Don't ban tiger tourism: Conservationists

By: AFP Date: 2011-11-09 Place: New Delhi Conservationists and wildlife tour operators warned Monday that moves to restrict tiger tourism in India to protect the endangered big cats would have the opposite effect. "Banning tiger tourism would be a disaster," said Belinda Wright, director of the Wildlife Protection Society of India. "Tourism acts as a conservation tool and also provides income to thousands of people, many of them local to the area of the reserves," Wright told reporters in New Delhi. Conservationists argue that tiger poaching is more prevalent in areas of low tourism because poachers feel they have less chance of being spotted and caught. Tourism also provides revenue for locals who might otherwise turn to poaching as a means of providing for their families. Last year, the Indian National Tiger Conservation Authority proposed phasing out safaris in India's 40 tiger reserves, saying the animals were being "loved to death" by tourists. The idea was abandoned after protests from wildlife experts and tour operators, but the Supreme Court is considering a public-interest litigation case, which argues that tourism in "core" tiger habitats should be banned. Vishal Singh, who heads Travel Operators for Tigers, said the negative impact of tourism on tiger habitats was exaggerated. "Wildlife tourists carry cameras, not axes. They do not poach, do not submerge forests with dams... They are being unjustifiably blamed for killing tigers," Singh said. India, home to half of the world's rapidly dwindling wild tiger population, has been struggling to halt the big cat's decline in the face of poachers, international smuggling networks and powerful mining companies. From an estimated 40,000 animals in India a century ago, the number is now down to around 1,706. http://www.mid-day.com/lifestyle/2011/nov/091111-Dont-ban-tiger-tourism-Conservationists.htm

Missing tiger: Teams to wind up search operations

G RAJENDRA, TNN | Nov 10, 2011, 01.52PM IST MADIKERI: The tiger search operation team on Wednesday breathed a sigh of relief after they sighted pugmarks of the elusive tiger, which had spread terror in and around Konageri village, about 500 meters from Kallalla forest area near the Nagarhole Games Sanctuary. The team is expected to wind up the search operations by Thursday afternoon. After studying the pugmarks, the team comprising district wild life deputy conservator of forests, Motappa, Hunsur wild life division assistant conservator of forests K D Belliappa, Virajpet deputy conservator of forests Kanthraj, and range forest officers Shrinivasa Naik, Neharu and Mandanna, reached the conclusion that the tiger might have entered the kallalla forest. The team assumed that the animal reached the place early morning on Wednesday. According to officers of the department of forest, the tiger has returned to Kothur village where it started its hunt on October 20. The pugmarks indicate that it chose the same route, which he had taken to reach konageri village where he killed a cow on last Monday, on his way back to the forest. According to the expert team, the animal started moving from Konageri Aiyappakadu area in the wee hours of Monday towards Gandhi Thammaiah's estate in Kothur village. "From there it entered Cheppudira Tyago Monnappa's coffee estate. The pugmarks show that, it then reached Mallangere Maramma Temple Road crossing the paddy fields of Malachira Manju. From here, it crossed Kanoor-Bommadu Road in Balele village and reached a place about 500 meters away from the Kallalla forest," said one official. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Missing-tiger-Teams-to-wind-up-search-operations/articleshow/10678334.cms

Tiger hunter arrested

PTI | 12:11 AM,Nov 10,2011 Alwar, Nov 9 (PTI) Forest department officials today arrested a man in connection with the killing of two tigers in 2005 here. Noor was nabbed in Malakhere area and will be produced before a local court tomorrow in the district, officials said. He was allegedly involved in the killing of the big cats in Sariska Tiger Park, according to senior forest official R S Shekhawat.

Bhadra reserve to adopt Jim Corbett methods

Express News Service , The New Indian Express BANGALORE:� As part of the Tiger Conservation Plan 2011-2021, senior state forest officials working for the cause of wildlife held a discussion regarding management of Bhadra Tiger Reserve here on Tuesday. K Ullas Karanth, director, Wildlife Conservation Society, India Programme, came up with the suggestion that modifying the habitat artificially and translocating the tiger would not be helpful in solving the issues of the tiger. He said, “The prey density for wild tigers is good around the Bhadra region, hence grazing pressures can be reduced.” At present the reserve area, spread across an area of 500 sq km has a total of 25 tigers. Bhadra Tiger Reserve further has the capacity to double its number density within 20 years, he said. Management of lantana and other diseases caused by vehicular movement in the reserve area was also discussed. A senior forest official said, “The Jim Corbett National Park in Nainital has developed an interesting way of managing lantana, we are planning to adopt a similar procedure at Bhadra Tiger Reserve.” “All the recommendations that came up will be submitted to the National Tiger Conservation Authority in a month,” he said. http://ibnlive.in.com/news/bhadra-reserve-to-adopt-jim-corbett-methods/201032-60-115.html

