NAGPUR: The state-level committee on identifying critical wildlife habitat (CWH) on Tuesday gave the go-ahead to proposals from nine sanctuaries to initiate the process of public consultation to formally declare these areas as CWH.
On Tuesday, the committee met at Van Sabhagriha under the chairmanship of principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife), Maharashtra, DC Pant. Additional PCCF PJ Thosre, CCFs Nandkishore, AK Saxena and panel member Kishor Rithe were present. The meeting was attended by over two dozen wildlife officials from the state. This was the panel’s third meeting in three years. It last met on August 10, 2009.
Pant stressed the need for early meetings as CWH deals with creating inviolate spaces for wildlife, including the flagship species tiger. Talking to TOI, Pant said proposals of nine sanctuaries were cleared for the second stage of identifying CWH. The protected areas (PAs) include Phansad, Tansa, Koyna, Radhanagri, Katepurna, Dhyanganga, Painganga, Chaprala and Bhimashankar.
“We also considered new proposals from Bor, Tipeshwar, Yawal and Aner sanctuaries. Proposals of two PAs, Kalsubai and Nandura-Mayureshwar, were only discussed,” Pant said. To speed up the process of relocating villages, a decision was taken to form a subcommittee. CCFs and DyCFs will be chiefs and member-secretaries respectively. Some PAs have been told to resubmit their proposals by August 30.
“We will review the proposals by November 10,” Pant said. Eight areas, including 3 tigers reserves — Pench, Tadoba-Andhari and Melghat, Wan, Ambabarwa and Narnala sanctuaries, and Gugamal national park have been declared critical tiger habitats
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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/9-PAs-move-a-step-ahead-to-be-critical-habitat/articleshow/6290920.cms
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Orphaned tiger cub killed in MP
A six-month old orphaned tiger cub, who had lost its mother to a car accident earlier this year, was killed by a tiger who entered its fenced enclosure, according to forest authorities at Bandhavgarh National Park. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) H S Pabla confirmed the death of one cub and said the cub’s two siblings were found to be safe on Sunday evening.
The three cubs had been orphaned when their mother got run over by a vehicle inside the park and died a day later, on May 19. A National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) probe had revealed that the tigress was run over by one of the two vehicles allowed inside the park after visiting hours, on May 18. One vehicle, according to the probe, had forest officials and the other had a local political leader.
The state government had first claimed that a tourist vehicle hit the tigress but later suspended three forest officials in connection with the case.
The park has remained closed to visitors since July 1 and is due to reopen on October 15. The only people who have access to the park right now are forest officials. There have also been rumours about one or more cubs missing from the park.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Orphaned-tiger-cub-killed-in-MP/658339
Luxury train in Ranthambore
JAIPUR: While the Ranthambore National Park (RNP) remains closed for three months between July and September, an exception made this year has irked the common man and wildlife enthusiasts. Forty tourists aboard the luxury train Palace on Wheels were allowed to go inside the park for tiger-sighting in August.
Wildlife experts say that the park is essentially for the conservation of tiger, while tourism is just a corollary. "The tigers get just these three months unhindered by human intervention. The entire objective of national parks is to maintain a protected area as close as possible to the natural habitat. And to disturb the park at this time is uncalled for", said an expert.
However, government officials said that special permission was sought only for this year. "We had to approach the CM to get a special clearance. We could not have skipped Ranthambore as it is part of the itinerary and highlighted in the marketing of the train within the country and abroad. Next year, we will not promote the park as a destination for the months of July, August and September," said Manjit Singh, RTDC chairman and managing director.
It was only after a series of meetings between chief secretary T Srinivasan and forest minister Ramlal Jat that the clearance came from CM Ashok Gehlot. But it had a rider this would be the last time an exception was made in the case of the two luxury trains, the Palace on Wheels and the Royal Rajasthan on Wheels.
Tour operators also feel that the government had to bend its rules because it can't backtrack after committing to an international tourist. "The international consumer laws are very stringent and if Ranthambore was skipped from the itenary, the RTDC would have had to refund the entire amount. That may be the reason why the CM had to grant permission to the PoW to enter," said a tour operator.
However, others may not agree. "This sounds discriminatory. Either they should open it for everyone or shut it completely. There are areas in the buffer zone that are rocky and not affected by rain. Permitting tourists just here would also help check the grazing menace as the forest officials are not very vigilant," said Dharmendra Khandal, a conservation biologist with the NGO Tiger Watch don't agree.
A visit to the Ranthambore Park is part of the much-publicized itinerary of the PoW, which is considered number four in its category in the world. While the government has been sanctioning a visit into the forest in September for many years, this year the PoW chugged off a month in advance. The itinerary had been sold months in advance.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Luxury-train-in-Ranthambore/articleshow/6284604.cms
Wildlife experts say that the park is essentially for the conservation of tiger, while tourism is just a corollary. "The tigers get just these three months unhindered by human intervention. The entire objective of national parks is to maintain a protected area as close as possible to the natural habitat. And to disturb the park at this time is uncalled for", said an expert.
However, government officials said that special permission was sought only for this year. "We had to approach the CM to get a special clearance. We could not have skipped Ranthambore as it is part of the itinerary and highlighted in the marketing of the train within the country and abroad. Next year, we will not promote the park as a destination for the months of July, August and September," said Manjit Singh, RTDC chairman and managing director.
It was only after a series of meetings between chief secretary T Srinivasan and forest minister Ramlal Jat that the clearance came from CM Ashok Gehlot. But it had a rider this would be the last time an exception was made in the case of the two luxury trains, the Palace on Wheels and the Royal Rajasthan on Wheels.
Tour operators also feel that the government had to bend its rules because it can't backtrack after committing to an international tourist. "The international consumer laws are very stringent and if Ranthambore was skipped from the itenary, the RTDC would have had to refund the entire amount. That may be the reason why the CM had to grant permission to the PoW to enter," said a tour operator.
However, others may not agree. "This sounds discriminatory. Either they should open it for everyone or shut it completely. There are areas in the buffer zone that are rocky and not affected by rain. Permitting tourists just here would also help check the grazing menace as the forest officials are not very vigilant," said Dharmendra Khandal, a conservation biologist with the NGO Tiger Watch don't agree.
A visit to the Ranthambore Park is part of the much-publicized itinerary of the PoW, which is considered number four in its category in the world. While the government has been sanctioning a visit into the forest in September for many years, this year the PoW chugged off a month in advance. The itinerary had been sold months in advance.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Luxury-train-in-Ranthambore/articleshow/6284604.cms
Sunday, August 8, 2010
MP order violating forest laws: Jairam
NEW DELHI: Union environment and forests minister Jairam Ramesh has told the Madhya Pradesh government that its recent order to open national parks, sanctuaries and tiger reserves to tourism are in violation of the Wildlife Protection Act, the Forest Conservation Act and Supreme Courtorders.
In a letter written to state chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Ramesh has also made a veiled threat pointing out that the tiger reserves are run by central funds and the recent orders by the state's chief wildlife warden would violate the rules under which such funding is provided.
The Union minister's letter comes a day after TOI highlighted that the MP government had decided to turn forest guards into guides and their beat offices in the core
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/MP-order-violating-forest-laws-Jairam/articleshow/6272299.cms
In a letter written to state chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Ramesh has also made a veiled threat pointing out that the tiger reserves are run by central funds and the recent orders by the state's chief wildlife warden would violate the rules under which such funding is provided.
