The birds really rule the roost here

M.T. SHIVA KUMAR

Spot-billed Pelicans, Painted Storks and other species have started arriving at Kokkare Bellur

• Around Rs. 1.2lakh is given annually as relief to persons on whose property the birds nest
• ‘Kokkare Bellur may be given ‘Community Bird Sanctuary’ status to develop it’

Here again: More than 1,500 birds of several species
descend on Kokkare Bellur village in
Mandya district every year to nest.

Much to the delight of bird-watchers, several species of birds have started arriving at Kokkare Bellur, on the banks of the Shimsha, near Maddur, in the district.

Kokkare Bellur is among the 465 bird sites identified in the country by the Indian Bird Conservation Network (IBCN).

Around 300 Spot-billed Pelicans, nearly 1,100 Painted Storks as well as other species of birds have landed at Kokkare Bellur in the last few weeks, occupying around 140 trees.

‘Increase in numbers’

“There is a considerable increase in the number of migratory birds compared with last year,” G. Mahesh, Deputy Range Forest Officer (Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary), told The Hindu here on Tuesday.

The increase in the number of winged visitors had left bird-watchers elated, Mr. Mahesh said.

More than 1,500 birds of several species descend on the village every year to nest. Last year, around 800 Painted Storks visited the village. Kokkare Bellur is considered one of the safe places for pelicans in India with local people passionately safeguarding the birds.

According to local people, the birds have been coming to Kokkare Bellur to nest for several decades and depart with the onset of monsoon. The Forest Department has been requesting local residents not to harm the birds and not to cut or trim the branches of trees.

It distributes around Rs. 1.2 lakh annually as compensation to persons on whose property the birds nest.

For rescued chicks

The department has also hired a local person, P. Lokesh Kumar, to keep an eye on the movements of the birds and to protect chicks from stray dogs. An enclosure with a mesh has been established at the village where chicks that have fallen from their nests are taken care of.

Recently, he and some others rescued three chicks recently which are being looked after at the enclosure.

The village also attracts tourists from different parts of the country, Mr. Lokesh told The Hindu .

Meanwhile, according to Mr. Mahesh, the Forest Department is contemplating giving Kokkare Bellur ‘Community Bird Sanctuary’ status to develop it.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/the-birds-really-rule-the-roost-here/article4457339.ece

SC: Why not ban vehicles in forests for animal safety?

Dhananjay Mahapatra, TNN | Jan 19, 2013
NEW DELHI: Concerned by high animal mortality in traffic accidents on roads passing through thick forests, the Supreme Court on Friday issued notices to the Centre and 10 states asking why mitigating measures, including a dusk-to-dawn ban on vehicles on forest roads, be not taken immediately.

Amicus curiae Harish Salve moved the application before the court's green bench comprising Justices Aftab Alam, K S Radhakrishnan and Ranjan Gogoi. He pointed to the disturbing number of deaths because of "upgradation, widening or indiscriminate construction of new roads through areas which have thick forest and which are rich in wildlife without first putting in place mitigative measures".

Salve mentioned the high incidence of death of animals, which collide with vehicles on the 54-km stretch of NH 37 passing through Kaziranga (a world heritage site recognized by Unesco) to escape flood waters of Brahmaputra in their attempt to flee towards higher grounds of Karbi Anglong forests.

A study by the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) eight years ago suggested construction of seven underpasses and 100-150 metre long ecoduct (tunnel) through raised grounds for safe passage of animals without their coming to the road. "The MoEF and the Assam government have not yet taken any steps to implement the recommendation," Salve complained.

The amicus said the apex court had in 2009 banned heavy and commercial vehicle movement on a state highway passing through Sariska tiger reserve and a ban on all vehicular movement during the night. This order is yet to be implemented, he said.

Salve said the apex court had in November 2008 closed traffic at night on the Mysore-Mananthawadi road passing through Nagarhole national park and ordered putting speed regulating measures like rumble strips.

He said roads were being indiscriminately constructed or upgraded even in ecologically sensitive areas like national parks and sanctuaries without seeking permission from competent authorities under the Wildlife Protection Act.

"These roads, besides jeopardizing wildlife, are also exposing pristine areas having high rainfall in the evergreen forests of the Western Ghats and the Himalayas which are prone to soil and water erosion and are subjected to other adverse impacts on the flora and fauna," he said.

The application listed important roads passing through sanctuaries and national parks or areas with heavy concentration and movement of wildlife requiring putting in place site-specific mitigation measures to prevent and reduce wild animal deaths from vehicular accidents.

On the benefit of mitigation measures, Salve gave the example of Zanzibar (East Africa), where installation of just four speed-breakers helped reduce mortality of the threatened red colobus monkeys by 85% in the first nine months.