Stop tourism in core tiger areas: Govt to SC

Chetan Chauhan, Hindustan Times A jeep ride to have a glimpse of a tiger deep inside Corbett or Ranthambore or Kanha tiger reserves may become history if the Supreme Court accepts the government’s argument that tourism needs to be shifted out of the core areas to fringe and buffer zones to protect the big cat from adverse impact of human interference. In an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has said that “core critical tiger habitats” have to be kept inviolate and only management interventions can be allowed by the state governments in the said area. “In such areas if tourism activity are taking place, they are required to be phased out in the fringe/buffer zones,” the NTCA, the statutory body mandated to provide safe habitat to 1,706 tigers in 40 tiger reserves, has told the court. The NTCA has declared core areas as “inviolate” from any human interference. In most of the tiger reserves, tourists are allowed inside the core tiger critical areas without adequate regulation, creating nuisance for tigers. A recent Wildlife Institute of India report had said that most of 1,706 tigers were in the core areas that are the best habitat for big cats to survive, if human intervention can be minimised. “Human living in tiger reserves pose the biggest danger not the tourism,” said Belinda Wright of Wildlife Protection Society of India, who owns a lodge in Kanha tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh, at a press conference organized by Travel Operators for Tigers before the hearing in the case on Wednesday. At least two tigers have been killed by vehicles used by tourists in Bandhavgarh tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh in the last few years. Prerna Singh Bindra, wildlife conservationist said in her report on Corbett that the tourism inside the core tiger area was unsustainable and lodges have blocked the corridor used by tigers to move from the park to Ramnagar forest division and vice-versa. Lodges have been constructed in the buffer zone of Ramthambore tiger reserve and Periyar tiger reserve in Kerala. The travel operators brought a tribal, Sansai Baigai from Kanha, to claim that they have financially benefited from tiger tourism even though the operators had opposed settlement of their traditional rights in tiger reserves. “I am not in favour of Forest Rights Act in protected areas,” Wright said, while the operators failed to inform about the revenue shared by them with the local communities. NTCA’s affidavit quotes Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 to say that core areas in protected areas have to be kept inviolate for purpose of tiger conservation without affecting the rights of tribals or forest dwellers. The world “inviolate” means without any disturbance by human beings and each tiger reserve should have inviolate space of 800-1,200 sq kms for a viable population. The tour operators claimed the NTCA decision, if upheld by the Supreme Court, will harm the tigers than benefiting them. http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/Stop-tourism-in-core-tiger-areas-Govt-to-SC/Article1-766038.aspx

Tigers poached in connivance with forst staff at Panna: Government report

TNN | Nov 9, 2011, 03.58AM IST In a detailed investigation, carried out by the field director, who is in-charge of Panna Tiger Reserve, it emerged that forest staff on occasions were involved in destroying evidence of poaching. NEW DELHI: Tigers in Madhya Pradesh's Panna Tiger Reserve were poached in connivance with forest officials, an internal state government report has admitted. But the state government, despite repeated requests from the Union environment and forests ministry, has refused to constitute a CBI probe as was done in the wipe-out of the elusive wild cats in Rajasthan's Sariska Tiger Reserve. The report submitted in January to the state government - a scathing indictment of the forest department for hiding facts and acting in collusion with poaching networks - came to light, thanks to an application by Madhya Pradesh-based RTI activist Ajay Dubey. In a detailed investigation, carried out by the field director, who is in-charge of Panna Tiger Reserve, it emerged that forest staff on occasions were involved in destroying evidence of poaching. In one case, forest officers, the field director said, took a bribe to suppress evidence of poaching. He has demanded a thorough investigation into forest officials working in cahoots with poaching gangs that operate in Panna. The officer notes that there are sufficient evidence to show active involvement of staff in poaching, and also in destroying of evidence in some cases. The report notes that at least once the ``mighty feudal structure played its part in manipulating" the case. To make matters worse, when well-connected people were caught poaching, they were let off by senior forest officials. The current field director has recommended that forest officials - starting from forest guards to his predecessor- be interrogated. "The area is infested with heavy poaching. With staff's omissions and commissions the crime nexus is complete from the scene of crime to New Delhi," he records. The local population has no sympathy left for tigers or the reserve because the creation of the park has hit them hard, the official says and warns that no park can survive without empathy from them. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Tigers-poached-in-connivance-with-staff-at-Panna-Government-report/articleshow/10661307.cms

