GUWAHATI, May 16 – It is a journey with a difference, of a rare and endangered animal, travelling across several States. The aim is to provide it with a safe refuge, and if possible expand the gene pool in the destination site.
The traveller, an adult male tiger is being moved from the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) in Assam where it was hand-raised, to near-wild environment at the Van Vihar National Park in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
The 2,012-km journey from CWRC, Kaziranga, to Van Vihar that started today will be completed in four days. The tiger has been confined inside a specially-designed enclosure loaded on a truck for the journey. Two veterinarians and two animal keepers will be travelling alongside to ensure safety of the tiger.
“The team has made all arrangements to ensure that the stress on the tiger is minimal, and it reaches Van Vihar safe,” said Surajit Dutta, Director of Kaziranga National Park, and Project Leader of CWRC.
Overseeing the initiative, CWRC In-Charge and WTI Coordinator, Dr Rathin Barman revealed that the enclosure has been specially designed to moderate inside temperature if required.
A WTI press release stated, Vivek the tiger, was rescued from a tea estate in December 2007. Barely six-month old then, the cub was found poisoned and in critical condition. Its female sibling was found dead nearby and the mother could not be located.
Dr NVK Ashraf, Chief Veterinarian, Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), said, “Since Van Vihar National Park is a CZA-recognised breeding centre for tigers, it was decided that Vivek could contribute to the gene pool there.”
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Sunday, May 15, 2011
India Announces Phase IV in Tiger Conservation, JATINDER KAUR
New Delhi (ABC Live): India on Friday has taken next step in tiger conservation by announcing Phase IV of tiger conservation
This will initiate intensive, annual monitoring of tigers at the tiger reserve level, across 41 protected areas in the country, commencing from November 2011.
Welcoming the decision, Minister of State (I/C), Environment and Forests, Shri Jairam Ramesh said: “This marks an important milestone in our comprehensive tiger conservation strategy. Annual monitoring, (instead of only a four-year cycle) at the tiger reserve level will allow us to get regular updates on the number and health of tiger populations across the country, and will strengthen our tiger conservation efforts”.
What is “Phase IV”?
Phase IV of the All India Tiger Estimation exercise will begin the process of intensive, annual monitoring of important ‘source’ populations of tigers.
The methodology will be developed by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), in consultation with experts, and will use statistically sound procedures to estimate numbers of both tigers and their prey.
The tiger monitoring protocol will use camera traps, at a density of 25 double-sided cameras per 100 square kilometres, and a minimum trapping effort of 1000 trap nights per 100 square kilometres.
This will provide a yearly indication of the status of critical tiger populations
around the country, and will be critical to long-term management and conservation of tiger populations.
Prey population monitoring will be conducted simultaneously, using Distance sampling protocols. Distance sampling will be conducted along line transects already established in phase I, and will use a minimum of 30 spatial replicates for 2 km each, and a total effort of 300 km.
The decision to begin Phase IV monitoring was made at a workshop on‘Best Management Practices in Tiger Conservation’, held from May 9th to 11th.
Framework of All India Tiger Estimation The All India Tiger Estimation exercise is one of the most crucial components of our national tiger conservation efforts. Monitoring efforts began in 2006, and are undertaken every four years, through a
three-phase approach.
Phase I: Field data collection at the beat-level, by trained personnel and using a standardised protocol.
Phase II: Analysis of habitat status of tiger forests using satellite data
Phase III: Camera trapping to identify individual tigers from their unique stripe patterns. This information was used to estimate tiger numbers in sampled sites.
The 2010 National Tiger Assessment involved three phases, and was
carried out between December 2009 and December 2010. The previous
assessment was done in 2006.
India’s Tigers 60 percent of the world’s wild tiger population is found in India.
Across a system of 41 tiger reserves, the 2010 National Tiger Assessment estimates that there are 1706 tigers (range between 1571 and 1875). This is an improvement from the 2006 estimates of 1411 tigers (range between 1165 and 1657). However, the increase is largely because the survey was expanded to the entire country in 2010. Other key outcomes of the workshop The NTCA and the WII will decide a uniform protocol for Phase IV monitoring, and will facilitate, train and provide a panel of outside experts to be involved in the same. The annual monitoring will be
carried out by the respective Chief Wildlife Wardens in tiger States.
In addition to Phase IV monitoring, the ‘snapshot’ country-level estimation will continue, and will be carried out every 4 years, covering all tiger areas. This will be implemented by the NTCA and WII.
All technical publications and data relating to tiger estimation and conservation will be placed in the public domain by the end of June, 2011.
Special initiatives will be taken to strengthen the management in problematic reserves like Indravati, Similipal, Palamau and Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserves.
http://abclive.in/environment/373-india-phase-iv-tiger-conservation.html
This will initiate intensive, annual monitoring of tigers at the tiger reserve level, across 41 protected areas in the country, commencing from November 2011.
Welcoming the decision, Minister of State (I/C), Environment and Forests, Shri Jairam Ramesh said: “This marks an important milestone in our comprehensive tiger conservation strategy. Annual monitoring, (instead of only a four-year cycle) at the tiger reserve level will allow us to get regular updates on the number and health of tiger populations across the country, and will strengthen our tiger conservation efforts”.
What is “Phase IV”?
Phase IV of the All India Tiger Estimation exercise will begin the process of intensive, annual monitoring of important ‘source’ populations of tigers.
The methodology will be developed by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), in consultation with experts, and will use statistically sound procedures to estimate numbers of both tigers and their prey.
The tiger monitoring protocol will use camera traps, at a density of 25 double-sided cameras per 100 square kilometres, and a minimum trapping effort of 1000 trap nights per 100 square kilometres.
This will provide a yearly indication of the status of critical tiger populations
around the country, and will be critical to long-term management and conservation of tiger populations.
Prey population monitoring will be conducted simultaneously, using Distance sampling protocols. Distance sampling will be conducted along line transects already established in phase I, and will use a minimum of 30 spatial replicates for 2 km each, and a total effort of 300 km.
The decision to begin Phase IV monitoring was made at a workshop on‘Best Management Practices in Tiger Conservation’, held from May 9th to 11th.
Framework of All India Tiger Estimation The All India Tiger Estimation exercise is one of the most crucial components of our national tiger conservation efforts. Monitoring efforts began in 2006, and are undertaken every four years, through a
three-phase approach.
Phase I: Field data collection at the beat-level, by trained personnel and using a standardised protocol.
Phase II: Analysis of habitat status of tiger forests using satellite data
Phase III: Camera trapping to identify individual tigers from their unique stripe patterns. This information was used to estimate tiger numbers in sampled sites.
The 2010 National Tiger Assessment involved three phases, and was
carried out between December 2009 and December 2010. The previous
assessment was done in 2006.
India’s Tigers 60 percent of the world’s wild tiger population is found in India.
Across a system of 41 tiger reserves, the 2010 National Tiger Assessment estimates that there are 1706 tigers (range between 1571 and 1875). This is an improvement from the 2006 estimates of 1411 tigers (range between 1165 and 1657). However, the increase is largely because the survey was expanded to the entire country in 2010. Other key outcomes of the workshop The NTCA and the WII will decide a uniform protocol for Phase IV monitoring, and will facilitate, train and provide a panel of outside experts to be involved in the same. The annual monitoring will be
carried out by the respective Chief Wildlife Wardens in tiger States.
In addition to Phase IV monitoring, the ‘snapshot’ country-level estimation will continue, and will be carried out every 4 years, covering all tiger areas. This will be implemented by the NTCA and WII.
All technical publications and data relating to tiger estimation and conservation will be placed in the public domain by the end of June, 2011.
Special initiatives will be taken to strengthen the management in problematic reserves like Indravati, Similipal, Palamau and Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserves.
http://abclive.in/environment/373-india-phase-iv-tiger-conservation.html
Govt got its math on tigers wrong? Chetan Chauhan, Hindustan Times
India may have got its latest tiger population estimation wrong. On Friday, eight top wildlife experts, in a letter published in the Science magazine, said environment minister Jairam Ramesh's announcement that the tiger population had increased from 1,411 in 2006 to 1,706 in 2010 was based on "unrel
iable" data.
