Crop shield spells doom for birds

S. HARPAL SINGH

Plastic nets erected along the perimeter of agriculture fields by farmers to protect their crops from monkeys are turning as snares for birds

Skewed protection:A bird trapped in a fishing net put up
to protect agricultural field from monkeys,
in Udumpur village of Kadem mandal in Adilabad.
-PHOTO: S. HARPAL SIngh

The fishing nets used by farmers in the hilly and forested areas of Adilabad to protect crops from monkeys have brought doom for birds in the wild. Though the tall plastic nets erected along the perimeter of agriculture fields have deterred simians from raiding standing crops, these are acting as snares for unsuspecting birds.

Tens of birds like the shikra, owl, partridge, quail and pigeon can be found entangled in the mesh in fields in Udumpur and Alampalli in Kadem mandal. The loss may seem to be negligible in terms of harm to the eco system, but conservationists are worried that the phenomenon could take the shape of poaching of birds in the garb of protecting crops.

“We hardly have a role to play when it comes to protecting crops from monkeys,” reveals Jannaram Wildlife Division Forest Officer G. Rama Krishna Rao, who also looks after the Kawal Tiger Reserve, as he explains the gamut to The Hindu . “Respective gram panchayats or other local bodies concerned, need to take care of the problem by sterilising the simians in the area to control their population by obtaining necessary permission from the State Chief Wildlife Warden,” he adds. Donthula Shravan Kumar, a farmer from Udumpur says the menace has surfaced two years back when hundreds of monkeys from elsewhere were released into the forests. “After losing much crop initially we experimented with fencing the fields with nets and found it an effective means of controlling monkey invasions”, the farmer recalls.

Meanwhile, the Wildlife Forest Division at Jannaram will implement a new plan to erect fencing around fields to control crop damage by wild boars which is the most troublesome of the problem. The initial fencing will be done at a cost of Rs. 40 lakh in the next financial year, according to Mr. Rama Krishna Rao.

“The low chain link fence goes about 20 cm deep inside the soil too to prevent wild boars from digging the earth and entering fields,” the DFO reveals. “We will enlist farmers who need such protection for their crops soon,” he adds.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/crop-shield-spells-doom-for-birds/article4556553.ece

105 whale sharks rescued in last two years along Gujarat coast

AHMEDABAD: The forest department and the rescue teams along the Gujarat coast have rescued 105 whale sharks in the last two years.

Saurashtra coast is now globally known as
the breeding site of whale sharks.

Minister of state for forest and environment Govind Patel told the House in a written reply to Asarwa MLA Rajnikanth Patel's question that as on December 31, 2012, a compensation of Rs 7.60 lakh was paid to fishermen whose nets were damaged in shark rescue exercise.

The minister said that whale shark protection campaign was on in the state. An officer of the department said that Saurashtra coast was now globally known as breeding site of whale shark. Hunting of the whale shark was an important fishing activity in Saurashtra coast as it fetched substantial earning to the fishermen community.

The forest department and naturalists joined hands and hunting was banned in 2001, in Gujarat, after it became the first fish to be listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The state forest department, along with the Wildlife Trust of India, the International Fund for Animal Welfare, and other local NGOs and nature lovers launched a whale shark protection campaign in the state which turned as a role model for conservation.

Morari Bapu was roped in as an ambassador for the project. He went to Dwarka and blessed a whale shark. Although Rs 25,000 is paid for each rescue, the loss to the fishermen was higher.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/the-good-earth/105-whale-sharks-rescued-in-last-two-years-along-Gujarat-coast/articleshow/19150842.cms

'Sex-on-the-reef' recorded for first time ever along Lakshadweep islands

PTI

A rare and curious phenomenon, coral spawning, popularly referred to as "sex-on-the-reef", has been recorded scientifically for the first time along Lakshadweep islands on India's west coast, a Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) researcher has claimed.

Generally observed after full-moon nights, coral spawning is a magnificent phenomenon of sexual reproduction of corals, which involves mass collective expulsion of colourful eggs and sperm clouds into the water by corals.

Normally taking place once a year, the gametes then rise to the surface of the ocean creating a colourful slick.

The slick was first observed by Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) marine biologist Subburaman S last week, and also by the Central Marine Fisheries and Research Institute (CMFRI) team.

"I was travelling by boat, when I noticed an interesting effect in the water. Out of curiosity, I collected some pink and brown spawn for examination," Subburaman was quoted as saying by a WTI release here.

Subburaman with the support of CMFRI scientists Dr Jasmine and R Srinath examined the samples and confirmed that they were indeed coral spawn.

Environment wardens Abdul Raheem and Dr Sayeed Ali said that this finding proves that Lakshadweep's corals are recovering from the stress they experienced after El Niño, 2010.