Tiger kills pregnant cow in Kodagu district

Express News Service , The New Indian Express MADIKERI: The tiger menace in the district surfaced again when a pregnant cow was hunted in Kongeri on Monday. The tiger dragged the carcass of the cow for over 10 m and ate almost 10 kg of meat, it is said. As per the instructions of Assembly Speaker K G Bopaiah, Chief Wildlife Warden and principal chief conservator of forests (Wildlife) B K Singh arrived at the spot� on Monday evening to receive information about the tiger menace. Sources in the Forest Department said that a decision may be taken to shoot the tiger at sight as it may attack human beings too, under Section 11(A) of the Wildlife Act. But killing the tiger will be the last resort. An expert shooter from Hassan, medicine shooter from Mysore zoo and other doctors will assist the team to catch the tiger. The fact that the tiger also came to one of the cages set up, touched the goat inside it but did not harm it has surprised officials. http://ibnlive.in.com/news/tiger-kills-pregnant-cow-in-kodagu-district/200389-60-115.html

Bandhavgarh tiger park faces fund crunch, staff shortage

PTI Nov 7, 2011, 03.00PM IST BANDHAVGARH (MP): Shortage of more than 100 trained foresters coupled with fund crunch to shift about a dozen villages from the core area of Bandhavgarh National Park, which has the highest density of tigers, are posing a grave problem for its authorities. "There is a need for minimum 240 staff including forest guards, range officers and foresters here to properly maintain the reserve park but we have only about 100 staff to do the job," CK Patil, field director of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, said. Situated in the Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh, the core area of the park is spread over 716 sq km. According to the latest census, there are 59 tigers in the park, an increase of 12 from 2006. Known for its highest density of Royal Bengal tigers in the world, there are still 12 villages inside the core area Bandhavgarh forest. "There were a total 14 villages inside the core area and till now we could shift only one village and the process for shifting another is in the process. We need to relocate all these villages otherwise it would be difficult to prevent man-animal conflict and protect wildlife," Patil said. According to the relocation scheme, every family gets Rs 10 lakh as compensation for shifting out from the core area. There are about 2,500 families residing in the area. "We need Rs 250 crore for shifting these villages out of the core forest area. We are not able to expedite it due to the severe fund crunch," the field director said. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-11-07/flora-fauna/30369202_1_fund-crunch-core-area-forest-guards

Roving tiger trapped, on camera

November 7, 2011 By LALIT SHASTRI DC BHOPAL Many questions on tiger conservation have sprung up with the first clear pictures taken by “camera trapping” of a tiger moving in the forest track between Kerwan dam and Kathotia on Bhopal’s southern periphery early in the morning on November 2. After sighting pug marks, the forest authorities used the camera trapping method and managed to photograph the tiger. They also got clear pictures of a wild bear and hyenas moving in the same territory. Forest officers are worried about the fate of this tiger, which obviously strayed here from the Ratapani sanctuary, where the number of tigers has gone up almost 70 per cent since 2006. Their chief concern is the reckless way in which educational institutions have been allowed to come up in the buffer forest zone in the past few years by successive state governments in total disregard of conservationists’ objections. A senior wildlife department official said while Ratapani and its surroundings, which has thick forest cover, was one of India’s best tiger habitats, there was an attempt to have this forested track declared as a “public-semi-public” (PSP) area in the new Bhopal master plan. Even before this master plan could see light of day, educational institutions had been allowed to come up in this eco-sensitive zone, he noted. Forest officials had last month caught a gang of poachers in this area, seizing a trap and other poaching gear. While one of those arrested was working with an educational institute in this area, another was working at the Bhopal municipal corporation. This gang is being interrogated to investigate if there is a larger conspiracy to remove every trace of tigers moving in this territory. http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/nation/north/roving-tiger-trapped-camera-493

Collars preventing tigers from breeding?

