Tiger carcass found in Sunderbans

StoryComments KOLKATA: The body of a full-grown tiger was found in the Sunderbans on Sunday. However, the year's first tiger death in this Unesco World Heritage Site has left the foresters with some task at hand. Even if the 10-year-old tiger's death in the forest of Jhila 5, on the fringes of the mangroves, seems natural, bleeding from its nose and blood stains on the rectum, also hint at possible poisoning. Confirming the news, Sunderbans Tiger Reserve (STR) field director Soumitra Dasgupta said that the body has been brought to Sajnekhali beat office. "Details can only be given after the postmortem report on Monday," he said, adding that forest guards on patrol spotted the carcass in Jhila 5. However, no injury mark was found on its body. The members of National Tiger Conservation Authority's (NTCA) schedule I animal handling committee have already left for the spot. A vet from the Alipore Zoo will also be present there on Monday to help the resident doctors in the post mortem. Though a forest official said it could be a case of snake bite as the number of King Cobras has risen in the mangroves in the recent past, conservationists are not ready to rule out the possibilities of poisoning. State wildlife advisory board member Sudipt Dutt said though death due to old age seemed natural, since there was bleeding from its nose possibilities of poisoning should also be checked during the postmortem. Echoing his view, another member of the board Biswajit Roy Chowdhury said that as the forest of Jhila 5 is on the fringes of the mangroves and close to the Bangladesh border, possibilities of poisoning can't be ruled out. "Though, snake bite and age factors should also be looked into," he added. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/environment/flora-fauna/tiger-carcass-found-in-sunderbans/articleshow/18900006.cms

Officials' bid to avoid forest fire in Valmiki Tiger Reserve

ByVithika Salomi, TNN | Mar 11, 2013, 02.13 AM IST PATNA: Forest officials at Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) have employed controlled burning method to protect the reserve from forest fires that usually take place during the summer months of May-June destroying flora and fauna in the area. Field director cum conservator of forests, VTR, Santosh Tiwari said the exercise is underway since February 15 and 90% area has already been covered. Tiwari told TOI, "During summer season, locals set dry leaves and 'kharkharai' on fire which, most of the time, leads to wild fire. At times, it becomes uncontrollable and spreads across almost 100 acres." With the controlled burning method, the officials concerned would be able to stop forest fires before they spread and cause loss of wildlife and resources. An area of about 100mX100m is first marked and then controlled burning is done on that land. Controlled fire is a tool used by foresters for hazard reduction and is conducted during the cooler months to reduce fuel build-up and decrease the likelihood of serious fire. All ranges of the VTR, including Manguraha, Govardhana and Raghiya in division 1 and Madanpur, Valmiki Nagar, Ganauli, Harnatand and Chyutaha in division 2, would undergo this process. "Last year, we did not have any data about which areas were more fire-prone, but this year we have marked the areas and are better prepared to put off forest fires in due time," said Tiwari. Asked if controlled burning was a hazard for the wildlife of the reserved forest, Tiwari said, "We do not venture into the dense areas where animals reside. Also, most animals come out only during night time and our work is done during day time, so no untoward incident has been reported from anywhere." He added the reports about wildlife being harmed in controlled fire were totally false. The exercise of controlled fire would be completed within a few days, he added. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/Officials-bid-to-avoid-forest-fire-in-Valmiki-Tiger-Reserve/articleshow/18899835.cms

Delhi a tiger poaching hotspot: Report

TNN | Mar 11, 2013, 12.20 AM IST The report said, "This finding is also consistent with an examination of leopard seizures in which Delhi also emerged as the most important hub of illegal trade the country." RELATED Another arrest in tiger poaching case2 more held in tiger poaching caseScenic hotspots turn den of vicesPatnaites throng hotspots, splurge with gay abandonTwo suspended over tiger poaching in Pench buffer NEW DELHI: Delhi is not close to any of the tiger belts of the country, yet it figures among the five hotspots in India connected to big cat poaching, says a report by a global wildlife trade monitoring network and WWF. Tiger seizures in the capital are predominantly of skins, although there has been no big catch since 2005. The other four hotspots identified in the global report are: Ramnagar in Uttar Pradesh which sits close to the entrance of Corbett National Park, the towns of Balgahat and Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh where Kanha and Pench National Parks are located, Kolkata and areas spanning south to the edge of the Sunderbans in Bengal and the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve in the western ghats. On Delhi figuring in the list, the study says, "This finding is also consistent with an examination of leopard seizures in which Delhi also emerged as the most important hub of illegal trade the country, accounting for more than 26% of all leopards seized." The report was released by TRAFFIC, an organization that monitors wildlife trade, and WWF Tigers Alive Initiative. It is based on seizures of tigers and its body parts between 2000 and 2012 in 13 south Asian countries including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand and Vietnam. According to the study, a total of 1,425 seizures were reported during the study period. India, which has the largest tiger population in the world, had the most cases at 336. Cambodia reported none. A total of 654 seizures of tiger parts ranging from skin to bones, to teeth, claws and skulls took place during this period — an average of 110 tigers killed for trade per year or just over two per week, states the report. India, it adds, is the only country which had kept sufficiently detailed seizure records to allow for meaningful analysis to identify the 'hotspots' where tiger trade was taking place. Natalia Pervushina, tiger trade programme leader for TRAFFIC and WWF, said that if more robust information was routinely collected, analyzed and shared between countries, real inroads could be made into targeting the smuggling syndicates behind the trafficking. WWF and TRAFFIC are urging countries engaged in the global tiger recovery programme to develop a harmonized process for reporting poaching cases. On the basis of tiger seizure hotspots, the report infers that the big cats are sourced from India and moved to other zones of distribution such as Nepal and Myanmar, where stocks are built up and transported to consumer countries. It adds. "Two of the identified hotspots in India - Ramnagar and Sunderbans - are in close proximity to Nepal and Bangladesh. This should be used to create leverage for developing and enhancing cross borders agreements. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Delhi-a-tiger-poaching-hotspot-Report/articleshow/18898809.cms