Chief Wildlife Warden, Lakshadweep, Thirunavukarasu, added that it's great news that the Lakshadweep coral reef is in a healthy state.

During spawning, the eggs are fertilised and form larvae.

The larvae then float off till they find suitable substrates, settle and form their own colonies, helping corals thrive.

Coral spawning is a big tourist attraction in the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, where it generally happens soon after the full moon in November or December. Spawning normally happens when the water is warm, and when the tide is changing from high to low.

In the Maldives, spawning has been scientifically determined to take place between the end of January and the beginning of March.

One thing is universal though - exact date of spawning is still largely unpredictable.

It was first recorded in 1981, says WTI.

Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/sexonthereef-recorded-for-first-time-ever-along-lakshadweep-islands/1093706/0

Caught on camera: Rising tiger population

HYDERABAD: Three tiger cubs among 18 sighted in India's biggest tiger reserve has brought good news for authorities, who are trying to save the population of the big cat from dwindling in the Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve (NSTR).

Officials said tiger movements were caught on camera recently in and around 800 square kilometers of NSTR, which experts said were signs that the population was doing well. At least 5 males and 10 females, apart from 3 cubs aged over a year old were caught on camera in the core areas for the first time in the last few years.

NSTR has a total critical tiger habitat area of around 3,600 square kilometers and as per the latest census, the estimated tiger population at NSTR, has been pegged at anywhere between 53 and 67 tigers.

In India, which is home to half of the world's tiger population, the latest census in March 2011, revealed the presence of an estimated 1,706 tigers, way down from a healthy 45,000 population about 100 years ago. Tigers are mercilessly poached for their skin, claws and bones, all sold for its medicinal value in countries such as China and also in the west. Parts from a single tiger can fetch as much as $50,000 in the black market.

Buoyed at the good news, NSTR officials said they are planning to purchase 210 cameras so that 800 square kilometer area can be covered at one go. "Right now we have logistics to cover only 400 square kilometers at a time," said Rahul Pandey, field director at NSTR. So far, Rs 50 lakh was spent for the purchase of cameras. In addition to this, Panthera (a tiger conservation organization) has donated 60 cameras.

Officials plan to scout at least 2,000 square kilometres area of the reserve before the onset of monsoon and complete rest of the area later. "We have divided the total tiger habitat area into nine blocks each measuring 400 square kilometers. So far we have completed camera trapping in two blocks," said Pandey.

The camera trappings were done at the Dornala range of Markapur division, Srisailam range of Atmakur division and at the Mannanur range of Achampeta division. "We saw pug marks of another cub in Mannanur range, but could not get the footage," he added.

This scientific mapping exercise is being done under phase-4 of intensive tiger monitoring under the ministry of environment and forests. Experts said special care must be taken to protect the cubs as the mortality rate is often very high.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/wild-wacky/Caught-on-camera-Rising-tiger-population/articleshow/18473517.cms

Activist demands action against Rajaji forest officials

Human rights activist Avdhash Kaushal has sought an FIR against the Rajaji National Park authorities for partying within the park premises on Sunday to celebrate the Holi festival.

The party complete with blaring music and cooking of food saw about 200 men women and children freaking out in the core area of the park throughout the day. They arrived in about 100 cars and jeeps causing much pollution and nuisance for the animals. All this was done without permission from the Chief Wildlife Warden and violated the Wildlife Protection Act, Mr. Kaushal alleged.

Instead of ordering a probe into the matter, the forest authorities are trying to cover up the issue by saying that a workshop on man- animal conflict was held and not a party.

“The question is what were the family members of the forest officials doing there if it was a workshop”, an insider asked.

Mr. Kaushal also threatened to move a court against the Chief Wildlife Warden S.S. Sharma, Director Rajaji National Park S. P. Subudhi and the Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna if action was not taken against the guilty officials immediately.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-newdelhi/activist-demands-action-against-rajaji-forest-officials/article4549150.ece

Row over dumping of garbage in forest area

A vehicle of the Meppadi grama panchayat
dumping garbage inside the Attamala forest area.
—Photo: E.M. Manoj

The Forest Department and the Meppadi grama panchayat are locking horns over the dumping of garbage in the Attamala reserve forest area of the Meppadi forest range under the South Wayanad forest division.

The panchayat authorities have been dumping garbage after collecting it from Meppadi town and the nearby small towns under the panchayat inside the forest at Attamala for more than a decade, sources in the Forest Department says.

Though forest officials had reasoned with the panchayat authorities for the past many years to stop the practice, they were yet to respond positively, the sources added. The ‘dumping yard’ of the panchayat on the banks of a small stream, a tributary of the Chaliyar river, was posing a serious threat to the wildlife habitats and the waterbodies in the area. Poultry waste, disposable plastic glasses and plates, and rotten vegetables and watermelons were being heaped in the area.