The Union minister's letter comes a day after TOI highlighted that the MP government had decided to turn forest guards into guides and their beat offices in the core
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/MP-order-violating-forest-laws-Jairam/articleshow/6272299.cms
Killer Pilibhit tiger not alone
LUCKNOW: There is a twist in the tiger tale of Pilibhit now. The officials are of the opinion that it was not one but two tigers involved in human killings which have taken place in Deoria range of Pilibhit forest division. One of the predators, they say, is a tigress.
"We got to know of it after we studied the pugmarks around bodies," said VK Singh, DFO, Pilibhit. All the men have not been killed by a tiger but a stray tigress has also killed and partially eaten humans. On the other hand, last indication towards big cats still roaming in the area came on August 3 when a partially eaten carcass of blue bull was found at Pasgawan compartment of Deoria range. "However, there has been killing reported after we found the carcass of blue bull," added DFO.
The compartment where carcass was found lying is about 4 km away from the site where the partially eaten body of Jamuna Prasad, resident of Dilawarpur village, was found lying on July 27. His body was recovered by forest officials from Ghundchai forest beat in Deoria range. This indicates that tigers have not changed their location.
After the fact about two big cats roaming in the area came to light, forest officials have installed 40 digital cameras over 712 sq km of Deoria range. The entire range has been divided into 20 grids of 4 sq km each and a camera has been installed in every grid. The cameras will be in place for the next one month. "This will help us know how many tigers are there in the area who could be involved in man killings," added the DFO.
The camera trappings so far have shown the presence of one stray tiger only. The big cats have killed and partially eaten five men since May 3 till July 26 in Deoria range. The forest department is manning the area to keep any more human killings at bay. The villagers are not allowed to enter forest area and are being detained for trespassing.
However, what has made forest officials a little relaxed is the fact that killing of a blue bull shows that aberrant tiger could be going for its natural prey. The camera trappings for over a month-long period will help know more about the behaviour of other tigers in the area as well.
"We got to know of it after we studied the pugmarks around bodies," said VK Singh, DFO, Pilibhit. All the men have not been killed by a tiger but a stray tigress has also killed and partially eaten humans. On the other hand, last indication towards big cats still roaming in the area came on August 3 when a partially eaten carcass of blue bull was found at Pasgawan compartment of Deoria range. "However, there has been killing reported after we found the carcass of blue bull," added DFO.
The compartment where carcass was found lying is about 4 km away from the site where the partially eaten body of Jamuna Prasad, resident of Dilawarpur village, was found lying on July 27. His body was recovered by forest officials from Ghundchai forest beat in Deoria range. This indicates that tigers have not changed their location.
After the fact about two big cats roaming in the area came to light, forest officials have installed 40 digital cameras over 712 sq km of Deoria range. The entire range has been divided into 20 grids of 4 sq km each and a camera has been installed in every grid. The cameras will be in place for the next one month. "This will help us know how many tigers are there in the area who could be involved in man killings," added the DFO.
The camera trappings so far have shown the presence of one stray tiger only. The big cats have killed and partially eaten five men since May 3 till July 26 in Deoria range. The forest department is manning the area to keep any more human killings at bay. The villagers are not allowed to enter forest area and are being detained for trespassing.
However, what has made forest officials a little relaxed is the fact that killing of a blue bull shows that aberrant tiger could be going for its natural prey. The camera trappings for over a month-long period will help know more about the behaviour of other tigers in the area as well.
Runaway Rajasthan tiger has a whole army of men running after it
JAIPUR: A hide-and-seek game is on between a runaway male tiger and an array of men trailing it in the ravines of the Chambal river in Dholpur district of Rajasthan. The feline, aged around six years, belongs to Ranthambhore National Park but has been playing truant for the past three years. Now the task before the experts and the forest authorities is to get it back to the Rajasthan jungles because the animal has reached the boundary of the State and may walk over either to Uttar Pradesh or Madhya Pradesh any time.
Over 150 people are out now “stalking” the tiger, which the local people refer to as Mohan, to make it move homeward. The team, which includes Jaipur Zoo veterinarian Arvind Mathur and wildlife expert Sudarshan Sharma from Ranthambhore, is adopting “Haka” method to unsettle the tiger from the bushes and drive it in the opposite direction.
“ Haka is a terminology often used during the hunting expeditions of yore. In this technique men armed with sticks shout and beat the bush around them to disturb the animal from its location and make it move in the direction they want it to,” informs Rajpal Singh, author and member of the Rajasthan Board for Wildlife. The team is carrying tranquillizer guns with it so that in case sedation is needed that can be carried out, he says. “We need to do this as the animal stands the risk of exposure to human habitation. There can be accidents while it crosses the public roads or railway tracks in the process of continuing with its .onward journey,” says Mr. Singh. “My feeling is that the tiger must have reached the Van Vihar sanctuary in the district.”
When last spotted, the tiger was in Duria Kheda near Kathumari village, some 20 km from the district town of Dholpur. “We could not do much today as the animal could not be located during the day,” said R. K. Bhati, Divisional Forest Officer of Dholpur, on Saturday evening talking to The Hindu on phone. “We are on its trail and the mission continues. We have to get it back by whatever means,” he added.
The fugitive animal has already been to Bund Baretha sanctuary in Bharatpur district during his earlier wanderings. After getting out of Ranthambhore National Park at an early age, he had returned to it once before starting all over again. This time it had left the Kailadevi sanctuary, adjoining Ranthambhore, on July 21 and has been moving on a perilous style ever since.
Against all odds, including incessant rain, harsh terrain and the presence of dacoit gangs in the Chambal ravines, the Mission titled “Operation Reverse” continues. Once the tiger gets caught it also stands the chance of joining the newly-revived five-strong tiger family in Sariska Tiger Reserve.
http://www.hindu.com/2010/08/08/stories/2010080858980100.htm
Friday, August 6, 2010
Tiger number up? Minister Ramesh drops hint
New Delhi: The new tiger census -- the results of which are expected in November -- may have some “good news”. Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh has said he is expecting the tiger count in the country to go up.
CNN-IBN has accessed information that puts the number of tigers in the country at around 1,600 to1,800--it was earlier 1411 Scientists at the Wildlife Institute of India are however cautious and say they are still analyzing the census data and it is too soon for them to make any projection.
“I hope we are going to see some good news on tigers when the new results come out in November,” said Environment and Forest Minister Jairam Ramesh.
“I don't know what we are going to see -- we are just receiving the data from states. I seriously hope there’s a good news about it. I have no indication to say that there is increase in tiger population as of yet,” said Ramesh about the census on Thursday.
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/tiger-number-up-minister-ramesh-drops-hint/128332-3.html?from=tn
Ugly spat between TATR officials plays out in full public view
Thakre defies HoFF orders, reports sick
After attending office till lunch, he reported sick in the evening and did not show up. Seeing the tussle between two officials taking an ugly turn, HoFF AK Joshi had sent a fax to Thakre on Thursday, directing him to hand over charge to Sinha before 6pm. However, after receiving the fax, Thakre left office and did not return.
Calls made by TOI correspondents in Chandrapur and Nagpur were not returned by Thakre. Till 6pm, Sinha, who has already taken charge on his own on August 3, had not been handed over possession of the office by Thakre. Sinha too did not respond to calls made to him. Additional chief secretary for revenue M Ramesh Kumar, who is holding additional charge of forest, told TOI there is no written stay in favour of Thakre.
