New population estimation figures on wild tiger numbers of India will be unveiled tomorrow here. A 3-Day International Conference on Tiger Conservation, Global Workshop on Implementation of the Global Tiger Recovery Program (GTRP) and General Assembly of the Global Tiger Forum (GTF) will also begin here tomorrow. India is a key player in the global tiger conservation agenda and has established a leadership position with more than 45,000 sq km area under 39 designated tiger reserves. India is also on a rapid economic growth path, faced with the challenging task of striking a balance between conservation and development. Eliciting the support of communities living in and around tiger reserves is also an imperative for mainstreaming tiger concerns in India at the landscape level with livelihood options to reduce the resource dependency on wildlife habitats.
The conference marks the first follow up of meeting countries that still have wild tigers following November 2010’s tiger summit at St. Petersburg, Russia. The historic Russian summit drew world leaders and produced the groundbreaking Global Tiger Recovery Programme (GTRP), a worldwide plan to bring the species back from the brink of extinction. The GTRP adopted St. Petersburg outlines the priorities for national, regional, and global actions for the next 12 years. The GTRP Implementation workshop will set the stage for the first year actions. Participants from all tiger range countries will present their national priority actions for 2011 and the international partners will outline their support to assist TRCs in their implementation needs. The overall goal is to have an essential on-the-ground impact in tiger conservation and management of tiger ecosystems in 2011.
Objectives of this conference include sharing of the refined methodology and best practices in conserving tigers in India, open the dialog on conservation and infrastructure sector through Smart Green Infrastructure that promises adding value to rather than adversely impacting tiger ecosystems, experience sharing vis-a-vis the implementation of the GTRP/NTRPs across all Tiger Range Countries & launch and financial support to the TRCs, discuss a framework of national tiger and prey monitoring systems through the GTF and plan for the first Annual GTRP Stocktaking meeting in December, 2011.
With sessions on the global programme’s implementation and monitoring scheduled, the conference will serve as an update on its progress, achievements and challenges, detailing the state of the tiger in 2011. Sessions on India’s challenges in achieving conservation and economic development, as well as experiences from the frontlines of tiger conservation are also scheduled. In addition to high-level officials from the 13 countries that still have tigers, the conference is expected to hear from key NGOs and global partners in the GTRP, including the World Bank’s Global Tiger Initiative, the Global Tiger Forum, WWF, WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society), the Smithsonian Institute, the wildlife trade network TRAFFIC, CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).
The International Tiger Conference will be followed by a meeting of the General Assembly of the Global Tiger Forum (GTF). The GTF is the only inter-governmental body focused on promoting the conservation of the tiger. Currently, India is the host country for the GTF.
Numbering more than 100,000 at the turn of the last century, tigers have lost more than 97 percent of their population and 94 percent of their home range in just 100 years. They live in increasingly isolated habitats in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand and Viatnam. The Global Tiger Recovery Programme marks the first formalized international initiative to save the species from extinctin.
This conference is an important first step in bringing all 13 tiger range countries together again to build on the Global Tiger Recovery Programme and stop the tiger’s decline. The conference has been hosted by the national Tiger Conservation Authority, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India and Co-organized and co-sponsored by the Global Tiger Forum (GTF) and Global Tiger Initiative (GTI).
KP/RK
(Release ID :71290)
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Panna Reserve in Madhya Pradesh gets another tigress
A tigress was today relocated to Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh, as a part of the ongoing efforts to revive the tiger population there, a top forest official said.
"A six-year old tigress from Kanha Tiger Reserve was put in the wild of the park directly this morning," Panna Tiger Reserve's field director, RS Murthy, said.
"It is for the first time in the country that a tigress has been put in the wild directly," he said, adding that normally animals are first kept in an enclosure before shifting them to the wilderness.
Murthy said that this tigress had been raised in an enclosure in Kanha, after her mother died shortly after the delivery.
The new entrant of Panna has been radio-collared for the purpose of monitoring.
With this, the number of translocated tigresses to this reserve has increased to three.
Last year, two tigresses and a tiger were shifted to Panna, which is spread over 543 sq km across Panna and Chhatarpur districts.
A tigress from Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve was brought in March 2009 and another one was translocated from Kanha in the same month.
Thereafter, a tiger was brought from Pench Tiger Reserve. The two translocated tigresses gave birth to cubs last year, officials said, adding that five cubs had been spotted so far.
Panna Tiger Reserve, which once had more than 35 tigers, had become devoid of the big cat, allegedly due to poaching, by 2009.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_panna-reserve-in-madhya-pradesh-gets-another-tigress_1525062
"A six-year old tigress from Kanha Tiger Reserve was put in the wild of the park directly this morning," Panna Tiger Reserve's field director, RS Murthy, said.
"It is for the first time in the country that a tigress has been put in the wild directly," he said, adding that normally animals are first kept in an enclosure before shifting them to the wilderness.
