CHANDRAPUR: The sleuths of Chimur forest range probing the seizure of tiger nails in Chimur have uncovered a poachers gang inside Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR).
Investigations have revealed that the tiger was killed near Hirdi Nullah in Kolsa range of TATR. Four more accused were arrested from Kolsa village on Monday evening in connection with the poaching.
Forest officials have also recovered tiger bones and six wire traps from the place where the tiger was killed. Acting on the basis of a tip-off given by Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), Chimur RFO BS Padve had arrested Mangaldas Madavi with three tiger nails in Chimur on Saturday.
Madavi is a resident of Jamni village, inside TATR, and this rang alarm bells among forest officials. Raids were carried out in Kolsa the same evening and Bhauji Gedam was also arrested. Chimur forest officials presented the accused before the court and obtained their forest custody remand for five days.
Investigators were shocked to learn that the accused duo with their accomplices had poached a tiger, whose nails were seized, in Kolsa range of TATR.
On the basis of information given by Madavi and Gedam, Chimur officials once again raided Kolsa on Monday evening and arrested four more persons.
The arrested accused also identified the place of poaching near Hirdi Nullah in Kolsa range. Forest officials found 20 tiger bones at the spot. Six wire traps were also recovered after the arrested accused revealed their locations.
Each wire trap had 15 nooses. Speaking to TOI, Bramhapuri ACF AN Dhote confirmed that a tiger was poached.
"The accused have confessed to poaching a tiger. They said that they had laid the wire traps to poach smaller animals like deer and sambhar, but accidentally a tiger got caught in it. Later, its body parts were removed by the poachers," said Dhote. He said that around half-a-dozen others who had purchased the tiger parts, are likely to be arrested in the coming days.
The four arrested from Kolsa on Monday are Ganpat Gedam, Sainath Shedmake, Gulab Todase and Khushal Todase. Dhote further said that they are going to seek FCR of the four accused from the court. "Once our interrogation is over, the case will be handed over to authorities of TATR as the poaching has taken place in their territory," said Dhote. Dhote did not say when this tiger was poached. "He poached tiger in question is likely to be the tigress with two cubs in Hirdi Nullah. It used to roam in the territory between Shivanzari, Hirdi Nullah and Kakadghat, but has gone missing about an year ago," sources have said.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Census brings good news on tigers in GOA
PANAJI: Evidence pointing to the presence of at least two tigers is the big news of the ongoing wildlife census, the first phase of which ended on Tuesday.
"Tiger pug marks and scats have been found in at least three to four places," a source said. "So it may even be three tigers, including a couple in one place or a couple of leopards and a tiger." The census teams found tiger pug marks near Anjunem dam and scats in a few other places, including Tambdi Surla in Molem and Valkini near the backwaters of Selaulim dam.
Participants in the exercise also reported an encouraging evidence of leopards, bison and other animals.
Tiger and leopard droppings are different in size.
A tiger's scat is bigger in length and diameter while that of a leopard is smaller and has a hook-like projection at one end. Sources said a leopard's and tiger cub's scats may appear confusing because of their identical size. In the case of claws, the gap between tiger claws is more than that of the leopard.
"Tiger pug marks and scats have been found in at least three to four places," a source said. "So it may even be three tigers, including a couple in one place or a couple of leopards and a tiger." The census teams found tiger pug marks near Anjunem dam and scats in a few other places, including Tambdi Surla in Molem and Valkini near the backwaters of Selaulim dam.
Participants in the exercise also reported an encouraging evidence of leopards, bison and other animals.
Tiger and leopard droppings are different in size.
A tiger's scat is bigger in length and diameter while that of a leopard is smaller and has a hook-like projection at one end. Sources said a leopard's and tiger cub's scats may appear confusing because of their identical size. In the case of claws, the gap between tiger claws is more than that of the leopard.
'Tourists help keep poachers away from tiger reserves' - TOFT
NEW DELHI: Opposing the ban on tourists from core regions of tiger reserves proposed by the environment ministry, Travel Operators for Tigers (TOFT) — a campaign spearheaded by international and national travel operators — has said that wildlife tourism, on the contrary, was saving forests and tigers.
The organization added that tourism ensured better security for tigers, and was the best anti-poaching mechanism even as it made forest personnel "highly and often uncomfortably accountable".
TOFT chairman Julian Mathew said the agency would take up the issue with the ministries of tourism and environment to ensure better implementation of rules and regulations, adding that a ban on wildlife tourism was not the answer.
According to recent statistics, tiger numbers have come down from an estimated 3,642 in 2002 to 1,411 in February 2008. Experts say that actual numbers could be even lower. A recent tourism ministry study had shown that nearly 70% of resorts outside Corbett National Park were venues for weddings and parties rather than eco-tourism.
In a statement, TOFT pointed out that despite poor tourism practises being followed in the national park, it continued to be the "most visited" park in India and still had the highest number of tigers. It added that Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve had the heaviest density of tigers in its main Tala tourism zone and received 45,000 visits a year.
"When sub-adults leave this tourist zone seeking their own ranges in buffer zone forests, they get lost, poached or poisoned. Ranthambhore, with its 450 sq km and estimated 35-38 tigers, finds 22-23 (two-thirds) tigers in ranges that fall within the much smaller 130 sq km of the tourism zone. These facts suggest that the best tiger security and habitat exist in tourism zones, and tigers and prey sense it," the statement said.
