KOLKATA: Conservation methods in the Sunderbans have to be changed to save the Bengal tiger, believes legendary conservationist and tiger expert Fateh Singh Rathod.
Unless steps are taken immediately to root out the imminent threats, the number of big cats will continue to dwindle in the mangrove forest, felt Rathod, better known as the "tiger-man of Ranthambore".
In Kolkata to attend a WWF event on tiger conservation, the veteran pointed out that the methods now being employed in the Sunderbans would not be beneficial to either man or tiger in the long run.
"You can't go on trapping tigers and releasing them elsewhere. This is a short cut that won't help. But this is exactly what they have been doing in the Sunderbans. There has to be a planned approach, keeping the interests of the forest, tigers and the people living on the fringes in mind. Tigers will try and go back if they are trapped and shifted out of their original territories. They will somehow manage to find their way back. In a terrain like the Sunderbans, it is quite possible that they might die trying to swim back across turbulent rivers and passing through forests inhabited by other tigers," explained Rathod.
Research on the Sunderbans tiger could help to devise a plan unique to the mangrove forest, he added. "The big cat here is different from any other. Years of hunting on unfriendly terrain has made them lean and aggressive. They have to tread through slush and step on pneumatophores which perhaps make them irritable. None has ever been able to find out crucial facts like the extent of their territory, or hunting habits. Unless we have these details, conservation efforts in the Sunderbans will remain ineffective," said Rathod.
The conservationist also came down heavily on the use of technology for tiger census which remains untested. "Counting tigers is easy in Ranthambore as it is a dry deciduous forest. In the Sunderbans, the terrain is like a quagmire, so you need sophisticated methods. I am all for the use of technology. But aids like camera traps and radio collars should have been used after a proper survey. These are clearly not suited for the mangrove forest and we have ample proof of that. Most radio collars have come off and camera traps destroyed. That negates the technological edge that we were supposed to have," explained Rathod, who now runs an NGO called Tiger Watch at Ranthambore.
Describing his association with the Ranthambore tiger reserve as a life-long one, he said that a true conservationist never retired. "I have been at Ranthambore since 1961. It's been a constant struggle, a 24-hour job and I enjoy every moment at the park. You need to be committed to the cause of the tiger or else the poacher will win," said Rathod.
Those living in the fringe villages in Sunderbans should be given alternative earning opportunities to reduce their dependence on the forest, he suggested.
"Some amount of straying will happen for tigers always look for easy prey in the villages. We need to find ways of curbing this. But trapping them and transporting them to another island is certainly not the solution. Just as they have now put up nylon nets along the forest borders, constructing walls could also be considered," Rathod said.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
New mining threat near Tadoba
CHANDRAPUR: Even as the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) has de-allocated the Lohara and Agarzari coal blocks which pose threat to the tiger corridors of Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR), the abode of around 45 tigers now faces a fresh threat from a couple of other mines proposed very close to the buffer zone boundary. The coal block allocated to Bander Coal Company Private Limited (BCCPL) in Chimur tehsil to the north of the tiger reserve threatens to cut off the only corridor connecting TATR to Melghat tiger landscape.
Conservationist Bandu Dhotre said that the union coal ministry has allocated coal block to the BCCPL, owned by Abhijeet group, wide a letter (13017/78/2008-CA-1) dated May 29, 2009, near Bander village, close to buffer zone boundary of TATR in Chimur tehsil.
The company has initiated the process of seeking mining lease for two of its mines - Bander opencast coal mine and Bander underground coal mine - located adjacent to each other. The company would require 1604.67 hectares (ha) of land for two mines.
This includes 395.67 ha of private land, 38.84 ha of revenue land and 1170.60 ha of forest land. The jungle area required by the company includes 501.19 ha of reserve forest area, 31 ha of FDCM forest and 637.97 ha of other forest land.
"The forest stretch required by the company forms the only corridor that connects Melghat tiger landscape with TATR through forests of Nagpur, Wardha and Bor sanctuary. This corridor has turned into a bottleneck forest patch due to human habitation, agricultural activities and bisecting roads on east, west and southern sides and hence has become extremely sensitive," Dhotre claimed.
He said that the coal block falls within 10 km range from the TATR boundary. The buffer area of TATR is demarcated only up to 7.5 km from the boundary of core area of tiger reserve on this side. Hence, the mining area seems to be outside of the buffer zone, but the mine boundary touches the periphery of the buffer area.
"The aerial distance of the proposed underground mine is 7.5 km from the boundary of core area of the TATR, while that of the open cast mine is 9 km. Almost the entire area falls within 10 km from TATR boundary, which ideally should be an eco-sensitive zone as per the guidelines of Supreme Court," Dhotre said.
"Even though the state government has not yet notified the eco-sensitive zone, the fact remains that any type of mining should not be allowed within such sensitive area," Dhotre claimed.
He said that in 1999, MoEF has rejected the proposal for the same block, citing its adverse impact on the wildlife around Tadoba.
"Now, after 10 years, when the corridor has become degraded and has shrunk, it will be highly irrational to reallocate this once-rejected block for coal mining," he said.
Dhore further said that the proposed mine falls under Bramhapuri forest division. "Man-animal conflict in the area in question is at its peak. Habitat degradation after mining will worsen the problem. Moreover, TATR management has identified this area as a threatened and degraded corridor, and has proposed its restoration under corridor conservation plan. Hence, it would be unwise to further degrade the area," he said.
Dhotre said that he has brought the issue into the notice of MoEF minister Jairam Ramesh in his recent meeting at Delhi.
"Ramesh claimed that his ministry has so far not received any proposal for environment clearance from the company. However, he assured that any project that would be hazardous for the forest, wildlife and tigers will not be sanctioned by his ministry," said Dhotre.
As far as present status of proposed mines is concerned, the company has moved the proposal to Bramhapuri forest division for forest clearance.
Meanwhile, conservator of forests and field director, TATR, Sanjay Thakre in his communication forwarded to chief conservator of forest (wildlife), field director has acknowledged that approving mines in the area will be highly detrimental for wildlife management.
Conservationist Bandu Dhotre said that the union coal ministry has allocated coal block to the BCCPL, owned by Abhijeet group, wide a letter (13017/78/2008-CA-1) dated May 29, 2009, near Bander village, close to buffer zone boundary of TATR in Chimur tehsil.
The company has initiated the process of seeking mining lease for two of its mines - Bander opencast coal mine and Bander underground coal mine - located adjacent to each other. The company would require 1604.67 hectares (ha) of land for two mines.
This includes 395.67 ha of private land, 38.84 ha of revenue land and 1170.60 ha of forest land. The jungle area required by the company includes 501.19 ha of reserve forest area, 31 ha of FDCM forest and 637.97 ha of other forest land.
"The forest stretch required by the company forms the only corridor that connects Melghat tiger landscape with TATR through forests of Nagpur, Wardha and Bor sanctuary. This corridor has turned into a bottleneck forest patch due to human habitation, agricultural activities and bisecting roads on east, west and southern sides and hence has become extremely sensitive," Dhotre claimed.
He said that the coal block falls within 10 km range from the TATR boundary. The buffer area of TATR is demarcated only up to 7.5 km from the boundary of core area of tiger reserve on this side. Hence, the mining area seems to be outside of the buffer zone, but the mine boundary touches the periphery of the buffer area.
"The aerial distance of the proposed underground mine is 7.5 km from the boundary of core area of the TATR, while that of the open cast mine is 9 km. Almost the entire area falls within 10 km from TATR boundary, which ideally should be an eco-sensitive zone as per the guidelines of Supreme Court," Dhotre said.
"Even though the state government has not yet notified the eco-sensitive zone, the fact remains that any type of mining should not be allowed within such sensitive area," Dhotre claimed.
