Nitish Kumar visits Valmiki Tiger reserve

TNN | Feb 18, 2013, 04.57 AM IST Nitish Kumar insists on special state statusNDA's PM candidate should be from BJP: Nitish KumarSpecial status will boostnation's growth: Nitish KumarBJP leader to be NDA's PM candidate: Nitish KumarNitish Kumar shuns comment on Gujarat election result BAGAHA: Chief minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday morning visited the Valmiki Nagar Tiger Project and enjoyed the scenic beauty of the forest. He also visited the Done area, Naurangi forest area and the Eco hut and asked environment and forest department secretary Deepak Kumar Singh for further beautification of the place and create bamboo cottages. The CM met the Tharu tribals and listened to their problems. He directed the DM and other officials to look into their issues and address them while stressing on implementation of the education and health schemes in Tharu settlements. He also asked the tribals to send their children to school and make them part of the national mainstream . Director Valmiki Tiger Reserve-cum-conservator of forests Satish Kumar Tiwary underlined the importance of the tiger reserve located on Indo-Nepal border and various hurdle in implementation of the project. Meanwhile, president of Tharu Welfare Federation, unit Gobarahiya Done, Prameshwar Kazi, secretary Sital Kazi, mukhiya of Banakatawa-Karamahiya Done panchayat Ramkirishan Kazi and mukhiya Naurangia Done panchayat Richa Devi met the CM and reminded him of the assurance given by him to Done villagers earlier and handed over seven points demand including appointment of teachers in all government schools, referral hospital at Serawa Done where land had been acquired for the purpose. The CM assured them that he will come again in April and look after their demands which were still not implemented. The CM was accompanied by RCP Singh, MP, principal secretary Anjani Kumar Singh, forest conservator Satish Kumar Tiwari and other officials. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/Nitish-Kumar-visits-Valmiki-Tiger-reserve/articleshow/18551307.cms

Proposed coal mining in tiger corridors gets experts' thumb-down

ByP Naveen, TNN | Feb 17, 2013, 01.56 PM IST Madhya Pradesh bags Krishi Karman AwardDulux unveils Super Satin in Madhya PradeshMadhya Pradesh to launch Rozgar YojnaCold wave grips Madhya Pradesh, Satna coldest16 IPS officers transferred in Madhya Pradesh BHOPAL: Satpura-Maikal landscape of central India-- largest natural habitat of tigers in the world - will no longer remain one big entity, if coal mining is allowed in Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara district. Ironically, state forest minister Sartaj Singh finds him in a fix with experts on both sides- those in favour of coal mining or protecting corridor for the sake of striped big cat population-divided on the issue. Proposed coal mines, widening of NH-7 and railway line that cuts across the tiger reserves would impede gene flow and impact the future of species, reveals a recent research conducted by two scientists from the state, associated with Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI), Washington. "Big cat populations will be divided into groups if their habitat is fragmented. It can lead to inbreeding and a genetic bottleneck, which will affect their long-term survival," says Dr Sandeep Sharma, visiting scholar of SCBI and lead author of the tiger study published in the journal 'Ecology and Evolution'. SCBI researchers found the landscape is still genetically connected and shows that tigers have been moving around. It was found that the tiger meta-population in this landscape has high genetic variation and very low genetic subdivision. Faecal samples were used to analyse the genetics of tiger and leopard populations in four reserves in central India: Satpura, Melghat, Pench and Kanha. Kanha and Pench reserves and Satpura and Melghat reserves are connected via forest corridors that tigers, leopards, humans and cattle share. It was found that both tiger and leopard population in the reserve maintained a high level of genetic diversity. Neither tigers nor leopards were genetically distinct with leopards being one exception, which scientists hope to explain with additional research. Dr Trishna Dutta, SCBI visiting student and lead author of the leopard study published in the journal Diversity and Distributions, says, "Conserving a whole landscape, rather than piecemeal protected areas, would ensure a better chance for long-term persistence of these and other species." The scientists investigated spatial genetic structure of the tiger meta-population in the Satpura-Maikal landscape using the genetic data from 273 individual tigers and 217 leopards. In addition to Sharma and Dutta, other authors of the paper are Dr Jesus Maldonado, a research geneticist at SCBI's Centre for Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics, Dr John Seidensticker, head of SCBI Conservation Ecology Centre and H S Panwar, former director, Project Tiger and Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun. MoEF additional director general of forest (ADG) A K Shrivastava and assistant inspector general (AIG) H C Chaudhary visited Chhindwara last week to study the impact of proposed mines on the landscape. They would submit their report to the fact assessment committee (FAC), said sources. principal chief conservator of forest (PCCF) P K Shukla and other officers refused to comment on the status of mines. The biggest threat to forests in the central Indian landscape, the largest habitat for tigers and home to protected tribal communities is coal mining. The PMO office is directly responsible for attempting to dilute laws to hasten habitat destruction, and ignore legally established rights of communities. QUOTES "The issue came to my notice. I think both coal mines and corridors are equally important, coal for power and corridors for tiger. I won't be able to comment more on it now" Sartaj Singh, forest minister, said. "I have yet to come across recommendations made by our department. However, it's for the Centre to decide. We are taking all initiatives to protect the corridors" P K Shukla, chief wildlife warden and principal chief conservator of India (PCCF), MP. "SCBI is creating new working models to retain wild tigers in the face of massive social and economic change in Asia, which is among the most difficult challenges,"Dr John Seidensticker, head of SCBI Conservation Ecology Centre, Washington. "The PMO office has much to answer for. They claim environmental roadblocks are holding up coal production. After the coal scam, it is clear that it is a blatant lie,"Vinuta Gopal, Greenpeace campaigner. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhopal/Proposed-coal-mining-in-tiger-corridors-gets-experts-thumb-down/articleshow/18541842.cms

Did forest officials’ folly lead to Wayanad tiger attack?