Highlighting the fact that good tourism practises not only provide a means of legitimate livelihood to people living in and around tiger reserves, TOFT said if it were not for tourism bringing economic value to the forest area, it would be sacrificed for mining, farming or industry.
Emphasizing that the alternative was to ensure implementation of rules and regulations, Mathew gave the instance of Madhya Pradesh's ecosensitive zone regulations that have been stuck in the Supreme Court since 2006. "Tiger tourism is the best anti-poaching unit, operating vehicles watching for eight hours a day, deflecting poachers, loggers and grazers from being there," Mathew said.
The organization added that tourism ensured better security for tigers, and was the best anti-poaching mechanism even as it made forest personnel "highly and often uncomfortably accountable".
TOFT chairman Julian Mathew said the agency would take up the issue with the ministries of tourism and environment to ensure better implementation of rules and regulations, adding that a ban on wildlife tourism was not the answer.
According to recent statistics, tiger numbers have come down from an estimated 3,642 in 2002 to 1,411 in February 2008. Experts say that actual numbers could be even lower. A recent tourism ministry study had shown that nearly 70% of resorts outside Corbett National Park were venues for weddings and parties rather than eco-tourism.
In a statement, TOFT pointed out that despite poor tourism practises being followed in the national park, it continued to be the "most visited" park in India and still had the highest number of tigers. It added that Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve had the heaviest density of tigers in its main Tala tourism zone and received 45,000 visits a year.
"When sub-adults leave this tourist zone seeking their own ranges in buffer zone forests, they get lost, poached or poisoned. Ranthambhore, with its 450 sq km and estimated 35-38 tigers, finds 22-23 (two-thirds) tigers in ranges that fall within the much smaller 130 sq km of the tourism zone. These facts suggest that the best tiger security and habitat exist in tourism zones, and tigers and prey sense it," the statement said.
Highlighting the fact that good tourism practises not only provide a means of legitimate livelihood to people living in and around tiger reserves, TOFT said if it were not for tourism bringing economic value to the forest area, it would be sacrificed for mining, farming or industry.
Emphasizing that the alternative was to ensure implementation of rules and regulations, Mathew gave the instance of Madhya Pradesh's ecosensitive zone regulations that have been stuck in the Supreme Court since 2006. "Tiger tourism is the best anti-poaching unit, operating vehicles watching for eight hours a day, deflecting poachers, loggers and grazers from being there," Mathew said.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Tiger nails, teeth seized in raid
In a raid conducted by the Panchkula police in coordination with the People For Animals (PFA), Delhi, animal parts were seized from a shop in Mansa Devi shopping complex on Monday. The police said 30 tiger nails, 15 teeth, two paws, two horns of black buck and 60 oyster shells were seized from a general store in the complex. Sources said a tiger skin was also seized.
ASI Balwant Singh, who led the raid, said one Babu Ram has been arrested. According to Singh, the accused used to buy animal parts from tribals and sell them. A case has been registered and investigations are on.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/tiger-nails-teeth-seized-in-raid/614790/
Saturday, May 1, 2010
TATR buffer zone gets govt nod
The state government on Friday approved the buffer zone proposal for the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR), sources said. The buffer zone — mandated by the amended Wildlife Protection Act of 2006 — had been proposed by the Forest Department early last year, but had hit the roadblock due to opposition from local people’s representatives in Chandrapur, who termed it “anti-people”.
Incidentally, the clearance comes days after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh took it upon himself to prod the state government on to hasten the process. The TATR buffer zone was one of the items listed by the PM for swift action in a letter to Chief Minister Ashok Chavan last week.
The 1,150-sq km buffer zone has 79 villages and several mines operating in the vicinity. Mining is prohibited in the buffer zone, which is supposed to act as additional protection for wildlife. Local politicians had been saying the buffer zone will lead to relocation of villages when no such idea is part of the concept. It was alleged that the opposition was at the behest of the strong mining lobby.The area is also witnessing a fierce man-tiger conflict over the past four years, with over 60 people dying in tiger attacks. The buffer zone also specially provides for tackling the issue in a definite manner.
Overall, about 12 buffer zones have already been declared in different states so far.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/tatr-buffer-zone-gets-govt-nod/613643/
High tiger numbers in KNP worries conservationists
GUWAHATI, April 30 – Notwithstanding the unusually high tiger concentration in Kaziranga National Park as revealed in a recent camera-trap exercise, experts feel that the development also has darker shades which, if left unaddressed, could imperil the park’s long-term conservation prospects.
This is because quantitative assessment of conservation efforts sometimes tends to be unrealistic vis-à-vis the actual picture. According to Dr Bibhab Talukdar of Aaranyak, which conducted the camera-trapping estimation in Kaziranga, the much-trumpeted success of Kaziranga due to increasing numbers of rhinos, elephants and now even tigers could be a dangerous indicator.
“Unusual increase of these animals in a single protected can be a dangerous indicator. It may be that because of destruction of habitat in surrounding areas, animals have flocked into Kaziranga’s safety. Kaziranga’s ecosystem is highly dependent on preservation of forests in the Karbi Anglong hills,” Dr Talukdar said.
Conservationists are unanimous that restoring and sanctifying the contiguity of Kaziranga with the Karbi Anglong hills holds the key to long-term survival of the park.