The 1.5 kg collars probably make it tough for tigers to breed. Collared tigers in Ranthambhore National Park (RNP) and Sariska are showing an intriguing behaviour that has flummoxed wildlife scientists. With a contraption weighing over 1.5 kg around their necks, they are finding it difficult to breed. The scientists suspect that tigress No. 17 in Ranthambhore and five relocated big cats, including three females, at Sariska Tiger Reserve were finding the radio collars too much of a burden when it comes to getting cozy with a mate. The five tigers at Sariska were relocated in phases from Ranthambhore since 2008 to repopulate the reserve. Sariska became a "tigerless" reserve in 2004. Now, failed breeding has put a question mark on the repopulation programme of Sariska that was taken up at the behest of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Collars are put on tigers to monitor their movements - usually on those who have been either shifted from one forest area to another or if the animal's territory falls in a sensitive location close to the reserve's border and near human habitation. None of these apply to Ranthambhore's T17 - renamed Krishna after Rajasthan's champion athlete Krishna Punia. She is the only tiger born and brought up in Ranthambhore carrying a radio collar since June 23, 2008. For the record, T17 is the most sighted tiger of Ranthambhore with a territory that ranges from Jhalra, Padma Talab, Rajbagh, Malick Talab, Manduk and Singhdwar of the park. To make matters worse, her radio collar stopped sending signals 18 months ago. Forest officials neither cared to replace nor remove it. Chief wildlife warden U. M. Sahai said the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has asked the Wildlife Institute of India to send a doctor to tranquilise the tigress to remove the collar. But the doctor was on leave. Ironically, Jaipur zoo doctor Arvind Mathur was very much available and he has the experience of successfully tranquilising around 10 tigers in the past. Wildlife enthusiast Dhirendra Godha said the collar could be a possible reason for the full-grown adult tigress not breeding. NTCA expert Rajpal Singh seconded Godha's views. He said T17' s sister, T19, who is not collared gave birth to three cubs around six months ago. A similar situation prevailed in Sarika too. None of the three tigresses have been able to reproduce and experts have not detected any hormonal imbalance, which affects their fertility. Apart from the radio collars, disturbances from the two highways bisecting the reserve, the stress of being shifted from Ranthambhore and acclimatising with a new environment could be the other factors for the sterility. Rajpal Singh said samples have been sent to the Hyderabad-based National Centre for Biological Sciences to test if there were any biological reason. Experts, including Godha, said the common factor between T17 and the Sariska tigresses was the radio collar. They agreed that there was no scientific evidence to prove the collar could be an impediment, but it needed to be explored. State's principal chief wildlife warden R. N. Mehrotra said his department was contemplating doing away with the collars once and for all because these "infringe upon the privacy of the tigers". Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/collared-tigers-ranthambhore-national-park-sariska-tiger-reserve/1/158920.html

Seven poachers held, tiger skin found

TNN Nov 6, 2011, 08.19AM IST LUCKNOW: There is no end to poaching incidents in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. While about half a dozen poachers were arrested in Uttarakhand in October, one was arrested in UP. Most of these poachers have a history of wildlife crime against them. They have been arrested several times in the past but come out on bail and again start poaching. In the latest incident reported from Sharda range of Haldwani forest division in Uttarakhand's Champawat district, a tiger skin, bones and meat were recovered. The forest team and police seized a jaw trap, knives and 'ballam' and arrested seven persons. The forest department patrolling team found the skin in the forest, recovered meat from near-by area and bones from the hide-out of Van Gujjars. Ads by Google Elephants in South Africa Find out all about magical wildlife holiday opportunities in SA! SouthAfrica.net Club Mahindra Resorts Holiday in all seasons. Quality resorts & excellent hospitality! ClubMahindra.com/Fun-Family-Forever The arrested persons were identified as Totha Ram, Ram Chander, Naresh, Iqbal Gujjar, Hashim Gujjar and his two sons, Yakoob and Karim, all notorious poachers. "Totharam has been arrested before also. He is out on bail," said Tito Joseph from Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI). Totharam is one of the most notorious poachers. He was arrested on May 21, 2003, from Champawat and a leopard skin was recovered from him. On August 10, 2004, the forest department caught him again from Khatima range of terai east division. And, with the help of WPSI, the department recovered a tiger skin with 16 bullet marks from him. Notorious poacher Sansar Chand's telephone number was also recovered from his dairy. He was convicted to 3-years rigorous imprisonment and Rs 10,000 fine by civil judge, Khatima. But he got bail from the sessions court. Third time, he was arrested from Banbasa, Champawat on November 18, 2009. An iron trap, another half-made trap, two deer antlers, knives and poaching equipments were seized from him. But, again got bail. Similarly, UP forest department also arrested a poacher with 13 wildlife crime cases against him on October 11. The poacher Tikaram was arrested from Dudhwa along with three others. The forest officials of Bilrayen range of Dudhwa got information that a poaching net had been set up to trap wild animals. The officials reached the spot with the police and nabbed four persons - Tikaram, his son Pothi, and two others - with net, meat of wild boar and a stub. There are 13 wildlife crime cases against Tikaram in Bilrayen range only. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-11-06/lucknow/30366378_1_totha-ram-tiger-skin-poachers

