Shrinking Sunderbans threat to Bengal Tiger

Royal Bengal Tiger

IANS
Fast-disappearing mangrove forests of the Sunderbans pose a question mark over the future of the Royal Bengal Tiger, an endangered species, say scientists.

Rapid deterioration in mangrove health is causing as much as 200 metres of the vegetation-rich coast to disappear annually in the Sunderbans, according to zoologists.

Nathalie Pettorelli, from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and senior study author, said: “Our results indicate a rapidly retreating coastline that cannot be accounted for by the regular dynamics of the Sunderbans. Degradation is happening fast, weakening this natural shield for India and Bangladesh.”

Sunderbans is the largest block of continuous mangrove forest in the world, native to nearly 500 species of reptile, fish, bird and mammals, including the world famous Royal Bengal Tiger, the journal Remote Sensing reports.

Thriving human development, rising global temperatures, degradation of natural protection from tidal waves and cyclones is inevitably leading to species loss in this richly biodiverse part of the world, according to a ZSL statement.

Sarah Christie, ZSL’s tiger conservation expert, says: “The Sunderbans is a critical tiger habitat; one of only a handful of remaining forests big enough to hold several hundred tigers. To lose the Sunderbans would be to move a step closer to the extinction of these majestic animals.”

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/shrinking-sunderbans-threat-to-bengal-tiger/article4298468.ece

33 spotted deer found dead in Kanha Tiger Reserve

PTI

Spotted deers

A total of 33 spotted deer were found dead under Ghorela ward in the Kanha Tiger Reserve since last week, forest officials said on Friday.

Kanha Tiger Reserve’s veterinary surgeon Sandeep Agrawal told reporters that 29 spotted deers were found dead between Jan 4-10 and four were found on Friday in the Ghorela ward under the Mukki forest area.

The preliminary cause of their death appears to be malnutrition, infection and severe cold, but the exact reason will be known only after a postmortem and viscera report.

The reserve management has enhanced measures to monitor the health and security of the wild animals. The viscera has been sent to the Jabalpur-based Veterinary College laboratory for testing.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/33-spotted-deer-found-dead-in-kanha-tiger-reserve/article4298503.ece

Afforestation drive to begin soon

V. S. PALANIAPPAN

Tamil Nadu
Coimbatore

Forest officials are busy raising saplings to grow them up to a height of six feet before the exit of summer and the onset of South West Monsoon for the ambitious project to plant 10 crore saplings in 1.43 lakh hectares land spread over 5,000 villages over the next five years.

Tall grown seedlings with tree guards will help protect them from stray cattle.

Forest officials said that the Tamil Nadu Bio-Diversity Conservation and Greening Project, envisaged at an outlay of Rs 84 crore, aims at having 10 crore trees by 2017.

As part of the project, the target for the current year is to have one crore saplings in 1,000 villages at a cost of Rs 15.16 crore.

Officials said 2012 ended with a 45 per cent deficit rainfall, resulting in standing paddy crops in the delta regions of Thanjavur, Nagapattinam, Tirupur, Pudukottai and coconut crop in Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode, Namakkal and Karur bearing the brunt of the dry spell.

Conservative estimates put the extent of drought to 73 per cent in 23,625 sq km.

Officials have identified a number of species for the project including emblica officinalis (Nelli), gmelina arborea (Kumizh), bambuseae (Bamboo), peltophorum pterocarpum (Vaagai), vites negundo (Nochi) and azadirachta indica (Neem).

Plantation is expected to begin when summer exits and traces of South West monsoon begins so as to ensure a high survival rate, the officials said.

The planting of saplings will be done close to wetlands and bird sanctuaries such as Vellode near Erode, Vedanthagal, Vadavur, among others.

Source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/afforestation-drive-to-begin-soon/article4293763.ece

Indian farmers earn forest carbon credits

JANUARY 10, 2013

TIMES OF INDIA

Approximately 1500 farmers owning 1600 hectares in Andhra Pradesh and Orissa became the first lot of farmers in Asia and the second in the world to earn income by selling carbon credits from an AR CDM project. 

The 1,500 farmers of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh and Rayagada, Koraput and Kalahandi in Odisha earned Rs 85.28 lakh by selling 79,811 carbon credits, for which they received their cheques last month at a programme organised at Gitam University in the city.

According to VCCSL executive director Sai Kishore Nellore, the project was initiated in 2004 with the intention of improving the lives of farmers in rural areas by allowing them to raise tree plantations on highly degraded agricultural lands. Following that, a project idea note was prepared and subsequently a team from the World Bank visited the country for inspection in 2006. 

During the next year, VCCSL entered into an Emission Reduction Purchase Agreement (ERPA) with the World Bank for sale of carbon credits generated under this project at $4.05 per carbon credit. Each carbon credit is equal to one tonne of carbon dioxide sequestered.

Please click here to read the original news item

Source: http://www.forestcarbonasia.org/in-the-media/indian-farmers-earn-forest-carbon-credits/

Keywords: Andhra Pradesh, AR CDM, Asia, CDM AR, CERs, financing, forest carbon, India, Orissa, Standards

Monkey feeders in Melghat tiger reserve to face action

Vijay Pinjarkar, TNN
NAGPUR: The Melghat Tiger Reserve (MTR) in Amravati district has decided to act tough against those feeding monkeys along the tar road passing through the reserve.

