Expert team to visit tiger reserves

By Lawrence Milton, TNN | Jan 31, 2013, 07.32 PM IST READ MORE Bandipur Tiger Reserves|Ajai Desai MYSORE: An expert team comprising senior officials and wildlife experts will visit Nagarahole and Bandipur Tiger Reserves to assess the situation in the first week of February. This follows the drought-like situation at both the protected areas. Water sources in parts of the tiger reserves have completely dried up ahead of summer due to lack of rains in the last two seasons. This has been cause of worry for officials concerned as animals are migrating to different places. Nagarahole witnessed worst forest fire in February 2011 and hundreds of acres of forest were destroyed in the fire. As there is no rain this season many parts have become dry, which could aggravate situation this summer season. Officials are making all-out efforts to prevent any forest fire which will cause threat to animals especially tiger. A meeting chaired by forest minister C P Yogeshwar at Bangalore on Thursday has decided to send a team comprising of senior forest officials and animal experts like Ajai Desai, who is also steering committee of project elephant, Ministry of environment and forests, to take stock of the situation. Nagarahole director R Gokul, who attended the meeting, confirmed the visit of an expert team to Nagarahole tiger reserve to find out ground reality. The team are expected to visit the forest next week. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mysore/Expert-team-to-visit-tiger-reserves/articleshow/18274706.cms