Tiger reserve status for Rajaji Park

C. K. CHANDRAMOHAN | DEHRA DUN, May 26, 2013

The Union government has given the nod to a proposal to grant the Rajaji National Park in Uttarakhand the status of a tiger reserve.

It will be the second tiger reserve in the State after the Corbett National Park.

Announcing this here over the weekend, Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) S.S. Sharma said the elevated status would go a long way in conservation of tigers in the region.

There are at present 42 tiger reserves in the country.

Citing a communication received from the Centre in this regard, Mr. Sharma said the tiger reserve at the Rajaji National Park would cover an area of 1,150 sq.km, including Shyampur of the Haridwar forest division, Kotdwar and Laldhang ranges.

Tigers are present in the Chilla and Dhaulkhand ranges of the park, which is spread over 820 sq.km in Haridwar, Dehra Dun and Pauri Garhwal districts. It has the largest elephant population in the State besides tigers, deer and other animals.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tiger-reserve-status-for-rajaji-park/article4751955.ece

Whole village to be moved from elephant corridor in India

Villagers voluntarily relocate from elephant corridor 

The region is home to some 1800 elephants

May 2013. Marking a significant milestone in efforts to secure a crucial elephant corridor in northeast India, residents of an entire village have literally put down in stone their willingness to relocate voluntarily outside the corridor to provide a clear passage for elephants.

Modern traditional houses

The foundation stone for a model ethnic village was laid down, marking the site of relocation of the Ram Terang villagers from the Kalapahar Doigurung Elephant Corridor. The village will have traditional style houses reflecting the culture of the area, but it will also be equipped with modern facilities and necessities such as electricity, health care and education.

Unveiling the foundation stone in the relocated area

Laying the foundation stone, Rechno Haising Ronghang, the 40th King of Karbi Anglong said, "This is a new step that will benefit wildlife as well as people. There should be no barrier when it comes to wildlife conservation. We need to think of it as something that is necessary for human survival too." He congratulated the team for the initiative that will benefit the people of the corridor areas.

People of the village celebrating their impending move

The Kalapahar-Doigurung Elephant Corridor connects Kalapahar with Doigurung-Nambor Wildlife Sanctuary and Kaziranga National Park. For 30 years the village of Ram Terang, named after the head of the village, has been situated in the middle of the corridor. As a result, human-elephant conflicts have been common and with regular loss of property and life for both the elephants and the humans.

1800 elephants

"There are about 1800 elephants in the Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong landscape making it the habitat of about 8% of India's elephants. Securing this corridor is not just about the right of passage for these elephants but also to relieve local people of losses caused due to conflicts", said Dr Bhaskar Choudhury, Regional Head (Assam).

The process of course, reaching up to this milestone was not an easy one. It began about three years ago.

"The villagers were very hesitant at first when we approached them with the idea of relocation, and naturally so, as it involved their complete overhaul of their livelihoods. However, eventually they understood the need and benefits of the efforts for animals as well as themselves. Many individuals and agencies played a very crucial role in achieving this, and we are extremely grateful to all of them," said Dilip Deori, Assistant Manager, WTI, while expressing his appreciation for the support and cooperation being shown by the local community and organisations.

The project was supported by Elephant Family, IUCN - Netherlands and Japan Tiger and Elephant Fund, and implemented by Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), to assist the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council and Assam Forest Department in wildlife conservation in the region.

Source: http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/elephant-village013.html#cr

Panther dies after hit by vehicle in Sariska

Rajendra Sharma, TNN May 20, 2013
ALWAR: A two-year-old male panther died in Sariska reserve after being hit by a speeding vehicle on Sunday morning. The incident took place between Kushalgarh and Bharthari areas.

The animal suffered traumatic shock, cervical fracture and a head injury, says the autopsy report.

Though the state government had come up with a panther conservation committee recently, it still remains on paper, said sources.

Panthers are endangered animals listed under Schedule 1 of Wildlife Protection Act which gives them absolute protection. A separate area was to be developed for them so that they could roam safely. According to the census conducted in 2010, the number of panthers in the reserve was put at 45 but on an average one panther is killed in road accident, poached or attacked after straying into human habitats every two days, says a study.

Concerned over the rise in panther deaths, the state was to constitute a committee for panther conservation and develop a separate territory for them in Sariska Tiger Reserve. Wildlife experts and officials of forest department were to chalk out a plan for their safety in the reserve, but hardly anything has been done so far.

According to honorary wildlife warden Anil Jain, "It is difficult for Sariska to stabilize given the fact that the Ranthambore lobby plays a very predominant role in Rajasthan. They want tourists to be diverted from Sariska and the forest department just does what they want. It has been on record that the every three to six months a divisional forest officer has been transferred from Sariska and similar is the case with the assistant conservator of forests."

Besides since the reserve is big, there is a dire need of more rangers and forest guards. "At the moment there are only six rangers which ideally should be double the number. The number of forest guards is just 110 while it should ideally be nearly 300," said Jain.

Source: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-05-20/jaipur/39392193_1_sariska-tiger-reserve-forest-guards-panther

Tamhini is newest sanctuary in Maharashtra

Vijay Pinjarkar, TNN May 20, 2013
NAGPUR: The state government on Friday completed protected areas' (PAs) half century by notifying Tamhini Wildlife Sanctuary in Pune and Thane districts.

The 49.62 sq km Tamhini has been carved out by taking 12 compartments of reserved forest from Paund and Sinhgad ranges in Pune forest division while 8 compartments belong to Mangaon range in Roha division in Thane.

Located 65km west of Pune, Tamhini is a hilly place near Mulshi dam. The area is blessed with waterfalls, verdant valleys and lush evergreen forests. The temple dedicated to Vinzai Devi and the beautiful Devrai (sacred grove) full of some interesting flora adds to the charm of the place. The forests are rich with bird life, including insects and endemic Indian Giant Squirrel.

"Considering its ecological, faunal and floral significance the government decided to declare Tamhini a sanctuary. The area will help protect, propagate and develop wildlife therein and its environment," said Praveen Pardeshi, principal secretary (forests).

Since November 2010, the government has notified five wildlife sanctuaries viz Mansinghdeo (183 sq km), New Bor (61 sq km), New Nagzira (152 sq km), Navegaon (123 sq km) and Umred-Karhandla (189 sq km) and a conservation reserve for endangered wild buffaloes in Kolamarka (189 sq km) in Gadchiroli.

The Maharashtra Government denotified 8,496.44 sq km GIB sanctuary at Nanaj in Solapur to 1,222.61 sq km. Due to this decision, there was drastic decrease in the area under PA network in the state from 4.97% to 2.6% i.e. from 15,332.49 sq km to 8,058.66 sq km, a sharp drop by 60.55%.

Source: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-05-20/nagpur/39392290_1_gib-sanctuary-nanaj-mansinghdeo

25 Years of student volunteering

Prema Naraynen, TNN May 20, 2013
A student volunteer group in the city has now thrived for a quarter of a century. We find out what makes it tick
"People call me a founder of the SSTCN, which is okay, but the truth is that the group has had to find a founder every year!" says Tito Chandy with a laugh. And he's right... this is one of the more extraordinary facts about the "Students' Sea Turtle Conservation Network” a student volunteer group that has been active in Chennai now for 25 years.

'Turtle walks' have been synonymous with Chennai for decades now. From December to April, every night since 1988, school and college students have walked the seven-kilometre stretch from Neelankarai to Besant Nagar, scouring the beach for freshly dug nests of the endangered olive ridley sea turtle before the eggs can be taken away by poachers for the market. When found, the eggs are relocated for their safety to a shelter or 'hatchery', and monitored there; weeks later, when the tiny turtle hatchlings emerge, they are released into the sea.

But, it wasn't students who began this conservation trend. In the 1970s, the first such walks were started by herpetologist Rom Whitaker and S Valliappan along the beach between Madras and Kalpakkam. Whitaker writes about this first effort in 1974, when he and a bunch of enthusiasts "rescued 14,000 olive ridley eggs from poaching and released the 9000 that hatched". This was also around the time, 1973, when the spectacular mass-nesting or arribadas of olive ridleys along the Orissa coast was first reported to the world.

