Anthrax fear grips tiger sanctuaries

By HM Aravind, TNN | Jan 28, 2013, 10.21 PM IST MYSORE: Anthrax scare has come back to haunt again this summer. Though wildlife in the pristine forest of Nagarahole, Bandipur and BRT tiger reserves are unaffected this season, death of cattle on the forest fringes due to anthrax has the forest officials jittery given that anthrax had claimed four elephants in Nagarahole and Bandipur tiger reserves nine years back. Notwithstanding the assertion of the animal husbandry and veterinary sciences that the damage has been contained — it is 10 days since cattle have been felled by anthrax at a village bordering Bandipur — fear stalks the swathes of tiger reserves. Death of cattle due to anthrax is worrisome. Luckily, there are no animal deaths under mysterious circumstances inside the forested area. It is too early to say that the damage in contained and that it will not strike back, a senior official attached to Bandipur National Park conceded. Pointing at the death of elephants at Nagarahole in 2004, he stated: It is impossible to guess since the disease has claimed wildlife in this part in the past. The fear started to lurk following death of a 10-year-old tusker due to anthrax in Thalavadi range in Sathyamangalam forest bordering BRT tiger reserve in early November. What is perplexing is that the disease has killed cattle at Bheemana Bidu on Mysore-Sultan Bathery road. While wildlife in BRT faced the danger, it is now the turn of Bandipur. Bheemana Bidu is located eight kilometers from Bandipur forest. After it was established that anthrax is the reason for the death of cattle, we've vaccinated over 700 cattle and 450 sheep in the affected region. The disease is now contained and there are no reports of death of livestock due to anthrax, Dr Sundar Raju, deputy director, animal husbandry and veterinary sciences, Chamarajnagar, told TOI. According to him, there are no deaths of cattle or sheep from other parts that border tiger reserves of Bandipur and BRT. "We'll continue vaccination at the affected area for next two years since the bacterium 'Bacillus anthracis' could survive dormant for two years." He said they have advised the villagers not to consume cattle or sheep meat and are keeping a watch over the developments. The deputy director said there are no reports of human contamination as of now but didn't rule it out pointing out that the bacterium could lie dormant for some time before it become active. Mysore district has not reported death due to anthrax, Dr B M Prasad Murthy, deputy director, animal husbandry and veterinary sciences, Mysore, said. "There are no cases either in Nagarahole region," he said but said they are keeping a close watch. There are no deaths in three tiger reserves owing to anthrax. We've sounded alert and the field staff have been directed to lookout for suspicious death of wild animals. Since livestock is vaccinated, it should not spread, B J Hosmath, APCCF and field director (Project Tiger), stated. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Anthrax-fear-grips-tiger-sanctuaries/articleshow/18227391.cms

'Gory wildlife killing rampant across state'

By Paul Fernandes, TNN | Jan 29, 2013, 04.43 AM IST PANAJI: The trapping of eight big cats in cable wire traps meant for smaller wildlife in about three years has once again brought into focus the low profile form of poaching prevalent outside protected areas in Goa. The forest department officials extricated a relatively unharmed leopard from a cable snare at Shiroda on January 24. "The noose of the trap snapped below the leopard's belly and did not tighten around it," said D N Carvalho, deputy conservator of forests, North Goa (wildlife and eco-tourism). Other big cats had been rescued in the recent past with some injuries while one died at Bondla after being rescued. In all, two leopards each in Pale and Borim, and one each in Shiroda, Nirancal and Maulinguem were freed from the wire traps. A tiger was shot dead after being trapped in Keri in Ferbuary 27, 2009. The spate of leopard cases reveals that the malaise of the gory killing of wildlife is rampant all over the state. But activists say that traps made of scooter, rickshaw, telephone and even cycle cables are being used in all parts of the state, especially forest patches and hilly areas near urbanized villages. "Dogs have been found ensnared in cable traps in places nearer to the coast as Siolim and Socorro and other places," an animal lover said. Agreed Arnold Noronha, president of a wildlife NGO, Chameleon, "Use of cable wire traps is very common," he said. But activists say the gravity of the threat is not realized as it happens in less frequented pockets of forest areas. "It comes to the department's notice only when leopards are trapped and left to die, but wild boar and porcupines may be quietly killed and consumed," a forest department official admitted. The officials find it easier to contain poaching inside wildlife sanctuary limits, but find forest areas beyond too vast for patrolling. "The irony lies in the fact that none of these poachers are found," the official said. Forest officials say many use cable snares against crop damage. "It is a revenge killing in some areas, but not always," an official said. Agreed Noronha, "If leopards were the poachers game, they would have shot them. This shows the villagers are mostly interested in meat," he said. Sources said Paresh Porob, range forest officer of Mhadei wildlife sanctuary, has issued notices to restaurants around the protected area, urging them to refrain from stocking and selling wild meat. Activists call for social awareness to curb the threat to wildlife. "A proper study is needed to gauge the damage caused by such poaching and awareness is a must to curb it," Noronha said. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Gory-wildlife-killing-rampant-across-state/articleshow/18232188.cms

