DEHRADUN: Panic gripped Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR) on Saturday as forest guards recovered carcasses of a tusker and a tiger from different locations of the CTR area .
Wildlife warden Umesh Tiwari said the six-year-old tiger was apparently killed during a fight over mating with another tiger in the Kalagarh forest division . Sources, however, said poachers could have been involved in the killing. A gang of poachers has been active in the CTR and adjoining areas for some weeks, sources said.
Tiwari said the exact cause of death will be known after a postmortem, which will be conducted by veterinary surgeon, R K Singh.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
'Dire need to save Goa's tiger woods' Rajendra P Kerkar, TNN
KERI: Once considered an essential part of the food chain, as it kept herbivores out of locals' fields and plantations, the tiger, since the last decade, is not faring too well in Goa, say wildlife enthusiasts.
"Deforestation and even poaching are on the rise. The forest department too is not sincere or serious about protecting the tiger's habitat," says wildlife activist Ramesh Zarmekar. Hailing from Surla in Sattari taluka, his village lies at the highest point of Goa, in the lap of the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary.
In 1993, the forest department's wildlife census recorded the presence of three tigers in Goa. This grew to five in 1997. By 2002, there were four big cats in the wildlife division and one in the north division. The census report for 2010 is yet to be declared.
KERI: Once considered an essential part of the food chain, as it kept herbivores out of locals' fields and plantations, the tiger, since the last decade, is not faring too well in Goa, say wildlife enthusiasts.
"Deforestation and even poaching are on the rise. The forest department too is not sincere or serious about protecting the tiger's habitat," says wildlife activist Ramesh Zarmekar. Hailing from Surla in Sattari taluka, his village lies at the highest point of Goa, in the lap of the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary.
In 1993, the forest department's wildlife census recorded the presence of three tigers in Goa. This grew to five in 1997. By 2002, there were four big cats in the wildlife division and one in the north division. The census report for 2010 is yet to be declared.
Deputy conservator of forests Debendra Dalai says, "The wildlife census of 2005 recorded the presence of five tigers in Goa's forests."
A forest official from Sattari, on condition of anonymity, adds, "The presence of three tigers has been confirmed in the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary."
Vagheri,the third highest mountain peak in Goa at 3,500 ft was once known as the best habitat for the tiger. Etymologically, Vagheri means 'abode of the tiger'.
"However, deforestation and poaching have today threatened this tiger habitat," says wildlife enthusiast Pankaj Laad. He has been working in this area for the last decade. "The plantation of exotic species a quarter of a century ago by the social forestry division and cashew plantations belonging to the locals of Zarme and Thane villages have also proved to be dangerous for the tiger," he adds.
Tulsidas Velip of Velipwada-Cavrem in Quepem taluka had informed the forest department through a memorandum in 2009 that the forests of deva panndongar and zori dongar have tigers and he had personally seen a tiger attack a grazing cow, while a bison had also been killed by a tiger in the area.
"Increasing mining activities in Cavrem and Maina villages should be curtailed immediately and the tiger habitat in the area should be protected," says Velip.
Between Verle and Salgini villages inside the Netravali wildlife sanctuary lies a hill named vagh dongar, literally tiger hill.
Netorlim-Sanguem resident Puti Gaonkar, 57, says, "Villagers of Verle and Salgini have seen tigers at vagh dongar and have even lost their grazing cattle to the big cat." Salgini panch Narayan Gaonkar adds, "Our villagers have seen tigers on many occasions. We respect the presence of the big cat in the jungle and try to protect it."
Range forest officer at the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary Vishwas Chodankar says, "We are aware about tiger movement in this area and have already planned a strategy to protect it and its habitat."
Deputy conservator of forests, South Goa division, M K Shambu says, "Our staff and officials are vigilant and are coordinating efforts to protect tigers in the wild"
Places like Vagh-Colamb in Mandrem, Vaghure in Pissurlem of Sattari taluka, Vaghurme in Savoi Verem of Ponda are etymologically linked to the tiger.
Similarly, Dongurli, Shirsode and Ugem in Sanguem taluka; Gaondongari in Canacona; Mauxii in Sattari; and Auchitwada in Bicholim have shrines dedicated to the tiger god.
Bittu Sahgal of Save Tiger campaign says, "There is need to constitute a tiger team which should include forest officers, community leaders and non-government organizations, which will work together to save the tiger from extinction."
Renowned conservationist Valmiki Thapar says, "The Bhagwan Mahaveer wildlife sanctuary and Molem national park cover a total area of 240 sq km of moist deciduous, semi-evergreen and evergreen forests, and boast of a rich diversity of fauna including the tiger."
"The Netravali sanctuary which has been notified will adjoin this area on one side covering an area of 200 sq km and the Mhadei sanctuary on the other, covering an equal area. If this happens, Goa will be one of the few states in India to cover its entire stretch of forests in the Western Ghats as a protected area," he adds.
Also connected through a forest patch is the tiny Bondla wildlife sanctuary. At the far end of Goa's forests, Cotigao sanctuary hugs the border with Karnataka and even a part of Dandeli sanctuary of Karnataka touches Goa. "This provides a vital corridor for tigers-from Maharashtra to Goa to Karnataka. But for how long?" asks Thappar.
In Mhadei wildlife sanctuary near the Anjunem dam's reservoir, assistant conservator of forests Subhash Henriques recently noticed pugmarks of a tigress and a cub. Speaking to reporters after the incident, he said efforts would be made to protect the tiger habitat.
However, no step has been taken by the forest department in this direction yet.
"There is no doubt that Goa is the land of the tiger. But mining activities have threatened the habitat of the tiger. We have recently submitted a proposal to the western ghats panel headed by noted Indian ecologist Madhav Gadgil to consider areas of Mhadei sanctuary as Mhadei tiger reserve," says NGO Goa Foundation's Claude Alvares.
He adds, "The wildlife sanctuaries of Sattari and Sanguem are the only corridors for tigers to move from Karnataka into the reserve forests of Dodamarg in Maharashtra."
Pune-based tiger conservationist Anant Zanjale, on a recent visit to Charavane in Sattari where a tiger killed two buffaloes, said, "An adult tiger requires about 80 deers in a year as food. In comparison to the tough to catch deer, a solitary buffalo is an easy target. The Mhadei sanctuary is the apt habitat for tigers and needs to be protected on a priority."
"Deforestation and even poaching are on the rise. The forest department too is not sincere or serious about protecting the tiger's habitat," says wildlife activist Ramesh Zarmekar. Hailing from Surla in Sattari taluka, his village lies at the highest point of Goa, in the lap of the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary.
In 1993, the forest department's wildlife census recorded the presence of three tigers in Goa. This grew to five in 1997. By 2002, there were four big cats in the wildlife division and one in the north division. The census report for 2010 is yet to be declared.
KERI: Once considered an essential part of the food chain, as it kept herbivores out of locals' fields and plantations, the tiger, since the last decade, is not faring too well in Goa, say wildlife enthusiasts.
"Deforestation and even poaching are on the rise. The forest department too is not sincere or serious about protecting the tiger's habitat," says wildlife activist Ramesh Zarmekar. Hailing from Surla in Sattari taluka, his village lies at the highest point of Goa, in the lap of the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary.
In 1993, the forest department's wildlife census recorded the presence of three tigers in Goa. This grew to five in 1997. By 2002, there were four big cats in the wildlife division and one in the north division. The census report for 2010 is yet to be declared.
Deputy conservator of forests Debendra Dalai says, "The wildlife census of 2005 recorded the presence of five tigers in Goa's forests."
A forest official from Sattari, on condition of anonymity, adds, "The presence of three tigers has been confirmed in the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary."
Vagheri,the third highest mountain peak in Goa at 3,500 ft was once known as the best habitat for the tiger. Etymologically, Vagheri means 'abode of the tiger'.
"However, deforestation and poaching have today threatened this tiger habitat," says wildlife enthusiast Pankaj Laad. He has been working in this area for the last decade. "The plantation of exotic species a quarter of a century ago by the social forestry division and cashew plantations belonging to the locals of Zarme and Thane villages have also proved to be dangerous for the tiger," he adds.
Tulsidas Velip of Velipwada-Cavrem in Quepem taluka had informed the forest department through a memorandum in 2009 that the forests of deva panndongar and zori dongar have tigers and he had personally seen a tiger attack a grazing cow, while a bison had also been killed by a tiger in the area.
"Increasing mining activities in Cavrem and Maina villages should be curtailed immediately and the tiger habitat in the area should be protected," says Velip.
Between Verle and Salgini villages inside the Netravali wildlife sanctuary lies a hill named vagh dongar, literally tiger hill.
Netorlim-Sanguem resident Puti Gaonkar, 57, says, "Villagers of Verle and Salgini have seen tigers at vagh dongar and have even lost their grazing cattle to the big cat." Salgini panch Narayan Gaonkar adds, "Our villagers have seen tigers on many occasions. We respect the presence of the big cat in the jungle and try to protect it."
Range forest officer at the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary Vishwas Chodankar says, "We are aware about tiger movement in this area and have already planned a strategy to protect it and its habitat."
Deputy conservator of forests, South Goa division, M K Shambu says, "Our staff and officials are vigilant and are coordinating efforts to protect tigers in the wild"
Places like Vagh-Colamb in Mandrem, Vaghure in Pissurlem of Sattari taluka, Vaghurme in Savoi Verem of Ponda are etymologically linked to the tiger.
Similarly, Dongurli, Shirsode and Ugem in Sanguem taluka; Gaondongari in Canacona; Mauxii in Sattari; and Auchitwada in Bicholim have shrines dedicated to the tiger god.
Bittu Sahgal of Save Tiger campaign says, "There is need to constitute a tiger team which should include forest officers, community leaders and non-government organizations, which will work together to save the tiger from extinction."
Renowned conservationist Valmiki Thapar says, "The Bhagwan Mahaveer wildlife sanctuary and Molem national park cover a total area of 240 sq km of moist deciduous, semi-evergreen and evergreen forests, and boast of a rich diversity of fauna including the tiger."
"The Netravali sanctuary which has been notified will adjoin this area on one side covering an area of 200 sq km and the Mhadei sanctuary on the other, covering an equal area. If this happens, Goa will be one of the few states in India to cover its entire stretch of forests in the Western Ghats as a protected area," he adds.
Also connected through a forest patch is the tiny Bondla wildlife sanctuary. At the far end of Goa's forests, Cotigao sanctuary hugs the border with Karnataka and even a part of Dandeli sanctuary of Karnataka touches Goa. "This provides a vital corridor for tigers-from Maharashtra to Goa to Karnataka. But for how long?" asks Thappar.
In Mhadei wildlife sanctuary near the Anjunem dam's reservoir, assistant conservator of forests Subhash Henriques recently noticed pugmarks of a tigress and a cub. Speaking to reporters after the incident, he said efforts would be made to protect the tiger habitat.
However, no step has been taken by the forest department in this direction yet.