Wildlife officials rescue tiger from irate villagers in Nagpur

Ads by Google A week after a tiger that strayed into human inhabitation became target of a restive crowd in Bhivapur tahsil of Nagpur, another sub-adult male tiger was encircled by villagers on Wednesday near Ashta village in Chandrapur district. However, it managed to escape unhurt. The village lies on the periphery of the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve. The villagers noticed the tiger in a dry nullah close to the village at around 9:30 am. They soon gathered and started throwing stones. Running for cover, the tiger got closer to the village. The crowd soon swelled and they started attacking the animal. Harshavardhan Dhanwatey of Tiger Research and Conservation Trust (TRACT), who was passing by, stopped and tried to mollify the crowd. "They were in no mood to listen. I called my team of volunteers and informed the officials, who arrived with staff some time later. It was very difficult to control the mob bent on attacking the tiger," Dhanwatey told The Indian Express. Two squads of Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF), Rapid Response Unit (RRU), a veterinary doctor, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), TATR Core, Sujay Dodal, DFO, TATR Buffer, Kalyan Kumar and ACF Arun Tikhe along with other officials rushed to the spot. It was then decided to tranquilise the animal move it into the forest. Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) S W H Naqvi issued the orders and ACF Girish Vasishtha was sent to the spot to tranquilise. "Villagers, however, continued to chase the tiger. Finally, it hid inside a thicket. When darts were fired, it got up and started walking towards the forest. People again chased it, so it hid inside a wheat field. Later, it came out and leaped into the forest," said Chandrapur honorary wildlife warden and tiger activist Bandu Dhotre. "An STPF guard received minor injury in the melee," Dodal said. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/wildlife-officials-rescue-tiger-from-irate-villagers-in-nagpur/1084169/

Wildlife officials rescue tiger from irate villagers in Nagpur

Ads by Google A week after a tiger that strayed into human inhabitation became target of a restive crowd in Bhivapur tahsil of Nagpur, another sub-adult male tiger was encircled by villagers on Wednesday near Ashta village in Chandrapur district. However, it managed to escape unhurt. The village lies on the periphery of the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve. The villagers noticed the tiger in a dry nullah close to the village at around 9:30 am. They soon gathered and started throwing stones. Running for cover, the tiger got closer to the village. The crowd soon swelled and they started attacking the animal. Harshavardhan Dhanwatey of Tiger Research and Conservation Trust (TRACT), who was passing by, stopped and tried to mollify the crowd. "They were in no mood to listen. I called my team of volunteers and informed the officials, who arrived with staff some time later. It was very difficult to control the mob bent on attacking the tiger," Dhanwatey told The Indian Express. Two squads of Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF), Rapid Response Unit (RRU), a veterinary doctor, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), TATR Core, Sujay Dodal, DFO, TATR Buffer, Kalyan Kumar and ACF Arun Tikhe along with other officials rushed to the spot. It was then decided to tranquilise the animal move it into the forest. Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) S W H Naqvi issued the orders and ACF Girish Vasishtha was sent to the spot to tranquilise. "Villagers, however, continued to chase the tiger. Finally, it hid inside a thicket. When darts were fired, it got up and started walking towards the forest. People again chased it, so it hid inside a wheat field. Later, it came out and leaped into the forest," said Chandrapur honorary wildlife warden and tiger activist Bandu Dhotre. "An STPF guard received minor injury in the melee," Dodal said. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/wildlife-officials-rescue-tiger-from-irate-villagers-in-nagpur/1084169/