By Amit Bhattacharya, TNN | Feb 8, 2013, 03.03 AM IST NEW DELHI: A tigress captured on Sunday amid high drama in Wayanad district of Kerala, after it had injured five persons, has been found to be the same animal that was trapped by forest officials outside Karnataka's Nagarahole National Park last November and released without being radio-collared that very day in the adjoining Bandipur Tiger Reserve. The tigress was identified by the Bangalore-based Centre for Wildlife Studies, which matched pictures of the animal taken during the two captures using a pattern-matching software. From its database of camera-trap images, CWS also identified the animal as NHT-289 — an original resident of Nagarahole forests. The incident again highlights the dangers of releasing a captured big cat back in the wild without scientifically examining its condition and radio-collaring it to ensure that the animal is quickly captured if it starts lifting cattle or attacking humans. Quite often, forest officials trap a tiger or leopard under political pressure after incidents of cattle-lifting in an area, and release it some distance away, said K Ullas Karanth, director of CWS. "It's like transferring a problem to someone else's backyard. In the past, two captured leopards returned to the wild have gone on to kill people," Karanth said. Last week, the National Tiger Conservation Authority released a standard operating procedure for state forest officials in dealing with tigers that stray into human settlements. It too says a tranquilized tiger should be radio collared before being released in the wild. According to media reports, Karnataka forest officials used a box trap to capture the tigress — now identified as NHT-289 —from Nalkeri village outside the western boundary of Nagarahole NP on November 23. This was after villagers protested against two instances of cattle killing in the area. Forest department vets reportedly estimated the animal's age at three-four years. It was released the same evening at Hidgalpanchi in Bandipur. As CWS's analysis later showed, the tiger was at least seven years old and was first photographed in 2007. CWS suspects that a tiger that was mobbed in Kattayad village near Sulthan Batheri town in Kerala's Wayanad district, and thereafter seriously mauled a person, was NHT-289. This location is 19km from the site where NHT-289 was released. According to media reports, last Saturday (February 2), a tigress "attacked" five persons in separate incidents as well as killed cattle near Vadachirakunnu Colony on the fringes of the Wayanad wildlife range. Around 8am the next day, the animal was seen in a coffee plantation. A people surrounded the tigress, it attacked a 14 year old girl in the crowd. It attacked four more persons before being darted and sent to the Thrissur zoo. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Did-forest-officials-folly-lead-to-Wayanad-tiger-attack/articleshow/18392731.cms

NCTA gives nod to tranquilise tiger that strayed from Panna

The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has given its permission for tranquilisation of a tiger, which has been roaming on the Uttar Pradesh-Madhya Pradesh border for more than four months now, after it strayed from the Panna Tiger Reserve. Two teams of forest officials from UP's Lalitpur forest division and two teams from MP's Sagar forest division have been keeping a close watch on the movements of the tiger to avoid any possible incident of man-animal conflict and poaching. Sagar Divisional Forest Officer AK Singh said the NTCA has given its permission to tranquilise and trans-locate the tiger to Panna Tiger Reserve last week. He said a team of officials from the reserve and Wildlife Institute of India will soon come to examine the conditions of the area and check if the big cat can be tranquilised there. The tiger, identified as C-211, strayed from the Panna reserve and moved through Damoh, Chhatarpur and Sagar before being seen in Lalitpur's forest areas which don't have big cats. Lalitpur Divisional Forest Officer VK Jain said the latest location of the tiger was in Madaura forest range on Lalitpur-Sagar border and it had been there for about a month. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/ncta-gives-nod-to-tranquilise-tiger-that-strayed-from-panna/1071310/

‘Poaching grave threat to our fauna’

Feb 08, 2013 India’s leading naturalist and field biologist Dr A.J.T. Johnsingh talks to Rashme Sehgal about his recently released book Mammals of South Asia, which he co-authored with Nima Manjrekar. Excerpts from the interview: Q. What made you take on this rather daunting task of editing a book on the mammals of South Asia? A. The absence of a book giving detailed information on the mammals of the South Asian region prompted Dr Nima Manjrekar and me to work on the book. South Asia has seen lots of research on mammals during the last 2-3 decades and there was a need to put this information together. Q. You were able to record the presence of 574 mammal species. Does this list include the names of animals that were considered extinct? A. Actually the listing was done by my colleague P.O. Nameer, who is an authority on mammalian taxonomy and he is also the Head of Centre for Wildlife Studies in Kerala Agricultural University. The list also includes the names of mammals that are extinct like the cheetah and Javan rhinoceros. The Sumatran rhino is extinct in India and Bangladesh where it was found earlier and its existence in Burma is precarious. The Great Indian rhino, which was once found in the Indus Valley region of Pakistan, is extinct there and is found only in India and Nepal. Q. Many of these species, including the lion, the Sikkim stag and the hangul are facing threats of extinction. As a naturalist, what should the government do to save our precious wildlife? A. The Sikkim stag is not found within the Indian region but its presence is reported from the Chumbi Valley in Tibet. Earlier the Chumbi Valley was part of Sikkim. The status of the hangul is very precarious with its population down to around 200 animals. The population is not increasing primarily because of grazing in the upper reaches of Dachigam National Park in Kashmir which is the only protected area in India which has the hangul. The upper reaches of Dachigam provides the summer retreat for the hangul where the deer go for fawning. There they face competition for feeding from cattle taken there by grazing communities and the fawns get killed by the dogs which accompany the graziers. The status of the lion in Gir landscape is satisfactory but their future is uncertain as they are found only in one landscape. If they are hit by a disease like canine-distemper,then the entire population will be in a serious trouble. In the early 1990s, the Serengeti lions were struck by canine distemper and nearly one third of the population of 3000-4000 lions were killed. Serengeti lions occur in a landscape of 30,000-40,000 sq.km landscape. If such a virulent disease affects Gir lions, it may wipe out this small population of nearly 400 lions which are confined to an area of 2,000 sq.km. Therefore, there is an urgency of establishing the second home for the lions as we are right now carrying all the eggs in one basket. Kuno WLS in Madhya Pradesh is ready to receive some lions but the Gujarat state government has shown no inclination to part with even a few lions. This is extremely dangerous. Q. You have been closely involved with wildlife and our wildlife sanctuaries for several decades now. Are you happy with the state of our tiger reserves and sanctuaries or do you believe much more needs to be done? A. One of the biggest problems being faced by these sanctuaries is the Invasion of exotic which do not belong to the local area, like Lantana camara which has come from South America. Their presence reduces the carrying capacity of a wildlife habitat . The Kaziranga national reserve is invaded by a thorny plant called Mimosa invisa, a native of Brazil, which reduces the habitat available even for the thick-skinned rhino. The understory in the sal forests of the Kanha Tiger Reserve is dominated by Flemingeabracteata another inedible species. Lack of regeneration of species that are palatable to wild animals. In addition to this, we have the growing and the persistent problem of poaching. Tigers are poached to feed the medicinal needs of China when they can easily find medicine from non-tiger sources. Now the Vietnamese have started believing that rhino horn powder is a curative for cancer! Crucial corridors should be established without any delay. Threats to wildlife are increasing. I would like to cite the example of the need for a corridor to be established between the two halves of the Rajaji Tiger Reserve. We have not established it during the last 30 years. Q. With habitats getting fragmented, how can we save India’s diverse wildlife? A. This can only be done by the establishment of corridors and inviolate areas .. Q. The threat of global warming is expected to result in substantial changes in our present ecosystems. How do you see animal population being able to adapt to such changes ? A. Animal populations will suffer largely due to drought which is one manifestation of climate change. We are seeing this happening in the Mudumalai-Bandipur-Nagarahole landscape where rains have failed and a good number of elephants are dying. One thing we should do is to create thousands of garbage-free water bodies in the country. http://www.asianage.com/ideas/poaching-grave-threat-our-fauna-147