The letter added to the pressure on the government to adopt a new comprehensive methodology to count the tigers. K Ullas Karanth and seven Indian and international scientists said in their letter, "These (government's) assertions cannot be verified because details of tiger photo-captures at sampled locations, as well as of spatial extrapolations from these data, are incomplete."
Ramesh hit back by accusing Karanth, a member of the ministry's National Tiger Conservation Authority, of being intellectually dishonest and said the tiger estimation was correct. "Karanth is like the species (tiger) he studies -- extremely territory-conscious and essentially a loner," he said in an email to HT.
However, the day Karanth's letter was published, asking the government to overhaul its method of estimation, Ramesh approved a new scientific plan for counting the big cat population.
The environment minister Jairam Ramesh incorporated some of Karanth's suggestions in the new plan such as annual monitoring and tiger estimation in 41 tiger reserves, wider coverage of camera-traps to capture in-depth tiger demography and greater reliability of data.
Karanth described the decision as "practical, cost-effective and useful".
Agreeing with him, Ramesh said this important milestone in the tiger conservation strategy will allow regular updates on the number and health of the tigers across India.
India has 70% of the world's tigers but most of them live in 15 reserves, constituting a mere 10% of the remaining tiger habitat.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Govt-got-its-math-on-tigers-wrong/Article1-697690.aspx
iable" data.
The letter added to the pressure on the government to adopt a new comprehensive methodology to count the tigers. K Ullas Karanth and seven Indian and international scientists said in their letter, "These (government's) assertions cannot be verified because details of tiger photo-captures at sampled locations, as well as of spatial extrapolations from these data, are incomplete."
Ramesh hit back by accusing Karanth, a member of the ministry's National Tiger Conservation Authority, of being intellectually dishonest and said the tiger estimation was correct. "Karanth is like the species (tiger) he studies -- extremely territory-conscious and essentially a loner," he said in an email to HT.
However, the day Karanth's letter was published, asking the government to overhaul its method of estimation, Ramesh approved a new scientific plan for counting the big cat population.
The environment minister Jairam Ramesh incorporated some of Karanth's suggestions in the new plan such as annual monitoring and tiger estimation in 41 tiger reserves, wider coverage of camera-traps to capture in-depth tiger demography and greater reliability of data.
Karanth described the decision as "practical, cost-effective and useful".
Agreeing with him, Ramesh said this important milestone in the tiger conservation strategy will allow regular updates on the number and health of the tigers across India.
India has 70% of the world's tigers but most of them live in 15 reserves, constituting a mere 10% of the remaining tiger habitat.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Govt-got-its-math-on-tigers-wrong/Article1-697690.aspx
Tiger treks 280km in search of own territory Amit Bhattacharya, TNN
NEW DELHI: A young male tiger, wandering through Karnataka's forests in search of a patch to call its own, has achieved a feat that will put it in the record books. In 15 months, the tiger travelled 280km as the crow flies, more than the straight-line distance between Delhi and Shimla, the longest documented distance traversed by a tiger anywhere in the world.
This came to light after a tiger was caught in Gama village near Shikaripur town of Karnataka's Shimoga district on May 1. It had strayed into a betelnut plantation and was stoned by a mob. The cornered tiger attacked and killed a man before it was tranquilized by forest officials.
On May 7, at an event watched by Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh, the tiger was released in the Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary. Photographs taken during the tiger's release were analysed by scientists of the Centre for Wildlife Studies, a wildlife NGO which has been camera-trapping in Karnataka's forests for around two decades.
"Photo-matching with our database, the animal was reliably identified as male tiger BPT-241, last camera-trapped in Gundre, Bandipur Tiger Reserve, on February 11 and February 18, 2010," said Dr K Ullas Karanth, head of CWS India.
"A GIS map showed that the straight line distance moved by this tiger since its photo-capture from Bandipur to Shikaripur is about 280km. The actual distance travelled by it would be more than 350km," Karanth said.
Looking at the map, one could say the tiger would have generally moved through forest patches but would also have traversed through coffee plantations, he added.
Karanth said though young male tigers were known to travel long distances to establish their territory, this is the longest dispersal documented through camera-trapping or radio-telemetry.
In 2006, a young male tiger, BDT-130, was camera trapped in Bhadra forests and then again in Dandeli in 2008. The straight line dispersal in that case was 197km. A radio-collared tiger in Russia was found to have travelled 195km.
Late last year, a young male tiger created a scare among villagers near Mathura in western UP, which experts at the Wildlife Institute of India said, had come from Ranthambore. The tiger then made its way to the Bharatpur bird sanctuary, from where it was relocated to Sariska.
"We have not seen any documentary evidence of the distance travelled by that tiger," said Karanth. " WII has been running a camera-trapping project in Ranthambore for the past five years. If there is proof that this tiger came from there, the evidence should be made public,"Karanth added.
Meanwhile, more camera traps have been placed in Bhadra to track the fate of BPT-241. Like all tigers, he will have to compete with other males to establish his territory, Karanth said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/wild-wacky/Tiger-treks-280km-in-search-of-own-territory/articleshow/8331667.cms
This came to light after a tiger was caught in Gama village near Shikaripur town of Karnataka's Shimoga district on May 1. It had strayed into a betelnut plantation and was stoned by a mob. The cornered tiger attacked and killed a man before it was tranquilized by forest officials.
On May 7, at an event watched by Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh, the tiger was released in the Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary. Photographs taken during the tiger's release were analysed by scientists of the Centre for Wildlife Studies, a wildlife NGO which has been camera-trapping in Karnataka's forests for around two decades.
"Photo-matching with our database, the animal was reliably identified as male tiger BPT-241, last camera-trapped in Gundre, Bandipur Tiger Reserve, on February 11 and February 18, 2010," said Dr K Ullas Karanth, head of CWS India.
"A GIS map showed that the straight line distance moved by this tiger since its photo-capture from Bandipur to Shikaripur is about 280km. The actual distance travelled by it would be more than 350km," Karanth said.
Looking at the map, one could say the tiger would have generally moved through forest patches but would also have traversed through coffee plantations, he added.
Karanth said though young male tigers were known to travel long distances to establish their territory, this is the longest dispersal documented through camera-trapping or radio-telemetry.
In 2006, a young male tiger, BDT-130, was camera trapped in Bhadra forests and then again in Dandeli in 2008. The straight line dispersal in that case was 197km. A radio-collared tiger in Russia was found to have travelled 195km.
Late last year, a young male tiger created a scare among villagers near Mathura in western UP, which experts at the Wildlife Institute of India said, had come from Ranthambore. The tiger then made its way to the Bharatpur bird sanctuary, from where it was relocated to Sariska.
"We have not seen any documentary evidence of the distance travelled by that tiger," said Karanth. " WII has been running a camera-trapping project in Ranthambore for the past five years. If there is proof that this tiger came from there, the evidence should be made public,"Karanth added.
Meanwhile, more camera traps have been placed in Bhadra to track the fate of BPT-241. Like all tigers, he will have to compete with other males to establish his territory, Karanth said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/wild-wacky/Tiger-treks-280km-in-search-of-own-territory/articleshow/8331667.cms
States squabble over who has most tigers, Amit S. Upadhye and Ambarish B Bengaluru
The latest tiger census has caused tiffs between states.
Barely a month after the Ministry of Environment and Forests released the tiger numbers for the country and its states, two states have written to the Centre seeking a re-survey of the findings on tiger numbers.
The Karnataka Forest Department has written a letter stating that the tigers from their state have been added in the numbers of Tamil Nadu. The Madhya Pradesh government has also sought a revised list of tigers, after it was reported that they had 50 tigers less than the tiger census figures of 2006.
According to officials from Karnataka, the present census count has 50 tigers less than the total number of tigers mentioned in the previous tiger census held in 2010.
The Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, had conducted the census during 2010 and Karnataka was declared the new Tiger State of India, with 300 tigers out in the wild. It was followed by Madhya Pradesh, which has 257 tigers in the wild.