Two injured in tiger attack near Sultan Batheri in Wayanad

TNN | Mar 7, 2013, 04.20 AM IST KOZHIKODE: Two persons were attacked and seriously mauled by a tiger at Moodakolli near Sultan Batheri in Wayanad on Wednesday afternoon, triggering public protests. The male tiger, estimated to be around 12 years old, was later brought down by tranquilizers and caged by the forest department staff. The injured, Karuthamkalayil Vasu (33) and Pulimoottil Binu (35) of Vakeri, were among a crowd which had encircled the tiger. Both of them have been admitted to the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital with deep bite injuries. Medical college authorities said that Vasu sustained deep bite injuries in legs, hips and stomach while Binu was injured on his legs and a part of his ear was bitten off. The big cat was spotted at a plantation early in the morning by a farmer. The tiger soon fled to a nearby coffee plantain where it was surrounded by the crowd. The beast attached the two by 4pm after some members of the crowd tried to take its photographs using their mobile phones. The local residents complained that no action was initiated to capture the tiger till 4pm. But forest sources said that the huge crowd encircling the tiger in the operation zone made any action impossible. Forest veterinarian surgeon Dr Arun Zachariah reached the spot and fired the first tranquilizing shot around 6pm. He had to fire another round of tranquilizing shot soon after to bring down the animal. South Wayanad divisional forest officer P Dhanesh Kumar led the operations. Police had to resort to lathicharge to disperse a crowd that blocked the vehicle carrying the caged animal and stoned the officials demanding compensation to the injured and steps to find a permanent solution to the tiger scare in the district. The vehicle was again blocked by agitated crowds at Pambra near Pulpalli. The animal was brought to the Wayanad wildlife warden office's at Bathery by 9pm. The animal will be taken to the Thrissur Zoo.

Sunderbans mystery: Tigers getting weaker?

TNN | Mar 5, 2013, 02.19 AM IST Voluntary plastic clean-up drive in SunderbansDeer carcass, traps found in SunderbansSunderbans to get West Bengal's biggest water reservoirRanthambore tigress relocated to SariskaRanthambhore tigress relocated to Sariska KOLKATA: A tigress was captured in the Sunderbans on Monday evening after foresters found some abnormality in its movement. Confirming the news, Sunderbans Biosphere Reserve director Pradeep Shukla said that the doctors would observe the big cat, caged near Sajnekhali, on Tuesday. Members of National Tiger Conservation Authority's (NTCA) schedule I animal handling committee will also visit the spot. Sunderbans Tiger Reserve (STR) field director Soumitra Dasgupta said the tigress, aged around four years, has a weak hind portion. "We will be able to confirm the future course of action only on Tuesday after the vets check it properly. It has been kept near Sajnekhali," he said. In July last year, a tiger was captured in the mangroves with weak hind legs. The tiger, aged around eight years and still undergoing treatment at the zoo, was diagnosed with osteoarthritis. Shukla said that possibility of injuries from the breathing roots cannot be ruled out. However, experts have always sounded alarm on low prey density and human pressure on the forests as probable reasons behind frequent straying of tigers out of the jungles. A recent study by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has pegged very low prey density in Sajnekhali and west range of STR. "Weak hind legs point to less availability of prey in the forests. Recent cases of deer poaching only bring to front the fact that how low prey density is plaguing the Sunderbans tigers. This may be one of the reasons behind the weak hind portion of the tigers. Possibility of an injury while hunting can't be ruled out either," said an expert. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Sunderbans-mystery-Tigers-getting-weaker/articleshow/18803051.cms

'Tiger fest' in Panaji

Mar 5, 2013, 05.20 AM IST GOA: Kids for Tigers, a sanctuary tiger programme 2012-2013, will hold a 'Tiger fest' to mark the end of the academic year on March 6. Tallulah D'Silva, Kids for Tigers, Panaji city coordinator, said that on Wednesday morning school children will fan out from Four Pillars, St Cruz, across the wetland bordering Panaji on different trails and finally congregate at the Lotus pond and open fields beyond Four Pillars, St Cruz. Environment minister Alina Saldhana will join the children on the nature trails at different points and interact with them. The students will also present her with posters and a memorandum on protecting Goa's tigers. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Tiger-fest-in-Panaji/articleshow/18804907.cms

