CHANDRAPUR: In some good news for tourists of Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR), the forest authorities have abolished the one-year-old zone system inside the park. Visitors are now free to roam in entire reserve. However TATR management has laid down some regulations to avoid congregation of tourists on one particular spot.
The zone system had come into the force early this year to regulate the traffic of tourists inside the tiger reserve. Likewise TATR was divided into three zones - Moharli, Tadoba and Kolsa - and the tourists were allowed to move in only one zone at a time. But, authorities have now come up with new plans under which zone restriction will be abolished but tourist movement will be regulated.
Confirming the abolishment of zone system field director and CF of TATR Vinay Sinha said, "The new regulation will come into force from Wednesday. Tourists will be allowed to move in the entire reserve, but they will have to follow some rules. There will be defined routes for every vehicle entering into the tiger reserve and one-way route pattern would be followed. Sinha said that the new plan is according to the NTCA guidelines.
Sources claimed that few other regulations such as restriction on use of mobile phones inside TATR, keeping a distance of at least 30 metres between two vehicles would be observed to ensure that place of tiger sighting is not crowded disturbing the tranquility of the wildlife.
Officials have also defined the carrying capacity in the tiger reserve. Only 60 vehicles would be allowed inside the tiger reserve during morning hours, while 57 vehicles would be allowed during evening shift. TATR management plans to decrease the number of entry gates gradually in coming months. At present tourists enter TATR through Moharli, Pangdi, Kolara, Jhari, Khutwanda and Navegaon gates, however three of these - Jhari, Khutwanda and Navegaon gates - will be closed in phases.
As per NTCA guidelines, park management needs to ensure maximum inviolate zones for the wildlife inside the tiger reserve. Authorities are chalking out two new tourists zones in buffer area. Once circuit routes and infrastructural development is accomplished in buffer, tourism would be gradually shifted to buffer zone.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Jim Corbett Special tiger force to become reality
Shishir Prashant / New Delhi/ Dehra Dun December 22, 2010, 0:06 IST
When the Jim Corbett National Park, one of the world’s most popular wildlife reserves, celebrates its platinum jubilee next year, it will get a gift that it absolutely needed — a special tiger protection force.
With the Uttarakhand cabinet headed by Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank today giving its approval to the new force, the forest department is now hoping that the force will become a reality when the Corbett park, famous for its healthy tiger density, turns 75. Special functions will be organised in the first few months of 2011 to mark the 75th birth anniversary of the Corbett park.
After the cabinet meeting, top officials said the new tiger force will have one company comprising three platoons which will be headed by a forest officer of the rank of Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF). Each platoon will have one ranger, six foresters and 30 special guards. The hallmark of the new force will be the 30 per cent of the forest guards will be from the local communities living in the vicinity of the park like Van Gujjars, the nomadic tribes.
The main task of the force will be to protect the tigers from poachers and will be given similar role like police and will enjoy power under 197 section of the criminal procedure code (CrPC) where a case is only registered after proper magisterial inquiry. With the mounting concern over the dwindling tiger population, the Centre approved the plan for such a force last year and would spend Rs 4 crore every year on it.
There are only about 1,400 tigers left in the country, as a result of poaching, shrinking habitats and a decline in the prey base. The Jim Corbett National Park — named after the celebrated hunter-writer who shot dead many a maneater in both Kumaon and Garhwal regions of the hill state — has nearly 160 tigers. This is one of the highest populations of tigers anywhere in the country. The government, animal lovers and even some corporations are working overtime to save the animal.
When the Jim Corbett National Park, one of the world’s most popular wildlife reserves, celebrates its platinum jubilee next year, it will get a gift that it absolutely needed — a special tiger protection force.
With the Uttarakhand cabinet headed by Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank today giving its approval to the new force, the forest department is now hoping that the force will become a reality when the Corbett park, famous for its healthy tiger density, turns 75. Special functions will be organised in the first few months of 2011 to mark the 75th birth anniversary of the Corbett park.
After the cabinet meeting, top officials said the new tiger force will have one company comprising three platoons which will be headed by a forest officer of the rank of Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF). Each platoon will have one ranger, six foresters and 30 special guards. The hallmark of the new force will be the 30 per cent of the forest guards will be from the local communities living in the vicinity of the park like Van Gujjars, the nomadic tribes.
The main task of the force will be to protect the tigers from poachers and will be given similar role like police and will enjoy power under 197 section of the criminal procedure code (CrPC) where a case is only registered after proper magisterial inquiry. With the mounting concern over the dwindling tiger population, the Centre approved the plan for such a force last year and would spend Rs 4 crore every year on it.
There are only about 1,400 tigers left in the country, as a result of poaching, shrinking habitats and a decline in the prey base. The Jim Corbett National Park — named after the celebrated hunter-writer who shot dead many a maneater in both Kumaon and Garhwal regions of the hill state — has nearly 160 tigers. This is one of the highest populations of tigers anywhere in the country. The government, animal lovers and even some corporations are working overtime to save the animal.