“The entire area needs to be treated as a single conservationbelt. The State Government should take up the matter with the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council for declaring it as a single protected area,” Dr Talukdar said.
Underling the need for better management of Kaziranga in view of the increasing number of animals, especially the tiger, Dr Talukdar said that unless the tigers had a wider dispersal area, different problems, including infighting and conflict with humans, stood to intensify.
The man-tiger conflict is already more than palpable with a high incidence of cattle lifting by tigers in the fringe villages of Kaziranga. There have also been at least a couple of confirmed cases of retaliatory poisoning by the affected locals in the recent past. According to data with WWF-India, the one-year period from April 2008 to March 2009 saw as many as 171 cases of cattle lifting by tigers. The trend has persisted, with 130 cases from April 2009 till January this year.
PJ Bora of WWF-India which has been engaged in a programmeon mitigating the growing man-tiger conflict in Kaziranga said, “Any increase in hostilities between the tiger and the fringe-dwellers could spell doom for the animal. While payment of timely compensation to the affected people is a must, there is an urgent need to look into the reasons behind the tiger’s growing preference for domestic animals.”
The corridors linking Kaziranga with Karbi Anglong forests have suffered extensive degradation due to encroachment, illegal logging, stone mining, growing settlements and tourist facilities, etc., seriously disrupting wildlife movement, especially during the recurring floods.
Bora said that the existing important corridors, i.e., Haldibari, Kanchanjuri and Panbari, were under growing human pressure which needed to be checked to prevent any further degradation.
For a secure future of the tiger, experts suggest improved management of tiger habitat, including restoration and management of corridors between core areas through land-uses compatible with tiger conservation. “Creating additional or expanding existing protected areas to support viable, breeding tiger populations, and linking them with habitat corridors is an imperative need under the present circumstances,” a Forest official with a long experience of serving in tiger habitat said.
“In the past, the forests of Karbi Anglong and the grasslands of Kaziranga formed a single contiguous ecological belt with very few human habitations. But with the gradual opening up of the area on the southern side of the NH-37 resulted in settlements, industries, tourist facilities and tea gardens, underminingconservation concerns,” he said, adding that a policy decision at the government level was a must to check human and industrial pressures.
A corridor apart, encroachment has been a problem in some of the six subsequent additions to the 429.93-sq km Park such as the second, third, fourth and sixth. Pending court litigations have also compounded the process of evicting the settlers. Theadditions are: first addition Burhapahar 43.79 sq km, second addition Sildubi (6.47 sq km), third addition Panbari (0.69 sq km), fourth addition Kanchanjuri (0.89 sq km), fifth addition Haldibari (1.15 sq km) and sixth addition the stretch of the Brahmaputra river (including chars) running along the Park’s southern boundary.
http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/detailsnew.asp?id=may0110/at09
Save the tiger campaign: Away from the forest home
Here is a story of successful relocation at the Simlipal reserve in Orissa. Today we look at how many families here are living comfortably after they were moved out to make way for the tiger.
Adivasis from Jenabil valley in Orissa's Simlipal Tiger Reserve (STR) in a bank for the first time in their lives to receive a part of Rs 10 lakhs that the National Tiger Conservation Authority has promised each of the 61 families, who have vacated their forest home.
Although their rehabilitation from the core area of the park was on the cards for years, no serious attempt was made until a new director took over last August.
"That itself shows that things could have been done much earlier and we could have got back all those valleys for wild life much earlier. In fact Jenabil would get back its former glory. We expect it to become a meadow, which will be frequented by herbivores and tigers naturally," says Biswajit Mohanty, member, National Board for Wildlife.
For the displaced people who have never lived outside the forests, it's the beginning of a new life. Their children can finally go to school.
"The government promised us Rs 10 lakhs and land. They have said they will give us Rs 1 lakh to build a house and the rest Rs 9 lakh will be in the form of fixed deposits. If our rehabilitation is proper, then others will also leave Simlipal," says Ganga, displaced Jenabil villager.
There are still three more villages in the tiger core area that need to be evacuated. Thanks to the good package people are willing to reconsider their views.
"We will take all care to train them in agriculture, horticulture and all those things. It's no longer the job of the Forest Department of the Simlipal Tiger Reserve, the whole of district administration has adopted it," says HS Upadhyay, director, STR.
Reducing human interference is key to increasing tiger numbers. The successful rehabilitation of the people of Jenabil will go a long way in bringing the big cat back to these meadows.
Adivasis from Jenabil valley in Orissa's Simlipal Tiger Reserve (STR) in a bank for the first time in their lives to receive a part of Rs 10 lakhs that the National Tiger Conservation Authority has promised each of the 61 families, who have vacated their forest home.
Although their rehabilitation from the core area of the park was on the cards for years, no serious attempt was made until a new director took over last August.
"That itself shows that things could have been done much earlier and we could have got back all those valleys for wild life much earlier. In fact Jenabil would get back its former glory. We expect it to become a meadow, which will be frequented by herbivores and tigers naturally," says Biswajit Mohanty, member, National Board for Wildlife.
For the displaced people who have never lived outside the forests, it's the beginning of a new life. Their children can finally go to school.
"The government promised us Rs 10 lakhs and land. They have said they will give us Rs 1 lakh to build a house and the rest Rs 9 lakh will be in the form of fixed deposits. If our rehabilitation is proper, then others will also leave Simlipal," says Ganga, displaced Jenabil villager.
