Fugitive tiger returns to Rajasthan

Agra, Oct 17 (IANS) A male tiger which attacked dozens of villagers in Uttar Pradesh after straying from Rajasthan's Ranthambore National Park has returned to its home state and is reportedly taking shelter near a bird sanctuary, a forest official said Sunday.

It was a nightmare for the wildlife trackers in Mathura and Agra after the figer, now named Mohan, stepped out of its natural habitat in Sawai Madhopur district about two months ago and entered Uttar Pradesh. The big cat was also spotted in the Chambal region of Morena district in Madhya Pradesh.

Bharatpur Forest department officials in Rajasthan said they had seen footprints of the tiger on the fringes of the Keoladeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary.

Divisional forest officer and chief of the bird sanctuary Anoop K.R. told IANS over the phone that pugmarks were noticed in Ram Nagar and Malah areas.

'Cameras have been installed on trees to take pictures of its movements,' he said.

The forest official said the tiger had taken a liking for the Koladahar area on the periphery of the bird sanctuary which had enough feed for the animal.

'Last Wednesday a calf was devoured by the tiger and the next day a wild boar. The officials at the Ranthambore sanctuary who were sent the picture of the tiger have now confirmed that the tiger, T-7, was missing for long,' he added.

Forest officials from Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, the Ranthambore National Park, Dehradun's Wild Life Institute and Wild Life SOS were camping on the Agra-Mathura border to trap the tiger.

India is home to one of the largest tiger populations in the world but its numbers have declined sharply - now believed to be less that 1,500.

http://sify.com/news/fugitive-tiger-returns-to-rajasthan-news-national-kkrwuegcebd.html

Tranquillised tiger ends in zoo

LUCKNOW: Exploring wild expanses on will is a thing of past for the aberrant tiger of Pilibhit. The shrunken enclosure in zoo hospital will be a reality for the sub-adult wild tiger for the next few days. The forest department is still to decide about its future.

The aberrant tiger of Pilibhit which was tranquillised in Farrukhabad was relocated to Lucknow zoo on Friday. The tiger was brought to zoo in the morning and was put under quarantine. The big cat will have its days of seclusion, confinement and under-observation till the forest department decides about its future abode.

"It has killed and eaten human beings and so we can't release it in the wild without considering lot of factors," said BK Patnaik, Chief Wildlife Warden (CWW), UP. Will it be kept in zoo or released in the wild will be decided by the department soon. UP (terai) landscape might make it difficult releasing the tiger in the wild here but it could be released in the forest of any other state, said the CWW. This, of course, will be done after National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) gives its approval.

The tiger was tranquillised on Thursday by a team of forest officials and Wildlife Trust of India(WTI) while it stayed hidden in an isolated patch of `Prosopis juliflora' vegetation in Nagla Hira Singh village, Farrukhabad forest division. It was darted thrice. There was a huge crowd around its hide-out pelting the tiger with stones. Consequently, several people were injured and one was severely mauled, said WTI release.

The tiger was declared `dangerous' to humans after it killed and partially ate eight human beings between May 3 and August 26. It had killed six humans in Deoria range of Pilibhit forest division and two men in Khutar range of Shahjahanpur forest division. It had moved through Pilibhit, Shahjahanpur, South Kheri and Hardoi before it was tranquillised in Farrukhabad. It took 80 days of monitoring and tracking to trap the tiger.

"Camera traps of the tiger have helped a lot, we got the last one on August 13," said Milind Pariwakam, WTI biologist. The stripes (of tigers clicked) were matched to confirm it was the same tiger which had been killing humans.

The tiger was not declared man-eater on the ground that it never killed a human outside forest area. In other words, it was not an obligate man-eater. It had killed six humans over a period of 100 days. In three instances it did not eat at all. In other instances, it ate about 50% of human flesh.

The tiger had also killed and eaten its natural prey. It had killed blue bulls and domestic cattle in between. The fact that it has killed a full-grown blue bull shows it is a healthy tiger capable of hunting. The CWW had issued the orders to tranquillise and trap the tiger in August. "It has not killed any man after August 26," said the CWW. The tiger shows no external signs of any deformity or disease. It is a healthy sub-adult tiger. "The tiger will be under observation and this will help to know its behaviour and health conditions closely," said Renu Singh, zoo director.

Darting large carnivores in wild by tracking and confining is a difficult task, and even more so in human-dominated landscapes. "It was becoming increasingly difficult to capture it as it was getting more wary with every attempt", said PP Singh, DFO, Shahjahanpur. Over the next few days, WTI veterinarian Mushtaq Ahmed will continue post-capture observation on the tiger, its behaviour and health.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Tranquillised-tiger-ends-in-zoo/articleshow/6756461.cms

Tiger dies, only 10 left in MP national park

A 12-year-old tiger died of renal failure at Van Vihar National Park in Bhopal, officials said on Saturday.

The big cat, 'Sagar', had not been keeping well for over a fortnight. "Sagar was not well since last fortnight and died of renal failure yesterday", said Park Assistant Director A K Khare.

The tiger was brought to the park from a circus in Jaipur in 2006.

With the death of Sagar, ten big cats are left in the park, officials said.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Tiger-dies--only-10-left-in-MP-national-park/698433

Maya, Jairam lock horns over tiger reserve name

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati and Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh are pitted against each other over renaming of Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, located around 238 km from Lucknow. Mayawati has decided to rename the reserve - having over 50 tigers —after father of the Indian Constitution B R Ambedkar.

Her decision is being seen as part of a spree to rename various places in the state after Ambedkar or Kansi Ram, the BSP founder.

Ramesh believes that Billy Arjan Singh, who was pivotal in convincing former PM Indira Gandhi to declare Dudhwa a national park in 1976, should get the honour instead.

“I fully share your admiration and respect for Dr Ambedkar. Whatever we do is not enough to acknowledge his magnificent contributions…” Ramesh said in a letter to Mayawati on Friday, asking her to reconsider the decision.