The orders to transfer Sinha were issued by the chief minister and should have been followed. "We are examining the facts and would decide on disciplinary action after verifying them. Prima facie, I feel Thakre has flouted the CM’s orders," Ramesh Kumar said. Thakre has been transferred toForest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM) on July 13 as regional manager (headquarters) at Nagpur, in place of Sinha, but he is not interested in joining. On Wednesday, Thakre had locked the office and vanished. According to highly placed sources, Thakre sought the help of BJP MLA from Ballarpur Sudhir Mungantiwar to get his transfer stalled. He also played the ‘Marathi manoos’ card to see that he is not shifted out.
A few months ago, a news items had appeared in a local daily giving caste colour to TATR management, instead of focusing on professionalism. Talking to TOI, Mungantiwar said, "I had recommended a month ago that Thakre should be retained here. I was told that he is being shifted because he is a ‘Marathi’, and the government wants to bring a non-Marathi person as the field director. I felt this is wrong and hence recommended Thakre’s retention."
Mungantiwar asked, "How can you transfer a person who has completed only 10 months. There should be some reasons for his transfer. The PCCF has issued the orders on Thursday, but when Sinha has taken charge one-sided, why was the need felt to issue fresh orders?" However, there are many examples where forest officers were transferred but orders were changed even before joining.
The state BJP chief said, "I did my job and now it’s up to the officials and government to decide. Thakre can take a legal course." Official sources justified Thakre’s transfer. This has been done in view of the upgradation of IFS cadre soon. In the upgradation, the post of TATR field director will be upgraded to CCF. Thakre is not becoming CCF for now. In fact, he is among the six officers who will be reverted as DyCF in the new set up. So, he is not qualified to hold this post in the new set-up
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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Thakre-defies-HoFF-orders-reports-sick/articleshow/6264029.cms
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Blue bull carcass hints at tiger's whereabouts
LUCKNOW: The elusive tiger of Pilibhit which has killed five men in last three months has re-surfaced after a week-long time. On Tuesday, it killed a blue bull. The partially eaten carcass was found lying in Pasgawan compartment of Deoria range of Pilibhit division.
The compartment where carcass was found lying is about 4 km away from the site where the partially eaten body of Jamuna Prasad, resident of Dilawarpur village was found lying on July 27. His body was recovered by forest officials from Ghundchai forest beat in Deoria range. This indicates that the tiger has not changed its location.
"Killing of a blue bull also shows that it is going for its natural prey," said V K Singh, DFO, Pilibhit. It is the little distance between the site of the last and the latest killing, which is making forest officials believe that it is the same tiger which has struck again.
The tiger has killed and partially eaten five men from May 3 till July 26 in Deoria range. The forest department is manning the area to keep any more human killings at bay. In the past three days, seven villagers have been detained for trespassing. Since villagers are dependent on forest for their several needs, they continue to defy forest officials and enter forest area.
Besides, eight digital cameras, which were installed at the sites where killings had taken place, have been withdrawn by the department. Pilibhit forest officials had planned to divide the range into 25 grids of 4 sq km each. The plan was also about installing a camera at every grid. However, no camera trappings, so far, have given any clue about the tiger. Therefore, the officials have decided to wait before they go ahead with the said plan.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Blue-bull-carcass-hints-at-tigers-whereabouts/articleshow/6258776.cms
The compartment where carcass was found lying is about 4 km away from the site where the partially eaten body of Jamuna Prasad, resident of Dilawarpur village was found lying on July 27. His body was recovered by forest officials from Ghundchai forest beat in Deoria range. This indicates that the tiger has not changed its location.
"Killing of a blue bull also shows that it is going for its natural prey," said V K Singh, DFO, Pilibhit. It is the little distance between the site of the last and the latest killing, which is making forest officials believe that it is the same tiger which has struck again.
The tiger has killed and partially eaten five men from May 3 till July 26 in Deoria range. The forest department is manning the area to keep any more human killings at bay. In the past three days, seven villagers have been detained for trespassing. Since villagers are dependent on forest for their several needs, they continue to defy forest officials and enter forest area.
Besides, eight digital cameras, which were installed at the sites where killings had taken place, have been withdrawn by the department. Pilibhit forest officials had planned to divide the range into 25 grids of 4 sq km each. The plan was also about installing a camera at every grid. However, no camera trappings, so far, have given any clue about the tiger. Therefore, the officials have decided to wait before they go ahead with the said plan.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Blue-bull-carcass-hints-at-tigers-whereabouts/articleshow/6258776.cms
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Cops, foresters' joint drive against poachers
NAGPUR: The Nagpur forest division and rural police will launch a joint drive to check wildlife crime in vulnerable areas soon. The decision was taken on Tuesday at the district tiger cell meeting.
The move follows recent seizure of deer meat from the city. The district tiger cell headed by superintendent of police CH Wakde met at his office. Conservator of forests for Nagpur division N Rambabu, member-secretary and divisional forest officer (vigilance) DW Pagar, conservationists, police and MSEDCL officials were also present. Wakde assured all cooperation to the forest department in curbing wildlife crime.
Rambabu told TOI, “We have decided to seriously follow the system of maintaining ‘musafir’ registers in villages to keep track of strangers in the area. Besides, large-scale public awareness will be launched in the division with the help of wall paintings and posters.” The CF said a joint drive of regular field staff and police is planned in vulnerable areas to flush out habitual wildlife criminals.
Meanwhile, the four accused caught with deer meat on Sunday at Dighori naka, Dashrath Shettiyar, Seluraj Shetty, Sanmugan Shettiyar and Subramanyam Shetty, all residents of Bhuteshwar Nagar near Gangabai Ghat, have been granted bail. All accused were produced before the judicial magistrate first class (JMFC) PD Deshmukh, who granted conditional bail on surety of Rs 10,000 each.
The move follows recent seizure of deer meat from the city. The district tiger cell headed by superintendent of police CH Wakde met at his office. Conservator of forests for Nagpur division N Rambabu, member-secretary and divisional forest officer (vigilance) DW Pagar, conservationists, police and MSEDCL officials were also present. Wakde assured all cooperation to the forest department in curbing wildlife crime.
Rambabu told TOI, “We have decided to seriously follow the system of maintaining ‘musafir’ registers in villages to keep track of strangers in the area. Besides, large-scale public awareness will be launched in the division with the help of wall paintings and posters.” The CF said a joint drive of regular field staff and police is planned in vulnerable areas to flush out habitual wildlife criminals.
Meanwhile, the four accused caught with deer meat on Sunday at Dighori naka, Dashrath Shettiyar, Seluraj Shetty, Sanmugan Shettiyar and Subramanyam Shetty, all residents of Bhuteshwar Nagar near Gangabai Ghat, have been granted bail. All accused were produced before the judicial magistrate first class (JMFC) PD Deshmukh, who granted conditional bail on surety of Rs 10,000 each.
Admn can’t identify allocated coal blocks near Taadoba
CHANDRAPUR: The committee constituted by National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) to study the impact of various proposed coal and thermal power projects on the buffer and corridors of tiger reserves has come across a serious flaw in the allocation of coal blocks to mining companies. It has been found in some instances that though the companies have approached the ministry of environment and forest (MoEF) for environment clearance, the district administration and forest department, whose land will be acquired, are completely ignorant about the proposal, and even unaware of the location of the proposed project.
