LUCKNOW: The census exercise for tigers is over in Pilibhit and Dudhwa National Park. But it has to be taken up in Kishenpur sanctuary. The results for tiger census might take time to come. The forest department has already taken to an intensive technology used to count the number of tigers.
In Uttar Pradesh, out of the total forested habitat 3,175 sq km constitutes potential tiger habitat. In census 2008, tigers were found to occupy 2,766 sq km of forest with an estimated population of 109 (91-127) in UP. Will the scale tip to right or left of this count, is still to come.
Within UP, tigers are distributed in one major population and three smaller populations. Sporadic occupancy is reported in Sonbhadra forests. The major population is constituted by DTR comprising Dudhwa National Park, Kishenpur Wildlife Sanctuary, Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary and forests of Pilibhit, north and south Kheri Forest Divisions.
The 2008 census also found smaller population in the west in Bijnor forests covering an area of about 221 sq km and maintained by dispersing tigers from Corbett Tiger Reserve. The two smaller eastern populations were located in Suhelwa wildlife sanctuary with a tiger occupancy of 490 sq km and Sohagibarwa wildlife sanctuary having a tiger occupancy of 139 sq km in two separate blocks. The current census, however, will throw light on changes in distribution of tigers, from the last time, in the state. "The census is taking place only for source population of tigers," said sources in the department. The cameras were installed within forest area. The transient population of tigers in sugarcane fields might have therefore missed the count this time again.
The transient tigers are those which mostly stray and try to establish their own territory.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Tribal skins electrocuted tiger
HYDERABAD: At a time when the Centre is mobilizing all possible resources to save the big cat, a bizarre incident of electrocution of a tiger has come to light in Kagaznagar in Adilabad district.
According to sources, the state forest department officials in Kagaznagar arrested Madavi Anand Rao, a Kolan tribal, who reportedly admitted to killing the tiger unintentionally and later skinning and passing on its hide to one of his relatives in Maharashtra to sell it. Tiger skin fetches Rs one to Rs 3 lakh in the domestic market and four times more in the international market.
Anand Rao, 32, reportedly told investigating forest officials that he had put up an electric fence around his field in Vempalli village which is located in the reserve forest on January 2 to save his crop from wild boar menace. When he went to the field the next morning, he found a tiger electrocuted. Instead of informing the forest officials or the police, he decided to make some money. He peeled off the skin which was burnt in parts, stuffed it in a gunny bag and went to the nearby Sonapur village in Chandrapur district of Maharashtra. He contacted his brother-in-law Seedam Bheem Rao and asked him to find a customer for the tiger skin. Even as Bheem Rao was trying to sell the skin, he, along with five others were arrested by the Maharashtra police.
On interrogation they gave away the name of the relative. The Maharashtra police alerted senior forest officials in Adilabad district. Anand Rao was arrested on January 7. Based on his confession three forest officials, M A Mabood, DFO, G Ravinder, sub-DFO and range officer Zahid Ali went to the field where he had buried the carcass. It was exhumed and sent for postmortem.
The tiger was one of the four big cats found in Kagaznagar. It was an eight-year-old male. Now only the female along with her two cubs are said to be left in the forest which once boasted of scores of big cats.
A senior official expressed surprised at the electrocution of the tiger and blamed it on bad monitoring of the forest. "There are 30 base camps in the district with strike force and several trackers. It is unfortunate that such an event takes place in spite of having so many people on keeping a watch on the forest,'' he said.
DFO Mabood said, "On the face of it, the crime does not appear to be a handiwork of an organized gang. However, the accused have been sent for judicial custody and investigations are on. We are not ruling out any angle at this level.''
According to sources, the state forest department officials in Kagaznagar arrested Madavi Anand Rao, a Kolan tribal, who reportedly admitted to killing the tiger unintentionally and later skinning and passing on its hide to one of his relatives in Maharashtra to sell it. Tiger skin fetches Rs one to Rs 3 lakh in the domestic market and four times more in the international market.
Anand Rao, 32, reportedly told investigating forest officials that he had put up an electric fence around his field in Vempalli village which is located in the reserve forest on January 2 to save his crop from wild boar menace. When he went to the field the next morning, he found a tiger electrocuted. Instead of informing the forest officials or the police, he decided to make some money. He peeled off the skin which was burnt in parts, stuffed it in a gunny bag and went to the nearby Sonapur village in Chandrapur district of Maharashtra. He contacted his brother-in-law Seedam Bheem Rao and asked him to find a customer for the tiger skin. Even as Bheem Rao was trying to sell the skin, he, along with five others were arrested by the Maharashtra police.
On interrogation they gave away the name of the relative. The Maharashtra police alerted senior forest officials in Adilabad district. Anand Rao was arrested on January 7. Based on his confession three forest officials, M A Mabood, DFO, G Ravinder, sub-DFO and range officer Zahid Ali went to the field where he had buried the carcass. It was exhumed and sent for postmortem.
The tiger was one of the four big cats found in Kagaznagar. It was an eight-year-old male. Now only the female along with her two cubs are said to be left in the forest which once boasted of scores of big cats.
A senior official expressed surprised at the electrocution of the tiger and blamed it on bad monitoring of the forest. "There are 30 base camps in the district with strike force and several trackers. It is unfortunate that such an event takes place in spite of having so many people on keeping a watch on the forest,'' he said.
DFO Mabood said, "On the face of it, the crime does not appear to be a handiwork of an organized gang. However, the accused have been sent for judicial custody and investigations are on. We are not ruling out any angle at this level.''
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