NTCA releases advisory on man-animal conflict

By Mazhar Ali, TNN | Feb 7, 2013, 02.16 AM IST HC notice for NTCA and CZA over white tigersNew norms for tiger reservesShutting down metro not the solutionCTET to be held on November 18Anti-nuclear Kudankulam dissenters plan novel New Year's protest CHANDRAPUR: Perturbed by the rising incidents of tiger-man conflict, National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has come up with a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). SOP is an advisory on the steps that has to be taken while dealing with emergencies arising due to straying of tigers in human settlements. Its purpose is to ensure that the situation is handled in an appropriate manner so as to avoid casualty or injury to human beings, tigers, cattle or property. The procedure has been drawn up after consulting wildlife experts and the field officers. It has been sent to the all the PCCFs, Head of forest force and Chief Wildlife Wardens in the country. According to the SOP, in the event of a big cat straying into human settlement, a committee comprising of the chief wildlife warden, NTCA officials, a veterinarian, representatives of local NGO and the local panchayat has to be immediately formed. This committee will be responsible of providing technical guidance and also will ensure proper monitoring, on a day-to-day basis, in the problem area. Secondly, the big cat and its source area has to be identified. Also, data on livestock depredation and human injury or fatality has to be collected. If it is confirmed that the tiger is repeatedly straying into human settlements or is responsible for attacks on humans or livestocks, then the forest authorities have been advised to trap the animal as per standard procedures. SOP categorically puts the responsibility of maintaining law and order on the district authorities of the area. If successive trapping efforts fail, chemical immobilization of the big cat should be done by an expert team comprising of a veterinarian. In case the tranquillized tiger is healthy and is in its prime then it may be released into a suitable habitat after radio collaring it. However, the chief wildlife warden is vested with the responsibility of making the call on whether to release the animal or not. SOP also cautions that under no circumstances, a tiger should be eliminated by invoking the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, if it is not causing human death. It provides detailed guidelines on declaring a big cat a man-eater. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/NTCA-releases-advisory-on-man-animal-conflict/articleshow/18375189.cms

The problem with releasing ‘problem’ tigers back in forest

P. VENUGOPAL Tigress released in Karnataka 71 days ago trapped again in Wayanad last week Photo-matching done at the Centre for Wildlife Studies - India (CWS) in Bangalore now shows that the tiger trapped in Wayanad this Saturday is a ‘problem tiger’ that had created a conflict situation at a place called Nalkeri on the boundary of the Nagarahole National Park in Karnataka just 71 days ago. The finding points to need for a re-examination of the capture-release practice followed by the conservation officials in dealing with ‘problem tigers’ that stray into human habitations and cause conflict situations. This tiger was captured in a box trap by the Karnataka Forest officials on November 23 after two cattle-killing incidents on November 20 and 21 in Nalkeri village outside the western boundary of the Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, according to conservation zoologist and director of CWS - India Programme, K. Ullas Karanth. It was an injured tiger and, after treatment at the Mysore zoo, was released by late evening on the same day near a place called Hidagalapanchi in Karnataka’s Bandipur Tiger Reserve. The place of release is less than 10 km, as the crow flies, from the adjoining Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala. Dr. Karanth told The Hindu that the CWS had searched its database containing the stripe patterns of over 600 individually identifiable tigers surviving in the Malanad-Mysore landscape — a database that contains camera-trap pictures gathered over the years from the region — and found the match for the stripe pattern of the tiger captured this Saturday in Wayanad from a conflict situation. The study showed that this tiger—a tigress, in fact—is the same one that was repeatedly captured by camera-traps and even two wildlife photographers during the period from 2007 to 2012 from a particular area in Nagarahole National Park. It was pushed out of this area, which apparently was its home range, due to unknown reasons that could include inability to retain the home range in the face of competition. It started straying into the human habitations outside Nagarahole in November 2012, to be trapped by the Karnataka Forest officials. It returned once again to human settlements in neighbouring Kerala after being released in Bandipur Tiger Reserve. Apparently, the animal could not hunt and survive. Poor condition In a report to the Forest Department on Monday, Dr. Karanth and his associates N. Samba Kumar and Narendra Patil said the tigress, now in Thrissur zoo, should not be released back in the wild. It was eight years or more in age and in a very poor condition. Keywords: Centre for Wildlife Studies, Nagarahole National Park, Karnataka Forest officials, Bandipur Tiger Reserve http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/kerala/the-problem-with-releasing-problem-tigers-back-in-forest/article4382709.ece

