MP minister's kin car hit Tigress in Bandhavgarh

This case has yet again alarmed us all on how we treat our animals. The news is pathetic but not surprising at all !

Many of you might have been witnesses to the hooliganism of a section of tourist operators that have been growing like a cancer in parks like Bandhavgarh. In February 2007 we were witness to such a case when a speeding vehicle of a 'well-known' resort-wala was about to run over a wild boar family while on the way to spot a Tiger that was sighted by another group of vehicles and was conveyed over cellphones. In addition to this a 'naturalist' representing another resort was found giving mock-calls to distract a Tiger cub from its mother for closer photo opportunities. We had lodged a complaint with park authorities to take necessary actions.

Tourism can never be harmful for wildlife but tourist-mafias are real threats. Setting up & enforcement of stringent laws to crub this expanding menace must be rolled out at any cost, before more damages are caused.

But who will bell the cat (read mafias) is a question even bigger!

MP minister's kin car hit Tigress in Bandhavgarh

In a new twist to the controversy over the death of a Tigress in Bandhavgarh Reserve, TOI learns the incident occurred after a vehicle hit the wild cat. Sources confirmed that the vehicle that hit the Tigress was allegedly owned by a resort run by PWD minister of MP, Nagendra Singh.

A close relative of the minister's son was in the vehicle when it inadvertently hit the Tigress. Park officials have detained three vehicles. A tourist had told TOI that the death happened due to a collision with a vehicle. Naresh Kadyan, master trainer of Animal Welfare Board of India and a representative of International Organisation for Animal Protection in India, has issued notice to the chief wildlife warden of MP under section 55 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

He has also demanded the sacking of the minister. Kadyan claims that it was Singh's son who was in the vehicle that dashed against the Tigress.

"Officials are trying to hush up the matter," he said from Delhi. "The minister's son and others have violated the law. Yet the police failed to lodge an FIR against them for violation of section 9, read with 51 of Wildlife Protection Act along with section 428-429 of IPC specifying criminal conspiracy against wild animals or any relevant legislations. The chief wildlife warden has failed to perform his duties."

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/MP-ministers-kin-car-hit-tigress-in-Bandhavgarh/articleshow/5955969.cms

Is this a reason to cheer up or be distressed thinking about the future of the 3 cubs ?

We had photographed the above cub at Guda in Ranthambhore N.P in April 2008 when they were approx 6-8 months old & were probably the only ones to have been able to photograph one of the two present feeding on a wild boar.

Reportedly the cubs were untraceble soon after the mother surprisingly disappeared. Was the disappearance courtesy the villagers living adjacent to the Guda area, remains a mystery like always!

With shrinking of habitats looming large over the fate of Tigers, is this news from Panna really a reason to be joyful or be an alarm ?

Tigress gives birth to three cubs in Panna reserve

In a major boost to efforts to revive Tiger population, a translocated tigress has for the first time given birth to three cubs in Madhya Pradesh’s Panna reserve, where the big cats had disappeared.

The Tigress, translocated from Bandhavgarh in the state to Panna in March last year after the reserve lost its Tiger population, has given birth to three cubs, Panna Reserve Field Director R. S. Murthy told PTI today.

The cubs were believed to be 20 days old and were spotted by forest officials when the Tigress was taking them out of her den. “The Tigress and its three cubs are in fine condition,” he said.

It is for the first time that a translocated Tigress has given birth in the country. Two Tigresses and a Tiger were translocated to Sariska in Rajasthan in 2008 after it lost its Tiger population but the animals have not been able to breed till now. There were reports that the Tigers brought from Ranthambhor could be siblings.

Panna reserve, which had more than 30 big cats four years ago, lost all its Tigers by last year following which two tigresses-one from Bandhavgarh and another from Kanha Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh - were translocated there on March 6 and March 9, 2009 respectively.

A Tiger from Pench reserve was also translocated on November 14.

In more good news from Panna, officials said that the second translocated tigress could also be expecting.

Security has been beefed up in the area and entry of tourists banned for the safety of the Tigers. “We will not allow tourist entry into the region to ensure safety of the Tigress and its cubs,” Mr. Murthy said.

Officials were Tight-lipped over the location of the Tigress due to security reasons. Panna reserve is spread over an area of 543 sq km in Panna and Chhatarpur districts of eastern Madhya Pradesh.

“The cubs have opened their eyes. This development usually takes place after 10 days of birth,” Mr. Murthy said.

The translocated Tiger had disappeared on November 26 and it was only after much effort that it was brought back to the park on December 25 last year.

The Tiger has now settled in the new environs in Panna and this is evident from the birth of the three cubs, an official said.

The government has plans to relocate six Tigers in all in Panna.

Courtesy : http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article425535.ece

Taking a break from Kit Kat

Taking a break from

Kit Kat.

It will not be the same for us anymore!

www.greenpeace.org/india/kit-kat

Are Kaziranga Tigers really lucky ?

Kaziranga has lost quite a few numbers of Tigers in the recent past. With departmental claims that Kaziranga has the highest number of Tigers, are we really lucky ?