The three-member committee of NTCA was shocked when the district administration and forest department failed to locate the project site of a proposed coal mine by M/s Push Steel and Mining (P) Ltd falling in the tiger corridor. This company has been allocated a coal block in Bramhapuri for mining of 0.36 MTPA of coal in an area spread over 360 ha of land. The land includes 194.524 ha of private land, 56.957 of non-forest land and 108.519 ha of forest land. Kishor Rithe, wildlife expert and member of NTCA committee, confirmed that the administration failed to locate the Bramhapuri coal block allocated to Push Ltd during their visit for inspection. “None of the project proponents was present at a meeting held at the office of conservator of forest in Chandrapur to examine the proposal. Moreover, forest officials had no clue about the project, even as a major chunk of forest land is required for the proposed mine. Even officials of the district administration could not locate the project site. Hence, the site inspection could not be carried out,” said Rithe.
District mining officer Meena Nikhare confirmed that the company has not submitted any proposal seeking mining lease to their department, and they have no official details about the proposed project. Conservationists in Chandrapur have cried foul over the allocation of coal blocks in the district.
The three-member committee of NTCA was shocked when the district administration and forest department failed to locate the project site of a proposed coal mine by M/s Push Steel and Mining (P) Ltd falling in the tiger corridor. This company has been allocated a coal block in Bramhapuri for mining of 0.36 MTPA of coal in an area spread over 360 ha of land. The land includes 194.524 ha of private land, 56.957 of non-forest land and 108.519 ha of forest land. Kishor Rithe, wildlife expert and member of NTCA committee, confirmed that the administration failed to locate the Bramhapuri coal block allocated to Push Ltd during their visit for inspection. “None of the project proponents was present at a meeting held at the office of conservator of forest in Chandrapur to examine the proposal. Moreover, forest officials had no clue about the project, even as a major chunk of forest land is required for the proposed mine. Even officials of the district administration could not locate the project site. Hence, the site inspection could not be carried out,” said Rithe.
District mining officer Meena Nikhare confirmed that the company has not submitted any proposal seeking mining lease to their department, and they have no official details about the proposed project. Conservationists in Chandrapur have cried foul over the allocation of coal blocks in the district.
MP to launch ''Patrolling the Tiger Land'' scheme for tourists
Bhopal, Aug 3 (PTI) Madhya Pradesh will launch a novel scheme "Patrolling the Tiger Land" from this October in which tourists visiting the national parks will get an opportunity to trek forest with the patrolling parties. Under the scheme, tourists will be able to trek forests along with patrolling parties in the national parks in the state so that they can have a real experience of wildlife and flora and fauna, official sources said today. The tourists national park/sanctuary will be provided with a patrolling party/trek by the range officer concerned or any other competent authority, they said, adding the tourists would be able to go into deep jungles accompanied by patrolling party. Tourists will be allowed to carry food and drinking water with them. They will have to pay vehicle entry fees as per rules apart from separate charges for trekking the forest along with the patrolling party, they said. Only four tourists will be allowed to accompany a patrolling party and they will be allowed to take rest in the camps of the forest department, officials said. Children below the age of 12 years will not be allowed under this system, they said. This arrangement will come into force from the next tourism seasonbeginning from October 16.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Scat analysis indicates presence of more tigers in Buxa
The Buxa Tiger Reserve in north Bengal, identified as a low density tiger reserve, may in fact harbour a greater number of the big cats as indicated by initial reports of scat samples.
“We had sent 83 samples to the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology in Hyderabad of which 55 were fit for analysis. Preliminary reports confirmed that 33 of these samples are of tiger origin,” Field Director of Buxa Tiger Reserve R.P. Saini told PTI.
During the tiger estimation exercise, scats were collected to enable DNA profiling of tigers in the reserve, but the exercise could not be completed due to rain and another full-fledged exercise would be undertaken after the monsoon, he said.
Describing the preliminary findings as “very encouraging”, he said it clearly indicated the presence of a number of tigers in the Buxa Tiger Reserve.
Asked to give the number of big cats in Buxa Tiger Reserve, he said although a detailed report about the number and gender of the tigers was yet to be received, it could be anything between 12 and 16.
Questions were frequently raised about the presence of tigers in Buxa Tiger Reserve where a big cat was photographed for the first time since its inception.
NTCA had identified Buxa as one of the reserves having low density tiger population and constituted a special team last year for urgent appraisal of the reserve.
He said that reports regarding preliminary findings were submitted to the state government as well as the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
Encouraged by the reports, the State government has sanctioned Rs. 30 lakh to the Buxa Tiger Reserve for the development of grasslands in the reserve, he said.
Saini said scats were also sent to ‘Aranyak’, an NGO based in Assam, for analysis and their preliminary report. He also said that 35 of the samples belonged to tigers.
He said that GPS positioning was recorded during the scat collection and after receiving the detailed report camera traps would be set up in areas with high tiger density.
BTR authorities had earlier toyed with the idea of going in for captive breeding to maintain the tiger population.
Now they have decided to relocate nine villages from the core areas of the reserve. The villages to be relocated outside the core area are Jainti, Bhutiabasti, Gangutia, Raimatang, Butrhi, Adma, Pana, 27 mile and 28 mile, he said.
The relocation would start anytime after funds were received from the government for the purpose, he said adding residents of eight villages had already agreed to opt for a monetary package for relocation.
http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/article549620.ece
No signal from relocated Sariska tiger
JAIPUR: Having completed the first phase of relocation of tigers to Sariska, it is testing time for forest officials. For the past three days, they are not getting any signal from the radio collar of a male tiger.
‘‘Whenever a tiger comes to a new surrounding it strays to distant areas in order to survey the place. The tiger may have gone to a place (valley) within the territory from where we are not receiving any signal,’’ a forest officer said.
He said, ‘‘In valleys signal from the radio collar fails to reach the satellite and till the tiger remains in that location, it is difficult to trace it. Same is the case with this tiger which was relocated to Sariska from Ranthambore about two months back.
We have not received any signal for the last three days. But the moment it reaches a plateau it will be easily traced.’’
‘‘Whenever a tiger comes to a new surrounding it strays to distant areas in order to survey the place. The tiger may have gone to a place (valley) within the territory from where we are not receiving any signal,’’ a forest officer said.
He said, ‘‘In valleys signal from the radio collar fails to reach the satellite and till the tiger remains in that location, it is difficult to trace it. Same is the case with this tiger which was relocated to Sariska from Ranthambore about two months back.
We have not received any signal for the last three days. But the moment it reaches a plateau it will be easily traced.’’
Monday, August 2, 2010
Sansar Chand is India’s deadliest poacher. Here is how he has escaped legal traps for 40 years BY RAMAN KIRPAL
TWO HUNDRED and fifty tigers, 2,000 leopards, 5,000 otters, 20,000 wild cats, 20,000 wild foxes — and still counting. That’s the number of wild animals that law enforcers have been able to count as falling prey to the deadly trade plied by Sansar Chand, 55, dubbed the Veerappan of the North, in the four decades since he took to a life of crime. He himself says they are “uncountable” and betrays no remorse about this mayhem.
The incorrigible poacher and his partners in crime, at least five of them family members, have been apprehended in as many as 57 cases in a bid to link him to seizure of large caches of animal parts. But thanks to shoddy investigations, apathy of State authorities, possible bribery of witnesses and weak laws, Sansar Chand has so far been acquitted in 10 cases and convicted only in one. Seven cases are still pending (see box). Right now he is lodged in Jaipur central jail, but is looking forward to freedom after serving a five-year term.
The sustained cruelty to animals — caught in iron traps, clubbed to death and then skinned — has brought rich dividends. Over the years, Sansar Chand amassed 45 properties, some of them covering an entire lane in Delhi’s Sadar Bazar. A conservative estimate puts their cost at Rs 40 crore, but the present market value would be much more. He claims he has no bank account, but the rent from the shops and flats alone will keep him comfortable, should he walk free.