Singh, who died on January 1, 2010, had received many international awards for wildlife conservation and had received Padam Bhushan in 2006. Ramesh described him as a one who has contributed “immensely for shaping Dudhwa as a protected area”.

Ramesh believes that naming the park after Singh will go a long way in strengthening the bonds between the forest department and the outside experts to save India]s national animal, the tiger, whose population has dwindled to 1,411. This is not the first time that Mayawati and Ramesh are at loggerheads.

Earlier, environment ministry had opposed Mayawati’s Amebdkar parks but Ramesh was never at the forefront of the confrontation.

The ministry recently opposed UP government's proposed highway on the Ganga canal, where 10,000 trees will have to be cut.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Maya-Jairam-lock-horns-over-tiger-reserve-name/Article1-613559.aspx

Tiger trapped in Farrukhabad

LUCKNOW: A tiger that had unleashed a rein of terror in western UP last fortnight was finally tranquillised and trapped by a team of state forest department in the jungles of Nagla Hirasingh in Nawabganj area of Farrukhabad on Thursday evening.

A photo-journalist and five others were injured when the cat attacked them before it could be sedated by the officials. Once captured, the tiger was rushed to the forest department base camp for medical examination to assess its health.

District forest officer D K Rao said that once the medical examination was done, the tiger would be sent to the Lucknow Zoo where it would remain in captivity as per the norms for trapped man-eaters.

The forest officials said the cat was initially spotted by local villagers who in turn had informed the department.

With a team in standby, the officials reacted promptly and managed to knock it off using a tranquilliser gun. The wild cat was reportedly in good health and no external injuries on its body.

Read more: Tiger trapped in Farrukhabad - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Tiger-trapped-in-Farrukhabad/articleshow/6750882.cms#ixzz12Og4ZyVI

Dhoni to be honorary wildlife warden of Uttarakhand

DEHRADUN: Indian cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been appointed as first honorary wildlife warden of Uttarakhand, which also declared him as the brand ambassador of its save the tiger campaign.

The Uttarakhand government has issued a notification regarding appointment of Dhoni as the wildlife warden of the hill state on Sep 27, Additional Secretary, Forest, Sushant Patnaik said today.

Dhoni's appointment letter would shortly be dispatched to him, he added.

Last month, Dhoni had come to Dehradun as part of 'Save the Tiger' campaign and Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank announced his nomination as the honorary wildlife warden of the state.

Nishank also declared Dhoni as brand ambassador of save the tiger campaign in the state which houses two major national parks -- Jim Corbett and Rajaji.

"I am delighted to accept the honorary wildlife warden post which has been offered to me by the Uttarakhand Chief Minister," The Indian skipper had said.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/et-cetera/Dhoni-to-be-honorary-wildlife-warden-of-Uttarakhand/articleshow/6748234.cms

Witnesses turn hostile

Key witness Mustafa Thadvi and three others withdraw their statements under suspicious circumstances

After two days of intense drama over the Jalgaon tiger poaching case (Read: Did poachers get another tiger? Oct 13), its eyewitnesses have withdrawn their statements, nullifying the validity of the case.

However, sources allege that forest department officials silenced the witnesses to protect their own interests.

In his second statement to the Yawal forest department, chief witness Mustafa Thadvi, a local professor, denied any tiger poaching incident in the area.

In fact, Thadvi even denied being present in the forest during the time of the supposed incident.

Another eyewitness, Ramzan Ebrahim, withdrew his statement too and instead accused local NGO, School of Environment, of bribing him to fake the statement.

Ebrahim added that he was in the forest but did not witness any poaching incidents.

After the outrageous turn of events, the Yawal forest department has assured of tough action against the fraudulent witnesses.

Video evidence

In a guarded move, the forest department video recorded all the four eyewitnesses withdrawing their statements. "They have all denied that any poaching took place.

We recorded their statements to ensure that they don't change their statements again," revealed A U Patil, assistant conservator of Yawal forest department.

However, it is not a routine practice to video record witness statements. And the officials had not recorded the earlier statements alleging the poaching incident.

But increasing pressure from the centre seemed to have triggered this move. "The issue has shaken the ministry which is putting immense pressure on our department.

The witnesses have now denied the incident and we suspect foul play.

We needed proof of their denial which is why we were forced to record," Patil said, revealing that a senior official from the Ministry of Environment and Forests visited Yawal after the issue was made public.

The department has also decided to file a trespassing case against the eyewitnesses for stealing medicinal plants from the forests and disseminating false information.

"We are also going to act against School of Environment for bribing the offenders into making up such claims. They have wasted our valuable time and have cheated the government," Patil grumbled.

Blood confirmation

Meanwhile, the department is cautious in not ruling out the possibility of a tiger casualty. Blood samples collected from the spot have been sent for examination to Hyderabad and the medical report is expected soon.

1,411
No of tigers left in the wild in India, according to the 2006 census
The latest tiger census is ongoing and the results are expected by March 2011

The Other Side

Rejecting the counter-allegations by the forest department, Rajendra Nanaware, School of Environment, said, "We stand by what we have said.

In fact we recorded videos of the first statements made by the witnesses in the case. We have convened a meeting for environmentalists to discuss and demand an enquiry into the matter.

Let the forest department do what they want to. We have not bribed anyone. Tiger deaths are a national issue and we will not let anyone manipulate such a case."

Nanaware also alleged that the department had pressurised key witness Thadvi and forced him to withdraw his statement.

Key Witness

On October 6, Mustafa Thadvi, an Ayurveda practitioner and a professor, registered a tiger poaching case with the Yawal forest department.