During the earlier, 2007 census Madhya Pradesh had close to 300 tigers. The decline of 43 tigers has worried the officials in that state. A official from MoEF said that both Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh forest departments have sought a re-survey since the numbers appear low, despite a higher number of direct sightings in the last few years.
Wildlife officials from Karnataka Forest Department said that a re-survey has been sought in Bandipur Forests, which abuts the Tamil Nadu forest area.
“The river Moyar divides Bandipur in Karnataka and Mudhumalai in Tamil Nadu geographically, but hundreds of animals including tigers and elephants move from one part to the other. Unlike Bandipur, which is one of the first tiger reserves in the country and well protected, the neighbouring Mudhumalai has no protection for tigers. Also the numbers which Tamil Nadu is showing, need to be checked,” said a forest official.
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/bengaluru/states-squabble-over-who-has-most-tigers-683
Barely a month after the Ministry of Environment and Forests released the tiger numbers for the country and its states, two states have written to the Centre seeking a re-survey of the findings on tiger numbers.
The Karnataka Forest Department has written a letter stating that the tigers from their state have been added in the numbers of Tamil Nadu. The Madhya Pradesh government has also sought a revised list of tigers, after it was reported that they had 50 tigers less than the tiger census figures of 2006.
According to officials from Karnataka, the present census count has 50 tigers less than the total number of tigers mentioned in the previous tiger census held in 2010.
The Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, had conducted the census during 2010 and Karnataka was declared the new Tiger State of India, with 300 tigers out in the wild. It was followed by Madhya Pradesh, which has 257 tigers in the wild.
During the earlier, 2007 census Madhya Pradesh had close to 300 tigers. The decline of 43 tigers has worried the officials in that state. A official from MoEF said that both Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh forest departments have sought a re-survey since the numbers appear low, despite a higher number of direct sightings in the last few years.
Wildlife officials from Karnataka Forest Department said that a re-survey has been sought in Bandipur Forests, which abuts the Tamil Nadu forest area.
“The river Moyar divides Bandipur in Karnataka and Mudhumalai in Tamil Nadu geographically, but hundreds of animals including tigers and elephants move from one part to the other. Unlike Bandipur, which is one of the first tiger reserves in the country and well protected, the neighbouring Mudhumalai has no protection for tigers. Also the numbers which Tamil Nadu is showing, need to be checked,” said a forest official.
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/bengaluru/states-squabble-over-who-has-most-tigers-683
Despite ban, construction of canal on at Ranthambore Anindo Dey, TNN
JAIPUR: Despite an order from the Central Empowered Committee earlier in the year banning all construction work at the Ranthambore tiger reserve, a huge canal is being dug threatening to affect its ecological balance.
As environmentalists raised questions over the construction, the state government sprang into action on Saturday. The forest officials said the project has been temporarily stayed with an intervention from chief secretary S Ahmed.
Sources at the park said a100-feet wide and 5-7 km long canal is being dug between Khushalidarra and Mansarovar lake.
"The new canal has stopped the flow of water to Khushalidarra nullah and diverted it to Mansarovar," said conservation biologist Dharmendra Khandal of the Tiger Watch.
Over the past 20 days, nearly 20,000 Dhonk trees spread across at least five kms have been uprooted. The canal, Khandal said, will also destroy one of the most important tiger corridors between Ranthambore National Park and Sawai Mansingh Sanctuary.
Khandal has written to the CEC and the state government to take action in this regard.
CEC, in March, in response to a letter by conservationist Belinda Wright, had stopped all construction work at the sanctuary. Wright had complained about construction of some dams and anicuts in the sanctuary.
When contacted, officials of the state forest department expressed shock at the ongoing construction work in the reserve. Sources from the department however, revealed that the project is undertaken by the irrigation department.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Despite-ban-construction-of-canal-on-at-Ranthambore/articleshow/8327040.cms
As environmentalists raised questions over the construction, the state government sprang into action on Saturday. The forest officials said the project has been temporarily stayed with an intervention from chief secretary S Ahmed.
Sources at the park said a100-feet wide and 5-7 km long canal is being dug between Khushalidarra and Mansarovar lake.
"The new canal has stopped the flow of water to Khushalidarra nullah and diverted it to Mansarovar," said conservation biologist Dharmendra Khandal of the Tiger Watch.
Over the past 20 days, nearly 20,000 Dhonk trees spread across at least five kms have been uprooted. The canal, Khandal said, will also destroy one of the most important tiger corridors between Ranthambore National Park and Sawai Mansingh Sanctuary.
Khandal has written to the CEC and the state government to take action in this regard.
CEC, in March, in response to a letter by conservationist Belinda Wright, had stopped all construction work at the sanctuary. Wright had complained about construction of some dams and anicuts in the sanctuary.
When contacted, officials of the state forest department expressed shock at the ongoing construction work in the reserve. Sources from the department however, revealed that the project is undertaken by the irrigation department.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Despite-ban-construction-of-canal-on-at-Ranthambore/articleshow/8327040.cms
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Reserves to conduct annual tiger monitoring, using camera traps
The Ministry of Environment and Forests has asked states that are home to tigers that the big cat should be monitored annually using camera traps in all reserves, beginning November this year. This was conveyed to all tiger reserve field directors by Minister Jairam Ramesh at a three-day meeting held in New Delhi from May 9 to 11.
“A protocol will be developed by the National Tiger Conservation Authority and Wildlife Institute of India for the monitoring soon and forest personnel will be trained in undertaking the programme,” Melghat Tiger Reserve field director A K Mishra told The Indian Express .
The MoEF calls this Phase IV of its tiger monitoring programme. “This will initiate intensive, annual monitoring of tigers at the tiger reserve level, across 41 protected areas in the country, commencing from November 2011,” a statement from the ministry says. “This marks an important milestone in our comprehensive tiger conservation strategy. Annual monitoring at the tiger reserve level will allow us to get regular updates on the number and health of tiger populations across the country, and will strengthen our conservation efforts,” Ramesh said. Until now, the monitoring was done over a four-year cycle.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/reserves-to-conduct-annual-tiger-monitoring-using-camera-traps/790568/
“A protocol will be developed by the National Tiger Conservation Authority and Wildlife Institute of India for the monitoring soon and forest personnel will be trained in undertaking the programme,” Melghat Tiger Reserve field director A K Mishra told The Indian Express .
The MoEF calls this Phase IV of its tiger monitoring programme. “This will initiate intensive, annual monitoring of tigers at the tiger reserve level, across 41 protected areas in the country, commencing from November 2011,” a statement from the ministry says. “This marks an important milestone in our comprehensive tiger conservation strategy. Annual monitoring at the tiger reserve level will allow us to get regular updates on the number and health of tiger populations across the country, and will strengthen our conservation efforts,” Ramesh said. Until now, the monitoring was done over a four-year cycle.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/reserves-to-conduct-annual-tiger-monitoring-using-camera-traps/790568/
Thursday, May 12, 2011
R'bore saga: Have money, see tiger Anindo Dey, TNN
JAIPUR: Next time out on a safari to the Ranthambore national park curse not your luck if the tiger remains elusive. Instead let the money do the work!
Sources at the park, revealed that at the national park tips can create magic! The larger the tis to the tourist guide, or even promise of it, the brighter the chances of spotting a tiger or two.
"Spotting or even trailing is just a matter of effort. One has to carefully monitor the tell-tale signs left behind by the animal. And it is here that promises of tips make all the difference," the source said.
The countdown for an encounter with the tiger during a safari in fact begins right from the time tourists board a vehicle.
"The tourist guide strikes up a conversation with the passengers. And he subtly puts forth that in the event of spotting a tiger he would like to be tipped. The instant reaction of the tourist is a give away for him," the surce added.
Typically such a conversation stretches like this: "Sir, aap tiger dekhoge toh kush ho jaoge. Phir hamee bhi kush kar dena." (Sir, you'll be delighted on spotting a tiger. Then please me too.)