Rajasthan tigresses named after minister

Sweta Dutta : Jaipur, Tue Jan 29 2013, 02:56 hrs The minister for forests in Rajasthan has a unique privilege: two Royal Bengal tigers are named after her. Officials say Minister of State for Environment and Forests Bina Kak "suggested" that the tigers should be named after her; Kak insists "local people" named them after her. Bina 1 and Bina 2 are two-year-old sub-adult tigresses who were transferred from Ranthambhore National Park to Sariska tiger reserve last week, when their names stirred a controversy. Wildlife conservationists and activists said tigers are named in accordance with a specific coding procedure; all tigers in Ranthambhore, for example, are in the T series — T24, T25 or T26, etc. — in forest department records, and those in Sariska are ST1, ST2, etc. Bina 1 and Bina 2 are, in forest records, B1 and B2. Local people and forest officials sometimes have their own names for tigers in their areas — perhaps Sundari, Machhli or Zalim. But no tiger has ever been named after a human personality before. Kak does have a connection with the two Binas, though. Their mother, a Kachida tigress named T5, had fallen ill soon after delivering them, and Kak had ordered immediate surgery on her. T5 could not be saved, but the efforts of the forest department ensured both her cubs overcame the odds and survived. According to officials, the minister believed she had a role in the cubs' survival. Said a senior official posted at the park at that time, "The minister took special care of the cubs. When they were about five months old, she suggested that they be named after her. We couldn't agree more." http://www.indianexpress.com/news/rajasthan-tigresses-named-after-minister/1066122/

Curbs on tourist movement hit tribals, artists' livelihood

By Prakash Hatvalne, TNN | Jan 29, 2013, 05.40 AM IST KANHA TIGER RESERVE: Restrictions, imposed by Supreme Court on the movement of tourists in national parks have not only affected tourism industry, but has also affected livelihood of tribal and other artists around the parks like Kanha National Park. Some tribals assembled during the three-day celebrations of 'Trees in their lives' which concluded at a hotel in Kanha, claimed that they would have no other option, but to go back to jungles and work as labourers in the government's MANREGA scheme. Artists and craftsmen into making bamboo items, wood carving, clay toys and Gond tribal painters along with Baiga dance performers assembled at the camp. "We used to earn good money in three months from October to December and this was enough for us to survive up to March, but this year we are unable to earn," says a group of three artists Manoj Diwedi, Aashish Kushwaha and Amit Lakhera based at Khatiya entry of Kanha. Earlier, every artist earned Rs 10,000 to 15,000 during peak season in three months. But this time they could earn barely Rs 5,000 because of tourism restrictions, Manoj claimed. Rajendra Shyam, a Gond painter, who came to attend the festival said, "The government should also think about our future. Our Gond paintings are now popular in international art market." Singinava foundation, organizer of festival, is also planning to set up a museum for artists with the help of local tribals. Bundiya Tekam, a sarpanch of Kohaka village in Mandla district, says, "We have arranged a piece of land and soon we will make a building where all artists' work will be displayed so tourists can come at one place and buy art material of all artists." Before restrictions, about 300 vehicles carrying tourists were allowed to enter the park in morning and evening, but now only 168 number vehicles are permitted. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhopal/Curbs-on-tourist-movement-hit-tribals-artists-livelihood/articleshow/18232580.cms

Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation meet in Feb on tiger passes on canals

By Shishir Arya, TNN | Jan 29, 2013, 03.51 AM IST Controversial irrigation secretary back in actionMan who blew lid off Maharashtra irrigation scam seeks VRSState's '25% condition' on irrigation projects is disastrousAjit Pawar dada storms back, but has taint washed off?Did Sunil Tatkare mislead House on irrigation benefits? NAGPUR: With canals coming in the way of tiger habitat, the Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC) is now gearing up to build bridges over them for the big cats to cross over. As some of the irrigation canals pass through forests or their fringes, they cut off the two sides or block the tiger corridor hampering the movement of wildlife. The union ministry of environment and forests has stressed that a clearance can only be given to such projects if bridges are built or other measures taken. A meeting of the VIDC officials has been scheduled on February 21 in which the engineers concerned will be discussing a road map on the bridges or tiger passes. Six major canals pass through forest areas in the region which include the right bank canal and the one originating from the Mokhabardi reservoir under the Gosikhurd project. A joint inspection will be held with the forest department, which would be identifying the spots for the bridges, said a source in the state's irrigation department. It is expected that the forest department may insist on a bridge after every half a km. Apart from it, there would be steps for the animals to get down and drink water from the canal. However, it is common to have steps in the canals to undertake repair works also, added an official. The VIDC finds the current plan to be a better option in terms of financial calculations. An earlier proposal put up around a year ago entailed building 400-metre wide bridges at frequent intervals. That would have jacked up the overall cost for VIDC by close to 100 crore, the source said. It has been now planned to have 5 to 10 metre wide bridges instead, which would straightaway cut the expenditure to 10 crore, the officer said. "The bridges will have to be camouflaged with vegetation so as to look like a natural tract. So the concrete bridge will have a one-feet high padding of earth where grass would be grown," the officer added. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Vidarbha-Irrigation-Development-Corporation-meet-in-Feb-on-tiger-passes-on-canals/articleshow/18231825.cms