Thadvi said that he was in the forests looking for medicinal herbs when he discovered bloodstains and pugmarks, pointing to the disappearance of a tigress and her two cubs.

http://www.mid-day.com/news/2010/oct/151010-Mustafa-Thadvi-witness-Jalgaon-tiger-poaching-case-forest-department.htm

Bharatpur tiger identified as T-7

JAIPUR: The male tiger now at Keoladeo in Bharatpur is the same one that attacked forest ranger Daulat Singh Shaktawat on August 20 on the periphery of the Ranthambore National Park.

Forest department officials said its pictures have been taken at the bird sanctuary with the help of trap cameras. "After comparing the pictures with that of T-7, the tiger that attacked Shaktawat, we have come to this conclusion," officials said.

After the attack T-7 had made its way through Bharatpur up to Beri village near the Mathura refinery, they said. After staying for some time it headed back for Kailadevi.

"However, on reaching Keoladeo it found good forest cover and made a halt there. Last night it killed a cow," officials said.

The identification brings to rest the controversy that there were three different tigers that strayed into Madhya Pradesh, Bharatpur and at the Mathura refinery.

"The one that strayed into Dholpur, Mohan', is now at Madhya Pradesh. The one that had strayed into Mathura refinery is now back at Keoladeo," officials said. However, there is still a third place in Kota where a tiger from Ranthambore had strayed a long time back and is still there.

Officials said efforts will be made to trap the tiger at Bharatpur so that it can be relocated to Sariska.

"The Big Cat had been roaming around Bharatpur so it is best to relocate it to Sariska," officials said.

Currently, the forest department is trying to get the permission for this from the Wildlife Institute of India, the National Tiger Conservation Authority and the ministry of forest and environment.

"We are not making any efforts to tranquillise the tiger now as it has travelled a lot and must be tired. Tranquillising it now might be risky. We will let it rest for some time to gain its strength. In the meantime we might get the go ahead from the Centre and only after that we will relocate the tiger to Sariska," officials said.

Read more: Bharatpur tiger identified as T-7 - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Bharatpur-tiger-identified-as-T-7-/articleshow/6744374.cms#ixzz12J4zmw7Z

Did poachers get another tiger?

Forest officials trace bloodstains; Jalgaon villagers claim to have heard cat's painful
roar

THE roar of yet another big cat has been muffled.

One more case of tiger poaching was reported in the state by the forest department in Jalgaon on October 6,
bang in the middle of the Wildlife Week observed from October 2.

Since an eyewitness claimed to have seen poachers kill a big cat, locals in Jalgaon have been on the prowl for the last six days, trying to track down the poachers.

The eyewitness, a teacher and Ayurveda practitioner who claimed to be in the forest looking for medicinal herbs, also said that two cubs had gone missing.

"We received a call from the teacher, informing us about the death," Wildlife Warden of Jalgaon district, Abhay Ujagare, who was the first to reach the spot, told MiD DAY.

"When we reached the spot, all we found was a few bloodstains, but could not trace any other circumstantial evidence."

According to estimates, India has barely 1,411 tigers left. If the latest disappearance of the tiger and two cubs is confirmed, the number would be down to 1,408.

"The eyewitness told us that the poachers killed the tigress and the cubs had gone missing. Locals too said they had heard the tigress' painful roars," said Ujagare.

Happens often

"Such poaching is not rare in Jalgaon where leopards and cheetahs fall prey to poachers," said General Secretary of Khandesh Nature Conservation, Vinod Patil.

Confirming the incident, Deputy Conservator of Forests Sarfaraz Khan said, "Our investigation is going on.

It will be difficult to say anything as we do not have much evidence. Neither the animal's skin nor any other evidence was found at the spot.

All we have is blood samples, which have been sent to Hyderabad for examination. Also, we have found pugmarks at the spot."

National Wildlife Board member Kishore Rithe told MiD DAY that reports of bloodstains collected from the spot were awaited from a laboratory in Hyderabad.

"It is shameful that poaching continues in India despite tigers on the verge of extinction," he said.

"The government needs to zero in on people who get these poachers to commit such crimes.

For a little money, they're killing tigers, which are already extinct in the state," said WWF's interim state director, Dr Goldin Quadros.

1,411
The number of tigers left in India, according to the last tiger census in 2006

http://www.mid-day.com/news/2010/oct/131010-tiger-bloodstains-pugmarks-Jalgaon-Wildlife-Week.htm

Tiger sneaks into bird sanctuary in Rajasthan

A fugitive male tiger on the run after attacking and injuring more than half a dozen persons last week near Mathura Oil Refinery in the neighbouring State of Uttar Pradesh, seemingly sneaked into the bird sanctuary this Sunday.

Now there is a cat among the pigeons and other bird species nesting and breeding in the world famous bird sanctuary Keoladeo National Park (KNP) near Bharatpur in Rajasthan. The intruder in the birds’ paradise, a fugitive male tiger on the run after attacking and injuring more than half a dozen persons last week near Mathura Oil Refinery in the neighbouring State of Uttar Pradesh, seemingly sneaked into the park this Sunday.

The animal, identified as T-7 of Ranthambhore National Park in Rajasthan, was photographed with the help of a camera trap laid on Monday night. The camera trap was laid as the authorities sensed the presence of a big predator in the predominantly herbivore habitat, after the carcass of a big Blue Bull was found on Sunday evening with its rump portion eaten.

“This is the same tiger which had made an appearance in Mathura. Our staff, with the support of the Divisional Forest Officer Mathura have been tracking it ever since,” said Anoop K.R., Field Director of KNP speaking to The Hindu. “After the October 4 incident in Mathura, it moved along the villages of Sajadpur-Gujjar, Soothi, Ikran and Achera for the next four days before vanishing without leaving a trail. However, when on October 10, our staff reported the killing of a Blue Bull we just made an intelligent guess about the likely suspect,” Mr. Anoop noted.

This is the second time in the past one decade a tiger makes its way into the 29 sq km sanctuary, once the wintering ground for Siberian cranes and a World Heritage site of the UNESCO. Back in 1999, a young tigress had entered the park and remained there till 2005 spending six long years till she died. She had a peaceful co-existence with birds and the visitors to the park, smugly feeding on the abundant supply of deer and feral cattle.