Govt to stop all commercial activities in core areas of forests

TNN | Feb 27, 2013, 02.34 AM IST Man dies of swine fluAnother tests +ve for swine fluFive test positive for swine flu37 new swine flu cases in DelhiCity resident among 2 swine flu casualties JAIPUR: The state government on Tuesday announced that all state-run commercial activities in the core areas of reserve forests would be discontinued. The announcement came during the question hour in the assembly when the opposition strongly protested the running of RTDC's Tiger Den and other lodges in the core area of the reserve forest. With an aggressive opposition cornering the state government over the RTDC run commercial hotels in the core area, incharge minister Parsadilal Meena assured the house: ''RTDC run hotels, if any in the core area, will be shut down.'' Prior to this, Meena, who was giving the reply on behalf of Bina Kak, had informed the house that 3281 complaints of commercial activities in the reserved forests were received and that action had been taken in 91 cases. He, however, could not give the details on the number of cases in core areas, buffer zones and eco-sensitive zones. Rathore alleged that commercial activities were on at 500 metres from core area in Ranthambore. "Is it not true that villages were located in the area and are now being considered encroachment and relocated," said Rathore, adding that if new guidelines are followed, 75% of Tonk would be covered as reserved forest. The opposition, during the question hour, accused the state government for being partial towards the urban residents because of the discrepancy in the norms for penalty on use of land without land-use conversion. The matter was raised by BJP's Ajay Singh. ''While in the urban areas the land-use for 1500 sq yards can be transferred at the rate of 200 sq yards; the penalty charged in rural areas in the on-going Prashasan Gaon ke Sang is four times that,'' said Ajay Singh. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Govt-to-stop-all-commercial-activities-in-core-areas-of-forests/articleshow/18702270.cms

59 tigers poached in 2012: Government

Published: Tuesday, Feb 26, 2013, 21:50 IST Place: New Delhi | Agency: PTI The country lost 197 tigers in the past three years with 2012 recording the highest number of 88 deaths, including 59 due to poaching, the Rajya Sabha was informed. In a written reply, Environment and Forest Minister Jayanthi Natarajan provided the figures related to tigers poached and deaths of big cats due to natural and other causes since 2010. Last year, 59 cases of tiger poaching were registered by various state governments, while 29 big cats died due to natural and other causes. The highest number of 10 poaching incidents last year were recorded in both Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. With 16 incidents of poaching, 2011 saw a total of 56 tiger deaths. In 2010, 53 such incidents were recorded, including 28 incidents of poaching. Informing the House about the steps taken by her ministry for tiger conservation, Natarajan said, "At present, India has the maximum number of tigers and its source areas among the 13 tiger range countries in the world, owing to its long history of conserving the species through Project Tiger." She said out of 39 tiger reserves in the country, 15 were rated as very good, 12 as good and eight as satisfactory. Four reserves were rated as poor according to the Management Effectiveness Evaluation of Tiger Reserves in 2011. http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_59-tigers-poached-in-2012-government_1804934

Nagarhole loses 4th tiger in less than 2 months

DC | Amit S. Upadhye | 15 min 9 sec ago A tiger that was poisoned to death outside Nagarhole forests on February 17. The culprits are yet to be arrested. —DC Bengaluru: The decomposed body of a male tiger with its claws missing was found inside the Nagarhole Tiger Reserve (NTR) on Monday evening. The tiger may have died a week ago. The body was discovered by a patrolling team who were working on forest protection measures. The carcass was found in the Veeranahosahalli Range of NTR which has the highest concentration of tigers in the reserve. Forest officials say there is no sign of foul play, even though two tigers from Nagarhole were poisoned to death in separate incidents since January 13. They even claim that the missing tiger claws are not the handiwork of poachers but were eaten by wild boar and other animals that fed on the carcass. The wildlife conservationists in the State are seriously concerned and are demanding a thorough probe into the suspicious death of tigers in the last two months. “The tiger carcass was discovered around 4 pm in the forest and the autopsy was conducted before 6 pm. Why there was so much hurry in burning the dead tiger? The foresters could not even take the blood samples, claiming that there was nothing left in the decomposed body. Just because the carcass of the tiger was found in the interior of the forest does not mean that foul play cannot be suspected,” said a conservationist from Mysore district. The officials of the Forest Department, Government of Karnataka, has officially stated that the death of the tiger is a clear case of natural death. “An autopsy was conducted on the deceased tiger in the presence of veterinarians, senior forest officials, environmentalists and members of the Special Tiger Protection Force. The tiger was aged around 10-12 years and might have died in a fight with another tiger. The back of the tiger has scratch marks indicating that the tiger was involved in a territorial fight,” said a top official of Nagarhole Tiger Reserve. http://www.deccanchronicle.com/130227/news-current-affairs/article/nagarhole-loses-4th-tiger-less-2-months