"There is no doubt that Goa is the land of the tiger. But mining activities have threatened the habitat of the tiger. We have recently submitted a proposal to the western ghats panel headed by noted Indian ecologist Madhav Gadgil to consider areas of Mhadei sanctuary as Mhadei tiger reserve," says NGO Goa Foundation's Claude Alvares.
He adds, "The wildlife sanctuaries of Sattari and Sanguem are the only corridors for tigers to move from Karnataka into the reserve forests of Dodamarg in Maharashtra."
Pune-based tiger conservationist Anant Zanjale, on a recent visit to Charavane in Sattari where a tiger killed two buffaloes, said, "An adult tiger requires about 80 deers in a year as food. In comparison to the tough to catch deer, a solitary buffalo is an easy target. The Mhadei sanctuary is the apt habitat for tigers and needs to be protected on a priority."
Indo-Bangla forum to save Sunderbans TNN
KOLKATA: With 40% of the Sundarbans in India and the remaining area of the sprawling mangrove forest in Bangladesh, it requires joint initiatives, overlooking border and political issues, to conserve this very unique ecology of the world. Keeping this in mind, Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh is likely to visit the neighbouring country to formally launch the Indo-Bangla Sundarbans Ecological Forum that will take up joint management programmes for better preservation.
"The forum will look into a lot of issues like census, research and guarding. For instance, on either side of Sundarbans, there is an element of doubt in ascertaining tiger population. The excuse is that big cats often cross borders. The only way to ascertain their population is to carry out tiger census programmes simultaneously across the Sundarbans in India and Bangladesh," said a state forest department officer.
In Kolkata last year, Ramesh and his Bangladesh counterpart, Dr Hasan Mahmud, had pledged to put up a joint effort to protect and preserve the Sunderbans. "Such steps will help deal with issues such as mangrove management, tiger conservation and livelihood protection," said an official of the Union forest ministry.
"When Ramesh had gone to the Sunderbans, the first thing that struck him was that one country alone could do nothing as the forest covered both countries. So, there has to be a joint initiative... However, a new vista will open up if we exchange our experiences and learn from each other before taking up joint projects like tiger census, which will never be complete without taking Bangladesh into account," said a senior ministry official.
Describing the Sunderbans as unique, Mahmud told TOI on the phone, "The mangrove forest has saved the huge hinterland from calamities such as Aila and Sidr in both countries. But over the past few decades, there have been a lot of human interference in the Surderbans on either side of the border. We must protect it together otherwise our children will never forgive us."
Mahmud also appealed to the people of India to vote for the Sunderbans and make it one of the seven ecological wonders of the world. "If India pitches in, the Sunderbans has no reason to worry about its place among the seven wonders. Only the Amazon rainforest can match its stature," he added.
Ramesh couldn't have agreed more when he said that in the global context of eco-sensitivity, the Sunderbans would always top the agenda.
"The forum will look into a lot of issues like census, research and guarding. For instance, on either side of Sundarbans, there is an element of doubt in ascertaining tiger population. The excuse is that big cats often cross borders. The only way to ascertain their population is to carry out tiger census programmes simultaneously across the Sundarbans in India and Bangladesh," said a state forest department officer.
In Kolkata last year, Ramesh and his Bangladesh counterpart, Dr Hasan Mahmud, had pledged to put up a joint effort to protect and preserve the Sunderbans. "Such steps will help deal with issues such as mangrove management, tiger conservation and livelihood protection," said an official of the Union forest ministry.
"When Ramesh had gone to the Sunderbans, the first thing that struck him was that one country alone could do nothing as the forest covered both countries. So, there has to be a joint initiative... However, a new vista will open up if we exchange our experiences and learn from each other before taking up joint projects like tiger census, which will never be complete without taking Bangladesh into account," said a senior ministry official.
Describing the Sunderbans as unique, Mahmud told TOI on the phone, "The mangrove forest has saved the huge hinterland from calamities such as Aila and Sidr in both countries. But over the past few decades, there have been a lot of human interference in the Surderbans on either side of the border. We must protect it together otherwise our children will never forgive us."
Mahmud also appealed to the people of India to vote for the Sunderbans and make it one of the seven ecological wonders of the world. "If India pitches in, the Sunderbans has no reason to worry about its place among the seven wonders. Only the Amazon rainforest can match its stature," he added.
Ramesh couldn't have agreed more when he said that in the global context of eco-sensitivity, the Sunderbans would always top the agenda.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Melghat, not Tadoba, is the best tiger reserve Vijay Pinjarkar /, TNN
NAGPUR: If you thought Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) is among the best tiger reserves in the state then your are wrong. In the latest evaluation by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) of 39 reserves Melghat has topped in the state.
The 2,000 sq km Melghat Tiger Reserve (MTR) in Amravati district has scored 230 marks out of 300. It comes to over 76%, which is a 'very good' ranking as per the NTCA norms. The 625 sq km TATR and 257 sq km Pench (Maharashtra) scored 190 marks (63%) to be ranked 13th and 14{+t}{+h}, respectively.
During the last evaluation done in 2006, Melghat was rated as poor and, TATR and Pench satisfactory. However, now, Melghat has retained its 8th position in India and surprisingly has left high-profile tiger reserves like Ranthambore in Rajasthan and Corbett in Uttranchal behind.
The presentations of the reserves was done at the India International Centre, Delhi, on Thursday. Interestingly, all the five parks in Madhya Pradesh are among the top five. Pench (MP) has overtaken Kanha and is ranked the best in the country.
The WII-NTCA team led by wildlife expert PC Kotwal and three others had evaluated TATR and Pench in November and MTR in December. What is more interesting is that the same team had evaluated Ranthambore and Corbett but Melghat came out better in their eyes.
"It's the result of strong wildlife and forest management and protection strategy by the field staff and officers," said AK Mishra, field director of MTR.
There were 30 parameters of evaluation with each bearing 10 marks. The parameters were set by the Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a global NGO.
Sources said Melghat, Pench and TATR could have done better but all the factors for which marks were cut relate to the state government's failure in filling up posts, allocating budget and not posting wildlife trained staff besides slow relocation of villages inside the tiger reserves.
"Tiger reserves in MP could top the chart as the government itself supports all the initiatives taken by the officials," state foresters said.
The MTR has 26 villages inside its territory, TATR five and Pench 1. All these reserves scored 2 out of 10 on this count. In MTR there are over 50 tigers, TATR 43 and Pench 12.
A Ashraf, field director of Pench, was not available for comments. VK Sinha, field director of TATR, said, "It is a preliminary assessment. We expect our marks to go up and it will be too premature to comment."
The 2,000 sq km Melghat Tiger Reserve (MTR) in Amravati district has scored 230 marks out of 300. It comes to over 76%, which is a 'very good' ranking as per the NTCA norms. The 625 sq km TATR and 257 sq km Pench (Maharashtra) scored 190 marks (63%) to be ranked 13th and 14{+t}{+h}, respectively.
During the last evaluation done in 2006, Melghat was rated as poor and, TATR and Pench satisfactory. However, now, Melghat has retained its 8th position in India and surprisingly has left high-profile tiger reserves like Ranthambore in Rajasthan and Corbett in Uttranchal behind.
The presentations of the reserves was done at the India International Centre, Delhi, on Thursday. Interestingly, all the five parks in Madhya Pradesh are among the top five. Pench (MP) has overtaken Kanha and is ranked the best in the country.
The WII-NTCA team led by wildlife expert PC Kotwal and three others had evaluated TATR and Pench in November and MTR in December. What is more interesting is that the same team had evaluated Ranthambore and Corbett but Melghat came out better in their eyes.
"It's the result of strong wildlife and forest management and protection strategy by the field staff and officers," said AK Mishra, field director of MTR.
There were 30 parameters of evaluation with each bearing 10 marks. The parameters were set by the Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a global NGO.
Sources said Melghat, Pench and TATR could have done better but all the factors for which marks were cut relate to the state government's failure in filling up posts, allocating budget and not posting wildlife trained staff besides slow relocation of villages inside the tiger reserves.
"Tiger reserves in MP could top the chart as the government itself supports all the initiatives taken by the officials," state foresters said.
The MTR has 26 villages inside its territory, TATR five and Pench 1. All these reserves scored 2 out of 10 on this count. In MTR there are over 50 tigers, TATR 43 and Pench 12.
A Ashraf, field director of Pench, was not available for comments. VK Sinha, field director of TATR, said, "It is a preliminary assessment. We expect our marks to go up and it will be too premature to comment."
Katlabodi explored Vijay Pinjarkar /, TNN
NAGPUR: The one most delighted with the rescue and release of the Katlabodi tigress is hunter-turned tiger conservationist Chandrakant Deshmukh, an ex-malgujar (landlord) of Bandhara and Ghorpad in Kalmeshwar tehsil.
Bandhara, 40km from Nagpur, is a place surrounded by thick forests. The tigress fell into a 35-feet-deep dry well on February 7 and was released after eight days in its natural habitat but at location being kept secret by the forest officials.
NAGPUR: The one most delighted with the rescue and release of the Katlabodi tigress is hunter-turned tiger conservationist Chandrakant Deshmukh, an ex-malgujar (landlord) of Bandhara and Ghorpad in Kalmeshwar tehsil.
Bandhara, 40km from Nagpur, is a place surrounded by thick forests. The tigress fell into a 35-feet-deep dry well on February 7 and was released after eight days in its natural habitat but at location being kept secret by the forest officials.
The tragedy left wild lovers flaggerbasted but Deshmukh knew that it was an accident waiting to happen ever since he heard about the presence of wildcats in the Katlabodi region. He had even warned the forest officials. Seven days before the incident, Deshmukh saw the animal near Murli village.
As a child, the 62-year-old Deshmukh has seen a number of tigers in Bandhara-Katlabodi. The last he saw in the area was in 1978. He is now delighted that they have returned to an old habitat. Villagers told TOI that currently there are four wildcats in the area. Apart from the tigress and its mate, there are two sub-adult cubs (more than two years) too.
"Now, I am going around and appealing to villagers to protect the tigers," says Deshmukh. Since he is a respected man, Deshmukh is more heard than the forest officials.
Nothing could have been a better experience on Thursday to have a tiger and jungle trail with Deshmukh in the 150 sq km Bandhara-Katlabodi forest encompassing a dozen sensitive villages in Kondhali and Kalmeshwar forest ranges under the Nagpur Division.
A 50-km trail with Deshmukh around Gumthala, Lonara, Shirpur, Bhuyari, Ladai, Ghorpad, Murli and Satnavri forests - all within a shouting distance from the city - is so mystifying that there is no doubt why tigers couldn't claim the territory. The self-styled wildlife guru knows the area, which is a mix of narrow tarred and bullock-cart roads, like the back of his palm.
The trail started from Selu, but good quality forest can be seen on the outskirts of Lonara, where we also saw a gang of eight Pardhis on three bikes with weapons and bamboo cages returning after a hunt.
PD Dhangar, a villager who knew them, said the Pardhis from Gondkhairi village are regulars and foresters are aware of their illegal activities. "They don't target big carnivores now," he said.