“This is an interesting development. It also ceases the worries about the tiger wandering along the Rajasthan-Uttar Pradesh border,” said Parikshit Gautam, director, Freshwater and Wetlands Programme, WWF. “This tiger too can co-exist as the female tiger in the past. After a while, the authorities in Rajasthan can consider the options, including shifting it to Sariska Tiger Reserve if they think it is needed,” Dr. Gautam, who was in Jodhpur to attend the two-day desert bio-diversity meet, noted.

The staff of the KNP, keeping a round-the-clock watch on the big cat, could not spot it with their own eyes yet. “His presence is evident as he made two kills — one of a feral calf and another, a wild boar — the other day. This is an unusual feat considering that predators make one kill and desist from hunting till they consume the flesh,” informed Mr. Anoop on Wednesday. The tiger which was photographed in the Aghapur sector presently is moving in Koladar area, grassland. “It is moving in an area of five kms. The visibility is difficult as the grass is seven feet tall at present,” the Field Director informed.

And life is not exactly the same for visitors to the wetland where birds are busy nesting and breeding in the now inundated park, after the release of water from the Panchna dam last month. There are restrictions in their movement as only the main track is kept open for the public.

http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/article828561.ece?homepage=true

Bengal sceptical about canal project passing through forest

The West Bengal Government has expressed reservation over the proposed Sankosh-Teesta canal project which will pass through Buxa Tiger Reserve and other wildlife sancturaries in north Bengal, saying it will cause disturbance to wildlife and damage biodiversity.

"The entire area is part of Eastern Dooars Elephant Reserve and Buxa Tiger Reserve as well as part of Jaldapara and Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuaries. Any disturbance would adversely affect Rhino and Tiger conservation efforts there and cause irreparable damage to biodiversity," Special Chief Conservator of Forest R P Saini said.

Chief wildlife warden of the state S B Mandal said the state government had conveyed its objection to the Union Forest and Environment Ministry about the project's proposed alignment.

Saini, also field director of the Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR), said Union Environment and Forest Minister Jairam Ramesh, who had visited north Bengal early this month, assured forest officials that the project would not be allowed through BTR.

Saini said recently a team of the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education wanted to carry out a survey for environment impact assessment in BTR, but it was told by the chief wildlife warden that permission for any kind of survey in national parks and sanctuaries could only be awarded by the Union Environment and Forest Ministry.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Bengal-sceptical-about-canal-project-passing-through-forest/Article1-612240.aspx

Tiger attacks turn honey collector into tiger protector

Supratik Sengupta
Basanti (Sunderbans), Oct 13 (PTI) He survived thrice from the vicious attacks by Royal Bengal Tigers of the Sunderbans, but ironically this experience turned Niranjan Raptan into a crusader for saving the animal and its habitat.
The short-statured forest guide, who is in the profession of a forest guide for more than 30 years now understands what the compulsion is for the tigers to attack humans or raid villages in search of preys which are dwindling in the Sunderbans.
Yet, Raptan, 60 a honey collector, did not wish to become a forest guide not having even the foggiest idea about the calling. It just happened when 42 years back the then forest field director Pranabesh Sanyal broached the idea.
"I naively asked what a forest guide was all about, though because of my deep knowledge of the Sunderbans I had helped quite a number of people find ways about the forest and helped forest officials to recover tiger attack victims," Raptan said.
Now an active campaigner for ''Save Sunderbans'', Raptan, resident of Jameshpur village on the edge of the forest frequented by tigers, has the scientific names of the 84 species of mangrove and mangrove-related plants and 200 species of birds and other denizens on his fingertips.
He regularly guides foreign TV crews and numerous internationally-known photographers into the forest''s deep recesses.
Raptan says he can anticipate movement of animals by sensing the change in wind pattern and had successfully prevented the big cats from having their preys by warning fishermen and honey collectors in advance. .

http://news.in.msn.com/national/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4453712

Confusion over count of tigers on prowl as pug marks spotted in Bharatpur Read more: Confusion over count of tigers on prowl as pug marks spotted in

JAIPUR: There could be more than one tiger on the prowl in Rajasthan and neighbouring states from the Ranthambore National Park. The suspicion came after forest officials on Sunday discovered the carcass of a blue bull in Bharatpur. On a closer examination, not only tiger pug marks were discovered from the place, the kill resembled that by a tiger.

Adding to the confusion about the number of tigers out of Ranthambore park is the reported sighting of fresh tiger pug marks in Madhya Pradesh close to Dholpur border. The discovery of the pug marks in Madhya Pradesh has forced authorities to think that the tiger spotted in Mathura was not Mohan' as believed earlier. Mohan has strayed away from Ranthambore about six months back.

"What seems now is that a second tiger had strayed away from Ranthambore sanctuary through Ganteshwarkho to Kailadevi to Band Baretha in Bharatpur and then to Mathura in Uttar Pradesh. This could be the tiger that had attacked ranger Daulat Singh Shaktawat on August 20 on the periphery of Ranthambore. After the attack, no effort was made to reign it in the sanctuary. This tiger, after migrating to Bharatpur may have sneaked into Mathura, travelling through the dense Bajra fields. But there is no certainty on this unless we get a picture of the tiger at Bharatpur," said Rajpal Singh, member, state wildlife board.

To end the confusion, forest officials have now fixed camera traps in and around Bharatpur where the carcass was discovered. "We have pictures of all the tigers in Ranthambore. Only after getting a picture of the tiger in Bharatpur through the trap camera that will we will be certain if this is Mohan or the one that was present near the Mathura refinery was or if it is a third tiger on the prowl," he added.

