Thai Turtle Smuggler Caught With 14 Percent Of An Extremely Rare Species

Michael Kelley

Thai authorities arrested two smugglers who were trying to sneak 54 extremely rare Ploughshare Tortoises into the country, the wildlife trade monitoring group Traffic reports.

Ploughshare Tortoises are among the rarest species on earth, with a dwindling population of about 400 in northwestern Madagascar.

The smugglers — a 38-year-old Thai man and a 25-year-old woman who had flown from Madagascar to Suvarnabhumi International Airport — also had 21 Radiated Tortoises, which are also critically endangered.

Earlier this year the Thai man was arrested on a different wildlife smuggling charge.

The tortoises can command high prices in the animal black market in South East Asia.

Earlier the same day, authorities at the airport found 300 Indian Star Tortoises and 10 Black Pond Turtles when they inspected an unclaimed bag. Traffic notes that the Indian Star Tortoise is heavily traded as an exotic pet despite it being illegal to ship the species from its habitat in India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/turtle-smuggler-caught-with-rare-species-2013-3

Over 8,000 captive baby tortoises die

P. OPPILI

Reptiles were seized at airport on Tuesday, housed at private vet clinic

• 9,000 baby red-eared slider tortoises were seized by Chennai airport officials on Tuesday
• The passenger who was carrying them had got them in China, and flown in to Chennai from Kuala Lumpur
• They had been stacked one on top of the other, in three cartons
• Of the 9,000, less than 800 are currently alive
• Each baby tortoise was about three inches in size
• The tortoises get their name from the distinctive red patch of skin around their ears
• They are semi-aquatic reptiles, and very popular as pets
• They can live for up to 30 years

Two days after the seizure of 9,000 baby tortoises by customs officials at the airport, shocked animal welfare activists have found that fewer than 800 have survived.

Airport officials had seized the tortoises from a passenger who had come in from Kuala Lumpur, and was attempting to exit through the green channel. Activists said the red-eared slider tortoises, which were just a few days old, were stacked one on top of another and packed into three cartons, with no provisions for aeration or food.

The tortoises had been bought by a city resident, who deals in the wholesale trade of pets.

The tortoises were handed over to State wildlife authorities, who later housed them a private veterinary clinic in Guindy. Even at the time of their being handed over, 1,500 died, and the wildlife authorities only received 7,500 live tortoises.

Activists said they were surprised by the authorities’ move to house the surviving tortoises at the private clinic, instead of taking them government’s quarantine centre in Medavakkam, as per government norms.

At the private clinic, the tortoises were kept in tubs, with each tub containing more than 300 tortoises, they said.

They pointed out that this was not the first time such a huge number of red-eared slider tortoises have been brought to Chennai.

A similar consignment arrived here about a year ago, and then too, the tortoises had been taken to the same private clinic in Guindy instead of to the quarantine centre.

Allowing the import of exotic animals to be reared as pets will lead to problems for endemic or native species. Moreover, pet owners become afraid once the tortoises grow older, an activist said.

When they find it difficult to find a suitable home for their pets, many owners end up abandoning them on the roads, he added.

Noted conservationist Shekar Dattatri said: “This seizure has revealed the extent of the illegal trade in this and other non-native species that are smuggled into the country. Many people buy these turtles to keep them as pets, or because they believe that keeping one brings good luck. What they probably do not realise is that for every turtle that survives the journey to India, hundreds die in the tightly-packed containers in which they are smuggled. I appeal to people not to buy exotic species like these turtles, as it encourages a very cruel trade.”

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/over-8000-captive-baby-tortoises-die/article4559180.ece

Human settlements, a threat to Sathyamangalam tiger reserve

P. OPPILI

Unauthorised temples, new resorts disturbing the tranquillity

The presence of a large number of people in
core areas disrupts movement of animals

Unauthorised temples, new resorts and makeshift shops inside the core area are major threats the newly formed Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve is facing.

The State government announced the formation of the fourth tiger reserve in the State through a notification, issued on March 15 this year.

Members of the Tamil Nadu Green Movement pointed out that several unauthorised places of worship were found inside the tiger reserve. There are three main temples – Karuvannayan temple near Nandhipuram, Bannariamman temple Bannari and Madeswara temple in Kongalli. The three temples are under the control of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Board. Apart from them, several unauthorised temples are found inside the core area, say the members.

People visiting these temples camp there, even cook, and travel in large numbers into the core areas in trucks. Their movement creates a lot of disturbance to the wildlife. The State government must immediately relocate the unauthorised temples from the core areas, the members pointed out.

Another important issue is the springing up of new resorts in the core areas. S. Jayachandran of the Tamil Nadu Green Movement said Kongalli, Mavallam, Araiya Palayam and Hasanur are the places where the resorts are coming up. There were more than 200 resorts inside the STR.

Man-animal conflict

In the long run, it will lead to man-animal conflict, he said. The department officials have to immediately promulgate the ecologically sensitive zone to stop any more resorts in the core areas, he said.

Environmentalists also pointed out that during festival season, people set up shops, stay in the forests and defecate in the core tiger reserve area. Temporary shops have come up right on the elephant corridors located between Susilkuttail and Bannari. The Forest department authorities have to intervene and take action under the Forest Conservation Act of 1980, the activists said.

‘Make them partners’

Raman Sukumar, Professor and Chairman, Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Sciences, who began his research on elephants in the early 1980s, said the tiger population had increased substantially in the Sathyamangalam area. A good number of settlements over a century old were in Hasanur, Talamalai, Geddasal, Chikkahalli, Neydalapuram and Kadambur, to name a few. People in these settlements co-existed with the tigers over time. These people should be made partners in the management of the tiger reserve.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/human-settlements-a-threat-to-sathyamangalam-tiger-reserve/article4560872.ece

CAG faults Project Tiger scheme in State

Odisha TV Bureau | Mar 28, 2013 7:24:34 AM
Bhubaneswar: The Comptroller and Auditor general of India (CAG) has severely criticised the implementation of Project Tiger scheme saying the tiger population in Odisha declined drastically due to inadequate protection measures and deficiency in project management.

The central audit body in its report also rapped the state government for not providing inviolate space for the big cats, low pace of expenditure and delay in relocation of villages from core area.

Quoting tiger census 2004 and 2010, the report stated that tiger population in Odisha fell from 192 in 2004 to 32 in 2010, and both Similipal Tiger Reserve (TR) and Satkosia TR were ranked as ‘POOR’ in the assessment report of MoEF, GoI.

The report pointed out Rs 23.37 crore was utilized by the Field Directors (FDs) of the Rs 27.23 crore released for Similipal TR and Satkosia TR under their Annual Plans of Operations (APOs) for five years (2006-11). “This indicated that there was lack of proper planning and deficiencies in financial management,” it observed.

Lambasting the lack of unified command and control system, the report noted in Satkosia TR there was no full time and the TR was under the supervision of Satkosia Wildlife Division and Mahanadi Wildlife Division.

“As per the guidelines of Project Tiger there should be a Field Director exclusively for each Tiger Reserve” it said.

“Thus the Tiger Reserves did not function under one single line of command and control and the dual administration in supervision of the Tiger Reserves in contravention of the Project Tiger guidelines affected the project implementation and protection inside the Tiger Reserve which has also been specifically mentioned in the assessment report of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) for Similipal Tiger Reserve,” the report said.

The NTCA considering the endangered status of tigers and the need for urgently stepping up protection in sensitive areas formulated a set of guidelines in May 2009 for deployment of Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF) at Similipal TR with 100 per cent central assistance under the scheme Project Tiger.

“But no initiative was taken by GoO for raising of STPF during the period 2009-11. In May 2012, the GoO passed a resolution for establishment of the STPF as per NTCA guidelines after passage of three years. Thus the Tiger Reserve was deprived of central assistance for protection measures. Thus, poaching of elephants, illegal tree felling and mass animal hunting like Akhanda Shikar in the STR could not be controlled,” it noted.

Source: http://odishatv.in/NewsDetail.php?otv=bmV3c0lkPU5TNjg4NTU

Tribal villagers take away arrested poachers

Baripada: Armed with bows and arrows, tribal villagers forcibly took away two arrested poachers along with guns from forest patrolling team in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district, oficial sources said today.