By the 1980s, olive ridleys became mainstream news and the WWF and the Forest Department took on the role of monitoring the beach and popularizing the walks among Chennai's nature lovers. "But, a few years later, in 1987, the state-sponsored hatchery was shut down," says Tito Chandy, "which was when the idea for a volunteer group to carry on the work materialized. Someone had to do it."

The Students' Sea Turtle Conservation Network, or SSTCN, was therefore created by Chandy, along with friends Arif Razack and Sudhakar Muthyala. He says, "I was a post graduate student at Madras Christian College then. We met with the Chief Wildlife Warden to get permission to set up a hatchery on the beach at Neelankarai. And printed and sold about 900 'Save the Ridley' stickers for ten rupees each, collecting about 10,000 rupees to buy the material to build the hatchery."

Satish Bhaskar, an IITian who spent years studying sea turtles in the Andaman and Lakshadweep Islands, was an early mentor to the group. "We also learned a lot from the poachers, especially one called Mayavan” simply by trying to beat him in getting to the nests!" chuckles Chandy.

Autonomy and shared leadership

What makes the SSTCN unique is that in these 25 years, its existence has depended entirely on a small army of student volunteers. It's not surprising that for the young students, a form of 'anarchism' was an appealing idea while laying down the rules. The protocol in those early years was ” no one person would be considered a 'leader' or face of the group and all work was to be entirely voluntary.

This has helped the group to thrive even when dedicated volunteers moved out of the city. When Chandy left, for instance, in 1990 to pursue a PhD in wildlife management, Kartik Shanker, another young student, took over coordination for the next few years. Since then, senior volunteers have been taking up the baton at every stage when a student has left the city to pursue higher education or a career outside.

Which explains why the group needs a new 'founder' every year! Arun V, who has now been shepherding the group's activities for 15 years, says, "There's the fear that no volunteers will turn up for a season. But there are always some really dedicated students who take this work very seriously. Some years ago, Sanjiv Gopal used to walk the stretch six days a week and even attend college alongside! In 1992-93, the entire season was managed by girls, with Nina Subramani as the co-ordinator."

A career builder

Shravan Krishnan has just finished a B Com from Loyola College and is this year's hatchery co-ordinator. He says, "Almost a 1500 people have come just to see the hatchlings being released this year and another thousand people signed up for the walks earlier. Only about 60 or so are regular walkers however."

Ten thousand hatchlings have been released into the sea off Madras by the SSTCN in the last few months. Going by the prevailing scientific belief that only one in a thousand hatchlings will survive to adulthood, it's possible that only ten of the ridleys released this year will head back to these beaches to mate and nest when they reach sexual maturity around fifteen years from now.

With the conservation problems that these reptiles are up against, this is, at best, a trifling effort to save the species, despite the long hours of rigorous work put in by the students. So why do they continue to do this?

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/people/25-Years-of-student-volunteering/articleshow/20136519.cms

Road connectivity work in tiger reserve area infuriates activists

TNN | May 17, 2013
COIMBATORE: Hardly two months after the Sathyamangalam wildlife sanctuary was classified as a tiger reserve by the Union environment ministry, three new roads being laid in the forest area has invited the wrath of green activists. They believe the roads will disrupt and disturb wildlife in the region. Interestingly, two of the three road schemes are being promoted by the Tamil Nadu forest department itself, which had pursued the tiger reserve status, to protect and preserve the forest areas bordering Karnataka.

The new roads are Malliammandurgam road linking Kadambur West beat and TN Palayam range, Belathur forest road linking Belathur beat and Thalavadi range and Gundri road linking Gundri beat and TN Palayam range. They are in different stages of construction and if fully implemented they would be detrimental to both traditional forest dwellers and animals. The department is going ahead with the forest roads despite protests by green activists,'' said K Mohanraj of Tamil Nadu green movement.

According to forest department sources, the Malliammandurgam road is about 8 km long. It starts from Kadambur and is situated within the core areas of the tiger reserve. According to local MLA PL Sundaram, the road construction is not illegal as it was permitted by the district collector when he heard that the tribal people were transporting construction material using donkeys to build a school in the forest village. The permission to construct the school was given by the forest department itself. The road is a life line for the local community and it can be justified under Forest Rights Act,'' he said.

"Using the school as an excuse, they are building a permanent road, disturbing the flora and fauna in the region. This will ultimately be detrimental to the tribals," argues M Jayachandran, an activist.

"Forty non-tribal families own about 350 acres of patta land at Malliammandurgam village. There is no electricity in the village driving most out of the area. Only about 15 people actually live there. There is talk that 150 acres have been purchased by outsiders and they are building road connectivity to facilitate real estate, farm houses and resorts," alleges Mohanraj.

The Belathur forest road is 4km of which 3km passes through the reserve. "This metal topped road was built illegally by engineering division of the forest department. This road work is going on stealthy by finishing work inside the forest first to avoid detection. Only a detailed investigation can bring out the truth," says Mohanraj.

The Gundri road from Anjanai junction to Gundri via Valamarathur is 9.6km. It was just a mud road but now it has been asphalted with numerous bridges and culverts inside the wildlife sanctuary by engineering division of the forest department. This road work is being conducted at a cost of Rs.351.61 lakh, funded by Bharat Nirman Phase II. As per Bharat Nirman, every habitation of 1,000 population and above (500 and above in hilly and tribal areas) would be provided with all-weather road connectivity. The forest department said it renovated the road to provide transport facilities for residents of the hilly region.

"Forest roads reduce the habitat quality for wildlife, provides easy access to hunting and poaching and increases human-wildlife conflict,'' says Jayachandran. No clearances were sought from the National Board of Wildlife or ministry of environment and forests,'' he points out.

K Melkani, additional principal chief conservator of forests dealing with tiger reserves, was unavailable for comment despite repeated attempts.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/coimbatore/Road-connectivity-work-in-tiger-reserve-area-infuriates-activists/articleshow/20097892.cms?intenttarget=no

Thermal cameras to track movement of tigers

Bipin Chand Agarwal, TNN May 14, 2013
BAHRAICH: Wildlife experts would now be able to keep a track on the movement of tigers through thermal sensor cameras.

After the counting of tigers at Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary and Dudhwa National Park in January this year, it is going to start at Kishanpur Forest Wildlife Sanctuary of Pilibhit soon. All these sanctuaries are inter-connected. The pictures of the tigers in three forest areas would be tallied by the experts. After the installation of cameras in Kishanpur, the number of thermal cameras would go up to 326.

In the summer of 2012, thermal censor cameras were installed at tiger reserve area in Katarniaghat. These cameras were installed across an area of 200 square metres and could not give the desired result. At that time, the experts of WWF did all the research but when the pictures were sent to the Wildlife Institute of India Dehradun, the need of monitoring the movement of the tigers of adjoining areas was also felt. The experts laid emphasis on the aspect of the tigers' diet, prey and reproductive needs. They said that the animals go to far off places to fulfil these needs. In view of this movement, counting is not possible by installing cameras only in one particular forest. In the month of January, 2013 the plan of capturing the movements of herbivorous and carnivorous animals was initiated by installing the cameras at Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, Dudhwa National Park of Lakhimpur and Kishanpur Forest area of Pilibhit. Moreover the activists of WWF would take the pictures by installing the camers at Berdia National Park of Nepal. The Nepal unit of WWF is working on it. Berdia National Park adjoins Dudhwa Tiger Reserve and Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary on Indo-Nepal border.

District project officer Dabeer Hasan told TOI that the work has been completed in two forest areas and now the cameras are being installed at Kishanpur Forest Area. He said that the cameras would be installed at Berdia of Nepal later. The experts would tally and study the pictures after camera installation is complete in all the three forest areas. Thereafter, the normal movement of tigers in the forest would be known. The status of cubs or the increase or decrease in the number of tigers can be established. Meanwhile, if the photography work is completed in Nepal, the pictures captured there would also be tallied with the pictures captured in the forests in Indian territories. These activities would be executed under the supervision of the experts of wildlife institute.

