Ranthambore national park by the forest department after threats of possible poaching. Forest guards, police and eco-development groups have all been alerted to maintain a strict vigil in and around the park.
Interestingly, the threats from poachers come at a time when the park does not have an officiating DFO. The former DFO of the reserve R S Shekhawat has been promoted and sent to the Sariska reserve and is holding additional charge while the new DFO R P Gupta is yet to assume charge. Gupta is likely to assume office later.
According to H M Bhatia, chief wildlife warden, Rajasthan, "The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has received an email from Dharmendra Khandal warning of possible attempts by poachers from the Mongia tribe of entering the park. The NTCA alerted us after the receipt of the mail and we have increased our vigil in the reserve." Khandal is a conservation biologist of the Tiger Watch.
"There are a group of people from the Mongia tribe who have been killing wild boar around the tiger reserve and supplying its meat to Kota and other places. They have about 57 illegal guns and have been nesting here around the park. The threat lies from them," said Khandal.
"I had the information and passed it on to the forest department for action along with my name and phone number. It will require a dedicated group of people to initiate action against them and bring them to book. But sadly even after seven days no concrete action has been initiated," he added Though no additional force has been deputed for the park, but the existing forest guards have been put on high alert. They have been asked to maintain a round-the-clock vigil in the park and stay in touch over wireless."Even the eco-development groups have been asked to report any suspicious activity or person in the park," Bhatia said.
The forest department has sought the help of the police. "We have asked the police to chip in with any input on possible movement of poachers in the city or around the park," he added. However, feels Rajpal Singh, member, state wildlife board, "The forest officials are always on the alert throughout the year. They monitor every tiger closely and they have a good track record. There is no need now to press the panic button." The poaching threat come at a time when the state is yet to get over the incident of a Bengal tiger being poisoned at the Sariska reserve by villagers inside the forest.
The male tiger ST-1 was the first relocated tiger to Sariska but days after its radio signal went silent the forest department recovered its rotting body from beside a cattle track in the reserve. Though the forensic test is awaited, but the post mortem report failed to find any possible clue hinting to what the department had been harping as the outcome of a possible territorial war with another male.
Interestingly, the threats from poachers come at a time when the park does not have an officiating DFO. The former DFO of the reserve R S Shekhawat has been promoted and sent to the Sariska reserve and is holding additional charge while the new DFO R P Gupta is yet to assume charge. Gupta is likely to assume office later.
According to H M Bhatia, chief wildlife warden, Rajasthan, "The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has received an email from Dharmendra Khandal warning of possible attempts by poachers from the Mongia tribe of entering the park. The NTCA alerted us after the receipt of the mail and we have increased our vigil in the reserve." Khandal is a conservation biologist of the Tiger Watch.
"There are a group of people from the Mongia tribe who have been killing wild boar around the tiger reserve and supplying its meat to Kota and other places. They have about 57 illegal guns and have been nesting here around the park. The threat lies from them," said Khandal.
"I had the information and passed it on to the forest department for action along with my name and phone number. It will require a dedicated group of people to initiate action against them and bring them to book. But sadly even after seven days no concrete action has been initiated," he added Though no additional force has been deputed for the park, but the existing forest guards have been put on high alert. They have been asked to maintain a round-the-clock vigil in the park and stay in touch over wireless."Even the eco-development groups have been asked to report any suspicious activity or person in the park," Bhatia said.
The forest department has sought the help of the police. "We have asked the police to chip in with any input on possible movement of poachers in the city or around the park," he added. However, feels Rajpal Singh, member, state wildlife board, "The forest officials are always on the alert throughout the year. They monitor every tiger closely and they have a good track record. There is no need now to press the panic button." The poaching threat come at a time when the state is yet to get over the incident of a Bengal tiger being poisoned at the Sariska reserve by villagers inside the forest.
The male tiger ST-1 was the first relocated tiger to Sariska but days after its radio signal went silent the forest department recovered its rotting body from beside a cattle track in the reserve. Though the forensic test is awaited, but the post mortem report failed to find any possible clue hinting to what the department had been harping as the outcome of a possible territorial war with another male.
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