The incident occured at Bahalada under Dukura forest range, about 30 kms from here in Similipal sanctuary area last evening when a large number of tribals confronted the forest patrol party.

Forest patrol party had arrested two poachers and seized two guns from them at Bahalada on the foothills of Similipal but later local tribals including women gheroed the forest staff and took away poachers along with guns, Anup Kumar Nayak Field Director Similipal Tiger Reserve said.

A protection assistant was injured in arrow attack by tribals and admitted to district headquarters hospital here, Nayak said adding DFO, Baripada Bijay Kumar Panda rushed to the spot with his force.

(Agency Inputs)

Source: http://www.odishareporter.in/city/baripada/tribal-villagers-take-away-arrested-poachers

Crop shield spells doom for birds

S. HARPAL SINGH

Plastic nets erected along the perimeter of agriculture fields by farmers to protect their crops from monkeys are turning as snares for birds

Skewed protection:A bird trapped in a fishing net put up
to protect agricultural field from monkeys,
in Udumpur village of Kadem mandal in Adilabad.
-PHOTO: S. HARPAL SIngh

The fishing nets used by farmers in the hilly and forested areas of Adilabad to protect crops from monkeys have brought doom for birds in the wild. Though the tall plastic nets erected along the perimeter of agriculture fields have deterred simians from raiding standing crops, these are acting as snares for unsuspecting birds.

Tens of birds like the shikra, owl, partridge, quail and pigeon can be found entangled in the mesh in fields in Udumpur and Alampalli in Kadem mandal. The loss may seem to be negligible in terms of harm to the eco system, but conservationists are worried that the phenomenon could take the shape of poaching of birds in the garb of protecting crops.

“We hardly have a role to play when it comes to protecting crops from monkeys,” reveals Jannaram Wildlife Division Forest Officer G. Rama Krishna Rao, who also looks after the Kawal Tiger Reserve, as he explains the gamut to The Hindu . “Respective gram panchayats or other local bodies concerned, need to take care of the problem by sterilising the simians in the area to control their population by obtaining necessary permission from the State Chief Wildlife Warden,” he adds. Donthula Shravan Kumar, a farmer from Udumpur says the menace has surfaced two years back when hundreds of monkeys from elsewhere were released into the forests. “After losing much crop initially we experimented with fencing the fields with nets and found it an effective means of controlling monkey invasions”, the farmer recalls.

Meanwhile, the Wildlife Forest Division at Jannaram will implement a new plan to erect fencing around fields to control crop damage by wild boars which is the most troublesome of the problem. The initial fencing will be done at a cost of Rs. 40 lakh in the next financial year, according to Mr. Rama Krishna Rao.

“The low chain link fence goes about 20 cm deep inside the soil too to prevent wild boars from digging the earth and entering fields,” the DFO reveals. “We will enlist farmers who need such protection for their crops soon,” he adds.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/crop-shield-spells-doom-for-birds/article4556553.ece

105 whale sharks rescued in last two years along Gujarat coast

AHMEDABAD: The forest department and the rescue teams along the Gujarat coast have rescued 105 whale sharks in the last two years.

Saurashtra coast is now globally known as
the breeding site of whale sharks.

Minister of state for forest and environment Govind Patel told the House in a written reply to Asarwa MLA Rajnikanth Patel's question that as on December 31, 2012, a compensation of Rs 7.60 lakh was paid to fishermen whose nets were damaged in shark rescue exercise.

The minister said that whale shark protection campaign was on in the state. An officer of the department said that Saurashtra coast was now globally known as breeding site of whale shark. Hunting of the whale shark was an important fishing activity in Saurashtra coast as it fetched substantial earning to the fishermen community.

The forest department and naturalists joined hands and hunting was banned in 2001, in Gujarat, after it became the first fish to be listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The state forest department, along with the Wildlife Trust of India, the International Fund for Animal Welfare, and other local NGOs and nature lovers launched a whale shark protection campaign in the state which turned as a role model for conservation.

Morari Bapu was roped in as an ambassador for the project. He went to Dwarka and blessed a whale shark. Although Rs 25,000 is paid for each rescue, the loss to the fishermen was higher.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/the-good-earth/105-whale-sharks-rescued-in-last-two-years-along-Gujarat-coast/articleshow/19150842.cms

'Sex-on-the-reef' recorded for first time ever along Lakshadweep islands

PTI

A rare and curious phenomenon, coral spawning, popularly referred to as "sex-on-the-reef", has been recorded scientifically for the first time along Lakshadweep islands on India's west coast, a Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) researcher has claimed.

Generally observed after full-moon nights, coral spawning is a magnificent phenomenon of sexual reproduction of corals, which involves mass collective expulsion of colourful eggs and sperm clouds into the water by corals.

Normally taking place once a year, the gametes then rise to the surface of the ocean creating a colourful slick.

The slick was first observed by Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) marine biologist Subburaman S last week, and also by the Central Marine Fisheries and Research Institute (CMFRI) team.

"I was travelling by boat, when I noticed an interesting effect in the water. Out of curiosity, I collected some pink and brown spawn for examination," Subburaman was quoted as saying by a WTI release here.

Subburaman with the support of CMFRI scientists Dr Jasmine and R Srinath examined the samples and confirmed that they were indeed coral spawn.

Environment wardens Abdul Raheem and Dr Sayeed Ali said that this finding proves that Lakshadweep's corals are recovering from the stress they experienced after El Niño, 2010.

Chief Wildlife Warden, Lakshadweep, Thirunavukarasu, added that it's great news that the Lakshadweep coral reef is in a healthy state.

During spawning, the eggs are fertilised and form larvae.

The larvae then float off till they find suitable substrates, settle and form their own colonies, helping corals thrive.

Coral spawning is a big tourist attraction in the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, where it generally happens soon after the full moon in November or December. Spawning normally happens when the water is warm, and when the tide is changing from high to low.

In the Maldives, spawning has been scientifically determined to take place between the end of January and the beginning of March.

One thing is universal though - exact date of spawning is still largely unpredictable.

It was first recorded in 1981, says WTI.

Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/sexonthereef-recorded-for-first-time-ever-along-lakshadweep-islands/1093706/0

Caught on camera: Rising tiger population

HYDERABAD: Three tiger cubs among 18 sighted in India's biggest tiger reserve has brought good news for authorities, who are trying to save the population of the big cat from dwindling in the Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve (NSTR).

Officials said tiger movements were caught on camera recently in and around 800 square kilometers of NSTR, which experts said were signs that the population was doing well. At least 5 males and 10 females, apart from 3 cubs aged over a year old were caught on camera in the core areas for the first time in the last few years.

NSTR has a total critical tiger habitat area of around 3,600 square kilometers and as per the latest census, the estimated tiger population at NSTR, has been pegged at anywhere between 53 and 67 tigers.

In India, which is home to half of the world's tiger population, the latest census in March 2011, revealed the presence of an estimated 1,706 tigers, way down from a healthy 45,000 population about 100 years ago. Tigers are mercilessly poached for their skin, claws and bones, all sold for its medicinal value in countries such as China and also in the west. Parts from a single tiger can fetch as much as $50,000 in the black market.

Buoyed at the good news, NSTR officials said they are planning to purchase 210 cameras so that 800 square kilometer area can be covered at one go. "Right now we have logistics to cover only 400 square kilometers at a time," said Rahul Pandey, field director at NSTR. So far, Rs 50 lakh was spent for the purchase of cameras. In addition to this, Panthera (a tiger conservation organization) has donated 60 cameras.

Officials plan to scout at least 2,000 square kilometres area of the reserve before the onset of monsoon and complete rest of the area later. "We have divided the total tiger habitat area into nine blocks each measuring 400 square kilometers. So far we have completed camera trapping in two blocks," said Pandey.

The camera trappings were done at the Dornala range of Markapur division, Srisailam range of Atmakur division and at the Mannanur range of Achampeta division. "We saw pug marks of another cub in Mannanur range, but could not get the footage," he added.