Murthy said that this tigress had been raised in an enclosure in Kanha, after her mother died shortly after the delivery.
The new entrant of Panna has been radio-collared for the purpose of monitoring.
With this, the number of translocated tigresses to this reserve has increased to three.
Last year, two tigresses and a tiger were shifted to Panna, which is spread over 543 sq km across Panna and Chhatarpur districts.
A tigress from Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve was brought in March 2009 and another one was translocated from Kanha in the same month.
Thereafter, a tiger was brought from Pench Tiger Reserve. The two translocated tigresses gave birth to cubs last year, officials said, adding that five cubs had been spotted so far.
Panna Tiger Reserve, which once had more than 35 tigers, had become devoid of the big cat, allegedly due to poaching, by 2009.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_panna-reserve-in-madhya-pradesh-gets-another-tigress_1525062
Two base camps to check man-animal conflicts in Terai
The state Forest department will be undertaking an exclusive project to keep a check on the incidents of man-animal conflict in the core tiger habitat zone in the state. The department, with support from the World Wildlife Fund, will be establishing two conflict and quick response camps at Katarniya Ghat in Bahraich and Dudhwa Wildlife Sanctuary in Lakhimpur Kheri districts. These camps will cover the area between Katarniya Ghat and Pilibhit forest reserves and check the movement of tigers and also, the incidents of man-animal conflict.
The decision to set up these base camps was taken at a meeting of the newly formed Project Management Committee for the Project Tiger, held at Pilibhit on Friday and Saturday. The committee, which has officials of the state Forest department and the WWF as its members, will be monitoring all the projects that the department will undertake for the protection of tigers. During the meeting, the committee decided to include Pilibhit in the core tiger habitat zone.
The need for setting up these base camps was felt because of the recent incidents of tiger killings. Since July last, there have been around 10 incidents of man-animal conflicts in several districts of the state. The latest attack was reported from Rae Bareli on Saturday, when 8 people including a deputy ranger, were injured while trying to catch the leopard. The incident occurred in Lachai village under Saraini police station around 7.30 am, when the leopard attacked four locals, including a woman, who were working in the field. Hearing their cries, other villagers rushed to the spot. The injured were rushed to the district hospital. Meanwhile, a forest team also reached the spot. The animal attacked deputy ranger Ram Naresh Shukla, who was also rushed to the hospital. The villagers then started hitting the animal with lathis and stones and finally, killed the animal. Three more people were injured during the fight
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/two-base-camps-to-check-mananimal-conflicts-in-terai/767885/
The decision to set up these base camps was taken at a meeting of the newly formed Project Management Committee for the Project Tiger, held at Pilibhit on Friday and Saturday. The committee, which has officials of the state Forest department and the WWF as its members, will be monitoring all the projects that the department will undertake for the protection of tigers. During the meeting, the committee decided to include Pilibhit in the core tiger habitat zone.
The need for setting up these base camps was felt because of the recent incidents of tiger killings. Since July last, there have been around 10 incidents of man-animal conflicts in several districts of the state. The latest attack was reported from Rae Bareli on Saturday, when 8 people including a deputy ranger, were injured while trying to catch the leopard. The incident occurred in Lachai village under Saraini police station around 7.30 am, when the leopard attacked four locals, including a woman, who were working in the field. Hearing their cries, other villagers rushed to the spot. The injured were rushed to the district hospital. Meanwhile, a forest team also reached the spot. The animal attacked deputy ranger Ram Naresh Shukla, who was also rushed to the hospital. The villagers then started hitting the animal with lathis and stones and finally, killed the animal. Three more people were injured during the fight
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/two-base-camps-to-check-mananimal-conflicts-in-terai/767885/
Tiger reserve in Jharkhand ravaged by forest fire
Forest Ranger Ashok Kumar Singh said: " We are trying to bring the fire under control for several days. Our staff works all night and as per the latest report, we have almost controlled it. You will not find any new fire breaking out."
He also said that the fire may not harm big animals, but reptiles like snakes, lizards, etc. could be killed.
No one has been reported injured in the fire that has devastated about 72 square kilometers of the forest area.
Trackers and firefighters from the forest department are facing a lot of difficulty to carry out operations to douse the fire during the night due to low visibility and the complex nature of the terrain. (ANI)
http://www.sify.com/news/tiger-reserve-in-jharkhand-ravaged-by-forest-fire-news-national-ldzlEcebchf.html
He also said that the fire may not harm big animals, but reptiles like snakes, lizards, etc. could be killed.
No one has been reported injured in the fire that has devastated about 72 square kilometers of the forest area.
Trackers and firefighters from the forest department are facing a lot of difficulty to carry out operations to douse the fire during the night due to low visibility and the complex nature of the terrain. (ANI)
http://www.sify.com/news/tiger-reserve-in-jharkhand-ravaged-by-forest-fire-news-national-ldzlEcebchf.html
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