There are still three more villages in the tiger core area that need to be evacuated. Thanks to the good package people are willing to reconsider their views.
"We will take all care to train them in agriculture, horticulture and all those things. It's no longer the job of the Forest Department of the Simlipal Tiger Reserve, the whole of district administration has adopted it," says HS Upadhyay, director, STR.
Reducing human interference is key to increasing tiger numbers. The successful rehabilitation of the people of Jenabil will go a long way in bringing the big cat back to these meadows.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Tiger deaths: Under-staffing, poor intelligence main reasons
New Delhi: Lack of funds and quality staff, sloppy intelligence, poorly-armed protection force and delay in relocating villagers from tiger habitats were among the key reasons for big cat deaths, a Parliamentary panel has said.
The committee on 'conservation and protection of tigers' flayed the National TigerConservation Authority for its failure to ensure sufficient funds and staff to check the declining big cat population.
Asking it to plug the gaps, the panel, which tabled its report in Parliament today, has also suggested that the NTCA -- entrusted with the task of implementing Project Tiger in the country -- should speed up village relocation on priority basis to save the animals.
"The implementation of the Project Tiger under NTCA was severely hampered by under-staffing at the level of sanctuaries and the personnel actually employed were also found to be over-aged, under-trained and under-equipped in many cases," said the panel headed by BJP MP Gopinath Munde.
Inadequate arms and ammunition, lack of strike force, poor intelligence gathering and inadequate patrolling camps were some of the other reasons for tiger deaths, it said. "As a result, poaching of tigers continued and touched an annual level of 22 over a period of six years," it said.
Initiated in 1972, Project Tiger has been taking several steps to ensure tiger conservation and protection. The NTCA is an autonomous body under the Environment Ministry.
The panel also took serious exception to fact that the relocation of families in tiger reserves was going on at a snail's pace and "at this rate it will take more than a decade to relocate all the families from the core/buffer area."
Attributing the delay to funds shortage, it noted that "Against the requirement of Rs 11,000 crore to relocate 64,951 families living within the tiger reserves, the allocation in the Tenth Five Year Plan was a meagre Rs 10.50 crore."
In its reply, the Environment Ministry told the panel that since inception of Project Tiger till June 2005, a total of 80 villages (2904 families) have been relocated.
"During the Tenth Plan, under the enhanced package (Rs 10 lakh to each family) Rs 236.79 crore was provided to states for 7782 families' relocation." Pointing out that mitigation of human interference was important for tiger survival, the panel suggested that the Environment Ministry should undertake a special donor-driven project and "link this to the benefits which will accrue to the community by not cutting trees."
"The implementation of the Project Tiger under NTCA was severely hampered by under-staffing at the level of sanctuaries and the personnel actually employed were also found to be over-aged, under-trained and under-equipped in many cases," said the panel headed by BJP MP Gopinath Munde.
Inadequate arms and ammunition, lack of strike force, poor intelligence gathering and inadequate patrolling camps were some of the other reasons for tiger deaths, it said. "As a result, poaching of tigers continued and touched an annual level of 22 over a period of six years," it said.
Initiated in 1972, Project Tiger has been taking several steps to ensure tiger conservation and protection. The NTCA is an autonomous body under the Environment Ministry.
The panel also took serious exception to fact that the relocation of families in tiger reserves was going on at a snail's pace and "at this rate it will take more than a decade to relocate all the families from the core/buffer area."
Attributing the delay to funds shortage, it noted that "Against the requirement of Rs 11,000 crore to relocate 64,951 families living within the tiger reserves, the allocation in the Tenth Five Year Plan was a meagre Rs 10.50 crore."
In its reply, the Environment Ministry told the panel that since inception of Project Tiger till June 2005, a total of 80 villages (2904 families) have been relocated.
"During the Tenth Plan, under the enhanced package (Rs 10 lakh to each family) Rs 236.79 crore was provided to states for 7782 families' relocation." Pointing out that mitigation of human interference was important for tiger survival, the panel suggested that the Environment Ministry should undertake a special donor-driven project and "link this to the benefits which will accrue to the community by not cutting trees."
Tiger Reserve surrounded by coal mines
The 625 square kilometre protected forest in Chandrapur is home to over fifty tigers, a sanctuary shattered by the hostile coal mines that surround it on at least two sides.
Recently the Prime Minster wrote to Maharashtra asking it to notify crucial buffer zones around tiger parks because in the Tadoba Reserve there is a need for more space.
It was in this crucial tiger corridor that the Adani coal mine was suppose to come up. The permission was denied by the Union Environment Minister but it continues to raise an important question: Why is the Maharashtra state government continuing to drag its feet for over two years on an important piece of legislation, something that will finally notify these buffer zones.
Buffer zones are specially notified areas around parks or reserve forests that are meant to divide the park from areas of human pressure. This division is of vital importance as by law any activity like mining or others that destroy the habitat have to be kept at least ten kilometres from the buffer zone which helps protect the parks habitat.
Without this notification the Tadoba buffer zone is not yet legally out of bounds for mines and industries.
While mining activity is Tadoba's biggest problem, over the last one year, the man-animal conflict has also escalated particularly in the eastern side of the reserve with 14 people and 4 tigers dead.
