PILs against tourism in tiger reserves

Two public interest litigation petitions have been filed in the Madras High Court Bench here — one challenging a notification issued by the Centre on October 15, laying down guidelines for tourism activities around tiger reserves, and another to quash separate proceedings issued by the State Forest Department on February 18, permitting tourism-related activities at Kalakkad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve in Tirunelveli district.

SWASAM Trust, a non-governmental organisation represented by its managing trustee S. Ramesh, had filed both the petitions through its counsel T. Lajapathi Roy.

The trust claimed that permitting tourism-related activities in and around tiger reserves would defeat the object of ‘Project Tiger,’ a scheme implemented by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests since 1973 for ensuring a viable population of tiger in the country for scientific, economic, aesthetic, cultural and ecological values.

Claiming that he was one among the members of a Local Advisory Committee for Kalakkad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Mr. Ramesh said that the Chief Conservator of Forests and Field Director of the Reserve had erred in issuing the February 18 notification permitting tourists to enjoy boating in Karaiyar Dam and drive their vehicles up to upper Kodayar area. He contended that both the activities would prove disastrous to the wildlife and ecosystem in the Reserve.

“Allowing vehicles inside the core area would affect breeding of tiger population.”

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/pils-against-tourism-in-tiger-reserves/article4477495.ece

Foresters, cops hand in glove in killing fields

A haul of hunted black sniped hare and a jungle cat (endangered scheduled animal). —DC

Chennai: In 2010, a group of friends with police connections entered Kalakad Munda­nthurai tiger Reserve in Tirunelveli with telescopic rifles, guns and snares. The group, after a few rounds of liquor, hunted endangered mouse deer, wild cat, (endangered animals scheduled under the wildlife protection Act), black sniped hare and a few protected birds. After skinning, the meat was cooked and the feast served.

When they were caught red-handed by the local police, the group bribed them and petty cases were registered under the Cr.P.C. and Wildlife Protection Act, burying the issue. The clueless forest department has been maintaining silence till date for reasons best known to them. Pictures and videograph evidence available with this newspaper reveal the sorry state of affairs and unchecked poaching in the southern part of Tamil Nadu.

“When Bollywood star Salman Khan killed an endangered (black buck) deer in Rajasthan, the local wildlife officials framed charges against him and produced him in court but in Tamil Nadu, the situation is different. You can kill scheduled animals and if you are caught, you can still walk out of forest reserves using your clout,” fumes A. Rangarajan, general secretary, Tamil Nadu Green Movement.

If this is the state of a “well-protected”’ sanctuary, one shudders to think as the state of affairs in other low-profile parks and sanctuaries. We request the chief minister to initiate legal action as per the wildlife protection Act 1972 and Arms Act into these happenings and check the legality of weapons so that such incidents don’t happen again, he added.

The forest department has to initiate a quick recruitment drive with young and able field staff to effectively patrol the forests and guard them effectively. Streamlining recruitment and increasing field presence is the need of the hour and the situation of wetland birds is even worse, said wildlife activist S. Jayachandran.

“The videos and photographs are shocking and expose the poor anti-poaching system in Tirunelveli. It’s time to scale up patrolling and independent biologists and wildlife activists should be encouraged to visit the forests,” opines N. Balaji a naturalist who frequents KMTR.

A highly-placed official in the state forest headquarters told DC that the particular incident was unheard-of. “We will look into the issue and take action,” the top official assured.

A forest department official who viewed the pictures and videos available with DC said most of the animals gunned down belong to schedule 2 and 3 of the wildlife Act. As per the Act, poaching of schedule 2 (highly endangered animals) can lead to imprisonment up to three years with a fine not less than `10,000.

Mouse deer hunting will invite serious punishment and can lead up to seven years’ imprisonment as the animal enjoys the schedule 1 status enjoyed by lion, tigers and whales, the official added.

KMTR becomes a haven for poachers

Tirunelveli: The dense tropical forests of the Kalakkad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR) in the south of the Western Ghats in Tirunelveli district has become a safe hunting ground for poachers despite the region being a biodiversity hot spot.

Even the authorities here have been indulging in poaching, say environmental activists, who add that though a team led by a police DSP had been nabbed by Forest department officials on December 24, 2012 in the Kalakkad forest of KMTR, they were let off on the intervention of a Congress MLA.

The Innova car (KL-01 AW 8181) reported to have been used by the illegal intruders, according to the environmentalist, belonged to the MLA’s brother. The Ervadi police who intercepted the intruders had also seized two double barrel guns, one of which was of English make.

Another complaint of 200 teak trees being felled in the Karayar range in KMTR three months ago was also swept under the carpet as the accused was one of the rangers. Deputy Director of KMTR, Gurusamy, however, said that the complaint was a false one. He, however, agreed that five men with two guns had been arrested in the Kalakkad range at KMTR, which did not fall under his jurisdiction.

The issue of smuggling of trees from the Kattalai Malai above Karayar was also brushed aside by the KMTR deputy director, who told this newspaper that the trees were being felled on a private patta land at Kattalai Malai.