The tips can vary from anything between Rs 100 to Rs 1,000 per person depending on the size of the vehicle and hence the number of heads in it. The tips are apart his usual fee of Rs 150 which is deducted as part of the ticket money for the safari. Tips are collected by the driver and the guide once the vehicle is out of the park and is heading for the hotel.
"It is the tourists who are to be blamed for introducing the practice of paying tips to the guides. The tourists guides follow a roaster system for allotment of guides to vehicles. But sometimes tourists, specially those who are on their second or third trip to Ranthambore, prefer guides of their choice. Here the preferred guide often sacrifices his fee of Rs 150, giving it to person whose turn it really was, because he knows that the tips he collects at the end of the trip will be much higher than the fee," the source said.
Such tourists are mostly English-speaking and naturally seek English-speaking guides, which is a rarity in Ranthambore. The tips paid in these cases are often in dollars.
Divided into five zones, tigers in Ranthambore can be easily spotted in some zones. But due to rules of allowing a maximum of eight vehicles per zone at a time, zone numbers are allotted on a random basis by the computer. Even here tips to the right person can allow for switching from a zone that is not so conducive to spotting a tiger to one that is.
"Despite an online reservation system for going into the park, tour agents manage to book all seats before hand. Therefore, going into the park without the help of an agent is next to impossible. It is these agents who manage to convince the right person in the forest department and allow tourists to switch zone. The fees for such a service starts from Rs 500 and can stretch on depending on the urgency of the tourist and the season," the source added.
Tourists guides too often manage to fool unsuspecting tourist and switch zones among themselves taking those tourist willing to payhigher tips to zones that are more conducive to tiger spotting.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Rbore-saga-Have-money-see-tiger/articleshow/8255201.cms
Sources at the park, revealed that at the national park tips can create magic! The larger the tis to the tourist guide, or even promise of it, the brighter the chances of spotting a tiger or two.
"Spotting or even trailing is just a matter of effort. One has to carefully monitor the tell-tale signs left behind by the animal. And it is here that promises of tips make all the difference," the source said.
The countdown for an encounter with the tiger during a safari in fact begins right from the time tourists board a vehicle.
"The tourist guide strikes up a conversation with the passengers. And he subtly puts forth that in the event of spotting a tiger he would like to be tipped. The instant reaction of the tourist is a give away for him," the surce added.
Typically such a conversation stretches like this: "Sir, aap tiger dekhoge toh kush ho jaoge. Phir hamee bhi kush kar dena." (Sir, you'll be delighted on spotting a tiger. Then please me too.)
The tips can vary from anything between Rs 100 to Rs 1,000 per person depending on the size of the vehicle and hence the number of heads in it. The tips are apart his usual fee of Rs 150 which is deducted as part of the ticket money for the safari. Tips are collected by the driver and the guide once the vehicle is out of the park and is heading for the hotel.
"It is the tourists who are to be blamed for introducing the practice of paying tips to the guides. The tourists guides follow a roaster system for allotment of guides to vehicles. But sometimes tourists, specially those who are on their second or third trip to Ranthambore, prefer guides of their choice. Here the preferred guide often sacrifices his fee of Rs 150, giving it to person whose turn it really was, because he knows that the tips he collects at the end of the trip will be much higher than the fee," the source said.
Such tourists are mostly English-speaking and naturally seek English-speaking guides, which is a rarity in Ranthambore. The tips paid in these cases are often in dollars.
Divided into five zones, tigers in Ranthambore can be easily spotted in some zones. But due to rules of allowing a maximum of eight vehicles per zone at a time, zone numbers are allotted on a random basis by the computer. Even here tips to the right person can allow for switching from a zone that is not so conducive to spotting a tiger to one that is.
"Despite an online reservation system for going into the park, tour agents manage to book all seats before hand. Therefore, going into the park without the help of an agent is next to impossible. It is these agents who manage to convince the right person in the forest department and allow tourists to switch zone. The fees for such a service starts from Rs 500 and can stretch on depending on the urgency of the tourist and the season," the source added.
Tourists guides too often manage to fool unsuspecting tourist and switch zones among themselves taking those tourist willing to payhigher tips to zones that are more conducive to tiger spotting.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Rbore-saga-Have-money-see-tiger/articleshow/8255201.cms
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Tiger that strayed into MP, spotted back in Rajasthan -PTI
Morena (MP), May 10 (PTI) After being on the prowl in the Chambal ravines of Madhya Pradesh for the past six months, Mohan- a tiger from the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, has finally returned to Rajasthan, officials said. After straying into Madhya Pradesh from Rajasthan, Mohan killed cattle and created a terror in villages in the region, they said. "Mohan was not been spotted in the ravines since March. None of his traces could be found during our search operation in the region," Morena Divisional Forest Officer R S Sikarwar told PTI. He said that the Rajasthan forest officials have confirmed the tiger's return to Rajasthan as it was spotted in Kareli jungle last month. The official said that the tiger could have returned to Rajasthan in search of a mating partner.
http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/tiger-that-strayed-into-mp-spotted-back-in-rajasthan/679144.html
http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/tiger-that-strayed-into-mp-spotted-back-in-rajasthan/679144.html
Nod to border fence near tiger reserve - National security fears prompt move
Guwahati, May 10: The National Board for Wildlife has given its nod to the construction of a 62-km fence and patrol road along the Bangladesh boundary near Dampa tiger reserve in Mizoram keeping in view the interest of national security.
Last year, an expert team constituted by the National Tiger Conservation Authority had opposed the construction of the fence and patrol road near the tiger reserve, stressing that it would impact the movement of animals.
A source said a site inspection team in its report, submitted to the National Board for Wildlife, has called for a detailed survey which needs to be undertaken by the BSF, involving representatives of the state government and the tiger reserve authorities.
It said the fence and road should be built as close as possible along the international boundary to minimise the loss of animal habitat at the 500 square km tiger reserve, which was brought under Project Tiger in 1994.
The ministry of home affairs had plans to construct a three-line wire fencing, besides seven border outposts.
The inspection team also recommended that road and border outposts should be on the Bangladesh side to ensure that the Dampa tiger reserve habitat remains sacrosanct and free from disturbance.
The team said the requisite forest clearance under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, should be obtained only after the exact area involved in the project is worked out.
The ministry of home affairs has informed the National Board for Wildlife that the road as well as the fencing was of utmost importance to stop the infiltration from Bangladesh.
Besides, the spot had been chosen from three alternatives because it involved minimal destruction of forestland and trees, besides being technically feasible.
The National Board for Wildlife has now written to the ministry of home affairs about the recommendations of the site inspection team.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110511/jsp/northeast/story_13955790.jsp
Last year, an expert team constituted by the National Tiger Conservation Authority had opposed the construction of the fence and patrol road near the tiger reserve, stressing that it would impact the movement of animals.
A source said a site inspection team in its report, submitted to the National Board for Wildlife, has called for a detailed survey which needs to be undertaken by the BSF, involving representatives of the state government and the tiger reserve authorities.
It said the fence and road should be built as close as possible along the international boundary to minimise the loss of animal habitat at the 500 square km tiger reserve, which was brought under Project Tiger in 1994.
The ministry of home affairs had plans to construct a three-line wire fencing, besides seven border outposts.
The inspection team also recommended that road and border outposts should be on the Bangladesh side to ensure that the Dampa tiger reserve habitat remains sacrosanct and free from disturbance.
The team said the requisite forest clearance under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, should be obtained only after the exact area involved in the project is worked out.
The ministry of home affairs has informed the National Board for Wildlife that the road as well as the fencing was of utmost importance to stop the infiltration from Bangladesh.
Besides, the spot had been chosen from three alternatives because it involved minimal destruction of forestland and trees, besides being technically feasible.
The National Board for Wildlife has now written to the ministry of home affairs about the recommendations of the site inspection team.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110511/jsp/northeast/story_13955790.jsp
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Ranthambore census to focus on five 'missing' tigers Anindo Dey, TNN
JAIPUR: With the Ranthambore tiger reserve embarking on a census, the focus will be on five tigers that wildlife activists claim to be missing from the park for a long time.