Source: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-05-14/flora-fauna/39254768_1_cameras-pilibhit-tigers

200 protected birds seized in raids

By Express News Service - HYDERABAD 13th May 2013

Law forbids hunting, selling or breeding of the national bird.
It is also illegal to pet any bird, reptile, mammal or amphibian
listed in the schedules of the Wildlife Protection Act.| EPS

As many as 200 Partridges were seized on Sunday by the anti-poaching squad which raided two places in Rangareddy district and Nalgonda town. Partridge, commonly known as Kanda Pitta in Telugu, is a protected bird. The seized birds were being sold in open market.

“We raided Kalanagar village in Hayathnagar mandal of Rangareddy district and a place in Nalgonda town where these protected birds were being sold for around Rs 50 each. People eat these birds,” said SK Baba Khadir Vali, deputy range officer, anti-poaching squad. The birds, according to him will be handed over to Nehru Zoological Park.

As many as five persons were arrested under section 9 and 39 of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, in this connection. The raids were conducted a day after a similar operation to rescue peacocks in the city.

The owner of the pet shop, whose house in the old city was raided to rescue 12 peacocks, is out of town.

According to officials, he was breeding peacocks in the cellar of his house.

Law forbids hunting, selling or breeding of the national bird. It is also illegal to pet any bird, reptile, mammal or amphibian listed in the schedules of the Wildlife Protection Act.

“Petting of scheduled birds is quite common in the city. In most cases, it is lack of awareness among the public. However, some pet shop owners commit the offence knowingly for monetary gain,” said an official.

Source: http://newindianexpress.com/cities/hyderabad/200-protected-birds-seized-in-raids/2013/05/13/article1587705.ece

Tiger bones seized in MP, six arrested

P Naveen, TNN May 12, 2013
BHOPAL: At a time when Gujarat is at loggerheads with Madhya Pradesh over translocation of Asiatic lions from Gir sanctuary citing worries about their safety from poachers, here comes a fresh evidence of poaching and trading of wildlife articles by those living around the protected areas.

Six poachers have been arrested with over 2.5 kg skeletal remains of a tiger, including a portion of its upper jaw and deer antlers from villages located within the buffer zone of Kanha National Park - home for nearly 60 tigers.

Source: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-05-12/bhopal/39202982_1_gir-sanctuary-six-poachers-asiatic-lions

Tiger reserves to get full-time wildlife vets

Vijay Pinjarkar, TNN May 11, 2013
NAGPUR: In a bid to tackle man-animal conflict and give conservation a boost, the state government has decided to hire independent wildlife veterinarians in all four tiger reserves in the state.

After recent deliberations over raging man-animal conflict in Chandrapur, principal secretary (forests) Praveen Pardeshi, chief wildlife warden SWH Naqvi and field directors of tiger reserves decided to appoint wildlife vets. Directions to recruit trained vets on contract basis in Tadoba, Melghat and Pench in Vidarbha have been issued on May 7.

Pardeshi has asked field directors to recruit vets from funds under tiger conservation foundations (TCFs) on a honorarium of Rs 30,000. They have been asked to get in touch with deans of veterinary colleges and teachers to get suitable candidates. Help has also been sought from state animal husbandry commissioner.

Presently, the department has only one wildlife vet, Chitra Raut, posted at Nagpur. In case of emergencies, help from senior experts from Nagpur Veterinary College is taken. Although vets in Nagpur respond immediately, on many occasions doctors were not available in case of emergencies, proving fatal for wild animals.

Recently, when a tiger cub was hit by a speeding train and shifted to Nagpur, Raut had gone to Chandrapur to bring the animal back.

"We are making provision in the TCF budget to appoint wildlife vet on contract. There is also plan to redesignate posts of medical officers available with the department," said Virendra Tiwari, chief conservator of forests (CCF) and field director of Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve ( TATR) in Chandrapur.

However, Sarjan Bhagat, additional principal chief conservator of forests (subordinate cadre), said there are six posts of medical officers with the forest department but only one from Yavatmal Circle could be made available as officers at other places like Gadchiroli and forest training colleges have said they need posts of medical officers for staff and villagers.

"We will send a proposal in this regard to the government," Bhagat said.

Rhino carcass, skeleton found

Press Trust of India | Golaghat/Jorhat  May 11, 2013
A carcass and a skeleton of rhinos with their horns missing were recovered from two separate ranges of Kaziranga National Park today taking the toll of the poached herbivores to 24 this year.

The 4-5 day old decomposed female rhino body was recovered near Noloni forest camp of Agratoli range of the Park where four cartridge shells of AK-47 rifle were also found, forest officials said.

The skeleton of the male rhino killed about a month ago was recovered near Borakota forest camp in Bagori range, the officials said.

As both the horns of the rhinos were missing and bullets found near one of them, poachers were suspected to have killed the animals, they added.

Search operations have been launched for the killers, the sources added.

Source: http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/rhino-carcass-skeleton-found-113051100033_1.html

Rare snake spotted in state for the first time

By Express News Service - BELLARY 11th April 2013

Coluber bolanathi | Express Photo

A rare mildly venomous snake Coluber bolanathi, commonly known as Nagarjun Sagar Racer, has been discovered for the first time at Bellary in Karnataka.

The 31-inch C. Bolanathi was rescued by conservationist and businessman Aditya Vattam from the backyard of a house near Bellary Fort recently.

Coluber bolanathi is found in dry and rocky hills of South India. It was first spotted in Nallamala hills of Andhra Pradesh in 1976 by R C Sharma but there is no record of it in Karnataka till now, Vattam told Express.

A member of indiansnakes.org, Vattam sent its photographs to the portal founder Vivek Sharma for identification.

Sharma confirmed that it was the first record of the snake in Karnataka.

He told Express that after the discovery of the snake in 1976, there were no significant attempts to study this species due to lack of literature and photographs.

C. bolanathi is chocolate brown with numerous light brown bands in the back of its body. It is a fast and alert species, active during the day. The racer can grow upto 110 cm, said Vattam.

As dry and rocky hills are the preferred habitat of this snake, the conservationist  urged for the protection of the rocky hills of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka to ensure the safety of this little known snake.

Source: http://newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/Rare-snake-spotted-in-state-for-the-first-time/2013/04/11/article1539767.ece

Tourism in TATR has not affected tigers: Forest dept

Vivek Deshpande : Nagpur, Fri May 10 2013
Recent media reports of tourists overcrowding Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) and blocking the movement of tigers seems to have miffed nature lovers but not the forest department. The department sees the issue as increased visitor interest in wildlife.

Principal Secretary (Forest), Pravi Pardeshi, clarified that only 20 per cent of TATR area that has six tigers is open for tourists. "The remaining area has 42 tigers. So it would be a sweeping comment to say that all tigers in TATR are exposed to crowding tourists," he said.

The media reports had raised the hackles of tiger lovers and conservationists. So much so that Rural Development Minister Jayant Patil, himself a nature lover, had written to Forest Minister Patangrao Kadam expressing his anguish.

Asked if these six tigers have to face tourist menace, Pardeshi said, "Not at all. The fact that tigers merrily walk through the crammed tourist vehicles means that the animals are not bothered by their presence. Else it would have shied away from people like most wild tigers in deep interiors do," Pardeshi said. He said these tigers and other wildlife have got used to human beings.

Stressing the importance of tourism, Pardeshi said, "The most important takeaway of tourism ist that tourists are converted into harcore non-systemic conservationists, who plea the tiger's case to outside world."

He said tourists crowding places of tiger sighting is commonplace in all tiger reserves. "In reserves like Pench (MP), Kahna and Bandhavgarh, they had even used elephants to track down tigers and corner it for the tourists to see. In Maharashtra, we never used that method," he said.

He said the earnings from tourist visits are useful for conservation and habitat development. "TATR tourist revenue went up from Rs 48 lakh to Rs 3 crore in the last one year. We have a fixed number of vehicles going in every day. All our days are generally fully booked. The revenue is also used to develop 79 villages in the buffer zone," he said.