Closure of roads from dusk to dawn, or from 9 pm till 7 am, has become necessary, Salve said. "This has been done between Mysore and Ooty, which passes through two protected areas with very high concentration of wildlife - the Bandipur national park in Karnataka and Mudumalai wildlife sanctuary across the border in Tamil Nadu," he added.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/SC-Why-not-ban-vehicles-in-forests-for-animal-safety/articleshow/18081130.cms

Another rhino killed in Kaziranga

Park officials said the spot where the rhino was
shot dead was just about 700 metre from the
Erasuti anti-poaching camp situated on the
northern bank of the Brahmaputra.

JORHAT: Poachers killed another rhinoceros in Kaziranga National Park on Monday. Forest staff found the carcass of the rhino at the park's Agoratoli range with the horn was missing.

Park officials said the spot where the rhino was shot dead was just about 700 metre from the Erasuti anti-poaching camp situated on the northern bank of the Brahmaputra. However, no gunshots were heard during the past 24 hours. "Our staff found the carcass of the animal close to the anti-poaching camp while they were patrolling this afternoon. They also recovered some bullets of a .303 rifle from near the body. We believe the rhino was killed by a .303 rifle with a silencer as the forest guards did not hear any gunshots,'' said chief conservator of forest (Kaziranga) N K Vasu.

After the carcass was found, forest staff launched an operation in and around the northern side of the park, Vasu said, adding, "Forest guards have been put on high alert in all the forest ranges of the park and both forest guards and the newly-appointed Assam Forest Protection Force personnel have been engaged in the operation."

He said that with this incident, the total number of rhino deaths due to poaching in Kaziranga and it's adjacent forest divisions areas has mounted to nine this year so far. The first poaching incident occurred near Sorali anti-poaching camp in Burapahar forest range on January 29 followed by three rhino killings on January 30, February 2 and 4 respectively.

To curb the unabated rhino poaching in the World Heritage Site park, the state forest department recently formed the Assam Forest Protection Force (AFPF) and recruited 300 personnel for Kaziranga. This force is equipped with SLR and .303 rifles. According to the park authorities, about 100 such AFPF personnel have already joined their duties at the park and are working in different forest camps along with other forest guards.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Another-rhino-killed-in-Kaziranga/articleshow/18682496.cms

Two elephants found dead

Two elephants were found dead in the Sathyamangalam forests here in the last two days. The carcass of a female elephant was found in a private farm land on Saturday.

Another female elephant was found dead in Bhavanisagar forest range. Samples have been sent to laboratory to know whether it has died of anthrax, said A. Venkatesh, Conservator of Forests.

Leopard found shot dead on Malankara coffee estate

Leopard found shot dead

The carcass of a leopard was found in a private coffee estate at Malankara near Sulthan Bathery in the district on Thursday morning.

The estate workers found the carcass of the male leopard, aged about six years, and informed the forest officials. The animal appeared to have been shot dead.

Forest cover depletes in Krishna district

G.V.R. SUBBA RAO

115.8 hectare of forest land has been cleared and encroached upon in the last two years

• The initiative to raise plantations in forest land also accounts for negative growth
• Attempts to encroach upon forest land traced in Sunkollu and Kantreipadu of Nuzvid range

Not for long:A view of the fast depleting Kondapalli
forest near Vijayawada.— Photo: Ch. Vijaya Bhaskar

The forest cover in Krishna district is depleting and a negative growth is being recorded, if the satellite images are to be believed. The negative growth has been recorded in two consecutive years of 2010 and 2011.

As much as 115.8 hectares of forest land has been cleared and encroached upon. The initiative to raise plantations in forest land has also accounted for negative growth in the district.

Satellite images point out that there is a decrease of 41.96 Ha of open forest and 4.30 Ha of scrub between 2009 (October-December) and 2010 (October-December).

The State government, in the forest report 2012, noted that a negative change (including scrub) of 27.66 Ha is on account of clearance of jungle growth for raising plantations. Encroachments accounted for 18.6 Ha.

The negative growth was recorded in previous year as well. Comparison of forest cover (satellite data of October 2009) with that assessment year (satellite imagery of October 2008-February 2009), shows a negative change of 150.28 Ha.

There is a decrease of 20 Ha of moderately dense forest, 126 Ha of open forest. Of the total negative change, raising plantations accounts for 53.08 Ha, and encroachments in 97.2 Ha.

A negative growth was recorded in Nuzvid range of Vijayawada division in the district, as 27.66 Ha was cleared for plantation. The Andhra Pradesh Forest Development Corporation is supposed to take up plantation there. Fresh attempts to encroach on forest land were traced in Sunkollu and Kantreipadu of Nuzvid range.

When contacted, Divisional Forest Officer P.J. Banerjee said that the vegetation growth depends on various factors including rainfall and sub-soil moisture.