Death knell for the Sunderbans

Atula Gupta Eco-Degradation Atula Gupta narrates the story of exploitation of the mangrove forests that border West Bengal and Bangladesh, and also suggests a few measures to save the mangroves. The mangrove forests in Sunderbans consist of 54 tiny islands, criss-crossed by innumerable tributaries of the Ganges that were once infested by Arakanese and Portuguese pirates. But today, the Sunderbans are known as the mystical mangrove forests that hold captive many a species of flora and fauna within their boundaries. In a place where land and sea hazes away, new life forms propagate and existing ones thrive, in the safety of the knowledge that human hands are still afar. But sadly, the reach of the two-legged primate has increased, so much so, that two separate studies infer that Sunderbans, one of the largest estuarine forest on earth may soon become a thing of the past. According to two independent studies conducted by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) this month and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in December last year, the Sunderbans ecosystem is rapidly changing. Scientists from the ZSL state that as human development thrives, and global temperature continues to rise, as much as 200m of the mangrove coastline is disappearing annually. The study conducted by the IUCN on the other hand warns that the Indian side of Sunderbans is being subjected to various anthropogenic and natural processes affecting the distribution, quality and diversity of its mangroves thanks to too much human interference. Nature’s reign For humans, the primeval mangrove forest of Sunderbans shelters the most unimaginable dangers in its impenetrable undergrowth. Unlike other wildlife parks, where roads, jeeps and guides provide a semblance of control, here visitors find themselves holding their breath and stiffening to a state of alertness as their boats glide through the creeks and rivulets, bordered with mangroves. Even daily existence is a rigorous task. But it is this seemingly threatening environment that provides a haven for many species including the salt water crocodiles, fishing cats, endangered Olive ridley turtles, terrapins, a large variety of birds and 500 other species of land and aquatic creatures. Not to forget, this largest block of continuous mangrove forest is also home to the Royal Bengal Tiger. According to Sarah Christie, ZSL’s tiger conservation expert, “The Sunderbans is a critical tiger habitat; one of only a handful of remaining forests big enough to hold several hundred tigers. To lose the Sunderbans would be to move a step closer to the extinction of these majestic animals.” But reports prove that the Sunderbans is changing. The scientists found rapidly retreating coastline that cannot be accounted for by the regular dynamics of the Sunderbans. Degradation is happening fast, weakening this natural shield for India and Bangladesh, says the report. Many know that without the natural protection of the Sunderbans, the coasts of India and Bangladesh would be a playground for huge tidal waves, sea cyclones, and tsunamis. Mangroves represent less than one per cent of forests in the world, but they have a huge impact on climate. They are the most carbon rich forests in the tropics with high carbon capturing potential. The vanishing coast line could therefore trigger catastrophic changes, immersing within itself, villages, towns and even nations. The other study points how the 4.2 million people who reside near these mangrove belts are devastating the environment for their sustenance. From illegal felling of mangroves to poaching, blocking freshwater flow to unplanned embankments for settlements, human piranhas are gnawing on the body and soul of Sunderbans every day. The report also points out that in many places, sea water has replaced freshwater because of which plants such as the freshwater-loving Heritiera forms cannot survive. The central part of the Indian Sunderbans receives almost no fresh water because of heavy siltation and clogging of the Bidyadhari channel. “The influence of salinity and effects of climate change, though not well-understood, appear to be promoting the invasion of alien species in some parts of the Sundarbans,” the report adds. The Sunderbans cover 10,000 sq km of land and water with 40 per cent of the forests in India. It is characterised by the sunderi trees that give the mangroves their name. The roots of these trees hold together small islands of mud, on which they grow, but are at the same time quick to lose the grayish brown silt to water with each incoming tide. The concern is, for how long can the sunderi trees continue to hold on to the essence of the Sunderbans especially when people are persistently changing every natural system through aquaculture, land development and over-exploitation? It is not for experts and conservationists, but the residents of these floating forests to understand the ground reality. For generations, they have recognised the supremacy of nature by praying to Ma Banabibi, considered as the protector of the inhabitants of the forests and Dakshin Ray worshiped as the God of Tiger. But today, what will make them and the entire ecosystem last is not just prayers, but a pledge to be protectors. Whether the Sunderbans remains an ageless beauty depends on what role its inhabitants choose to play.Death knell for the Sunderbans Atula