Dhangar also showed a small hillock where he had sighted a male tiger when he was returning from his farm in the evening. This was on February 9, just two days after the tigress was rescued from the well.
The forest landscape amid green farms and surrounding villages is mesmerizing. It has all the ingredients of a tiger habitat like caves on hills, grass, water, prey base, including cattle for the tigers, to stay on. The area is so beautiful that forest and abandoned farms combine to make it look like a dense jungle.
Although there is huge biotic pressure on the forests for fuel wood, grazing and minor forest produce (MFP) extraction, the area here has an immense potential for tigers. "The need of the hour is to put some stringent wildlife management in place," says Deshmukh.
"Tigers had been coexisting in the area before they were hunted out in 1978. Bazargaon was a shooting block during the British era and had a record of 8-10 tigers. I don't see why tigers and humans can't coexist here again. It's possible if people are taken into confidence," says Deshmukh.
Villagers of Katlabodi and Ladai echoed the same feelings when they said that cattle kill and crop damage compensation are not settled early. "Half of the crop is consumed by wild animals. Officials take too long to pay damages. Yet, we have been good to the forest department by not harming wildlife and forests," says Ramdas Salam of Ladai village.
Although the forest has shrunk due to expansion of villages and growing population, at many places it remains intact. "There is some truth in what Salam says. Else, why would tigers return here," asked Deshmukh who feels that the tigers must have crossed over from Bor Sanctuary in Wardha district.
Going by the age of the cubs, Deshmukh says the family of four would have travelled together and must have even managed to cross the busy NH6 (Nagpur-Amravati road). "It's quite possible as there are thick forests on the opposite side of Katlabodi too," he said.
Another hidden quality Deshmukh mentioned about the Katlabodi forests was calcium. "The grass here is rich in calcium and, hence, sambars and chitals here are healthy and strong. If you see their horns, they are symmetrical," he said.
To prove his point, Deshmukh also showed a scenic spot called Pandhrapani near Ghorpad. "Do you know why this place is called so," he asked. He revealed when water flows into the nullah, it has a white layer (calcium) on it. The area once was a tiger hot spot.
Some patches in the forests are such that even rays of the sun fail to penetrate the canopy. At one of these spots, a big male deer was sighted and it stood there for a long time. Two more chitals in the forests indicated good prey base.
Learning fast from the Katlabodi tragedy, the foresters have swung into action. Forester GG Khode was seen marking his territory on a big tree in Satnavri forest. "We have launched a similar exercise in the range," he said. The presence of the tigers have also forced the staff to move into the forest for protection.
"We are trying to trace out pugmarks and any kill made by the released tigress," Khode said. Till Thursday afternoon, although the forest staff said there was no trace of the tigress, Kisna Bhalavi of Katlabodi quoted one Anil Kalokar saying he had sighted a tiger at 7.30am on the village outskirts.
Katlabodi sarpanch Prabhakar Sathe claimed it must be the same tigress that had been rescued from the well. "We learnt from the field staff that the tigress was released here," Sathe said.
Deshmukh appealed to the people to save tigers. "Poaching is not the issue here, but poisoning is," he fears. The forest officials will have to settle early claims. He also felt that the area should be declared as a community conservation reserve where wildlife protection will be the joint responsibility of the people and the department.
Bandhara, 40km from Nagpur, is a place surrounded by thick forests. The tigress fell into a 35-feet-deep dry well on February 7 and was released after eight days in its natural habitat but at location being kept secret by the forest officials.
NAGPUR: The one most delighted with the rescue and release of the Katlabodi tigress is hunter-turned tiger conservationist Chandrakant Deshmukh, an ex-malgujar (landlord) of Bandhara and Ghorpad in Kalmeshwar tehsil.
Bandhara, 40km from Nagpur, is a place surrounded by thick forests. The tigress fell into a 35-feet-deep dry well on February 7 and was released after eight days in its natural habitat but at location being kept secret by the forest officials.
The tragedy left wild lovers flaggerbasted but Deshmukh knew that it was an accident waiting to happen ever since he heard about the presence of wildcats in the Katlabodi region. He had even warned the forest officials. Seven days before the incident, Deshmukh saw the animal near Murli village.
As a child, the 62-year-old Deshmukh has seen a number of tigers in Bandhara-Katlabodi. The last he saw in the area was in 1978. He is now delighted that they have returned to an old habitat. Villagers told TOI that currently there are four wildcats in the area. Apart from the tigress and its mate, there are two sub-adult cubs (more than two years) too.
"Now, I am going around and appealing to villagers to protect the tigers," says Deshmukh. Since he is a respected man, Deshmukh is more heard than the forest officials.
Nothing could have been a better experience on Thursday to have a tiger and jungle trail with Deshmukh in the 150 sq km Bandhara-Katlabodi forest encompassing a dozen sensitive villages in Kondhali and Kalmeshwar forest ranges under the Nagpur Division.
A 50-km trail with Deshmukh around Gumthala, Lonara, Shirpur, Bhuyari, Ladai, Ghorpad, Murli and Satnavri forests - all within a shouting distance from the city - is so mystifying that there is no doubt why tigers couldn't claim the territory. The self-styled wildlife guru knows the area, which is a mix of narrow tarred and bullock-cart roads, like the back of his palm.
The trail started from Selu, but good quality forest can be seen on the outskirts of Lonara, where we also saw a gang of eight Pardhis on three bikes with weapons and bamboo cages returning after a hunt.
PD Dhangar, a villager who knew them, said the Pardhis from Gondkhairi village are regulars and foresters are aware of their illegal activities. "They don't target big carnivores now," he said.
Dhangar also showed a small hillock where he had sighted a male tiger when he was returning from his farm in the evening. This was on February 9, just two days after the tigress was rescued from the well.
The forest landscape amid green farms and surrounding villages is mesmerizing. It has all the ingredients of a tiger habitat like caves on hills, grass, water, prey base, including cattle for the tigers, to stay on. The area is so beautiful that forest and abandoned farms combine to make it look like a dense jungle.
Although there is huge biotic pressure on the forests for fuel wood, grazing and minor forest produce (MFP) extraction, the area here has an immense potential for tigers. "The need of the hour is to put some stringent wildlife management in place," says Deshmukh.
"Tigers had been coexisting in the area before they were hunted out in 1978. Bazargaon was a shooting block during the British era and had a record of 8-10 tigers. I don't see why tigers and humans can't coexist here again. It's possible if people are taken into confidence," says Deshmukh.
Villagers of Katlabodi and Ladai echoed the same feelings when they said that cattle kill and crop damage compensation are not settled early. "Half of the crop is consumed by wild animals. Officials take too long to pay damages. Yet, we have been good to the forest department by not harming wildlife and forests," says Ramdas Salam of Ladai village.
Although the forest has shrunk due to expansion of villages and growing population, at many places it remains intact. "There is some truth in what Salam says. Else, why would tigers return here," asked Deshmukh who feels that the tigers must have crossed over from Bor Sanctuary in Wardha district.
Going by the age of the cubs, Deshmukh says the family of four would have travelled together and must have even managed to cross the busy NH6 (Nagpur-Amravati road). "It's quite possible as there are thick forests on the opposite side of Katlabodi too," he said.
Another hidden quality Deshmukh mentioned about the Katlabodi forests was calcium. "The grass here is rich in calcium and, hence, sambars and chitals here are healthy and strong. If you see their horns, they are symmetrical," he said.
To prove his point, Deshmukh also showed a scenic spot called Pandhrapani near Ghorpad. "Do you know why this place is called so," he asked. He revealed when water flows into the nullah, it has a white layer (calcium) on it. The area once was a tiger hot spot.
Some patches in the forests are such that even rays of the sun fail to penetrate the canopy. At one of these spots, a big male deer was sighted and it stood there for a long time. Two more chitals in the forests indicated good prey base.
Learning fast from the Katlabodi tragedy, the foresters have swung into action. Forester GG Khode was seen marking his territory on a big tree in Satnavri forest. "We have launched a similar exercise in the range," he said. The presence of the tigers have also forced the staff to move into the forest for protection.
"We are trying to trace out pugmarks and any kill made by the released tigress," Khode said. Till Thursday afternoon, although the forest staff said there was no trace of the tigress, Kisna Bhalavi of Katlabodi quoted one Anil Kalokar saying he had sighted a tiger at 7.30am on the village outskirts.
Katlabodi sarpanch Prabhakar Sathe claimed it must be the same tigress that had been rescued from the well. "We learnt from the field staff that the tigress was released here," Sathe said.
Deshmukh appealed to the people to save tigers. "Poaching is not the issue here, but poisoning is," he fears. The forest officials will have to settle early claims. He also felt that the area should be declared as a community conservation reserve where wildlife protection will be the joint responsibility of the people and the department.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Relocation may go on hold as Budget bites the tiger
NEW DELHI: The new tiger census will be out soon. But bad news for the tigers has come with numbers of a different kind. With the UPA government deciding to keep a tight fiscal lid on the budget this year, funds for tiger conservation have been cut by 25%.
With resources from the Centre drying up, plans for relocation of villagers from tiger reserves could be put on hold. The National Tiger Conservation Authority had worked out a need for Rs 5,000 crore to relocate and resettle almost 50,000 families over a period. It had got the earmarked Rs 700 crore from the Planning Commission for the coming five years for the relocation and other works.
But this year, the fiscal constraints that other ministries are bound to face as well, has hit the tiger reserves as well. A mere Rs 150 crore has been allocated for the 39 tiger reserves for the next financial year, down from the Rs 196 crore it had been provided for this fiscal year.
Sources said environment minister Jairam Ramesh has been engaging with the Planning Commission and the finance ministry to see if he can up the budget but all hints are that the ministry itself will not see any substantial gains in its resources in the coming fiscal.
The NTCA had increased the budget for relocation and provided a package of Rs 10 lakh per displaced family as part of its renewed attempts to create inviolate tiger reserves as required under the Wildlife Conservation Act. The relocation plans would need to be shelved at least for the next year if the final outlay is not a tad bigger.
With resources from the Centre drying up, plans for relocation of villagers from tiger reserves could be put on hold. The National Tiger Conservation Authority had worked out a need for Rs 5,000 crore to relocate and resettle almost 50,000 families over a period. It had got the earmarked Rs 700 crore from the Planning Commission for the coming five years for the relocation and other works.
But this year, the fiscal constraints that other ministries are bound to face as well, has hit the tiger reserves as well. A mere Rs 150 crore has been allocated for the 39 tiger reserves for the next financial year, down from the Rs 196 crore it had been provided for this fiscal year.
Sources said environment minister Jairam Ramesh has been engaging with the Planning Commission and the finance ministry to see if he can up the budget but all hints are that the ministry itself will not see any substantial gains in its resources in the coming fiscal.
The NTCA had increased the budget for relocation and provided a package of Rs 10 lakh per displaced family as part of its renewed attempts to create inviolate tiger reserves as required under the Wildlife Conservation Act. The relocation plans would need to be shelved at least for the next year if the final outlay is not a tad bigger.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Six poachers arrested from Jim Corbett National Park in Rampur
: A joint operation by the Forest Rangers and the Uttarakhand Police resulted in the arrest of six poachers from the Jim Corbett National Park located in the Kumaon region of Nainital.
