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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kanha, Pench tiger reserve buffer zone notification issued

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

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

Missing tiger continues to elude officials for fourth day

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Campaign in Goa: Buy a cow, save the tiger

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

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

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

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

Kerkar's anxiety stems from extremely practical reasons.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Arunachal to constitute special tiger protection force

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mathura tiger eludes, may be close to Rajasthan border

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Karnataka gets special tiger protection force

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tiger found dead in MP's Kanha reserve

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

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

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

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

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

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

tTwo more tigresses to be translocated in Panna reserve

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

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

Encroachments and mining endangering wildlife: Bhardwaj

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

'Maneater' on loose gives Hardoi the jitters

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

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

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

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

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

Tiger cubs yet to be traced in Panna sanctuary

Madhya Pradesh's Panna sanctuary has in all likelihood lost its two poster cubs with authorities yet to trace them a month after they went missing.

The state wildlife officials, however, are yet to declare them officially dead.

Panna Field director S R Murthy said that they were keeping a regular tab on the movement of the tigress which is with her two remaining five-month-old cubs.

"We have kept our fingers crossed and it might be possible that the tigress has hidden them (missing cubs) in a safer place. But, to be on the realistic side, we are now "99 per cent certain" that only two live cubs are present with the tigress."

"In case they have died it is nothing strange. It is a a natural phenomenon. Usually, mortality rate is 50 per cent in the big cats in the wild. The cubs might have died and the park employees are looking for physical remains in the area, if any," Murthy said.

Just when the success story of the country's tiger translocation programme was being scripted soon after the litter of four cubs were born on 15/16 April from one of the reintroduced big cat in the sanctuary, the officials got a jolt when they could not spot three of the four-months old with their mother.

The tigress was spotted with a single cub on September 7 after a fight with the solitary male tiger at the park on August 29 and then again on September 5.

Initially, it was felt that the tigress might have hidden the cubs after the two fights with the male tiger.

However, while one cub was retrieved since then, the two others seem to have lost to either disease or the tiger itself might have killed the cubs to get near to the mother.

In all, the park has a tiger and two tigress.

The authorities soon plan to bring yet another male and two females to the Park which had lost all big cats to poachers just a few years ago.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Tiger-cubs-yet-to-be-traced-in-Panna-sanctuary/Article1-608529.aspx

Sleuths trap 4 poachers in Bandipur Tiger Reserve

Oct. 5: In a midnight raid, sleuths of Bandipur Tiger Reserve (BTR) caught four poachers including two habitual hunters from Tamil Nadu. The carcass of a black-naped hare and a few weapons used to hunt the animals were recovered from the gang who were active in the same area for the last few years. Incidentally, three weeks ago, the tiger reserve staff had unearthed over 40 snare traps laid to catch smaller mammals.

Hanumanthappa, deputy conservator of forests, BTR, said the accused Kamala Kannan from Salem, Krishnan from Ooty, Bomma and Manju, who live near Bandipur, were arrested in Boodhikatte forest area of Gopalaswamy Betta Range following a tip-off.

“The gang was caught when they drove inside the tiger reserve in a car (TN 34-K 8103). Two carcasses of black-naped hare, battery, knives and clubs were found with them,” the officer said.

Conservationists say this is a cause for concern as it reveals how poaching continues unabated in our forests. “Hare and many other small mammals act as suitable prey for tigers and other carnivores. Hunting them with traps is taking a toll on their numbers. This could in turn affect the tiger population in BTR,” said a worried conservationist.

Officials from BTR said since most of the snares were recovered from Gunre and Begur ranges night vigilance has been increased in these areas. “Patrolling using elephants has also been started in forest areas which are non-motorable due to the rain. We are also trying to cover the main roads as the absence of vehicle movement at night could help the poachers use the main road,” said an official from the reserve.

Meanwhile, the CID forest cell is planning to restart an inquiry into tiger deaths in the Bandipur forests over the last two years. There have been eight tiger deaths in the last three years, and the post-mortem reports on some of the animals contradicts the crime scene records, CID officer said.