New norms for tiger reserves

By Neha Madaan, TNN | Feb 6, 2013, 06.01 AM IST Tiger cub dead in Kaziranga, rhino battles for life at OrangRanthambore tigress relocated to SariskaWeb exclusive: Dams destroying fisheries, livelihoodsExperts question tiger count that inflamed WayanadMadhya Pradesh shifts 94 villages from notified National Parks and sa... PUNE: The chief wildlife warden of Maharashtra has issued advisories to the state's four tiger reserves -Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Kolhapur, Tadoba-Andhari in Chandrapur, Pench in Nagpur and Melghat in Amravati - to follow the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) recently released by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), framed to deal with emergencies arising because of tigers straying into human-dominated landscapes. Among other things, the SOP strictly prohibits gunning down a tiger or leopard. It also says that the district authorities need to ensure law and order by imposing section 144 of the CrPc to restrain agitated locals from surrounding the spot where the animal was seen. The guidelines assume significance for Pune too, as the city has witnessed cases of leopards straying into human habitations off late, the most recent being on January 25 in the Dehu Road cantonment limits. The SOP says that "under no circumstances, a tiger should be eliminated (by invoking the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972) if it is not habituated to causing human death". Forest officials in Pune said that the new norms would be applicable to Pune as well. "Almost all the guidelines and procedures mentioned in SOP can be used while trapping a leopard in case it strays into human habitats," a senior forest official said. An NTCA official told TOI that the SOP amalgamates all the earlier guidelines and brings them under a single point of reference. "There were guidelines in this regard but they were scattered. Hence, officials had difficulty in referring to them and seemed unaware of important rules. Also, the SOP makes it clear that shooting a tiger or leopard is the last resort, which will have to be corroborated with evidence. If a tiger or a leopard is shot during the event of it having strayed into a human habitat, the same will have to be documented. This means that the authorities concerned will have to prove that the animal was gunned down in extreme conditions, after having exhausted all other options," the official said. He added that this advisory existed earlier, but many were oblivious to it. State chief wildlife warden S W H Naqvi said the SOP has been sent to all the tiger reserves in Maharashtra. "The SOP suggests field actions to deal with strayed wild carnivores (tiger/ leopard). It suggests setting up camera traps near the kill site to confirm the identity of the animal. In addition, it lists what should be done on the spot, what should be carried along, among other things. It thus provides the basic minimum steps which are required to be taken at the field level to deal with such cases," he said. Under the SOP, a committee has to be constituted for technical guidance and monitoring on a day-to-day basis after a big cat strays into a human-dominated habitat. It also suggests that the tiger and its source area should be identified by comparing camera trap photographs with those in the National Repository of Camera Trap Photographs of Tigers or the reserve level photo databases. It says that if it is an area which is historically prone to such cases, detailed research should be carried out in order to ascertain the reasons for the recurring tiger emergencies. It further states that in case of confirmed livestock depredation, human injury, fatal encounters or frequent straying of tigers near human settlements, authorities should set up automatic closure traps. Officials said the imposition of section 144 of the CrPc existed earlier as an advisory. The SOP spells it out clearly so that the authorities concerned become aware of its existence. "It is also necessary that police and local administration be involved at an early stage of the straying incidents. Effective coordination with them is critical to control mobs, which, as has been seen in several instances, worsen the situation and lead to avoidable fatalities or tragedies," the SOP says. The 22-page document also says that if continuous trapping efforts fail, chemical immobilisation of the animal should be carried out by an expert team, including a veterinarian. It adds that if the tranquilised tiger is found to be healthy and young, it should be released after radio collaring into a suitable habitat with adequate prey base, away from human settlements, after notifying the NTCA. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/New-norms-for-tiger-reserves/articleshow/18360638.cms

Safari park mooted, tigers to roar again in Nahargarh

By Rachna Singh, TNN | Feb 6, 2013, 07.29 AM IST 'Realise need to save environment'Environment film festival in DelhiEnvironment committee report damns KozhikodeRiver, lakes conservation: Panel slams environment ministryGlobal environment remains unpredictable: Genpact vice-chairman JAIPUR: The Nahargarh hills in the city may soon become a destination for wildlife lovers coming to Jaipur if a proposal to start tiger safari in the sanctuary area is approved. The idea is to cash on tourists who visit Amber by creating an additional tourism facility. Besides the forts and the museums , Jaipur would also become a potential wildlife destination and a quick substitute to Ranthambore and Sariska Tiger Reserve. "Though discussions are at a preliminary stage, tiger safari at Nahargarh sanctuary has great potential. The sanctuary at the moment houses just the rescue centre and soon work would commence on Nahargarh Zoological Park funded by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Once it is completed in two years, the Jaipur zoo, established in 1877, would be shifted there. But an added attraction would be the tiger safari in 30 hectares," said Bina Kak, minister for tourism, environment and forests . The Nahargarh Biological Park is spread over 720 hectares . Part of the park is the Nahargarh Zoological Park covering an area of 80 hectares . The proposed tiger safari in Nahargarh, which initially was the abode of tigers, would offer tourists assured sighting of the big cat in its natural habitat. "We are contemplating talking to the Chattbir zoo near Chandigarh as it has excess tigers. At the moment they house nearly 30-35 tigers. Another option could be the Delhi zoo from where we could bring the tigers," said Kak. Keeping in tune with the entire project, there wouldn't be a prey base for the tigers. "The tourists will be taken on a special route in guarded vehicles . We plan to leave two to four tigers in the forest here. There would be a double-layer fencing of the 30 hectares so that the tigers don't stray out," said Ajay Gupta, deputy conservator of forests (zoo). If implemented, Nahargarh may become a total wildlife destination. The master layout plan has been approved by the Central Zoo Authority (CZA), and designs of the various enclosures are complete. Add to the two facilities to be developed, the rescue centre at the Nahargarh Biological Park already houses nine tigers, one tiger and 14 lions. "We have planned to develop two or three routes in and around the Nahargarh Biological Park on which tourists will be allowed safaris with trained guides by forest department. The tourists visiting the park will be charged a nominal fee as per the policy of department . Under the ongoing JICA project Rajasthan Forestry & Biodiversity Project phase I, infrastructural facilities like water supply, electricity, boundary wall and roads are already in place. Now, under the RFPB, for which the government has received Rs 13 crore from JICA, animal enclosures would be created to shift animals from the Jaipur zoo. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Safari-park-mooted-tigers-to-roar-again-in-Nahargarh/articleshow/18361338.cms