Meanwhile, efforts of a joint team of forest officials from Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and a team from the Wildlife Institute of India in Dehradun had failed to track the tiger in Mathura and with no reports of any fresh attacks from Mathura, it is being assumed that the Mathura tiger is on its way back to Ranthambore.

When contacted, RS Shekhawat, DFO, Ranthambore said that pug marks of Mohan has been traced in Madhya Pradesh. "This seems a second tiger that had made into Mathura from Ranthambore and is now at Bharatpur," he said. Shekhawat was also part of the team from Rajasthan that was tracking the tiger in Mathura. However, the DFO could not clarify whether a third tiger has strayed away from the sanctuary.

"It is very difficult to maintain a daily count of tigers in any sanctuary. Sometimes it may be months before it is discovered that a tiger has strayed away from a sanctuary," said an official.


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Confusion-over-count-of-tigers-on-prowl-as-pug-marks-spotted-in-Bharatpur/articleshow/6732636.cms

Illegal mining threatens Sariska

JAIPUR: Despite crores being spent in the name of conservation and Project Tiger, illegal mining activity is back in full gear in the protected area of Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary.

"Rampant mining is going on at Jaisinghpura, Malana, Goverdhanpura, Palpura and Jamwa Ramgarh, in spite of the Supreme Court's 1991 order banning mining in the area. After SC's order, 215 mines were closed. But recently, some of them have restarted activity in the middle of the sanctuary," said Rajender Singh, the waterman of Rajasthan, whose NGO Tarun Bharat Sangh had filed the writ petition in the apex court.

Singh added that these villages fall in the protected area and are a rich reservoir of dolomite. "Nearly 30-40 mines have begun operation again, some of them run by leading names in the industry," he said. According to Singh, mining had picked up in Project Tiger area's buffer zones and was causing irreparable damage to tiger habitat and the sanctuary's ecosystem. "Mine owners' money and muscle power has made officials and politicians turn a blind eye to the illegal activity," said Singh who claimed he was attacked thrice by the mining mafia.

Confirming Singh's statement, Delhi-based Tarun Kanti Bose, who has done extensive research on mining in Rajasthan, said, "While public sector mines remain closed as per the apex court's ruling, many mines in the unorganized sector have again started mining marble in the belt, which has good deposits."

In villages like Tilwad and Tilwadi in Alwar, marble mining operations are taking place right in the middle of the villages on private agricultural land. Many large landholders in the villages are today keen on selling their agricultural land as they are getting high returns for it, he said. "Mining is expanding rapidly in an area which has some of the most fertile lands with plenty of water," said Tarun.

Tarun said in all the big mines operating in Sariska, local people seem to be playing the roles of contractors and middlemen. They are also employed as cashiers and administrators. "Ranges in Sariska are covered with densely forested slopes, home to the tiger and other wildlife and an entire ecosystem. But it is fast dwindling with mining and other commercial activity," he said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/pollution/Illegal-mining-threatens-Sariska-/articleshow/6732997.cms

Marching orders for humans in tiger territory - Three core villages in Palamau reserve to be relocated in phases, talks on

Ranchi, Oct. 9: Pugmarks are rare, if at all, but signs of human habitation — from livestock to landmines — are everywhere.

That could change soon as the over 1,000sq km Palamau Tiger Reserve is planning to get its act together by relocating in phases three villages in its core area.

“Three tribal villages — Ramandag, Latoo and Kujrum — lie within our core area. According to the National Tiger Conservatory Authority of India (NTCA) mandate, there should be no human habitation in the core regions of the reserve,” said Palamau Tiger Reserve director Paritosh Upadhyay.

The reserve, 180km from the state capital, once the pride of the region for its thriving big cat population, has long been reduced to a cluster of villagers, a rebel hideout and grazing grounds for cattle.

Though relocation is a prickly topic, reserve authorities left with no other recourse have already started taking steps towards it. “We will not identify land for them but try and facilitate their rehabilitation in the buffer zones. We have already initiated talks with villagers, soliciting their co-operation,” said Upadhyay, adding that a report would be sent to departments concerned by the end of the financial year.

Of the 1026sq km area of the reserve, 414sq km is earmarked as core area. According to officials, human population has grown manifold. Around 94 households with 700 people live on the core region, while the buffer zone has 120 villages. The 5km radius alone has 113 villages.

According to NTCA provisions, every household will be granted a lump sum of Rs 10 lakh for relocation.

“The total human population has been projected at over 1,16,549, of which 39,000 live within the reserve,” said Upadhyay, adding that cattle compounded problems.

There are 70,000 cattle heads in villages in and around the reserve, with 1,200 cattle grazing every day in the core area that nibble away the green cover, reducing food for the reserve’s wild herbivores. There is also a danger of disease transfer from cattle to wild animals.

“Although we try and ensure vaccination for all animals, including cattle, their numbers are so high that it is tough to keep tabs on all heads,” he said.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1101010/jsp/frontpage/story_13040242.jsp

Kanha, Pench tiger reserve buffer zone notification issued

Bhopal, Oct 8:
The State Government has issued notification the other day to constituting of buffer zone of Kanha and Pench Tiger Reserves. Under Section 38-5(2) of Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 (Amended in 2006), it was necessary to notify buffer zone.
Forest Minister Shri Sartaj Singh said that buffer zone is the place that surrounds the Critical Tiger Habitat or Core Region where comparatively less prohibition is needed. This is necessary for integration of the Critical Tiger Habitat. The purpose of it is that the tiger or other wild animals should have sufficient place for their natural living. Along with that it will be a source of living for the local people.
Shri Sartaj Singh said that in the buffer zone, along with eco development, the locals will have the rights to collect minor forest produces, gracing place, and it will help their social and economic development.
The Forest Minister said that buffer zone at Kanha Tiger Reserve was already notified at the administrative level. Now it has been notified under the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972. The total area of notified buffer zone of the Kanha Tiger Reserve is 1134.31 sq km. Out of this 598.13 sq km area is forest and remaining 536.18 sq km is revenue area. A total 161 villages are included in the buffer zone. After discussions in the Gram Sabha the area has been notified as buffer zone.
Likewise, at Pench Tiger Reserve, 768.30 km area has been notified as buffer zone. Out of this, 470.08 sq km area is forest and the remaining 298.24 sq km is revenue area. A total 107 villages are included in the buffer zone of Pench Tiger Reserve. Here also the matter was discussed at the Gram Sabhas and only after that the area has been notified as buffer zone.