The sanctuary embarked on its census on Saturday which would see the trap camera method being deployed for a count of tigers along with the transit line survey for herbivores and finally the water hole census for other wild animals.
According to conservation biologists and a member of Tiger Watch Dharmendra Khandal there are at least five tigers missing from the park since long. These are T-21 or the Chiroli male, T-27 or the Gilai Sagar female, T-29 of Berda, T-40 or the Berda male and T-43 the second Jhailkho male cub.
"T-21 is the same male tiger of Chiroli that the state forest department had planned relocating to Sariska. Even his DNA samples had been tested and he was found suitable for relocation. But then at the last moment just before the relocation he went missing and has not been seen by visitors or officials," says Khandal.
Also missing are T-27 or the Gilai Sagar female and T-29 or the shy male of Berdha in zone 2. Incidentally, he had been treated for injuries that she had perhaps sustained in a fight with T-5 or the Kachida female but after that he has been missing. Reports are that he was darted for the treatment but the forest authorities could not catch her and he went missing with the dart.
In a detailed report prepared by Khandal, the conservation biologists has traced all the 47 tigers that had been population the Ranthambore sanctuary. According to his estimates at present there are 26 tigers that are populating the reserve with six of them having made the Sawai Mansingh Sanctuary their home.
Three tigers have migrated from the reserve to other areas. They are T-35, a female, is at Kota, T-38 or the Sultanpur male has migrated to Kuno in Madhya Pradesh in while T-47 has made Dholpur his home. Seven tigers dies due to various reasons in the park while six were located to Sariska national park.
According to Khandal, there are 26 tigers at the reserve excluding 14 other cubs that have been spotted in the past
year. He however substantiates the count of 31 tigers as per the census by the Wildlife Institute of India ( WII) in 2010. This is the figure that was placed for a tiger count in the country in the recently concluded meet at Delhi. However, since that census there were quite a few tigers that have migrated or died resulting in the current count of 26 at the reserve.
Officials of the department neither agreed nor disputed Khandal's claim but estimated the total count of tigers at the Ranthambore reserve to be around 40 tigers including the 14 new borns.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Ranthambore-census-to-focus-on-five-missing-tigers/articleshow/8211879.cms
The sanctuary embarked on its census on Saturday which would see the trap camera method being deployed for a count of tigers along with the transit line survey for herbivores and finally the water hole census for other wild animals.
According to conservation biologists and a member of Tiger Watch Dharmendra Khandal there are at least five tigers missing from the park since long. These are T-21 or the Chiroli male, T-27 or the Gilai Sagar female, T-29 of Berda, T-40 or the Berda male and T-43 the second Jhailkho male cub.
"T-21 is the same male tiger of Chiroli that the state forest department had planned relocating to Sariska. Even his DNA samples had been tested and he was found suitable for relocation. But then at the last moment just before the relocation he went missing and has not been seen by visitors or officials," says Khandal.
Also missing are T-27 or the Gilai Sagar female and T-29 or the shy male of Berdha in zone 2. Incidentally, he had been treated for injuries that she had perhaps sustained in a fight with T-5 or the Kachida female but after that he has been missing. Reports are that he was darted for the treatment but the forest authorities could not catch her and he went missing with the dart.
In a detailed report prepared by Khandal, the conservation biologists has traced all the 47 tigers that had been population the Ranthambore sanctuary. According to his estimates at present there are 26 tigers that are populating the reserve with six of them having made the Sawai Mansingh Sanctuary their home.
Three tigers have migrated from the reserve to other areas. They are T-35, a female, is at Kota, T-38 or the Sultanpur male has migrated to Kuno in Madhya Pradesh in while T-47 has made Dholpur his home. Seven tigers dies due to various reasons in the park while six were located to Sariska national park.
According to Khandal, there are 26 tigers at the reserve excluding 14 other cubs that have been spotted in the past
year. He however substantiates the count of 31 tigers as per the census by the Wildlife Institute of India ( WII) in 2010. This is the figure that was placed for a tiger count in the country in the recently concluded meet at Delhi. However, since that census there were quite a few tigers that have migrated or died resulting in the current count of 26 at the reserve.
Officials of the department neither agreed nor disputed Khandal's claim but estimated the total count of tigers at the Ranthambore reserve to be around 40 tigers including the 14 new borns.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Ranthambore-census-to-focus-on-five-missing-tigers/articleshow/8211879.cms
Monday, May 9, 2011
Activists question utility of fresh inquiry into Sariska shame Anindo Dey, TNN
JAIPUR: Wildlife activists have questioned the utility of another investigation into the Sariska shame seven years after the reserve was poached of all its tigers.
"What do they hope to find after seven years since the tigers became extinct in the sanctuary. It is difficult to find anything even seven days after a tiger's death and seven years is a long time. Tigers are now back on the reserve," activists said.
"Take the example of the last tiger death in Sariska ---that of male tiger ST-1. We were unable to find much details even days after its death and this incident is now history," they add.
Seven years after it came to light in 2005, the Sariska tiger reserve was cleaned of all its big cats, the Rajasthan government on Monday began another investigation into the disappearance, poaching and lapses in security for tigers there. The investigation is being done by the state's additional chief secretary, development, B B Mohanty.
It comes at a time when not only are many of those accused in poaching at Sariska, including Sansar Chand and his brother, are behind bars but most of the officers and field staff that were present then have long been changed.
Even tigers, five to be precise, are now back again at Sariska with the state forest department embarking on an ambitious relocation programme in 2008..
But BB Mohanty sounded confident and claimed to have even discovered a "connivance"' that was ultimately responsible for wiping out tigers at the sanctuary.
"It will be a very different story once the investigations are over. I am trying to get down to the real issue. There is a sort of a connivance that exists in Sariska and we will bring this out after the investigation," he said.
Interestingly, the state government had not only ordered an inquiry by the then chief wildlife warden R N Mehrotra no sooner did Sariska's shame hit the national headlines, but that was followed by another committee set up by the Vidhan Sabha under the BJP MP from Bhilwara VP Singh. This again was followed by investigations by a special committee set up by the Prime Minister and the CBI.
"Though this inquiry was instituted in 2010, but it was only in March 2011 that I took over the investigations. I have visited Sariska twice and am being aided by a person from the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun. We will come out with the real, detailed story in about two-three months. Prior to this not much work had been done in the investigations," claimed Mohanty.
According to Mohanty the investigations will be focusing on carelessness in keeping a count of tigers, managerial failure in the project, security lapses, lapses in measures to protect wildlife, officers and other staff ultimately responsible for the poaching of tigers, lack of punitive action on staff responsible for poaching and the non-utilisation of budget.
"Sariska is not only facing a problem of lack of water bodies which are absolutely necessary for wildlife there, but problems also stem from the fact that villages in the sanctuary release their livestock to graze in the forest thereby robbing it of greenery. I am in touch with experts and have sought the advice of residents, school teachers etc so that we are able to do a transparent investigation," he added.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Activists-question-utility-of-fresh-inquiry-into-Sariska-shame/articleshow/8200363.cms
"What do they hope to find after seven years since the tigers became extinct in the sanctuary. It is difficult to find anything even seven days after a tiger's death and seven years is a long time. Tigers are now back on the reserve," activists said.
"Take the example of the last tiger death in Sariska ---that of male tiger ST-1. We were unable to find much details even days after its death and this incident is now history," they add.
Seven years after it came to light in 2005, the Sariska tiger reserve was cleaned of all its big cats, the Rajasthan government on Monday began another investigation into the disappearance, poaching and lapses in security for tigers there. The investigation is being done by the state's additional chief secretary, development, B B Mohanty.
It comes at a time when not only are many of those accused in poaching at Sariska, including Sansar Chand and his brother, are behind bars but most of the officers and field staff that were present then have long been changed.
Even tigers, five to be precise, are now back again at Sariska with the state forest department embarking on an ambitious relocation programme in 2008..
