Rhinos new preys for Dudhwa tigers?

TNN | Feb 1, 2013, 04.38 AM IST Rare baby honey badger diesBlackbucks already threatened by poaching, inbreeding and diseasesUP's state fish Chitla is now critically endangeredGreat Indian Bustard killed in Jaisalmer, forest dept files FIRPlanting rare trees to save the planet LUCKNOW: Have Dudhwa tigers shunned their preferred prey - the cheetals and sambhars - to hunt the mighty rhinos? The killing of a 35-year-old female rhino by a tiger in Dudhwa national park and the subsequent eating of the carcass has raised a doubt if the behaviour of Dudhwa tigers is changing. The experts are not ready to buy the argument that the declining prey base is the reason why tigers are hunting and eating rhinos. "If tiger population in the park is increasing, prey base can not decline," said Tito Joseph from the wildlife protection society of India ( WPSI). The tiger sneaked into the rhino rehabilitation area to kill the 35-year-old female rhino Pavitri, brought to Dudhwa in 1984 under the rhino rehabilitation programme. This was the fifth attack since November last year on rhinos by tigers in Dudhwa. In the past one year, two rhinos have been killed by tigers and one has rescued by the park administration in Dudhwa. The feline attacks on rhinos aren't rare. But, in most of the incidents, it's the cubs which are killed. Contrary to this, it was an adult female rhino killed this time. Is it the same tiger which is killing rhinos? Is the attacking feline old? Bibhav Taluqdar, who chairs International Union for Conservation of Nature Asian rhino specialist group, said Dudhwa authorities should try to find answers to such questions in case the attacks are rampant. "It's not rare that tigers kill and eat rhino. Rhino comes as an easy hunt for a tiger who can not chase a deer," he said. Assam's Kaziranga National Park, which shelters the biggest population of rhinos, has about 15 to 20 rhino cubs getting killed in tiger attacks every year. The killing of an adult rhino is not common. "A tigress rearing its cubs can kill a rhino as the feline need not go far from its cubs," said Taluqdar. Though rhinos are mighty, a single adult tiger can kill a rhino. In Corbett there have been incidents where elephants have been killed by tigers. Compared to this rhino is an easier kill, he said. Tigers eating rhino, experts feel, is not bewildering. "Rhino is not a preferred prey for tigers but once killed, tigers can eat it," said Joseph. Deputy director, Dudhwa Ganesh Bhatt said, "we have informed central government about the rhino mortalities". In Dudhwa, rhinos were re-introduced in 1984 under state's rhino rehabilitation programme. At present, 29 rhinos are present in the Kakraha range of the park. Existing in maximum numbers in Kaziranga national park, rhinos exist in Dudhwa tiger reserve in UP and Valimiki Reserve in Bihar. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Rhinos-new-preys-for-Dudhwa-tigers/articleshow/18282354.cms

Rhinos new preys for Dudhwa tigers?

TNN | Feb 1, 2013, 04.38 AM IST Rare baby honey badger diesBlackbucks already threatened by poaching, inbreeding and diseasesUP's state fish Chitla is now critically endangeredGreat Indian Bustard killed in Jaisalmer, forest dept files FIRPlanting rare trees to save the planet LUCKNOW: Have Dudhwa tigers shunned their preferred prey - the cheetals and sambhars - to hunt the mighty rhinos? The killing of a 35-year-old female rhino by a tiger in Dudhwa national park and the subsequent eating of the carcass has raised a doubt if the behaviour of Dudhwa tigers is changing. The experts are not ready to buy the argument that the declining prey base is the reason why tigers are hunting and eating rhinos. "If tiger population in the park is increasing, prey base can not decline," said Tito Joseph from the wildlife protection society of India ( WPSI). The tiger sneaked into the rhino rehabilitation area to kill the 35-year-old female rhino Pavitri, brought to Dudhwa in 1984 under the rhino rehabilitation programme. This was the fifth attack since November last year on rhinos by tigers in Dudhwa. In the past one year, two rhinos have been killed by tigers and one has rescued by the park administration in Dudhwa. The feline attacks on rhinos aren't rare. But, in most of the incidents, it's the cubs which are killed. Contrary to this, it was an adult female rhino killed this time. Is it the same tiger which is killing rhinos? Is the attacking feline old? Bibhav Taluqdar, who chairs International Union for Conservation of Nature Asian rhino specialist group, said Dudhwa authorities should try to find answers to such questions in case the attacks are rampant. "It's not rare that tigers kill and eat rhino. Rhino comes as an easy hunt for a tiger who can not chase a deer," he said. Assam's Kaziranga National Park, which shelters the biggest population of rhinos, has about 15 to 20 rhino cubs getting killed in tiger attacks every year. The killing of an adult rhino is not common. "A tigress rearing its cubs can kill a rhino as the feline need not go far from its cubs," said Taluqdar. Though rhinos are mighty, a single adult tiger can kill a rhino. In Corbett there have been incidents where elephants have been killed by tigers. Compared to this rhino is an easier kill, he said. Tigers eating rhino, experts feel, is not bewildering. "Rhino is not a preferred prey for tigers but once killed, tigers can eat it," said Joseph. Deputy director, Dudhwa Ganesh Bhatt said, "we have informed central government about the rhino mortalities". In Dudhwa, rhinos were re-introduced in 1984 under state's rhino rehabilitation programme. At present, 29 rhinos are present in the Kakraha range of the park. Existing in maximum numbers in Kaziranga national park, rhinos exist in Dudhwa tiger reserve in UP and Valimiki Reserve in Bihar. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Rhinos-new-preys-for-Dudhwa-tigers/articleshow/18282354.cms

Sariska poacher, six accomplices get 7 years in jail

TNN | Feb 1, 2013, 03.52 AM IST RELATED 2 more held in tiger poaching caseJharkhand awarded for bear population managementInternational conference on bear conservation begins tomorrow in New ...Stranded gibbon family in Arunachal translocatedMoEF team to assess impact of felling on corridors JAIPUR: Notorious poacher Juhru and his six accomplices were sentenced to seven years' imprisonment and a fine of Rs one lakh in a tiger poaching case at Sariska Tiger Reserve recently. The case pertains to the killing of a tiger by the accused in 2004, said Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) lawyer Koushal Bhardwaj, who was assisting the prosecution. The accused were awarded maximum sentence by additional chief judicial magistrate - 1 on January 24. An accused in 14 wildlife cases, including six cases of tiger poaching, Juhru was previously convicted in at least two cases of leopard poaching and one case of tiger poaching in 2003 at Sariska. He was sentenced to five years each in the leopard cases, and seven years for the tiger case. "He was one of the main persons responsible for the disappearance of tigers from Sariska," said Ashok Kumar, vice-chairman, WTI. "Such sentences are generally awarded concurrently under our law. However, repeat offenders should be serving consecutive sentences for all these killings," he said. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Sariska-poacher-six-accomplices-get-7-years-in-jail/articleshow/18281932.cms

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