He said that in 1999, MoEF has rejected the proposal for the same block, citing its adverse impact on the wildlife around Tadoba.
"Now, after 10 years, when the corridor has become degraded and has shrunk, it will be highly irrational to reallocate this once-rejected block for coal mining," he said.
Dhore further said that the proposed mine falls under Bramhapuri forest division. "Man-animal conflict in the area in question is at its peak. Habitat degradation after mining will worsen the problem. Moreover, TATR management has identified this area as a threatened and degraded corridor, and has proposed its restoration under corridor conservation plan. Hence, it would be unwise to further degrade the area," he said.
Dhotre said that he has brought the issue into the notice of MoEF minister Jairam Ramesh in his recent meeting at Delhi.
"Ramesh claimed that his ministry has so far not received any proposal for environment clearance from the company. However, he assured that any project that would be hazardous for the forest, wildlife and tigers will not be sanctioned by his ministry," said Dhotre.
As far as present status of proposed mines is concerned, the company has moved the proposal to Bramhapuri forest division for forest clearance.
Meanwhile, conservator of forests and field director, TATR, Sanjay Thakre in his communication forwarded to chief conservator of forest (wildlife), field director has acknowledged that approving mines in the area will be highly detrimental for wildlife management.
Tiger kills man in Uttar Pradesh
A tiger killed a man in a village adjoining a forest area in Uttar Pradesh's Pilibhit district. His partially eaten body was found in the fields, an official said Monday.
The body of the victim, Shyamlal, was recovered late Sunday from the fields in Diunia village, situated on the periphery of the Pilibhit forest reserve.
'The pugmarks found at the site indicate the tiger is an adult male,' Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) V.K. Singh told reporters in Pilibhit, some 250 km from here.
'Till a few months ago, no tiger was present in the Deuriya area of the forest reserve. But field investigations now suggest the area is inhabited by at least four tigers. The presence of tigers in the Deuriya area could be a case of territory expansion by the animals,' he said.
Shyamlal, a 50-year-old resident of Diunia, had left his home Saturday and was missing since then. As he failed to return, his family and other villagers started searching for him and recovered his body from the fields.
According to officials, this is the fourth incident of a tiger killing a person in the last three months in Pilibhit district.
According to the last census, Pilibhit forest reserve is home to around 36 tigers, officials said.
http://sify.com/news/tiger-kills-man-in-uttar-pradesh-news-national-kh0labjgfha.html
Sunday, July 25, 2010
'Operation Monsoon' launched to save tigers in Corbett National Park
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| All About: Dehradun http://sify.com/news/operation-monsoon-launched-to-save-tigers-in-corbett-national-park-news-national-khys4tadcif.html | |||
Self-styled Godman arrested for selling tiger skin in Maharashtra
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| All About: Latur (Maharashtra) http://sify.com/news/self-styled-godman-arrested-for-selling-tiger-skin-in-maharashtra-news-national-khwtacbchac.html | |||
Fading stripes in the North-East
Trucks rumbling down NH-39 usually ferry rice and sugar along various points crisscrossing Manipur, Nagaland and Assam. But sometimes they carry deadly cargo on a highway that stretches right up to the Indo-Myanmar border town of Moreh — tiger parts that sell at jaw dropping prices in the Southeast Asian market.
It’s risky business but the returns are too enticing. Just 10 gm of tiger bones sell for $200 in the international underground market. In the North-East , where tigers are known to have been traditionally hunted for meat, poachers can get up to Rs 2 lakh for killing a tiger. Just the skin will fetch you Rs 1.5 lakh.
Decades of insurgency and relatively easy availability of arms has made the situation even more critical in the region. At least 50 insurgent groups operate in these parts and the lure of easy money draws many to tiger poaching. Corrupt government officials and a section of the police force complete the dirty circle.
On June 26, 2006, 30 kg of tiger parts were seized from police officer Dilip Kakoti’s vehicle, says Moloy Baruah of Early Birds, a Guwahati-based wildlife NGO. Kakoti was coming from the Kalamati forest range in Sonitpur when he was intercepted.
Ideally, the mountainous North-East should have been a haven for tigers, the thick and distant forests sheltering the big cats, much like in the Sunderbans, from poachers. As it turns out, it is this remoteness which has made the animals doubly vulnerable.
Less than 120 tigers are left in the wilds of the North-East , but no one can be sure. Officials claim that at least 25 have been poached in the last five years. There’s no telling how many have been trapped, poisoned, shot or butchered to satisfy the hunger for tiger parts in China, Vietnam and southeast Asia.
Though a proper assessment of the tiger population is yet to be done, it is estimated that till recently the Kaziranga national park in Assam had 100 tigers. The Wildlife Institute of India’s 2008 census, however, says that only 70 tigers are left in the 1,164 sq km forests of Assam. Arunachal Pradesh can boast of only 14 tigers and Mizoram six. These figures are hotly contested by conservationists, but everyone agrees tigers aren’t burning bright anymore. Kaziranga, one of the best protected parks in India, lost 12 tigers in the last two years.
It’s risky business but the returns are too enticing. Just 10 gm of tiger bones sell for $200 in the international underground market. In the North-East , where tigers are known to have been traditionally hunted for meat, poachers can get up to Rs 2 lakh for killing a tiger. Just the skin will fetch you Rs 1.5 lakh.
Decades of insurgency and relatively easy availability of arms has made the situation even more critical in the region. At least 50 insurgent groups operate in these parts and the lure of easy money draws many to tiger poaching. Corrupt government officials and a section of the police force complete the dirty circle.
On June 26, 2006, 30 kg of tiger parts were seized from police officer Dilip Kakoti’s vehicle, says Moloy Baruah of Early Birds, a Guwahati-based wildlife NGO. Kakoti was coming from the Kalamati forest range in Sonitpur when he was intercepted.
Ideally, the mountainous North-East should have been a haven for tigers, the thick and distant forests sheltering the big cats, much like in the Sunderbans, from poachers. As it turns out, it is this remoteness which has made the animals doubly vulnerable.
Less than 120 tigers are left in the wilds of the North-East , but no one can be sure. Officials claim that at least 25 have been poached in the last five years. There’s no telling how many have been trapped, poisoned, shot or butchered to satisfy the hunger for tiger parts in China, Vietnam and southeast Asia.
Though a proper assessment of the tiger population is yet to be done, it is estimated that till recently the Kaziranga national park in Assam had 100 tigers. The Wildlife Institute of India’s 2008 census, however, says that only 70 tigers are left in the 1,164 sq km forests of Assam. Arunachal Pradesh can boast of only 14 tigers and Mizoram six. These figures are hotly contested by conservationists, but everyone agrees tigers aren’t burning bright anymore. Kaziranga, one of the best protected parks in India, lost 12 tigers in the last two years.
Sajnekhali lodge draws Unesco ire
KOLKATA: Construction of a tourist lodge at Sajnekhali in the Sunderbans has evoked sharp reactions from the international community, which has expressed concern over the future of the mangrove forest, a world heritage site. A two-storey structure has been built by the state tourism department within the forest office complex. It was claimed that the building was an extension of the existing tourist lodge that was in bad shape. The new structure, however, has no links with the old one.
Work on the building was called off on July 9 after TOI carried a report on how the tourism department project was coming up within 10 ft of a sweetwater pond frequented by tigers. Environmentalists and conservators, too, raised their voice against the project. Movement of animals would be seriously hindered if the lodge was constructed there, they said.
Such violation of forest protection rules could spell doom for the environment, particularly for tigers, which are under threat not only in the Sunderbans but also around the country, a Unesco report has said.