Tiger Census at Namdapha National Park in Arunachal Pradesh this Month

By: Rang7 Team November 4, 2011 Tigers in Arunachal Pradesh’s two National Parks; Namdapha National Park and Pakhe Wildlife Sanctuary are alls et to have a head count. With the new tiger policy by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (“NTCA”) which states that tiger census should be conducted annually instead of every four years, the census will be conducted at the two parks in the state this month. Namdapha National Park is considered to have the richest biodiversity of flora and fauna in the region. The park located in Changlang district is the only National Park in India where all four big cats - tiger, leopard, snow leopard and clouded leopard have been found together. The census will be conducted at Namdapha and Pakhe by scientific methods through the use of the latest equipment and technology including sophisticated cameras which are to be provided by NTCA. The cameras will be placed at a distance of about 1 km for 35 to 60 days at a single location to trap the images of tigers. Reputed wildlife NGO’s will be involved in the census and will be trained by the Wildlife Institute of India (“WII”) of Dehradun along with other forest staff for technicalities involved in the project. NTCA hopes the tiger population numbers will be higher than before as proper survey in the dense forests of this state having 82 per cent coverage is yet to be conducted. Arunachal Pradesh Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (wildlife & biodiversity) J.L. Singh said, “The World Wildlife Fund for Nature-India (WWFI) will be involved in the survey in Pakke while services of the Assam-based Aaranyak will be availed in Namdapha for authenticating the data collected.” Formerly the tiger census was carried out across the country using only the pug mark method. But with doubts over its accuracy, today multiple methods are used to arrive at a more accurate figure. As per the tiger census conducted in 2000-01, Namdapha National park recorded 11 tigers, but the tiger census conducted in 2006 suggested the presence of only four tigers in the park. Later it was clarified that the low number of tigers recorded was because WII had conducted the census in only selected areas of the park. However though the tiger census in 2006 was limited to certain areas only, there is known to be a decline in the tiger population at Namdapha. Namdapha Tiger Reserve has slowly been experiencing large scale encroachment since the mid eighties by Lisus, a tribe originating in China, who are good tiger hunters. “The reported decline in tiger population is mainly due to encroachment of the park’s buffer zone by 84 families of the Lisus tribe from across the border,” Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) B.S. Sajwan had claimed recently. Still to ascertain that the Namdapha National Park had a good population of the Royal Bengal Tigers the NTCA conducted an expedition mode in four zones of the Namdapha Tiger Reserve during November, 2008 to February, 2009 in which evidence of four tigers at different locations was found. Those involved in the census were forest officials and volunteers from an NGO, Nature’s Beckon in Assam. The data sheets and scat samples were handed over to Aranayak, an Assam based organisation for analysis and the results proved the existence of a good sizeable number of tigers in the park The tiger population in Pakhe Wildlife Sanctuary as per the last tiger census is nine. Some of the other National Parks and sanctuaries in Arunachal Pradesh include Itanagar Wildlife Sanctuary, Sessa Orchid Sanctuary, Mouling National Park, Eagle Nest Wildlife Sanctuary and others. The Royal Bengal Tigers which once had a large presence throughout the world almost totaling to 100,000, is now reduced to barely 3500 in numbers. The drastic reduction in the tiger numbers over the world has resulted because tigers have lost more than 97 per cent of their population and 94 per cent of their home range in just 100 years. India too had just about 1411 tigers as per the census in 2007. The species is naturally considered an endangered wildlife species today, though the numbers have increased in India to 1706 as per the census conducted in 2009-10. The area-wise tiger population shown are: Shivalik-Gangetic plains -353; Central and Eastern Ghats - 601; Western Ghats - 534; Brahmaputra flood plains & North-East hills - 148; and Sunderbans in West Bengal- 70, totaling to 1,706, according to data released by All India Tiger Estimation in March 2011. http://www.rang7.com/news/national-park/tiger-census-namdapha-national-park-arunachal-pradesh-this-month-966.htm