Sealing of these properties is not within the purview of the Indian Wildlife (Prevention) Act, 1972, under which the cases are being tried. He has also been dragged into the stranglehold of the more stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), 1999, but is trying to wriggle out on the technical ground that it can only be evoked for repeat offenders with more than two convictions.
Such convictions have mostly eluded the authorities. For instance, a case was registered against both the poacher and his mother Manuka Devi on 23 February 1990 after a raid at the ancestral home that yielded a tiger skin, 17 leopard skins, 74 other skins and 30 kg of tiger bones. He submitted a ration card as proof that he lived at another address. Further, only one witness out of seven present at the time of the raid testified that he saw Sansar Chand escaping from the terrace at the time of the seizure. Manuka Devi died during the trial and Chand was subsequently discharged on 3 March 2008.
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In another case typical of the slow judicial process, the police were told that a large consignment of six tiger skins, 26 tiger cub skins and 43 leopard skins was on its way to Sansar Chand in Delhi. Acting on a tipoff, the police caught Pema Thinley and his associate Mohammad Yakub on 30 August 1993 in possession of the skins but not, as they should have, in the act of handing them over to Sansar Chand. Over 17 long years that the case wound its way through the court, the latter’s statement was not even recorded. Finally, the court had no choice but to discharge him in March this year for lack of evidence.
A really strong case could be made out against Sansar Chand only on January 6, 2003, when he was caught redhanded in a train compartment with two leopard skins. The Bhilwara Police registered a case, and managed to get a conviction in 14 months — a major breakthrough as his guilt had never been established before. Even after conviction, he skipped bail and could be apprehended by Delhi Police only after a few months, on 30 June 2005.
In 2009, his lawyer Siddharth Luthra’s appeal against this conviction was heard by the Supreme Court. This could have been his ticket to freedom, because no one appeared in court from the Rajasthan government despite three notices. The apex court had no choice but to grant an ex parte stay (a ruling given when the other side is absent) and fixed 5 July this year for the next hearing. Fortunately, officials of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau and an NGO got a whiff of this. They approached Additional Advocate General of Rajasthan, Manish Singhvi, in Delhi’s Bikaner House. Singhvi agreed to appear on behalf of the Rajasthan government provided it directed him to do so in writing.
It was touch and go, for only on the morning of 5 July did Singhvi get the orders from the state government and make the crucial appearance in court that saved the day for the law enforcement agencies. For, if Sansar Chand is convicted in any other case while still in jail, the stringent MCOCA will ensure that the chances of his walking free are dim.
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IT IS this coordinated action by various stakeholders — police, lawyers and NGOs — that has been tightening the noose around Sansar Chand in the last three years. For in 2007, the police and law enforcement agencies, including the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, decided to hold a full-fledged co-odination meeting once a year to share notes. This helps them keep track of not only the 21 cases against Sansar Chand himself, but the 57 cases involving his wife, son, daughter, brothers and other relatives. These are spread over Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and even Karnataka. The last co-ordination meeting was held on 12 February.
Interestingly, the family is under the scanner due to suspicion that Sansar Chand runs the wildlife trade from jail. Former CBI ace investigator (and currently Commissioner of Police, Cuttack, Orissa) BK Sharma says: “We kept track of Sansar Chand when he was in Jaipur jail… His wife Rani, son Akash and even his daughter and brother Narain used to meet him regularly. We noted down the timings and number of meetings that had taken place in the Jaipur jail.”
Rani is actually his first wife, a Dehradun girl he married in 1978. Four years before that, when he was just 16 years of age, he had been initiated by his grandfather Pannalal into what was the family business. The wildlife department raided their home and recovered skin of a tiger, 567 lizards, 85 otters and a red panda. He was convicted but released under probation since he was a juvenile. It was a time when poachers were generally let off with small fines.
One more conviction and fine as a juvenile on 21 November 1974 forced him to take up menial work, as his father had died. He worked as a domestic help at Kishan Rajani’s house located near Regal building in Connaught Place. Rajani’s sister Dr Chandrakanta started treating him like a family member. But Rajani’s brothers were involved in the trade of snake and turtle skin and the boy who never went to school learnt new tricks for making a living. He had already learnt how to set iron traps for tigers and leopards from Bawaria hunters — one of 200-odd nomadic tribes in India — of Ludhiana and Samalkha areas who visited the family.
One of the four children Sansar Chand had with Rani, Akash, began to help him with a business that seemed to carry little risk. In 2003, he divorced Rani and married Nirmala George, with whom he had two children. But Sansar Chand continues to maintain a working relationship with Rani. In October 2004, when the Rajasthan Police arrested Rani and Akash, they also seized seven diaries and a mobile SIM card. These allegedly contain contact details of wildlife inspectors in Delhi, a senior local politician and the usual suspects: dealers and poachers. Records were found of sale of skins worth Rs 1.38 crore.
BEING CAUGHT repeatedly did not deter any of them. Two years later, when Sansar Chand’s wife and son were out on bail, they were engaged in the same business. At this point of time, they are absconding. But Sansar Chand’s brother Narain, who was allegedly keeping the trade alive since 2005, was caught as recently as 30 January 2009 negotiating for skins at Hubli, Karnataka. During interrogation, he also revealed that he had purchased tiger and leopard skins at Haldwani, Uttarakhand. The net is still spread far and wide, and the poaching trade is alive and kicking.
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But if legal cases fell through the cracks with alarming regularity in the past, measures are being put in place that might prevent this happening in future. In 2007, the environment ministry created the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau on the lines of the Narcotics Control Bureau, but it is not an enforcement agency like the latter. It can search, seize and summon people, but lacks a forensic lab or research wing. A member of its advisory group, Supreme Court lawyer Sanjay Upadhyay, who successfully prevented the granting of bail in a case of poaching registered in Haridwar has an explanation. “Wildlife inspectors and state police are not even capable of differentiating between cow and tiger bones,” he says. “They don’t even know that the moth is a Scheduled animal!”
A bit of scientific training would go a long way in implicating Sansar Chand, because in the three cases in which he was actually caught with animal parts, the police have not submitted a single forensic report establishing that the bones he possessed are of the tiger. If his lawyers take the line that the bones were those of cows, a conviction would be difficult.
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If there had been dedicated and sustained tracking over the years, several people could have been nailed to break the nexus that takes animal parts all the way to China, because plenty of names have been thrown up during investigations. Since the early 1980s, traders like Choudhary Masood and Ramzan, former nawab of Satna Anwar Hussain, Khalique Hussain, Riazul Hussain (Khalique’s brother) and Alimuddin of Jhansi have been active.
Rajani and his family may have left the country, but Delhi is still the hub of the pernicious trade, with the Majnu-ka- Tila locality as the pivot. Till 1996, when he was alive, the biggest source of animal skins was Lalji Bawaria based in Samalkha near Panipat. Sansar Chand has also named contacts with hunters and suppliers in forests of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh.
THE CBI has been told that Delhi is the collection point for skin and other animal products that cater to the huge demands of markets in Tibet and China. Most of these persons are Nepalese or Tibetans and they operate from Majnuka- Tila in north Delhi, also known as a place for Tibetan refugees in India.
Sansar Chand, in his CBI interrogation report, revealed that his buyers at Majnu ka Tila were Paima Limi, K Sonam, Kana alias Chiwing, Chittar, Tensing Lima, Ashraf, Ghulam Gani, Bashir Ahmed and Rishi. His supply used to come from poachers like Jassu, Chatru, Mahavir, Surajiya, Balbir and Raja. Prices were determined by size, length, colour and damage marks, if any, on the skins.