Seeking an explanation for the violation from the state forest department, Unesco has asked the authorities to ensure that the construction was stopped immediately and that steps were taken to pull down the structure. The forest department will send a report to Unesco within a month.
"This is a serious breach of forest protection rules. No construction is permitted within protected areas like Sajnekhali. More importantly, the Sunderbans being a world heritage site with a fragile eco-system, this could have been dangerous for the environment and the wildlife there. It has also set a bad precedent. Nothing like this has ever happened in Indian forests," said Ram Boojh, programme officer, environment, of Unesco in Delhi.
In a letter to the forest department, the Unesco authorities have called for "corrective steps", including pulling down of the unfinished structure. "No concrete structure like the one that has come up could be permitted in a tiger habitat. So, it has to go," added Boojh.
While the forest department, in an e-mail to Unesco on Thursday, has promised to investigate the matter and prepare a report on the violation "shortly", the latter expects it within a month. "We are giving them a long rope and sufficient time to inquire and find out. We must depend on governments for action. At the moment, we are not planning an independent investigation but not ruling it out either," explained an official.
Meanwhile, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), too, has sought a report on the matter. Like Unesco, NTCA has been informed about the stoppage of work. Asked if the structure was going to be pulled down, NTCA director Rajesh Gopal said a decision would be taken after they received a report from the forest department. "We are happy that the construction work has been stopped. Once we have the report, we will decide on the next course of action," said Gopal.
Work on the building was called off on July 9 after TOI carried a report on how the tourism department project was coming up within 10 ft of a sweetwater pond frequented by tigers. Environmentalists and conservators, too, raised their voice against the project. Movement of animals would be seriously hindered if the lodge was constructed there, they said.
Such violation of forest protection rules could spell doom for the environment, particularly for tigers, which are under threat not only in the Sunderbans but also around the country, a Unesco report has said.
Seeking an explanation for the violation from the state forest department, Unesco has asked the authorities to ensure that the construction was stopped immediately and that steps were taken to pull down the structure. The forest department will send a report to Unesco within a month.
"This is a serious breach of forest protection rules. No construction is permitted within protected areas like Sajnekhali. More importantly, the Sunderbans being a world heritage site with a fragile eco-system, this could have been dangerous for the environment and the wildlife there. It has also set a bad precedent. Nothing like this has ever happened in Indian forests," said Ram Boojh, programme officer, environment, of Unesco in Delhi.
In a letter to the forest department, the Unesco authorities have called for "corrective steps", including pulling down of the unfinished structure. "No concrete structure like the one that has come up could be permitted in a tiger habitat. So, it has to go," added Boojh.
While the forest department, in an e-mail to Unesco on Thursday, has promised to investigate the matter and prepare a report on the violation "shortly", the latter expects it within a month. "We are giving them a long rope and sufficient time to inquire and find out. We must depend on governments for action. At the moment, we are not planning an independent investigation but not ruling it out either," explained an official.
Meanwhile, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), too, has sought a report on the matter. Like Unesco, NTCA has been informed about the stoppage of work. Asked if the structure was going to be pulled down, NTCA director Rajesh Gopal said a decision would be taken after they received a report from the forest department. "We are happy that the construction work has been stopped. Once we have the report, we will decide on the next course of action," said Gopal.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
A House for Mr T-12 - Another controversy around shifting of Tiger to Sariska
So why did the Rajasthan forest department shift a 'wrong' tiger to the Sariska Tiger Reserve, endangering the animal, destroying the 'social structure' of both the reserves, and perhaps betraying the original experiment of tiger conservation?
Akash Bisht Delhi
A day after a new tiger (T-12) from Ranthambore Tiger Reserve (RTR) was introduced in the Sariska Tiger Reserve (STR), wildlife experts in RTR have raised doubts about the procedure involved in selecting the tiger. Many believe that the entire selection process has been nothing but shoddy and the Rajasthan wildlife department has much more to reveal than what meets the eye. The STR reserve had earlier set a rather unfortunate record in tiger conservation whereby all its tigers had disappeared, mostly poached, with the administration playing blind and deaf.
Dharmendra Kandhal, a field biologist in RTR, raised concerns about the entire selection process. "Scat (excreta) samples of tigers were sent to Bangalore for DNA tests to avoid genetic incompatibility. The area from where this tiger was selected was regularly frequented by more than eight tigers -- so how did the forest department determine which scats belonged to whom," he said.
Another wildlife expert corroborated the fact. The forest department was unable to locate the tiger they intended to shift to STR, he claimed. Hence, "in a last minute effort" T-12 was tranquilised and moved to avoid embarrassment.
KK Garg, Field Director, STR, confirmed the news: "We had zeroed down on two tigers. When we were unable to locate the first one, we decided to go with this one." He mentioned that the two tigers --T12 and T33 - had been selected after DNA tests were done by the National Centre for Biological Science in Bangalore.
Shockingly, Kandhal reveals that T-33 wasn't even among the short-listed tigers. Apparently, that forest department moved the tigers in an unusual hurry. He said, "The problem was that Jairam Ramesh was already there and so was the team from Wildlife Institute of India. To save themselves from humiliation, the forest department decided to dart the other tiger they didn't intend to."
Additionally, according to National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) guidelines, male tigers between 2 to 4 years and females between 2 to 3 years who are independent of the mother but are yet to establish their territory should be chosen for translocation. The guideline reads: "This age group is ideal for translocation as removal of these individuals may not result in disruptions to the source population (turnover of males, territorial fights, infanticide etc). They also have a high reproductive potential and are ideal for starting a new population. Breeding individuals from host populations should not be translocated."
Kandhal says that the newly relocated tiger is between the age group of 6 to 7 years and has a territory of his own in the core area. "Instead of choosing a sub-adult who doesn't have a territory of his own, the forest department went ahead with T-12. Why has the Rajasthan forest department flouted the NTCA guideline and shifted a tiger that could threaten the host population? They are compromising with the social structure of RTR and it will have an adverse implication on the tiger population of the park," Kandhal says.
Meanwhile, the newly shifted tiger has been kept in a one hectare enclosure and would be released once it gets acclimatised. Experts have mentioned that since the relocated tiger isn't a sub-adult and has a territory of its own in RTR, its 'homing instinct' could drive the predator back to its original habitat.
Recently, a tiger relocated to Panna Tiger Reserve (MP) walked 400 kms through hills, fields, human habitations and rivers towards his home at Pench Tiger Reserve (MP) before authorities caught him and transferred it back to Panna. The "homing instinct" is the animal's capability to perceive direction and helps the animal to return home. Experts believe that this unusual trait could be attributed to the animal's sensitivity to the earth's magnetic field. "The tigers shifted to Sariska earlier had no territory and frequented the peripheral forests so they didn't display such instincts. However, with this male, the Panna episode could well be repeated again," concludes Kandhal.
The distance between STR and RTR is 200 kms. However, experts say, since there is no forest or animal corridors between, the tiger's life can be endangered.
NGO demands protection of TATR corridor
CHANDRAPUR: Eco-Pro organisation has taken up the demand for protection and conservation of fast depleting tiger corridor between Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) and the Indrawati tiger project in Andhra Pradesh. A delegation of the organisation brought the various aspects posing a threat to the tiger corridor to the notice of Union minister for forest and environment Jairam Ramesh and member secretary of National Tiger Conservation Authority Rajesh Gopal in New Delhi a couple of days back.
President of Eco-Pro Bandu Dhotre said that a continuous stretch of jungle from TATR passing through Lohara, Junona, Ballarpur, Kothari Dhaba forest areas in Chandrapur district connects it to the Chaprala sanctuary in Gadchiroli district and further to the Indrawati tiger project across the border in Andhra Pradesh. He claimed that there are around 50 tigers in the jungles of Chandrapur district, apart from in TATR.