President, Tiger Research and Conservation Trust, Harshawardhan Dhanwatey says, "It has 60 odd villages and 20-25 years ago, the population was not more than 100/80 people. Today the population has gone up by three times. The impact of these people on Tadoba is quite a bit. Grazing is a big problem here because there is a lot of cattle that these villages own and it is contributing to the degradation of forest."
All this increase the possibility of encounters.
"Unfortunately the status of the forest staff is not up to the mark. At present we have 5 RFO postings out of which 3 are vacant and we want to increase post of RFO, forest guards. Only 34 beats are there so average area of beat is very large. Almost, a beat guard has to protect an average area of 1848 hectares which is certainly a big area to protect," says Sanjay Thakre, Field Director, Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve.
It's a miracle that the tiger population has survived these man-made traps when it desperately needs man-made ecological fillip to thrive and grow.
Recently the Prime Minster wrote to Maharashtra asking it to notify crucial buffer zones around tiger parks because in the Tadoba Reserve there is a need for more space.
It was in this crucial tiger corridor that the Adani coal mine was suppose to come up. The permission was denied by the Union Environment Minister but it continues to raise an important question: Why is the Maharashtra state government continuing to drag its feet for over two years on an important piece of legislation, something that will finally notify these buffer zones.
Buffer zones are specially notified areas around parks or reserve forests that are meant to divide the park from areas of human pressure. This division is of vital importance as by law any activity like mining or others that destroy the habitat have to be kept at least ten kilometres from the buffer zone which helps protect the parks habitat.
Without this notification the Tadoba buffer zone is not yet legally out of bounds for mines and industries.
While mining activity is Tadoba's biggest problem, over the last one year, the man-animal conflict has also escalated particularly in the eastern side of the reserve with 14 people and 4 tigers dead.
President, Tiger Research and Conservation Trust, Harshawardhan Dhanwatey says, "It has 60 odd villages and 20-25 years ago, the population was not more than 100/80 people. Today the population has gone up by three times. The impact of these people on Tadoba is quite a bit. Grazing is a big problem here because there is a lot of cattle that these villages own and it is contributing to the degradation of forest."
All this increase the possibility of encounters.
"Unfortunately the status of the forest staff is not up to the mark. At present we have 5 RFO postings out of which 3 are vacant and we want to increase post of RFO, forest guards. Only 34 beats are there so average area of beat is very large. Almost, a beat guard has to protect an average area of 1848 hectares which is certainly a big area to protect," says Sanjay Thakre, Field Director, Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve.
It's a miracle that the tiger population has survived these man-made traps when it desperately needs man-made ecological fillip to thrive and grow.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Tiger campaign: The great Panna cover-up
According to wildlife experts Panna Tiger Reserve had two dozen tigers after the census in January 2006, and was left with no tigers by December 2008. However, despite that, no arrests have been made even though it is clear that the tigers were poached.
In May 2009, Pana National Reserve was officially declared tiger-less. In June, an embarrassed Madhya Pradesh government ordered an investigation.
In the investigation report submitted in March 2010, not a single culprit was identified, in fact all the officers in charge were promoted.
In the investigation report submitted in March 2010, not a single culprit was identified, in fact all the officers in charge were promoted.
It all began in 2005, when Raghu Chundavat, a wildlife scientist found nine tigers he was tracking in Panna missing. His alarm brought down a central investigation team.
Almost on cue, Sanjay Mukhariya, the then Park Director of Panna started the cover-up act.
On March 13, 2005, he said, "There are no less than 34 tigers here. We have decided to conduct the census again.''
On his order, Kanha Park Director Aseem Shrivastav conducted a seven-day census using the outdated pugmark method and ostensibly managed to trace all 34 tigers.
By then the Centrally Empowered Committee on Wildlife said that Panna is showing signs of Sariska. This is like an early warning signal. It is necessary to put it right fast before it's too late.
Then, in June, 2005 Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests H S Pabla wrote in the Sanctuary Magazine that tiger density in Panna has never been better.
Ironically around the same time, a poacher arrested nearby had confessed to having traded eight tigers skins sourced from Panna.
In 2008, P B Gangopadhyay, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests wrote to the Centre that Panna desperately needs a female tiger.
Here is an excerpt from the letter dated May 19, 2008: "Although in thisNational Park no sign of decline in number of tiger population is observed, but in recent years paucity of female and cubs is felt in the national park."
Within months a Central team came to investigate and declared Panna tiger-less.
Since then each and every officer involved in the cover up has been promoted.
Wildlife Activist, Raghu Chundavat says, "Absolutely nothing has happened to people who have failed tigers. That is giving completely wrong signal to the management that leadership is there to protect them what mistake they continue to commit."
And so the denial continues. Even now nobody admits that thirty tigers went missing. Still no lessons learnt from Sariska? So which one is next?
Almost on cue, Sanjay Mukhariya, the then Park Director of Panna started the cover-up act.
On March 13, 2005, he said, "There are no less than 34 tigers here. We have decided to conduct the census again.''
On his order, Kanha Park Director Aseem Shrivastav conducted a seven-day census using the outdated pugmark method and ostensibly managed to trace all 34 tigers.
By then the Centrally Empowered Committee on Wildlife said that Panna is showing signs of Sariska. This is like an early warning signal. It is necessary to put it right fast before it's too late.