The poachers were arrested on Tuesday from their hideout inside the tiger sanctuary.
"Six of them came here with the intention of poaching. Our combined team of police and forest rangers raided their hideouts and arrested them. We have seized leopard skins, skull and gadgets of animal capturing trap from them," said R S Meena, Inspector General of Police, Kumaon Range.
"They have been arrested under the Wild Life Act and Forest Act and will be produced before the court. We would take information about their other partners and buyers," he added.
According to the Corbett National Park Rangers, the arrest of the six poachers is a big achievement in the path of keeping a check on the smugglers.
As Jim Corbett National Park is tiger conservation centre, it is always under the threat of the poachers who are always trying to catch hold of the striped feline beauty, which is also the majestic national animal.
The national park has a tiger population of around 160, which makes it as the last and the most important bastion of this endangered species in India.(ANI)
The poachers were arrested on Tuesday from their hideout inside the tiger sanctuary.
"Six of them came here with the intention of poaching. Our combined team of police and forest rangers raided their hideouts and arrested them. We have seized leopard skins, skull and gadgets of animal capturing trap from them," said R S Meena, Inspector General of Police, Kumaon Range.
"They have been arrested under the Wild Life Act and Forest Act and will be produced before the court. We would take information about their other partners and buyers," he added.
According to the Corbett National Park Rangers, the arrest of the six poachers is a big achievement in the path of keeping a check on the smugglers.
As Jim Corbett National Park is tiger conservation centre, it is always under the threat of the poachers who are always trying to catch hold of the striped feline beauty, which is also the majestic national animal.
The national park has a tiger population of around 160, which makes it as the last and the most important bastion of this endangered species in India.(ANI)
Project Tiger under threat in Kaziranga
After 1985 no fresh proposal for inclusion of land in the fringe areas of KNP has been taken and major portion of the six additions (measuring about 6.47 sq. km) to the park was handed over by the Revenue department only recently. The Kaziranga National Park is one of the best protected parks in the world and the people living in the vicinity and engaged in tourism sector need not worry about losing their land or job to the Project Tiger, he added. The Jeep Safari Association had also alleged that some wildlife NGOs were involved in creating problems for the local people by forcing the government to create a tiger reserve in the park to further their own interests. Aaranyak's secretary-general Bibhab Kumar Talukdar said his organization has always been supportive of eco-friendly tourism and believes that its benefits should reach most of the villages around the park and tourism activities promoted uniformly in all its five ranges including the north bank range. Talukdar said the visitors to the sprawling and resourceful national park should be encouraged to enjoy all corners of the park within the designated tourist areas. ''Flourishing tourism activities have provided livelihood opportunities to fringe villagers in Kaziranga Park and sustainable tourism shall inculcate deep-rooted commitment in the minds of tourists and general public towards conservation of flora and fauna in Kaziranga'', he said. The ongoing census of tigers using camera traps in Kaziranga National Park was initiated in 2009 by Aaranyak in collaboration with the authority in the park after it had been declared a Tiger Reserve in 2006. '' The objective of the research was to bring out information on number of tigers using modern scientific techniques and the initial findings has already put the Kaziranga in the global focus in respect of successful conservation of habitats that supports tigers along with one-horned rhinos and other species'', he said. During the ongoing census of tigers, the park authorities had given all possible logistic support to the team and there is no financial collaboration between the two institutions as alleged by some people, Talukdar asserted. KNP is the only park of its kind with a viable low land grassland ecosystem in south Asia and for its long-term sustainable development all stakeholders such as the government, non-governmental organizations, service providers, local people and the tourists should work together, Dutta felt.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Tiger attacks forest guard in Ranthambore TNN
JAIPUR: A forest guard at the Ranthambore National Park was admitted to a local hospital after a tiger pounced upon him on Tuesday. The guard is said to be out of danger.
According to a forest department official, "Around two days ago, a tiger had killed a buffalo owned by a local on the eastern fringes of the park near the Banas river. On Tuesday, cattle guard Roop Chand Meena visited the area to check the animal's carcass before processing claims for the compensation to be paid to the owner."
However, Meena ventured too close to the kill, unaware that the tiger was still present in the area. "The tiger attacked the villager out of fear. The guard sustained injuries on his leg, but is out of danger," said chief wildlife warden H M Bhatia.
"The guard has received at least 20 stitches on four or five different areas of his leg, but is out of danger. Camera traps have been put in the area to ascertain which tiger was involved in the attack though it is suspected that it could be the male tiger T-6," a source said.
The Ranthambore National Park has recently witnessed frequent attacks on human beings by the big cats. On February 6, one Ghanshyam Bairwa was attacked by a tiger while he was working in his field in the Mukundpura village. The tiger emerged from the nearby mustard crops, attacked Bairwa and fled. Bairwa fell unconscious and was taken to a hospital only after he raised an alarm when he regained consciousness.
The last big attack was on assistant conservator of forests Daulat Singh Shaktawat, who had to undergo a major surgery. Shaktawat is now back to work.
According to a forest department official, "Around two days ago, a tiger had killed a buffalo owned by a local on the eastern fringes of the park near the Banas river. On Tuesday, cattle guard Roop Chand Meena visited the area to check the animal's carcass before processing claims for the compensation to be paid to the owner."
However, Meena ventured too close to the kill, unaware that the tiger was still present in the area. "The tiger attacked the villager out of fear. The guard sustained injuries on his leg, but is out of danger," said chief wildlife warden H M Bhatia.
"The guard has received at least 20 stitches on four or five different areas of his leg, but is out of danger. Camera traps have been put in the area to ascertain which tiger was involved in the attack though it is suspected that it could be the male tiger T-6," a source said.
The Ranthambore National Park has recently witnessed frequent attacks on human beings by the big cats. On February 6, one Ghanshyam Bairwa was attacked by a tiger while he was working in his field in the Mukundpura village. The tiger emerged from the nearby mustard crops, attacked Bairwa and fled. Bairwa fell unconscious and was taken to a hospital only after he raised an alarm when he regained consciousness.
The last big attack was on assistant conservator of forests Daulat Singh Shaktawat, who had to undergo a major surgery. Shaktawat is now back to work.
Death of tiger: Forest dept officials deny foul play TNN
MYSORE: Forest department officials denied any foul play in the death of a tiger, the carcass of which was recovered from Sollepura forest range in Heggadadevanakote taluk on Monday.
An official press release said it could be a natural death. However, a doctors' team conducted the post-mortem. Senior forest officials PCCF (wildlife) B K Singh and CCF (wildlife) B J Hosmath visited the spot. The highly decomposed body of the tiger was found in the Sollepura forest range of Nagarhole National Park on Monday afternoon.
An official press release said it could be a natural death. However, a doctors' team conducted the post-mortem. Senior forest officials PCCF (wildlife) B K Singh and CCF (wildlife) B J Hosmath visited the spot. The highly decomposed body of the tiger was found in the Sollepura forest range of Nagarhole National Park on Monday afternoon.
Wildlife experts concerned over recent tiger deaths in Rajasthan
: Wildlife experts have expressed concern over the increasing number of tiger deaths in Ranthambore and Sariska tiger sanctuaries in Rajasthan.
Manish Saxena, a wildlife expert, on Tuesday said fighting, poisoning by villagers and poaching are the main reasons for the recent deaths of the tigers.
He added that the forest area is too small, which is why the tigers engage in fights, leading to casualties and deaths.
"Four tigers have been killed due to fight amongst themselves in which they got injured and died. Other four tigers including two cubs were killed due to poisoning. The villagers mixed poison in their food to avenge the killing of their pets by the tigers. This was the reason behind the deaths", said Saxena.
Meanwhile, R.S, Bhandari, a wildlife analyst, said that to control the situation more vigilance on the part of the forest department is required.
"More vigilance is required as the forest is so big and when a theft can happen in a city then why not in forest. However, near Sariska, poaching is quite impossible. As far as poisoning is concerned, it can be controlled by making the nearby villagers aware and keeping a check in the areas where a tiger has been killed," he added.
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has an interim relief programme, wherein villagers are paid Rs. 3,000 or less for every cow killed by a tiger or leopard. This plan has helped in reducing tiger mortality.
According to reports, almost eight tigers including cubs have been killed in Ranthambore and Sariska sanctuaries in the last four years.(ANI)
Manish Saxena, a wildlife expert, on Tuesday said fighting, poisoning by villagers and poaching are the main reasons for the recent deaths of the tigers.
He added that the forest area is too small, which is why the tigers engage in fights, leading to casualties and deaths.
"Four tigers have been killed due to fight amongst themselves in which they got injured and died. Other four tigers including two cubs were killed due to poisoning. The villagers mixed poison in their food to avenge the killing of their pets by the tigers. This was the reason behind the deaths", said Saxena.
Meanwhile, R.S, Bhandari, a wildlife analyst, said that to control the situation more vigilance on the part of the forest department is required.
"More vigilance is required as the forest is so big and when a theft can happen in a city then why not in forest. However, near Sariska, poaching is quite impossible. As far as poisoning is concerned, it can be controlled by making the nearby villagers aware and keeping a check in the areas where a tiger has been killed," he added.
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has an interim relief programme, wherein villagers are paid Rs. 3,000 or less for every cow killed by a tiger or leopard. This plan has helped in reducing tiger mortality.
According to reports, almost eight tigers including cubs have been killed in Ranthambore and Sariska sanctuaries in the last four years.(ANI)
And, expert’s reason for dipping tiger count: vanishing prey
“There are less than 3,500 tigers remaining in the world,” says K Ullas Karanth, with a curiously positive twang,” but the world has the potential to house around 45,000 tigers.”
Karanth, a senior conservation scientist at the NewYork-based Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and director, WCS India Program, Bangalore, was speaking at the 5th Kirloskar Vasundhara International Film festival in the city on Tuesday.
The optimism in his voice came as a surprise at a time when discussions revolving the big cat are full of dismal figures and shoddy affairs. "I think if we work in the right direction from now, we can effectively save this species," says Karanth, who has worked in the interiors of states like Karnataka and Maharashtra.
"The save tiger story, is not about individual incidents that are so glorified today. We shout on television sets, write critically about how a tiger died, but we collectively don't think of the larger picture," said Karanth. So what exactly is the big picture? "Conservation, is not like business. There is no closure here. A tigress replaces herself 15 times in her lifetime. Meaning to say that mortality and reproductive cycles of tigers are quite fast. I don't mean to say that poaching should not be our concern. But our concerns should rise from individual stories. The biggest threat to tigers in India is depletion of their chief prey like deer, wild pigs and wild cattle. As a result, although around 300,000 square kilometres of tiger habitat still remains, much of it is empty of tigers since there is not enough food for them to survive and breed successfully."
Karanth, a senior conservation scientist at the NewYork-based Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and director, WCS India Program, Bangalore, was speaking at the 5th Kirloskar Vasundhara International Film festival in the city on Tuesday.