Tiger found dead outside Nagarahole tiger reserve

By HM Aravind, TNN | Feb 5, 2013, 10.16 PM IST Killing of tiger in Nagarahole Reserve isolated case, wildlife crime ...Kodagu hockey player alleges rape for months, is pregnantHarangi hobli in Kodagu records minimum temperature in state.Tiger spottingTiger found dead in Ranthambore tiger reserve MYSORE: A male tiger has been found dead near the coffee estate bordering Nagarahole tiger reserve in Kodagu. The carcass of the tiger had decomposed and the cause of death of the big cat remains unknown. However, foul play is not suspected since all its parts are intact. The tiger is suspected to have died a week back and came to light on Tuesday. The remains were noticed outside a coffee estate at Parakatageri near Srimangala in Virajpet taluk. APCCF and field director (Project Tiger) B J Hosmath told TOI that the tiger has died in Kodagu district. It is outside the Nagarahole national park, he stated. It is suspected to have died a week back, he said. Forest officials visited the site and inspected the area. The tiger is suspected to have entered the village from Brahmagiri forest, which is some 2km from the site. Sources said it is a male tiger and cause could not to be immediately known since the body has decomposed. The remains are sent to lab to detect the cause but it is suspected to have died because of old age. A vet, who has experience in handling such cases, said the cause of death could be hard to find given that the body has decomposed. "We can pinpoint the cause of death if we happen to locate the body within three days of death. Later the organs will be putrefied leaving little for us to locate the cause. Though the viscera will be sent for lab examination, it is not easy to find the cause," he stated. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Tiger-found-dead-outside-Nagarahole-tiger-reserve/articleshow/18355365.cms

Impose Sec 144 of CrPC if wild animal strays, suggests NTCA

New Delhi: If a wild animal like tiger or leopard strays into human habitat, impose Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) that prohibits assembly of more than four persons in a particular area. This is part of the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) developed by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) to prevent attacks with an aim of ensuring that such wild carnivores do not fall victim of mob fury as also not to cause injuries to people by the animal. The SOP argues that such a measure is essential to avoid agitation by excited local people surrounding the animal spot which hampers capture operation, leading to serious injuries on people and staff. "In all, instances of wild carnivores like tiger/leopard straying into a human dominated landscape, the district authorities need to ensure law and order by imposing section 144 of the CrPc," it says. It also says that police police and local administration to be involved at an early stage of such incidents. "Effective coordination with them is critical to control mobs which as has been seen in several instances, worsen the situation and lead to avoidable fatalities and tragedies," it says. The SOP says under no circumstances, a tiger should be eliminated by invoking the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, if it is not habituated for causing human death. In case of a healthy tiger occupying a sugarcane field or similar habitat, attempt should be made first to attract it to nearby forest area, while avoiding disturbance, it says. If such operations fail, the animal should be captured through immobilisation for release in low density area of a nearby tiger reserve or protected area after radio collaring, the SOP says. PTI http://zeenews.india.com/news/eco-news/impose-sec-144-of-crpc-if-wild-animal-strays-suggests-ntca_827107.html

Forest department in Wayanad backtracks after protests

By K R Rajeev, TNN | Feb 5, 2013, 04.47 AM IST OZHIKODE: The forest department has withdrawn its decision to construct speed breakers on the three km stretch of Bathery-Pulpally road at a major elephant crossing point in the bio-diversity rich Wayanad forests. The latest backtracking by the forest department, third in a row in just a week, in the face of stiff opposition from organized groups has raised concern among environmentalists on the future of conservation efforts in Wayanad. Just in a week's time, three key conservation measures were shot down by vested interests by employing mob tactics and holding out threats of hartals. Among the other measures dropped by the department include its opposition to widen NH 212 passing through the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary and ban on night time parking inside the sanctuary. Consequently, the road widening works of NH 212 from Muthanga to the state border commenced on Wednesday and the government has also retracted on the ban on parking of vehicles inside the sanctuary. Green organizations say that the vested interests, which tasted its first blood in the mob-induced killing of a stray tiger in December, were fuelling anti-conservation sentiments among people. The lobby, greens say, has tightened its sway over the public and was now dictating terms even on day-to-day forest management issues. According to forest department sources, the Kuruchiad range officer had written to the PWD department to construct speed breakers on the Bathery- Pulpally road at a distance of 200 metres from Kuppady (4th mile) to Chethalayam(6th mile ) as the stretch was a major animal crossing point on their way to reach the scarce water bodies in the sanctuary. But the move invited the wrath of the public forcing the department to write another letter to the PWD department not to take up the works. "Now the general mood in Wayanad is very much antagonistic to all things connected to forests and environment. Certain vested interests, with the support of political parties, trade organisations and even religious groups, have succeeded in creating a fear psychosis among the people. It is shocking to see that public are even not ready to tolerate 4-5 humps on a road for wildlife protection," N Badusha, president of Wayanad Prakrithi Samrakshana Samithi said. A senior forest official told TOI that the retraction on the three operational issues showed the level of pressure faced by forest officials in the area. "All this will definitely affect the morale of the forest force," he said. Meanwhile Wayanad Samrakshana Samithi, said that most of the controversial orders, like the parking ban, were made by bureaucrats without taking the people into confidence. "Wayanad is a special case in the entire country as 38 percent of the land is under forest cover. In addition, a further around 30 percent of the land is covered by plantations. It is not proper to impose additional arbitrary restrictions on people. All conservations activities should be implemented only after taking the people into confidence," Adv. P Chathukutty, President of the Samithi said. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kozhikode/Forest-department-in-Wayanad-backtracks-after-protests/articleshow/18343191.cms