But BB Mohanty sounded confident and claimed to have even discovered a "connivance"' that was ultimately responsible for wiping out tigers at the sanctuary.
"It will be a very different story once the investigations are over. I am trying to get down to the real issue. There is a sort of a connivance that exists in Sariska and we will bring this out after the investigation," he said.
Interestingly, the state government had not only ordered an inquiry by the then chief wildlife warden R N Mehrotra no sooner did Sariska's shame hit the national headlines, but that was followed by another committee set up by the Vidhan Sabha under the BJP MP from Bhilwara VP Singh. This again was followed by investigations by a special committee set up by the Prime Minister and the CBI.
"Though this inquiry was instituted in 2010, but it was only in March 2011 that I took over the investigations. I have visited Sariska twice and am being aided by a person from the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun. We will come out with the real, detailed story in about two-three months. Prior to this not much work had been done in the investigations," claimed Mohanty.
According to Mohanty the investigations will be focusing on carelessness in keeping a count of tigers, managerial failure in the project, security lapses, lapses in measures to protect wildlife, officers and other staff ultimately responsible for the poaching of tigers, lack of punitive action on staff responsible for poaching and the non-utilisation of budget.
"Sariska is not only facing a problem of lack of water bodies which are absolutely necessary for wildlife there, but problems also stem from the fact that villages in the sanctuary release their livestock to graze in the forest thereby robbing it of greenery. I am in touch with experts and have sought the advice of residents, school teachers etc so that we are able to do a transparent investigation," he added.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Activists-question-utility-of-fresh-inquiry-into-Sariska-shame/articleshow/8200363.cms
Chikmagalur: Kudremukh to Have a Tiger Reserve - Jairam Ramesh
Chikmagalur, May 9: The announcement could not have come from a better person. The Kudremukh wildlife sanctuary will have its own tiger reserve along with Biligiri Ranga (B R) Hills in Chamarajanagar district in the state.
This was disclosed here on Sunday by none other than the Chikmagalur-born union minister for the enviroment Jairam Ramesh. Being the district of his birth, he definitely may have felt proud to take this step. He added that preparations are already on to formally declare Kudremukh as a tiger reserve. This will take the present number of reserves to six, from the present four.
He had a special word of praise for the state's scientists and officials in tiger conservation. He said that it had been revealed in the tiger census the presence of 350 tigers in the state. Even in 2006, Karnataka had stood first in tiger population.
He further said that 300 families from Kudremukh and 1,300 families from Nagarahole were being relocated, adding that it would be done only if they were willing to move.
He also said that he had pointed out to the state's chief minister that the mining activity was proving to be a hazard to the wildlife and forests and urged him not to allow mining in reserve forests
http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=local&newsid=237318
This was disclosed here on Sunday by none other than the Chikmagalur-born union minister for the enviroment Jairam Ramesh. Being the district of his birth, he definitely may have felt proud to take this step. He added that preparations are already on to formally declare Kudremukh as a tiger reserve. This will take the present number of reserves to six, from the present four.
He had a special word of praise for the state's scientists and officials in tiger conservation. He said that it had been revealed in the tiger census the presence of 350 tigers in the state. Even in 2006, Karnataka had stood first in tiger population.
He further said that 300 families from Kudremukh and 1,300 families from Nagarahole were being relocated, adding that it would be done only if they were willing to move.
He also said that he had pointed out to the state's chief minister that the mining activity was proving to be a hazard to the wildlife and forests and urged him not to allow mining in reserve forests
http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=local&newsid=237318
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Panna Tiger Reserve remains closed due to strike on 2nd day PTI
Bhopal, May 7 (PTI) With the majority of forest department employees on a strike, the Panna Tiger Reserve in the state remained closed for the second day today. Other tiger reserves and national parks were not affected much by the strike, officials said. "We remained open and the tourists visited the reserve," said Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve's Field Director, C K Patil. Barring the Indian Forest Service officers, the officials from Assistant Conservator Forest (ACF) down to the forest guards are on strike, demanding better pay, among other things. In an attempt to break the strike, the state government today declared the services of all the employees and officers of the forest department and its subordinate offices as essential services under MP Essential Services Rules (Avashyak Sewa Sandharan Tatha Vichchinnta Nivaran Adhiniyam).PTI LAL MAS KRK ETB
Fuel dry, Gypsy stranded inside Tadoba until midnight TNN
CHANDRAPUR: Even as RTO authorities have began crackdown upon illegally plying gypsies in Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, gypsy operators continue to break norms. In an instance of serious violation of wildlife regulations, a gypsy operator kept some tourists inside TATR till late in the night as the fuel of the vehicle got exhausted on Thursday. Shockingly, no action was taken against the violator gypsy operator and driver.
One Rahul Gandhi from Mumbai had hired a gypsy for safari inside TATR for the afternoon session from Moharli gate. The driver took at least three tourists with a guide to the Ramshingh Amba area in Kolsa range of TATR where there is presence of a tigress with four cubs. However, vehicle stopped in dense jungle after its fuel ran out. The gypsy driver, instead of making alternative arrangement for safe exit of the tourists from the park within the stipulated exit timing, called the owner on mobile phone and asked to arrange for additional fuel. The vehicle owner reportedly arranged the petrol by 11 pm and the fuel was sent on motorbike to the vehicle. By the time the gypsy returned out of the park, it was midnight. The stipulated timing for safari during afternoon session is between 2.30 pm to 6.30 pm and movement of vehicles during night hours is strictly prohibited. Still, the gypsy operator overlooked the norms and did not gauge the fuel quantity in the vehicle before sending it inside the park. While the safety of tourists was put on the risk by keeping them in an open gypsy till midnight in tiger territory, it also disturbed the tranquility of the forest.
Gandhi, the tourist in question, confirmed that they were stranded in dense forest in Kolsa region till late in the night. "We were asked to remain in the gypsy for safety. We waited in dark till the fuel was brought to the vehicle for exit from the tiger reserve," said Gandhi, while talking to TOI. The TATR headquarters in Chandrapur was unaware of the incident even on Saturday. ACF, TATR, Ajay Pillariseth assured to look into the matter. He maintained that gypsy could face suspension for entry in TATR for such violation.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Fuel-dry-Gypsy-stranded-inside-Tadoba-until-midnight/articleshow/8191400.cms
One Rahul Gandhi from Mumbai had hired a gypsy for safari inside TATR for the afternoon session from Moharli gate. The driver took at least three tourists with a guide to the Ramshingh Amba area in Kolsa range of TATR where there is presence of a tigress with four cubs. However, vehicle stopped in dense jungle after its fuel ran out. The gypsy driver, instead of making alternative arrangement for safe exit of the tourists from the park within the stipulated exit timing, called the owner on mobile phone and asked to arrange for additional fuel. The vehicle owner reportedly arranged the petrol by 11 pm and the fuel was sent on motorbike to the vehicle. By the time the gypsy returned out of the park, it was midnight. The stipulated timing for safari during afternoon session is between 2.30 pm to 6.30 pm and movement of vehicles during night hours is strictly prohibited. Still, the gypsy operator overlooked the norms and did not gauge the fuel quantity in the vehicle before sending it inside the park. While the safety of tourists was put on the risk by keeping them in an open gypsy till midnight in tiger territory, it also disturbed the tranquility of the forest.