Labyrinth of canals cuts into tiger path

Vijay Pinjarkar, TNN Nov 5, 2011, 01.17AM IST NAGPUR: The canal network of irrigation projects has fragmented the continuity of wildlife and is sounding the death knell for tigers and wildlife in Central India. Following the Tass tragedy when a tigress was rescued from well adjacent to a canal, the Satpuda Foundation wrote to the state government highlighting the adverse impacts of canals on tiger corridors in Central India specially in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. The foundation works in Melghat region for the conservation of the wildcat. The projects sanctioned in the past few years, specially in and around tiger habitats and corridors like the Upper Wardha (Amravati), Bawanthadi (Nagpur-Bhandara-Balaghat-Seoni), Ghodazari (Bhandara) and Gosikhurd (Bhandara-Nagpur) have started creating adverse impacts on wildlife. Urgent steps are needed to save wild animals and for their best management. Bawanthadi: The Bawanthadi dam (Rajiv Sagar Interstate Irrigation Project) in Nagpur, Bhandara, Seoni and Balaghat districts of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, respectively, has hit tigers as some of its canals fall in corridor connecting Pench reserve and Nagzira sanctuary. Tiger habitat continuity between Pench (both in Maharashtra and MP) with Kanha reserve is through this forest belt in the north-west Balaghat forest. Statistics with the forest department say that the Bawanthadi project has actually destroyed 2,350 hectares of tiger forest and now its 100km canal is causing serious threats to wild animals in the tiger habitat. Monkeys climb down into the canal to drink water and are unable to come up. Forest department had even kept a ladder for them. "But what about other animals like gaurs, tigers and herbivores," asks Kishor Rithe, Satpuda Foundation chief. Forest officials said a joint committee to suggest mitigation measures has been set up for Bawanthadi. The works will be appropriately designed and technically approved by both the departments. Gosikhurd: The Gosikhurd project is under construction and encompasses good forest areas with rich vegetation and wildlife. However, the project has fragmented corridors. Of late, there have been frequent incidents of wild animals getting trapped in its canals. The irrigation and forest departments need to identify areas where passages (bridges with natural look) can be constructed on the canals for wild animals so that the corridors are not obstructed and they can move and migrate freely. However no action is being taken. Upper Wardha: The Upper Wardha project has also fragmented the corridor to Bor sanctuary in Wardha district. It has actually isolated the presence of gaurs in Bor. Ghodazari: The Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) maintains a fragmented wildlife corridor with Navegaon National Park through the Bramhapuri forest division. However, man-animal conflict is high in this area. The canal network of Ghodazari project has already created a problem for the wildlife in the area. Itiadoh: Work on this project in Gondia district has been completed. However, the canal in the Zasinagar area fragments wildlife corridor of Navegaon. The forest and irrigation departments need to design mitigation measures for this. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-11-05/nagpur/30363366_1_bawanthadi-project-canal-network-kanha

Tiger census at Arunachal reserves to start this month

The Hindu A tiger at Bandipur. National Tiger Conservation Authority will start the exercise in the two tiger reserves of Arunachal Pradesh along with 37 others in the country this month. File photo In keeping with the new policy to conduct tiger census annually instead of every four years, the National Tiger Conservation Authority will start the exercise in the two tiger reserves of Arunachal Pradesh along with 37 others in the country this month. The number of tigers in the two reserves in Arunachal Pradesh, Namdapha and Pakke, would be determined using scientific methods and reputed NGOs would be involved in the process, Arunachal Pradesh Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (wildlife & biodiversity) J.L. Singh said. The NTCA would provide all the necessary equipment, including sophisticated cameras, while experts of the Wildlife Institute of India would provide the technical training to the field staff of the project. Mr. Singh said, “The World Wildlife Fund for Nature-India (WWFI) will be involved in the survey in Pakke while services of the Assam-based Aaranyak will be availed in Namdapha for authenticating the data collected.” The NTCA decided to hold an annual census considering serious doubts cast on the accuracy of the methodologies adopted in the exercise, Mr. Singh said. The Namdapha Tiger Reserve in Changlang district is the only national park in India where all four big cats -- tiger (Panthera Tigris), leopard (Panthera Pardus), snow leopard (Panthera Uncia) and clouded leopard (Neofelis Nebulosa) have been found. The country’s tiger population is estimated to be 3,500, the figure having been arrived at through using the big cat’s pug marks, but the method is considered not very reliable. According to the 2001-2002 census, there were 11 wild cats in the Namdapha park, but the 2006 census had shown them only four. The state forest department, however, has claimed that the 2006 census by the WII was incorrect as it was done in selected areas of the tiger reserve. Besides the decline in tiger population, the reserve experienced large-scale encroachment since the mid-eighties by Lisus, a tribe originating in China, who are good tiger hunters. “The reported decline in tiger population is mainly due to encroachment of the park’s buffer zone by 84 families of the Lisus tribe from across the border,” Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) B.S. Sajwan had claimed recently. In fact, to ascertain the presence of tigers, a survey as per an NTCA directive was conducted on an expedition mode in four zones of the Namdapha Tiger Reserve during November, 2008 to February, 2009 in which evidence of four tigers at different locations was found. The forest officials, along with volunteers from ’Nature’s Beckon’, an NGO from Assam, had participated in the survey. The data sheets and scat samples were submitted to Aaranyak for analysis and compilation and the DNA test of scats encouragingly confirmed existence of tigers in the Park. Mr. Singh said the details of the camera trap method would be submitted to the NTCA for sanction of funds for conducting a survey. Giving details of the method, he said the cameras are placed at a distance of about 1 km for 35 to 60 days at a single location to trap the images of tigers. He said the data would be very encouraging as proper survey in the dense forests of this state having 82 per cent coverage is yet to be conducted. The tiger population in Pakke is estimated to be nine. India, home to half the world’s wild tigers, surprised global conservationists with its announcement last March that its tiger population had increased to 1,706 from 1,411 according to a tiger census conducted in 2007. The area-wise tiger population shown were: Shivalik-Gangetic plains -- 353; Central and Eastern Ghats -- 601; Western Ghats -- 534; Brahmaputra flood plains & North-East hills -- 148; and Sunderbans -- 70, totalling 1,706, according to data released by All India Tiger Estimation in March 2011. Numbering more than 100,000 at the turn of the last century, tigers have lost more than 97 per cent of their population and 94 per cent of their home range in just 100 years. http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/article2597366.ece?homepage=true