"This continuous stretch of forest land, though thinned at some places, acts as a corridor for tigers and other wild animals up to Indrawati tiger reserve in Andhra Pradesh. However, tree felling by FDCM authorities in Dhaba forest range and illegal felling and increasing traffic on the roads intersecting the forest areas are causing hindrance to the movement of wildlife and disturbing the corridor," said Dhotre.
He claimed that tigers had vanished from Chaprala way back in 2000. However, a pair of tiger has reappeared in this sanctuary this year, thanks to the same corridor after nine long years. "Any disturbance in this corridor would be detrimental to the wildlife and its movement," he said.
President of Eco-Pro Bandu Dhotre said that a continuous stretch of jungle from TATR passing through Lohara, Junona, Ballarpur, Kothari Dhaba forest areas in Chandrapur district connects it to the Chaprala sanctuary in Gadchiroli district and further to the Indrawati tiger project across the border in Andhra Pradesh. He claimed that there are around 50 tigers in the jungles of Chandrapur district, apart from in TATR.
"This continuous stretch of forest land, though thinned at some places, acts as a corridor for tigers and other wild animals up to Indrawati tiger reserve in Andhra Pradesh. However, tree felling by FDCM authorities in Dhaba forest range and illegal felling and increasing traffic on the roads intersecting the forest areas are causing hindrance to the movement of wildlife and disturbing the corridor," said Dhotre.
He claimed that tigers had vanished from Chaprala way back in 2000. However, a pair of tiger has reappeared in this sanctuary this year, thanks to the same corridor after nine long years. "Any disturbance in this corridor would be detrimental to the wildlife and its movement," he said.
NTCA Team To Check 39 Reserves On Various Parameters
LUCKNOW: The eight tiger reserves identified to be lying in naxalite affected belt of the country will go in for management effectiveness evaluation this August. The three-member team of experts constituted by NTCA will start from Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam (Andhra Pradesh) on August 10 and move on to Palamau (Jharkhand), Similipal, Satkosia (Orissa), Indravati, Achanakmar, Udanti-Sitanadi (Chhattisgarh) and Valmiki (Bihar).
"We have to visit five states -- Orissa, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand. We have planned to give at least a month to one state," said R L Singh, former director, Project Tiger, GoI and the chairman of one of the five committees set up for evaluation of reserves. National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), in May, had come up with the project. It has roped in wildlife experts, researchers, conservationists and activists to field visit all 39 reserves in the country and evaluate the effectiveness of their management plans.
The meeting of the study-teams and project tiger officials held on July 7 worked out the nitty-gritties of the project. The project report is to be submitted by December, 2010. The ever rising man-animal conflict, increasing incidents of wildlife crime, poaching threat and subsequent decline in number of tigers has led NTCA to design the said project. "A decade back there were 4 crore tribals living in forests, their number now has shot up to 11 crore," said Singh.
Singh, along with two members of the committee -- one from forest research institute and other from WII -- will evaluate Cluster-III reserves, all of which lie in naxal-affected areas. All 39 tiger reserves of the country have been divided into five clusters, state-wise and region-wise, for evaluation. The five committees, each having a chairperson and two members, will monitor the reserves on Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) framework and assessment criteria independently.
"Prime focus would be on figuring out if there is a sizable, breedable population of tigers present in reserves," said Singh. The status of the staff, water conservation and prey base will also be studied. The management plans for different reserves can then be changed on the basis of the project report with their basic plan being same.
The management evaluation will include finding out if the staff posted at the reserve is trained and if it is deployed in sufficient number. The vegetation in reserve area, if it is more of weeds or palatable grasses, will also be checked to understand technique for regeneration of indigenous vegetation.
The committees will have to see whether the funds allocated to reserves are being used effectively for meeting the objectives of management as laid down in the respective tiger conservation plans. Besides, what activities have been taken up by people living within and on the periphery of the reserve area, status of poaching, cattle-lifting incidents, amount of compensation decided for the victims of tiger attacks by different states and efforts taken up the states for village translocation will all be evaluated independently for each reserve.
"We have to visit five states -- Orissa, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand. We have planned to give at least a month to one state," said R L Singh, former director, Project Tiger, GoI and the chairman of one of the five committees set up for evaluation of reserves. National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), in May, had come up with the project. It has roped in wildlife experts, researchers, conservationists and activists to field visit all 39 reserves in the country and evaluate the effectiveness of their management plans.
The meeting of the study-teams and project tiger officials held on July 7 worked out the nitty-gritties of the project. The project report is to be submitted by December, 2010. The ever rising man-animal conflict, increasing incidents of wildlife crime, poaching threat and subsequent decline in number of tigers has led NTCA to design the said project. "A decade back there were 4 crore tribals living in forests, their number now has shot up to 11 crore," said Singh.
Singh, along with two members of the committee -- one from forest research institute and other from WII -- will evaluate Cluster-III reserves, all of which lie in naxal-affected areas. All 39 tiger reserves of the country have been divided into five clusters, state-wise and region-wise, for evaluation. The five committees, each having a chairperson and two members, will monitor the reserves on Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) framework and assessment criteria independently.
"Prime focus would be on figuring out if there is a sizable, breedable population of tigers present in reserves," said Singh. The status of the staff, water conservation and prey base will also be studied. The management plans for different reserves can then be changed on the basis of the project report with their basic plan being same.
The management evaluation will include finding out if the staff posted at the reserve is trained and if it is deployed in sufficient number. The vegetation in reserve area, if it is more of weeds or palatable grasses, will also be checked to understand technique for regeneration of indigenous vegetation.
The committees will have to see whether the funds allocated to reserves are being used effectively for meeting the objectives of management as laid down in the respective tiger conservation plans. Besides, what activities have been taken up by people living within and on the periphery of the reserve area, status of poaching, cattle-lifting incidents, amount of compensation decided for the victims of tiger attacks by different states and efforts taken up the states for village translocation will all be evaluated independently for each reserve.
NDA takes up the cause of tigers
PUNE: Moved by the dwindling number of tigers in the country, the National Defence Academy (NDA) here has joined hands with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to take up the cause of the big cats.
"Many of our cadets are dedicated to environmental issues and often take up related activities. They are now eager to work on concrete projects, which could create awareness on a larger level about the need to save tigers," NDA officials said.
"The academy conducts various activities regarding environment protection. It has ensured thriving of the flora and fauna on the 8,300-acre land near the Mutha river (Khadakwasla lake)," officials said.
"The tie-up with the WWF has been planned by Major Bhagirath Dey, public relations officer. The joint programme will emphasise on activities that will create awareness about the falling number of tigers and the importance of saving them."
A national-level signature campaign has been planned as part of the activities, Dey said. "A cross-country run and a photo exhibition dedicated to tigers are also on the cards. There are also plans to take WWF's help to maintain the rich and wild habitat at the NDA."
Meanwhile, wildlife experts feel that efforts at the government level are needed to deal with the problem of reducing numbers of tiger.
"Killing of tigers is an international issue," wildlife expert Shekhar Nanajkar said. "The problem is big in our country and strict measures by the government can help fight the problem."
V B Sawarkar, member of the expert committee on evaluation and monitoring of tiger reserves, Government of India, said that the problem can be addressed with the help of such campaigns. "Youngsters can use modern methods of communication to spread awareness."
"Many of our cadets are dedicated to environmental issues and often take up related activities. They are now eager to work on concrete projects, which could create awareness on a larger level about the need to save tigers," NDA officials said.
"The academy conducts various activities regarding environment protection. It has ensured thriving of the flora and fauna on the 8,300-acre land near the Mutha river (Khadakwasla lake)," officials said.