Rhinos new preys for Dudhwa tigers?

TNN | Feb 1, 2013, 04.38 AM IST Rare baby honey badger diesBlackbucks already threatened by poaching, inbreeding and diseasesUP's state fish Chitla is now critically endangeredGreat Indian Bustard killed in Jaisalmer, forest dept files FIRPlanting rare trees to save the planet LUCKNOW: Have Dudhwa tigers shunned their preferred prey - the cheetals and sambhars - to hunt the mighty rhinos? The killing of a 35-year-old female rhino by a tiger in Dudhwa national park and the subsequent eating of the carcass has raised a doubt if the behaviour of Dudhwa tigers is changing. The experts are not ready to buy the argument that the declining prey base is the reason why tigers are hunting and eating rhinos. "If tiger population in the park is increasing, prey base can not decline," said Tito Joseph from the wildlife protection society of India ( WPSI). The tiger sneaked into the rhino rehabilitation area to kill the 35-year-old female rhino Pavitri, brought to Dudhwa in 1984 under the rhino rehabilitation programme. This was the fifth attack since November last year on rhinos by tigers in Dudhwa. In the past one year, two rhinos have been killed by tigers and one has rescued by the park administration in Dudhwa. The feline attacks on rhinos aren't rare. But, in most of the incidents, it's the cubs which are killed. Contrary to this, it was an adult female rhino killed this time. Is it the same tiger which is killing rhinos? Is the attacking feline old? Bibhav Taluqdar, who chairs International Union for Conservation of Nature Asian rhino specialist group, said Dudhwa authorities should try to find answers to such questions in case the attacks are rampant. "It's not rare that tigers kill and eat rhino. Rhino comes as an easy hunt for a tiger who can not chase a deer," he said. Assam's Kaziranga National Park, which shelters the biggest population of rhinos, has about 15 to 20 rhino cubs getting killed in tiger attacks every year. The killing of an adult rhino is not common. "A tigress rearing its cubs can kill a rhino as the feline need not go far from its cubs," said Taluqdar. Though rhinos are mighty, a single adult tiger can kill a rhino. In Corbett there have been incidents where elephants have been killed by tigers. Compared to this rhino is an easier kill, he said. Tigers eating rhino, experts feel, is not bewildering. "Rhino is not a preferred prey for tigers but once killed, tigers can eat it," said Joseph. Deputy director, Dudhwa Ganesh Bhatt said, "we have informed central government about the rhino mortalities". In Dudhwa, rhinos were re-introduced in 1984 under state's rhino rehabilitation programme. At present, 29 rhinos are present in the Kakraha range of the park. Existing in maximum numbers in Kaziranga national park, rhinos exist in Dudhwa tiger reserve in UP and Valimiki Reserve in Bihar. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Rhinos-new-preys-for-Dudhwa-tigers/articleshow/18282354.cms

Rhinos new preys for Dudhwa tigers?

TNN | Feb 1, 2013, 04.38 AM IST Rare baby honey badger diesBlackbucks already threatened by poaching, inbreeding and diseasesUP's state fish Chitla is now critically endangeredGreat Indian Bustard killed in Jaisalmer, forest dept files FIRPlanting rare trees to save the planet LUCKNOW: Have Dudhwa tigers shunned their preferred prey - the cheetals and sambhars - to hunt the mighty rhinos? The killing of a 35-year-old female rhino by a tiger in Dudhwa national park and the subsequent eating of the carcass has raised a doubt if the behaviour of Dudhwa tigers is changing. The experts are not ready to buy the argument that the declining prey base is the reason why tigers are hunting and eating rhinos. "If tiger population in the park is increasing, prey base can not decline," said Tito Joseph from the wildlife protection society of India ( WPSI). The tiger sneaked into the rhino rehabilitation area to kill the 35-year-old female rhino Pavitri, brought to Dudhwa in 1984 under the rhino rehabilitation programme. This was the fifth attack since November last year on rhinos by tigers in Dudhwa. In the past one year, two rhinos have been killed by tigers and one has rescued by the park administration in Dudhwa. The feline attacks on rhinos aren't rare. But, in most of the incidents, it's the cubs which are killed. Contrary to this, it was an adult female rhino killed this time. Is it the same tiger which is killing rhinos? Is the attacking feline old? Bibhav Taluqdar, who chairs International Union for Conservation of Nature Asian rhino specialist group, said Dudhwa authorities should try to find answers to such questions in case the attacks are rampant. "It's not rare that tigers kill and eat rhino. Rhino comes as an easy hunt for a tiger who can not chase a deer," he said. Assam's Kaziranga National Park, which shelters the biggest population of rhinos, has about 15 to 20 rhino cubs getting killed in tiger attacks every year. The killing of an adult rhino is not common. "A tigress rearing its cubs can kill a rhino as the feline need not go far from its cubs," said Taluqdar. Though rhinos are mighty, a single adult tiger can kill a rhino. In Corbett there have been incidents where elephants have been killed by tigers. Compared to this rhino is an easier kill, he said. Tigers eating rhino, experts feel, is not bewildering. "Rhino is not a preferred prey for tigers but once killed, tigers can eat it," said Joseph. Deputy director, Dudhwa Ganesh Bhatt said, "we have informed central government about the rhino mortalities". In Dudhwa, rhinos were re-introduced in 1984 under state's rhino rehabilitation programme. At present, 29 rhinos are present in the Kakraha range of the park. Existing in maximum numbers in Kaziranga national park, rhinos exist in Dudhwa tiger reserve in UP and Valimiki Reserve in Bihar. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Rhinos-new-preys-for-Dudhwa-tigers/articleshow/18282354.cms