The clearance of vegetation for raising plantations was a forest management intervention. So, it cannot be considered as loss of forest cover. There were few old encroachments, and fresh attempts were made. Cases were slapped against the encroachers, he said.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-in-school/forest-cover-depletes-in-krishna-district/article4444521.ece

Forest guards attacked, check post vandalised

Case registered against timber merchants, lorry owners and drivers

The Forest Department check-post on
Salem – Yercaud Ghat Road that was vandalised
in Salem on Friday. PHOTO: P. GOUTHAM

Two forest guards were assaulted and the check post they were manning vandalised by a few timber merchants at the Salem — Yercaud Ghat Road, here on Friday morning.

 According to the police, around 6 a.m. on Friday, eight lorries carrying silver oak logs from Yercaud was stopped at the check post and the forest guards, Jayakumar (34) and Sri Ganesh (32), asked the drivers to produce the documents. The drivers, who did not have valid documents, left their vehicles behind to inform their owners.

Later, around 9.30 a.m., more than 30 persons, including lorry owners, drivers and timber merchants, reached the check post and entered into an altercation with the guards. They allegedly assaulted the guards and damaged the properties at the check post. Later they broke the check post’s gate and drove away the lorries.

The guards, who sustained injuries, were admitted to Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital. Yercaud Tahsildar Chandrasekaran, Additional Superintendent of Police Saroj Kumar Tagore and senior forest officials inspected the spot.

 N. Thangaraju, District Forest Officer, Salem Division, told The Hindu that this was the second attack on the personnel at the check post and protection has been sought from the police.

Forest officials said that under the Tamil Nadu Hill Areas (Preservation of Trees) Act, 1955, the order for tree cutting has to be obtained from the District Committee, headed by the District Collector. “Only if trees are felled legally, it can be transported. Only the committee is empowered to take action against the violators”, the officials said.

 Based on a complaint lodged by forest guard Sri Ganesh, Yercaud police have registered a case against 20 persons, including lorry owners, drivers and timber merchants under Sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting with deadly weapon), 294 (b) (uttering obscene words in public place), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharging duty), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty) and 506 (i) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code. Search is on for the accused.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-miscellaneous/forest-guards-attacked-check-post-vandalised/article4445258.ece

India praised for its vulture conservation efforts

Saswati Mukherjee, TNN | Feb 21, 2013, 02.11 PM IST

The paper published in the journal "Science"
by Dr Andrew Balmford of Cambridge University
gives a perspective on the progress of
vulture conservation in South Asia.

BANGALORE: The vultures in South Asia have been under threat for over a decade now. But the silver lining is that India has acted quickly to conserve this species, as compared to many western countries in the past in the case of other environmental pollutants. A new research paper in 'Science' has observed that the central and state governments in India were quick enough to bring the vultures back from the brink, with help of research institutions such as BNHS, under the SAVE (Saving Asia's Vultures from Extinction) consortium. The paper further states that many western countries have been much slower in acting upon the environmental impacts of pesticides that were felt over decades.

Timely action

The paper published in the journal "Science" by Dr Andrew Balmford of Cambridge University gives a perspective on the progress of vulture conservation in South Asia. It attributes the progress so far to the quick response of the governments in the region to the vulture crises by banning veterinary diclofenac. The pesticide effect in the West continues to cause grave damage to non-target organisms. But in South Asia, the fact that vulture declines have significantly slowed and possibly even reversed has been directly attributed to the prompt action over the past decade.

Expressing satisfaction on the action taken by authorities in India so far, BNHS Director, Asad Rahmani said, "The timely ban on veterinary diclofenac in South Asia, along with the research and conservation efforts of BNHS and the SAVE partners, based on scientific facts has proved to be a successful step in the right direction". Commenting on the issue author Dr Balmford said, "The vulture collapse is an immense problem - in its sheer extent as well as in its significance for people. So news that the declines are beginning to slow and even reverse is extremely welcome and a testament both to the tremendous hard work of all the NGOs in the SAVE consortium and to the responsiveness of governments in the region."

The way ahead

However, it has to be noted that the job of saving the vultures is far from complete. Before the captive bred vultures can be safely released back into the wild across South Asia, it needs to be ensured that the countryside does not have diclofenac lingering in the food chain. Vulture Safe Zones (VSZs) need to be identified in various regions. The recent SAVE meeting held in Kathmandu in November 2012 stressed the need for preventing human diclofenac being used for veterinary purpose. This can be achieved by packaging human diclofenac in smaller vials not larger than 3ml, which would be much less convenient for using on cattle. Talking on the issue, Chris Bowden, Programme Manager, SAVE said, "Establishing a safety-testing system for alternative veterinary drugs is essential since some of them are probably as dangerous as diclofenac. Government action so far has been quite good and with the help of IVRI (Indian Veterinary Research Institute), we hope that these last essential steps can also be taken".