"The tie-up with the WWF has been planned by Major Bhagirath Dey, public relations officer. The joint programme will emphasise on activities that will create awareness about the falling number of tigers and the importance of saving them."
A national-level signature campaign has been planned as part of the activities, Dey said. "A cross-country run and a photo exhibition dedicated to tigers are also on the cards. There are also plans to take WWF's help to maintain the rich and wild habitat at the NDA."
Meanwhile, wildlife experts feel that efforts at the government level are needed to deal with the problem of reducing numbers of tiger.
"Killing of tigers is an international issue," wildlife expert Shekhar Nanajkar said. "The problem is big in our country and strict measures by the government can help fight the problem."
V B Sawarkar, member of the expert committee on evaluation and monitoring of tiger reserves, Government of India, said that the problem can be addressed with the help of such campaigns. "Youngsters can use modern methods of communication to spread awareness."
Friday, July 23, 2010
Darwin kin fears for future of Indian tigers
If she has a choice to be reborn, Charles Darwin's great-great-granddaughter, Ruth Padel, would like to be born an Indian. Her reasons are far removed from any evolutionary theories though. "I will then know how to drape the saree," she exclaims.
Padel is the first woman professor of poetry at Oxford. She is also the first woman to be given a research fellowship at Oxford's Wadham College tospecialize in Greek tragedy. And she is a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and the Zoological Society of London. But all these laurels pale in the face of her lineage, particularly vis-a-vis Charles Darwin, father of the theory of evolution and author of the seminal 'On the Origin of Species'.
But at 64, the award-winning British poet isn't overly perturbed about her forefather's fame overshadowing her achievements. Her concerns are more immediate. About 170 years ago, Darwin went through the Tropics (South America) to understand how species came into being. "Today, in a different continent (Asia), going through countries like China and Laos, I was carrying on 'The Origin of Species' while learning how the species came to be extinct.
"China gave me a nervous breakdown. What particularly upsets me is their attitude to nature. They want to legalise tiger farming so that tourists can come and enjoy seeing these species, then eat them or use their bones for medicine. If tiger products are legalized, India will be emptied of tigers in a year because it is so much cheaper to poach a big cat here."
Like Darwin, animals are central to Padel's work. At the Bombay Natural History Society, she will read from her debut novel, 'Where the Serpent Lives', set partly in the forests of Karnataka and Bengal, her celebrated account of tiger conservation, 'Tigers in Red Weather', and 'Darwin — A Life In Poems', her biography of Darwin in verse. She finds India inspiring as it boasts of a significant number of natural reserves with the original species still around.
Padel is the first woman professor of poetry at Oxford. She is also the first woman to be given a research fellowship at Oxford's Wadham College tospecialize in Greek tragedy. And she is a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and the Zoological Society of London. But all these laurels pale in the face of her lineage, particularly vis-a-vis Charles Darwin, father of the theory of evolution and author of the seminal 'On the Origin of Species'.
But at 64, the award-winning British poet isn't overly perturbed about her forefather's fame overshadowing her achievements. Her concerns are more immediate. About 170 years ago, Darwin went through the Tropics (South America) to understand how species came into being. "Today, in a different continent (Asia), going through countries like China and Laos, I was carrying on 'The Origin of Species' while learning how the species came to be extinct.
"China gave me a nervous breakdown. What particularly upsets me is their attitude to nature. They want to legalise tiger farming so that tourists can come and enjoy seeing these species, then eat them or use their bones for medicine. If tiger products are legalized, India will be emptied of tigers in a year because it is so much cheaper to poach a big cat here."
Like Darwin, animals are central to Padel's work. At the Bombay Natural History Society, she will read from her debut novel, 'Where the Serpent Lives', set partly in the forests of Karnataka and Bengal, her celebrated account of tiger conservation, 'Tigers in Red Weather', and 'Darwin — A Life In Poems', her biography of Darwin in verse. She finds India inspiring as it boasts of a significant number of natural reserves with the original species still around.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Sariska may get fifth tiger tomorrow
JAIPUR: In all likelihood, Sariska would get its fifth tiger from Ranthambore on Friday. This time it would be a female.
Though officials refused to confirm the exact date but indicated a probability. "This time the tigers that have been identified for relocation to Sariska have not been radio collared unlike the previous three instances. These tigers have been identified after a DNA test of their scat samples," officials said.
"Therefore, it cannot be said beforehand we would definitely be able to locate the particular tiger on an exact date. We are trying for the relocation on Friday. When tigers are radio collared t is easy to locate them, else it is a mere chance that one takes in the forest," he said adding the radio collars were put on the tiger only after being brought to Sariska.
In fact, it was something like this that happened with the male T-12 tiger that was relocated to Sariska on Wednesday. Officials said the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) team had arrived at Ranthambore on Tuesday evening. The next morning when the team, along with director of the park RS Shekhawat, went to track the tiger it was coincidentally spotted at an ideal spot.
"Often we are able to locate the tiger but it becomes difficult to tranquillise it as the dart has to be carefully shot only on its hind legs, else one may injure it. On Wednesday, all things fell into shape and it was decided instantly to relocate the tiger," said RN Mehrotra, chief wildlife warden, Rajasthan.
Officials said the tracking team came within 10 metres of the tiger. "The T-12 tiger was our first choice for relocation and on Wednesday. We were lucky when we went for tracking to find it standing near its kill. It was then that the decision for relocation by the road route was taken," officials said.
With the fourth relocation, that comes after about two years since the last one, Sariska now has two males and two female cats with a third female hoping to find its way this week itself.
Officials say the relocated tiger is doing well in the temporary enclosure in Sariska. "It has adapted well and is behaving normally. The cat ate the bait this morning," officials said.
While all looks well for the forest officials, the silence of the tourism lobby has taken many by surprise. "Maybe they did not get the time to react. It happened all too suddenly for them to evoke any response," sources said.
Though officials refused to confirm the exact date but indicated a probability. "This time the tigers that have been identified for relocation to Sariska have not been radio collared unlike the previous three instances. These tigers have been identified after a DNA test of their scat samples," officials said.
"Therefore, it cannot be said beforehand we would definitely be able to locate the particular tiger on an exact date. We are trying for the relocation on Friday. When tigers are radio collared t is easy to locate them, else it is a mere chance that one takes in the forest," he said adding the radio collars were put on the tiger only after being brought to Sariska.
In fact, it was something like this that happened with the male T-12 tiger that was relocated to Sariska on Wednesday. Officials said the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) team had arrived at Ranthambore on Tuesday evening. The next morning when the team, along with director of the park RS Shekhawat, went to track the tiger it was coincidentally spotted at an ideal spot.
"Often we are able to locate the tiger but it becomes difficult to tranquillise it as the dart has to be carefully shot only on its hind legs, else one may injure it. On Wednesday, all things fell into shape and it was decided instantly to relocate the tiger," said RN Mehrotra, chief wildlife warden, Rajasthan.
Officials said the tracking team came within 10 metres of the tiger. "The T-12 tiger was our first choice for relocation and on Wednesday. We were lucky when we went for tracking to find it standing near its kill. It was then that the decision for relocation by the road route was taken," officials said.
With the fourth relocation, that comes after about two years since the last one, Sariska now has two males and two female cats with a third female hoping to find its way this week itself.
Officials say the relocated tiger is doing well in the temporary enclosure in Sariska. "It has adapted well and is behaving normally. The cat ate the bait this morning," officials said.
While all looks well for the forest officials, the silence of the tourism lobby has taken many by surprise. "Maybe they did not get the time to react. It happened all too suddenly for them to evoke any response," sources said.
164 tigers sighted in MP national parks in a year
Bhopal: Nearly 164 tigers were sighted by the ground duty officials equipped with Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) in the national parks of Madhya Pradesh from July 6, 2009 to July 9 this year, a top official said.