However, he averred that unruly or overenthusiastic tourists are always present in the crowd. "We have instructed the guides who are local tribal boys not to stop at the sighting place for than five minutes. Their livelihood depends on making their clients happy," Pardeshi said.

He said in view of problems from tourists, the waterholes for wildlife have been shifted from the roadside to a little inside.

Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/tourism-in-tatr-has-not-affected-tigers-forest-dept/1113908/0

Glossy Ibis spotted at Deepor Beel

Naresh Mitra, TNN May 10, 2013
GUWAHATI: The Deepor Beel, a Ramsar site wetland located about 15 km from the city, continues to surprise bird lovers despite the threat posed by urban sprawl as various species of birds are still seen at the wetland.

On Tuesday, a flock of Glossy Ibis (plegadis falcinellus), was spotted at the wetland for the first time. Though glossy ibis is a residential bird in Assam, bird watchers and ornithologists say that there is no record of this bird species being spotted at Deepor Beel in the past.

"Spotting a group of glossy ibis at Deepor Beel is indeed a new development. There is no past record of the bird being spotted at the wetland in the recent past. Glossy Ibis are mainly seen in the major wetlands of upper Assam and in the Pani-Dihing bird sanctuary in Sivasagar district," Anwaruddin Choudhury, who has authored numerous books on birds of the northeast, said.

The flock of birds seen at the wetland comprised about 25 birds, birdwatchers who spotted Glossy Ibis at Deepor Beel said. "In my two decades of observing birds and recording bird species at Deepor Beel, I haven't spotted any glossy ibis in this wetland," Lakhon Teron, a birdwatcher and nature guide, who resides near Deepor Beel, said.

"The spotting of a new bird species at the wetland speaks of the dynamic ecosystem of Deepor Beel, which needs the highest level of ecological protection. There has to be proper awareness on the conservation of the wetland," ecologist Parimal Chandra Bhattacharya said.

Last winter, six rosy pelicans were spotted at the wetland after a long gap. Rosy and spot-billed pelicans used to frequent Deepor Beel during winter earlier, but these and several other birds had stopped migrating to Deepor Beel.

Close to Deepor Beel at Garbhanga reserved forest, the volunteers of Help Earth, a city-based wildlife conservation NGO, on Saturday spotted luna moth (actias luna), one of the largest moth species in the world. It is very rare to spot a luna moth in the state. Last year, the moth was seen at Abhoypur Reserve Forest at Sonari in Sivasagar district.

Though spotting a new and rare species in forest areas within the city indicates a rich ecosystem, both Deepor Beel and Garbhanga are threatened by urban expansion and habitat destruction. While deforestation is a major problem in Garbhanga, the increasing construction activities close of Deepor Beel and pollution have emerged as the biggest dangers to the wetland. Conservationists said seepage of pollutants from a nearby municipal dumping site is a potent threat to the wetland ecosystem.

Source: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-05-10/flora-fauna/39168598_1_deepor-beel-bird-species-wetland

Two smugglers arrested, leopard skin recovered

Dehradun, May 10 (PTI) 
Two alleged smugglers were arrested and three leopard skin recovered from them in Shyampur area of Haridwar district, police said here.

On a tip-off, police found the skin from the smugglers during a checking operation in Teerchapull yesterday, they said.

Police have booked the two accused under the Forest Protection Act and investigations are on.

Source: http://www.ptinews.com/news/3622969_Two-smugglers-arrested--leopard-skin-recovered

Straying tiger pits wildlife activists against locals in Bhubaneswar

Press Trust of India | Updated: May 10, 2013
Bhubaneswar: A wild male tiger, which strayed into the Nandankanan Zoo in Bhubaneswar, has put the Orissa government in a spot as locals demand that it should be kept in the zoo while wildlife activists are opposed to it.

As wildlife activists sought the release of the big cat in the wild describing its captivity as illegal, people living near the zoo and adjoining areas launched a signature campaign against the release of the tiger, fearing it may cause harm.

"We fear that the tiger will again return and create problem for human beings," Balaram Lenka, a local resident, said.

The signature campaign has been launched by "Nandan Kanan Suraksha Parishad" headed by Bijoy Patra. An advocate, Patra filed a PIL in Orissa High Court against any move to release the tiger.

Lenka said though the six-year-old healthy Royal Bengal Tiger had not attacked any human being or cow in the area, pugmarks were detected for three years creating panic among people.

"Fortunately, the tiger has been trapped due to its own fault. Its release may create problem in future," the residents of Baranga and Dadha villages said.

However, wildlife activists oppose any move to keep the tiger in captivity as it would violate the law of the land.

"We wish to lodge a strong protest about attempts of the state government to retain the tiger in zoo to bolster its tiger gene pool for captive breeding," said Biswajit Mohanty, a member of the National Board for Wildlife.

In a letter to the Additional PCCF & Member Secretary, National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), Mohanty said: "It is a blatant violation of wildlife laws as well as the SOP (standard operating procedure) issued by NTCA."

A perfectly healthy male tiger which has obviously strayed from Satkosia Tiger Reserve, the nearest known tiger habitat, is now doomed for life, he pointed out, adding that captivity of the tiger in zoo would amount to clear violation of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

Mohanty said keeping the tiger in a cage would violate Section 38I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

Quoting the act, he said "... No zoo shall acquire, sell or transfer any wild animal or captive animal specified in Schedule I and II except with the previous permission of the Authority."

This apart, capturing a wild tiger and retaining it illegally without any attempt to release it amounts to "hunting" which is prohibited under section 9 of the WPA, 1972, wildlife activists pointed out.

This offence is punishable under Section 51 (1) of the WPA, 1972 by a jail term of minimum of 3 years and a maximum of 7 years as it relates to a Schedule I species, they said.

To tackle such situations of straying of tigers into human dominated landscapes, NTCA had thoughtfully issued a Standard Operating Procedure recently which lays down protocols of how to handle such instances.

Meanwhile, the Odisha government has set up a technical committee. "We will go by the recommendation of the TC," said chief wildlife warden J D Sharma, adding NTCA guideline suggests that wild animals should be kept in wilderness with radio collars so that its movement can be tracked.

While there is a debate over the retention of the tiger in the zoo, experts feel that release of the wild cat requires careful consideration.

"We should not take any hasty decision on the tiger. We have to consider a lot of issues for safety of the tiger like what are the circumstances which brought him here. What are the threats the animal faced in natural habitation. Tiger is a highly territorial animal. It is not safe to release it in a new place," said Odisha's former wildlife warden Saroj Patnaik.

Patnaik says, "If this tiger is kept in zoo, it should be kept away from public display and with minimum human contact."

Source: http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities/straying-tiger-pits-wildlife-activists-against-locals-in-bhubaneswar-365146

Reward for informing forest crimes in Madhya Pradesh

Ramendra Singh, TNN May 9, 2013
BHOPAL: The state government has made several efforts to ensure protection of forests and wildlife and curb forest crimes. A fund has been instituted to reward people informing about forest crimes.

A provision of upto Rs 25,000 reward has been made in Madhya Pradesh Van Suraksha Puraskar Niyam for individuals who assist in detection of forest crime being proved in court, give tip-off for nabbing forest offenders and seizure of forest produce or any other thing.

Forest Minister Sartaj Singh has informed that sustained efforts are being made to curb forest crimes through public participation and activeness of regional units. Instead of beat system in sensitive forest areas, 131 forest check-posts have been set up for group patrolling.

As many as 2600 12-bore guns have been provided to patrol parties deployed at forest check-posts. Not only this, revolvers have also been provided to 136 officers of range level for the first time in the state.

As many as 4,266 wireless sets, 5,500 mobile SIMs, 2946 mobile handsets, 900 PDAs and 900 binoculars have also been provided to the staff for effective communication.