The optimism in his voice came as a surprise at a time when discussions revolving the big cat are full of dismal figures and shoddy affairs. "I think if we work in the right direction from now, we can effectively save this species," says Karanth, who has worked in the interiors of states like Karnataka and Maharashtra.
"The save tiger story, is not about individual incidents that are so glorified today. We shout on television sets, write critically about how a tiger died, but we collectively don't think of the larger picture," said Karanth. So what exactly is the big picture? "Conservation, is not like business. There is no closure here. A tigress replaces herself 15 times in her lifetime. Meaning to say that mortality and reproductive cycles of tigers are quite fast. I don't mean to say that poaching should not be our concern. But our concerns should rise from individual stories. The biggest threat to tigers in India is depletion of their chief prey like deer, wild pigs and wild cattle. As a result, although around 300,000 square kilometres of tiger habitat still remains, much of it is empty of tigers since there is not enough food for them to survive and breed successfully."
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Death report of tiger ST-1 submitted to govt TNN
JAIPUR/ALWAR: The special report on the death of male tiger ST-1 at the Sariska tiger reserve was submitted to the state government on Monday. The report comes on the 90-day mark, failing which the suspension of the two officers in the death of tiger would had been revoked.
According to M L Meena, special officer appointed by the state government to probe in the killing of ST-1, "I have submitted my report today. Now, it is on the state government to act on it." He, however, refused to divulge any details in the report.
Two officers of the forest department DFO B Praveen and ACF Mukesh Saini had been suspended after the recovery of the body of ST-1 on November 15. The officers were suspended on allegations of negligence and misinformation in tracking the animal.
However, looking into the seriousness of the crime the state government had immediately announced setting up a special probe panel into it and had appointed ML Meena to look into it. ST-1, the first male tiger to be relocated to Sariska, had been poisoned to death.
The state government had asked Meena to submit the report in seven days. However, Meena missed the mark and could submit it only on the 89th day. Meena's failure to submit the report in 90 days could have meant revoking the suspension of the two officers as under the law it is mandatory to give the reason for suspension of any officer in 90 days.
In fact, Meena had been issued a show cause notice by the state government for failure to submit the report. Many even accused Meena of a deliberate move for delaying the report in a bid to shield the two officers.
"I had to do many field visits, interview a host of people and do a lot of investigation. The delay was a fall out of all this," Meena said.
According to M L Meena, special officer appointed by the state government to probe in the killing of ST-1, "I have submitted my report today. Now, it is on the state government to act on it." He, however, refused to divulge any details in the report.
Two officers of the forest department DFO B Praveen and ACF Mukesh Saini had been suspended after the recovery of the body of ST-1 on November 15. The officers were suspended on allegations of negligence and misinformation in tracking the animal.
However, looking into the seriousness of the crime the state government had immediately announced setting up a special probe panel into it and had appointed ML Meena to look into it. ST-1, the first male tiger to be relocated to Sariska, had been poisoned to death.
The state government had asked Meena to submit the report in seven days. However, Meena missed the mark and could submit it only on the 89th day. Meena's failure to submit the report in 90 days could have meant revoking the suspension of the two officers as under the law it is mandatory to give the reason for suspension of any officer in 90 days.
In fact, Meena had been issued a show cause notice by the state government for failure to submit the report. Many even accused Meena of a deliberate move for delaying the report in a bid to shield the two officers.
"I had to do many field visits, interview a host of people and do a lot of investigation. The delay was a fall out of all this," Meena said.
Will tigress be collared before being released? Vijay Pinjarkar, TNN, Feb 15, 2011
NAGPUR: Heard of radio-collaring a tiger in Maharashtra? No? For the first time, the forest department is contemplating to collar the Katlabodi tigress which they had successfully rescued from a 35-feet-deep well, 40 kms from Nagpur on February 7.
"We are preparing for the post-monitoring of the tigress and exploring all the available methods," said N Rambabu, conservator of forests (Nagpur Division).
The forest department is making 'preliminary inquiries about getting a radio-collar'. "If we don't get it easily and early, we won't waste time as the tigress is fit to be released back into the wild. We are also in touch with the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) officials," Rambabu added.
Rajesh Gopal, member-secretary of the NTCA, did not respond to calls made by TOI and neither did he reply to a text message.
If all goes well, the Katlabodi tigress will be the first case of cat collaring in the state. This will also be the first success story of a rescued tigress being released to back where it belongs. Earlier, the wildlife wing had fixed chips in leopards that had strayed into the Ordnance Factory in Chandrapur.
"I see no reason why we should not keep track of the tigress. Thousands of animals are being studied and followed through radio collar or marking," said Asad Rahmani, director of Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS).
Rahmani added that the forest department is quite capable of executing their plan. They can put a radio-collar that can fall off after the battery is worn out or even before that.
"These days we get tailor-made radio-collars for a particular study for a particular animal and even for a particular sex with a set programme to provide required information. Radio-collaring, satellite tracking, ringing and banding are well-known techniques to study animals and also to follow the movement of the released animals," said Rahmani, who is also a member of the National Board for Wild Life (NBWL).
Another NBWL member Kishor Rithe said, "I don't see any problem. It's a good opportunity that has come walking to the forest officials. Collaring will help in knowing the source population. If not a collar, they should at least fit a transmission chip. The chief wildlife warden needs to take a call."
Nitin Desai, director of Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), Central India, suggested a satellite collar, which may cost somewhere between Rs 2-2.5 lakh.
Prafulla Bhamburkar, manager of Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), said that collaring the tigress is necessary as the officials will not only know its movement but also help infuse many inputs towards conservation of tiger corridors.
"Till today we don't know the exact status of tigers, the group they belong to or the place from where they have come. The WTI will support monitoring of the tigress," Bhamburkar said.
After the Sariska debacle in which the entire tiger population was poached, the Tiger Task Force (TTF) had in August 2005 recommended that all efforts should be made to encourage and facilitate intensive research and monitoring of tigers by using a variety of tools like photo-identification and monitoring, camera traps, radiotelemetry and DNA-based genetic studies in different landscape units.
Although radio-collaring is a good system to monitor animals, an intelligence report submitted to the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) in July 2009 had blamed 'radio-collaring' for the tiger deaths in the Panna tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh.
However, experts disagreed. They said Panna tigers died due to human interference and added that it's very convenient to blame scientists and methods. They say section 28(1) of the Wildlife Protection Act (1972) has provision for scientific research, investigation and study of wildlife.
In a court matter (October 2010), the Karnataka government and the forest department differed on radio-collaring tigers. While the Karnataka government said that there is nothing wrong with radio-collaring, the forest department rejected a proposal by wildlife researcher K Ullas Karanth to continue research on tigers by adopting radio-collaring.
Former PCCF of Madhya Pradesh, P M Lad was of the view that collaring is a secondary thing. The primary issue is that since the staff doesn't move around in the forest, it doesn't have adequate knowledge about straying tigers. "Officials should first know where the tigress came from and then go for the experiment. Radio collaring has both advantages and disadvantages," he added.
"We are preparing for the post-monitoring of the tigress and exploring all the available methods," said N Rambabu, conservator of forests (Nagpur Division).
The forest department is making 'preliminary inquiries about getting a radio-collar'. "If we don't get it easily and early, we won't waste time as the tigress is fit to be released back into the wild. We are also in touch with the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) officials," Rambabu added.
Rajesh Gopal, member-secretary of the NTCA, did not respond to calls made by TOI and neither did he reply to a text message.
If all goes well, the Katlabodi tigress will be the first case of cat collaring in the state. This will also be the first success story of a rescued tigress being released to back where it belongs. Earlier, the wildlife wing had fixed chips in leopards that had strayed into the Ordnance Factory in Chandrapur.
"I see no reason why we should not keep track of the tigress. Thousands of animals are being studied and followed through radio collar or marking," said Asad Rahmani, director of Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS).
Rahmani added that the forest department is quite capable of executing their plan. They can put a radio-collar that can fall off after the battery is worn out or even before that.
"These days we get tailor-made radio-collars for a particular study for a particular animal and even for a particular sex with a set programme to provide required information. Radio-collaring, satellite tracking, ringing and banding are well-known techniques to study animals and also to follow the movement of the released animals," said Rahmani, who is also a member of the National Board for Wild Life (NBWL).
Another NBWL member Kishor Rithe said, "I don't see any problem. It's a good opportunity that has come walking to the forest officials. Collaring will help in knowing the source population. If not a collar, they should at least fit a transmission chip. The chief wildlife warden needs to take a call."
Nitin Desai, director of Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), Central India, suggested a satellite collar, which may cost somewhere between Rs 2-2.5 lakh.
Prafulla Bhamburkar, manager of Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), said that collaring the tigress is necessary as the officials will not only know its movement but also help infuse many inputs towards conservation of tiger corridors.
"Till today we don't know the exact status of tigers, the group they belong to or the place from where they have come. The WTI will support monitoring of the tigress," Bhamburkar said.
After the Sariska debacle in which the entire tiger population was poached, the Tiger Task Force (TTF) had in August 2005 recommended that all efforts should be made to encourage and facilitate intensive research and monitoring of tigers by using a variety of tools like photo-identification and monitoring, camera traps, radiotelemetry and DNA-based genetic studies in different landscape units.
Although radio-collaring is a good system to monitor animals, an intelligence report submitted to the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) in July 2009 had blamed 'radio-collaring' for the tiger deaths in the Panna tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh.
However, experts disagreed. They said Panna tigers died due to human interference and added that it's very convenient to blame scientists and methods. They say section 28(1) of the Wildlife Protection Act (1972) has provision for scientific research, investigation and study of wildlife.
In a court matter (October 2010), the Karnataka government and the forest department differed on radio-collaring tigers. While the Karnataka government said that there is nothing wrong with radio-collaring, the forest department rejected a proposal by wildlife researcher K Ullas Karanth to continue research on tigers by adopting radio-collaring.
Former PCCF of Madhya Pradesh, P M Lad was of the view that collaring is a secondary thing. The primary issue is that since the staff doesn't move around in the forest, it doesn't have adequate knowledge about straying tigers. "Officials should first know where the tigress came from and then go for the experiment. Radio collaring has both advantages and disadvantages," he added.
Mixed views over Panna tigers' radio-collaring TNN
In 2009, a wildlife intelligence report had blamed 'radio collaring' for tiger deaths in Panna. It said that radio collaring compromised the overall security of the reserve. The report found that around 80% of tigers killed in Panna met their fate at the hands of poachers after they were radio collared.
The report said that radio collars restricted the movement of the animal for hunting its prey and free movement in the wild.
The radio-collar resulted in infections on the neck which later become fatal for the animal.
However, this may be because the standard operating procedures for radio-collaring were not followed. There are reasons to suggest that poachers may have also brought radio frequency catching devices to first locate the tiger and subsequently poach it.
Radio-collaring of tigers in Panna started in 1998. The wildcats were first tranquillized to tag collars. There were about 27 tigers till 2007 but later it was revealed that the reserve had no tigers left. The BNHS had slammed the report.