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/bengaluru/sleuths-trap-4-poachers-bandipur-tiger-reserve-207

One more tiger dies in Bannerghatta park

Bangalore, Oct 5 (PTI) A four-year-old female tiger succumbed to bacterial infection in Bannerghatta National Park here today, taking the death toll of wildcats in the park to three since last month. Despite all efforts to save Minchu, whose condition turned very critical yesterday, the tigress succumbed to Salmonella bacterial infection this morning, Karnataka Forest Minister C H Vijayashankar said. The condition of the 14 other tigers, also affected by the infection, was "slowly improving", he said. A four-year-old tigress and a three-month old cub died in the park due to the infection last month. "I am distressed by the deaths of tigers... It is an embarrassment to the department and the government," he told reporters on the sidelines of 56th Wildlife Week Celebrations here. The Minister said he would discuss the situation with the forest officials and ask them to take steps to ensure that such incidents did not recur. Vijayashankar assured that action will be taken against those responsible for supplying stale chicken (which has high concentration of salmonella bacteria resulting in the bacterial infection), once he studies the report submitted by the Central Zoo Authority team which was in the city recently to assess the situation at the park. Reacting to the tiger deaths, state Governor H R Bhardwaj said he was "deeply distressed". When queried about stale chicken causing bacterial infection, he took an indirect swipe at the BJP Government's ban on cow slaughter and said "do not enact bad laws. Leave something for wildlife as they do not eat chicken". The Governor has been criticised by BJP for forwarding the Cow Slaughter Ban Bill to the President for assent.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Tiger-cubs-yet-to-be-traced-in-Panna-sanctuary/Article1-608529.aspx

Missing tiger moves to UP-Rajasthan border

LUCKNOW: The tiger, which had attacked four persons at Fatiha village in Mathura on Monday, has now moved to Berri village on the Uttar Pradesh-Rajasthan border. Though the animal was not seen on Tuesday, the Forest officials came to this conclusion after finding pugmarks in Berri, near Fatiha village. The search operation has now shifted to Berri, said R P Bharti, Chief Conservator of Forest of Agra zone. A team from Rajasthan’s Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, led by director R S Shekhawat, has arrived to help UP forest officials. A team from Bharatpur is already camping there. “There are around 150 forest officials involved in the operation. Now, we have 11 tranquiliser guns,” said Bharti. Officials believe the tiger had strayed out of Ranthambore — about 150 km from Mathura — and lost its way.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Briefly-State/693261/

Youth killed by tiger in near Dudhwa

A youth was mauled by a tiger in Katarniaghat wildlife sanctuary here, forest department officials said here today.

Jagmohan, resident of village Chahalwa, was attacked by the tiger when he went to the jungle to collect fodder, forest officer RK Singh said.

The youth was later rescued by the villagers and admitted to a hospital, where he died during treatment.

Since January 2010, five persons have been killed in such attacks.

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_youth-killed-by-tiger-in-uttar-pradesh_1447439

Maneater on the prowl, mauls 3 in Mathura Read more: Maneater on the prowl, mauls 3 in Mathura - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.co

NEW DELHI: Barely 150km from Delhi, near Mathura, a lone tiger mauled three people in the village of Satah on Monday morning. Not only did the incident terrify residents but also caught forest officials and other experts off guard as this was definitely not a known tiger territory.

The forest department, with help from Wildlife SOS Delhi, set up traps to catch the animal on Monday but were unsuccessful. "We are also expecting help from the Rajasthan wildlife department. While nothing is confirmed so far, the tiger probably strayed from the Bharatpur area since it is the closest known place that can support a tiger population," said Kartick Satyanarayan, director, Wildlife SOS.

According to sources, the animal was spotted around 6am on Monday, around 1km from the highway. "The Satah village area mostly consists of fields. The animal was probably seen when it was crossing from one field to another. Initially, it attacked the first person it saw in the field and then attacked others as they came to rescue the injured person. Three people have sustained serious injuries. However, it doesn't seem to be a maneater and probably attacked in defence since it has used only its paws and not its teeth," said Dr K L Meena, DFO, Mathura.