“Sansar Chand traded a tiger skin for no less than Rs 90,000. He used to sell leopard skin for Rs 17,000–18,000. In other skins such as of otter, wild cat and even deer, the profit margins varied from time to time. At present, a tiger skin and skeleton would go for Rs 3–3.5 lakh.
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The lucrative trade seems to have gained momentum as more and more acquittals took place due to lack of evidence. Take the case in which the wildlife department had seized a leopard skin from Sansar Chand’s home on 17 July 1995. An independent witness signed the seizure document. Charges were framed and the trial began. The prosecution witness gave oral and written statements against Sansar Chand in a Delhi court. Arguments from both sides were heard. 9 April 2010 was fixed as Judgment Day, but had to be deferred three times. Suddenly, on 26 June, Sansar Chand’s lawyers announced that the prosecution witness had turned hostile. The whole basis of the prosecution’s case was uprooted. Next date for hearing: 4 August.
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Meanwhile, efforts are on to crack the whole network, with the arrest of seven operators from Nagpur and Delhi. One Tashi Tenzing, who goes under the aliases Tashi Tshering, Babu, Prem Singh and Ram Singh, was arrested in November 2009. This contact at Majnuka- Tila seems to be the main accomplice — or maybe mastermind, for he claims that he is the one who made Sansar Chand such a big name.
But the international dimensions of the illegal business — till now a medieval trade carried on through ancient trade routes — is now changing. Instead of carrying contraband on public transport, smugglers book parcels to Guwahati on trains. From there, the animal parts would go on the Dimapur route to Imphal (Nagaland), through Moreh (Manipur) and then to China via Myanmar.
Slowly, things are changing, both in the trade and in the strategies of law enforcers. The flatfooted approach of forest officials and police detectives will be even more ineffective than it was in the past. There are other shadowy figures waiting to fill Sansar Chand’s shoes using modern weapons for trapping and killing and better communication systems for logistics. Hopefully, the next generation will not have to answer the question: Who is the king of the jungle: the tiger or the poacher?
http://www.tehelka.com/story_main46.asp?filename=Ne070810sansor.asp
High-tech tracking on for man-killing tiger
LUCKNOW: If not the first ever, it is at least a rare practice of high-tech tracking of a man-killing tiger that Pilibhit forest officials have taken up. The forest department is getting help from the wildlife organisations which are providing the department the needed expertise and the `cameras' which can incessantly click for 60-odd days.
The sub-adult tiger which made its first killing on May 3 and latest on July 27 has been lying inactive for past some days. Jamuna Prasad of Dilawarpur village in Ghundchai beat of Deoria range of Pilibhit forest division was killed by the man-eater on July 27.
On Saturday, forest department decided to change the position of eight web cameras which were installed at the killing sites on July 25. "We will now install cameras every 2 km," said divisional forest officer (DFO) Pilibhit VK Singh. The entire Deoria range of 712 sqkm will be divided into 25 grids, each of four sqkm area. A camera will be installed at every grid to locate the tiger.
It was on July 25 that the tiger was clicked by the cameras. It has remained elusive since then though it struck again two days after. The cameras click automatically moment the animal passes by. Every two days the camera trappings are downloaded. The trappings so far have given some clue on the tiger. "It is not at all injured but we cannot say what is making it to kill men," said DFO.
The tiger since May 3 has killed five men and preyed on them partially. It struck on June 7 and 23 and July 25 and 27. However, all the victims had gone to the forest as their bodies were recovered from about 5 km inside the forest area. This is, in fact, the reason why the forest officials are hesitant to brand the big cat a `man-eater'.
Though tiger is not compulsively seeking a human prey, vigil is on in the area to trap it before it makes another kill. The precautionary measures will be followed during the monsoon period. The villagers who enter the forest will be treated as tresspassers. On Saturday, two tresspassers were caught by the forest staff.
An awareness campaign too is underway in the area. Villagers are being informed about the tiger's presence and the precautions they should take.
The sub-adult tiger which made its first killing on May 3 and latest on July 27 has been lying inactive for past some days. Jamuna Prasad of Dilawarpur village in Ghundchai beat of Deoria range of Pilibhit forest division was killed by the man-eater on July 27.
On Saturday, forest department decided to change the position of eight web cameras which were installed at the killing sites on July 25. "We will now install cameras every 2 km," said divisional forest officer (DFO) Pilibhit VK Singh. The entire Deoria range of 712 sqkm will be divided into 25 grids, each of four sqkm area. A camera will be installed at every grid to locate the tiger.
It was on July 25 that the tiger was clicked by the cameras. It has remained elusive since then though it struck again two days after. The cameras click automatically moment the animal passes by. Every two days the camera trappings are downloaded. The trappings so far have given some clue on the tiger. "It is not at all injured but we cannot say what is making it to kill men," said DFO.
The tiger since May 3 has killed five men and preyed on them partially. It struck on June 7 and 23 and July 25 and 27. However, all the victims had gone to the forest as their bodies were recovered from about 5 km inside the forest area. This is, in fact, the reason why the forest officials are hesitant to brand the big cat a `man-eater'.
Though tiger is not compulsively seeking a human prey, vigil is on in the area to trap it before it makes another kill. The precautionary measures will be followed during the monsoon period. The villagers who enter the forest will be treated as tresspassers. On Saturday, two tresspassers were caught by the forest staff.
An awareness campaign too is underway in the area. Villagers are being informed about the tiger's presence and the precautions they should take.
What are anti-poaching squad, tiger cell doing?
NAGPUR: The poaching of a deer on Saturday and seizure of its meat has put a question mark over credibility of the anti-poaching squad and tiger cell, both of whom are responsible for wildlife protection.
In 1980 state had set up two anti-poaching units attached to the wildlife wing in Thane and Nagpur. However, looking into wildlife crime being found in places outside protected areas (PAs), these units were attached to the territorial circles from 2006.
It's high time the state reviewed the functioning of the squad, whose jurisdiction is spread over five circles; Amravati, Nagpur, Yavatmal, North Chandrapur and South Chandrapur. The three-member squad has to monitor 16,000 sq km area. The apathy of these officials has led to the squad becoming virtually defunct.
The squad's RFO is getting transferred, and he is burdened with additional work of looking after court cases. The squad has itself been poached, said sources.
The last action by the anti-poaching squad was in December 2009, when 1,200 dead munia birds were seized by it.
Talking to TOI, Nitin Desai, Central India director of Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), Nagpur, said that the city has fast become a thriving market for wild animal meat like venison (deer meat), which is cheaper than even regular mutton or goat meat. ``There is a need to strengthen the anti-poaching squad and maintain all-round vigil," he said.
Sources said that even in city markets like Mangalwari Bazaar, Lakadganj, Shanichara, Tulsibagh and other places, poachers are openly selling protected birds and animals.
However, the anti-poaching squad as well as the tiger cell have failed to check the menace. The latest case proves that the tiger cell has been confined to tea sessions only, with no ground action.
There have also been allegations that the anti-poaching squad fails to respond to quick calls. The squad officials have flimsy excuses when called. "We don't have vehicle" is the common excuse. If the vehicle is present, they will say there is no diesel. If both are there, they will say there is a staff shortage.
"When the officials can't nab poachers operating right under their noses, how could you expect them to protect wildlife outside?" asks conservationist Prafulla Bhamburkar
In 1980 state had set up two anti-poaching units attached to the wildlife wing in Thane and Nagpur. However, looking into wildlife crime being found in places outside protected areas (PAs), these units were attached to the territorial circles from 2006.