Source: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-05-09/bhopal/39141507_1_forest-minister-sartaj-singh-curb-forest-forest-crimes

Road mishap kills bear near Navegaon

Vijay Pinjarkar, TNN | May 9, 2013
NAGPUR: With National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) reluctant to take wildlife protection measures while widening NH-6, a speeding vehicle knocked dead an adult sloth bear close to Shashikiran hills near Dongargaon early Wednesday morning.

"The spot where the bear was crushed falls in Sadak Arjuni range and borders Navegaon wildlife sanctuary. It is single road and a corridor patch. I suspect the animal must be moving towards Navegaon when it was hit," said S V Ramarao, deputy conservator of forests (DyCF), Gondia. Wild animals dying in road hits has become common on NH6, which has been widened from two lanes to four lanes. However, there is not a single patch where NHAI has taken mitigation measures.

On patches between Sakoli and Deori, Wildlife Institute of India ( WII), Dehradun, has suggested mitigation measures like constructing underpasses but this is not acceptable to NHAI, leading to accidents. On January 28, a honey badger (chandi aswal), a rare animal, was knocked dead at the same spot. The Supreme Court has already taken serious view of high mortality of wildlife on roads passing around protected areas (PAs) due to lack of mitigation measures. NHAI is yet to wake up.

Ramarao said the mishap occurred in the wee hours. There is a blind turn at the spot and the speeding vehicle must have hit the bear when it suddenly came out of the bushes to cross the road. The carcass was shifted the Dongargaon forest depot where a post-mortem was performed. Sawan Bahekar, honorary district wildlife warden of Gondia, demanded signboards at vulnerable spots and speed restrictions. "How many more wild animals will keep dying like this," he asked.

Initially officials felt it might be case of poaching but Ramarao said the bear died due to severe internal injuries. The head of the animal was crushed completely and it died on the spot.

Death Dance On NH6

January 7, 2011: A leopard died after being hit by a vehicle near Talegaon ghat under Wardha forest division

May 15, 2011: A full grown leopard knocked dead near Baghnadi between Deori and Rajnandgaon by an unidentified speeding vehicle

Sept 18, 2011: A sambar knocked dead in Duggipar beat under Sadak Arjuni range in Kohmara in Navegaon-Nagzira corridor

On Nov 23, 2011: A full grown leopard knocked dead in the evening near Bazargaon paper mill near Nagpur in Kalmeshwar forest range

Dec 22, 2011: An adult leopard died in road hit near Dongargaon

Jan 6, 2013: A jungle cat found dead near Hardoli, 35km from Nagpur on Amravati Road. The carnivore was hit on its head and died due to excessive bleeding

Jan 28, 2013: A honey badger knocked dead near Dongargaon of Sadak Arjuni forest range in Gondia

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/City/Nagpur/Road-mishap-kills-bear-near-Navegaon/articleshow/19959473.cms

Fearing cruelty, environment ministry says no to dolphin parks

Chetan Chauhan, Hindustan Times  New Delhi, May 08, 2013
A dolphin kiss or their playful nature in man-made water holes would remain elusive for the Indian audience.

The environment ministry rejected the plan to develop dolphinariums in different locations in India, including Delhi's neighbourhood of Noida, Kochi in Kerala and Mumbai.

Dolphinarium is an artificial, commercial facility where the aquatic animals are kept in captivity and displayed for amusement of audience at a high price by taking away their right to live in their natural habitat. India's only brush with dolphinarium was in 1990s with a park in Chennai, which closed soon after the death of all captive mammals.

Places such as United States and Dubai have big dolphin parks and are branded as an effort to create awareness about recluse creature. But, Brazil, United Kingdom and Chile have banned dolphins in captivity.

"We will not allow dolphinariums," environment and forest minister Jayanthi Natarajan told Hindustan Times.

The ministry would soon come out with a ban on dolphin parks, some of which were proposed in collaboration with foreign players. The reason is that the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and the Wildlife Protection Act prohibits display of animals and birds for amusement, a reason for them vanishing from circuses in India.

Source: http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/Fearing-cruelty-environment-ministry-says-no-to-dolphin-parks/Article1-1056519.aspx

After Mhadei find, tiger expert on big cat trail in Cotigao

TNN | May 8, 2013
PANAJI: A team of experts led by noted conservation zoologist Kota Ullas Karanth has commenced work on a comprehensive tiger survey in the Cotigao wildlife sanctuary and other protected areas after the recent success of the camera trap method.

The Goa government had recently cleared the decks for an intensive survey and within a few weeks of the go-ahead the forest department had captured a tigress on camera within the limits of the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary.

The extensive study, which will extend for four years till 2017, will rely on refined protocols such as camera trap findings to assess the presence of the big cat and the prey base in Goa's forests.

"He (Karanth) has given a list of 45 spots in different sanctuaries to lay camera traps and line transects for the survey," said Richard D'Souza, principal chief conservator of forests. While the expert will conduct the study, the forest department will also independently do its work, especially in Mhadei.

The protected areas of Cotigao, Neturlim, Molem national park, Bondla and Mhadei form a contiguous corridor with tiger areas in Karnataka.

The tiger estimation done by the forest department in the past has shown the presence of tigers. Three had been counted in 1993, five in 1997 and 2002.

Though the forest department had been in a denial syndrome for a long time earlier, things have changed recently with significant findings.

"This vindicates the stand taken by some officials and animal lovers who have claimed the big cats' existence here for more than a decade and a half," a source said.

Referring to the work being done in the protected areas over the last few days D'Souza said, "This is the actual groundwork for the survey."

Goa's protected areas have been identified as a tiger conservation unit (TCU) along with the contiguous forest areas of Karnataka and Maharashtra in a study by international organizations.

The World Wide Fund International, US Fish and Wildlife Services and Wild Life Conservation Society, New York, in a study had categorized the Western Ghats as the second best tiger habitat in India after the Sunderbans in West Bengal.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/After-Mhadei-find-tiger-expert-on-big-cat-trail-in-Cotigao/articleshow/19942067.cms

Wildlife wing unable to control Bear

Siba Mohanty - BHUBANESWAR | 07th May 2013
The death of eight tribals at the hands of a bear that was later lynched by angry villagers in Kotpad has exposed all that is ailing with Wildlife Wing and  also its callous attitude. The precious lives of the villagers as well as that of the wild animal could have been saved had Koraput Circle, under which Kotpad comes, possessed a tranquilliser gun.

 Even as the crisis broke out on Saturday, the Wildlife officials had no clue how to control the situation as the rabid bear went on attacking residents of villages located in a radius of 5 to 6 km. A tranquilliser team from Bhawanipatna Circle had to be summoned, but by the time it reached on Sunday, it was too late.

 Of the eight Forest Circles in the State, Berhampur and Koraput Circles do not possess tranquilliser guns. On Monday, a day after the shocking incident, the Wildlife Wing woke up to the problem and began measures to address the situation.

 Queer as it may sound, every time such a problem crops up, the Chief Wildlife Warden pulls out the tranquilliser team from Nandankanan Zoological Park since striking teams in other divisions are not in a state of preparedness.

 Interestingly, a bear from Nandankanan Zoo, which escaped from its enclosure about a week back, is yet to be traced. If the animal resurfaces, there will be no expert hand in the zoo to immobilise it immediately. Similarly, if  the wild tiger housed in the zoo’s safari needs urgent tranquillisation, there is none at hand to do the job. And the Wildlife Wing simply does not have a Plan B.

 In fact, Nandankanan, which has men specialised in tranquillisation, has  imparted training to over 100 wildlife personnel in the last three years, but absence of tranquilliser guns has posed a serious problem. Despite the procurement process being time consuming and tedious, barely about half a dozen guns have been procured so far, that too, through the central purchase system of the zoo and supplied to other divisions.

 The guns, which require a technology different from firearms, are imported from Dist Inject, a French company with facilities in Switzerland and Germany.

To purchase the equipment, the zoo has to apply to the Director-General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) Office at Cuttack for an import licence. The Centre gives a no- objection certificate (NOC) for the import and seeks a similar certificate from the State Wildlife Wing.