According to reports, the entire area has been fenced off but angry villagers broke through the barriers to attack the animal. Police had to be brought in to manage the situation. Meena added that traps had been laid to catch the big cat. "A goat has been used as a bait and our men are stationed on a neem tree near this cage. We are hoping to sedate the animal," he said.

While not too many details were available about the gender or age of the animal, experts said that this was definitely a transient tiger. "I don't have details with me but if this is a sub-adult or juvenile, it could have been displaced either in a turf war or was out to hunt and got marooned in the area. However, it is most probably from the Bharatpur area. We have had reports of tigers being sighted in Bharatpur but never this far," said Satyanarayan.

Meena agreed, adding that the animal could have also come from as far off as Madhya Pradesh
.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Maneater-on-the-prowl-mauls-3-in-Mathura/articleshow/6687122.cms

Expand Mudumalai buffer zone, Jairam tells TN

COIMBATORE: After his initiatives for declaring Sathyamangalam forests a tiger reserve, Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh has mooted another plan to protect the big cats and elephants of the region near the Mudumalai. The minister has asked the Tamil Nadu government to declareSegur Plateau in the Nilgiris as buffer zone of the Mudumalai National Park.

In a recent letter to chief minister M Karunanidhi, Ramesh requested the state government to favourably consider a proposal from his ministry to add the 321sqkm Segur Plateau as buffer zone of the Mudumalai National Park. Such a step would help strengthen the population status of the tiger, its co-predators and the prey in the landscape,' he said in the letter written during August last week.

Segur is an area rich in wildlife and is linked to the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve and adjoining forest cover. Central funds would be provided under the Project Tiger if the plateau is declared a buffer zone, the minister said in the letter. "Mudumalai is an important tiger source area with a potential to populating the northern and eastern parts of the Western Ghat landscape complex," he said.

According to Union environment ministry sources, the buffer zone status for Segur would not only help increase the number of tigers but also ensure protection for about 25% of the world's Asian elephants, which live in the region that comprises deep jungles of Bokkapuram, Singara and Masinagudi.

Moreover, Segur Plateau links Mudumalai National Park with Sathyamangalam forests, BR Hills Wildlife Sanctuary and Bandipur Tiger Reserve. The buffer zone status is also expected to enhance ongoing conservation efforts in the wildlife sanctuaries of Wayanad and Nagerhole as well.

However, the proposal has triggered apprehensions among the locals, who fear the forest department would impose curbs on their movements and routine activities. "Any move to protect tigers and elephants must be welcomed but such initiatives must address the survival of traditional forest dwellers like the adivasis and others who live close to the forests. Any project that treat local people as enemies of conservation would not succeed as it is unrealistic," said CR Bijoy, a civil rights activist who works among the Segur people.

MS Selvaraj, president of Nilgiri Vyvasaikal Thozhilalar Munnetra Sanghom, claims that the buffer zone project would adversely affect the survival of about two lakh people in Pandalur and Gudalur taluks. Under the project, there would be severe regulations even on digging wells, getting electric connection to houses and constructing even small country roads. "We are getting information that there would be restrictions even on painting houses the way the house owner wants," he alleged.


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Expand-Mudumalai-buffer-zone-Jairam-tells-TN/articleshow/6686504.cms