Populations of the three Asian vulture species, viz. Oriental White-backed Vulture, Long-billed Vulture and Slender-billed Vulture, declined by more than 99% in South Asia since the early 1990s. Veterinary diclofenachad lethal effects on vultures that fed on cattle carcasses, which had been treated with the drug shortly before death. Thegovernments in South Asia subsequently banned the veterinary use of the painkiller in 2006. Meanwhile, scientists from BNHS and RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, UK), along with forest departments in various states of India have been successfully working on vulture breeding, advocacy and field research such as carcass sampling. The SAVE consortium for efforts across borders was set up in 2011 and subsequently a new Regional Steering Committee has been set up by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Indian Government. At present over 250 vultures are being nurtured in the three BNHS conservation breeding centres in India. In 2012, 26 new vultures were raised. In the wild, the latest trends suggest that the vulture decline has slowed since 2007 and White-backed Vulture numbers have even increased in some localised areas.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/India-praised-for-its-vulture-conservation-efforts/articleshow/18608037.cms

Officials target poaching by forest staff kin

MUMBAI: The forest officials at Sanjay Gandhi National Park are set to kick off a sensitization programme that will help stop poaching by staffers' kin. This initative comes on the back of the involvement of two forest guards' sons in a leopard poaching case that came to light on Monday., has left the forest officials at Sanjay Gandhi National Park with the need to sensitize their staffers' kin as well toward poaching.

Families of several forest officials live on the premises and have the best access to the forest, which makes the crime easier to commit. The need is to make their kin more sensitive to avoid such instances, officials say.

A senior forest official said that increasing surveillance is only one half of the partly the solution to the problem of poaching. It is also the families of as well as staffers who need to be made aware not just of the need to preserve wildlife but also of the seriousness of the crime and the punishment that which follows it.

"This case should serve as an example. Most staffers of those who work in the forest are usually well-aware of their responsibilities,and role but their families should also be involved or made aware of in the effort to preserve wildlife," he said. Officials said there are many staffers who live with their families in quarters within the park. Another official said that even though this was a rare case, "the effort of speaking to families should start now It can be more of an awareness measure to avoid involvement of kin in wildlife crimes". Officials also said families should be made aware of the penalties that come along with poaching to further discourage them.

Krishna Tiwari from City Forest Initiative said the idea to speak to families is a novel one and may make a difference when it is finally implemented.

The need to sensitize has arisen after the crime branch have arrested four persons in connection to leopard poaching. They include Alok Khaire (27), Prashant Patel (25), Tushar Bagwe (29) and Abhishek Rane (26). They were arrested on Monday while trying to sell a leopard skin for Rs 4 lakh.

The police said they had formed several teams and were still looking for the gang leader, Pankaj, Patel's elder brother.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Officials-target-poaching-by-forest-staff-kin/articleshow/18602261.cms

Man arrested trying to sell leopard skin

A 48-year-old man was arrested in Kurla (West) Tuesday night for allegedly attempting to sell a leopard skin. He was carrying the skin worth Rs 1.5 lakh in a haversack, police said.

The accused, booked under Wildlife (Protection) Act, has allegedly confessed to acquiring the skin from a relative in Pune. Forest officials suspect the leopard to be from the forest in Sahyadri Hills.

Police said Bhagwan Sanas was seen loitering suspiciously around GSK Lodge on LBS Marg at 9 pm Tuesday. When he did not answer questions regarding his presence confidently, patrolling police demanded to check his haversack and found the skin.

Sanas was immediately arrested and taken to Kurla police station. An examination at Sanjay Gandhi National Park confirmed the 89-centimetre-long skin belonged to a leopard.

Sanas is a contract labourer with Larsen and Toubro and lives in Kurla. He told police he acquired the skin a few days ago at his native Karanji village in Pune district.

"It appears the leopard was skinned after it was killed. I do not think it was killed in Sanjay Gandhi National Park. Sanas said the leopard is from the Sahyadri Hills near his village. We have charged him with killing an endangered species," said DCP (zone V) Dhananjay Kulkarni.

Sanas has been booked under sections 9 (prohibition of hunting), 39 (confiscation) and 51 (penalties imposed by the forest department) of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and remanded in police custody till February 23.

"We arrested him after a tip-off. He has not yet disclosed who he was trying to sell the skin to," Kulkarni said.

The arrest comes two days after four youth were held by the crime branch trying to sell a leopard skin worth Rs 4 lakh. Two of the youths are sons of forest officials and stay in quarters inside Sanjay Gandhi National Park.

Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/man-arrested-trying-to-sell-leopard-skin/1077288/0