Three held for possessing loris, jackal skin

SALEM, December 23, 2012

A forest official with seized loris (left) and jackal skin (right) in Salem. —PHOTO: P. GOUTHAM

Forest department officials here on Saturday arrested three persons while attempting to sell loris and jackal skin, both protected under the Indian Wildlife Act.

Officials said that based on information that three members of a gang were attempting to sell loris (Loris tardigradus) and jackal (Canis aureus) skin to the public in Guhai area, a team of forest officials intercepted them and found them to be possessing the primate and the skin. Forest officials arrested M. Manikandan (30), A. Suresh (30) and S. Chandran (27), all belonging to Narikuravar community from Guhai area. The primate and the skin were seized and taken to the forest department office at Hasthampatti.

Inquiry revealed that they could have caught the species in Kollimalai or from other forest areas in the State. As the news spread, a few members of the community staged a road block on Yercaud Road disrupting traffic for a few minutes. They said that hunting was their traditional culture followed for centuries and demanded the release of those arrested. Police personnel pacified them.

They were produced before the court and lodged at Salem Central Prison.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/three-held-for-possessing-loris-jackal-skin/article4230965.ece

Green movement demand action against MTR resorts

TNN Dec 27, 2012, 04.08AM IST

COIMBATORE: Tamil Nadu Green Movement has expressed extreme anxiety over the way in which tourism resorts near Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) in the Nilgiris are celebrating Christmas and New Year scaring away wild animals and demanded meaningful efforts from forest department to prevent the tourism operators from doing so.

In a statement here, its coordinator K Mohanraj said the movement is convinced that the survival interests of wildlife in MTR and adjoining Nilgiris north forest division are under a great danger from the unregulated tourism activities. The elephants migrating through their traditional routes and other wildlife present nearby are the ones that suffer from these anthropocentric pressures, he said.

"We all know that resorts at Masinagudi, Bokkapuram and Mavanahalla are situated in the Sigur elephant corridor obstructing the traditional migratory routes of elephants. We found during Christmas night, resorts in the corridor were bursting firecrackers and playing music loudly with scant regard for the wildlife in the region. This is a violation of Madras High court order on elephant corridor because movement of the wild animals and birds are affected. They have also violated the Supreme Court order by bursting crackers well past 10.00pm," he alleged.

Those violating resort owners can be booked under Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 for causing disturbance to wildlife, the statement said.

"We fear that firing of crackers will enable the poachers and anti-social elements to enter the forests and shoot the wildlife. We request the government to take action on the resorts and stop this disturbance to wildlife in elephant corridor. Tamil Nadu Green Movement condemns the irresponsible resorts owners for their tourism activities that disturb the peace and tranquility of forests nearby," the statement said.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/coimbatore/Green-movement-demand-action-against-MTR-resorts/articleshow/17775767.cms

Collector issues stop-memo against chopper joy-ride over Wayanad

By Aadharsh | ENS - KALPETTA 24th December 2012 08:10 AM
District Collector K Gopalakrishna Bhat on Sunday issued a memo stopping the ‘joy-ride’ helicopter service offered by the Boby Chemmanur Airlines.

Acting on a complaint filed by South Wayanad DFO O P Dhaneshkumar, alleging that the helicopter service, over the skies of the Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary, has been a concern of ‘habitat distraction’, the Collector served the notice on the operator.

The DFO had submitted a plea to the District Collector, Additional District Magistrate and the Sulthan Bathery Tahsildar, seeking stop-memo against the ‘distracting service’. He has also asked the district authorities not to grant clearance for any such activities in the district in compliance with the Wildlife Protection Act. Reportedly, the Boby Chemmanur Airlines would move the court against the Collector’s order.

“The clearance granted to the Boby Chemmanur Airlines to undertake commercial activities in Wayanad has been dismissed.

“The operator has already grounded the chopper,” District Collector K Gopalakrishna Bhat told Express.

“There was one more proposal from another tour operator seeking clearance for similar operations, but it has been withdrawn in view of the latest development,” the Collector said.

According to N Badusha of Wayanad Prakruthi Samrakshana Samithi, the unmindful commercial activity has left the wild animals in the area panicky.

“Even the domestic animals showed signs of restlessness due to the deafening noise of the low-flying chopper,” he said, adding that the district authorities should have shown discretion while giving the nod to such an activity.

“The helicopter service was launched around 9am on Saturday from the helipad at St Mary’s College in Sulthan Bathery.

And after about an hour, a tiger attack on a man was reported from Kattayad, about 2kms away from the town. I strongly believe that the booming noise of the chopper might have driven the tiger out of its territory,” he said.

The Boby Chemmanur Airlines had acquired no-objection certificates from the Revenue Department and the Police Department before launching the operation.

The air tour, a first-of-its-kind in Wayanad, was offered from 9.30 am to 5 pm at a cost of `2,700 per person for a 10-minute ride. The chopper service was scheduled till December 25.

Source: http://newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/article1391919.ece

Concern over violation of wildlife rules

UDHAGAMANDALAM, December 27, 2012
The Tamil Nadu Green Movement (TNGM) has expressed  concern over violation of wildlife rules  in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) during the current festive season.

In a statement here on Wednesday its coordinator K. Mohanraj said that threats to wild animals in the MTR and the adjoining areas controlled  by the Nilgiris North Forest Division are increasing.

Among the contributory factors are the unregulated tourism related activities. Alleging that on Christmas day crackers had been burst and music played loudly, with scant regard to wildlife, in some of the resorts located near Masinagudy, Mavanhallah, and Bokkapuram which fall within the  Sigur Elephant corridor, he said that such activities mainly affect the elephants which are used to following the traditional migratory route.

The violators should be booked under the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, he said.

Such activities also encourage poachers and anti-social elements to enter the forests.

Mr. Mohanraj said that the authorities concerned should swing into action now to prevent such  activities during the New Year celebrations.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/concern-over-violation-of-wildlife-rules/article4243765.ece