http://www.centralchronicle.com/viewnews.asp?articleID=49280

Missing tiger continues to elude officials for fourth day

Jaipur/Agra: Even after four days, the forest officials have not been able to tranquillise the tiger that strayed into the territory of Utter Pradesh and injured a few people in Fara village between Mathura and Agra districts. In fact, the forest officials have failed to trace the tiger, suspected to be Mohan till the reports last came in.

On Monday the state government had sent a team comprising of forest officials to rescue the tiger, which had strayed in the village of Uttar Pradesh.

The move had been made since it was for the first time that any tiger had strayed in that area. The team had gone to help their counterparts in Uttar Pradesh to rescue the big cat.

The four member team comprises of assistant chief conservator of forests (ACCF) Rahul Kumar, district forest officer (DFO) of Dhaulpur RK Bhati, Jaipur zonal veterinary medical officer Arvind Mathur and ACF Kalicharan Verma. The team is armed with the tranquilising gun to control the big cat.

Meanwhile, reports from Uttar Pradesh revealed that the forest officials have been trying their best to control the big cat. They have even tied buffalo calves as bait for the tiger along the canal side in Ganjoli and Dhana Jeevna areas in Uttar Pradesh. However, their efforts to trace the tiger have not borne any fruits till now.

According to sources in the forest department, reports are also doing the rounds that the tiger might be on its way back to Rajasthan as his pug marks have been spotted near the Rajasthan border.

However, it has not yet been confirmed whether the tiger is actually returning to Rajasthan or is still roaming in Uttar Pradesh territory, sources added.

Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities/missing-tiger-continues-to-elude-officials-for-fourth-day-58160?cp

Campaign in Goa: Buy a cow, save the tiger

anaji: Grassroots wildlife activists who have been fighting for notification of Goa's rich, but mining-threatened, forests as a tiger reserve have found a unique way to compensate a 51-year-old widow whose cow was killed by a big cat in September.

The milk-yielding cow was a lifeline for Sai Pingle, 55, a dhangar tribal and a mother of two boys living in a thatched hut in the remote village of Ponsuli on the fringe of the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary.

'We decided to collect money and compensate her with another cow. The local population should not turn against the tiger. It is imperative that they realise how important the animal is for the sustenance of this forest in the long run,' renowned wildlife activist Rajendra Kerkar said.

His Vivekanand Environment Awareness Brigade (VEAB) has taken the lead for collecting donations for the cow. 'A desi variety cow, the kind which was killed by the tiger, costs Rs.15,000, but a tiger is priceless,' Kerkar said.

Kerkar's anxiety stems from extremely practical reasons.

Last year, a tiger was snared and poached in the very same Mhadei wildlife sanctuary by members of a local hunting tribe called the 'Majiks'. Interestingly, both top forest department officials and the local administration first tried to cover up the poaching incident. The chief conservator of forests, Shashi Kumar, even went to the extent of calling Kerkar, who exposed the poaching episode, an abettor.

'The sensitisation of the local population towards the tiger is extremely essential to ensure the preservation of the animal. If the tiger is to frequent the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary, the local residents cannot have animosity towards it,' Kerkar said.

He said people like Sai Pingle who live near wildlife sanctuaries should not begin to curse the king of the jungle.

Pingle's cow is not the only kill by carnivores in recent times. Increasing mining activity near Goa's wildlife sanctuaries has resulted in the displacement of the fauna near settlement areas, surrounding the protected habitat.

'Pingle and others like her cannot be compensated officially by the forest department because cattle are not allowed to graze in the wildlife sanctuary territory. So this is our effort to ensure that the kill does not affect her feelings for the tiger,' said Kerkar.

His VEAB has managed to create a small army of green-minded youngsters in the northern back-of-beyonds of Goa, 70 km from Panaji.

Kerkar said if the 'Cow for Pingle' formula works, then similar efforts would be made to collect donations for those economically backward folk whose bovines were lost to tiger kills.

Eco Treks Goa (ETG) has aligned itself along with the VEAB in the campaign. A very popular trekking group, ETG has also been at the forefront of the state's green brigade.

'A poor woman in the Chorla region lost her cow to a tiger some time back. It was a source of income to her. VEAB has initiated a campaign to buy a cow for her so that people do not turn against the tiger. The cost of the cow is Rs.15,000,' is ETG promoter Olympio Almeida's appeal to Facebookers online.

Wildlife activists claim that the grudging reluctance of the forest department and the state administration to admit to the presence of the tiger in Goa's numerous wildlife sanctuaries stems from the fact that notification of a tiger reserve in the area would severely impede the Rs.6,000 crore mining industry, which threatens to rip into Goa's green cover.

Environmentalist Claude Alvares said: 'Look at the many places in Goa named after tigers. The official census doesn't show any tigers from Goa when this is a tiger place - the tiger poaching incident itself reflects that. It means the national count of 1,411 tigers goes up.

'The forest department seems to be more concerned with conserving mining in the area than conserving wildlife,' Alvares alleged.

http://sify.com/news/campaign-in-goa-buy-a-cow-save-the-tiger-news-national-kkimuecdfjh.html

Arunachal to constitute special tiger protection force

ITANAGAR: The Arunachal Pradesh government has proposed to set up a 112-member special tiger protection force (TPF) for Pakke Tiger Reserve (PTR) to protect the big cat's declining population.

