Almost 50 tigers dead in six months in India

CNN-IBN New Delhi: Close to 50 tigers have died in the past six months in India, 19 of which were killed in poaching incidents. It's a shocking figure, specially when compared to the 56 tiger deaths reported in all in 2011. The National Tiger Conservation Authority has sounded an alert in all tiger reserves with an order that all the big cat deaths must be treated as poaching cases unless proven otherwise. It has identified Corbett in Uttarakhand and Tadoba in Maharashtra as poaching hot spots. Efforts are on to step up monitoring and foot patrolling in the monsoon season when the parks are shut down, making them more vulnerable to poachers. Tiger conservation activist Rajesh Gopal said, "There have been several tiger deaths. We are considering all deaths as cases of poaching unless proven otherwise." Tiger conservation activist Sunita Narain said, "The government must focus on rehabilitating poachers in order to save the tigers." http://ibnlive.in.com/news/almost-50-tigers-dead-in-six-months-in-india/265555-3.html

Night vision cameras to keep track of tigress, cubs

TNN | Jun 12, 2012, 01.20AM IST BHOPAL: Rattled by the poaching of a tiger last week in state capital forest circle, the hard-pressed authorities have some six night vision cameras installed around water bodies to protect a tigress and its two cubs. "We have placed around six cameras around the water bodies in the forest region of Sehore, Raisen and Bhopal divisions, where the tigress along with two cubs has formed its territory," a top forest department official said. The forest authorities decided to keep a watch on the water bodies given that the wild animals go to such places to quench thirst. It was near a well where the tiger was electrocuted by poachers recently in neighbouring Sehore district, some 40 km from here. Besides, the forest department's ground duty staffers were keeping a watch on the overhead electric wires to ensure that poachers don't make use of it especially near the water bodies, officials said. "We are checking a water body thrice daily in the forested areas. Furthermore we have put up camps at different places and using four-wheelers to keep a watch on the big cat and two cubs," he added. The tiger, now dead, and tigress had entered into forested areas of the state capital forest circle from Ratapani wildlife sanctuary in Raisen. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhopal/Night-vision-cameras-to-keep-track-of-tigress-cubs/articleshow/14035243.cms