Though feeding monkeys is illegal, it has become a common practice at many places in India. In Maharashtra's oldest tiger reserve it has now become a costly affair. One private and one state transport buses were detained and drivers booked under the Wildlife Protection Act (WPA) 1972.

Just three days ago, the state highway passing through the core area of MTR recorded the death of a sloth bear near Semadoh on Harisal-Semadoh stretch of the highway. However, the same patch has been known for accidental deaths of wild animals. A leopard, sambar, porcupine and even a Dharni-based resident have lost their life on the stretch, the last when his bike hit a sambar recently.

On Sunday, Kishor Rithe, president of Satpuda Foundation and member of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL), was travelling through the same patch when he saw a bus driver and passengers of Shriram Travels bus feeding bananas to monkeys.

Rithe warned the driver and was just 50 metres away when the driver started feeding the langurs again. He asked the driver to park the vehicle at Semadoh chowki and informed the staff about the offence.

However, the driver defied the forest staff and proceeded towards Paratwada. Rithe rushed to the gate after Semadoh village and stopped the vehicle. Range forest officer (RFO) MS Pachare and his squad immediately rushed to the gate and booked the vehicle and driver under WPA and conducted the spot panchnama.

In the second case, a ST bus from Burhanpur to Amravati stopped at the same spot in the core area and driver Yuvraj Sonune, who had specially bought bananas from Dharni for the monkeys, started feeding them.

The squad along with Rithe caught the ST driver red-handed while feeding the monkeys. The driver was booked under the WPA.

Rithe told TOI that many vehicles stop in this stretch and throw foodgrains and bananas for monkeys. Many wild animals including monkeys get attracted to the roadside. This has led to many accidents of wild animals, besides increase in monkey bites to passers-by.

"The issue has become very serious. We have put up display boards and signages but people fail to understand the problem," said K P Singh, chief conservator of forests (CCF) and field director of MTR.

The forest department's action has created sensation among the people who think that it is good to feed the monkeys. However, they have to understand that it amounts to hurting the animals as per the WPA and there is a provision for seven years imprisonment along with heavy penalty.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Monkey-feeders-in-Melghat-tiger-reserve-to-face-action/articleshow/17941303.cms

Six injured in leopard attack in Nilambur

By T P Nijeesh, TNN 

Six persons, including a woman, were injured in the
leopard attack.

MALAPURRAM: A straying leopard disrupted normal life in Konnampotti region of Chunghathara in Nilambur for over five hours before it was successfully tranquilized and caged on Wednesday evening. Six persons, including a woman, were injured in the leopard attack.

The animal was first seen in a rubber plantation at Vadakkekkara, Konnampotti around 1.30pm. Suni (35) of Mangedath, who was collecting firewood from the plantation, was attacked by the leopard and she suffered minor injuries. Natives Raju of Pandakashala and Sahil of Thottassery were also attacked by the leopard while they were searching for it.

Later, forest, police and revenue officials along with veterinarians arrived at the spot. After an hour-long search, the leopard was found near a trench. When the traumatized animal was provoked by over-enthusiastic onlookers, it climbed on a coconut tree to evade the crowd.

Finally, a team of tranquilizing experts, who arrived from Kozhikode around 5pm, successfully tranquilized the leopard. But when the veterinary surgeon gave the tranquilizing shot, the animal fell asleep on top of the tree. Following this, members of the New Star Club, Palenkara carried the animal in a net and caged it.

Nilambur North DFO Rajan said the leopard was a full-grown male and it has shifted to Thrissur zoo. "It is for the first time such an incident has been reported in the area," said Mujeeb Palenkara, a resident in the area.


Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Six-injured-in-leopard-attack-in-Nilambur/articleshow/17966118.cms

Herd of 32 elephants chased into forests near Krishnagiri

The elephant herd that was driven back to 
Udedurgam Reserve Forests on Tuesday.
 —Photo: Special Arrangement

A herd of 32 wild elephants that entered a mango orchard near Kelamangalam were driven back to the Udedurgam Reserve Forests by the forest officials after a four-hour exercise, on Tuesday night.

Sources in the Forest Department told The Hindu that over a hundred elephants, in different groups, had entered into the forest from Bennarghatta RF via the Jawalagiri RF two months ago.

This despite elephant proof trenches being dug for a distance of about 89 km.

Damaged trenches

However, these trenches were breached by the farmers who wanted to take their cattle inside the forest for fodder. These damaged trenches helped the elephants enter into human habitations as well.

The elephants damaged crops like sugarcane, banana, ragi, paddy as well as vegetables in and around Denkanikottai, Royakottai, Uthanapalli, Kelamangalam and Anchetty.

When people saw the herd of 32 elephants wandering near Nilagiri village in Uthanapalli they informed the forest officials.