This scientific mapping exercise is being done under phase-4 of intensive tiger monitoring under the ministry of environment and forests. Experts said special care must be taken to protect the cubs as the mortality rate is often very high.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/wild-wacky/Caught-on-camera-Rising-tiger-population/articleshow/18473517.cms

Activist demands action against Rajaji forest officials

Human rights activist Avdhash Kaushal has sought an FIR against the Rajaji National Park authorities for partying within the park premises on Sunday to celebrate the Holi festival.

The party complete with blaring music and cooking of food saw about 200 men women and children freaking out in the core area of the park throughout the day. They arrived in about 100 cars and jeeps causing much pollution and nuisance for the animals. All this was done without permission from the Chief Wildlife Warden and violated the Wildlife Protection Act, Mr. Kaushal alleged.

Instead of ordering a probe into the matter, the forest authorities are trying to cover up the issue by saying that a workshop on man- animal conflict was held and not a party.

“The question is what were the family members of the forest officials doing there if it was a workshop”, an insider asked.

Mr. Kaushal also threatened to move a court against the Chief Wildlife Warden S.S. Sharma, Director Rajaji National Park S. P. Subudhi and the Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna if action was not taken against the guilty officials immediately.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-newdelhi/activist-demands-action-against-rajaji-forest-officials/article4549150.ece

Row over dumping of garbage in forest area

A vehicle of the Meppadi grama panchayat
dumping garbage inside the Attamala forest area.
—Photo: E.M. Manoj

The Forest Department and the Meppadi grama panchayat are locking horns over the dumping of garbage in the Attamala reserve forest area of the Meppadi forest range under the South Wayanad forest division.

The panchayat authorities have been dumping garbage after collecting it from Meppadi town and the nearby small towns under the panchayat inside the forest at Attamala for more than a decade, sources in the Forest Department says.

Though forest officials had reasoned with the panchayat authorities for the past many years to stop the practice, they were yet to respond positively, the sources added. The ‘dumping yard’ of the panchayat on the banks of a small stream, a tributary of the Chaliyar river, was posing a serious threat to the wildlife habitats and the waterbodies in the area. Poultry waste, disposable plastic glasses and plates, and rotten vegetables and watermelons were being heaped in the area.

“The panchayat authorities dump waste everyday, except on holidays,” K. Mathew, a villager, said. He added that wild herbivores, including elephants, boars, and sambar deer, could be seen feeding on the garbage and it created many health issues among them. The practice also contaminated the waterbodies in the area, especially during monsoon, and the fumes arising from burning the garbage polluted the serenity of the area, he added. Though the forest officials had erected a billboard prohibiting waste-dumping in the area at the entrance to the forest a few months ago as per the direction of Forest Minister K.B. Ganesh Kumar, the panchayat authorities seemed to have taken no notice of it, the sources added.

‘We are planning to take stringent actions against the authorities to stop the illegal activities, as per the Kerala Forest Act, 1961,” P. Dhaneshkumar, South Wayanad divisional forest officer, told The Hindu . But Ancy Baby, president, Meppadi grama panchayat, said they were forced to continue the practice owing to non-availability of land to dispose of garbage. The panchayat had identified land at Chooralmala, near here, to set up a dumping yard and its acquisition process was under way, she added.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/row-over-dumping-of-garbage-in-forest-area/article4549582.ece

Violation of law in land allotted to tribals, claims study on Forest Rights Act

MEENA MENON

• There is a trend of putting barren forest land to agriculture between 2005 and 2008
• People cleared forest cover and started cultivation after FRs have been recognised

Sloppy implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) has resulted in large tracts of forests being cut down and claimed as cultivated land in Maharashtra, according to a study. Data shows that in Jalgaon district alone, more than 79 per cent claims over cultivated forest land were apparently on ineligible lands and about 25 per cent had forest cover. In Thane, adjacent to Mumbai with a high land value, about 12 per cent of the land allotted to tribal people was ineligible according to the eligibility criteria under FRA.

Maharashtra government had, a few years ago, relaxed the measurement for land claimed by tribal people and this has caused discrepancies in settling claims under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006 (FRA). A study done by a private company in 2012, at the behest of the State Forest Department, used a database from the Tribal Research and Training Institute (TRTI), Pune, and the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Hyderabad. Satellite maps and GPS data were collated to examine changes after 2005 in tree cover, vegetation and land-use in forest land under forest rights (FR) claims and those which have recognized rights of cultivation.

TRTI has the data of 1,89,400 forest plots under Forest Rights (FR) claims, which are measured using GPS and uploaded on its website. Each land under claim has a unique 13 digit code comprising alpha numerical identification for district, tehsil, village and initials of the claimant. Of the 3, 44,330 claims received in Maharashtra, 2, 34,242 claims were rejected, according to latest data from the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs website. Only 1, 05,930 claims have been approved, of which 99,368 titles were distributed for about 2, 50,000 hectares . Activists and tribal people have been contesting the delay in allotting rights and the high rejection of claims.

However, Thane district, with one of the highest number of claims in the State, did not provide details of the 13 digit-code for all claimants, and in fact, cleared cases without GPS measurement, the study says. The government blames the high rate of false claimants for the rejections. Gadchiroli, Chandrapur, Nasik, Raigad, Gondia and Bhandara districts also provided little data. Overall, data only for 40,428 approved cases was made available for the study from 19 districts covering 1705 villages.

In 2,433 cases, out of a total of 36,640 cases analysed, there was a road/ river/nallah within the plot. The highest number of such cases is in Dhule and Nandurbar districts. As seen on 2005-06 satellite images, about 15 per cent approved cases are on lands having forest or no agriculture.

Data using Cartosat-1 satellite images of 2005-06 and 2007-08, shows that in 789 cases out of 35, 044 approved FR cases, land-use changed between the years 2005-06 to 2007-08. Large numbers of such cases with land-use change are in Jalgaon, Nandurbar, and Dhule. Out of 539 FR cases from Jalgaon district, 321 cases are from three villages of Chopda Taluka — Umarti (118), Satrasen (113) and Melane (90).

The data reveals that there was a huge trend of putting barren forest land to agriculture between 2005 and 2008 to stake claims. About 37 per cent of barren area was converted into agriculture and 33 per cent was converted from forest cover to agriculture. Jalgaon has the highest area so far of forested areas and barren forest land converted to agriculture. An analysis of 5,373 FR cases on satellite images of 2007-08 shows that in these 789 approved FR cases, land-use change occurred after 2005. The study says this implies that people first claimed rights of cultivation, irrespective of the fact whether it was under cultivation on December 13, 2005 (as mandated by FRA) or not and later that forest land was cleared for cultivation. Though the percentage of land-use change detected is less than one per cent in terms of total area, about 641 hectares forest land appears to have been converted from barren land to agriculture and about 580 hectares of forests to agriculture.

In a separate set of data, since satellite images of 2011-12 were available for six districts, only 26,807 finalized FR cases were analyzed, covering 45,034 hectares in Jalgaon, Dhule, Nandurbar, Nashik, Thane, and Gadchiroli districts. It was found that 39,996 (89 per cent) hectares is under cultivation within the approved plots in 2011-12 which is a four per cent increase from 2007-08, Forest/tree cover and barren land has reduced from 910 to 433 hectares and 5476 to 4605 hectares respectively between 2007-08 and 2011-12. This means that people have cleared forest cover and started cultivation after FRs have been recognized on these lands, the study points out.

In these six districts, at least 5037.88 hectares of ineligible forest land on which Forest Rights have been recognized is still not converted into cultivation as per 2011-12 satellite images.

In FR cases’ analysis on Cartosat-1 satellite images of 2007-08 and 2011-12, it has been observed that in 827 cases out of 26, 807 finally recognized FR cases, land-use changed between 2007-08 to 2011-12.

The percentage of land-use changes in finally recognised FR cases shows an increase in 2011-12 (3.1 per cent) compared to 2007-08 (2.3 per cent). In an analysis of claims applied for but not recognised, it increased from 12.4 per cent to 18.3 per cent.

Land use changes violate the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 and data from all districts needs to be revisited for verification of claims and ensuring forests are not cut down, said a forest official.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-newdelhi/violation-of-law-in-land-allotted-to-tribals-claims-study-on-forest-rights-act/article4549144.ece

Wild elephants giving their favourite summer haunt a miss

R. KRISHNA KUMAR

Drought has driven many of them away from Kabini backwaters

• Against nearly 800 in a normal year, the number of elephants has dwindled to about 120 this year

Wild elephants are deserting Kabini backwaters, their favourite summer habitat, as it has run out of water and fodder due to drought.