Then, in June, 2005 Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests H S Pabla wrote in the Sanctuary Magazine that tiger density in Panna has never been better.
Ironically around the same time, a poacher arrested nearby had confessed to having traded eight tigers skins sourced from Panna.
In 2008, P B Gangopadhyay, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests wrote to the Centre that Panna desperately needs a female tiger.
Here is an excerpt from the letter dated May 19, 2008: "Although in thisNational Park no sign of decline in number of tiger population is observed, but in recent years paucity of female and cubs is felt in the national park."
Within months a Central team came to investigate and declared Panna tiger-less.
Since then each and every officer involved in the cover up has been promoted.
Wildlife Activist, Raghu Chundavat says, "Absolutely nothing has happened to people who have failed tigers. That is giving completely wrong signal to the management that leadership is there to protect them what mistake they continue to commit."
And so the denial continues. Even now nobody admits that thirty tigers went missing. Still no lessons learnt from Sariska? So which one is next?
Monday, April 26, 2010
Camera trap captures tiger at Sahyadri reserve
Kolhapur: At a time when tigers are rapidly disappearing from the Indian subcontinent, there is much excitement at the newly-created Sahyadri Tiger Reserve where the first-ever evidence of a tiger has been captured in a “camera trap”.This photographic evidence has come from a camera trap in a forest adjoining the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve which was created in January 2010.
The fourth tiger reserve in Maharashtra, the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve encompasses the Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary and Chandoli National Park and is spread over the districts of Ratnagri, Sangli, Satara and Kolhapur. A 55 km forest corridor separates the Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary in Kolhapur from the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve.
According to the chief conservator of forest (wildlife) MK Rao, the department has installed two camera traps in the forest adjoining the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve where the photo of the tiger has been captured.Operational trials of these two cameras were on and additional 40 camera traps will be installed in different areas of Sahyadri Tiger Reserve.
Rao said the sighting of the tiger and other wild animals is very difficult in this reserve considering that the forest is extremely dense. “One cannot see beyond 10 meters in these forests,” he said.
Last year, the wildlife census based on pugmarks showed nine tigers in the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve and Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary.
Rao spoke on Friday while inaugurating a wildlife photographs exhibition arranged in Kolhapur by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and the forest department (wildlife). The state wildlife advisory board’s member Gopal Bodhe and the BNHS’s tiger cell education officer Sanjay Karkare were amongst those who attended the inaugural session.
The exhibition includes photographs from the tiger reserves at Pench, Tadoba-Andhari and Melghat.
http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_camera-trap-captures-tiger-at-sahyadri-reserve_1375238
Friday, April 23, 2010
Forest officials stall tiger census in Jharkhand
Palamau (Jharkhand), Apr 23 (ANI): Forest officials in Jharkhand's Palamau District abandoned the tiger census mid-way in Maoist-infested forest areas following threats from the rebels.
Palamau is a Maoist-infested area, with the rebels hampering human and wildlife acclivities.
This year, monitoring and census of wildlife could only be done in 40 percent area of the tiger reserve with the rest of the area being inaccessible due to the presence of Maoists.
"The reason for the decline in tiger population is due to their disturbance in natural habitat. Even the population of people around everywhere because there is no place left where you would not find people. Especially in this region, there is lack of security and problem of Naxalities and due to that we can't go to the interiors of the forest to monitor," said Manoj Singh, Director of the Palamau Tiger Reserve.
Palamau tiger reserve is spread across 1,100 sq. kms. This reserve is a home to 17 tigers, over 200 elephants, over 50 leopards, over a thousand deers, monkeys and bisons.
Poaching and loss of habitat have caused the number of tigers to plunge to an alarming rate in India.
Conservationists say the trade in skin and bones is booming to countries such as China, which has banned the use of tiger parts in medicine but where everything from fur to whiskers to eyeballs to bones, are still used. (ANI)
"The reason for the decline in tiger population is due to their disturbance in natural habitat. Even the population of people around everywhere because there is no place left where you would not find people. Especially in this region, there is lack of security and problem of Naxalities and due to that we can't go to the interiors of the forest to monitor," said Manoj Singh, Director of the Palamau Tiger Reserve.
Palamau tiger reserve is spread across 1,100 sq. kms. This reserve is a home to 17 tigers, over 200 elephants, over 50 leopards, over a thousand deers, monkeys and bisons.
Poaching and loss of habitat have caused the number of tigers to plunge to an alarming rate in India.
Conservationists say the trade in skin and bones is booming to countries such as China, which has banned the use of tiger parts in medicine but where everything from fur to whiskers to eyeballs to bones, are still used. (ANI)
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Tiger cub found dead in Kanha Tiger Reserve
Mandla (MP), Apr 21 (PTI) A female tiger cub has been found dead in the famous Kanha Tiger Reserve here, officials said today.
The body of the cub was found at Sarhi range of the Reserve yesterday and it had injury marks around its neck and other places, Kanha Tiger Reserve Field Director H S Negi said.
He said the female cub was around nine-month old and had been killed by a tiger of the area. Territorial fights were common in the areas having dense stripped animal population, he said.
The dead animal was one of the four cubs of a tigress in the reserve.
He said after post-mortem of the cub according to the guidelines of National Tiger Conservation Authority, the body was disposed of.