"The TPF would immensely help in protecting the big cats and containing poaching," conservator of forest (wildlife and biodiversity) M K Palit said.

The declining tiger population of 14 in 2006 against 61 as shown by the 2001-02 census was disputed as the census carried out by the Wildlife Institute of India was done in selected areas of the tiger reserve, he said.

The next census is due this month, he added. The Pakke Tiger Reserve in East Kameng district, home to a sizable number of tigers, has been appreciated by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest, he said.

The state forest department, which has signed an MoU with the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), is expecting funds soon for the conservation of tigers, Palit said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/-Arunachal-to-constitute-special-tiger-protection-force/articleshow/6713183.cms

Mathura tiger eludes, may be close to Rajasthan border

Agra, Oct 7 (IANS) The tiger, now named Mohan, eluded wildlife trackers from three states, two days after it was spotted in Mathura district in Uttar Pradesh where it attacked half a dozen people. Officials believe it may be close to the Rajasthan border.

Forest officials from Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, the Ranthambore National Park, Dehradun's Wild Life Institute and Wild Life SOS have been camping on the Agra-Mathura border to trap the tiger, which is believed to have strayed away from its natural habitat. They are worried about the safety of the big cat.

Zonal wildlife conservator R.P. Bharti told IANS: 'Most likely the tiger has crossed into Rajasthan or would do so by evening. Pug marks have been detected in that direction. My worry for the moment is he should be safe.

'Right now he seems to be covering four to five kilometres a day, whereas he should be moving at 15 to 16 km daily. This makes me wonder if he is hurt or limping. If the tiger can reach Bharatpur's bird sanctuary it would be better as he would be assured of feed and there are many hiding points in that area. So he would be safer.'

Forest guards from the Bharatpur bird sanctuary and wildlife experts from Jaipur and Dholpur are part of the big hunt. The tiger appears to have eluded all and may be hiding in some fields, forest officials say.

N.K. Janoo, divisional forest officer of Agra, told IANS: 'The last pug marks our tracking team came across were in village Shahzadpur, on the tri-junction of Bharatpur, Mathura and Agra districts. It's a very intelligent animal, around four years old, and refuses to take the bait.

'It's a matter of great concern how this animal strayed into this area. This could have been due to injury, destruction of its natural habitat which causes them to move to fringe areas bordering human settlement, or shrinkage of prey based territory. These big cats are territorial animals, so if they move out there has to be a reason.'

Janoo said the tiger straying away from the forest area was a danger signal, a definite fallout of the man-animal conflict. 'Foliage and the population of smaller animals like deer is declining. This is disturbing the balance.'

The tracking teams from Agra and Mathura have not yet returned. But once the tiger moves into Rajasthan via the Bharatpur bird sanctuary, most probably by Thursday night, they would call off the operation, an official said.

India is home to one of the largest tiger populations in the world but its numbers have declined sharply - now believed to be less that 1,500.

http://sify.com/news/mathura-tiger-eludes-may-be-close-to-rajasthan-border-news-national-kkhnkddfcae.html

Karnataka gets special tiger protection force

Ravishankar, 29, Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) and posted at the Bandipur tiger reserve in Karnataka, is holding down a historical first. He is the first head of the first Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF) in the country. The hiring is just over and the training commences soon.

It’s a rather delayed programme. In 2008, the government had given a one-time grant of Rs 50 crore to the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) for raising, arming and deploying STPFs in 13 sensitive tiger reserves — Dudhwa-Katerniaghat, Corbett, Ranthambhore, Pench, Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Pakke, Bandipur, Tadoba Andhari, Mudumalai, Kaziranga and Simlipal. In fact, Rs 93 lakh each were released to Corbett, Ranthambhore and Dudhwa for this.

"Initially, the plan was to have STPFs only in these 13 reserves but now the forces will be set up in all 39 (wildlife) reserves. However, we need about Rs 25 crore per annum for the 13 reserves," says Rajesh Gopal, member-secretary, National Tiger Conservation Authority.

Hopefully, the process will be speedier. For now, Karnataka has made a start. It houses four reserves — Bandipur, Bhadra, Dandeli Anshi and Nagarhole — and it has constituted a 112-strong STPF. Comprising 80-odd forest guards and other personnel, with the rest being local dwellers. This sort of mix is what has been recommended for all STPFs, with a reasonabel salary — Ravishankar’s own has risen from Rs 24,000 at his earlier posting as ACF, Bijapur, to Rs 40,000 a month; a forest guard in the Force is to getRs 18,610 a month. Which ensures a company each for all the 13 initial reserves would cost at least Rs 34 crore a year, likely to be a problem with finance departments.

"I have been patrolling the area for the purpose of anti-poaching besides collecting information. We are also getting local dwellers in," says Ravishankar. Bandipur is also a test case, with a tiger density of 11.97 per 100 sq miles. It was among the first nine tiger reserves created at the launch of Project Tiger in 1973.

"Karnataka recruited people in the force last month and it will start undergoing training. Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu may be next in line to do so, as they have expressed interest," says Gopal of the NTCA.

An STPF company is to also get special training from the state police department and central paramilitary forces, based on a syllabus for skill development, combating poaching, and enabling intelligence-based enforcement in a forest terrain. The syllabus draws on the one prescribed for the India Reserve Battalion.

http://sify.com/finance/karnataka-gets-special-tiger-protection-force-news-news-kkibOfeajfc.html

Tiger found dead in MP's Kanha reserve

BHOPAL: A tiger was found dead in Khapa range of Madhya Pradesh's famous Kanha Tiger Reserve, a top forest department official said.

"The tiger was found dead with a deep wound around its neck yesterday near a drain in Khapa range of Kanha, situated in eastern Madhya Pradesh," State additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests T R Sharma said.

The tiger, who was about 10 to 12-year-old, possibly, had sustained injury to his neck in a territorial fight with another tiger some days back, he added.