"The ground officials keeping a vigil on the wild animals have sighted 164 tigers in national parks from July 6, 2009 to July 9, 2010," Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (IT) Anil Oberoi told a news agency.
"The ground officials keeping a vigil on the wild animals have sighted 164 tigers in national parks from July 6, 2009 to July 9, 2010," Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (IT) Anil Oberoi told a news agency.
He did not rule out of the possibly that the patrol parties might had sighted the same tiger twice or thrice.
Oberoi said that around 1714 evidential sighting of tigers had been recorded in the national parks from July 6, 2009 to July 9, 2010.
About the huge number of evidential sighting, he said that the patrol parties might had got evidences of the same striped animal more than once during their different patrolling.
He said that in the evidential sighting tiger's pug mark, scratch, sound, kill, urine and dung are relied upon.
Oberoi said that around 1714 evidential sighting of tigers had been recorded in the national parks from July 6, 2009 to July 9, 2010.
About the huge number of evidential sighting, he said that the patrol parties might had got evidences of the same striped animal more than once during their different patrolling.
He said that in the evidential sighting tiger's pug mark, scratch, sound, kill, urine and dung are relied upon.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
FOREST GUMPTION - Proposed amendments in forest bill
The Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Bill seeks to beef up the existing law. But the new law will fail to make an impact unless efforts are made to enforce it rigorously, argues V. Kumara Swam
The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, (WPA) is the most important law in the country for the protection of animals in the wild. The WPA provides definitions and guidelines on protected areas, matters related to trade in wildlife and punishments for those violating the law. Despite that, up till now the law has not been very effective in punishing offenders. For instance, more than 800 tigers have been killed in India since 1995, but very few poachers have been brought to book. To address the weaknesses in the current law, the Union ministry of environment and forests has come up with a draft bill — Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Bill, 2010. The bill seeks to bring about some sweeping changes to the existing law, including beefing up the fines and jail terms for the convicted. In its ‘statement of objects and reasons’ the draft bill says, “The current penalties have failed to act as deterrents with few convictions having taken place since the Act came into force. Furthermore, there is no strong financial disincentive that prevents poachers and smugglers from engaging in illicit wildlife trade, which, in terms of value, ranks only behind the illegal trade in arms and narcotics.” While wildlife experts have welcomed some provisions of the proposed law, others feel that the new law will fail to make an impact unless efforts are made to implement it rigorously. The existing law specifies punishment of two to seven years in jail and fines of anywhere between Rs 5,000 and Rs 25,000. The new law, on the other hand, proposes jail terms of five to seven years and fines from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 75 lakh. Experts say that while the increased quantum of punishment is to be lauded, what matters more is how effective the law is in bringing about convictions. “It is not the severity of the punishment that acts as a deterrent, but rather the certainty of punishment,” says Ritwick Dutta, a Delhi-based environment lawyer. “The fact is that very few people have been slapped with even the minimum sentence under the existing law and not a single person has ever been convicted and sent to jail for seven years.” Adds Samir Sinha, head of TRAFFIC-India, an organisation that monitors wildlife trade, “WPA hasn’t been an effective law. The government should concentrate more on enforcement on the ground level and fight cases against the accused to their logical end.” Subsection (e) of Section 51 of the draft bill, which deals with offences relating to tiger reserves, states, “Where such offence relates to the core area of a tiger reserve or where the offence relates to hunting in a tiger reserve or altering the boundaries of a tiger reserve, such offence shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than seven years and also with a fine which shall not be less than fifty lakh rupees.” Dutta feels that this provision is bound to fail. “Judges normally ask for strong proof against the accused if the prosecution is in favour of severe punishment and fine as per the law. How can you expect that from our poorly trained forest officials who, more often than not, fail to get the accused convicted,” asks Dutta. Activists also fear that the proposed classification of penalties into different categories, that is, critical species, national parks and sanctuaries and tiger reserves, will only complicate matters. Another provision of the bill that has come in for criticism is the establishment of “management” and “scientific” authorities to monitor trade and research. “These authorities will be manned by bureaucrats with little knowledge and there will be no role for independent scientists and experts. Local communities will also have no role to play. And these central authorities will also undermine the states’ rights to the forests,” says Archana Prasad, environmentalist and a former member of the Tiger Task Force. Of course, the draft bill has also been praised for some of its provisions. For example, an addition to sub-section (4), Section 50, of the existing act empowers the judge or magistrate “to detain the accused in the custody of the forest department for a period of up to seven days, subject to such conditions as he may see fit, to facilitate investigation into the offence,” if there is a prima facie case against the accused. “This will give time to officials to investigate and prepare their cases better,” says Sinha of TRAFFIC-India. In addition, the bill specifies punishment to the owner or occupier of the premises used to commit an offence. Forest officials could also be punished for violations under the proposed law. Again, most experts welcome the fact that the bill bans the leg-hold traps that are used to trap tigers and leopards. But Dutta says that here too the government could have done a little more. “The neck-traps used to snare deer and other animals are equally dangerous, but the government is silent on them,” he says. The draft amendment also talks about the promotion of “independent scientific research”. According to the proposed law, chief wildlife wardens will be empowered to grant permits to “any person, to conduct wildlife research on any animal specified in Schedules I to IV” of the existing law. “This is a great move. Independent researchers were made to run from pillar to post to get approval for their research projects all these years,” says M. Firoz Ahmed, wildlife biologist, Aaranyak, a scientific and industrial research organisation, Guwahati. Aaranyak works on biodiversity conservation in the northeast. Indeed, most wildlife activists are enthused by the government’s efforts to plug the loopholes in the existing law and make it more wildlife friendly. However, nearly everyone cautions that no matter how many amendments are made to the WPA, the law will remain a “paper tiger” unless efforts are made to enforce the law strictly. “The government’s intentions are very good. And strengthening rules is not bad at all. But I wish the government had laid more emphasis on equipping the forest officials with the right weapons and skills to get the guilty punished,” says M.K. Ranjitsinh, chairman of the Wildlife Trust of India, who drafted the WPA way back in 1972. Hopefully, the amended law will work at that. |
 http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100721/jsp/opinion/story_12707468.jsp |
Sariska gets a new tiger to boost breeding
NEW DELHI: Sariska's tiger breeding hopes were revived on Tuesday with a tiger being brought to the reserve from the Ranthambhore reserve. It was selected after his DNA was analysed in a bid to avoid the genetic incompatibility that has plagued Sariska's relocation programme so far.
In fact, it was the first time in India that genetic studies were undertaken to identify tigers suitable for translocation. Two of the 12 scat samples from the Ranthambhore reserve that were sent for DNA analysis came out positive. Apart from the tiger shifted on Tuesday, a tigress will also be moved there within the next few weeks. The study showed that both animals were not too closely related to the Sariska tigers, or to each other.
“This is the first time that genetic studies have been conducted to select tigers,” said Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh after the DNA analysis results were received this past Friday.
“Until now we went by normal field-level analysis…..However, after all the fears that have been raised about siblings being relocated, we thought it was best to do this in a scientific way.”
The Sariska tiger reserve in Rajasthan lost the last of its own tigers some time in 2004 or 2005, mostly due to widespread poaching. The bid to return tigers to the reserve, therefore, depends on shifting tigers from other reserves. Accordingly in 2008 and 2009 three tigers — a male and two females — from Ranthambhore reserve, also in Rajasthan, were moved to Sariska. However, they have failed to produce any offspring, and it was later discovered that they were siblings.
The translocation programme was put on hold while the Central Government tried to persuade Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra to donate a few of their tigers to re-populate Sariska in order to avoid using the same gene pool from Ranthambhore. Last week, however, Madhya Pradesh Forest Minister Sartaj Singh made it clear that his state had no surplus tiger to send to Rajasthan.