The body of the cub was found at Sarhi range of the Reserve yesterday and it had injury marks around its neck and other places, Kanha Tiger Reserve Field Director H S Negi said.
He said the female cub was around nine-month old and had been killed by a tiger of the area. Territorial fights were common in the areas having dense stripped animal population, he said.
The dead animal was one of the four cubs of a tigress in the reserve.
He said after post-mortem of the cub according to the guidelines of National Tiger Conservation Authority, the body was disposed of.
Another big cat bites the dust
Fresh tiger pelt seized in joint operation by TN forest officials and Banagalore-based wildlife activists. Chetan R reports
Yet another tiger death came to light on April 15 when Tamil Nadu wildlife officials seized the pelt of a 4-year-old tiger from Thekan, a former anti-poaching watcher, at Masinagudi on the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border.
The tiger is said to have been hunted a month ago in the forest on the interstate border.
Besides the tiger pelt, a wild dog, elephant tooth, deer pelt and eight deer horns were also seized from Thekan.
Thekan has been charged with hunting wild animals and trafficking in their skins and other body parts within MTR (Madumalai Tiger Reserve) limits.
Yet another tiger death came to light on April 15 when Tamil Nadu wildlife officials seized the pelt of a 4-year-old tiger from Thekan, a former anti-poaching watcher, at Masinagudi on the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border.
The tiger is said to have been hunted a month ago in the forest on the interstate border.
Besides the tiger pelt, a wild dog, elephant tooth, deer pelt and eight deer horns were also seized from Thekan.
Thekan has been charged with hunting wild animals and trafficking in their skins and other body parts within MTR (Madumalai Tiger Reserve) limits.
"It was a rude shock," said Karthik P, a wildlife volunteer, who was part of the operation. "We were tipped about someone trying to sell a leopard skin. But to our shock we stumbled upon a fresh tiger pelt."
The arrest follows a month-long joint exercise by the Tamil Nadu wildlife officials and some Bangalore-based wildlife volunteer who convinced Thekan that they were businessmen keen on buying his wares.
"The operation is a success," said Rajiv K Shrivastava, field director, Madumalai Tiger Reserve.
"Our team uncovered the trade in wildlife being carried out by Thekan. He has been taken into custody. This is a matter of serious concern."
Thekan, a tamarind collector, who was an anti-poacher once, allegedly changed sides and become a wildlife trader few years ago.
"It's unfortunate that a tiger got killed despite so many initiatives being launched to sensitise people to their dwindling numbers," said Vinod Kumar Naik, a wildlife activist, who specialises in tiger conservation projects.
"The lack of infrastructure for wildlife staff combined with a rise in demand for tiger products in the international market has made tiger poaching nearly unstoppable."
However, officers of the National Tiger Conservation Authority have pulled up their socks after the incident. "This is a very serious issue.
Officials across states (Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala) are working together to tackle issues like wildlife trade and poaching. Investigations are on in this case. We hope to get more leads shortly," said Shrivastava.
The arrest follows a month-long joint exercise by the Tamil Nadu wildlife officials and some Bangalore-based wildlife volunteer who convinced Thekan that they were businessmen keen on buying his wares.
"The operation is a success," said Rajiv K Shrivastava, field director, Madumalai Tiger Reserve.
"Our team uncovered the trade in wildlife being carried out by Thekan. He has been taken into custody. This is a matter of serious concern."
Thekan, a tamarind collector, who was an anti-poacher once, allegedly changed sides and become a wildlife trader few years ago.
"It's unfortunate that a tiger got killed despite so many initiatives being launched to sensitise people to their dwindling numbers," said Vinod Kumar Naik, a wildlife activist, who specialises in tiger conservation projects.
"The lack of infrastructure for wildlife staff combined with a rise in demand for tiger products in the international market has made tiger poaching nearly unstoppable."
However, officers of the National Tiger Conservation Authority have pulled up their socks after the incident. "This is a very serious issue.
Officials across states (Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala) are working together to tackle issues like wildlife trade and poaching. Investigations are on in this case. We hope to get more leads shortly," said Shrivastava.
From 63 in ’90, tiger population down to 3 in Bihar reserve
In the backdrop of concerns regarding the dwindling number of tigers in the country, the ongoing tiger census has brought some more alarming news from Bihar. At the Valmiki Tiger Reserve — Bihar’s only national park — only three adult tigers have been caught by the trap cameras so far. The census is set to wrap up in June.
While the reserve, spread over 880 sq km, including 340 sq km core area in West Champaran along the Nepal border, boasted of 63 tigers in 1990, the number had fallen to 13 in the last tiger census in 2006.
Ironically, the Valmiki reserve, which was declared a national park in 1991, was categorised as a ‘level I’ reserve on account of the large area, ample vegetation and abundant availability of species of tiger prey. The authorities claim that the tigers may have slipped into Nepal.
“Phase-I data collection on indirect sign of carnivores, encounter rate and concentration of prey species is encouraging. Trap cameras might have shown just three tigers, but the figure should go up from last time. If that does not happen, we will have to assume that some tigers slipped into contiguous Chitwan forest of Nepal,” said J P Gupta, conservator of forest-cum-field director of the reserve.