The body of the tiger was disposed off after post-mortem was carried out under the guidelines of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) in Kanha though the post-mortem report is yet to be received by the department.

This was the fourth death of a tiger being attributed to territorial fights in the last one year in Kanha Tiger Reserve spread over an area of 2000 sq km, sources said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Tiger-found-dead-in-MPs-Kanha-reserve/articleshow/6705390.cms

tTwo more tigresses to be translocated in Panna reserve

Bhopal, Oct 6 (PTI) Two more tigresses will be translocated in Madhya Pradesh's Panna Tiger Reserve in November, an official said today. "Two more tigresses from Kanha will translocated in Panna next month," Panna Reserve Field Director R S Murthy told PTI. "These felines are semi-wild given that they were reared by humans as their mother died shortly after giving birth," he said. The tigresses are aged five to six years, Murthy said. Two translocated tigresses and one tiger are already in the wild of Panna, an area spread over 543 sq km in eastern Madhya Pradesh. The tigresses, one from Bandhavgarh and another from Kanha Tiger Reserve, were moved in Panna on March 6 and March 9 last year, after the park became devoid of the striped animal population. A tiger from Pench reserve was put in the wild of Panna on November 14 last year. A translocated tigress in Panna gave birth to four cubs in April.

http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/two-more-tigresses-to-be-translocated-in-panna-reserve/384103.html

Encroachments and mining endangering wildlife: Bhardwaj

Karnataka Governor H. R. Bhardwaj today said that rampant encroachments of forest land and mining in these areas had endangered wildlife in the country.

“Encroachments of forest land and mining in such areas in the country is a major threat to wildlife and has endangered it to a great extent,” Mr. Bhardwaj said while addressing the 56th Wildlife Week Celebrations here.

While rampant mining has brought down tiger population in Sariska, Panna and Ranthambore reserves in MP and Rajasthan respectively, mining and quarrying activities in Karwar, Chamarajnagar and Sandur in Karnataka’s Bellary district had adversely affected wildlife, he said.

There was an urgent need not only to conserve wildlife but also protect it from man-made threats, he said.

Ace cricketer and vice-chairman of the state Wildlife Board, Anil Kumble said “according to a recent tiger census, Karnataka will hopefully be number one in tiger population.”

He said the Board would soon launch a website that would enable wildlife enthusiasts to interact with forest officials.

State forest minister C. H. Vijayashankar said the department was aiming at increasing the forest cover in the state to 33 per cent from the present 23 per cent.

He announced that the 57th Wildlife Week celebrations will be held in Bannerghatta National Park.

Touching upon the important issues relating to wildlife conservation in the state, Chief Wildlife Warden B. K. Singh said one of the major challenges facing the department today is to minimise the human-animal conflicts.

Many wild animals especially elephants and leopards are killed in such conflicts.

Foot patrolling by forest personnel at strategic locations in protected areas have paid rich dividends, he said, adding prompt and timely action has also proved effective in this regard.

http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/two-more-tigresses-to-be-translocated-in-panna-reserve/384103.html

NTCA panel to visit Bander project on Friday Read more: NTCA panel to visit Bander project on Friday

NAGPUR: The three-member NTCA committee of experts will examine the proposed Bandar Coal Mining Project by the Bander Coal Company Private Limited (BCCPL), Mumbai, in Chimur tehsil of Chandrapur district on Friday.

The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) on July 2 this year had appointed experts Urmila Pingle, Kishor Rithe and GN Vankhede to do a site appraisal of coal sector, thermal power project proposals vis-Ã -vis the buffer-corridor areas of tiger reserves in Central India. However, Bander was left out that time. The same panel was also asked to examine proposed Bander mines.

Pingle has communicated her inability to participate due to other assignments. However, Vankhede and Rithe would be conducting the site visit on October 8 at 10am. The members will consult officials, stakeholders and project proponent at Chandrapur. The panel will later visit the proposed site.

On Saturday, the members will reach Chhindwara at 10am and examine proposed sites of Tandsi III and Tandsi III extension underground coal mine project (0.4 MTPA) of Mideast Integrated Steels Ltd in Chhindwara district. The project is coming up in 326 hectares.

A lot of hue and cry was raised after Bander coal blocks, near Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR), were not included for inspection in the 15 projects in Chandrapur district and Chhindwara that were examined by the NTCA panel two months ago.

The BCCPL was allotted coal blocks for Bander underground and opencast mines on May 29, 2009 to extract 175.110 million tonnes of coal. Although the proposed mining area falls in Brahmapuri Forest Division, the underground and opencast mine are 7.5km and 9km from the TATRboundary
.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/NTCA-panel-to-visit-Bander-project-on-Friday/articleshow/6703552.cms

'Maneater' on loose gives Hardoi the jitters

LUCKNOW/JAIPUR: Even as forest officials continued to comb fields and villages around Mathura in search of the elusive tiger that has strayed into the area, another tiger scare emerged. A big cat — this one said to be a maneater — has been hiding in a sugarcane field in Lakhua village of Hardoi district, some 120km from Lucknow.

On Wednesday, Hardoi officials were on the job trying to tranquillize the tiger, which, according to forest officials, has killed eight humans in Pilibhit and Shahjahanpur districts since May. ''It is currently hiding in a sugarcane field,'' said R K Tripathi, DFO, Hardoi. The combing operations were on in Lakhua village, Hardoi.

The big cat has been on the run since May 3 when it claimed its first human kill. The orders to tranquillize and trap the tiger were given by chief wildlife warden of UP this month after resentment among locals ran high in Shahjahanpur and Deoria over eight human killings. The tiger had entered Kheri and injured a man there before it shifted location to Hardoi.

Meanwhile, forest officials from Rajasthan and UP continue to comb the Mathura refinery region in search of the tiger that strayed from Ranthambore National Park
.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Maneater-on-loose-gives-Hardoi-the-jitters/articleshow/6703382.cms