BNHS director Asad Rahmani told TOI that radio-collaring of big cats and other animals is an efficient method which is being used since 40 years. "Scientists have used radio-collaring and telemetry to study the ecology and behaviour of big cats. The results have been good," he said.
Radio-collaring never leads to poaching. There are several tiger sanctuaries in India where big cats have gone extinct even without the use of radio-collaring.
The report said that radio collars restricted the movement of the animal for hunting its prey and free movement in the wild.
The radio-collar resulted in infections on the neck which later become fatal for the animal.
However, this may be because the standard operating procedures for radio-collaring were not followed. There are reasons to suggest that poachers may have also brought radio frequency catching devices to first locate the tiger and subsequently poach it.
Radio-collaring of tigers in Panna started in 1998. The wildcats were first tranquillized to tag collars. There were about 27 tigers till 2007 but later it was revealed that the reserve had no tigers left. The BNHS had slammed the report.
BNHS director Asad Rahmani told TOI that radio-collaring of big cats and other animals is an efficient method which is being used since 40 years. "Scientists have used radio-collaring and telemetry to study the ecology and behaviour of big cats. The results have been good," he said.
Radio-collaring never leads to poaching. There are several tiger sanctuaries in India where big cats have gone extinct even without the use of radio-collaring.
Rise in tiger population causes man-big tiger conflict
Devika Devi became the 25th victim to a deadly tiger attack in India in Sunderkhal village near Jim Corbett Tiger Reserve in the last 13 months, which also left eight tigers dead. At the same time, wildlife experts suggest that increase in tiger population, caused by India’s success in tiger managem
ent and checking poaching, may have a link to this increasing tiger-human conflict.
Between 2006 and 2010, the tiger population is estimated to increase by atleast 100 from 1,411. The new tiger estimation will be announced on March 26.
“Increase in tiger population in areas such as Corbett is one of the reasons for the rising conflict,” said Vivek Menon, Chief Executive Officer of Wildlife Trust of India (WTI). Other experts such as Belinda Wright of Wildlife Protection Society of India term poaching of prey population and increase in human interference as primary causes for increase in conflict.
Tiger deaths in conflict with humans
2008 : Two, one each in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
2009: Six, two in Madhya Pradesh, two in Assam and one each in UttarPradesh and Maharashtra.
2010: Eight, three in Rajasthan, two in Assam, one each in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.
While tiger population has increased, the habitat during these four years has either remained stagnant or shrunk.
“At least 10 new hotels and resorts have come up in the buffer zone of Corbett in the last few years with the permission of district collector,” said a local forest official.
Over 700 kms south-west of Corbett in Ranthambore tiger reserve, the increase in tiger population has not only left three persons dead and another dozen injured in the past year, it has caused migration of at least four tigers to far-off places. Tigers using traditional forest corridors, which were dense forests till 1970s, reached Kuno and Morina in Madhya Pradesh and Kota and Bharatpur in Rahasthan.
“Constant habitat destruction and illegal mining is causing the wildlife stress,” Dharmendra Kandhal, a Ranthambore based wildlife biologist said. Another indication of this is that two tigress and five cubs have been spotted outside the core area of Ranthambore, having about 25 tigers.
Nothing illegal in these activities, but a cause of concern for wildlife experts that it was hindering free movement of tigers. For instance, Uttarakhand forest department have pictures of 36 tigers in two ranges divided by river Kosi and connected by a corridor where resorts and Sunderkhal village has come up, leading to increase in conflict.
“Very few tigers used to seen in this area a few years ago,” said Anil Baluni, vice-chairperson of Uttarankhand Forest Advisory Council.
Dhonia Devi, who lost her niece in the tiger attack in January 2011, confirmed higher tiger presence and said: "Since last few months I hear tiger roar almost every last night…We shut ourselves before dark to escape their fury".
Humans killed in conflict with tigers
2008: Nine deaths.
2009: 12 deaths.
2010-2011 till end of January: 25 deaths. Ten in Uttar Pradesh, one in Rajasthan, eight in Maharashtra, one in Assam and five in Uttaranchal.
Most tiger reserves, where tiger-animal conflict has been reported in the past year, have reported increase in big cat population.
The Wildlife Institute of India, which is conducting the estimation, has captured pictures of 12 tigresses with cubs in Dudwa tiger reserve in Uttar Pradesh, where a tiger killed two persons. In Tadoba-Andhari tiger reserve in Maharashtra, where six people had died in conflict, two tigresses with cubs have been spotted in the buffer area. Kaziranga, Assam, where increase in tiger population has earned the forest distinction of having highest tiger density per 10 sq kms in the country, is not different.
The conflict is unique to tigers as they are territorial animals unlike other carnivores. “A 10 sq km area is normally territory marked by a tiger, where only the stronger male can live,” said P K Sen, former director of Project Tiger. As the population grows, the weaker tigers move out and spread into buffer areas, encroached by human settlements or tourist industry, resulting in the conflict.
Nationally, the core tiger area has shrunk to 31,207 sq kilometers in 37 tiger reserves as compared to over one lakh sq kms in 1970s, when Project Tiger was launched. “To have 20 breeding tigresses a minimum area of 800-1,200 sq kms needs to be kept inviolate as a core area for tigers with an exclusive tiger agenda,” said Rajesh Gopal, member secretary of National Tiger Conservation Authority, in its journal stripes.
It means that many tiger reserves such as Ranthambore, Corbett, Kaziranga and Bandhavgarh in Madhya Pradesh may have reached its threshold limit with estimated increase in population with some check on poaching.
One possible solution to the increasing tiger problem – relocation of tigers straying out – has been successfully implemented in Assam, where a man-eating tiger from Kaziranga has been successfully rehabilitated in Manas Wildlife Sanctuary.
“If done scientifically such relocation is possible elsewhere,” Menon said.
The NCTA and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has identified 15 new forest areas across India to provide homes to tigers living in stress. “Tigers need inviolate space which is available in India,” said Ravi Chellam of Wildlife Conservation Society, which recently did found that 15 tiger reserves can hold 1,500 tigers if the habitat is improved. These emerging tiger issues will be discussed with international experts in Delhi on March 7.
Frightened by frequent tiger attacks, over 1,000 people are willing to leave their abode in Sunderkhal since 1974 provided the compensation is good, they get agriculture land and jobs.
ent and checking poaching, may have a link to this increasing tiger-human conflict.
Between 2006 and 2010, the tiger population is estimated to increase by atleast 100 from 1,411. The new tiger estimation will be announced on March 26.
“Increase in tiger population in areas such as Corbett is one of the reasons for the rising conflict,” said Vivek Menon, Chief Executive Officer of Wildlife Trust of India (WTI). Other experts such as Belinda Wright of Wildlife Protection Society of India term poaching of prey population and increase in human interference as primary causes for increase in conflict.
Tiger deaths in conflict with humans
2008 : Two, one each in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
2009: Six, two in Madhya Pradesh, two in Assam and one each in UttarPradesh and Maharashtra.
2010: Eight, three in Rajasthan, two in Assam, one each in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.
While tiger population has increased, the habitat during these four years has either remained stagnant or shrunk.
“At least 10 new hotels and resorts have come up in the buffer zone of Corbett in the last few years with the permission of district collector,” said a local forest official.
Over 700 kms south-west of Corbett in Ranthambore tiger reserve, the increase in tiger population has not only left three persons dead and another dozen injured in the past year, it has caused migration of at least four tigers to far-off places. Tigers using traditional forest corridors, which were dense forests till 1970s, reached Kuno and Morina in Madhya Pradesh and Kota and Bharatpur in Rahasthan.
“Constant habitat destruction and illegal mining is causing the wildlife stress,” Dharmendra Kandhal, a Ranthambore based wildlife biologist said. Another indication of this is that two tigress and five cubs have been spotted outside the core area of Ranthambore, having about 25 tigers.
Nothing illegal in these activities, but a cause of concern for wildlife experts that it was hindering free movement of tigers. For instance, Uttarakhand forest department have pictures of 36 tigers in two ranges divided by river Kosi and connected by a corridor where resorts and Sunderkhal village has come up, leading to increase in conflict.
“Very few tigers used to seen in this area a few years ago,” said Anil Baluni, vice-chairperson of Uttarankhand Forest Advisory Council.
Dhonia Devi, who lost her niece in the tiger attack in January 2011, confirmed higher tiger presence and said: "Since last few months I hear tiger roar almost every last night…We shut ourselves before dark to escape their fury".
Humans killed in conflict with tigers
2008: Nine deaths.
2009: 12 deaths.
2010-2011 till end of January: 25 deaths. Ten in Uttar Pradesh, one in Rajasthan, eight in Maharashtra, one in Assam and five in Uttaranchal.
Most tiger reserves, where tiger-animal conflict has been reported in the past year, have reported increase in big cat population.
The Wildlife Institute of India, which is conducting the estimation, has captured pictures of 12 tigresses with cubs in Dudwa tiger reserve in Uttar Pradesh, where a tiger killed two persons. In Tadoba-Andhari tiger reserve in Maharashtra, where six people had died in conflict, two tigresses with cubs have been spotted in the buffer area. Kaziranga, Assam, where increase in tiger population has earned the forest distinction of having highest tiger density per 10 sq kms in the country, is not different.
The conflict is unique to tigers as they are territorial animals unlike other carnivores. “A 10 sq km area is normally territory marked by a tiger, where only the stronger male can live,” said P K Sen, former director of Project Tiger. As the population grows, the weaker tigers move out and spread into buffer areas, encroached by human settlements or tourist industry, resulting in the conflict.
Nationally, the core tiger area has shrunk to 31,207 sq kilometers in 37 tiger reserves as compared to over one lakh sq kms in 1970s, when Project Tiger was launched. “To have 20 breeding tigresses a minimum area of 800-1,200 sq kms needs to be kept inviolate as a core area for tigers with an exclusive tiger agenda,” said Rajesh Gopal, member secretary of National Tiger Conservation Authority, in its journal stripes.
It means that many tiger reserves such as Ranthambore, Corbett, Kaziranga and Bandhavgarh in Madhya Pradesh may have reached its threshold limit with estimated increase in population with some check on poaching.
One possible solution to the increasing tiger problem – relocation of tigers straying out – has been successfully implemented in Assam, where a man-eating tiger from Kaziranga has been successfully rehabilitated in Manas Wildlife Sanctuary.
“If done scientifically such relocation is possible elsewhere,” Menon said.
The NCTA and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has identified 15 new forest areas across India to provide homes to tigers living in stress. “Tigers need inviolate space which is available in India,” said Ravi Chellam of Wildlife Conservation Society, which recently did found that 15 tiger reserves can hold 1,500 tigers if the habitat is improved. These emerging tiger issues will be discussed with international experts in Delhi on March 7.
Frightened by frequent tiger attacks, over 1,000 people are willing to leave their abode in Sunderkhal since 1974 provided the compensation is good, they get agriculture land and jobs.