Sariska poacher, six accomplices get 7 years in jail

TNN | Feb 1, 2013, 03.52 AM IST RELATED 2 more held in tiger poaching caseJharkhand awarded for bear population managementInternational conference on bear conservation begins tomorrow in New ...Stranded gibbon family in Arunachal translocatedMoEF team to assess impact of felling on corridors JAIPUR: Notorious poacher Juhru and his six accomplices were sentenced to seven years' imprisonment and a fine of Rs one lakh in a tiger poaching case at Sariska Tiger Reserve recently. The case pertains to the killing of a tiger by the accused in 2004, said Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) lawyer Koushal Bhardwaj, who was assisting the prosecution. The accused were awarded maximum sentence by additional chief judicial magistrate - 1 on January 24. An accused in 14 wildlife cases, including six cases of tiger poaching, Juhru was previously convicted in at least two cases of leopard poaching and one case of tiger poaching in 2003 at Sariska. He was sentenced to five years each in the leopard cases, and seven years for the tiger case. "He was one of the main persons responsible for the disappearance of tigers from Sariska," said Ashok Kumar, vice-chairman, WTI. "Such sentences are generally awarded concurrently under our law. However, repeat offenders should be serving consecutive sentences for all these killings," he said. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Sariska-poacher-six-accomplices-get-7-years-in-jail/articleshow/18281932.cms

Expert team to visit tiger reserves

By Lawrence Milton, TNN | Jan 31, 2013, 07.32 PM IST READ MORE Bandipur Tiger Reserves|Ajai Desai MYSORE: An expert team comprising senior officials and wildlife experts will visit Nagarahole and Bandipur Tiger Reserves to assess the situation in the first week of February. This follows the drought-like situation at both the protected areas. Water sources in parts of the tiger reserves have completely dried up ahead of summer due to lack of rains in the last two seasons. This has been cause of worry for officials concerned as animals are migrating to different places. Nagarahole witnessed worst forest fire in February 2011 and hundreds of acres of forest were destroyed in the fire. As there is no rain this season many parts have become dry, which could aggravate situation this summer season. Officials are making all-out efforts to prevent any forest fire which will cause threat to animals especially tiger. A meeting chaired by forest minister C P Yogeshwar at Bangalore on Thursday has decided to send a team comprising of senior forest officials and animal experts like Ajai Desai, who is also steering committee of project elephant, Ministry of environment and forests, to take stock of the situation. Nagarahole director R Gokul, who attended the meeting, confirmed the visit of an expert team to Nagarahole tiger reserve to find out ground reality. The team are expected to visit the forest next week. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mysore/Expert-team-to-visit-tiger-reserves/articleshow/18274706.cms

Livestock are easy prey for big cats of Nagarahole Tiger Reserve

By Lawrence Milton, TNN | Jan 31, 2013, 05.25 AM IST MYSORE: Big cats, especially leopards, making a prey of livestock in villages bordering the Nagarahole Tiger Reserve are common. In the last 10 months, around 139 livestock were killed by tigers and leopards in these villages spread across two districts - Mysore and Kodagu. Last year there were 112 killings of livestock by cats in Nagarahole. On an average about 110 livestock are killed by the big cats in villages on the fringes of the national park. As many as 130 villages border Nagarahole. "As our forests are not completely isolated from the villages, wilad animals preying on livestock is common," Nagarahole reserve director R Gokul told TOI. The latest incident was on Tuesday where a cow in Gundethuru bordering Nagarahole was mauled to death, the director said. Gundethuru is less than 500 mts away from the reserved forest. The rise in number of killings this season may be attributed to a tiger which had killed dozens of livestock in Kodagu. Usually, tigers/tigress feed on animals once in three-four days and the big cats revisit to finish off the leftover. "The tiger may have died after consuming meat laced with rat poison. It could be an act by a livestock owner to take revenge against the tiger, which may have strayed into the village and preyed on his livestock," Gokul explains. Past incidents In the last five months Nagarahole alone has witnessed about six incidents of tigers straying out of their habitat. Two of the incidents proved to be fatal. - one at Mysore zoo during the course of treatment in November and another due to poisoning at Nagarahole in January. Nagarahole director R Gokul says a tiger which was captured in H D Kote in August 2012 was relocated to Bannerghatta National park as it was aged and another tiger which attacked a freelance photographer in Kote this month was caught and released into Banidpur forest. Another tigress which too had strayed out of the forest in November was released back into the woods. In early December, a tigress was injured after its paw got wedged in a barbed wire. It is being treated at Mysore Zoo. Investigation Meanwhile, the investigation into the killing of tiger is underway. Gokul claimed he visited villages on the fringes of Nagarahole and have requested cooperation from villagers to tackle the issue of forest fire. Meeting Forest minister C P Yogeshwar has convened a meeting of forest officials in Bangalore on Thursday. The minister is likely to discuss measures taken to prevent forest fires.

