BAHRAICH: A rare wild tiger has been killed by poachers, on Indo-Nepal border a wildlife official said on Saturday.
The adult male tiger, which had been fitted with a collar carrying a GPS tracking system that allowed scientists to monitor its adaptation back into the wild, was killed two weeks ago, the official said.
Tikaram Adhikari, a warden at Bardia National Park in Nepal's southern plains where the endangered animal was released said, the tiger was last traced by the tracking system on May 9.
"Next two days, we could not locate it. Then, early this week, we found that it had been killed by poachers," he said.
"The tiger was moving towards human settlements. After seeing the tiger, the poachers offered him poisoned beef. It died after consuming the food," Adhikari said.
The tiger was named Namobuddha by park authorities. Four locals have been arrested on suspicion of poaching, Adhikari said.
The injured tiger was captured by wildlife officials when wandering into a tourist resort in southern Nepal.
Tiger was released into Bardia national park as it as an ideal home for the animal because it of its vast size, available prey and relatively low levels of poaching, authorities said.
"Using the tracking system we were hoping to gain valuable insights into its movement and habitat.But after this incident we feel that saving wild tigers will be more challenging," Adhikari said.
The project was part of Nepal's efforts to double its population of Royal Bengal tigers, which once roamed the country's southern plains in large numbers but have been depleted due to poaching. A WWF survey carried out in 2008 found just 121 adult tigers of breeding age in Nepal.
Experts say poverty and political instability in Nepal have created ideal conditions for poachers who kill animals for their skin, meat and bones, which are highly valued in Chinese traditional medicine.
The WWF says tigers worldwide are in serious danger of becoming extinct in the wild.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/allahabad/Endangered-tiger-killed-by-poachers/articleshow/8729681.cms
Monday, June 6, 2011
Nearly 200 tigers fell prey to poaching in last 12 years -PTI
Nearly 200 tigers were killed by poachers in and around various forest reserves in the country, in the last 12 years, news that points out the danger that the national animal faces in its habitat.
Besides, 250 wild cats died of natural causes including old age, in fighting, starvation, road and rail accidents, electrocution and weakness during this period.
According to an RTI reply from the Ministry of Environment and Forests, 447 wild cats were reportedly found dead between 1999 and March 2011 in and around a number of natural habitats for tigers, of which 197 were poached.
The ministry also noted that poaching was the major cause behind disappearance of tigers from Sariska and Panna reserves.
“The cases of local extinction of tigers were reported in Sariska, Rajasthan (2005) and Panna, Madhya Pradesh (2008). As reported, poaching of tigers was the major cause of their extinction,” National Tiger Conservation Authority under the MoEF said in reply to an RTI query filed by PTI.
A highest of 36 each tigers were poached in 2001 and 2002, followed by 24 each in 1999 and in 2010, it said. Two tigers were found to be killed in poaching between January and March 17 this year, the reply said.
Whereas 20 wild cats were killed in 2003, 17 in 2009, 10 in 2007, nine each in 2000 and 2008, and five fell prey to hunters in 2006, it said.
The ministry, however, did not give details of action taken reports in the cases of poaching, saying that concerned state governments were the custodian of information.
http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/article2079069.ece
Besides, 250 wild cats died of natural causes including old age, in fighting, starvation, road and rail accidents, electrocution and weakness during this period.
According to an RTI reply from the Ministry of Environment and Forests, 447 wild cats were reportedly found dead between 1999 and March 2011 in and around a number of natural habitats for tigers, of which 197 were poached.
The ministry also noted that poaching was the major cause behind disappearance of tigers from Sariska and Panna reserves.
“The cases of local extinction of tigers were reported in Sariska, Rajasthan (2005) and Panna, Madhya Pradesh (2008). As reported, poaching of tigers was the major cause of their extinction,” National Tiger Conservation Authority under the MoEF said in reply to an RTI query filed by PTI.
A highest of 36 each tigers were poached in 2001 and 2002, followed by 24 each in 1999 and in 2010, it said. Two tigers were found to be killed in poaching between January and March 17 this year, the reply said.
Whereas 20 wild cats were killed in 2003, 17 in 2009, 10 in 2007, nine each in 2000 and 2008, and five fell prey to hunters in 2006, it said.
The ministry, however, did not give details of action taken reports in the cases of poaching, saying that concerned state governments were the custodian of information.
http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/article2079069.ece
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