It's high time the state reviewed the functioning of the squad, whose jurisdiction is spread over five circles; Amravati, Nagpur, Yavatmal, North Chandrapur and South Chandrapur. The three-member squad has to monitor 16,000 sq km area. The apathy of these officials has led to the squad becoming virtually defunct.
The squad's RFO is getting transferred, and he is burdened with additional work of looking after court cases. The squad has itself been poached, said sources.
The last action by the anti-poaching squad was in December 2009, when 1,200 dead munia birds were seized by it.
Talking to TOI, Nitin Desai, Central India director of Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), Nagpur, said that the city has fast become a thriving market for wild animal meat like venison (deer meat), which is cheaper than even regular mutton or goat meat. ``There is a need to strengthen the anti-poaching squad and maintain all-round vigil," he said.
Sources said that even in city markets like Mangalwari Bazaar, Lakadganj, Shanichara, Tulsibagh and other places, poachers are openly selling protected birds and animals.
However, the anti-poaching squad as well as the tiger cell have failed to check the menace. The latest case proves that the tiger cell has been confined to tea sessions only, with no ground action.
There have also been allegations that the anti-poaching squad fails to respond to quick calls. The squad officials have flimsy excuses when called. "We don't have vehicle" is the common excuse. If the vehicle is present, they will say there is no diesel. If both are there, they will say there is a staff shortage.
"When the officials can't nab poachers operating right under their noses, how could you expect them to protect wildlife outside?" asks conservationist Prafulla Bhamburkar
The reluctant cat - Sariska's hope
Sariska wants more tourists, and has pinned its hopes and plans on Ranthambhore tigers. But will the cats play along?
A cracked road, winding through lush forest, bracketed by zealous home guards. This is the introduction to Sariska tiger reserve, one of the two spots in the Aravallis where tigers still roar.
Or are expected to. Last week, state highway Sariska-Tehla, the same road that bisects the tiger reserve, was pounded with traffic: Union environment and forests minister, Rajasthan’s forests minister, an army of vets, biologists, data loggers and students from the Wildlife Institute of India, forest guards, home guards, TV cameras and curious locals. As cars with VIP lights screeched at the potholes, a canter truck rolled in, with a 250-kg container secured to it with ropes. From the the 5-feet-11-inch-long container’s 25-millimetre-large holes, peeped out a tiger.
The truck, labelled ‘Udan Dasta’ (flying squad), was halted and the tyre changed, delaying the transfer of the 170-kg male tiger from Ranthambhore to Sariska. But the broken road lets in on Sariska’s new story.
‘Re-building the Future’ read boards at state-run hotels around the reserve. The ‘future’ comprises satellite-collared young tigers from Ranthambhore, being brought in to populate Sariska. The ‘future’ is also the future of tourism here: for Sariska is unique. The verdant undulating forests here are some of the oldest preserved versions of the Aravallis, which is said to have once held dinosaurs. At the heart of Sariska is Pandupole, a jungle temple whose crags the Pandavas marked forever. According to legend, Bhim had split the rocks here, in his legendary fight with Hanuman. Tourists flock to the reserve on Tuesdays and Fridays, for their fix of ‘jungle-safari’ and holy visit. Yet tourism dropped to an all-time low after 2004, after the tigers here were poached to extinction. Now, the state is desperate to build a new brand of tourism, on the basis of the new tigers.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/the-reluctant-cat/653894/2
Bangladesh witnesses record high deaths in tiger attacks
Dhaka: Bangladesh, which is a home of the Royal Bengal Tiger, recorded the maximum number of instances of tigers killing men last year, a phenomenon being attributed to increasing human intrusion in the Sundarbans resulting in a shrinking of habitat for the big cat.
"We are witnessing a growing trend of deaths caused by tigers. Fifty people died last year, the highest number of deaths we recorded in the past 100 years, while the figure was 24 in 2007," forest conservator Tapan Dey said.
"We are witnessing a growing trend of deaths caused by tigers. Fifty people died last year, the highest number of deaths we recorded in the past 100 years, while the figure was 24 in 2007," forest conservator Tapan Dey said.
He said the loss of big cat habitats and food sources in southwestern Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest which is home to the last 440 Bengal Tigers is a reason for this number.
Dey's comments came two days after Bangladesh joined the World Tiger Day celebrations promising effective steps to save the endangered big cats and planned an effective participation in the 13-nation Tiger Conservation Summit in St Petersburg in September.
"I will attribute the phenomenon (growing number of deaths) on human intrusion in Sundarbans... men are not good food for big cats but are easy prey, while the tigers are quickly losing their main food there because of poaching," chief executive of Bangladesh Wildlife Trust Professor Anwarul Islam said.
Islam, also a senior professor of zoology department of the premier Dhaka University, said nearly 450,000 families live around the Sundarbans, a stretch of 6,017 square kilometers of forest "and their interactions with tigers are growing day by day causing the higher death rates".
He said the Trust recently carried out a survey on 800 families living around the Sundarbans with nearly half of them admitting that they had tasted the deer meats at least once in the past one year that amounts to at least 150 deer.
"The survey reflects how the tigers are losing their main food source," he said.
The last pugmark survey by the forest department and UN Development Programme (UNDP) in 2004 estimated the number of tigers to be around 440, including 21 cubs, and in Indian side of the Sundarbans the tiger population was around 270.
"According to our estimates, the Sundarbans can now accommodate as high as 400 big cats because of their squeezed habitats and food sources both for ecological and man-made reasons," wildlife expert Professor Mostafa Foroz of suburban Jahangirnagar University said.
He said the Royal Bengal tigers were found across the country even five decades ago, but they were now confined alone to the Sunderbans.
Islam, however, said the Sundarbans, 50 per cent of Bangladesh's forest cover -- was still the habitat of highest number of tiger population in a single forest zone.
However, it was exposed to ecological danger because salinity intrusion and abnormally frequent natural disasters like cyclones or tidal surges thought to be caused by climate change.
"Tigers play a key role in maintaining biodiversity, food chain and ecology of forest... Sundarbans, one of world's most resourceful forests, would have been extinct without tigers," junior minister for environment Hassan Mahmud told a Tiger Day conference two days ago.
The tiger is treated as one of the most critically endangered animals fast disappearing from the world. Experts estimated the current population of all the six sub-species of the big cat to be about 3,200 down from around 100,000 in 1900.
Tropical Bangladesh, however, drafted a tougher anti-poaching law as part of a growing conservation campaign to protect its endangered wildlife -- including the Royal Bengal Tiger and its main prey, the deer population, for "repeated offenders".
The country's existing Wildlife Conservation Act of 1974 prescribed maximum two years of imprisonment for a poacher or smuggler alongside a penalty amounting to only Taka 2,000 taka (USD 30).
According to an International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) study more than 13 species have become extinct in Bangladesh over the past 40 years, and over 100 species are now considered endangered or critically endangered.
Dey's comments came two days after Bangladesh joined the World Tiger Day celebrations promising effective steps to save the endangered big cats and planned an effective participation in the 13-nation Tiger Conservation Summit in St Petersburg in September.
"I will attribute the phenomenon (growing number of deaths) on human intrusion in Sundarbans... men are not good food for big cats but are easy prey, while the tigers are quickly losing their main food there because of poaching," chief executive of Bangladesh Wildlife Trust Professor Anwarul Islam said.
Islam, also a senior professor of zoology department of the premier Dhaka University, said nearly 450,000 families live around the Sundarbans, a stretch of 6,017 square kilometers of forest "and their interactions with tigers are growing day by day causing the higher death rates".