Clarification by Minister of State for Environment and Forests on Tiger Reserves, Critical Wildlife Habitats and Forest Right Act, 2006
The Minister of State for Environment and Forests clarified the issues regarding Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act in tiger reserves and in the critical wildlife habitats. The Minister states that:
1. “Section 38V of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (as amended in 2006) explains the core or critical tiger habitat as well as the buffer or peripheral area of a tiger reserve.
2. A tiger reserve includes two parts:
A. Core or critical tiger habitat (National Park or Sanctuary status).
B. Buffer or peripheral area.
3. The phrase ‘core or critical tiger habitat’ is mentioned only in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, as a sequel to amendment made to the said Act in 2006. It is NOT defined in the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.
4. The phrase ‘critical wildlife habitat’ is defined only in the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, and NOT in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
5. ‘Core or critical tiger habitat’ is different from the ‘critical wildlife habitat’. Since tigers are territorial big cats, hence considering their social land tenure dynamics, the ‘core / critical tiger habitat’ has been viewed separately from the ‘critical wildlife habitat’, which is applicable to other wild animal species.
6. Based on deliberations with experts and simulation results from scientific data, it has been found that a minimum inviolate area of 800-1200 sq.km. is required to sustain a viable population of tigers (20 breeding females).
7. Establishing the core / critical tiger habitat as ‘inviolate’ involves two steps as per the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972:
A. Identifying the core / critical tiger habitat by establishing on the basis of scientific and objective area that such areas are required to be kept as inviolate for the purpose of tiger conservation, without affecting the rights of the Scheduled Tribes or such other forest dwellers, and notified as such by the State Government in consultation with an expert committee constituted for the purpose (out of 17 tiger States, 16 have notified the core / critical tiger habitat following this process, and action is pending only from Bihar).
B. Establishing the identified core / critical tiger habitat as inviolate through voluntary relocation on mutually agreed terms and conditions, provided that such terms and conditions satisfy the requirements laid down in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. No Scheduled Tribes or other forest dwellers shall be resettled or have their rights adversely affected for creating inviolate areas for tiger unless:
(i) The process of recognition / determination of rights and acquisition of land or forest rights of the ST and such other forest dwelling persons is complete.
(ii) The concerned agencies of the State Government need to establish with the consent of the ST and such other forest dwellers in the area, besides also consulting an ecological and social scientist familiar with the area, that the activities of the ST and other forest dwellers or the impact of their presence upon wild animals is sufficient to cause irreversible damage and shall threaten the existence of tigers and their habitat.
(iii) The State Government has to obtain the consent of the ST and other forest dwellers and come to a conclusion (besides consulting an independent ecological / social scientist) that no coexistence options are available.
(iv) Resettlement package needs to be prepared providing for livelihood of affected individuals, while fulfilling the requirements of the National Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy.
(v) The informed consent of Gram Sabhas and affected persons has to be obtained for resettlement.
(vi) The facilities and land allocation at resettlement area are to be provided, otherwise the existing rights of people shall not be interfered with.
8. The above provisions laid down in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (section 38V), subsequent to the 2006 amendment are specific to tiger conservation, and are not only compatible but more stringent than the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.
9. Under the revised Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Project Tiger (2008), two options have been given to people:
Option-I: Payment of Rs. 10 lakhs per family in case the family opts so, without any rehabilitation / relocation process by the Forest Department.
Option-II: Carrying out relocation / rehabilitation by the Forest Department with the following per family norms out of Rs. 10 lakhs:
(a)
Agricultural land procurement (2 ha.) and development
35% of the total package
(b)
Settlement of rights
30% of the total package
(c)
Homestead land and house construction
20% of the total package
(d)
Incentive
5% of the total package
(e)
Community facilities (access road, irrigation, drinking water,
sanitation, electricity, telecommunication, community centre,
places of worship, cremation ground)
10% of the total package
The cash option has been provided for catering to people who are not interested in a resettlement and are prepared to establish themselves elsewhere under ‘mutually agreed terms and conditions’, as indicated in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
1. This has checks and balances as the money is provided through the District Collector after the villager produces evidence of his procuring land etc.
2. The relocation is voluntary, and is done only if people are willing to move.
3. Monitoring committees at the District as well as State levels are required to be constituted and detailed guidelines have been issued for handholding the people after relocation, besides ensuring the centrality of PI institutions, while involving independent agencies.
4. Advisories have been issued to States for complying with the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 read with the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.
Critical Wildlife Habitats
FRA had come into force in January 2007 and the MoE&F had issued guidelines to the State/UT Governments for notification of the Critical Wildlife Habitats (CWLHs) in October 2007. During the last three years, not much headway could be made in notification of CWLHs. The State/UT Governments have been expressing difficulties in notifying CWLHs on the basis of the 2007 guidelines. Accordingly, MoE&F convened meetings with the Chief Wildlife Wardens and officers of the Wildlife Institute of India, discussed the guidelines and has now issued the revised guidelines, which are in consonance with the FRA.
CWLHs are such areas of the National Parks and Sanctuaries that are required to be kept as ‘inviolate’ for the purpose of wildlife conservation as determined and notified by the MoE&F, after an open process of consultation by an Expert Committee. Such areas are to be clearly identified on case-to-case basis following scientific and objective criteria and only after settling the rights of tribals and other traditional forest dwellers.
The identification and declaration of CWLHs are two distinct processes. While the identification of an area required for betterment of wildlife conservation is purely a scientific exercise to be carried out by the Forest Departments on a case-to-case basis in consultation with the scientific institutions (the criteria for identification of CWLHs have to be site-specific), its notification is to be done only after extensive consultations (means consent) with the Gram Sabha and the affected persons/stakeholders .
The guidelines ensure that CWLHs are declared only with the voluntary consent of the affected people. It also gives ample scope to the State/UT Governments to explore the possibility of ‘co-existence’. If such a possibility is not practicable, the Expert Committee, which also includes the District Tribal Welfare Officer and an NGO working in the field of Tribal Welfare, will have consultations with the Gram Sabha /affected persons for their relocation, during which the available options (Option –I for payment of rupees ten lakhs per family and Option-II for comprehensive rehabilitation by providing land, house with facilities, community rights, by the Forest Department) for voluntary relocation would also be explained. The relocation involves providing secure livelihoods to the persons to be relocated. In fact they may choose the option most suited to them.
The guidelines for notification of CWLHs apply only to the National Parks and Sanctuaries and not to other forest areas.
The Ministry of Environment and Forests will take all steps to ensure that the letter and spirit of FRA, 2006 is respected and followed in all wildlife conservation programmes. If there is any violation anywhere and that violation is reported with full documentation and evidence, it will be prepared to intervene to ensure that the situation is rectified forthwith”.
KP
1. “Section 38V of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (as amended in 2006) explains the core or critical tiger habitat as well as the buffer or peripheral area of a tiger reserve.
2. A tiger reserve includes two parts:
A. Core or critical tiger habitat (National Park or Sanctuary status).
B. Buffer or peripheral area.
3. The phrase ‘core or critical tiger habitat’ is mentioned only in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, as a sequel to amendment made to the said Act in 2006. It is NOT defined in the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.
4. The phrase ‘critical wildlife habitat’ is defined only in the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, and NOT in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
5. ‘Core or critical tiger habitat’ is different from the ‘critical wildlife habitat’. Since tigers are territorial big cats, hence considering their social land tenure dynamics, the ‘core / critical tiger habitat’ has been viewed separately from the ‘critical wildlife habitat’, which is applicable to other wild animal species.
6. Based on deliberations with experts and simulation results from scientific data, it has been found that a minimum inviolate area of 800-1200 sq.km. is required to sustain a viable population of tigers (20 breeding females).
7. Establishing the core / critical tiger habitat as ‘inviolate’ involves two steps as per the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972:
A. Identifying the core / critical tiger habitat by establishing on the basis of scientific and objective area that such areas are required to be kept as inviolate for the purpose of tiger conservation, without affecting the rights of the Scheduled Tribes or such other forest dwellers, and notified as such by the State Government in consultation with an expert committee constituted for the purpose (out of 17 tiger States, 16 have notified the core / critical tiger habitat following this process, and action is pending only from Bihar).
B. Establishing the identified core / critical tiger habitat as inviolate through voluntary relocation on mutually agreed terms and conditions, provided that such terms and conditions satisfy the requirements laid down in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. No Scheduled Tribes or other forest dwellers shall be resettled or have their rights adversely affected for creating inviolate areas for tiger unless:
(i) The process of recognition / determination of rights and acquisition of land or forest rights of the ST and such other forest dwelling persons is complete.
(ii) The concerned agencies of the State Government need to establish with the consent of the ST and such other forest dwellers in the area, besides also consulting an ecological and social scientist familiar with the area, that the activities of the ST and other forest dwellers or the impact of their presence upon wild animals is sufficient to cause irreversible damage and shall threaten the existence of tigers and their habitat.
(iii) The State Government has to obtain the consent of the ST and other forest dwellers and come to a conclusion (besides consulting an independent ecological / social scientist) that no coexistence options are available.
(iv) Resettlement package needs to be prepared providing for livelihood of affected individuals, while fulfilling the requirements of the National Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy.
(v) The informed consent of Gram Sabhas and affected persons has to be obtained for resettlement.
(vi) The facilities and land allocation at resettlement area are to be provided, otherwise the existing rights of people shall not be interfered with.
8. The above provisions laid down in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (section 38V), subsequent to the 2006 amendment are specific to tiger conservation, and are not only compatible but more stringent than the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.
9. Under the revised Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Project Tiger (2008), two options have been given to people:
Option-I: Payment of Rs. 10 lakhs per family in case the family opts so, without any rehabilitation / relocation process by the Forest Department.
Option-II: Carrying out relocation / rehabilitation by the Forest Department with the following per family norms out of Rs. 10 lakhs:
(a)
Agricultural land procurement (2 ha.) and development
35% of the total package
(b)
Settlement of rights
30% of the total package
(c)
Homestead land and house construction
20% of the total package
(d)
Incentive
5% of the total package
(e)
Community facilities (access road, irrigation, drinking water,
sanitation, electricity, telecommunication, community centre,
places of worship, cremation ground)
10% of the total package
The cash option has been provided for catering to people who are not interested in a resettlement and are prepared to establish themselves elsewhere under ‘mutually agreed terms and conditions’, as indicated in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
1. This has checks and balances as the money is provided through the District Collector after the villager produces evidence of his procuring land etc.
2. The relocation is voluntary, and is done only if people are willing to move.
3. Monitoring committees at the District as well as State levels are required to be constituted and detailed guidelines have been issued for handholding the people after relocation, besides ensuring the centrality of PI institutions, while involving independent agencies.
4. Advisories have been issued to States for complying with the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 read with the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.
Critical Wildlife Habitats
FRA had come into force in January 2007 and the MoE&F had issued guidelines to the State/UT Governments for notification of the Critical Wildlife Habitats (CWLHs) in October 2007. During the last three years, not much headway could be made in notification of CWLHs. The State/UT Governments have been expressing difficulties in notifying CWLHs on the basis of the 2007 guidelines. Accordingly, MoE&F convened meetings with the Chief Wildlife Wardens and officers of the Wildlife Institute of India, discussed the guidelines and has now issued the revised guidelines, which are in consonance with the FRA.