“The panchayat authorities dump waste everyday, except on holidays,” K. Mathew, a villager, said. He added that wild herbivores, including elephants, boars, and sambar deer, could be seen feeding on the garbage and it created many health issues among them. The practice also contaminated the waterbodies in the area, especially during monsoon, and the fumes arising from burning the garbage polluted the serenity of the area, he added. Though the forest officials had erected a billboard prohibiting waste-dumping in the area at the entrance to the forest a few months ago as per the direction of Forest Minister K.B. Ganesh Kumar, the panchayat authorities seemed to have taken no notice of it, the sources added.

‘We are planning to take stringent actions against the authorities to stop the illegal activities, as per the Kerala Forest Act, 1961,” P. Dhaneshkumar, South Wayanad divisional forest officer, told The Hindu . But Ancy Baby, president, Meppadi grama panchayat, said they were forced to continue the practice owing to non-availability of land to dispose of garbage. The panchayat had identified land at Chooralmala, near here, to set up a dumping yard and its acquisition process was under way, she added.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/row-over-dumping-of-garbage-in-forest-area/article4549582.ece

Violation of law in land allotted to tribals, claims study on Forest Rights Act

MEENA MENON

• There is a trend of putting barren forest land to agriculture between 2005 and 2008
• People cleared forest cover and started cultivation after FRs have been recognised

Sloppy implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) has resulted in large tracts of forests being cut down and claimed as cultivated land in Maharashtra, according to a study. Data shows that in Jalgaon district alone, more than 79 per cent claims over cultivated forest land were apparently on ineligible lands and about 25 per cent had forest cover. In Thane, adjacent to Mumbai with a high land value, about 12 per cent of the land allotted to tribal people was ineligible according to the eligibility criteria under FRA.

Maharashtra government had, a few years ago, relaxed the measurement for land claimed by tribal people and this has caused discrepancies in settling claims under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006 (FRA). A study done by a private company in 2012, at the behest of the State Forest Department, used a database from the Tribal Research and Training Institute (TRTI), Pune, and the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Hyderabad. Satellite maps and GPS data were collated to examine changes after 2005 in tree cover, vegetation and land-use in forest land under forest rights (FR) claims and those which have recognized rights of cultivation.

TRTI has the data of 1,89,400 forest plots under Forest Rights (FR) claims, which are measured using GPS and uploaded on its website. Each land under claim has a unique 13 digit code comprising alpha numerical identification for district, tehsil, village and initials of the claimant. Of the 3, 44,330 claims received in Maharashtra, 2, 34,242 claims were rejected, according to latest data from the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs website. Only 1, 05,930 claims have been approved, of which 99,368 titles were distributed for about 2, 50,000 hectares . Activists and tribal people have been contesting the delay in allotting rights and the high rejection of claims.

However, Thane district, with one of the highest number of claims in the State, did not provide details of the 13 digit-code for all claimants, and in fact, cleared cases without GPS measurement, the study says. The government blames the high rate of false claimants for the rejections. Gadchiroli, Chandrapur, Nasik, Raigad, Gondia and Bhandara districts also provided little data. Overall, data only for 40,428 approved cases was made available for the study from 19 districts covering 1705 villages.

In 2,433 cases, out of a total of 36,640 cases analysed, there was a road/ river/nallah within the plot. The highest number of such cases is in Dhule and Nandurbar districts. As seen on 2005-06 satellite images, about 15 per cent approved cases are on lands having forest or no agriculture.

Data using Cartosat-1 satellite images of 2005-06 and 2007-08, shows that in 789 cases out of 35, 044 approved FR cases, land-use changed between the years 2005-06 to 2007-08. Large numbers of such cases with land-use change are in Jalgaon, Nandurbar, and Dhule. Out of 539 FR cases from Jalgaon district, 321 cases are from three villages of Chopda Taluka — Umarti (118), Satrasen (113) and Melane (90).

The data reveals that there was a huge trend of putting barren forest land to agriculture between 2005 and 2008 to stake claims. About 37 per cent of barren area was converted into agriculture and 33 per cent was converted from forest cover to agriculture. Jalgaon has the highest area so far of forested areas and barren forest land converted to agriculture. An analysis of 5,373 FR cases on satellite images of 2007-08 shows that in these 789 approved FR cases, land-use change occurred after 2005. The study says this implies that people first claimed rights of cultivation, irrespective of the fact whether it was under cultivation on December 13, 2005 (as mandated by FRA) or not and later that forest land was cleared for cultivation. Though the percentage of land-use change detected is less than one per cent in terms of total area, about 641 hectares forest land appears to have been converted from barren land to agriculture and about 580 hectares of forests to agriculture.

