JAIPUR: Ranthambore, which lost 10 tigers recently due to deaths or straying, may have got back its count with at least nine cubs being sighted in the park.
Since last September, five cubs have been caught on camera while forest guards spotted two more tigress which are said to be lactating, park sources said.
A trap camera caught three cubs recently. Though the news of the birth of the cubs came sometime back, forest officials could not confirm it as pictures were not available. "Now since we have pictures of the cubs we are sure," said R N Mehrotra , Rajasthan's principal chief conservator of forests.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Space crunch triggering man-tiger conflicts
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Tags:Villagers|Kaziranga National Park|Conflicts
KAZIRANGA: Over 2,000 rhinos, 1,292 elephants, 1,400 wild buffaloes and about 700 swamp deer are already jostling for space in the 430 sq km area of Kaziranga National Park. Add to it about 80-odd tigers. Kaziranga National Park, which boasts of highest tiger density in the world, has virtually run out of space. And the worst sufferers, it seems, are the tigers they stray out of the protected area in search of prey and run into the risk of getting engaged in fatal conflicts with fringe villagers.
Kaziranga Park authorities admit to the problem. "The need of the hour is to add new areas under the park's administration. Even as the process to add new areas is over, these areas are yet to be handed over to us," Kaziranga National Park director Surajit Dutta said.
"Regaining the sand islands on the Brahmaputra which are used as natural corridors by tigers is of utmost importance for proper conservation of the big cats and ensuring their safety. Most of these island are either encroached by human beings or are being used by them to set up cattle sheds. This increases human-tiger conflicts," he added.
A park official said if one combines the total number of big mammals in the park area, it only reveals a terrible space shortage. "Incidents of straying out by tigers and conflicts with locals living in villages along the park are rampant. We have to extend our management beyond the existing area of the park," an official observed.
"Whenever a tiger strays out, it preys on livestock. This triggers conflicts. In fact, human-tiger conflict has posed a challenge for us. However, in collaboration with WWF-India, we are making all efforts to mitigate the conflict by providing compensation to owners as early as possible," Dutta said.
A joint study by Aaranyak and WWF-India, in collaboration with the forest department, has confirmed that over 100 sand islands dotting the Brahmaputra between Kaziranga national park and Orang national park are frequently used by tigers for their movement.
Spotting tigers in places like Koliabor, Naltali and Dhakuakhana within the Kaziranga-Orang Riverine Landscape has confirmed that big cats are using the islands for establishing new home ranges once they move out of the protected areas.
The trend of more and more tigers straying out of Kaziranga is also a cause of concern for the fringe villagers. "Last monsoon, I lost three cows in tiger attacks. They sneak into our village and prey upon our cattle. Our cattle sheds are not well-protected ones," said 75-year-old Hemai Tokbi, the village headman of Inglem Pathar, a non-descript hamlet bang opposite the Kohora range of the national park.
Though Tokbi claimed that residents of Inglem Pathar have never tried to kill a tiger, he could not vouch the same for people of other villages surrounding Kaziranga. "It's a difficult question. Don't ask me that," was his curt reply.
P J Bora, programme coordinator of WWF-India's Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong Landscape Programme (KALP), said: "We provide these villagers with immediate relief whenever there's report of tiger depredation. For proper conservation of the tigers, managing the park and the firing villages is of utmost importance. One should always remember that the human and wildlife interface in an area like Kaziranga is quite diffused that there is constant interaction, sometime fierce, and close relationship among both the parties."
The 185 km long Kaziranga-Orang Riverine Landscape (KORL) comprises the protected areas of Kaziranga, Orang, Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary, Burachapori Wildlife Sanctuary and a number of reserve forests. The study said KORL served as a major gateway for movement of other animals including deer the major prey base for tigers.