Manhunt launched after tiger killing in Chhattisgarh
After a headless tiger carcass was found in Kawardha district of Chhattisgarh, state police have formed several squads to arrest the poachers, an official said on Tuesday. The killing was reported from Amnia village, a forested zone under Kawardha, the home district of Chief Minister Raman Singh.
The forest department has suspended two local forest officers and ordered an enquiry.
The forest department has also asked its senior officer Rakesh Chaturvedi to rush to the site, about 300 km from Raipur, to investigate the tiger kiling.
"Yes, a decomposed body of a tiger was found in Amnia village in Kawardha's Pandaria block. Prima facie it looks the tiger was killed by a poacher several days or may be weeks earlier," Chaturvedi told IANS on phone.
The forest department has lodged a complaint of tiger's killing with police in Kawardha district. "We are dealing the case with utmost seriousness and urgency, we are interrogating a few villagers to apprehend the poachers or anyone who hunted down the tiger," said HS Rathore, Kawardha district police chief.
An official source here at the forest department headquarters said that a few officials tried to cover up the tiger's killing by projecting it as a case of death. But when enough evidences emerged about the tiger's death, they suspended the two local forest staff - a deputy ranger and a forest beat guard - and decided to order an enquiry.
The source added that poachers have easy access to the state's vast forested areas, including all the three Project Tiger reserves of Indravati, Udanti-Sitanadi and Achanakmar. A total of 219 posts of the sanctioned 420 lie vacant at the reserves.
The forest department has suspended two local forest officers and ordered an enquiry.
The forest department has also asked its senior officer Rakesh Chaturvedi to rush to the site, about 300 km from Raipur, to investigate the tiger kiling.
"Yes, a decomposed body of a tiger was found in Amnia village in Kawardha's Pandaria block. Prima facie it looks the tiger was killed by a poacher several days or may be weeks earlier," Chaturvedi told IANS on phone.
The forest department has lodged a complaint of tiger's killing with police in Kawardha district. "We are dealing the case with utmost seriousness and urgency, we are interrogating a few villagers to apprehend the poachers or anyone who hunted down the tiger," said HS Rathore, Kawardha district police chief.
An official source here at the forest department headquarters said that a few officials tried to cover up the tiger's killing by projecting it as a case of death. But when enough evidences emerged about the tiger's death, they suspended the two local forest staff - a deputy ranger and a forest beat guard - and decided to order an enquiry.
The source added that poachers have easy access to the state's vast forested areas, including all the three Project Tiger reserves of Indravati, Udanti-Sitanadi and Achanakmar. A total of 219 posts of the sanctioned 420 lie vacant at the reserves.
Sariska Tiger killing: Suspect to undergo brain mapping test on Dec 27
ALWAR: The brain mapping test of Parsadilal Gujjar, suspected in the killing of the tiger, ST-1, will be held on December 27. He will be in Ahmedabad till December 31.
Officials of the forest department said that the department will be seeking production warrant of the suspect on Wednesday when he will appear at a court in Rajgarh. They will be seeking his custody from December 26 to January 1. The brain-mapping test will be done at Gujarat Rajya Vidhi Science laboratory. Assistant conservator of forests, Bhagvan Singh Nathawat, is in touch with the laboratory for the same.
"However, narco analysis test will not be done now. For that we will have to seek separate permission," said an official.
Meanwhile, test report of the polygrah test done on Parsadi is expected on Wednesday. "Prima facie it seems that the test report is in favour of the forest department. Officials have hinted that the suspect may be hiding facts in his confession," said a source.
Officials of the forest department said that the department will be seeking production warrant of the suspect on Wednesday when he will appear at a court in Rajgarh. They will be seeking his custody from December 26 to January 1. The brain-mapping test will be done at Gujarat Rajya Vidhi Science laboratory. Assistant conservator of forests, Bhagvan Singh Nathawat, is in touch with the laboratory for the same.
"However, narco analysis test will not be done now. For that we will have to seek separate permission," said an official.
Meanwhile, test report of the polygrah test done on Parsadi is expected on Wednesday. "Prima facie it seems that the test report is in favour of the forest department. Officials have hinted that the suspect may be hiding facts in his confession," said a source.
NTCA panel to study leopard mortality in state
NAGPUR: There have been several studies and projects to look into the man-tiger conflict, but the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), which monitors tiger reserves in the country, has for the first time set up a five-member panel for an appraisal of leopard mortality due to conflict with humans.
Sources said the committee, constituted on December 15, besides looking into the mortality of leopard arising out of conflict will suggest mitigation measures. The panel consists of NTCA members Brijendra Singh and Valmik Thapar, experts Vidya Atherya of Pune, Raghu Chundawat, Kartick Satyanarayan and NTCA member-secretary Rajesh Gopal.