In a normal year, the famed “annual elephant congregation” begins before summer and lasts till the advent of the southwest monsoon. This year, however, only a few elephants can be found near the backwaters and their numbers are fast dwindling. Herds of elephants are migrating elsewhere in search of greener pasture and more hospitable habitat.

Idyllic spot

Known to be an idyllic spot for the wildlife of both Bandipur and Nagarahole national parks, Kabini backwaters plays host to nearly 600 to 800 elephants in a normal year during peak summer as the moisture in the soil (after the evaporation of water) would be supplanted by fresh green grass which lasts through the season.

Elephants need at least 200 kg of fodder apart from plenty of water, and Kabini backwaters was a veritable paradise for them during summer. But drought has left the place relatively desolated this year.

Located at the junction of Bandipur and Nagarahole, and on the migratory path of wild animals treading to Mudumalai in Tamil Nadu and Wayanad in Kerala, Kabini backwaters used to witness one of the largest wildlife congregations in Asia.

Conservator of Forests Kantharaj, who is also Director of the Bandipur Tiger Reserve, told The Hindu that the number of elephants frequenting the Kabini backwaters this year is less compared with the previous years.

Jungle Lodges and Resorts Ltd. suspended boating in the backwaters about 45 days ago due to lack of enough water in the Kabini backwaters, and also because there were fewer elephant sightings than previous years.

The scenario this year is similar to the drought that affected the region in 2003.

D. Rajkumar, Honorary Wildlife Warden for Mysore district, said that against nearly 800 elephants that could be seen during peak summer in a normal year, their numbers had dwindled to about 90 to 120 this year.

“Moisture in the area is conducive for the growth of green grass and other fodder to sustain a large population of elephant, gaur, sambar, deer and other herbivores animals. But this year, the water stress is high and the moisture content in the soil is not adequate to facilitate the growth of fresh fodder,” Mr. Rajkumar said. In the absence of fodder and water in the area, the elephants have gone to more habitable portions of the national parks, according to Mr. Rajkumar, who is also the local representative of the National Tiger Conservation Authority.

Meanwhile, the authorities are replenishing waterholes every days using tankers.

But this can only meet the requirements of smaller animals to a certain extent. The larger herbivores such as elephants have moved on to the interiors towards Moolehole range, which has received good rain in the last few days.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/wild-elephants-giving-their-favourite-summer-haunt-a-miss/article4540481.ece

Elephant dies in train accident

BHUBANESWAR, March 22, 2013
An elephant died after being hit by a goods train near Ghatagon in Keonjhar district early on Thursday.

“The elephant was possibly a part of a herd. When collision took place it was isolated from the herd. The accident took place at around 4.15 a.m.,” Keonjhar Divisional Forest Officer Ajay Kumar Jena said.

The dead elephant was an adult female jumbo. The accident occurred between Nilakantheswar and Harichandanpur station.

Earlier incidents

It may be recalled here that elephants were mowed down by the Chennai-bound Coromandel Express in Ganjam district on December 30 last. Prior to that in August 2012, two elephants were killed in train accidents in Keonjhar district. As many as 12 elephants died in train accidents during the past two years.

The railway track was laid right through the forested region of Keonjhar district which has a good elephant population. About 60 to 70 km stretch of railway line in Keonjahr is considered to be vulnerable zone for elephants.

“The investigation is in preliminary stage. We have not registered a case against any person. As the investigation would progress, a case could be registered,” said Mr. Jena.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-otherstates/elephant-dies-in-train-accident/article4536811.ece

Guidelines issued to deal with straying tigers

IGNATIUS PEREIRA

• Crowding by the local people should be avoided by clamping prohibitory orders
• If a captured tiger is healthy, it should be released into a suitable habitat after radio collaring
• A tiger should never be eliminated if it doesn’t cause human casualties: NTCA

A standard operating procedure (SOP) to deal with the emergency arising due to the straying of tigers in human-dominated areas has been issued by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), stipulating the imposition of prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code in the area of its operation.

The SOP, intended for the forest departments of all States, has already been notified by the Kerala Forest Department. It was designed by the NTCA in the wake of an incident on December 2, 2012, at Wayanad, when a team from the Forest Department shot a male tiger that strayed into areas inhabited by human beings.

The SOP underlines that “under no circumstance should a tiger be eliminated by invoking the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, if it isn’t habituated to causing human casualties. But confirmed man-eaters should be eliminated as per the statutory provisions under Section 11 of the Act”.

Therefore, while forest authorities engage in dealing with straying of tigers and even leopards into human-dominated areas, crowding by local people should be avoided by clamping prohibitory orders. Authorities should ensure to proactively involve the district administration and the local police in the area at an early stage. Clamping prohibitory orders is essential to avoid agitation of the local people surrounding the animal’s location, which will hamper the capture operation and can also result in serious injuries to the staff and the people, the SOP notes.

It can even result in incidents like the one that took place at Wayanad. “Effective coordination with the district administration and police is critical to control crowds.” If an area is habitually prone to livestock predation by big cats, the Forest Department has to take up research to assess the reasons for frequent tiger emergencies. Under no circumstance should a captured tiger, if it is found to be injured or incapacitated, be released into the forest. It should be sent to a recognised zoo. But if a captured tiger is healthy, without injuries, it should be released after radio collaring, into a suitable habitat with an adequate prey base.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/guidelines-issued-to-deal-with-straying-tigers/article4536147.ece

Tigress found dead at Ranthambore

JAIPUR: A tigress T-37 was found dead in its territory (zone-9) at the Ranthambore tiger reserve on Monday. Locals said the tigress was seen in the morning by visitors but was found dead around 2.30pm. Forest officials are clueless about the reason behind the death.

The tigress' body was first spotted by a guide at Pandu Kho in Kanwalji area, which is a part of zone-9.

"The doctor who was immediately called to examine the body was not sure about what led to the death," said a local journalist who visited the spot.

He said eye-witnesses had seen the tigress coughing during the day. "The doctor said it could be kidney or liver failure," he said.

The doctor also didn't rule out the possibility of the tigress being pregnant and some complication in pregnancy causing the death.

"Post-mortem will be conducted on Tuesday morning," said a forest official.

Another forest official however said that it could be a revenge killing by the villagers from the adjoining areas of the reserve.

"We have not found any poisonous substance in the area. However, the zone where the tigress was found dead is surrounded by villages and it happens to be a disputed area between villagers and the reserve," he said. Villagers also graze their cattle in the area.

In the past one year, this is the fourth big cat death in the state. Three months ago, a tigress, yet to be identified, was found dead in Ranthambore while two tigers died in Sariska few months ago.

With the recent death, the tiger population at the reserve now stands at 49.

Experts said the death of T-37 is a major blow to the zone-9, a popular destination for tourists. The male tiger T-42 in the zone will now explore some other territory, which could also lead to a territorial fight.

"The T-42 was the partner of the dead tigress in the zone-9 area," said Yaduvendra, president, Ranthambore Naturalists Association. The sibling of T-37 was killed by T-42 last year in a territorial fight, he said.

"Death of T-37 is a major loss to the wildlife in the region where the two tigers were living," he added.

He said that the death of the tigress was mysterious as she was seen a few hours before found dead.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Tigress-found-dead-at-Ranthambore/articleshow/19052436.cms

Sparrows lose homes in urban jungle

Chinmayi Shalya, TNN | Mar 21, 2013
MUMBAI: Sparrows seems to be flying out in search of another habitat.

The house sparrows, the most commonly sighted bird in the country, is gradually losing its presence in the urban landscape.

According to the Common Bird Monitoring of India (CBMI), a year-old initiative of environment organization Nature Forever Society, the sparrow is now the fourth most common bird in the country.

The CBMI identified 794 locations in the country where rock pigeons are found, 822 locations where crows were often spotted, 743 where the common myna were spotted, and only 494 locations where the house sparrow were seen in the last one year.

CBMI observations also showed that Mumbai has the highest number of pigeons and crows in the country, while the presence of sparrows is almost half of their numbers.