Madhya Pradesh forest minister rules out new action plan to save big cats

ByManjari Mishra, TNN | Feb 26, 2013, 04.48 AM IST Livestock are easy prey for big cats of Nagarahole Tiger ReserveNew plan to protect tigers in KarnatakaElectrocution of tigers seizes Maharashtra government's attentionThirsty tigers needn't worryJayalalithaa's action plan is commendable KATNI: Madhya Pradesh forest minister Sartaj Singh has ruled out any new action plan to save tigers from poachers in Katni-Bandhavgarh region till an official probe was completed. He was replying to a question about the safety of big cats in Katni after a tiger was found electrocuted from a farm land in Kuan village 45 kilometers off Badhavgarh national park on Monday morning. Forest officials are meanwhile trying to shrug off any responsibility by playing the usual jurisdiction game. With three tigers and a leopard killed by poachers during the last three months, Katni is truly living up to its reputation of being the national tiger graveyard. According to eyewitnesses account, villagers raised an alarm after spotting a tiger sprawled in a patch of uncultivated land near Muchmucha forest area in the morning. When the animal did not move despite the commotion, they suspected something fishy and inching closer discovered the animal was dead, claimed Santosh Kumar Tiwari. Tiwari, who is the owner of the field where the body was found denied having anything to do with the incident and blamed it to "the complicity between forest officials and mafia. We had been citing this tiger for more than a month and it was reported to local officials but no one bothered to take any action. This gave the poachers enough time to plan the killing, he said. Tiwari pointed to a GI rusted wire which was carefully laid on the ground to trap the tiger and connected to the high tension 11000 KV wire in the nearby electrical poll. Since wire was hidden behind a tree the mischief could not be detected by anyone, said Tukaram a resident of Barahi, who had thronged the site with villagers. However, chief conservator forest Katni M K Khan denied possibility of tiger poaching. Talking to reporters, Khan said that the trap could have been laid for wild boar or a deer. The officer also tried to escape any responsibility by declaring that the land did not come within the jurisdiction of forest department and was revenue area. Meanwhile experts suspect the hand of an organized gang behind these successive killings. On November 18 a tigress was killed in Bagdara village which is part of Bandhavgarh reserve forest. It was instantly electrocuted along with the prey- a cow - as both came in contact with a live wire which hung low. On December 22, another tiger fell prey to an electric trap laid by poachers in Jugia village. And even then the forest officials insisted that tiger death was accidental as the trap was laid for wild boars. The incident had led to suspension of two beat guards. Surprisingly no senior official has been held accountable for these deaths, Ajay Dubey wild life activist said as he demanded the scalp of the "well connected nexus of big wigs in the department" they have done it in Panna, he said, now with their morale high they are doing it in Bandhavgarh and getting away with it while the government looks the other way. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Madhya-Pradesh-forest-minister-rules-out-new-action-plan-to-save-big-cats/articleshow/18684819.cms

Man-tiger conflict: NTCA issues new regulations

Ads by Google A tiger that has strayed into human habitation must be guided back to forest, chemically immobilised, trapped but, unless it is established as a man-eater, not killed, states a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) framed by the National Tiger Conservation Authority to deal with man-tiger conflict. The SOP, circulated among chief wildlife wardens last month, states that "under no circumstances must a tiger be eliminated by invoking the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, if it is not habituated for causing human death". And declaring it a man-eater must also be a well-deliberated exercise that differentiates a chance man-killer from a habituated human stalker that feeds on the body and avoids its natural prey, says the SOP. Even then, elimination must be the last resort; attempts should be made to capture the man-eater and send it to the nearest recognised zoo. If there is no other option, the SOP says, the tiger should be killed after the approval of the Chief Wildlife Warden; a proper fire arm must be used by an expert and no awards or rewards should be announced for "destruction of man-eaters". If a healthy tiger or encumbered tigress has occupied a sugarcane field or similar habitat, a not-so- uncommon occurrence, attempts must be made to guide it to a nearby forested area. If that doesn't work, it must be immobilised, captured, radio-collared and released in a low-density area of a nearby tiger reserve or protected area with adequate prey base. In case the captured tiger is injured or incapacitated, the SOP says, it should be sent to a recognised zoo. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/mantiger-conflict-ntca-issues-new-regulations/1079767/