Brave act: 70-year-old fights off tiger to rescue cow - www.daily.bhaskar.com

Bhopal: In a daring act, a 70-year-old shepherd Mangilal of Bhindora village fought off a tiger attack just to rescue a cow. Armed with only a bamboo stick, the septuagenarian not only chased away the tiger but also guarded the cows all night long before handing them to their owner. Notably, the beast has already hunted down 27 cattle in last one month. Narrating on how he encountered the tiger in jungles, Mangilal said, “Like always, I had taken my cattle for grazing near the hill top on Sunday. It was 5 in the evening when I halted with the cattle herd near a mine. I rested near the bushes while the cows drank water. The next moment I saw a tiger that crept into the herd and attacked them.” Mangilal took no time to hit the tiger back with his stick. “As soon as the stick hit the tiger, it left the cow. Thinking that it would attack me, I grabbed the axe kept next to me. However, he vanished into the jungle.” In shock after his encounter with the beast for the first time, Mangilal said, “I have been rearing cattle since the age of 8 years, but I came across such an experience for the first time. The attack had led to the shattering of the cattle. It was an ordeal to gather them back, for which I had to spend the whole night in jungle.” Not only did Mangilal rescue the cow, the 70-year-old sat next to the injured animal fearing another attack by the tiger. “I thought, the tiger would come back again in search for its prey, but it did not. I handed the injured cow to its owner in the morning,” he said. The injured cow belongs to Sarpanch of Mindora village, Suresh Singh Tomar. The Sarpanch said that the tiger has so far targeted seven cows of their village. Concerned over their cattle, Tomar has registered a complaint in Ratibad police station against forest department.

Stone-crushing units destroying tiger habitat

Uttam Mukherjee, TNN Oct 15, 2011, 09.31AM IST LOHARDAGA: Once a tiger habitant and a beautiful green hillock with a natural source of sweet water, Bagh Tungri in Jhaljhamira panchayat has now been destroyed as stone-crushing units have come up in the area. The district administration had allowed stone-crushing units of six big and small private companies to come up here. Heavy machines destroyed 50% of Tungri which could have been developed into a tourist hot spot. The department officials said Tungri was given on lease to five companies and hence there was no need for sanctioning lease to a sixth party. On the other hand, there were no public complaints. Villagers of Jhaljhamira and Datri had stopped transportation of stones from Tungri. Recently, deputy commissioner Ratan Kumar reviewed the complaints of villagers through a probe committee and ordered Simplex, the major lessee, to stop work. Now villagers have demanded a complete ban of stone-crushing units in Bagh Tungri. Social activist Manorma Ekka said, "We lost the natural beauty of the hillock as well as its historical and religious value and most importantly its waterfall to mining." "Roads become completely muddy due to plying of heavy vehicles," said a resident, Pankaj Oraon. Since Tungri was not fenced, blasts created several other problems. It damaged fruit-bearing trees and plants grown near it under the National Gardening Mission on over 15 acres of land. As many as 30 heavy vehicles used to ply and several heavy machines drilled and blasted stones every day. Because of irregularities, including lack of demarcation of its lease area, the company was ordered to stop work before Durga Puja, said the DC. He added that the district transport officer had been ordered to lodge an FIR against vehicles carrying over 10 tonnes of load on rural roads. A public notice was also published in newspapers about the action taken for violating norms under damage to public property act. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-10-15/ranchi/30282948_1_stone-crushing-units-heavy-vehicles-villagers

Yearly tiger census in Sunderbans on the cards

Krishnendu Mukherjee Oct 14, 2011, 02.41AM IST KOLKATA: Population dynamics of Sunderbans tigers may get to see a new light, with the Centre deciding to add another phase of study for a reliable and detailed assessment of number of big cats in the mangroves. Sunderbans Tiger Reserve field director Subrat Mukherji, who attended a meeting with National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and Wildlife Institute of India (WII) officials in New Delhi on Thursday, said more sample sites would be included in the new phase. "Last time camera traps had been laid only across 100 sq km area near Netidhopani. In the new upgraded format, which will be an upgradation of phase III in last census, we have suggested three sample sites covering upper, middle and lower areas of Sunderbans." http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-10-14/kolkata/30278575_1_tiger-census-camera-traps-sunderbans-tiger-reserve