He added that the Manjolai Tea Estate, run by the Bombay-Burma Trad­ing Company, had been accused of serious violations of the Forest Act and said that the government had filed a case against the estate administration in the Madurai High Court Bench seeking cancellation of the lease accorded to the company by a private party before independence. The company has allegedly encroached into forest land beyond the 8000 acres that it had leased for 99 years.

Speaking to this newspaper, an anti-poaching watcher said that poaching of wet land birds, mouse deer, wild cats and hares was rampant in the KMTR forest.

Source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com/130218/news-current-affairs/article/foresters-cops-hand-glove-killing-fields

Predator population up in tiger reserve

P. SUDHAKAR

Time to strengthen its prey base

Herbivore: A small herd of Nilgiri thar found at
Uppur Kothayar in Western Ghats in Tirunelveli district.

The recent wildlife census conducted at Kalakkad – Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR) shows a significant increase in the predator population and signals the need to strengthen its prey base or herbivore population.

When the survey team crossed Rettaikaradu area in Thirukkurunkudi range, the members saw a panther, a ‘shy animal’, taking rest under a shade and another team, which was trekking near Maanjolai above Manimuthar dam, saw a panther standing on a rock at a distance.

The enumeration team that was moving around Kadayam range was the most fortunate as it happened to see a tiger.

“This time the volunteers involved in the census were able to see a number of panthers, which shows that the predator’s population has increased significantly. We firmly believe that the tiger population should also have gone up as we’ve got interesting and highly encouraging findings in certain areas of KMTR,” said K. Sekar, Deputy Director, Kalakkad – Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve’s Kalakkad Division.

Though KMTR has a sizable population of Indian Gaur, sambar and spotted deer, the most preferred prey for tiger and panther, ecologists here feel that the existing prey base should be strengthened further.

When the panther population increased in the Tirupathi hills, forest officials said that steps were taken for strengthening the herbivore base, mainly the deer population.

They argued that similar steps could be taken here too by shifting hundreds of spotted deer, now struggling to find adequate food and shelter at Gangaikondan, to Mundanthurai area of KMTR.

“Since these animals (at Gangaikondan) often face a serious threat from speeding vehicles and stray dogs, and rarely from poachers, they can be shifted to the KMTR where they can easily find adequate food and shelter,” said a zoologist here.

Forest officials say that the spotted deer of Gangaikondan could be transported to KMTR in camouflaged vehicles after tranquilizing them to strengthen the predators’ prey base.

“We have an adequate number of officials, who are well-trained in tranquilizing and transporting the sedated animals in disguised vehicles to Western Ghats during the night. If the government approves this proposal, we can expect an improved ecosystem in KMTR in future,” said a senior forest official.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/predator-population-up-in-tiger-reserve/article4413646.ece

Plans afoot to reintroduce Nilgiri Tahr in two ranges

P. OPPILI & B. ARAVIND KUMAR

Glenmorgan Mountains and Thirukurungudi ranges selected

A Nilgiri Tahr in one of the upper ridges of Mudaliaroothu in Grizzled Giant Squirrel sanctuary in Srivilliputhur. Photo: Special Arrangement

Nilgiri Tahr, the State animal of Tamil Nadu, is likely to be spotted again on the Glenmorgan Mountains in The Nilgiris and Thirukurungudi ranges in the Kalakad — Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR), both original habitats of the Tahr until it went out of sight some years ago.

Acting on the suggestion of the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBW), the Ministry of Environment and Forests has written to the State Forest Department for the reintroduction of the Nilgiri Tahr in these two ranges, MoEF officials said.

It was A.J.T. Johnsing, former Director of Wildlife Institute of India, who suggested that the Tahr be first introduced in Glenmorgan Mountain from Mukuruthy National Park, a known habitat of the Tahr in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, and thereafter plan reintroduction in KMTR.

Both Thirukurungudi and Glenmorgan were original habitats of Nilgiri Tahr, say wildlife officials in the State.

In KMTR, Thiruvannamalai Mottai, Nandoothi Moottai and Panchamthangi Moottai were the three original habitats. Till 1995, the animal was sighted in these places. However, there are no direct sightings in any of these areas now and there are indications of its presence in Thiruvannamalai Mottai and officials believe a small population of Tahr could be still living there.

These areas have rocky patches and grass lands above them. In Thiruvannamalai Mottai area, northern and eastern portions were full of rocky patches and the southwest corner is covered by Shola forests. Hence, the place was once the ideal habitat for Tahrs, said a senior officer. Glenmorgan near Mukurthi National Park in The Nilgiris was also originally a Tahr habitat.

Later the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board took over some areas to construct quarters for their staff. This, and the regular forest fires in the area must have driven the Tahr population away from the habitat, says a former wildlife warden.

Now the quarters have been abandoned but a critical habitat study has to be done before translocating a sizeable number of Tahr from Mukurthi National Park to Glenmorgan, says the forest officer.

“After that, a pilot project has to be implemented. Only after the results of pilot project are known, the Tahr population should be reintroduced here. Otherwise, Glenmorgan could become another Munnar [in Kerala], where the Tahr population has lost its wild instincts,” he cautions.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/plans-afoot-to-reintroduce-nilgiri-tahr-in-two-ranges/article4275814.ece