Gandhi, the tourist in question, confirmed that they were stranded in dense forest in Kolsa region till late in the night. "We were asked to remain in the gypsy for safety. We waited in dark till the fuel was brought to the vehicle for exit from the tiger reserve," said Gandhi, while talking to TOI. The TATR headquarters in Chandrapur was unaware of the incident even on Saturday. ACF, TATR, Ajay Pillariseth assured to look into the matter. He maintained that gypsy could face suspension for entry in TATR for such violation.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Fuel-dry-Gypsy-stranded-inside-Tadoba-until-midnight/articleshow/8191400.cms
Saturday, May 7, 2011
One held for selling fake tiger skin in TN PTI
Rajapalayam (TN), May 7 (PTI) A racket in selling fake tiger skins has been busted with the arrest of one person by officials of forest range here. Acting on a tip-off, a team of forest officials arrested James for allegedly selling fake tiger skin and seized a counterfeit hide piece at Kumbakari in Theni district on Thursday, officials said. James was produced before a court which yesterday remanded him to 15 days judicial custody, police said. Rajapalayam Forest Ranger Sekar Kumar Neerok and Srivilluputthur Forest Warden Raj set a trap to nab the gang involved in fake tiger skin business and sent one Mariappan, as a broker, to approach James of Pudukottai near Periyakulam. James had quoted Rs.2.5 lakh for the skin and had taken an advance of Rs.50,000 from Mariappan with a promise to deliver the skin on Thursday. The forest officials followed Mariappan and arrested James when he was handing over the fake tiger hide to Mariappan. They found that it was fake tiger skin and nabbed James and and handed him over to police. PTI SSN
http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/one-held-for-selling-fake-tiger-skin-in-tn/675422.html
http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/one-held-for-selling-fake-tiger-skin-in-tn/675422.html
Friday, May 6, 2011
Census begins in Sariska, Ranthambore to follow TNN
JAIPUR: The forest department on Thursday began the census at Sariska tiger reserve despite knowing that there are just five tigers at the reserve. The same will commence at Ranthambore two days later.
While 150 persons would be involved in the fortnight-long exercise at Sariska, Ranthambore will see 600 people including staff, forest guards, NGOs and wildlife lovers participate in it. The census at both the parks will be done in stages. Pugmarks will be counted first followed by transit line survey for verification of herbivores and vegetative survey and finally the waterhole census.
In Sariska, the pugmark count will be taken from May 5 to 11, followed by the transit line survey from May 12 to 16 and the waterhole census on May 17 and 18. At Ranthambore, the pugmark census will be done from May 7 to 16, the transit line survey will be from May 9 to 12 while the water hole survey will be held on May 17 and 18. During this time, the timings for visitors to the park has been changed while on May 17 and 18 both the parks will remain closed.
But the pugmark census may just end as a formality as it has become an outdated process and often fails to provide correct details. Way back in 2005, when tigers went extinct in Sariska, the pug mark census had still counted their number at 25.
"It is an exercise in futility involving lots of people and money," said a wildlife activist. "What is the use of carrying out the pug mark census when we know that it gives false data. Everyone knows that there are 5 tigers at Sariska so why carry out the pugmark census there at all ?" he asked. However, the water hole census still found favour with the activists as it also gives details on other animals in the sanctuaries.
However, forest officials begged to differ. "There are other cat species like leopards in Sariska and the pugmark census can give an insight into it," said an official. In Ranthambore, the pugmark process will be done along with trap cameras.
"The pugmark census will be done just for an estimation and to know the regions where the tiger is treading. We are setting up trap cameras and the census will be done by it. The method will provide us some insight into the density of tigers at various zones," said an official.
Chief wildlife warden UM Sahai denied that the pugmark census was being done at Ranthambore. "We are just doing it for Sariska so that we can get an exact number of panthers that are there in the forest. For Ranthambore, we are just doing the camera trap method there is no point doing the pugmark census there," he said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Census-begins-in-Sariska-Ranthambore-to-follow/articleshow/8172398.cms
While 150 persons would be involved in the fortnight-long exercise at Sariska, Ranthambore will see 600 people including staff, forest guards, NGOs and wildlife lovers participate in it. The census at both the parks will be done in stages. Pugmarks will be counted first followed by transit line survey for verification of herbivores and vegetative survey and finally the waterhole census.
In Sariska, the pugmark count will be taken from May 5 to 11, followed by the transit line survey from May 12 to 16 and the waterhole census on May 17 and 18. At Ranthambore, the pugmark census will be done from May 7 to 16, the transit line survey will be from May 9 to 12 while the water hole survey will be held on May 17 and 18. During this time, the timings for visitors to the park has been changed while on May 17 and 18 both the parks will remain closed.
But the pugmark census may just end as a formality as it has become an outdated process and often fails to provide correct details. Way back in 2005, when tigers went extinct in Sariska, the pug mark census had still counted their number at 25.
"It is an exercise in futility involving lots of people and money," said a wildlife activist. "What is the use of carrying out the pug mark census when we know that it gives false data. Everyone knows that there are 5 tigers at Sariska so why carry out the pugmark census there at all ?" he asked. However, the water hole census still found favour with the activists as it also gives details on other animals in the sanctuaries.
However, forest officials begged to differ. "There are other cat species like leopards in Sariska and the pugmark census can give an insight into it," said an official. In Ranthambore, the pugmark process will be done along with trap cameras.
"The pugmark census will be done just for an estimation and to know the regions where the tiger is treading. We are setting up trap cameras and the census will be done by it. The method will provide us some insight into the density of tigers at various zones," said an official.
Chief wildlife warden UM Sahai denied that the pugmark census was being done at Ranthambore. "We are just doing it for Sariska so that we can get an exact number of panthers that are there in the forest. For Ranthambore, we are just doing the camera trap method there is no point doing the pugmark census there," he said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Census-begins-in-Sariska-Ranthambore-to-follow/articleshow/8172398.cms
Locks greet visitors at NTCA office Vijay Pinjarkar, TNN
NAGPUR: Eight days ago, the regional office of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) was inaugurated amid great fanfare at Ravi Nagar by Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan and minister for environment and forest Jairam Ramesh. Today, locks greet visitors.
The office was opened on April 27 on the working plan office premises of the forest department at Ravi Nagar. However, the opening of the office seems to be a farce now as there is no officer in charge to look after it.
On Thursday, when TOI visited the office, the NTCA board inaugurated by the top dignitaries was missing and the office was locked. There is no furniture and it is in the same condition when it was inaugurated. It seems no one has bothered to visit the office since then.
Deputy inspector general (DIG) of forests and joint director of NTCA, S P Yadav, says it was not inauguration of the office but building. However, a brief note issued on April 27 clearly stated that it was inauguration of the regional office.
"Till any officer is appointed to look after the affairs, how can an office be opened? Interviews for the post of assistant inspector general (AIG) will be held on Friday in Delhi. It will take some time to complete the formalities and appoint an officer to run the office," Yadav stated.
Congress MP from Nagpur Vilas Muttemwar, who took initiative in opening the NTCA office here, admits things need to be set right.
"I'm pursuing it with Delhi. It will take 10 days for the matters to settle down. Unless staff is appointed, the office won't function," he said.
"I had always felt that the inauguration of the NTCA office should have been done in a proper manner. But as chief minister was in the city and occasion demanded it was inaugurated. It is good that at least a start has been made. It is the first regional office in India," Muttemwar told TOI.
The NTCA has appointed wildlife vet Dr A D Kholkute as a consultant who has been told to coordinate with the Bhopal office but conservationists ask how a consultant can run an office.
During the inauguration, Chavan and Ramesh had said that opening of the NTCA office is the first step towards boosting tiger tourism in and around Nagpur, which has been declared 'gateway to tiger land.' "All help would be given to boost ecotourism. The NTCA office was a dream come true," both said. However, conservationists hope that it doesn't fizzle out.
Of the three NTCA offices in India, Nagpur is the first to be opened. It will oversee 13 tiger reserves in Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. The main duties of Nagpur office will be planning, monitoring, and providing necessary guidance in field management.
NTCA officials said plans are afoot to recruit eight support ministerial staffers on outsourcing basis, but unless an IG level officer is appointed to head the office, opening of the office seems to be a futile exercise.
"If Jairam Ramesh wishes, the issue can be set right immediately, but even after cabinet approval, efforts have not been taken to fill up the IG's post," forest officials felt.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Locks-greet-visitors-at-NTCA-office/articleshow/8172029.cms
The office was opened on April 27 on the working plan office premises of the forest department at Ravi Nagar. However, the opening of the office seems to be a farce now as there is no officer in charge to look after it.
On Thursday, when TOI visited the office, the NTCA board inaugurated by the top dignitaries was missing and the office was locked. There is no furniture and it is in the same condition when it was inaugurated. It seems no one has bothered to visit the office since then.