 “Since tranquilliser guns are vulnerable to fall in the hands of terrorists, there is heavy restriction on its procurement and genuineness of use is verified too. Procurement of guns takes anything from six months to one year which is why forest divisions find it hard to go through the elaborate paperwork.

This is precisely the reason why Wildlife Wing should have made the procurements well in advance given the rising man-animal conflict in the State,” said an insider.

Source: http://newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/Wildlife-wing-unable-to-control-Bear/2013/05/07/article1578473.ece

Uproar over China tiger abuse

AFP
A Chinese tiger park has sought to quell public anger after images of holidaymakers sitting astride a strapped-down cub prompted outrage online, state media said on Tuesday.

Pictures taken at a Siberian tiger park in northwest China's Jilin province showed visitors posing for photos while sitting on top of a tiger cub tied to a wooden table. Video footage has also emerged from another animal park in Zhejiang province in the east, showing a tiger strapped to a bench while a man sat on top of it, bouncing up and down and slapping the tiger's head.

The incidents provoked outrage on China's popular social networking site Sina Weibo. “Humans gradually evolve into beasts,” one user said.

Authorities at the Jilin Park said the abused cub was not among the animals it cares for, according to the Global Times, insisting that it belonged instead to an animal troupe that the park hired to stage performances for visitors.

The park said it had terminated its contract with the troupe and penalised its director 5,000 yuan over the incident, the report said.

China’s cold northeast is home to the rare Siberian tiger, of which only 450 remain in the wild, according to the WWF.

The WWF warned in 2010 that the tiger faced extinction in the wild in China after having been devastated by poaching and the destruction of its natural habitat.

China has no laws specifically against cruelty to animals and endangered species are sometimes kept as trophy pets and the country is widely considered a key destination for the global illegal wildlife trade.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-in-school/uproar-over-china-tiger-abuse/article4693990.ece

Jumbos driven back to forest after 12-hour struggle

S. RAMESH | ERODE, May 8, 2013
A herd of four tuskers that strayed more than 20 km. into the mainland near Punjai Puliyampatti in Erode district was driven back into the forests after a 12-hour long struggle.

The tuskers, which could have come out of the forests in search of water and food in the wee hours of Tuesday, were spotted by the farmers around 5 a.m. near Nambiyur.

Farmers alerted the forest officials immediately.

The elephants entered into the agricultural lands in Modarpalayam village near Nambiyur after crossing three main roads – Mettupalayam road, Punjai Puliyampatti – Sathyamangalam highway and Punjai Puliyampatti – Kavilipalayam road and the Lower Bhavani project canal.

The village was located about 20 km. away from the forest boundary.

The forest department mounted a massive operation involving more than 100 personnel, a good number of farmers and police personnel to drive the elephants back into the jungles.

Senior officials led by Conservator of Forests, Erode Circle, A. Venkatesh , rushed to the spot and co-ordinated the exercise.

“We had a hard time because a large number of people gathered to get a glimpse of the tuskers and our exercise. We had to allocate 25 of our personnel just to manage the crowd. We had to make sure that elephants were not provoked by the crowd,” Mr. Venkatesh said.

Officials said the herd, which was often spotted near the Bhavanisagar dam site, was not used to travel long into the mainland. This was the second time the herd strayed into the villages that were located far away from the forests, they pointed out.

Forest officials used fire crackers and drums to chase the elephants back into the forests.

“We also set fire to the coconut leaves and firewood to drive the elephants back,” Mr. Venkatesh said.

The forest department had created temporary waterholes in more than 10 places and filling them with water on a regular basis. “There is adequate food and water available in the forests.

The recent rains rejuvenated the natural water sources in the jungles,” he added.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-miscellaneous/jumbos-driven-back-to-forest-after-12hour-struggle/article4694322.ece

Kerala forests now have nearly 100 tigers

IANS | May 7, 2013

The monitoring of the tigers that is currently on at the
Periyar tiger reserve is being done with the
use of cameras.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The number of tigers in Kerala's forests has gone up to 100 due to excellent protection measures for the wildlife, an official said Tuesday.

"The tigers in our forests were around 70 and now the number has gone up to around 100, and similar is the increase for other wild animals also," V Gopinath, principal chief conservator of forests in Kerala, said.

The increase in the tiger numbers has been particularly noted because forests in the Western Ghats are continguous and spread into states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. And given the vast expanse of these forests, it was but natural that wildlife often move from one region to another in search of food and habitation.

"The increase in the tiger numbers has been because of the contiguous nature of forests. Another aspect in the increasing numbers is the excellent protection given to the wildlife using funds from both the centre and states," added Gopinath.

The monitoring of the tigers that is currently on at the Periyar tiger reserve is being done with the use of cameras.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Kerala-forests-now-have-nearly-100-tigers/articleshow/19928046.cms

India acts to save Asiatic lion by moving it – but hard work has only just begun

Kavitha Rao | Tuesday 7 May 2013 

Male and female Asiatic lions drink water in Gir Forest National Park, the threatened species' current habitat. Photograph: Nisarg Lakhmani/Corbis

Ambitious plan to translocate lions from Gujarat to Madhya Pradesh finally gets green light with Supreme Court ruling

Wildlife is under threat in most of India, but there's one state that's clinging to its fauna, if rather too tightly. The state of Gujarat – whose Gir forest shelters the world's only Asiatic lion population – has lost a bitter battle over an ambitious translocation project.

For over 18 years, conservationists have been attempting to move a pride of Gir lions to the Kuno sanctuary in the state of Madhya Pradesh. But the Gujarat government stubbornly refused to let the lions go. Meanwhile, an impatient Madhya Pradesh government bizarrely suggested introducing African cheetahs, whose Asiatic cousin once roamed the area.

Finally, on 15 April, after eight years of litigation, the Supreme Court of India cleared the translocation of the lions, though it said an emphatic no to the cheetahs. Now the reluctant Gujarat government is considering filing a review petition, even as angry locals protest the translocation, some even threatening to kill themselves.

The Gujarat government, and Chief Minister Narendra Modi, have been arguing for years that the Gir lions are the "pride of the state". In court, the lions were described as "family members who could not be parted with." The native Maldhari tribals have lived alongside the lions for years, on the whole peacefully. Even the Supreme Court acknowledged the state's role in saving the lion from an extinction that seemed almost certain only a few decades ago. The latest census put the lion population at 411, up from 359 in 2005.

But most wildlife experts agree that while the state has done well, the lions have outgrown the Gir forest, and a single epidemic or calamity could wipe out the entire population. In 1994, an epidemic of canine distemper killed an estimated 1000 lions in the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania.

"The Gir conservation project has staved off extinction and helped increase population. The translocation is about strengthening conservation prospects and managing success. At the moment, all our eggs are in one basket and that is a huge risk," says Dr Ravi Chellam, well known conservationist and former director of the Wildlife Conservation Society of India. Chellam was one of the experts who recommended the translocation, which he likens to buying life insurance.

In its judgement, not surprisingly, the Supreme Court rejected the Gujarat government's emotional appeal. "The cardinal issue is not whether the Asian lion is a family member, but the preservation of an endangered species," ruled the court, while directing that the lions be moved within six months.

Sign at Sasan Gir Train Station inviting passengers to visit the Gir National Park and Sanctuary in Western Gujarat, India. Photograph: Alamy

Meanwhile, now that the cheetahs have been nixed, the Gujarat government reportedly plans to argue that Kuno is already home to stray tigers from the nearby tiger sanctuary of Ranthambhore. Will two big cats in the same area cause trouble? Most experts say the tiger population in Kuno is too small to make a difference. "Tigers and lions have had overlapping distribution historically. It's still not a good enough reason to deny translocation," says Chellam.

An earlier translocation of lions to the state of Uttar Pradesh in the fifties failed. With insufficient prey and only a small area to roam, the lions hunted nearby village cattle, and were hunted in their turn by angry villagers. This time around, conservationists say things will be different. "Kuno was chosen because of its size-3000 sq km-and diverse prey base. Lions need lots of space, plenty of prey, and protection from people," says Chellam. Wildlife studies have shown that the prey count in Kuno is actually higher than that of Gir. 24 villages were relocated in Kuno, at considerable expense, to make way for the lions, though many villagers complain that they have still not received compensation.