Saranda springs tiger surprise

SATURDAY, 15 OCTOBER 2011 23:40 SAYANTANEE CHOUDHURY | RANCHI If the inhabitants of the Asia’s biggest Sal forest, Saranda, and initial evidence are to be believed, then its good news in the offing for wildlife lovers. Contrary to the general perception that big cats never existed in Saranda, there are hints for the first time of a tigress and a couple of cubs living there. A team of wildlife experts has been rushed to the spot to examine tiger pugmarks found recently in the dense forest cover of Jharkhand. The team will also collect excreta and shed fur samples. According to Saranda divisional forest officer KK Tiwari, locals spotted few unfamiliar pugmarks and informed the forest officials. “People even claimed to have seen one tigress and two cubs in the forest,” he added. However, the sighting is yet to be verified. Jharkhand wildlife warden AK Gupta said, “A team of six members — including local wildlife officers and members from Ranchi — have been sent to Saranda to collect samples.” He added that a large numbers of leopards and hyena inhabited Saranda earlier and that the forests often give conflicting signals on the presence of big cats. Saranda is considered an unspoilt world, where nature rules supreme. It is the home of the endangered flying lizard. It is famous for its Sal forests and majestic elephants. However, news of tigers in the area then would definitely be good. “The samples will be sent for forensic examination and results will be available within 10 days. Since there were no evidences of existence big of cats earlier, so we want to get a confirmed report from the forensic laboratory,” Gupta said. The Singhbhum Elephant Reserve is the only elephant reserve which exists in this forest, with traditional routes taken by the pachyderms. “We are also trying to trace the routes of the tigers, if they are in the forest. No big cats have shown their existence even in neighbhouring Dalma forests either. It is possible that the tiger family has migrated from Odisha or Andhra Pradesh,” said the wildlife warden. Gupta added, “Of late, tigers are probably trying out new routes. Few of them might have been isolated towards the Saranda forest and are trying to re-establish themselves here.” http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/ranchi/13586-saranda-springs-tiger-surprise.html

Fisherman killed by tiger in Sunderbans ANANYA DUTTA

A fisherman was killed by a tiger deep inside the forests of the Sunderban Biosphere Reserve on Sunday. Satyabrata Jana of Kultuli had gone fishing with four others in the Gazikhali forest area within the Sajnekhali wildlife sanctuary. They had spread their nets in the waters and were sitting on the land when a tiger attacked the group, Subrat Mukherjee, field director of Sunderban Tiger Reserve, told The Hindu over telephone. “We have received reports of one person being killed by a tiger. They had gone fishing in the restricted area of the forest and did not have a permit for fishing,” Mr. Mukherjee said. Since Mr. Jana was killed in the restricted areas of the forest, his family will not be eligible for the compensation that is given to victims of tiger attacks. Illegal fishing in the restricted areas of the forest is a perennial problem that plagues the region and results in several incidents of man-animal conflict. “The fishermen try their best to dodge the guards of the Forest Department and enter the restricted areas. Since they are flouting the rules they are not entitled to any compensation if any such incidents occur,” said Sarba Mondal, a resident of the Sunderban islands. http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2543424.ece

Forest dept may lose services of tiger vets Lemuel Lall

BHOPAL: After losing its Tiger State tag to Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh is on the verge of losing the services of expert vets who look after animals in five national parks. Unhappy with the lack of allowances and a cadre, the veterinarians, who are on deputation with the forest department for more than 10 years, want to return to their parent state animal husbandry department. "Even after risking our lives while treating carnivorous animals and working round-the-clock, we get no extra allowances. Even a non-practice allowance is not paid to us," one of the five vets told TOI. "Our counterparts in Animal Husbandry Department work for six to eight hours only and their job does not involve much risk, still they manage to earn a decent salary," he added. "We did a PG diploma in wildlife management from the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, before joining as vets. Some of us have even done a PG diploma in wildlife health management from WII, besides specialised courses from South Africa and UK. But in the absence of a cadre, we are still awaiting promotions. We had come on deputation to the forest department in 2000. Our consent was not sought though it is mandatory. We can seek the court's help to return to our parent department, but that will be our last option," he said. The recommendations of the committee formed in 2006 to formulate wildlife health policy are yet to be implemented. Principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife) H S Pabla said his department does not want to lose the vets on deputation, as they have a rich experience. "I have forwarded a proposal regarding their demands to the state government. We want to have a permanent veterinarian cadre," he added. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/indore/Forest-dept-may-lose-services-of-tiger-vets/articleshow/10386298.cms