Deer carcass, traps found in Sunderbans

TNN | Feb 26, 2013, 01.52 AM IST Train to Sikkim poses jumbo threatSpotted pride under attackTrack survey after elephant deaths KOLKATA: In a late-night raid on Saturday, forest department officials have recovered 45 traps, made of thick ropes and meant to poach deer, from the forests of Jhila 4 in the Sunderbans. Carcass of a deer was also recovered from the spot, where the traps were laid. Sunderbans Tiger Reserve (STR) field director Soumitra Dasgupta said such raids are on since last couple of months. "We will continue the raids in days ahead. The traps were damaged. Though the body of a deer was found from the spot, it's not yet confirmed whether the herbivore had died after falling into one of those traps," said Dasgupta. He said forest teams are raiding the nearby villages to nab the culprits. This is the third time in last three weeks that the department has managed to damage such traps which are used in the forests to poach deer. Earlier this month, three deer poachers were held from the Lothian Wildlife Sanctuary and ten traps were damaged at the spot. Last week, a villager from Amtali under the Basirhat range was caught red-handed while feasting on deer meat at his home. The foresters also recovered more than a kg of deer meat from his residence. State wildlife advisory board member Joydip Kundu said that regular raids in the forest to track deer poachers is a good sign for long-term conservation in the mangroves. Echoing his view, another state wildlife board member Biswajit Roy Chowdhury said frequent raids are being conducted in the forests after a long time. tnn"This practice will also bring in transparency in the department's functioning," he added. Deer poaching is not a new phenomenon in the Sunderbans. After the tiger poaching case at Jhila in 2008, the last official report of big cat poaching in the mangroves, foresters had suspected that some deer poachers had shot the tiger in self defence. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/Deer-carcass-traps-found-in-Sunderbans/articleshow/18683378.cms

Trapping camera destroyed in Palamu Tiger Reserve

TNN | Feb 25, 2013, 02.20 AM IST Palamu Tiger Reserve to get eco-sensitive shieldFemale elephant found deadProject Elephant member sends a missive to guvVijay's hunting for an elephantYaanamalai's elephant head shaped rock DALTONGANJ: A trapping camera installed in Palamu Tiger Reserve was destroyed late on Saturday night with foresters suspecting that the LCD monitor of the camera was damaged by an elephant which might have been irked by its flush light. PTR field director Syed Ehtesham Hussain Kazmi confirmed the damage but he was doubtful if it was destroyed by the elephant. "Had the elephant damaged the trapping camera for its annoying flush light, its image ought to have been there even notionally or so," he said. Asked if the destruction of the camera could be by human being, the director said he did not rule out the possibility as people who usually go inside the forest to collect fuel wood also damage the trapping cameras. However, he said during the past more than one year, half a dozen trapping cameras were damaged or destroyed and in most of the cases the elephants did the damage. The PTR has launched a public campaign saying that the trapping camera is not the one to shoot anyone's photograph either for Aadhaar card or for Red card or for MGNREGA job card. It is only for moving wild life and if any person comes in the range, he, too, will be captured by the camera. "This is to desist and dissuade those who have any motive to steal the camera for any commercial purpose," Kazmi said. The trapping camera has captured a lone wolf in the Garu range suggesting the existence of the animal in the range apart from Mahuadarn where there is a wolf sanctuary. But for lack of awareness, the tourists hardly visit the place. Asked that wolves generally move in pack but how is it that only one wolf is in camera he said ' It is true wolf moves in a pack but this one appeared before the camera and it was captured by lens'. He also told that on many occasions wolf is taken for jackal but here the trapped image is of the wolf for all surety. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ranchi/Trapping-camera-destroyed-in-Palamu-Tiger-Reserve/articleshow/18665986.cms

Forest officer did not allow Bhiwapur tiger to eat cattle it killed

TNN | Feb 25, 2013, 01.37 AM IST Tiger cub dead in Kaziranga, rhino battles for life at OrangRanthambore tigress relocated to SariskaPoaching menace: Government considering shoot-at-sight at Kaziranga N...Thirsty tigers needn't worryVillages involved in poaching will have to live in dark NAGPUR: Although straying of an adult tiger, which caused scare in Manora and Bhiwapur villages on Saturday, ended on a happy note, problem escalated as the tiger was not allowed to consume cattle it killed in the past 10 days. Roheet Karoo, district honorary wildlife warden, said in the past seven days the full-grown male tiger made at least 10 cattle kills in Bhiwapur II round under the South Umred range. "However, on the insistence of range forest officer (RFO) R M Agrawal, all the cattle kills were buried depriving tiger of food. This aggravated the problem," feels Karoo. Agrawal did not respond to the calls made to him. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) guidelines state that a cattle kill should be monitored by the staff. Last month, a tigress had started attacking humans after it was not allowed to consume cattle it killed near Navegaon National Park. The tigress killed five persons and was finally ordered to be shot under political pressure. On Saturday, around 9.30am, panic gripped Bhiwapur and Manora villages after farmers sighted a tiger in the farm owned by Ishwar Janbandhu. The tiger had killed a calf owned by Janbandhu on Friday night. There was high drama on Saturday when forest officials, Nitin Desai, Central India director of Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), Karoo and others tried to drive the tiger towards forest by bursting crackers and drum beating. "The tiger has retreated towards the Tass forest on Saturday night from where it was suspected to have come. The tiger crossed the tar road to move towards Tass," Desai said. Karoo said due to heavy shower on Saturday night there were trail of pugmarks from where the tiger is suspected to have crossed the road around 9.30pm. Earlier, two males - Bajrang and Chaitram - were identified in Umred-Karhandla wildlife sanctuary. "The tiger sighted on Saturday was not among them. It seems to be a new male, may be trying to create its own territory, Karoo said. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Forest-officer-did-not-allow-Bhiwapur-tiger-to-eat-cattle-it-killed/articleshow/18665641.cms

