Tass tigress at doorstep of Tadoba?

Vijay Pinjarkar, TNN | Jan 4, 2012, 04.35AM IST NAGPUR: The Tass tigress that was rescued from a drain and released back into wild in Bhiwapur forest, appears to have found its way to the doorstep of Tadoba tiger reserve. If that is the case, the tigress has travelled over 35 km in just over a month after her release. The signals received by forest officials and the monitoring team from her radio-collar show that the tigress is in a reserve forests in Brahmapuri (area not revealed) very close to Tadoba's buffer and may be heading towards Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR). The tigress was rescued on October 13 from an open drain adjoining Tass forest in Bhiwapur. It was released in its original habitat after treatment on November 27. Tigers are great wanderers and only a scientific study can tell why the tigress moved out so long. In 2009, a radio-collared tiger had travelled 250 kms from Kanha tiger reserve to reach Pench. Similarly, last year, another radio-collared tigress from MP Pench had reached Mansinghdeo sanctuary in Maharashtra. Experts say there may be many reasons like poor prey base and competition in its original habitat for tigress' long run and a study needs to be done. The tigress had killed a goat and some wild boars in Ranmangli and Paoni forests. Officials are closely monitoring the beast and are cautious not to reveal its location fearing it could be hunted. A K Saxena, additional PCCF for wildlife, East, who also holds charge of chief wildlife warden, did not go into the details saying the matter was sensitive. "We are keeping a close watch," he stressed. The tigress is suspected to have moved from Ranmangli through Paoni and Kanpa-Tenpa. The movement, essential to maintain a healthy gene pool, underlines the importance of protecting corridors that are fast getting fragmented. The tigress seems to be clever and as it avoided villages and canals and also crossed state highway 9 to reach Tadoba. "It amply shows how road widening, canals, dams and biotic pressure threaten tigers. The tigress is lucky," said officials. Conservationists, who did not wish to be quoted, felt that the tigress must be originally from Tadoba stock and must be acquainted with the routes. It could have even moved towards Wadsa or Pratapgarh-Navegaon-Nagzira, which is another corridor. "Generally, cats move on routes they are familiar with," they said. An Umred-based NGO Wildlife Conservation and Development Centre (WLCDC), working for tiger conservation in Bhiwapur, claimed they had first sighted the Tass tigress near Kharangla with its mother in April 2009. It must be around five months old then. Members of NGO feel Karhandla-Bhiwapur seems to have a source population from where tigers move into Tadoba landscape. The WLCDC members claimed the tigress may have moved in search of a mate. But this is also doubtful as Bhiwapur area already has male tigers. An expert disagreed saying, "I'm not ready to believe that Bhiwapur has a source population. It does not have prey density to support resident tigers. The tigress moved towards Tadoba landscape due to strong continuity that needs to be strengthened." Saxena said, "We will definitely do a corridor study." Quotes The tigress must be originally from Tadoba stock and must be acquainted with the routes. It could have even moved towards Wadsa or Pratapgarh-Navegaon-Nagzira, which is another corridor. Conservationst I'm not ready to believe that Bhiwapur has a source population. It does not have prey density to support resident tigers. The tigress moved towards Tadoba landscape due to strong continuity that needs to be strengthened. Expert Tracking The Tigress Officials are closely monitoring the beast and are cautious not to reveal its location fearing it could be hunted The tigress is suspected to have moved from Ranmangli through Paoni and Kanpa-Tenpa The tigress avoided villages and canals and also crossed state highway 9 to reach Tadoba The movement underlines the importance of protecting corridors that are fast getting fragmented http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Tass-tigress-at-doorstep-of-Tadoba/articleshow/11358192.cms