Comments
Tags:Villagers|Kaziranga National Park|Conflicts
KAZIRANGA: Over 2,000 rhinos, 1,292 elephants, 1,400 wild buffaloes and about 700 swamp deer are already jostling for space in the 430 sq km area of Kaziranga National Park. Add to it about 80-odd tigers. Kaziranga National Park, which boasts of highest tiger density in the world, has virtually run out of space. And the worst sufferers, it seems, are the tigers they stray out of the protected area in search of prey and run into the risk of getting engaged in fatal conflicts with fringe villagers.
Kaziranga Park authorities admit to the problem. "The need of the hour is to add new areas under the park's administration. Even as the process to add new areas is over, these areas are yet to be handed over to us," Kaziranga National Park director Surajit Dutta said.
"Regaining the sand islands on the Brahmaputra which are used as natural corridors by tigers is of utmost importance for proper conservation of the big cats and ensuring their safety. Most of these island are either encroached by human beings or are being used by them to set up cattle sheds. This increases human-tiger conflicts," he added.
A park official said if one combines the total number of big mammals in the park area, it only reveals a terrible space shortage. "Incidents of straying out by tigers and conflicts with locals living in villages along the park are rampant. We have to extend our management beyond the existing area of the park," an official observed.
"Whenever a tiger strays out, it preys on livestock. This triggers conflicts. In fact, human-tiger conflict has posed a challenge for us. However, in collaboration with WWF-India, we are making all efforts to mitigate the conflict by providing compensation to owners as early as possible," Dutta said.
A joint study by Aaranyak and WWF-India, in collaboration with the forest department, has confirmed that over 100 sand islands dotting the Brahmaputra between Kaziranga national park and Orang national park are frequently used by tigers for their movement.
Spotting tigers in places like Koliabor, Naltali and Dhakuakhana within the Kaziranga-Orang Riverine Landscape has confirmed that big cats are using the islands for establishing new home ranges once they move out of the protected areas.
The trend of more and more tigers straying out of Kaziranga is also a cause of concern for the fringe villagers. "Last monsoon, I lost three cows in tiger attacks. They sneak into our village and prey upon our cattle. Our cattle sheds are not well-protected ones," said 75-year-old Hemai Tokbi, the village headman of Inglem Pathar, a non-descript hamlet bang opposite the Kohora range of the national park.
Though Tokbi claimed that residents of Inglem Pathar have never tried to kill a tiger, he could not vouch the same for people of other villages surrounding Kaziranga. "It's a difficult question. Don't ask me that," was his curt reply.
P J Bora, programme coordinator of WWF-India's Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong Landscape Programme (KALP), said: "We provide these villagers with immediate relief whenever there's report of tiger depredation. For proper conservation of the tigers, managing the park and the firing villages is of utmost importance. One should always remember that the human and wildlife interface in an area like Kaziranga is quite diffused that there is constant interaction, sometime fierce, and close relationship among both the parties."
The 185 km long Kaziranga-Orang Riverine Landscape (KORL) comprises the protected areas of Kaziranga, Orang, Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary, Burachapori Wildlife Sanctuary and a number of reserve forests. The study said KORL served as a major gateway for movement of other animals including deer the major prey base for tigers.
A website that has different tales of tigers
A website based on the tigers of Bandhavgarh National Park in Umaria district not only identifies the big cats belonging to a particular zone by their pet names, but also traces their family tree. landofthewild.com, created by Sachin Rai, a wildlife
photographer, traces the family tree of tigers, describes their traits and has stories associated with them.
"Wildlife photography is a passion for me," Rai told PTI, when asked about the website and his hobby. "I used to visit Bandhavgarh at least three times a year and spend a fortnight each in the park to capture images and gather information about the tigers," he said.
The tigers in the family tree are identified with their names like B2, Bokha, Bamera Male, Kallu, Chakradhara, Jhujhura, Chorbehra, Mahaman, Banbehi and Mirchaini.
"Best part of the website is that the moment you click on B2, Mahaman or any other tiger, you get to see the actual
big cat in the wild," the awarding-winning lensman said.