Tiger authority forms guidelines to deal with man-animal conflicts

StoryComments LUCKNOW: Given the frequent incidents of wild animals straying into human habitations, and the state forest department's failure to control the damage done to humans or to the stray animal, in most of the incidents, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has developed a standard operating procedure (SOP) to deal with emergency arising due to straying of tigers in human-dominated areas. The authority has sent the guidelines to the chief wildlife wardens and PCCFs of tiger range states for implementation. The purpose of the SOP is to ensure that straying tigers are handled in the most appropriate manner to avoid casualty or injury to human beings, tiger, cattle and property. One of the major suggestions made to the states is that an "authorised spokesperson of the forest department should periodically update the media (if required) to prevent dissemination of distorted information relating to the operation/incidents." NTCA has said that under no circumstances should a tiger be eliminated by invoking the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, 'if it is not habituated for causing human death.' In case of a healthy tiger/encumbered tigress occupying a sugar cane field or similar habitat, attempt should be made first to attract it to nearby forest area, while avoiding disturbance. If such operations fail, the animal should be captured through immobilization for release in low density area of a nearby tiger reserve/protected area after radio collaring, said NTCA. SOP calls for establishing the identity of the tiger and to find out the source area of the animal. In case, the area has a history of such incidents, detailed research has to be carried out in order to assess the reasons for frequent tiger emergencies in the area. Camera traps should be set near the site, where kill took place to confirm and establish the identity of the animal. The kill should also be guarded, so that stray tiger comes back to eat it and it should also be safeguarded against poisoning. The state forest departments will have to proactively involve DM and SSP/SP of the area to maintain law and order in the area, besides avoiding crowding by local people and to also acquaint them with human-tiger conflict issues and guidelines of the NTCA to deal with the situation. The forest department should seek help from district level officials to alert villages in the vicinity of the area, where tiger is roaming. If successive trapping efforts fail, chemical immobilization of the wild carnivore should be done by an expert team having a veterinarian. In case, the tranquilised tiger is found to be healthy or young, without any incapacitation (loss of canine, injury, broken paw), it may be released after radio collaring in a suitable habitat with adequate prey base, away from the territory of a resident male tiger (if any) or human settlements, and NTCA should be intimated of the same. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/environment/flora-fauna/tiger-authority-forms-guidelines-to-deal-with-man-animal-conflicts/articleshow/18643500.cms

Aging foresters to be withdrawn from tiger force

ByVijay Pinjarkar, TNN | Feb 23, 2013, 03.00 AM IST Tadoba Special Tiger Protection Force to get 33 jawans, INSAS riflesOutsourcing should reduce expenses: Finance DepartmentIssues will be addressed : CM Prithviraj ChavanComplete infrastructure projects by December: Prithviraj ChavanSoon, law to deter attacks on scribes: Prithviraj Chavan NAGPUR: After finance department raising objections over staff structure of Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF), the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has slightly modified the composition of the force paving way for release of funds. Two STPF platoons have been constituted in Maharashtra in Pench and Tadoba-Andhari tiger reserves. As per the new guidelines issued last month by the NTCA, a statutory body monitoring the tiger reserves, posts of foresters will have to be completely withdrawn from STPF and will be replaced with local van majoors or forest watchers. Earlier, the each STPF platoon consisted of 112 personnel including 90 forest guards, 18 foresters and 3 RFOs, to be headed by an assistant conservator of forests (ACF). However, now there will be no foresters, but 81 special tiger guards (forest guards) and 27 local forest watchers/van majoors. Finance department had raised objections that the condition of recruited staff being below 40 years of age was not being followed in case of foresters. "As there is ban on direct recruitment of foresters in state, it was difficult to get foresters below 40. We had appointed 18 foresters in STPF. Baring four who fulfil the age condition, others will be brought back to their parent cadre phase-wise," said Virendra Tiwari, chief conservator of forests (CCF) and field director, TATR. "The NTCA decided to do away with foresters after it was convinced that young forest guards can be effective. In Pench, we could control illegal fishing with the help of STPF," said MS Reddy, CCF & field director of Pench. Although Maharashtra is the second state after Karnataka to constitute STPF, it has not received any funds despite the state signing tripartite agreement with NTCA. The Centre has to provide 100% support for raising, arming and deploying STPF for protection of tigers in both the reserves. Tiwari said the STPF in Pench and Tadoba needed Rs 1.92 crore towards salaries. Considering the full strength of 224 personnel, the two platoons will need Rs 4.25 crore annually for salary alone. "We have intimated our funds requirement to the NTCA and expect to get them before March. We have also forwarded the recruitment notification sought by the authority last week. Now ball is in the NTCA court," Tiwari said. "Anticipating that the NTCA would release money, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan and forest secretary Praveen Pardeshi intervened and released Rs 1.50 crore towards salaries of the personnel. Money is also needed to procure weapons, vehicles, equipment and infrastructure for STPF. If funds are not received, STPF will have to be scrapped," said an official. State principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) SWH Naqvi said the issues had been resolved and NTCA had agreed to release the money. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Aging-foresters-to-be-withdrawn-from-tiger-force/articleshow/18637290.cms