The news of the DNA results of the Ranthambhore scat samples injected new life into the translocation programme, since inter-state transfer hurdles can be avoided.
The DNA analysis was carried out by Uma Ramakrishnan of the National Centre for Biological Sciences, a part of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research based in Bangalore. Of the 12 scats collected, genetic analysis showed that only eight came from tigers. One more sample did not have a sufficient quantity of DNA data and was also dropped from the study.
While five samples were from tigers which were siblings, and in one case a half-sibling, to the Sariska animals, two samples were found suitable. They have a zero-level of relationship to one of the Sariska tigers and a 0.24 and 0.4 level of relationship to the other.
http://www.hindu.com/2010/07/21/stories/2010072162201500.htm
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
24 tigers died in 3 years in various Madhya Pradesh reserves
Madhya Pradesh Forest Minister, Sartaj Singh on Tuesday told the State Assembly that a total of 24 tigers, including 14 cubs died in various reserves in the State in the last three years.
In a written reply to a question from Nishith Patel (Congress), the Minister said that of them 10 were adults comprising six males and four females while remaining 14 were cubs.
The maximum 12 tigers died in Kanha National Park followed by Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (six), Pench Tiger Reserve (five) and Satpura National Park (one) while no tiger lost its life in Panna National Park in the last three years, Singh said.
Most of the tigers were killed in territorial fights while some died of various diseases or over age, he said.
Only two tigers, including a cub were killed when they were hit by vehicles in Bandhavgarh reserve, the Minister said.
Just 2 big cats can be shifted to Sariska park
After Madhya Pradesh government refused to relocate tigers for Sariska, a government institute has zeroed down two tigers that can be shifted from Ranthambore to Sariska. The Rajasthan Forest Department was keen to relocate two more tiger couples from Ranthambore to Sariska where the big cats went missing in 2004. But, genetic similarity between tigers in Ranthambore was considered the biggest stumbling block.
The three tigers — a male and two females —were transferred from Ranthambore to Sariska about two years ago but because of reports of genetic incompatibility among them, they had failed to breed.
This time, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) was keen to find out the level of genetic similarity between the tigers in Ranthambore and Sariska and asked the Bangalore-based National Centre for Biological Sciences to conduct DNA tests.
After DNA tests of eight tigers from Ranthambore tiger reserve, the Centre suggested translocation of only two tigers with “lowest relatedness” with three relocated tigers in Sariska.
“The tigers from Sawai Madhopur range in Ranthambore are the two individuals best suited for relocation,” the NTCA told the environment ministry. The relocation can take place only after the ministry’s approval.
The institute, in its report to NCTA, found that six other tigers had high degree of relatedness with big cats in Sariska and said it would not be ideal to introduce them in Sariska.
Valmik Thapar, member of Tiger Task Force said the government should ensure that the tigers for relocation from Ranthambore should not be selected from core areas.
“The animal for relocation should be selected from fringe areas with the help of local people,” he said
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Just-2-big-cats-can-be-shifted-to-Sariska-park/Article1-574856.aspx
Monday, July 19, 2010
Two more tiger cubs spotted in Orang
| PULLOCK DUTTA |
Guwahati, July 18: “Just 1,411 left”. The campaign line to save the big cat now has to change, with two Royal Bengal tiger cubs being born in Orang National Park over the past two months. “The cubs were probably born in May and were spotted near Kachumari anti-poaching camp of the park only a couple of days back,” divisional forest officer of Orang S. Daila toldThe Telegraph today. He said the pregnant tiger was spotted in March. Fourteen tigers were detected in this smallest national park in the state during a census conducted last year. Daila said the cubs were first spotted by villagers in Hazarbigha about a week back when they were playing with their mother. “But we were not sure since we cannot believe everything the villagers say. We were confirmed when our rangers spotted the two cubs along with their mother near Kachumari camp,” he said. The divisional forest officer said the park authorities were constantly monitoring the movement of the two cubs — one male and the other female — and they both looked healthy. Daila added that there was no previous official record of birth of Royal Bengal tiger cubs in the park. “We will be maintaining a proper record of these cubs and constantly monitor their movement,” he said. Spread over 78.80 square km on the north bank of the Brahmaputra, Orang National Park is a rich wild habitat with several species of wild animals. However, it is surrounded by human habitation, adding to the biotic pressure (the tendency of a community to extend its range in common parlance) on the park. The park has witnessed the death of 15 tigers since 2005. While six of them were killed because of poisoning, the rest died in infighting. The last incident of poisoning took place on August 18 when an adult male tiger was found ill. The tiger later died at the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation near Kaziranga where it was shifted for treatment. Daila said apart from these two cubs, the park has also witnessed the birth of at least 10 rhino calves in the past few months. “This is a positive development,” he said. Sixty-four rhinos were detected at Orang during the census conducted last year http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100719/jsp/northeast/story_12698491.jsp |
Suhelwa forest in Terai dying; so will tigers and jumbos there
Prerna Singh Bindra | Suhelwa (Balrampur)
Legendary conservationist Billy Arjan Singh described Suhelwa as “the finest forests imaginable”, waxing eloquent about its “plethora of wildlife and fine tigers”. It was here that Singh’s love for the wilds took root. It is just as well he is no longer around to see the ‘sanctuary’ now — the devastation rendered by years of negligence.
In the two days that I traversed Suhelwa, the destruction is evident: Rows of stumps, gutted vegetation, paucity of prey, grasslands degraded by cattle, constant traffic of people, silted water bodies, bone dry waterholes and the consistent, dull thud of the axe echoing in a silent forest. “Apathy and administrative weaknesses,” admits a forest official, “have in recent years led to destruction of a magnitude that will finish the forest. And, Suhelwa will be lost for the tiger.”
Suhelwa, a 127-km-long narrow strip of forest, is part of the Terai Arc Landscape, identified as one of the three most vital tiger habitats in India. The Terai Arc Landscape, over 20,000 sq km on the Indian side, is a network of protected areas and fragmented corridors which stretch from Kalesar Wildlife Sanctuary in Haryana to Valmiki in Bihar, and beyond to Chitwan and Parsa in Nepal. Suhelwa, bordering Nepal, is a crucial link in the Terai. “Suhelwa cannot be viewed in isolation,” stresses Dr Bivash Pandav, Coordinator, Tiger and Asian Big Cats Programme, WWF-International. “It is contiguous to the forests of Nepal and through Banke and Bardia national parks maintains connectivity to Dudhwa Tiger Reserve that goes all the way up to Rajaji National Park in Uttarakhand.”
Animals do not recognise manmade borders. Scientists assert that tigers cannot survive in isolated islands. “To save free-ranging animals like tiger and elephant such movement and genetic exchange is vital,” says Pandav.
Recognising the significance of Suhelwa, the Central Government pushed for it to be declared as a tiger reserve but two years on, the state has taken little initiative. The indifference is evident with Chief Wildlife Warden BK Patnaik shrugging off Suhelwa as a “narrow forest”. He is also “unsure of the number of tigers and whether it (Suhelwa) can sustain tigers”, thus contradicting his own department, which gives the ‘official’ number of tigers in the sanctuary as 25.
The numbers seem inflated, with independent experts giving a conservative estimate of five to eight tigers in the sanctuary.