The observations can be extended to major cities, including Mumbai, where the population of more resilient birds like pigeons and crows has grown despite rapid urbanization, but small birds, like sparrows, have faced a loss of habitat.

On World Sparrow Day ,on Wednesday, ecologists and nature lovers lament this change. Others feel that the bird's stint with humans might be over now.

"The city has many kabutarkhanas where abundance of grain has given an artificial boost to the number of pigeons. And, the open garbage provides a lot of food for the crows. Pigeons can subsist on grain and produce pigeon milk to feed their young ones. But it is not the same with sparrows," said Mohammed Dilawar from the Nature Forever Society.

Sparrows feed insects to their young. But the loss of green cover and open grounds in the city has modified the ecology and led to a decline in number of insects on which young sparrows feed.

Also, sparrows need nests, unlike pigeons. Sparrows require sheltered corners and trees to make a home. "There has been a fall in the number of nesting sites and loss of small prey due to loss of green patches. We must remember that Until sparrows and other small birds have little green patches, even derelict and overgrown little corners, where they can catch insects, it would be difficult for them to survive," said naturalist, writer and photographer Sunjoy Monga.

Ecologists believe that the sparrows represented a different world where houses were more open, and there were many nooks, crevices and green patches which made it easy for sparrows to co-habit with humans.

The change in urban architecture, characterized by small enclosed houses, wire meshed windows and lack of green space has left very little shelter for sparrows to nest.

"I feel the sparrow may have reached the peak of having made the most of its association and commensalism on humanity and will possibly stabilise to a different level under a different set of conditions now,"added Monga. He added that we cannot re-create the situations of the past.

On World Sparrow Day, the Nature Forever Society launched a campaign where people can observe sparrows in their area for 15 minutes and report it on their website. People can also report if they do not spot the bird.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Sparrows-lose-homes-in-urban-jungle/articleshow/19098923.cms

Big leopard numbers in human habitats: Study

Amit Bhattacharya, TNN | Mar 21, 2013

File picture of a leopard in Mumbai's Aarey Milk
Colony in 2011. (TOI photo by Hemant Shirodkar)

NEW DELHI: Most people think of leopards as predators that live in forests except for a few that occasionally stray into human settlements. Breaking that myth, a new study has found that a large number of these big cats may be residing in human habitats, quietly sharing space with people in villages, farmlands and even on the edge of towns.

The study was conducted in a densely populated valley in Akole tehsil of Ahmednagar district in western Maharashtra, where researchers set up camera traps in 40 locations for a month to gather evidence of wildlife in this prosperous sugarcane belt.

The results were startling. A total of 81 leopard images were captured across a sampled area of 179 sq km, in which five distinct adult males and six adult females were identified.

Two females were clicked with cubs and a third gave birth six months later — all in an area with a population density of 357 people per square km.

Using a GIS-based software, the researchers estimated animal density at five leopards (4.8) per 100 sq km. That's not all. As many striped hyaenas (5.03/100sq km) were found in the area, taking the number of large predators in the landscape to 10 per 100 sq km. The findings were published on March 6 in the Public Library of Science journal.

"Nowhere in the world have such large number of big predators been reported in such densely populated human landscape," said Vidya Athreya, a wildlife biologist with Wildlife Conservation Society, India, who is the lead author of the study carried out in collaboration with the Maharashtra forest department.

The big cat's density in Akole tehsil was found to be higher than some national parks. In Rajaji, for instance, distribution of leopards is reported to be just 2.07/100 sq km following an increase in tiger numbers. Overall, leopard density in India's protected forests is 15/100 sq km.

Athreya said with the nearest protected forest some 18km away, there was little doubt that the big cats were living in "human areas", mainly in sugarcane fields. "The leopards were marking their territories on roads and on bunds in sugarcane fields. This was as much their land as it was of the people," she said.

During daytime, the felines would sit very still in the fields, often just a few hundred metres from houses. "However, the night made the leopard king. They even went close to houses to kill dogs, cats and goats," Athreya reported.

Akole tehsil is by no means an isolated example. Athreya said leopards can be found across the sugarcane belts of western Maharashtra, Gujarat and western UP, as well as the tea-growing areas of Bengal, Assam and south India.

Remarkably, no human deaths were reported from the study area. Athreya believes this is so because the leopard population in the area is more or less settled. "Leopards instinctively shun humans. That's particularly true of an animal that has grown up in the same area. We found one of our radio-collared leopards visited a particular house every few days without ever disturbing its residents, who sleep in the open," she said.

In contrast, serious leopard attacks were reported from neighbouring forested areas which happen to be close to administrative borders. Athreya believes most of these attacks were because big cats trapped in human habitats were often released in these areas. "A relocated leopard is disoriented and unpredictable," she added.

The study calls for a shift in the concept of conservation, which is focused solely on protected areas. "The presence of big predators in human landscapes throws up challenges which conservationists haven't yet begun to understand," Athreya said.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Big-leopard-numbers-in-human-habitats-Study/articleshow/19098494.cms

Gir lioness baby-sits, feeds siblings when mother is away

Himanshu Kaushik, TNN | Mar 21, 2013

The lion cubs in Gir that are being watched over
by their step sister. (TOI photo/Sandeep Kumar)

AHMEDABAD: There's nothing like a sister's love. A young lioness, baby-sitting her three six-week-old step siblings when the mother is away hunting, has caught the eye of foresters in the Gir sanctuary.

Experts say this is a rare sight in the wild — the three-year-old lioness not only watches over the cubs, but hunts for them as well. Deputy conservator of forests, Sandeep Kumar, who is documenting this unique behaviour, says generally one-and-a-half month old cubs are not exposed to flesh and blood.

"They only survive on mother's milk," he says. "But in this case, we noticed that when the mother is not around, the sister not only takes care of the cubs but also gets them fresh meat and they seem to be doing well so far."

Kumar adds that cubs first taste meat when they are slightly older. "On a couple of occasions, the sister dragged the kill to the cubs and watched them eat," he adds. To ensure that this premature non-vegetarianism does not have any adverse effects, the foresters are regularly monitoring the health of the cubs.

Even the mother has started hunting closer to home and bringing the kill to the cubs. She makes the kill before the cubs, but ensures that they are at a safe distance, which officials say may be a way of teaching them the first lessons of hunting.

Gujarat additional principal chief conservator of forests, HS Singh says, "Usually, the mother would not expose the cubs to blood before 12 weeks. At 12 weeks, they are given their first taste of blood ands only after a while are they allowed to eat meat."

"Lion cubs are nursed till about six months," says Meena Venkatraman, who has a PhD in lion behaviour from Wildlife Institute of India. "They may start to feed on titbits of meat when the prides are feeding on a kill. This is usually around three months. However, tasting meat is not same as eating meat."

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Gir-lioness-baby-sits-feeds-siblings-when-mother-is-away/articleshow/19097997.cms

Speeding train kills female rhino

A 10-year-old female rhinoceros was killed on Monday night by a speeding goods train, bringing the total count in the Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) in Bihar’s West Champaran district to two.

The accident took place near the Madanpur range, on India’s border with Nepal. An Uttar Pradesh-bound goods train hit the animal and dragged it for 750 metres, Santosh Tiwari, field director at VTR told The Hindu .

“We have been requesting the railways to limit the speed of trains to 10 kmph at night and 20 kmph during day time. But all our requests have been in vain. Since the rhino is an endangered species, the issue gets importance. Every month we have cases of animals getting killed, be it the blue bull or python, being run over by speeding trains,” Mr. Tiwari said.

The VTR authorities registered a case under Sections 9 (prohibition of hunting), 29 (destruction in a sanctuary prohibited without a permit) and 51 (penalties) of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act. The driver and the guard were arrested and their statements recorded, after which they were released on a bail bond. Higher Railways officials will be served notice in connection with the incident, Mr. Tiwari said.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/speeding-train-kills-female-rhino/article4527825.ece

Sathyamangalam Forest declared Tiger Reserve

S. RAMESH

Sathyamangalam Forest in Erode district has been declared a Tiger Reserve. It is the fourth such reserve in Tamil Nadu. The three other tiger reserves are at Mudumalai in the Nilgiris district, Anamalai in Coimbatore districtand Kalakad-Mundanthurai in Tirunelveli district.

