Trapping camera destroyed in Palamu Tiger Reserve

TNN | Feb 25, 2013, 02.20 AM IST Palamu Tiger Reserve to get eco-sensitive shieldFemale elephant found deadProject Elephant member sends a missive to guvVijay's hunting for an elephantYaanamalai's elephant head shaped rock DALTONGANJ: A trapping camera installed in Palamu Tiger Reserve was destroyed late on Saturday night with foresters suspecting that the LCD monitor of the camera was damaged by an elephant which might have been irked by its flush light. PTR field director Syed Ehtesham Hussain Kazmi confirmed the damage but he was doubtful if it was destroyed by the elephant. "Had the elephant damaged the trapping camera for its annoying flush light, its image ought to have been there even notionally or so," he said. Asked if the destruction of the camera could be by human being, the director said he did not rule out the possibility as people who usually go inside the forest to collect fuel wood also damage the trapping cameras. However, he said during the past more than one year, half a dozen trapping cameras were damaged or destroyed and in most of the cases the elephants did the damage. The PTR has launched a public campaign saying that the trapping camera is not the one to shoot anyone's photograph either for Aadhaar card or for Red card or for MGNREGA job card. It is only for moving wild life and if any person comes in the range, he, too, will be captured by the camera. "This is to desist and dissuade those who have any motive to steal the camera for any commercial purpose," Kazmi said. The trapping camera has captured a lone wolf in the Garu range suggesting the existence of the animal in the range apart from Mahuadarn where there is a wolf sanctuary. But for lack of awareness, the tourists hardly visit the place. Asked that wolves generally move in pack but how is it that only one wolf is in camera he said ' It is true wolf moves in a pack but this one appeared before the camera and it was captured by lens'. He also told that on many occasions wolf is taken for jackal but here the trapped image is of the wolf for all surety. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ranchi/Trapping-camera-destroyed-in-Palamu-Tiger-Reserve/articleshow/18665986.cms