Despite the years of preparation, the hard work has only just begun. Indeed, Kuno is a test case for conservation through translocation. Kuno has a strong gun culture, and the Supreme Court has agreed that forest staff will need to be trained and deployed to prevent poaching. Locals will need to be educated, involved and given a stake in conservation, just as the Maldharis had. The project will need male lions to be moved from Gir to Kuno every three to five years for the next 30 years.

All this means that Gujarat will very soon have to stop sulking and start cooperating. After nearly 20 years of bickering and debate, it's time to put everything else aside and act to save the Asiatic lion.

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/terra-india/2013/may/07/india-acts-asiatic-lion-moving

Who started the fire?

M R Manjunath, May 7, 2013, DHNS

Come summer, and State’s reserves face the problem of forest fires. Most of these fires are manmade, and are triggered either by vested interests or by accident. The reasons are many, and so are the methods. 

Dandeli, Nagarhole, Bandipur, Biligirirangana Betta and Kudremukh are the State’s most well-known sanctuaries, which are also tiger reserves. These forest regions are known for their rich biodiversity, from many varieties of trees including sandalwood and honne to a host of medicinal plants. Apart from tigers, the wildlife in these forests include elephants, sambars, deer, bears, langurs, Malabar squirrels, etc.

Come summer, there’s invariably the problem of forest fires. While natural forest fires are part of nature’s cycle, there are other forest fires that are sometimes triggered by man.

Forest fires that occur at a time when the region is already facing drought spells double-trouble for wildlife. The Bandipur region is facing one of its worst droughts ever this year, with all the water bodies having gone dry.

Bamboo, which is present in the forest regions of the State, blooms once in 40 years. Last year and the year before that, bamboo in the State had bloomed. Once the bamboo blooms, it dies. This year, because of the failure of rain, the forest regions in the State are full of dry bamboo. There are elements that misuse such a scenario to trigger a fire. According to forest authorities, the months from February to May call for extra vigil. The reasons for manmade fires are many.

Most forest reserves adjoin agricultural land. Sometimes, farmers trigger fires because they believe that grass growth will improve later, and will provide adequate grazing space for cattle. Then, there is the fear of monkey fever that raises it head during summer. People believe setting fire in the forest could solve that problem. Also, there is the problem of poaching. Poachers and small-time hunters often set fire to leaves because they need to enter the forest stealthily. They try and prevent the rustling of dry leaves when they step on them in the forest, by burning leaves. Tourists inadvertently trigger a forest fire when they throw cigarette stubs. Also, locals looking for honey and non-timber forest produce (NTFP) could set fire in the forest. Then, there are those seeking to avenge punishment meted out to them by the Forest Department, for having chopped trees for firewood. The reasons are many, and the methods are many as well. Forest watchers strive hard to bring the fire under control. The incident of a woman wage worker slipping and falling into the fire when she was trying to douse a fire in the Dandeli forest may be recalled here. The woman succumbed to burns.

It was not too long ago when an incident of some elements triggering a fire in Kulagi range of Dandeli occurred. The Forest Department, on its part, says it is trying its best to create awareness about forest fires and what they do to the ecosystem. Also, to combat drought conditions, the Department has also built percolation pits in the Bandipur region to supply water to wildlife.

Source: http://www.deccanherald.com/content/330710/who-started-fire.html

Trees, wildlife charred in northern Panna forest fire

TNN May 4, 2013
BHOPAL: A fire that broke out in a forest in northern region of Panna district, about 15km from the tiger reserve, on Thursday is threatening the forest cover and wildlife. Plantations in around 35 hectares of forest near Saharia area have reportedly been gutted in the fire that is spreading towards Amanganj area, said forest officials on Friday.

Making matters worse, the fire alert and messaging system (FAMS) developed by the IT wing of the forest department didn't function, sources said. FAMS uses processed remote sensing data of active fire locations and sends instant alerts to concerned field staff through the SMS and e-mail.

More than 80 forest employees and officials have been pressed into service in the area to control the fire, said SK Gupta, DFO North.

A probe has been ordered by the state forest ministry as there are allegations that the it was the handiwork of miscreants to cover up illegal felling of trees over the last few months.

NGOs blame forest officials for the fire terming it as a planned 'incident' to hush up illegal felling and show expenditures of budget allotted for fire protection. "I have moved a PIL seeking investigation on rampant illegal felling of teak woods from the northern range of Panna recently. The fire broke out in the same area. It's intentionally done to destroy the evidences," alleges Shrikant Dixit, who runs an NGO in Panna.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Trees-wildlife-charred-in-northern-Panna-forest-fire/articleshow/19876054.cms

Contour canal for Parambikulam project turns death trap for wildlife

P. OPPILI, The Hindu

Canal runs to a distance of nearly 50 km: naturalists

• The project is maintained by the State Public Works Department

An open contour canal constructed during the 1960s for the Parambikulam Aliyar Project in Coimbatore district has become a death trap for wildlife in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR), Pollachi.

Naturalists and environmentalists say the canal runs to a distance of nearly 50 km, of which a 45-km stretch passes through the ATR.

During seasonal migration and dry periods, elephants, tigers, leopards, sloth bears, wild dogs, Indian Gaur, sambhar deer and spotted deer come to the canal for drinking water. If the animals fall into the canal, it would be difficult to rescue them.

The Project is maintained by the State Public Works Department, which began refurbishing the canal as there were many leaks in it. The work began nearly a year ago.

A. Rangarajan, Secretary, Tamil Nadu Green Movement, said his organisation had sent a letter to the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) demanding a joint inspection of the place with representatives from the PWD, Forest Department and the National Board for Wildlife. The CEC had also sent a letter to the Chief Secretary to arrange for a site inspection.

However, nothing has been done in this regard, Mr. Rangarajan charged. He said the canal, apart from fragmenting the forest, leads to death and maiming of wildlife, which will be more than a dozen annually.

The Forest Department had divided the 49-km canal into eight stretches and conducted a survey.

During the survey, officials recorded the presence of at least half a dozen species of wildlife along the stretch.

Making provisions for the wildlife to cross over from one side to the other is the recommendation for the first stretch which begins from the Power House till the entrance of the tunnel 1; the second stretch is the entrance of the tunnel 1 where the recommendation was to erect railings.

The other recommendations included installing scalable slopes and railings to prevent wildlife from falling into the canal and facility for wildlife to access water along the canal.

When contacted, wildlife authorities said they have requested the PWD to provide platforms to facilitate animals to drink water safely from the canal.

Similarly, they have given a few designs to the PWD authorities, which would help the wildlife cross the canal without any problem.

“Wildlife concerns are well taken care of by the department,” a senior official added.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/contour-canal-for-parambikulam-project-turns-death-trap-for-wildlife/article4685389.ece

Villagers lynch wild bear that killed 8 persons

• The wild bear started attacking villagers from Saturday
• It may have been lured out of the forest by the smell of cashew apples and mahua flowers: Forest officials

A wild bear that killed eight persons and injured five persons in the past 24 hours was lynched by villagers in the Kotpad area of Koraput district on Sunday.

The injured were first admitted to the Kotpad Community Health Centre. Later they were shifted to the Koraput district hospital.

According to police sources, the deceased included two women.

Forest officials said a team from the Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar was called in to capture the errant bear by using tranquilisers. Before the team could reach Koraput, the bear faced the wrath of angry villagers.

Villagers upset

The villagers had been upset with the killings by the bear. They had even staged a dharna in front of the forest ranger’s office in Kotpad. They blocked roads at several places in Kotpad.

The villagers tracked down the bear near the Girla village before the forest officials could capture it alive. Eyewitnesses said the animal was first hit by a jeep. Then it was beaten to death by the mob. They then carried the carcass in a procession in Kotpad.. Later, the forest officials seized the carcass.