The Forest Department has received the Government Order declaring Sathyamangalam Forests as a tiger reserve, and the Union government has also notified it, Conservator of Forests, Erode circle, A. Venkatesh told The Hindu over the phone on Monday.

The government has earmarked 1.40 lakh hectares for the exclusive protection zone for the big cats. Of the total area, the core zone comprises over 90,000 hectares.

25 tigers

“Sathyamangalam is home to at least 25 tigers, which has been confirmed by various studies conducted by our department and the World Wildlife Fund. The population is healthy and growing,” Mr. Venkatesh said.

The presence of a good number of tigers in the region was confirmed during the recent wildlife census, as well. Enumerators found marks left by tigers in many areas in this region.

The scat study conducted by the department also indicated the presence of 18 to 25 tigers in the region.

“The creation of a tiger reserve will lead to total habitat improvement and improve the flora and fauna in the entire region. The wildlife managers will be able to ensure greater protection to the big cats. The purpose of the initiative is to protect, propagate and improve wildlife and its environment,” Mr. Venkatesh said.

The region has a unique environment where elephants, tigers, black bucks, hyenas and vultures co-exist. The elephant population in the region is estimated to be around 1,200. The region also witnesses a healthy growth in the vulture population, forest officials here said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Venkatesh said, the Forest Department would not evict people living inside the tiger reserve. “There will be no forceful eviction. The livelihood of the forest dwellers will not be disturbed due to the creation of exclusive zone for tigers,” he said.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/sathyamangalam-forest-declared-tiger-reserve/article4524318.ece

Leopard kills sheep

A leopard killed a sheep at Chinna Nayakana Halli in Srirangapatna taluk. According to sources at the Forest Department, the big cat strayed into a shed belonging to Mahadevu on Sunday night and killed the sheep. It dragged the carcass till Karighatta forest, a few kilometres from the village. residents have requested the Forest Department to trap the animal. — Staff Correspondent

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/leopard-kills-sheep/article4524327.ece

Wind-powered water holes for Gir lions

Himanshu Kaushik, TNN | Mar 18, 2013

At a watering spot with flowing water, not just
Asiatic lions, even chital, sambar and other wild animals
are seen more frequently

AHMEDABAD: Not just humans, even animals prefer flowing water. The drought-like situation in the Gir area has shown that water holes filled by wind or solar powered pumps attract more animals than those artificially filled by tankers.

Officials said stagnant water is less preferred. At a watering spot with flowing water, not just Asiatic lions, even chital, sambar and other wild animals are seen more frequently.

Officials said running water is cleaner and doesn't have dried leaves and other contaminants. It was also noticed that cemented ponds are less preferred. Places where water overflowing from such ponds accumulated nearby also proved better sites.

Officials said wind and solar powered pumps, do not draw large volumes but draw water slowly. This keeps it fresh and flowing. Sandeep Kumar, deputy conservator of forests, said the use of wind and solar energy is preferred to tankers. Also according to Kumar, resulting moisture in the area nearby was also better suited for animals to rest on hot afternoons.

The forest department has now begun a survey for locations suitable for windmills or solar water pumps in the Greater Gir area - Amreli, Porbandar, coastal areas and even Bhavnagar. Officials said that an experiment carried out in Liliya failed because of the high salinity of the groundwater there.

Conservator of forests R Meena said, "Instead of allocating funds solely for sanctuary areas, we are now focusing on social forestry areas outside the protected forest. We have now allocated more funds for areas in Junagadh and Amreli, which are quite far from the sanctuary."

However, officials who refused to be named, said that the there was indeed a great shortage funds and whatever little money was received from the Lion Conservation Society was being used up in constructing such waterholes.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Wind-powered-water-holes-for-Gir-lions/articleshow/19025678.cms

Mudumalai Tiger Reserve reels under drought

D. RADHAKRISHNAN
Unprecedented drought is keeping Forest Department officials on their toes in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) near here.

Threatened by drought: A sambar in the extremely dry
Moyar part of the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve
near Udhagamandalam. -Photo: Special Arrangement

Enquiries made by The Hindu revealed that hitherto, only certain pockets would be affected during the dry months, but this year, practically the entire Reserve extending to over 321 square kilometres wears a parched look.

The situation has become a cause for concern to the Forest Department and environmentalists as the conditions could trigger an outbreak of bushfires. Migration of animals in search of water and fresh vegetation has begun.

Conservationist P.J.Vasanthan said that he was seeing the MTR in such a state for the first time.

Some of the animals he saw were conspicuously emaciated. Many from the Moyar part of the Reserve are coming to the Channel to quench their thirst which flows from Maravakandy to the Moyar Dam. Pointing out that sighting of wild animals in the area has become frequent, he regretted that unscrupulous tour operators were exploiting the situation. In the process, they are disturbing the animals. The prevailing weather conditions have made the surroundings extremely dry and leafless.

Since the situation in the Sigur and Gudalur forests adjoining the MTR was also equally bad, the human-wild animal conflict has escalated and instances of elephants damaging houses are being frequently reported.

Stating that earlier, only about five per cent of the total area were badly affected during the dry season, the Deputy Director, MTR

A.Ameer Haja lamented that this year, even perennial water sources have dried up.

In view of the prevailing situation, a plan of action to deal with any exigency has been put in place.

Officials, including 100 fire watchers, have been instructed to be in a state of alert round the clock. Since the fringe areas along the road which cuts through the reserve are highly vulnerable to bushfires, highway patrol has been intensified.

Five vehicles have been permanently stationed in the Theppakadu, Kargudi, Masinagudy, Mudumalai and Nellakotai ranges of the Reserve to enable the officials to respond quickly to emergencies.

Water tankers have also been stationed at convenient places. In addition to the fire fighting equipment in the MTR, special tools to control fires have been procured from Kerala. Fire lines have been extended. In February, four bushfires had broken out but all of them had been put out before they could cause much damage.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/mudumalai-tiger-reserve-reels-under-drought/article4520805.ece

Elephants enter residential area

Banana, mango trees damaged; watcher injured

V. Ramanathan of Kovaipudur area showing the
banana trees that the elephants destroyed at his residence
on Sunday.— PHOTO: S. SIVA SARAVANAN

Elephants entered Press Enclave, a residential area near Kovaipudur, on Sunday.

They returned to the nearby forest only after the Forest Department staff rushed to the spot and chased the animals using firecrackers.

The operation also saw Shanmugam, an Anti-Poaching Watcher, injure his right thumb while bursting firecrackers.

The Department sources said they received a call from the residents saying a herd and a lone elephant had entered the area.

While the herd of three moved towards Arivoli Nagar, the lone, male elephant moved into Press Enclave, damaged banana and mango trees there.

V. Ramanathan, one of the residents, said the lone tusker entered his house around 3 a.m. by breaking one of the three gates.

It feasted on the banana trees for over 20 minutes. The elephant also pulled down a branch of the mango tree.

It moved into his house after entering two of his neighbours’ houses.

A little after the animal entered his house, the Forest Department staff came there to chase the pachyderm.

The staff sounded a siren and then fired firecrackers, which saw the elephant running towards the nearby forest.

It was the first time, in the recent past, that the locality had witnessed the elephants’ entry, Mr. Ramanathan added.

The Department sources also said Mr. Shanmugam underwent a surgery at a private hospital earlier in the day and was doing fine.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/elephants-enter-residential-area/article4520789.ece

Reduced to Skin and Bones: Revisited

An updated analysis of tiger seizures from 12 tiger range countries (2000-2012)

In 2010, TRAFFIC produced Reduced to Skin and Bones: An Analysis of Tiger Seizures from 11 Tiger Range Countries (2000-2010) (Verheij, 2010). The purpose of the present report is to provide an updated situational analysis of the current illegal Tiger Pantherea tigris trade picture and to gain an improved understanding of one of the greatest threats to the Tiger's survival. This report also aims ot illustrate the need, use, practicability and direction that can be gained from the central collation and analysis of seizure data. Its conclusions outline the need for Tiger range and consumer countries to agree on and adhere to a standardized format for sharing and reporting data on poaching and illegal trade.