He said the Trust recently carried out a survey on 800 families living around the Sundarbans with nearly half of them admitting that they had tasted the deer meats at least once in the past one year that amounts to at least 150 deer.
"The survey reflects how the tigers are losing their main food source," he said.
The last pugmark survey by the forest department and UN Development Programme (UNDP) in 2004 estimated the number of tigers to be around 440, including 21 cubs, and in Indian side of the Sundarbans the tiger population was around 270.
"According to our estimates, the Sundarbans can now accommodate as high as 400 big cats because of their squeezed habitats and food sources both for ecological and man-made reasons," wildlife expert Professor Mostafa Foroz of suburban Jahangirnagar University said.
He said the Royal Bengal tigers were found across the country even five decades ago, but they were now confined alone to the Sunderbans.
Islam, however, said the Sundarbans, 50 per cent of Bangladesh's forest cover -- was still the habitat of highest number of tiger population in a single forest zone.
However, it was exposed to ecological danger because salinity intrusion and abnormally frequent natural disasters like cyclones or tidal surges thought to be caused by climate change.
"Tigers play a key role in maintaining biodiversity, food chain and ecology of forest... Sundarbans, one of world's most resourceful forests, would have been extinct without tigers," junior minister for environment Hassan Mahmud told a Tiger Day conference two days ago.
The tiger is treated as one of the most critically endangered animals fast disappearing from the world. Experts estimated the current population of all the six sub-species of the big cat to be about 3,200 down from around 100,000 in 1900.
Tropical Bangladesh, however, drafted a tougher anti-poaching law as part of a growing conservation campaign to protect its endangered wildlife -- including the Royal Bengal Tiger and its main prey, the deer population, for "repeated offenders".
The country's existing Wildlife Conservation Act of 1974 prescribed maximum two years of imprisonment for a poacher or smuggler alongside a penalty amounting to only Taka 2,000 taka (USD 30).
According to an International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) study more than 13 species have become extinct in Bangladesh over the past 40 years, and over 100 species are now considered endangered or critically endangered.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Man-killing tiger in Pilibhit keeping forest dept on toes
LUCKNOW: Pilibhit forest division is in news again. Deoria range of the division is gripped with fear of a man-killing tiger. Though forest officials have not labelled it as a man-eater, yet. The stray big cat has killed and partially eaten five men, at different points of time, over a period of past three months.
The sub-adult tiger made its first killing on May 3. It struck again on June 7, killed and partially ate a 50-year-old man, Ved Prakash of Parewa Turraha village of Pilibhit. The body was lying about 1 km inside forest area. The right arm of the man was eaten by the big cat. On its third appearance on June 23, the tiger killed Bulaki Ram. On July 25, it killed Shyamlal and on July 27, it killed Jamuna Prasad.
Forest officials came into action after the fourth incident was reported on July 25. "We got eight web cameras installed in Deoria range," said V K Singh, DFO, Pilibhit. The camera was installed at 5.10pm and it was within 10 minutes that the first snap of the tiger was clicked by one of the cameras. "We got sure of tiger's presence in the area," said Singh.
The killing on July 25 took place in Deohana beat of the range and July 27 killing happened in Ghundchai beat of the range. There is an aerial distance of about 2 km between the two beats. However, when the tiger killed Jamuna Prasad on July 27, the incident was not clicked by the cameras. But cameras will continue to be in place.
Almost all the killings have taken place in the daytime because victims had gone to the forest area to either collect firewood or grass. Besides, monsoon is also the season for `katarua' mushroom in Pilibhit forests. Villagers collect the mushroom and sell them for Rs 70 to 80 per kg in markets. Bundles of grass, firewood and bags with mushrooms have been recovered from site of killings. Besides, the men have all been attacked while they were squatting on the ground and tiger mistook them to be quadrupeds.
As far as eating men is concerned, tiger has not eaten the men immediately after killing them. Though it has partially eaten all the bodies, it has eaten them a day after the killing. "When men had gone to search Jamuna Prasad in the morning, they had seen tiger eating the man's leg," said Singh. The approaching men, however, had scared the tiger away.
It is a case of man intruding into tiger's territory as all bodies were found lying deep inside the forest. Hence, it does not make any sense in branding the big cat a man-eater, said DFO. However, this has not lessened the seriousness of the incident for the forest department.
The forest department has created three teams headed by range officers to educate and inform villagers about the presence of tiger in the locality. Each team has 9 to 12 members. The teams will hold meetings with villagers and educate them about taking precautions. "We also have decided to get strict," said Singh.
The people who are found entering the prohibited area of forest will be detained for trespassing. Though, they will be allowed to go after initial warning. On second occasion, they will be charged a fine of Rs 250 and on third occasion, they will be arrested, produced in court and sent to jail for 14 days. This effort will continue for a month-long period.
Apart from this, informative posters have been put up at PHCs and primary schools. Deoria range spreads across 712 sq km and has 36 villages on its periphery. All the villages are under watch.
The sub-adult tiger made its first killing on May 3. It struck again on June 7, killed and partially ate a 50-year-old man, Ved Prakash of Parewa Turraha village of Pilibhit. The body was lying about 1 km inside forest area. The right arm of the man was eaten by the big cat. On its third appearance on June 23, the tiger killed Bulaki Ram. On July 25, it killed Shyamlal and on July 27, it killed Jamuna Prasad.
Forest officials came into action after the fourth incident was reported on July 25. "We got eight web cameras installed in Deoria range," said V K Singh, DFO, Pilibhit. The camera was installed at 5.10pm and it was within 10 minutes that the first snap of the tiger was clicked by one of the cameras. "We got sure of tiger's presence in the area," said Singh.
The killing on July 25 took place in Deohana beat of the range and July 27 killing happened in Ghundchai beat of the range. There is an aerial distance of about 2 km between the two beats. However, when the tiger killed Jamuna Prasad on July 27, the incident was not clicked by the cameras. But cameras will continue to be in place.
Almost all the killings have taken place in the daytime because victims had gone to the forest area to either collect firewood or grass. Besides, monsoon is also the season for `katarua' mushroom in Pilibhit forests. Villagers collect the mushroom and sell them for Rs 70 to 80 per kg in markets. Bundles of grass, firewood and bags with mushrooms have been recovered from site of killings. Besides, the men have all been attacked while they were squatting on the ground and tiger mistook them to be quadrupeds.
As far as eating men is concerned, tiger has not eaten the men immediately after killing them. Though it has partially eaten all the bodies, it has eaten them a day after the killing. "When men had gone to search Jamuna Prasad in the morning, they had seen tiger eating the man's leg," said Singh. The approaching men, however, had scared the tiger away.
It is a case of man intruding into tiger's territory as all bodies were found lying deep inside the forest. Hence, it does not make any sense in branding the big cat a man-eater, said DFO. However, this has not lessened the seriousness of the incident for the forest department.
The forest department has created three teams headed by range officers to educate and inform villagers about the presence of tiger in the locality. Each team has 9 to 12 members. The teams will hold meetings with villagers and educate them about taking precautions. "We also have decided to get strict," said Singh.
The people who are found entering the prohibited area of forest will be detained for trespassing. Though, they will be allowed to go after initial warning. On second occasion, they will be charged a fine of Rs 250 and on third occasion, they will be arrested, produced in court and sent to jail for 14 days. This effort will continue for a month-long period.
Apart from this, informative posters have been put up at PHCs and primary schools. Deoria range spreads across 712 sq km and has 36 villages on its periphery. All the villages are under watch.
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