CWLHs are such areas of the National Parks and Sanctuaries that are required to be kept as ‘inviolate’ for the purpose of wildlife conservation as determined and notified by the MoE&F, after an open process of consultation by an Expert Committee. Such areas are to be clearly identified on case-to-case basis following scientific and objective criteria and only after settling the rights of tribals and other traditional forest dwellers.
The identification and declaration of CWLHs are two distinct processes. While the identification of an area required for betterment of wildlife conservation is purely a scientific exercise to be carried out by the Forest Departments on a case-to-case basis in consultation with the scientific institutions (the criteria for identification of CWLHs have to be site-specific), its notification is to be done only after extensive consultations (means consent) with the Gram Sabha and the affected persons/stakeholders .
The guidelines ensure that CWLHs are declared only with the voluntary consent of the affected people. It also gives ample scope to the State/UT Governments to explore the possibility of ‘co-existence’. If such a possibility is not practicable, the Expert Committee, which also includes the District Tribal Welfare Officer and an NGO working in the field of Tribal Welfare, will have consultations with the Gram Sabha /affected persons for their relocation, during which the available options (Option –I for payment of rupees ten lakhs per family and Option-II for comprehensive rehabilitation by providing land, house with facilities, community rights, by the Forest Department) for voluntary relocation would also be explained. The relocation involves providing secure livelihoods to the persons to be relocated. In fact they may choose the option most suited to them.
The guidelines for notification of CWLHs apply only to the National Parks and Sanctuaries and not to other forest areas.
The Ministry of Environment and Forests will take all steps to ensure that the letter and spirit of FRA, 2006 is respected and followed in all wildlife conservation programmes. If there is any violation anywhere and that violation is reported with full documentation and evidence, it will be prepared to intervene to ensure that the situation is rectified forthwith”.
KP
'Conservation of smaller species as important as saving tigers' TNN
PUNE: Focus of conservationists and environmentalists should not be protecting tigers alone, there was a need to protect smaller species of animals as well, nature and environment experts said on Monday.
They were speaking at the inauguration of the fifth Kirloskar Vasundhara International Film Festival by Madhav Gadgil, environmentalist and chairman of the Western Ghat experts panel.
Conservationist and tiger expert Ulhas Karanth, who has received the 'Vasundhara Mitra' award, said that humans should understand that the world where we are living is not just ours, but the space should be shared with other living creatures. "Human beings are poorer without them," he said during an interaction with the media.
Karanth, who is also director of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) - India Programme, said that biodiversity was the key component of environment. "But it is becoming extremely difficult to conserve the vulnerable species. They need space and so they come in conflict with humans; there is also much demand for their body parts," he said.
"But I have a positive outlook. At present, we have 1,400 tigers left. But there is room for 10,000 tigers in India. We need practical models and blending of science and social pragmatism to protect and conserve them,'' Karanth said.
Film maker Naresh Bedi and director of Centre for Environment Education, Ahmedabad, Kartikeya Sarabhai were also honoured with the `Vasundhara Mitra awards.'
Bedi, who received the award in recognition of his contribution to filmmaking on India's wildlife and natural history, said that at present tourism has become more tiger-centric. The visitors to sanctuaries and parks just like to see tigers and fail to appreciate other smaller species.
He added that the media like to sensationalise news -- a tiger's death gets reported in all papers and channels, but one has to understand that tigers are just like other animals.
On the government's role, Bedi said that funding was a major problem in filmmaking on environmental issues. The government should make arrangements so that documentaries on wildlife are shown during prime time. This will help create public awareness.
Bedi, who has made documentaries on Ganges Gharial, Man-eating Tiger, Saving the Tiger, Elephant -- Lord of the Jungles, Whistling Humter, and Ladakh -- Desert in the Skies, said that his current documentary on tigers will depict the changes in the population, habitat and challenges faced since 1960s. There will also be interviews of locals who are being relocated from the parks and sanctuaries.
Environmentalist and industrialist Sarabhai spoke on how a child looked at nature and observed it. "There is a need to reach out to more students and give them education-related projects. We encourage students to take up projects like water conservation, planting trees, waste management, energy and transport,'' he said. There are laws to protect the environment but the most important thing was that one should love nature and do things out of liking and not because of laws, he added.
They were speaking at the inauguration of the fifth Kirloskar Vasundhara International Film Festival by Madhav Gadgil, environmentalist and chairman of the Western Ghat experts panel.
Conservationist and tiger expert Ulhas Karanth, who has received the 'Vasundhara Mitra' award, said that humans should understand that the world where we are living is not just ours, but the space should be shared with other living creatures. "Human beings are poorer without them," he said during an interaction with the media.
Karanth, who is also director of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) - India Programme, said that biodiversity was the key component of environment. "But it is becoming extremely difficult to conserve the vulnerable species. They need space and so they come in conflict with humans; there is also much demand for their body parts," he said.
"But I have a positive outlook. At present, we have 1,400 tigers left. But there is room for 10,000 tigers in India. We need practical models and blending of science and social pragmatism to protect and conserve them,'' Karanth said.
Film maker Naresh Bedi and director of Centre for Environment Education, Ahmedabad, Kartikeya Sarabhai were also honoured with the `Vasundhara Mitra awards.'
Bedi, who received the award in recognition of his contribution to filmmaking on India's wildlife and natural history, said that at present tourism has become more tiger-centric. The visitors to sanctuaries and parks just like to see tigers and fail to appreciate other smaller species.
He added that the media like to sensationalise news -- a tiger's death gets reported in all papers and channels, but one has to understand that tigers are just like other animals.
On the government's role, Bedi said that funding was a major problem in filmmaking on environmental issues. The government should make arrangements so that documentaries on wildlife are shown during prime time. This will help create public awareness.
Bedi, who has made documentaries on Ganges Gharial, Man-eating Tiger, Saving the Tiger, Elephant -- Lord of the Jungles, Whistling Humter, and Ladakh -- Desert in the Skies, said that his current documentary on tigers will depict the changes in the population, habitat and challenges faced since 1960s. There will also be interviews of locals who are being relocated from the parks and sanctuaries.
Environmentalist and industrialist Sarabhai spoke on how a child looked at nature and observed it. "There is a need to reach out to more students and give them education-related projects. We encourage students to take up projects like water conservation, planting trees, waste management, energy and transport,'' he said. There are laws to protect the environment but the most important thing was that one should love nature and do things out of liking and not because of laws, he added.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Tiger, leopard found dead in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve
A tiger and a leopard were found dead in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) near here on Sunday.
Field Director, MTR, Rajiv K. Srivastava, told TheHindu that anti-poaching watchers had come across the carcasses of the tiger at Manjukaadu near Moyar along the MTR-Sigur border and the leopard inside a bamboo clump.
Pointing out that the tiger was a sub-adult female aged about four years and the leopard was a male aged about nine years, he said that preliminary investigations aided by the blood stains found on the spot indicated that the two had died about 24 to 30 hours ago in a fight.
The leopard had sustained extensive injuries.
“Though there were no indications of poisoning or any other kind of foul play, we are not taking any chances”, Mr. Srivastava said and added that the carcass of the tiger would be kept in a freezer.
A post-mortem was conducted by a forest veterinarian.
Field Director, MTR, Rajiv K. Srivastava, told TheHindu that anti-poaching watchers had come across the carcasses of the tiger at Manjukaadu near Moyar along the MTR-Sigur border and the leopard inside a bamboo clump.
Pointing out that the tiger was a sub-adult female aged about four years and the leopard was a male aged about nine years, he said that preliminary investigations aided by the blood stains found on the spot indicated that the two had died about 24 to 30 hours ago in a fight.
The leopard had sustained extensive injuries.
“Though there were no indications of poisoning or any other kind of foul play, we are not taking any chances”, Mr. Srivastava said and added that the carcass of the tiger would be kept in a freezer.
A post-mortem was conducted by a forest veterinarian.
Kaziranga in turmoil as tiger turns villain on rhino turf
Kaziranga. A World Heritage Site since 1985, the park was declared a tiger reserve in 2006.
These organizations converged at Bokakhat near Kaziranga on Saturday to launch a movement for restoring Kaziranga’s pre-Project Tiger status. Their argument: the tiger tag has invited restrictions that threaten to hurt their tourism dependent economy.
Kaziranga is home to some 2,200 one horned rhinos, almost 60% of the world population. But the tiger upstaged the herbivore last year after its number was found to be 32 per 100 sq km, the highest on earth.
The park authorities have since been under pressure to adhere to specifications laid down for a Project Tiger site. “We have accordingly declared 430 sq km (of the 860 sq km Kaziranga) as core area where entry of tourists would be restricted,” said the park’s field director Surajit Dutta.
Forest officials had earlier banned construction of new hotels besides cutting down on the number of jeeps – 250 at present – used for safaris inside the core area. Trouble started last week when it was rumored people living on the fringes would be relocated.
“The tiger has always been around, but Kaziranga is nothing without the rhino. This hype about the striped cat and this tiger tag is hurting us. We won’t let that happen,” said Punen Gogoi, president of the Kaziranga Jeep Association.
“There is too much at stake just for the tiger. We don’t want any project in Kaziranga that would harm the local people,” said Prahlad B. Barua, head of a local students’ organization, adding eviction of locals for the tiger would have ‘serious consequences’.
Green groups, insisting Kaziranga needs Project Tiger for more funding toward better upkeep have offered to broker a “way out of this mess”.
These organizations converged at Bokakhat near Kaziranga on Saturday to launch a movement for restoring Kaziranga’s pre-Project Tiger status. Their argument: the tiger tag has invited restrictions that threaten to hurt their tourism dependent economy.
Kaziranga is home to some 2,200 one horned rhinos, almost 60% of the world population. But the tiger upstaged the herbivore last year after its number was found to be 32 per 100 sq km, the highest on earth.
The park authorities have since been under pressure to adhere to specifications laid down for a Project Tiger site. “We have accordingly declared 430 sq km (of the 860 sq km Kaziranga) as core area where entry of tourists would be restricted,” said the park’s field director Surajit Dutta.
Forest officials had earlier banned construction of new hotels besides cutting down on the number of jeeps – 250 at present – used for safaris inside the core area. Trouble started last week when it was rumored people living on the fringes would be relocated.
“The tiger has always been around, but Kaziranga is nothing without the rhino. This hype about the striped cat and this tiger tag is hurting us. We won’t let that happen,” said Punen Gogoi, president of the Kaziranga Jeep Association.
“There is too much at stake just for the tiger. We don’t want any project in Kaziranga that would harm the local people,” said Prahlad B. Barua, head of a local students’ organization, adding eviction of locals for the tiger would have ‘serious consequences’.
Green groups, insisting Kaziranga needs Project Tiger for more funding toward better upkeep have offered to broker a “way out of this mess”.
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