Deputy inspector general (DIG) of forests and joint director of NTCA, S P Yadav, says it was not inauguration of the office but building. However, a brief note issued on April 27 clearly stated that it was inauguration of the regional office.
"Till any officer is appointed to look after the affairs, how can an office be opened? Interviews for the post of assistant inspector general (AIG) will be held on Friday in Delhi. It will take some time to complete the formalities and appoint an officer to run the office," Yadav stated.
Congress MP from Nagpur Vilas Muttemwar, who took initiative in opening the NTCA office here, admits things need to be set right.
"I'm pursuing it with Delhi. It will take 10 days for the matters to settle down. Unless staff is appointed, the office won't function," he said.
"I had always felt that the inauguration of the NTCA office should have been done in a proper manner. But as chief minister was in the city and occasion demanded it was inaugurated. It is good that at least a start has been made. It is the first regional office in India," Muttemwar told TOI.
The NTCA has appointed wildlife vet Dr A D Kholkute as a consultant who has been told to coordinate with the Bhopal office but conservationists ask how a consultant can run an office.
During the inauguration, Chavan and Ramesh had said that opening of the NTCA office is the first step towards boosting tiger tourism in and around Nagpur, which has been declared 'gateway to tiger land.' "All help would be given to boost ecotourism. The NTCA office was a dream come true," both said. However, conservationists hope that it doesn't fizzle out.
Of the three NTCA offices in India, Nagpur is the first to be opened. It will oversee 13 tiger reserves in Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. The main duties of Nagpur office will be planning, monitoring, and providing necessary guidance in field management.
NTCA officials said plans are afoot to recruit eight support ministerial staffers on outsourcing basis, but unless an IG level officer is appointed to head the office, opening of the office seems to be a futile exercise.
"If Jairam Ramesh wishes, the issue can be set right immediately, but even after cabinet approval, efforts have not been taken to fill up the IG's post," forest officials felt.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Locks-greet-visitors-at-NTCA-office/articleshow/8172029.cms
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Missing from MP Pench, tiger traced to Mansinghdeo Vijay Pinjarkar, TNN
NAGPUR: You must have heard of radio-collared tigers going missing from a reserve. But a radio-collared tiger that went missing from Pench tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh has been traced to the new Mansinghdeo wildlife sanctuary, adjoining Pench, Maharashtra.
The radio-collared tiger was a resident of Pivarthadi area of MP Pench and was untraceable for the past two months. On April 23, the tiger was seen in Chorbahuli forest area by a shepherd. The compartment where the tiger was sighted is part of Block B of the newly-declared Mansinghdeo wildlife sanctuary, which is contiguous to Pench.
Prafulla Bhamburkar of Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) says the tiger must have travelled a distance of 25km as the crow flies, though it must have covered around 45km walking through Pivarthadi, Bodhalzira, Bakhari, Kirangisarra and Mansinghdeo.
A tiger crossing from MP into the Maharashtra side of Pench is common, but this is the second instance in the last three years when a radio-collared tiger has strayed into the forest on the Maharashtra side.
Earlier, in January-February 2008, a radio-collared tigress from high-profile Kanha tiger reserve traversed almost 250 kilometres in four months to reach Pench tiger reserve in Maharashtra. There were reports later that this collared Kanha tigress gave birth to three cubs. Foresters claim to have sighted the tigress and cubs but there are no pictures.
OP Tiwari, deputy director of Pench tiger reserve, MP, on Wednesday confirmed that the tiger sighted in Mansinghdeo area belongs to MP Pench. "Yes, it's a sub-adult male tiger around three years old. It was radio-collared in January 2010 and its presence was also recorded in camera traps in Pivarthadi area during the annual census exercise," Tiwari told TOI.
Worried MP Pench field staff and officials tried to trace the tiger along Kanha side but failed to track it. They came to know about the tiger's presence in Paoni forest range only when A Ashraf, field director of Pench, Maharashtra, called up his counterpart Arun Kumar a couple of days ago. Paoni range has now become part of Mansinghdeo sanctuary.
The collared tiger was first sighted by a shepherd who saw the beast killing a buffalo and a calf. He lodged a complaint with Paoni range forest officer (RFO) Anil Waghmare.
Waghmare informed conservator of forests (CF) for Nagpur division N Rambabu, who sent a team including conservationist Kundan Hate to the spot. The team deployed camera traps to record evidence of the tiger and a machan was also built near the spot to keep a watch on the animal.
Since April 23, two teams from Pench and Paoni are continuously monitoring the tiger. Ashraf and assistant conservator of forests (ACF), Pench, G K Vashisht too visited the spot recently to take stock of the situation.
"We had also received a call from Kanha field director HS Negi who wanted to know whether it is the same tiger that went missing three years ago from Kanha," Ashraf said.
Tiwari said the Pivarthadi tiger could not be traced since the radio-collar had stopped emitting signals.
"Problems in the radio-collar of the tiger cannot be ruled out. The best we can do now is to protect the tiger by monitoring it. It is difficult to say whether the tiger will return to its original territory in MP Pench," Tiwari added.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Missing-from-MP-Pench-tiger-traced-to-Mansinghdeo/articleshow/8163901.cms
The radio-collared tiger was a resident of Pivarthadi area of MP Pench and was untraceable for the past two months. On April 23, the tiger was seen in Chorbahuli forest area by a shepherd. The compartment where the tiger was sighted is part of Block B of the newly-declared Mansinghdeo wildlife sanctuary, which is contiguous to Pench.
Prafulla Bhamburkar of Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) says the tiger must have travelled a distance of 25km as the crow flies, though it must have covered around 45km walking through Pivarthadi, Bodhalzira, Bakhari, Kirangisarra and Mansinghdeo.
A tiger crossing from MP into the Maharashtra side of Pench is common, but this is the second instance in the last three years when a radio-collared tiger has strayed into the forest on the Maharashtra side.
Earlier, in January-February 2008, a radio-collared tigress from high-profile Kanha tiger reserve traversed almost 250 kilometres in four months to reach Pench tiger reserve in Maharashtra. There were reports later that this collared Kanha tigress gave birth to three cubs. Foresters claim to have sighted the tigress and cubs but there are no pictures.
OP Tiwari, deputy director of Pench tiger reserve, MP, on Wednesday confirmed that the tiger sighted in Mansinghdeo area belongs to MP Pench. "Yes, it's a sub-adult male tiger around three years old. It was radio-collared in January 2010 and its presence was also recorded in camera traps in Pivarthadi area during the annual census exercise," Tiwari told TOI.
Worried MP Pench field staff and officials tried to trace the tiger along Kanha side but failed to track it. They came to know about the tiger's presence in Paoni forest range only when A Ashraf, field director of Pench, Maharashtra, called up his counterpart Arun Kumar a couple of days ago. Paoni range has now become part of Mansinghdeo sanctuary.
The collared tiger was first sighted by a shepherd who saw the beast killing a buffalo and a calf. He lodged a complaint with Paoni range forest officer (RFO) Anil Waghmare.
Waghmare informed conservator of forests (CF) for Nagpur division N Rambabu, who sent a team including conservationist Kundan Hate to the spot. The team deployed camera traps to record evidence of the tiger and a machan was also built near the spot to keep a watch on the animal.
Since April 23, two teams from Pench and Paoni are continuously monitoring the tiger. Ashraf and assistant conservator of forests (ACF), Pench, G K Vashisht too visited the spot recently to take stock of the situation.
"We had also received a call from Kanha field director HS Negi who wanted to know whether it is the same tiger that went missing three years ago from Kanha," Ashraf said.
Tiwari said the Pivarthadi tiger could not be traced since the radio-collar had stopped emitting signals.
"Problems in the radio-collar of the tiger cannot be ruled out. The best we can do now is to protect the tiger by monitoring it. It is difficult to say whether the tiger will return to its original territory in MP Pench," Tiwari added.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Missing-from-MP-Pench-tiger-traced-to-Mansinghdeo/articleshow/8163901.cms
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