More sightings at Mudumalai Tiger Reserve

With sighting of tigers in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) near here now being not as difficult as it used to be till about a year ago, the management has put in place a plan of action to step up its vigil.

Pointing out that a series of measures would be taken in a phased manner to protect the national animal, MTR Field Director K. Srivastava told The Hindu here on Saturday that chances of sighting tigers have increased because their population at Mudumalai was growing. Describing it as a welcome trend, he attributed it to the effective conservation measures implemented by the department with the help of its staff, particularly anti-poaching watchers and the local people.

Twenty anti-poaching camps and two floating camps have been set up. While the routine patrolling has been intensified, elephant patrolling has been introduced. Simultaneously habitat improvement has been taken up to ensure that the prey base is healthy. Tourism is being regulated in the area. Fixed surveillance cameras are being mounted at appropriate places.

Adverting to a scheme now under implementation to rehabilitate people residing in the core area of the MTR, Mr. Srivastava said that it would help the reserve gain about 300 hectares of grass and marshy land. Stating that direct sighting of tigers was being frequently reported, he said: “A heartening feature is that many of them are sub-adults and cubs.” He added that over the last two years, 27 direct sightings had been reported.

Union Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh and the Wildlife Institute of India have acknowledged the development. Due to better management practices, the population of other animals had also gone up. The number of elephants now is 1,000 against 835 last year, he said
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2215890.ece

NTCA committee on orphaned tiger cubs Vijay Pinjarkar, TNN

NAGPUR: The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has constituted a three-member committee for examining issues relating to abandoned and orphaned tiger cubs from the wild, so as to explore the feasibility of their in-situ rearing and release in low tiger density habitats. The committee members are Prof PC Tyagi, YV Jhala, both scientists with Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, and SP Yadav, deputy inspector general (DIG) of NTCA as the member convener.

Yadav said that the terms of reference (ToR) of the committee will include country-wide assessment of the wild caught orphaned and abandoned cubs; identification of low density tiger reserves; to give recommendation for rehabilitation of such cubs vis-à-vis the NTCA guidelines; to prescribe 'minimum standards' for creation of tiger safaris; and to examine feasibility of ex-situ to in-situ linkage in the context of tiger. The committee will submit its report in 60 days, Yadav said.

MoEF meet on tiger reserves: The ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) has called a meeting of field directors of all tiger reserves at Bandipur in Karnataka. The two-day meet on July 29 and 30, will be inaugurated by union environment and forest minister Jairam Ramesh. All chief wildlife wardens of tiger-bearing states have been told to attend the meeting and make presentations on status of tiger reserves in their states.

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-07-05/nagpur/29738237_1_tiger-reserves-tiger-cubs-ntca