In a separate set of data, since satellite images of 2011-12 were available for six districts, only 26,807 finalized FR cases were analyzed, covering 45,034 hectares in Jalgaon, Dhule, Nandurbar, Nashik, Thane, and Gadchiroli districts. It was found that 39,996 (89 per cent) hectares is under cultivation within the approved plots in 2011-12 which is a four per cent increase from 2007-08, Forest/tree cover and barren land has reduced from 910 to 433 hectares and 5476 to 4605 hectares respectively between 2007-08 and 2011-12. This means that people have cleared forest cover and started cultivation after FRs have been recognized on these lands, the study points out.

In these six districts, at least 5037.88 hectares of ineligible forest land on which Forest Rights have been recognized is still not converted into cultivation as per 2011-12 satellite images.

In FR cases’ analysis on Cartosat-1 satellite images of 2007-08 and 2011-12, it has been observed that in 827 cases out of 26, 807 finally recognized FR cases, land-use changed between 2007-08 to 2011-12.

The percentage of land-use changes in finally recognised FR cases shows an increase in 2011-12 (3.1 per cent) compared to 2007-08 (2.3 per cent). In an analysis of claims applied for but not recognised, it increased from 12.4 per cent to 18.3 per cent.

Land use changes violate the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 and data from all districts needs to be revisited for verification of claims and ensuring forests are not cut down, said a forest official.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-newdelhi/violation-of-law-in-land-allotted-to-tribals-claims-study-on-forest-rights-act/article4549144.ece

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

Elephant dies in train accident

BHUBANESWAR, March 22, 2013
An elephant died after being hit by a goods train near Ghatagon in Keonjhar district early on Thursday.

“The elephant was possibly a part of a herd. When collision took place it was isolated from the herd. The accident took place at around 4.15 a.m.,” Keonjhar Divisional Forest Officer Ajay Kumar Jena said.

The dead elephant was an adult female jumbo. The accident occurred between Nilakantheswar and Harichandanpur station.

Earlier incidents

It may be recalled here that elephants were mowed down by the Chennai-bound Coromandel Express in Ganjam district on December 30 last. Prior to that in August 2012, two elephants were killed in train accidents in Keonjhar district. As many as 12 elephants died in train accidents during the past two years.

The railway track was laid right through the forested region of Keonjhar district which has a good elephant population. About 60 to 70 km stretch of railway line in Keonjahr is considered to be vulnerable zone for elephants.

“The investigation is in preliminary stage. We have not registered a case against any person. As the investigation would progress, a case could be registered,” said Mr. Jena.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-otherstates/elephant-dies-in-train-accident/article4536811.ece

Guidelines issued to deal with straying tigers

IGNATIUS PEREIRA

• Crowding by the local people should be avoided by clamping prohibitory orders
• If a captured tiger is healthy, it should be released into a suitable habitat after radio collaring
• A tiger should never be eliminated if it doesn’t cause human casualties: NTCA

A standard operating procedure (SOP) to deal with the emergency arising due to the straying of tigers in human-dominated areas has been issued by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), stipulating the imposition of prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code in the area of its operation.

The SOP, intended for the forest departments of all States, has already been notified by the Kerala Forest Department. It was designed by the NTCA in the wake of an incident on December 2, 2012, at Wayanad, when a team from the Forest Department shot a male tiger that strayed into areas inhabited by human beings.

The SOP underlines that “under no circumstance should a tiger be eliminated by invoking the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, if it isn’t habituated to causing human casualties. But confirmed man-eaters should be eliminated as per the statutory provisions under Section 11 of the Act”.

Therefore, while forest authorities engage in dealing with straying of tigers and even leopards into human-dominated areas, crowding by local people should be avoided by clamping prohibitory orders. Authorities should ensure to proactively involve the district administration and the local police in the area at an early stage. Clamping prohibitory orders is essential to avoid agitation of the local people surrounding the animal’s location, which will hamper the capture operation and can also result in serious injuries to the staff and the people, the SOP notes.

It can even result in incidents like the one that took place at Wayanad. “Effective coordination with the district administration and police is critical to control crowds.” If an area is habitually prone to livestock predation by big cats, the Forest Department has to take up research to assess the reasons for frequent tiger emergencies. Under no circumstance should a captured tiger, if it is found to be injured or incapacitated, be released into the forest. It should be sent to a recognised zoo. But if a captured tiger is healthy, without injuries, it should be released after radio collaring, into a suitable habitat with an adequate prey base.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/guidelines-issued-to-deal-with-straying-tigers/article4536147.ece