Entry fee structure in tiger reserves revised

By Our Staff Reporter
Bhopal, Oct 4:
The state government has now modified the entry fee structure for tiger reserves and protected areas. Forest Minister Sartaj Singh gave this information here today.
The Forest Minister said that the fee for Indian tourists for touring all tiger reserves by light vehicles (up to a sitting capacity of 8 persons) has been fixed at Rs one thousand and for foreign tourists at Rs two thousand. If Indian tourists are entering the tiger reserves by mini bus (9 to 32 sitting capacity) the fee would be Rs 1600 while for foreign tourists it has been fixed at Rs. 12 thousand. Likewise, at other protected areas, for the Indian tourists with light vehicles the fee is Rs 400 and for foreign tourists the fee is Rs 1500. If Indian tourists are going by mini bus they will have to pay a fee of Rs one thousand while the foreign tourists will have to pay a fee of Rs 10 thousand. If any vehicles carrying Indian and Foreign tourists, the fee would be applicable for that of foreign tourists.
Forest Minister Sartaj Singh said that for visiting to special places in the forests the charges have also been revised. For Indian tourists going to Pachmarhi View Point by two wheeler vehicle, the fee is Rs 100 and for foreign tourists the fee is Rs six thousand. In light vehicles for Indian tourists (up to 5) the fee is Rs 250 and vehicles carrying up to 10 persons the fee has been fixed at Rs. 300 and for foreign tourists the fee is Rs 1500. If going by mini bus the Indian tourists will have to pay a fee of Rs one thousand and the foreign tourists Rs 10 thousand. The Indian tourists will have to pay Rs 50 when going to Van Vihar by two wheeler vehicles. At the same time the foreign tourists will have to pay Rs 200. In light vehicles (up to 5) the Indian tourists will pay Rs 150 and in a vehicle carrying 6 to 8 tourists the fee is Rs 200. If foreign tourists upto 5 persons Rs 600 and if the number of foreign tourists is 6 to 8, the fee is Rs 800. If Indian tourists are going by mini bus they will have to pay Rs 600 and the foreign tourists will have to pay Rs 2500. At special places in the forests like Pandav Fall, Sneh Fall and other marked places, the Indian tourists going by two wheeler vehicles will have to pay Rs 40 and foreign tourists Rs 200. For going to such places by light vehicles the Indian tourists will have to pay Rs 200 while the foreign tourists will pay Rs one thousand. Likewise, if going by mini bus the Indian tourists will pay Rs 400 and the foreign tourists Rs 2000.
For visiting special places in Van Vihar National Park by foot / cycle, the Indian tourists will pay Rs 50 per person and the foreign tourists Rs 500 per person. For other places the Indian tourists will have to pay a fee of Rs 100 and the foreign tourists Rs one thousand per person.
For camping at marked places in all National Parks and Abhayaranyas, the Indian tourists will have to pay Rs 300 and the foreign tourists Rs three thousand per night. At this rate cycling and trekking is also possible at specified places.
For watching tigers/ wildlife from Hide/Watch Tower the Indian tourists will pay Rs 150 per person at Tier Reserve and foreign tourists Rs 1500 per person. For watching wildlife from other places the fee for Indian tourists is Rs 75 and for foreign tourists is Rs 750.
The forest minister has made it clear that entry fee of auto rickshaw will be double that of the two wheeler vehicle. In a mini bus for additional Indian tourist (in excess of 32) Rs 50 will have to pay per person. At the same time the fee for foreign tourists is Rs 500.
For visiting Bhimbetka the Indian tourist will have to pay Rs 10 and the foreign tourist Rs 100. If Indian tourists are going by light vehicles, Rs 50 per person will have to be paid and at the same time the foreign tourists will pay Rs 200 per person. If going by mini bus the fee for Indian tourist is Rs 100 and foreign tourist is Rs 400.
Regular pass will be issued for those who wish to go for morning walk/cycling in Van Vihar National Park. The monthly charge is Rs 100 per person. If the pass is made for a year the charge will be Rs one thousand and the charge for lifetime membership is Rs 15 thousand.
For watching the wildlife by traveling on elephant, an Indian tourist will have to pay Rs 200 and the foreign tourist Rs 600. For elephant safari the fee for Indian tourist is Rs 500 and the fee for foreign tourist is Rs 1500. Four persons will be allowed to sit on an elephant. Children up to the age of 5 will be allowed along with adults free. Elephant Safari will be for a maximum time of one hour.

http://www.centralchronicle.com/viewnews.asp?articleID=48878