Download Report - http://assets.worldwildlife.org/publications/542/files/original/traffic_species_mammals73.pdf

Source: http://worldwildlife.org/publications/reduced-to-skin-and-bones-revisited

Predators of wildlife get bolder

Prerna Singh Bindra

We all want the Indian economy to roar, but that roar will die out if its foundations are weak. Growth needs to be inclusive, and ecologically sustainable. These concerns should not be mere words but reflect in official policy and action therein

The times are not good for our wildlife. There are the obvious threats — the one that stirs emotions and inspires outrage. The humongous tragedy of elephants and other animals, slaughtered by the day by trains speeding through forests, is one such. There has been a rise in tiger poaching (we lost three in a row to poisoning in Orang, Assam). Other ‘hotspots’ where tiger deaths have peaked include Nagarahole, Bandhavgarh and the Rajaji-Corbett landscape. Two Great Indian Bustards were shot by poachers in broad daylight in their ‘best protected’ habitat. Leopards are being battered across their range. And pangolins, a species few people are even aware of, are in the news for massacre for their scales, used in traditional Chinese medicine.

There have been other assaults, the importance of which seems to have escaped public conscience, much less  have inspired an outcry, but whose long-term impacts are far graver as they weaken the policy framework that protects our wilds, pulling away, as it were, the forest ‘carpet’, beneath the tiger’s feet.

Many may recall the National Investment Board proposed by Union Minister for Finance P Chidambaram, envisaged to ensure that big projects — with investments exceeding Rs1,000 crore — sail through, dismantling our regulatory systems for green clearances. There was much opposition to its ‘superpowers’, which would brush aside environmental and social concerns, and even democratic tenets, in the quest for growth. This included a feisty letter to the Prime Minister by Union Minster for Environment & Forests Jayanthi Natarajan, who questioned the board’s hasty formation and purpose. She expressed grave concerns about its constitutional breach, the consequences to governance, responsibility to the legislature, and questioned the domain knowledge of such a board, as matters related to environment and forest require nuanced decision-making which has far reaching consequences.

Ms Natarajan had pointed out that the Cabinet note on the NIB gave industrialists the right to appeal against decisions of her Ministry, but that it “does not contemplate that ordinary citizens, NGOs may be aggrieved and should also have right of appeal”. She called this concept “unacceptable”. The NIB was given a quiet burial. But what we have instead is its equally dangerous, renamed, re-packaged avatar, the Cabinet Committee on Investments, which appears to have sailed through with little opposition or concern, even from the Ministries most impacted: Environment & Forests and Tribal Affairs.

A new Standing Committee, constituted under the CCI, is empowered to identify projects with investments of over Rs1,000 crore and other significant projects, to check and limit the regulatory process involved and ensure speedy approvals. The order, dated January 2, states that the CCI will have the power not only to prescribe time limits for approvals and monitor the progress of identified projects through the clearance process, but  also review the process followed by departments/Ministries; and take decisions regarding clearance of a specific project, if deemed necessary.

If one reads this correctly, the CCI will review the current system of green regulatory process and have the powers to overrule the Environment Ministry if it refuses any project on the basis of environment, forest or wildlife concerns. It even allows for the CCI to take decisions regarding any clearance, if it is ‘unduly delayed’. This, when over 95 per cent of the proposed projects romp through the green ministry.

There is also an ongoing effort to reduce the projects that need to come to the Centre for clearance. A committee has been set up under Planning Commission member K Kasturirangan to review the kind of projects that can be dealt with at the State levels, and hence dispense with the need for approval by the Union Ministry. It is reported that the PMO and several states have been pushing for such a ‘reform’ in a bid to make the clearance process simpler for the industry and infrastructure projects. It’s easier, apparently, to get the nod at the State level. Given that most projects get the nod at (For every three projects rejected by the Environment Ministry’s statutory bodies, 97 are cleared, according to a recent article in Tehelka) at the centre too, one shudders to think of the implications for this one.

Under pressure from the National Highways Authority of India, the Environment Ministry has also taken a call, and, reportedly, filed an application in the Supreme Court to modify its order of 2011 (that was upheld and endorsed by the apex Court in the Lafarge case) which required projects involving forest land to have forest clearance before they applied for environment clearance.

The Ministry now wants to delink these two clearances. The problem with easing this clause is that project developers will present a fait accompli to the Ministry, citing huge investments made on the basis of environment clearance in those parts of the road (or any other linear project which may tear into prime wild habitats) which are on non-forest land. Essentially, we might have a highway that is built, with considerable expenditure, on both sides of a pristine forest or even a sanctuary, before the project is presented for forest clearance at the Ministry’s door. The developer then argues that immense investment has already been made and that a forest clearance cannot be inhibiting a project at such an advanced stage. There are no prizes for guessing which way the wind will blow.

What is the message that India is sending? That social, environment and forest concerns are a nuisance, an impediment? That a country which prides itself as a pioneer in conservation leadership is now backtracking on its commitment? That it is not just overlooking vital ecological concerns of far-reaching consequences, but even the basic tenets of democracy to ease the way for big investment?

How can we overlook the huge social unrest and the pain of the displaced in our haste for our growth dream? Nor can we commit to saving our wildlife, then push for policies that weaken the regulatory framework that protects their habitat. Tigers, elephants, bustards, cranes, dugongs, dolphins, snow leopards will not survive if we decimate, degrade, destroy the forests, grasslands, wetlands, rivers, mountains and seas — that also sustain us.

We all want the Indian economy to roar, but that roar will fade if its foundations are weak. Growth, especially for a democracy like ours, needs to be inclusive, and ecologically sustainable. These concerns should not be mere words but reflect in policy and deed.

(The columnist is senior consultant, WCS India, and founder-director of 'Bagh'. She is also a member of the National Board for Wildlife)

Source: http://www.dailypioneer.com/columnists/item/53592-predators-of-wildlife-get-bolder.html

Gangetic river dolphin population stable in Bihar

PATNA: The endangered Gangetic river dolphin population has been stable in Bihar over the last six years, despite accidental and intentional killing of the mammal in the rivers, an official said.

The latest survey and dolphin count by the state Dolphin Conservation Committee has revealed that the population of the Gangetic dolphin has stabilized, an official said Tuesday.

"This is good news for all of us, and conservationists and environmentalists are happy that the population of the Gangetic river dolphin has remained unchanged in a 650-km stretch in the state," RK Sinha, an expert on Gangetic river dolphins and chairman of the Dolphin Conservation Committee of the state said.

Sinha said that a survey by the committee in a 500-km stretch in river Ganga found 1.5 dolphins per kilometre on concentration parameters, the same as in the survey undertaken in 2006.

In a 150-km stretch in river Gandak, the survey found .55 dolphins per kilometre.

"The stable count of dolphins is encouraging. Breeding has helped the species maintain steady population concentration in the river, irrespective of bio-degradation of habitat and other threats to their survival," the committee said.

Sinha said the survey registered between 775 to 800 sightings of dolphins in river Ganges between Chausa and Sahebganj in Bihar, while 88 sightings of dolphins were recorded in river Gandak.

The survey was undertaken for the preparation of the report of action plan for conservation of dolphins in the state.

"We will submit the draft report of action plan to the state government this month," Sinha said.

Gangetic dolphins, India's national aquatic animal, are killed at an alarming rate by poachers for their flesh as well as oil, which is used as an ointment and considered an aphrodisiac. Their carcasses are regularly found on the river banks.

The Gangetic river dolphin is one of the four freshwater dolphin species in the world. The other three are found in the Yangtze river in China, the Indus river in Pakistan and the Amazon river in South America.

The mammal is covered under the Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act and has been declared an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Last year, the Bihar government decided to set up a task force for the conservation of the endangered animal.

Earlier this year, a Gangetic dolphin research centre, the first such centre in the country, was set up in the Bihar capital.

The Gangetic river species - found in India, Bangladesh and Nepal - is blind and finds its way and prey in the river waters through echoes.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Gangetic-river-dolphin-population-stable-in-Bihar/articleshow/18947253.cms

Governments boost support for sharks, elephants

BANGKOK: A major meeting on the plight of endangered species wrapped up on Thursday with a victory for shark conservationists and increased pressure on countries to curb rampant illegal trade in ivory.