Gupta Eco-Degradation Atula Gupta narrates the story of exploitation of the mangrove forests that border West Bengal and Bangladesh, and also suggests a few measures to save the mangroves. The mangrove forests in Sunderbans consist of 54 tiny islands, criss-crossed by innumerable tributaries of the Ganges that were once infested by Arakanese and Portuguese pirates. But today, the Sunderbans are known as the mystical mangrove forests that hold captive many a species of flora and fauna within their boundaries. In a place where land and sea hazes away, new life forms propagate and existing ones thrive, in the safety of the knowledge that human hands are still afar. But sadly, the reach of the two-legged primate has increased, so much so, that two separate studies infer that Sunderbans, one of the largest estuarine forest on earth may soon become a thing of the past. According to two independent studies conducted by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) this month and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in December last year, the Sunderbans ecosystem is rapidly changing. Scientists from the ZSL state that as human development thrives, and global temperature continues to rise, as much as 200m of the mangrove coastline is disappearing annually. The study conducted by the IUCN on the other hand warns that the Indian side of Sunderbans is being subjected to various anthropogenic and natural processes affecting the distribution, quality and diversity of its mangroves thanks to too much human interference. Nature’s reign For humans, the primeval mangrove forest of Sunderbans shelters the most unimaginable dangers in its impenetrable undergrowth. Unlike other wildlife parks, where roads, jeeps and guides provide a semblance of control, here visitors find themselves holding their breath and stiffening to a state of alertness as their boats glide through the creeks and rivulets, bordered with mangroves. Even daily existence is a rigorous task. But it is this seemingly threatening environment that provides a haven for many species including the salt water crocodiles, fishing cats, endangered Olive ridley turtles, terrapins, a large variety of birds and 500 other species of land and aquatic creatures. Not to forget, this largest block of continuous mangrove forest is also home to the Royal Bengal Tiger. According to Sarah Christie, ZSL’s tiger conservation expert, “The Sunderbans is a critical tiger habitat; one of only a handful of remaining forests big enough to hold several hundred tigers. To lose the Sunderbans would be to move a step closer to the extinction of these majestic animals.” But reports prove that the Sunderbans is changing. The scientists found rapidly retreating coastline that cannot be accounted for by the regular dynamics of the Sunderbans. Degradation is happening fast, weakening this natural shield for India and Bangladesh, says the report. Many know that without the natural protection of the Sunderbans, the coasts of India and Bangladesh would be a playground for huge tidal waves, sea cyclones, and tsunamis. Mangroves represent less than one per cent of forests in the world, but they have a huge impact on climate. They are the most carbon rich forests in the tropics with high carbon capturing potential. The vanishing coast line could therefore trigger catastrophic changes, immersing within itself, villages, towns and even nations. The other study points how the 4.2 million people who reside near these mangrove belts are devastating the environment for their sustenance. From illegal felling of mangroves to poaching, blocking freshwater flow to unplanned embankments for settlements, human piranhas are gnawing on the body and soul of Sunderbans every day. The report also points out that in many places, sea water has replaced freshwater because of which plants such as the freshwater-loving Heritiera forms cannot survive. The central part of the Indian Sunderbans receives almost no fresh water because of heavy siltation and clogging of the Bidyadhari channel. “The influence of salinity and effects of climate change, though not well-understood, appear to be promoting the invasion of alien species in some parts of the Sundarbans,” the report adds. The Sunderbans cover 10,000 sq km of land and water with 40 per cent of the forests in India. It is characterised by the sunderi trees that give the mangroves their name. The roots of these trees hold together small islands of mud, on which they grow, but are at the same time quick to lose the grayish brown silt to water with each incoming tide. The concern is, for how long can the sunderi trees continue to hold on to the essence of the Sunderbans especially when people are persistently changing every natural system through aquaculture, land development and over-exploitation? It is not for experts and conservationists, but the residents of these floating forests to understand the ground reality. For generations, they have recognised the supremacy of nature by praying to Ma Banabibi, considered as the protector of the inhabitants of the forests and Dakshin Ray worshiped as the God of Tiger. But today, what will make them and the entire ecosystem last is not just prayers, but a pledge to be protectors. Whether the Sunderbans remains an ageless beauty depends on what role its inhabitants choose to play. http://www.deccanherald.com/content/308215/death-knell-sunderbans.html