Laxmikant Mishra, Divisional Forest Officer, and sub-collector Birendra Karkara rushed to the area and promised compensation to the families of victims. They also assured proper treatment of the injured.

Forest officials said the bear might have strayed out of the jungle lured by the smell of cashew apples and mahua flower. Consumption of mahua might have intoxicated the bear following which it could have turned violent.

On Saturday, the bear attacked a group of women returning after collecting firewood from the jungle near Amarmunda village. The animal was hiding under a culvert. One woman was killed on the spot. When people gathered in the area, it bear ran away. Later, it attacked and killed two others near Amarmunda and Totiaguda.

A couple sleeping outside their house were attacked by the animal. The husband died on the spot while his wife died in the hospital. Two other persons of the same village were attacked the same night. The body of another person killed by the bear at Girla was found on Sunday morning.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/villagers-lynch-wild-bear-that-killed-8-persons/article4687577.ece

Voter trampled by elephant

A person, on his way to cast his vote, was trampled to death by an elephant at Phalguni village in Mudigere taluk on Sunday morning.

The deceased Nasir Khan (60), an agriculture labourer, had left his residence after telling his wife that he was going out to vote. He is survived by his wife. The couple had no children.

Deputy Conservator of Forests Raviraj Narayan visited the spot after receiving the information.

He told The Hindu that the elephant had trampled him to death and threw a wooden log on his body.

“His wife told us that he went out around 6.30 a.m. to cast his vote. As he did not return till 10 a.m., people went to search for him. Later they found him dead,” he said.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/voter-trampled-by-elephant/article4687935.ece

Railway engineers suggest steps to minimise elephant deaths

With elephants continuing to perish after being hit by trains, railway engineers have suggested multi-pronged strategy to minimise the casualties.

At a day-long fifth annual general meeting and safety seminar of the East Coast Railway Engineers’ Association (ECREA) here on Sunday, its members expressed concern over elephant deaths on railway tracks.

“Night vision cameras can be installed on locomotives to detect the movement of elephants or other animals within the range of one km to minimise the deaths. The instruments have night and day vision capability that allows them to operate in very poor lighting conditions,” said Gopal Chandra Nayak, secretary (headquarter) of ECoREA. Mr. Nayak said it was essential to obtain detail information on the movement of elephants and seasonal dispersal patterns in order to protect and manage elephant population effectively.

“Introduction of ‘go slow zones’ can be thought of. In many cases, including some the accidents this year, accidents have happened because the trains are in high speed. Go slow zones in accident-prone areas can be introduced with warning signs to alert the drivers,” he suggested adding that there were limitations in the measures as it would affect running of trains.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-otherstates/railway-engineers-suggest-steps-to-minimise-elephant-deaths/article4688132.ece

Love-lorn tiger enters zoo

AFP

May have travelled over 100 km in quest of mate

A lonely male tiger that left the jungle and entered a zoo in Nandankanan Zoological Park in Odisha in quest of a mate has been trapped, an official of the state-run park said.

"It seems to have strayed into the zoo attracted by a tigress," Sudarshan Panda, director of the Nandankanan Zoological Park near Bhubaneswar, capital of the eastern state of Orissa.

Panda said foresters kept a lookout for the animal, which had travelled from a protected state forest some 100 kilometres from the zoo and roamed around the facility last weekend. The tiger was captured and is now in the tiger safari area, which has been temporarily closed to visitors due to the presence of the wild cat.

The Nandankanan zoological park has a large number of white tigers as well.

India is home to half of the world's rapidly shrinking wild tiger population and has been struggling to halt the big cat's decline in the face of poachers, international smuggling networks and loss of habitat.

The country has seen its tiger population plummet from an estimated 40,000 animals in 1947, when it gained independence, to just 1,706 in 2011.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-in-school/lovelorn-tiger-enters-zoo/article4687447.ece

Kaziranga: Two forest guards injured in poachers' attack

Hemanta Kumar Nath | India Blooms News Service
Guwahati, May 5 (IBNS): Two forest guards were injured in attack by suspected poachers in Assam’s Kaziranga National Park (KNP) on Sunday evening, officials said.

The jawans of Assam Forest Protection Force (AFPF) were attacked by suspected poachers near Kathalchang forest camp under Burhapahar forest range office inside the park.

“The jawans were attacked by the suspected poachers by using sophisticated weapons inside the world heritage site, when they were vigil inside the park,” an official of KNP said.

The injured forest guards were admitted to Nagaon Bhogeswari Phukanoni civil hospital.

Top officials of park authority and forest department had rushed to the area and launched serach operation to nab the attackers.

Poachers killed at least 19 one horned rhinoceros in Kaziranga in past four months.

To protect wild animals inside and outside the park, the Assam forest department had deployed 300 jawans of AFPF and recently test drive a drone in Kaziranga.

2329 rhinos were found in the national park in recent rhino census report.

Source: http://www.indiablooms.com/NewsDetailsPage/2013/newsDetails060513c.php

Leopardess found killed near Mysore

Lawrence Milton, TNN May 5, 2013
MYSORE: A two-year-old leopardess in Mysore appears to be killed and its paws have been removed by miscreants near Hunsur on Sunday.

The leopard was found dead at one Puttamma's land near Pakshirajapura in Hunsur forest range. The cause for its death is not known. Visceral samples have been sent to Institute of Animal Health and Veterinary Biological in Mysore to establish the cause of death.

The incident came to light early on Sunday of the landlady Puttamma noticed the big cat lying dead.

An official said the leopardess carcass is still fresh and suspect it may have been killed for claws as all its limbs have been cut off with a weapon. There are no external injuries over the body.

Hunsur forest territory DCF Vijaykumar told TOI that three days back we got a complaint from residents of Pakshirajapura that a leopard is on prowl near their village and south forest department's help. We later placed a cage with dog as bait. But we found the leopard dead a few metres away from the cage on Sunday morning. However, the dog is alive.

There is no injury over its body and we believe it could have died of starvation, claims the DCF.

To a query, Vijaykumar said some miscreants may have removed after its death and as of now we have no evidence of poaching the animal. However, we are investigating to go deep into the incident because this is for the first time claws of the leopard have been removed. We have filed a police case, the DCF stated.

Source: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-05-05/mysore/39042113_1_leopardess-dcf-forest-department

Herd of wild elephants kills one, destroys houses in Assam

PTI | May 5, 2013

The jumbos entered a village in Numaligarh area
creating panic among the people by trampling
one person to death and going on a rampage
pulling down the thatch houses on Saturday night.

GUWAHATI: A man was trampled to death and 15 houses damaged by a herd of wild elephants in upper Assam's Golaghat district, official sources said today.

The jumbos entered a village in Numaligarh area creating panic among the people by trampling one person to death and going on a rampage pulling down the thatch houses last night, the sources said.

The deceased has been identified as Durga Koya. Forest department personnel rushed to the village and were making efforts to guide the pachyderms to a nearby forest, they said.

With panic prevailing in the area as the elephants were still roaming about freely, the local people have urged the forest department to provide them security from the animals.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Herd-of-wild-elephants-kills-one-destroys-houses-in-Assam/articleshow/19897138.cms

Deer run over by suburban train at Saidapet

Pratiksha Ramkumar, TNN May 3, 2013
CHENNAI: A deer was run over by a train near the Saidapet suburban railway station late Thursday night.

The animal, suspected to be around four-years-old, was trying to cross the railway track at around midnight, when one of the last EMU trains crushed it to death. Police suspect that the deer could have strayed away from Raj Bhavan. The Raj Bhavan sits inside a sprawling green campus and has a sizeable deer population.

The animal was found on the South side of the station by the railway police force (RPF), who gave up trying to rescue it, as it seemed to have died on the spot. "It did not seem to breathe, it was like a carcass," said sub inspector Maharajan of the RPF. Police authorities, took the body back to the Saidapet station and handed it over to forest department officials on Friday morning.

The forest department did not confirm the possibility of a post mortem being done on the animal.

Source: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-05-03/chennai/39008024_1_railway-track-rpf-forest-department