Karnataka sets up special tiger protection force

January 3, 2012 | Bangalore, (IANS) Karnataka has become the first Indian state to set up a special commando unit for protecting tigers in its dense forests from poachers and hunters, a senior official said Tuesday. “The 54-strong trained commando unit will be deployed from Wednesday in the two major tiger reserves located in Bandipur and Nagarhole national parks on the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border to protect the wild cats from poachers and hunters,” state’s Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) B.K. Singh told reporters here. The Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF) comprising 14 deputy forest range officers and 40 young guards have completed a three-month crash course for learning to survive in the jungle terrain and use various types of weapons at the state police training school in Yelahanka, about 30 km from Bangalore. “The force has been divided into three groups to be stationed initially at three locations in the two contiguous national parks. When a commando reaches 40 years of age, he will be shifted out of the unit and assigned other jobs in the forest department,” Singh said. An assistant conservator of forests and three range forest officers will supervise the operations of the special force, which is equipped with firearms, binoculars and wireless sets to be a deterrent to poaching. As per the latest (2011) tiger census, Karnataka is the most tiger dense state with 300 of the 1,700 wild cats in the country prowling in six major reserves across the state, including the Biligiri Ranganna Temple wildlife sanctuary in Chamrajnagar district, about 200 km from Bangalore. According to the state forest department, about 50 tigers died in Karnataka since 2006, in which 25 were killed by poachers and hunters. In the last two years, 25 tigers were killed across the country, including five in this southern state. Constituted under the aegis of the union environment and forests ministry on the recommendation of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), the force expenditure will be fully funded by the central government. “We plan to induct an additional 54 personnel into the force for deploying in the other three tiger reserves across the state. They will also undergo physical training, unarmed combat, training in using weapons, field engineering, map reading, disaster management and crowd control,” Singh noted. The NTCA has identified 13 tiger reserves in seven states across the country for the ambitious project to protect the dwindling population of the big cats. “The second force will be set up in Odisha for deployment in its Simlipal tiger reserve,” NTCA member secretary Rajesh Gopal said. The central government sanctioned Rs.50 crore to the NTCA in 2008 for raising, arming and deploying commandos in 13 sensitive tiger reserves across the country — Dudhwa-Katerniaghat, Corbett, Ranthambore, Pench, Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Pakke, Bandipur-Nagargole, Tadoba Andhari, Mudumalai, Kaziranga and Simlipal. “The big cats are a prize catch for poachers as their body parts are extensively used in making traditional Chinese medicines,” said Inspector General of Police H.S. Negi who is associated with NTCA. http://nvonews.com/2012/01/03/karnataka-sets-up-special-tiger-protection-force/

Forest officials hushed up tiger death

January 4, 2012 DC Bengaluru The male tiger, which reportedly died after being caught in a jaw trap in Bandipur Tiger Reserve (BTR) last weekend, was allegedly buried in Rampura in Kalkere range of Bandipur Tiger Reserve, according to highly placed sources. What is even more shocking is that this information was reportedly known to the senior forest officials, who “not only hushed up the tiger’s death, but also buried the big cat in Rampura without an autopsy – a violation of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 under which the reasons for a tiger’s death have to be ascertained through an autopsy, which has to be videographed in the presence of forest officials and representatives of non-governmental organisations,” said the source. It is reliably learnt that the poachers from Madhya Pradesh, who had laid the jaw trap, have reportedly been camping in the Bandipur National Park for the last eight to nine months with no action taken against them. Following media reports, the forest officials on Tuesday caught the group and detained them in Maddur range of Bandipur National Parkfor interrogation, the source added. This is the second tiger which lost its life in the Bandipur Tiger Reserve in less than one week. The forest officials are attributing the death of the other tiger to hunger. Conservationists are also worried about the whereabouts of another six-year-old male tiger with a scar on the left eye, which is a huge attraction among tourists in the Bandipur Tiger Reserve. “He has not been spotted in the last two months,” added the source. http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/bengaluru/forest-officials-hushed-tiger-death-678

STPF trainees all set to get on field

Express News Service , The New Indian Express BANGALORE: Manjunath Malagi (21), a forester from Gadag who completed his Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF) commando training on Tuesday, is enthusiastic to get into the field and discharge his duty. Speaking to Express, he said, “During these 13 weeks we had to undergo physical training that included unarmed combating method, weapon (pistol, grenade) training, map reading, disaster management, first aid, crowd control management. Once we get into the field this training will be helpful.” Awarding the certificates on completion of their commando training from the Police Training School, Yelahanka, to the batch of 54 foresters and forest guards who would be forming the STPF, Dr Rajesh Gopal, member-secretary, National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), said, “The STPF is different from the normal forest guards. When it comes to tiger poaching and smuggling it requires professionally trained combating force. In 2011, we lost around 50 tigers across the country, of which 22 fell to bullets of poachers.” Appreciating the initiative of the Forest Department, he assured support to the department in matters related to tiger conservation. Similarly, the STPF have been sanctioned for 13 other tiger reserves across nine states, he said. Meanwhile, B K Singh, principal chief conservator of forests (Wildlife) related about instances wherein the forest force had failed because of poor handling of information system, due to lack of trained manpower. He said, “The trained 54 foresters and forest guards will be deployed at Bandipur and Nagarhole as the poaching threat is higher in these two reserves.” Speaking to the media regarding the translocation of elephants from Alur in Hassan district to Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary, Minister for Forests C P Yogeshwar said, “The case will be heard in the High Court on Wednesday. Following which in a week’s time we will conduct a meeting and a decision will be taken on the issue.” http://ibnlive.in.com/news/stpf-trainees-all-set-to-get-on-field/217611-60-115.html