However, with no protection, the tigers are a sitting target. In July 2006, a tiger skin was seized in Tulsipur on the Indo-Nepal border near the sanctuary. “Preliminary questioning revealed that it was killed in the Baghelkhand beat of the Suhelwa range. Involvement of local politicians was also indicated and the accused are out on bail,” says Sarvesh Singh, a local journalist with ETV, who played a key role in the seizure. Another tiger skin was seized in November last year, also in Tulsipur. Later, in March 2010, forest guard Munnalal Tiwari heard a gunshot in Jodvania Nala, in the core zone, where he says, tiger pugmarks had been seen earlier in the day. Three leopard skins were also seized in the same month. Poaching of prey is common —the preferred method here being ‘obs’ or camouflaged pits, and easy access from across the border has only worsened the situation.
The cancer of apathy runs deep. The biotic pressure is immense; while ungulates are a rare sight, thousands of cattle roam in the forest. I came across a huge herd of buffaloes grazing in Pipra, Bankatwa the core area of the sanctuary, right next to the Forest department quarters. Sand mining and quarrying go on with impunity. The scale of illegal logging is massive. We met Shamu, a slight man dragging his cycle overloaded with wood. He is from Bhagwanpur and just one among the many villagers we encounter. Shamu is employed on a daily basis by the forest department, but though an attendance register is maintained, the payment, he says, is very irregular. Instead, he is allowed to take out wood for sale, a system called begar prevalent during the British times but unofficially continues till date, though Supreme Court ruling of February 2000 forbids even a blade of grass to be removed from a sanctuary. Sources say that hundreds of cycle loads are taken out in this manner mainly for commercial use, to be sold to dhabas, the dozens of brick kilns that dot the landscape or are loaded in trucks for markets in Balrampur and even Bahraich well over a 100 km away.”
Strangely, while the sanctuary lies neglected, and protection non-existent, forest roads — which only disturb wildlife — have been widened with NREG funds. Admits a senior official, “While there is negligible support for wildlife, there is pressure to do work under NREG from headquarters and political leaders. As it is the staff has little orientation towards wildlife, now their focus is on meeting NREG targets. So the sanctuary suffers.”
Even though a petition has been filed in the Supreme Court’s Central Empowered Committee in 2004 by Niharika Singh, a conservationist based near the sanctuary, highlighting Suhelwa’s plight, it has been of little avail. The CEC is yet to make a site visit to assess the situation, and meanwhile, the situation on the ground has only gotten worse.
UP has barely five per cent of forest cover, and Suhelwa represents the last remaining tracts of Bhabar forests in the country. Shikar lore hails the tigers of “Balrampore for their superior tawny coat”. The significance of Suhelwa, as a crucial link in amongst few promising tiger habitats in the world, cannot be stressed enough, especially at a time when there is international concern for critically endangered tigers. Unless, a concerted effort at three levels – local, State and Central — is made Suhelwa and its tigers will be lost forever.
Legendary conservationist Billy Arjan Singh described Suhelwa as “the finest forests imaginable”, waxing eloquent about its “plethora of wildlife and fine tigers”. It was here that Singh’s love for the wilds took root. It is just as well he is no longer around to see the ‘sanctuary’ now — the devastation rendered by years of negligence.
In the two days that I traversed Suhelwa, the destruction is evident: Rows of stumps, gutted vegetation, paucity of prey, grasslands degraded by cattle, constant traffic of people, silted water bodies, bone dry waterholes and the consistent, dull thud of the axe echoing in a silent forest. “Apathy and administrative weaknesses,” admits a forest official, “have in recent years led to destruction of a magnitude that will finish the forest. And, Suhelwa will be lost for the tiger.”
Suhelwa, a 127-km-long narrow strip of forest, is part of the Terai Arc Landscape, identified as one of the three most vital tiger habitats in India. The Terai Arc Landscape, over 20,000 sq km on the Indian side, is a network of protected areas and fragmented corridors which stretch from Kalesar Wildlife Sanctuary in Haryana to Valmiki in Bihar, and beyond to Chitwan and Parsa in Nepal. Suhelwa, bordering Nepal, is a crucial link in the Terai. “Suhelwa cannot be viewed in isolation,” stresses Dr Bivash Pandav, Coordinator, Tiger and Asian Big Cats Programme, WWF-International. “It is contiguous to the forests of Nepal and through Banke and Bardia national parks maintains connectivity to Dudhwa Tiger Reserve that goes all the way up to Rajaji National Park in Uttarakhand.”
Animals do not recognise manmade borders. Scientists assert that tigers cannot survive in isolated islands. “To save free-ranging animals like tiger and elephant such movement and genetic exchange is vital,” says Pandav.
Recognising the significance of Suhelwa, the Central Government pushed for it to be declared as a tiger reserve but two years on, the state has taken little initiative. The indifference is evident with Chief Wildlife Warden BK Patnaik shrugging off Suhelwa as a “narrow forest”. He is also “unsure of the number of tigers and whether it (Suhelwa) can sustain tigers”, thus contradicting his own department, which gives the ‘official’ number of tigers in the sanctuary as 25.
The numbers seem inflated, with independent experts giving a conservative estimate of five to eight tigers in the sanctuary.
However, with no protection, the tigers are a sitting target. In July 2006, a tiger skin was seized in Tulsipur on the Indo-Nepal border near the sanctuary. “Preliminary questioning revealed that it was killed in the Baghelkhand beat of the Suhelwa range. Involvement of local politicians was also indicated and the accused are out on bail,” says Sarvesh Singh, a local journalist with ETV, who played a key role in the seizure. Another tiger skin was seized in November last year, also in Tulsipur. Later, in March 2010, forest guard Munnalal Tiwari heard a gunshot in Jodvania Nala, in the core zone, where he says, tiger pugmarks had been seen earlier in the day. Three leopard skins were also seized in the same month. Poaching of prey is common —the preferred method here being ‘obs’ or camouflaged pits, and easy access from across the border has only worsened the situation.
The cancer of apathy runs deep. The biotic pressure is immense; while ungulates are a rare sight, thousands of cattle roam in the forest. I came across a huge herd of buffaloes grazing in Pipra, Bankatwa the core area of the sanctuary, right next to the Forest department quarters. Sand mining and quarrying go on with impunity. The scale of illegal logging is massive. We met Shamu, a slight man dragging his cycle overloaded with wood. He is from Bhagwanpur and just one among the many villagers we encounter. Shamu is employed on a daily basis by the forest department, but though an attendance register is maintained, the payment, he says, is very irregular. Instead, he is allowed to take out wood for sale, a system called begar prevalent during the British times but unofficially continues till date, though Supreme Court ruling of February 2000 forbids even a blade of grass to be removed from a sanctuary. Sources say that hundreds of cycle loads are taken out in this manner mainly for commercial use, to be sold to dhabas, the dozens of brick kilns that dot the landscape or are loaded in trucks for markets in Balrampur and even Bahraich well over a 100 km away.”
Strangely, while the sanctuary lies neglected, and protection non-existent, forest roads — which only disturb wildlife — have been widened with NREG funds. Admits a senior official, “While there is negligible support for wildlife, there is pressure to do work under NREG from headquarters and political leaders. As it is the staff has little orientation towards wildlife, now their focus is on meeting NREG targets. So the sanctuary suffers.”
Even though a petition has been filed in the Supreme Court’s Central Empowered Committee in 2004 by Niharika Singh, a conservationist based near the sanctuary, highlighting Suhelwa’s plight, it has been of little avail. The CEC is yet to make a site visit to assess the situation, and meanwhile, the situation on the ground has only gotten worse.
UP has barely five per cent of forest cover, and Suhelwa represents the last remaining tracts of Bhabar forests in the country. Shikar lore hails the tigers of “Balrampore for their superior tawny coat”. The significance of Suhelwa, as a crucial link in amongst few promising tiger habitats in the world, cannot be stressed enough, especially at a time when there is international concern for critically endangered tigers. Unless, a concerted effort at three levels – local, State and Central — is made Suhelwa and its tigers will be lost forever.
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