On March 18, a four-year-old tigress was allegedly poisoned to death and buried near Kanti Tola in Madanpur Range. Forest officials, who claim they have “no wherewithal for enforcement of forest laws”, have asked for a CID probe.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/From-63-in--90--tiger-population-down-to-3-in-Bihar-reserve/609515
In Arunachal Pradesh, a tiger skin is worth 5 kg of rice
Investigations have revealed that the need for a packet of salt and a small bag of rice can fuel the killing of a tiger in the forests of Arunachal Pradesh, bordering China.
Locals say the lack of infrastructure in the state leads to scarcity of food, forcing poverty-hit tribals to target wildlife and sell illegal animal products.
"With little food to eat, villagers depend on tree barks to make 'tussey', an indigenous porridge," said Tagru Tame of Pipsorang village in Kurung Kumey district. "Even money cannot buy anything in the region. So, the easiest option is to seek help from the Chinese, who look for animal products to fuel Asian markets."
"Hundreds of endangered animals are killed in the thick jungles just to eke out a living," said Noory Noshi of Limeking village located 50 km from the International Line of Control. "Poverty-stricken tribals sell the animal skin to Chinese traders. In exchange, they get about 5 kg of rice and a kilo of salt."
In the absence of patrolling, the age-old trade route is now being used for trafficking of wildlife products. Noshi pointed out that this route is also the entry point for illegal immigrants who slip into Arunachal Pradesh.
"At the border, a pack of salt and a pack of rice cost around Rs 200 a kilo each and a packet of noodles costs Rs 300. There are no roads, communication facilities are lacking. So, in the absence of infrastructure, food is scarce," said Rajesh Tacho, a local MLA. "While the Chinese highway is barely 3 km from the line of control, mountain paths on the Indian side extend for up to 50 km, mostly through the inaccessible jungles," said Tacho.
Investigations revealed that most of the animals killed are smuggled through Chinese villages Oganjo, Ume, Dian and Asapila.
The middlemen, who supply the contraband to markets in south east Asia, are of Tibetan origin.
Most of the banned wildlife products are smuggled in haversacks or home-made cane bags. Sometimes, high altitude porters hired by local authorities are involved in the smuggling syndicate, insiders said. At times, Indian traffickers pose as informers and sneak into Chinese villages under the pretext of gathering information.
The Indian authorities prefer to look the other way, a matter on which Arunachal Pradesh's Director General of Police, Bimla Mehra, declined comment.
Tracking and killing the prey usually takes days of hard work. It involves trudging and trekking through the dense forest which is infested with poisonous snakes and insects.
Arunachal's Deputy Conservator of Forests, M K Palit, admitting that killing of wildlife was rampant in the state's forests. He attributed it mainly to the age-old tribal traditions and excessive issue of licensed weapons to villagers.
Palit pointed to the emerging role of traffickers in smuggling animal products outside the country in recent months. "Earlier, it was killing for food, but now it is also to make quick money, added Palit. "The situation is not very alarming and the government is doing its best," said the forest officer.
Locals say the lack of infrastructure in the state leads to scarcity of food, forcing poverty-hit tribals to target wildlife and sell illegal animal products.
"With little food to eat, villagers depend on tree barks to make 'tussey', an indigenous porridge," said Tagru Tame of Pipsorang village in Kurung Kumey district. "Even money cannot buy anything in the region. So, the easiest option is to seek help from the Chinese, who look for animal products to fuel Asian markets."
"Hundreds of endangered animals are killed in the thick jungles just to eke out a living," said Noory Noshi of Limeking village located 50 km from the International Line of Control. "Poverty-stricken tribals sell the animal skin to Chinese traders. In exchange, they get about 5 kg of rice and a kilo of salt."
In the absence of patrolling, the age-old trade route is now being used for trafficking of wildlife products. Noshi pointed out that this route is also the entry point for illegal immigrants who slip into Arunachal Pradesh.
"At the border, a pack of salt and a pack of rice cost around Rs 200 a kilo each and a packet of noodles costs Rs 300. There are no roads, communication facilities are lacking. So, in the absence of infrastructure, food is scarce," said Rajesh Tacho, a local MLA. "While the Chinese highway is barely 3 km from the line of control, mountain paths on the Indian side extend for up to 50 km, mostly through the inaccessible jungles," said Tacho.
Investigations revealed that most of the animals killed are smuggled through Chinese villages Oganjo, Ume, Dian and Asapila.
The middlemen, who supply the contraband to markets in south east Asia, are of Tibetan origin.
Most of the banned wildlife products are smuggled in haversacks or home-made cane bags. Sometimes, high altitude porters hired by local authorities are involved in the smuggling syndicate, insiders said. At times, Indian traffickers pose as informers and sneak into Chinese villages under the pretext of gathering information.
The Indian authorities prefer to look the other way, a matter on which Arunachal Pradesh's Director General of Police, Bimla Mehra, declined comment.
Tracking and killing the prey usually takes days of hard work. It involves trudging and trekking through the dense forest which is infested with poisonous snakes and insects.
Arunachal's Deputy Conservator of Forests, M K Palit, admitting that killing of wildlife was rampant in the state's forests. He attributed it mainly to the age-old tribal traditions and excessive issue of licensed weapons to villagers.
Palit pointed to the emerging role of traffickers in smuggling animal products outside the country in recent months. "Earlier, it was killing for food, but now it is also to make quick money, added Palit. "The situation is not very alarming and the government is doing its best," said the forest officer.
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