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

Tiger died from poisoning, revenge killing suspected

R. KRISHNA KUMAR

• Special Tiger Protection Force deployed in the area to keep vigil on movement of tigers
• Forest Department will also interact with local community

A tiger, which was found dead in the Kakanakote forests (D.B. Kuppe range) of the Nagarahole National Park early this month, was poisoned in what is suspected to be an act of revenge.

The post-mortem report and visceral analysis indicate the presence of zinc phosphide, which is rat poison. This has sent shockwaves among conservationists and Forest Department officials.

This is said to be the first case of a tiger being poisoned in the national park, which is a major tiger reserve and home to about 70 of them.

R. Gokul, Director, Conservator of Forests and Director, Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, confirmed that the tiger, which was found dead on January 13 near the Kabini backwaters was poisoned. Its carcass, discovered two weeks ago, was intact, with no sign of external injuries, putting a question mark on cause of death.

Though there was a question of whether poachers had a hand in the death, this has been ruled out as neither the skin nor the claws had been removed. The needle of suspicion points to revenge killing and Mr. Gokul said the animal may have strayed out of its habitat and stalked livestock. Since tigers have a tendency to partially eat their prey and conceal it in bushes to consume over a period of time, the local community may have poisoned the carcass of the cattle, resulting in the tiger’s death, he said.

But the nearest human habitation is nearly 3 km from the spot where the tiger was found, casting doubt on that theory.

However, Mr. Gokul pointed out that tigers generally do not stray from their habitat in Nagarahole as the Kabini backwaters acts as a border between the national park and the adjoining human landscape. But due to severe drought, the backwaters has receded and turned into a grassland, with no demarcation separating the forestland from the outside landscape. “As a result, there is free movement of animals in the absence of a water barrier. We suspect the local community on the fringes may have driven their livestock inside the forests in search of fodder. The tiger may have killed one of the domestic animals and the village people may have subsequently poisoned the carcass as an act of revenge,” said Mr. Gokul.

There have been six incidents of tigers straying out of their habitat this season, which is unusually high. This is attributed to increase in tiger density inside the national park.

The authorities have deployed the Special Tiger Protection Force in the area to keep vigil on the movement of animals in the region. Apart from launching a full-fledged investigation into tiger poisoning, the Forest Department will also interact with the local community adjoining the forests and seek their help in wildlife conservation.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/tiger-died-from-poisoning-revenge-killing-suspected/article4359419.ece