On instructions from the District Forest Officer A.K. Ulaganathan, a team of forest officials and employees headed by Assistant Conservator of Forests Mr. Soundararajan and Royakottai Ranger Vinobaji chased the herd into the Udedurgam Reserve Forests bursting crackers and using powerful search lights.

Police officials headed by the Assistant Superintendent of Police Vijaykumar prevented the locals from getting near the herd during the operations, sources said.

While crossing over to the Reserve Forests, the herd trampled to death a calf near Yupuram.

Before undertaking the elephant eviction drive, the forest officials warned the public not to venture out of their homes through the public address system, the sources added.

India to involve Interpol to fight illegal wildlife trade

Press Trust of India / New Delhi January 02, 2013, 20:15


Indian investigating agencies will "involve" Interpol to combat illegal trade of wildlife including tigers and other endangered species, official sources said here today.
Indian law-enforcement officials attended a training programme organized by Interpol in Kathmandu last month to step up efforts to deal with "organised transnational criminal activity and illegal wildlife trade," sources said.
TRAFFIC, a global wildlife monitoring network, said 28 law enforcement officers from 11 Asian countries had gathered in Kathmandu to attend the Information and Intelligence Management Course on Environmental Enforcement initiated by Interpol.
The meeting took place from December 17 to 21 and brought together senior investigators and intelligence analysts from various law enforcement agencies from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, TRAFFIC said in its notes.
Indian officials said the country has taken several anti-poaching initiatives including preparation of tiger reserve specific security plan, deployment of local people as tiger protection force and use of sniffer dogs at sensitive places and electronic surveillance.
Government has also taken steps like payment of compensation for killed cattle, involvement of Special Tiger Protection force in sensitive reserves, creation of tiger photo data base and use of DNA analysis to identify the source of tiger body parts to tackle poaching and smuggling of endangered big cats, they said.

Source: http://www.business-standard.com/generalnews/news/india-to-involve-interpol-to-fight-illegal-wildlife-trade/103671/

Tiger attacks forest guard

D. RADHAKRISHNAN

M.Madhan, Forest Guard injured during patrol

A forest guard had a miraculous escape from a tiger at the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) near here on Tuesday. Attacked by the big cat while on patrol, M. Madhan (39) escaped with injuries.

The forest guard was on anti-poaching vigil along with six others when the incident occurred near Googulanarathi around noon. He was the last of the team walking through the forests when the tiger pounced on him. Others turned back on hearing his scream and chased away the tiger, M. Bomman, one of the team members, said. Dazed but conscious, Mr. Madhan managed to walk over a short distance from where he was taken to the Government Hospital in Gudalur. He suffered injuries to the shoulder and hip. After first aid, he was shifted to the Government Headquarters hospital here.

Deputy Director of the reserve A. Ameer Haja told The Hindu that it was an unusual incident and added that the tiger was with a cub.

None in the patrol party knew from where the tiger had come. He said that the injuries were not life threatening and added that the medical expenses would be borne by the department. Appropriate compensation would be given.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tiger-attacks-forest-guard/article4289057.ece

When the birds come calling

IANS

During the winter months the Odisha Bhitarkanika National Park plays host to thousands of birds. This year saw a record number of feathered friends visiting.

Black-tailed Godwit:Migratory birds.Photo: Lingaraj Panda

This year has been unusually good for bird watchers at the Odisha Bhitarkanika National Park in Orissa. They have spotted upto 81,000 migratory birds as well as resident birds at the park. Last year, the total count of birds was just 52,242.

According to the Divisional Forest Officer Manoj Kumar Mohapatra, at least 111 species of birds were spotted.

Visitors

The annual bird census was conducted on December 26, 2012 at the park in Kendrapada, about 170 km from the state capital Bhubaneswar. The major highlight of the census was that as many as 36,000 Black-tailed Godwits were spotted. The Black-tailed Godwit ( Limosa limosa ) is a large, long-billed shorebird. It is a member of the Limosa genus, the godwits. There are three subspecies, all with orange head, neck and chest in breeding plumage and dull grey-brown in winter. They have a distinctive black and white wingbar. They have a discontinuous breeding range stretching from Iceland to the far east of Russia.

Another interesting fact at the census was that enumerators spotted a rare group of birds which they are yet to identify.

Besides the Black-tailed Godwit the other prominent species visiting the park were the Brahmini ducks and the Bar-headed geese.

The Brahmini ducks are a small resident population in north-west Africa and Ethiopia. But, the main breeding area of this species is from south-east Europe across central Asia to south-east Asia. These birds are mostly migratory, wintering in the Indian subcontinent.

The Bar-headed goose breeds in Central Asia in colonies of thousands near mountain lakes. It winters in South Asia, as far south as the Indian peninsular. It lays around three to eight eggs at a time in a ground nest.

The Bhitarkanika park, also a wildlife sanctuary, is home to over 200 species of birds, including 98 varieties of migratory birds.

The sanctuary is widely known as the world’s largest rookery of Olive Ridley sea turtles.

Every year, more than a million migratory birds from places as far as Siberia and Iraq flock to various sites in Odisha in October, spending the winter here before returning in March.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-youngworld/when-the-birds-come-calling/article4285827.ece