Land boost to tiger rescue centre at Sunderbans

TNN | Feb 23, 2013, 02.59 AM IST Mamata Banerjee meets ailing Mahasweta DeviMamata Banerjee eyes tourism along HooghlyMamata Banerjee opposes trade union bandhMamata Banerjee buys time on Gorkhaland crisisMamata Banerjee to shift key departments out of Writers' KOLKATA: The state on Friday said the full-fledged work on the 100-acre plot at Sunderbans' Jharkhali for a tiger rescue centre would start soon as the government has been able to draw some compensation package for the refugees, who are still occupying the plot. make it unnecessary to send them for treatment to the state's lone tiger rescue centre at Khairbari in Jaldapara. The land for the rescue centre is under the control of the refugee relief and rehabilitation department. approved a 100-acre plot for setting up a tiger conservation and rescue centre at Jharkhali in the Sunderbans. An ecotourism park on a 99-acre plot, to be developed on the same island in the mangroves, has also got a green signal of the state cabinet. in Jharkhali will be set up on 99 acre plot. It is currently seeking clearance from the Central Zoo Authority of India for the second tiger rescue centre at Jharkhali in the Sunderbans and for that the state is seeking clearance of Central Zoos Authority. The centre will treat injured tigers rescued from the Sunderbans and thus bring an end to the practice of sending tigers to Alipore zoo or Khairbari near Jaldapara for treatment. The state also has plans to provide the refugees an alternate dwelling place. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Land-boost-to-tiger-rescue-centre-at-Sunderbans/articleshow/18637278.cms

World’s largest camera trap study gets its millionth photo

K. VENKATESHWARLU TEAM scientists take picture of the elusive jaguar in the Manu National Park, Peru The international Tropical Ecology Assessment and Monitoring (TEAM) Network’s stunning scrap book of wild animals in their natural habitat, widely regarded as a sort of facebook for wildlife, has just crossed a milestone. TEAM scientists have taken the one millionth camera trap photo and the honour has gone to the elusive jaguar in the Manu National Park, Peru, one of the 16 study sites in 14 countries across Asia, Africa and Americas. Wildlife conservationists the world over are rejoicing at the achievement as this relatively new body of wildlife research — a repository of camera trap images — would reveal more about the health of the Earth’s dwindling tropical forests. The 16 sites include Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park (Indonesia), Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (Uganda), Caxiuanã National Forest (Brazil) and Pasoh Forest Reserve (Malaysia). The world’s largest camera trap study “provides real-time information on how unseen animal populations are being affected by changes in climate, habitat and land use; changes that often affect the flow of goods and life-sustaining services to people as well as the health of tropical forests,” says a note for the media from TEAM Network based in Arlington, USA. The wildlife photo treasure, a result of five-year global partnership between Conservation International, Missouri Botanical Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Wildlife Conservation Society and over 80 local partnerships, is serving as an early warning system for nature, monitoring changes in tropical ecosystems and reporting shifts in biomass, rainfall and biodiversity density. In India, in a sheer coincidence, camera trap photos of the equally elusive and charismatic mammal, the red panda, have just been obtained by WWF-India staff from the remote heights of Arunachal Pradesh. Two years ago, similar images of an adult female tiger and cubs at the site of a cattle-kill in Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve in Andhra Pradesh revived hopes of recovery of the big cat population. “The one-millionth image is an amazing representation of our camera trap work and it symbolises the success we have had with this programme in collecting new data,” said Dr. Jorge Ahumada, TEAM’s Technical Director in the note. This data, replicated over time and space, is crucial to understand the effects of global and regional threats on forest mammals and to anticipate extinctions before it is too late. Working through local partner institutions in various countries, TEAM site managers and technicians set up camera traps during the dry season. Cameras are placed in a grid throughout the forest every two square kilometres and left in the forest for thirty days. Each site collects between 10,000 and 30,000 photographs a year. Keywords: TEAM scientists, world's largest camera, Manu National Park, millionth camera photo, wildlife photography http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/worlds-largest-camera-trap-study-gets-its-millionth-photo/article4436288.ece