Tiger kills rhino at Dudhwa national park

TNN | Jan 31, 2013, 04.45 AM IST BAHRAICH: A tiger entered the rhinoceros area of the Dudhwa National Park and killed a female rhino. This is the first incident in the history of the park when a wild animal from outside attacked anyone from the rhino family that lives safely in the specific area of the park. Top officials of the park reached the spot and constituted a panel of three doctors for postmortem of the rhino. A rhino rehabilitation project was started in Dudhwa national park on April 1, 1984 and a female rhino Parvati was brought here from Assam when it was only four years old. The rhino had turned 34 years old and was attacked and killed by a tiger on Tuesday night. Park administration came to know about the incident in the morning. The monitoring team found the carcass of Parvati near Kakraha Tal in the Rhino area of south Sonaripur range. Pug-marks were also found around the carcass. tnnIn another incident, a tigress entered Parua village adjoining Kakraha range of Katarniaghat wildlife sanctuary and attacked a cow. According to report, Gaya Prasad resident of Parua village adjoining Kakraha range, tied his cow in the verandah of his house. Last night, a tigress entered his house and killed the cow. The roar of the tigress sudden terrified the locals but the villagers mustered courage and chased the tigress away, but it managed to drag the cow to the forest http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/allahabad/Tiger-kills-rhino-at-Dudhwa-national-park/articleshow/18265488.cms

Tiger died from poisoning, revenge killing suspected

R. KRISHNA KUMAR A tiger, which was found dead in the Kakanakote forests (D.B. Kuppe range) of the Nagarahole National Park early this month, was poisoned in what is suspected to be an act of revenge. The post-mortem report and visceral analysis indicate the presence of zinc phosphide, which is rat poison. This has sent shockwaves among conservationists and Forest Department officials. This is said to be the first case of a tiger being poisoned in the national park, which is a major tiger reserve and home to about 70 of them. R. Gokul, Director, Conservator of Forests and Director, Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, confirmed that the tiger, which was found dead on January 13 near the Kabini backwaters was poisoned. Its carcass, discovered two weeks ago, was intact, with no sign of external injuries, putting a question mark on cause of death. Though there was a question of whether poachers had a hand in the death, this has been ruled out as neither the skin nor the claws had been removed. The needle of suspicion points to revenge killing and Mr. Gokul said the animal may have strayed out of its habitat and stalked livestock. Since tigers have a tendency to partially eat their prey and conceal it in bushes to consume over a period of time, the local community may have poisoned the carcass of the cattle, resulting in the tiger’s death, he said. But the nearest human habitation is nearly 3 km from the spot where the tiger was found, casting doubt on that theory. However, Mr. Gokul pointed out that tigers generally do not stray from their habitat in Nagarahole as the Kabini backwaters acts as a border between the national park and the adjoining human landscape. But due to severe drought, the backwaters has receded and turned into a grassland, with no demarcation separating the forestland from the outside landscape. “As a result, there is free movement of animals in the absence of a water barrier. We suspect the local community on the fringes may have driven their livestock inside the forests in search of fodder. The tiger may have killed one of the domestic animals and the village people may have subsequently poisoned the carcass as an act of revenge,” said Mr. Gokul. There have been six incidents of tigers straying out of their habitat this season, which is unusually high. This is attributed to increase in tiger density inside the national park. The authorities have deployed the Special Tiger Protection Force in the area to keep vigil on the movement of animals in the region. Apart from launching a full-fledged investigation into tiger poisoning, the Forest Department will also interact with the local community adjoining the forests and seek their help in wildlife conservation. http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/karnataka/tiger-died-from-poisoning-revenge-killing-suspected/article4357991.ece

MoEF team to assess impact of felling on corridors

By Vijay Pinjarkar, TNN | Jan 30, 2013, 06.03 AM IST Lanco and Wardha farmers fight in HC againDistrict Central Co-operative Bank fails to disburse full salary to W...Forest union angry as no. of workers to be regularized cutJharkhand awarded for bear population managementRichard D'Souza is principal chief conservator of forests, to remain ... NAGPUR: Two senior officials from the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) are on a tour of working circles in the region to access the impact of 'coupe' (a unit of land) felling on wildlife habitats, corridors and local livelihoods, among other things. The team consists of chief conservator of forests (CCF) SK Bhandari, Bhopal, and conservator of forests (Bhopal) Pradeep Vasudeo. Local wildlife experts and NGOs working for wildlife conservation will accompany them. A report will be submitted to MoEF after the visits. The visits have been planned in workable coupes between January 29 and February 1. The team will separately visit select ranges in Amravati, East Melghat, Buldhana, Gadchiroli, Wardha, Nagpur, Bhandara, Chandrapur, Brahmapuri and Central Chanda divisions. A questionnaire has already been faxed to all the field staff regarding coupes to be inspected. The MoEF officials will inspect improvement working circles (IWCs) and selection-cum-improvement (SCI) working circles. The inspection is being conducted considering the proposals sent by the state forest department for approval of working plan prescriptions for 2012-13. The decision was taken by a core group in the MoEF under the chairmanship of director general of forests (DGF). The DGF has already directed the state government that no concentrated felling will be undertaken in forest area within 10km radius of protected areas (PAs). It also said there should be no felling that causes disturbance to wildlife and its habitat in corridors. Surprisingly, there is no mention about Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM), which has resorted to large-scale felling as per the approved plans even within 10km radius of PAs. FDCM had resorted to massive felling in the tiger corridors in Pitezari, Umarzari, Mansinghdeo, Chandrapur and other vital corridors. "Concentrated felling in mixed and miscellaneous forests may be examined along with some independent experts in wildlife and biodiversity conservation, especially with reference to maintaining wildlife corridors and habitats, local livelihoods etc," the core group observed. Official sources said, in Melghat, the team will be accompanied by wildlife and forest consultant RN Indurkar. In Gadchiroli, it will be accompanied by honorary district wildlife warden Mahendra Singh Chouhan while in Wardha and Nagpur divisions by manager of Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) Prafulla Bhamburkar. In Chandrapur, Bandu Dhotre of Eco-Pro and honorary district warden will be working with the team. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/MoEF-team-to-assess-impact-of-felling-on-corridors/articleshow/18249526.cms