Referring to B2, the website says, "a legend on his own, this tiger is probably the most photographed wild tiger in the world. Ruling more than half the tourism area for almost eight years now, he has fathered lots of cubs who have
been instrumental in shaping the future of Bandhavgarh."
"B2 has fathered Jhujura, one of the most bold and successful mothers. She had raised two healthy litters and was
taking care of her third one which consisted of three cubs (six-month-old). She was run over by a Forest Department
vehicle on May 19, 2010," it claimed.
photographer, traces the family tree of tigers, describes their traits and has stories associated with them.
"Wildlife photography is a passion for me," Rai told PTI, when asked about the website and his hobby. "I used to visit Bandhavgarh at least three times a year and spend a fortnight each in the park to capture images and gather information about the tigers," he said.
The tigers in the family tree are identified with their names like B2, Bokha, Bamera Male, Kallu, Chakradhara, Jhujhura, Chorbehra, Mahaman, Banbehi and Mirchaini.
"Best part of the website is that the moment you click on B2, Mahaman or any other tiger, you get to see the actual
big cat in the wild," the awarding-winning lensman said.
Referring to B2, the website says, "a legend on his own, this tiger is probably the most photographed wild tiger in the world. Ruling more than half the tourism area for almost eight years now, he has fathered lots of cubs who have
been instrumental in shaping the future of Bandhavgarh."
"B2 has fathered Jhujura, one of the most bold and successful mothers. She had raised two healthy litters and was
taking care of her third one which consisted of three cubs (six-month-old). She was run over by a Forest Department
vehicle on May 19, 2010," it claimed.
Was the wrong tiger killed in Kumaon?
LUCKNOW: A day after Uttarakhand forest officials shot a tiger claiming it had killed six people in and around Kumaon's Corbett Reserve, doubts are being raised if the big cat felled on Thursday was a man-eater.
The Corbett authorities who had earlier claimed that the man-eater was a tigress, on Friday said the feline shot by Ramnagar forest officials was a "rare specimen with female characterstics". With deformity in both its hind claws, the pug marks of the tiger made them look like that of a tigress. "Whatever doubts have arisen, could be because of this assumption of ours," said Corbett park warden U C Tiwari on Friday adding, "it was a tiger with female characteristics."
The contention was outrightly rejected by wildlife experts. "The pug mark impressions are very distinct and are impressions of paws and not claws," said former director of Dudhwa G C Mishra. He added that this leaves little chance of a goof up. "We are yet to come across a tiger with "female characteristics," he said.
"If they have killed a wrong tiger and a man-eater is still at large, killings (of men) will take place in some 15-20 days," he warned.
Former director, Project Tiger, R L Singh said: "I agree that pug marks are misleading evidence, but I have never ever come across a tiger with any of its claws like that of a female. Though the cubs can have their claws look like that of a female, the Corbett tiger was an old one."
The Corbett authorities who had earlier claimed that the man-eater was a tigress, on Friday said the feline shot by Ramnagar forest officials was a "rare specimen with female characterstics". With deformity in both its hind claws, the pug marks of the tiger made them look like that of a tigress. "Whatever doubts have arisen, could be because of this assumption of ours," said Corbett park warden U C Tiwari on Friday adding, "it was a tiger with female characteristics."
The contention was outrightly rejected by wildlife experts. "The pug mark impressions are very distinct and are impressions of paws and not claws," said former director of Dudhwa G C Mishra. He added that this leaves little chance of a goof up. "We are yet to come across a tiger with "female characteristics," he said.
"If they have killed a wrong tiger and a man-eater is still at large, killings (of men) will take place in some 15-20 days," he warned.
Former director, Project Tiger, R L Singh said: "I agree that pug marks are misleading evidence, but I have never ever come across a tiger with any of its claws like that of a female. Though the cubs can have their claws look like that of a female, the Corbett tiger was an old one."
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