The illegal ivory trade was at the top of the agenda with
eight nations accused of failing to do enough to
tackle the problem.

In what was hailed as a "historic day" for the world's oldest predator, protection for the oceanic whitetip shark, the porbeagle, three types of hammerhead and the manta ray won final approval by the 178-member Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

On the final day of more than a week of talks in the Thai capital Bangkok, Japan along with China and other nations that support shark fishing lost an 11th-hour bid to overturn the landmark deal.

"Shark populations are in freefall, but have been thrown a lifeline today - CITES has finally listened to the scientists," said Glenn Sant of wildlife trade protection group Traffic.

Rather than a complete ban, countries will be required to regulate trade by issuing export permits to ensure the sustainability of sharks in the wild, otherwise they could face sanctions by members of CITES, a global treaty that protects some 35,000 species.

The United States hailed the agreement as a "historic moment in shark and ray conservation".

In total, more than 300 threatened species won increased protection at the meeting, including dozens of types of turtles and timber.

The illegal ivory trade was at the top of the agenda with eight nations accused of failing to do enough to tackle the problem.

Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda as well as transit countries Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, and top markets China and Thailand were identified as making insufficient efforts to curb the trade.

But they avoided sanctions after submitting -- or pledging to submit -- draft action plans that must be finalised by May, with the possibility that sanctions would be revisited if they do not make progress by July 2014.

Under the convention, member states can halt trading with offender countries in the 35,000 species covered by the convention.

CITES General Secretary John Scanlon said such measures were a "last resort" and should only be imposed "where there's a clear failure to comply and no intention to comply".

"We have not got to that point in my view. At this point we actually have states that are engaged," he said.

Wildlife group WWF welcomed the increased pressure on the eight countries.

"After years of inaction, governments today put those countries failing to regulate the ivory trade on watch, a move that will help stem the unfettered slaughter of thousands of African elephants," said WWF's Carlos Drews.

The eight nations defended themselves in the face of the accusations, which led media to dub them the "Gang of Eight".

"We are not denying that we have an active seaport and an active airport, and that we have challenges," said Kenyan delegate Patrick Omondi.

"We should not be lumped together as a Gang of Eight. Transit and source countries have unique challenges," he said. "We feel the focus should be on the demand side."

Illicit trade in ivory has doubled since 2007 and more than tripled over the past 15 years, according to wildlife groups, which estimate that only about 420,000 to 650,000 elephants remain in Africa.

Conservationists fear that 2012 was an even deadlier year than 2011, when an estimated 25,000 African elephants were killed.

In an effort to better track the illicit commerce, CITES members adopted new measures under which countries making large seizures of illegal ivory will be required to conduct DNA tests to determine their origin.

Scanlon rejected suggestions that the action had fallen short of expectations.

"We've seen an unprecedented level of international cooperation," he said, comparing the fight against ivory trade to the battle against trafficking in drugs, arms and people.

"Wildlife crime is in the same league as these sorts of crimes. You've got serious transnational organised criminals involved in this -- they are hard to crack. We haven't cracked them in any area," he said.

Rhinos were also a hot topic at the meeting, with Vietnam and Mozambique urged to do more to fight the illegal trade, which saw some 668 rhinos slaughtered in 2012.

But a US-led push for a ban on international trade in polar bears was rejected amid fears it would distract from the bigger threat of global warming.

The proposal had divided conservationists, who agree that the main risk to the world's largest carnivorous land animal comes from habitat loss but differ over whether international trade also puts the bears at risk of extinction.

The next CITES meeting will be held in South Africa in 2016.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Governments-boost-support-for-sharks-elephants/articleshow/18972688.cms

Call of the wild

K A Shaji, TNN | Mar 12, 2013
COIMBATORE: IT'S a problem few Indian cities have to face and it's only likely to increase in the coming years. As the city grew in the last decade, residential colonies have sprouted in the close vicinity of the forests of the Western Ghats. These residential pockets are far too close to the jungles through which the traditional migratory paths of wild elephants that travel between the Silent Valley in Kerala and Sathyamangalam forests on the Eastern Ghats. Confused jumbos often stray into human habitations resulting in panic, widespread destruction of property and loss of lives.

Statistics with the forest department reveals that 81 people have been trampled to death by wild elephants since 2011 in the Coimbatore region. Colonies on the forest fringes including Kovaipudur, Madukarai, Thondamuthur, Ettimadai, Siruvani, Narsipuram, Boluvampatti, Maruthamalai, Vadavalli, Thudiyalur and Periyanaickenpalayam live in fear of elephant attacks. Unfortunately, these are the fringe areas of Coimbatore where many of new middle classes are headed to in search of homes as property prices skyrocket in the inner city areas.

Human-animal conflict is likely to be a major cause of worry for city fathers as Coimbatore expands in the next decade, according to urban planners and environmentalists. "Forest department is undertaking many steps including digging elephant proof trenches, creating fodder banks within the forests and establishing kumki camps to minimize the impact of elephant attacks. But they are unlikely to be effective in the wake of organised and systematic encroachment on forest lands by the super rich. Traditional migratory paths are getting blocked and habitats are getting disturbed. Regulating construction on forest areas ought to be the top priority to minimize elephant attacks,'' says K Mohanraj of Tamil Nadu Green Movement.

Illegal constructions are dime a dozen in the forest fringes in violation of laws. Environmentalists say this is because most of the activity has been sanctioned by politicians and bureaucrats. While small scale farmers who use torches and stones to scare elephants from their fields face flak for living in proximity to jungles, large scale violations by religious and social groups are ignored, they say. "The issue of construction in the traditional elephant migratory corridors must be addressed urgently as it is a major factor that contributes to human-elephant conflict in Coimbatore,'' says G Sivasubramanian, assistant manager, Western Ghats Landscape Programme under World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)-India. Elephant habitat in Coimbatore region is under threat from these development activities. "The issues concerning forests and wildlife in Coimbatore region is unique because 70% of the forests here are in hill slopes. It is a narrow corridor that connects Sathyamangalam forest and the Silent Valley in the neighbouring Palakkad district, which is the traditional migratory path for elephants. Any disturbance leads to elephants venturing out of the forest,'' adds Sivasubramanian.

According to Mohanraj, over 30 high profile institutions including private universities, research centres, ashrams, schools and even a factory has come up in the region without the approval of the Hill Area Conservation Authority. All of them have been built on patta land right on elephants' migratory corridor. There are over 190 brick kilns in the active migratory corridor in the Thadagam valley.

Now, realtors too are active in the hills close to Coimbatore eying land to make a bargain out of the city's rapid expansion. Traditional farmers are selling off farmland. Big mansions and other buildings are coming up and the new entrants lack the skills to co-exist with wild elephants, green activists say. In Kovaipudur-Madukarai region, locals blame a huge housing complex under construction for disrupting the elephant migratory path and inviting the fury of elephants on locals.

The erratic monsoon and spread of invasive weeds have affected the food security of elephants within the forests. "Elephants behaviour has changed over the years as they are stressed out due to constant human interference in what was once their territory. These issues require not just forest department's efforts but other departments including agriculture, revenue, highways, electricity, mining and police should also pitch in to resolve the problem,'' argues Sivasubramanian.

Tribal rights activists and scholar C R Bijoy wants the forest department also under the scanner. He argues that "large-scale clearance of natural forests initially by forest department to plant silver oaks, eucalyptus, teak and acacia also contributed to the situation apart from invasion by weeds like parthenium and lantana". The ban by forest department on harvesting bamboo by tribals led to their natural death as those people had ensured regeneration in the past. Big estates have cleared forests and these all have led to the depletion of fodder for elephants. The forest department's use of tamarind, jaggery, salt etc to attract elephants for tourists and later by resorts also resulted in a situation where elephants raid houses in search of these, says Bijoy.

According to forest department, 58 villages on the outskirts of the city face threat from elephants. The issue requires long-term and short-term strategies. Hill and forest areas must be exempted from construction activities and efforts are needed to reinstate the migratory paths. Maximum disturbances to elephants must be avoided, say forest officials. Only a coordinated action involving different governmental agencies can ensure tough action against violators, officials argue.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/coimbatore/Call-of-the-wild/articleshow/18917197.cms