S P Yadav, deputy inspector general (NTCA), told TOI that the scope of the committee is to look into causes of high leopard mortality and suggesting mitigating measures. "The study also includes Maharashtra and other vulnerable states. A meeting will be called soon in which chief wildlife wardens of problem states will also be invited," he added.
Although inclusion of noted experts in the committee will make a difference, in Maharashtra, man-leopard conflict has gone down while man-tiger problem continues to be more severe than leopards. Two-three years ago, around 40-50 leopards were trapped but now it has come down to 8-10 animals.
Chandrapur district in Vidarbha is the worst-affected. If the official figures for last five years from April 2005 to December 2010 are considered, then only five villagers have been killed by leopards and around 10 have been killed owing to conflict in leopard-dominated areas like Junnar, Nashik and Borivali. On the other side, 62 persons have been mauled by tigers during the same period in the region.
If not by conflict, leopard deaths due to poaching are increasing in the state. In 2010, from January to December, 35 leopards have died in the state. Of this, 18 deaths were from Vidarbha while other deaths were reported in villages near Ratnagiri, Sinnar, Junnar, Jalgaon, Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SNGP), Borivali, Pune and Hingoli.
Last year (2009), 48 leopards had died in the state. Despite the crisis, the entire focus has been on tigers by the authorities. This is for the first time that leopard mortality reasons will be studied. Both tigers and leopards are listed under the Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.
Wildlife biologist Vidya Atherya says she is delighted to be included in the panel. She has studied the problem of leopards in Junnar for three years and measures suggested by her have come handy to curb leopard-human conflict in the state.
Atherya said, "My experience in Maharashtra will help in getting solutions in states like Uttrakhand and Gujarat where problem of leopard conflict is severe."
"We've found that leopard attacks on people are an aberration governed by complex factors which require us to increase our level of understanding. Leopards have always lived outside forests, be it tea gardens, fringes of forests, in croplands, and have also been reported from urban areas," Atherya said.
She added that people have not yet accepted that non-wilderness areas can support wildlife. Hence, they expect all leopards be confined in forests. So, leopards found outside forested areas are often trapped and moved to nearby forests.
"However, our work also found that leopards which had been living in village areas without attacking people started attacking them when they were released away from their territory. This was likely due to the stress they face during capture, release in an unknown area, and as we also found many instances, of translocated leopards homing back from where they were originally caught," Atherya stressed.
Sources said the committee, constituted on December 15, besides looking into the mortality of leopard arising out of conflict will suggest mitigation measures. The panel consists of NTCA members Brijendra Singh and Valmik Thapar, experts Vidya Atherya of Pune, Raghu Chundawat, Kartick Satyanarayan and NTCA member-secretary Rajesh Gopal.
S P Yadav, deputy inspector general (NTCA), told TOI that the scope of the committee is to look into causes of high leopard mortality and suggesting mitigating measures. "The study also includes Maharashtra and other vulnerable states. A meeting will be called soon in which chief wildlife wardens of problem states will also be invited," he added.
Although inclusion of noted experts in the committee will make a difference, in Maharashtra, man-leopard conflict has gone down while man-tiger problem continues to be more severe than leopards. Two-three years ago, around 40-50 leopards were trapped but now it has come down to 8-10 animals.
Chandrapur district in Vidarbha is the worst-affected. If the official figures for last five years from April 2005 to December 2010 are considered, then only five villagers have been killed by leopards and around 10 have been killed owing to conflict in leopard-dominated areas like Junnar, Nashik and Borivali. On the other side, 62 persons have been mauled by tigers during the same period in the region.
If not by conflict, leopard deaths due to poaching are increasing in the state. In 2010, from January to December, 35 leopards have died in the state. Of this, 18 deaths were from Vidarbha while other deaths were reported in villages near Ratnagiri, Sinnar, Junnar, Jalgaon, Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SNGP), Borivali, Pune and Hingoli.
Last year (2009), 48 leopards had died in the state. Despite the crisis, the entire focus has been on tigers by the authorities. This is for the first time that leopard mortality reasons will be studied. Both tigers and leopards are listed under the Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.
Wildlife biologist Vidya Atherya says she is delighted to be included in the panel. She has studied the problem of leopards in Junnar for three years and measures suggested by her have come handy to curb leopard-human conflict in the state.
Atherya said, "My experience in Maharashtra will help in getting solutions in states like Uttrakhand and Gujarat where problem of leopard conflict is severe."
"We've found that leopard attacks on people are an aberration governed by complex factors which require us to increase our level of understanding. Leopards have always lived outside forests, be it tea gardens, fringes of forests, in croplands, and have also been reported from urban areas," Atherya said.
She added that people have not yet accepted that non-wilderness areas can support wildlife. Hence, they expect all leopards be confined in forests. So, leopards found outside forested areas are often trapped and moved to nearby forests.
"However, our work also found that leopards which had been living in village areas without attacking people started attacking them when they were released away from their territory. This was likely due to the stress they face during capture, release in an unknown area, and as we also found many instances, of translocated leopards homing back from where they were originally caught," Atherya stressed.
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