TOI report : Kaziranga National Park, the only world heritage site in Assam, located about 250 km from the state capital, has the highest density of Royal Bengal tigers in the world.

This welcome news comes amid a growing concern over the number of tiger deaths in the park, as well as the fast dwindling big cat figures in other sanctuaries of India. Wildlife Crime Control Bureau found that between November 2008 and September 19, 2009, at least a dozen tigers had died in Kaziranga.

On Thursday, Assam environment and forest minister Rockybul Hussain announced that Kaziranga has as many as 32 tigers per 100 sqkm. He said this while releasing the findings of a joint study by the state forest department and Aaranyak, a biodiversity conservation group in the northeast. The study had been conducted between 2008 and March 2010, using the cameratrapping method.

“After an analysis of all parameters involved in cameratrapping methods, we can safely say Kaziranga has the highest density of Royal Bengal tigers in the world, surpassing even Corbett National Park in Uttarkhand,” Hussain said.

The minister officially announced Kaziranga’s name after the findings were scrutinised by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and Wildlife Institute of India (WII).

Chitwan National Park (Nepal) — one of the major Royal Bengal Tiger habitats in the world outside India — has a density of 8.70 tigers per 100 sqkm. Corbett National Park in India has a density of 19.6 tigers per 100 sqkm. The density in other tiger reserves in India are Bandipur (11.97), Nagarhole (11.92), Kanha (11.70) and Ramthambore (11.46). M Firoz Ahmed, Aaranyak’s wildlife biologist and team leader of the study, said the tiger density of the Sunderbans in West Bengal is not known yet, while the density in SE Asian countries like Myanmar is much lower.

The revelation brought much cheer among wildlife enthusiasts and activists. Sanctuary Asia editor Bittu Sehgal said: “It’s the highest density of tigers in the world. But it’s an estimate. Nevertheless, it is a tribute to the wildlife protection staff of Kaziranga whose blood has been spilled in defence of its rhinos, tigers, elephants and wild buffalos. Kaziranga’s example should be emulated by all other tiger reserves and they should get the same political backing Kaziranga gets today.”

Wildlife activist Suchandra Kundu, however, expressed concern over the trend of tigers disappearing from reserves across the country, including Kaziranga. “Poachers are always on the hunt. In the northeast, the Arunachal-Nagaland-Myanmar circuit has become very vulnerable for the big cats. Poachers armed with sophisticated equipment kill tigers and smuggle their parts to other countries through Myanmar,” she said.

Young female Tiger rescued & released back into the wild in Sundarbans

Sundarban experienced a low density cyclonic weather on the evening of Monday 26.04.2010. A young Tigress probably misguided by the strong wind & turbulent river entered the Adibashipara village in the Bagna Range & was spotted by a villager.

Prompt initiative by the villagers drived the animal into an abandoned hut where she was safe till the Range Officer Debraj Sur along with the Sundarban Tiger Reserve team intercepted. Soon the Tigress was successfully tranquilized by Beat Officer Ayan Chakraborty. Disturbed by human presence the poor animal seemed to be quite nervous. She was kept under observation of the Tiger Reserve's official vet and was fed with dressed chicken, which is common in such cases.

At 06.38 hrs today she was released at Khatuajhuri forest area in the same range. The Tigress apparently had no major injury marks or any such abnormalities when we saw her just before she went back into the wild.

We sincerely thank the villagers of Adibashipara for the cooperation that they have extended to the forest staff for a speedy rescue operation. The STR team deserves a salute for such a successful, smooth & prompt rescue operation.

Our BTL-Sanctuary Bengal Tiger Bachaao campaign in the Sundarbans had organised "Walk for the Tigers" at this village area last November to spread awareness on such issues seeking the villagers' involvement in rescuing such Tigers safely. We had also conducted immediate & intensive relief operations with the help of Wildlife Conservation Trust in this area last May 3 days post cyclone Aila through the Tiger Reserve team.

Do Pench Tigers have a future ?

A link to the latest flashpoint between MoEF Mr.Jairam Ramesh and Kamalnath, another Union Minister.

Kamalnath on camera argued with the channel that the water extraction from River Pench will not be a violation of the Wildlife Protection Act and he wants to know how Environment Ministry will stop a project in his constituency.

Question- why should he care if its the MP government that signed on the letter of intent?

For more details see

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/jairam-kamal-nath-faceoff-in-the-offing/113736-37-64.html

Courtesy - Bahar Dutt

Radio-collars on Sundarban Tigers stop functioning.

A report from the Field Director of Sundarban Tiger Reserve late last night says --

The department has retrieved radio-collar from the forest floor at around 13:45 hrs off the Dhonakhali. This is the collar that was fitted on a Tiger that had entered a village on February 22nd & was rescued. This Tiger was release in the presence of senior forest officials & WII experts, the report adds. At this moment both collars fitted to 2 Tigers remain non functional as the other collar (no.7224) too that was on a male is not giving any signals for the past 10 days now. The report claims that this male was physically sighted with the collar on 18th April night. This particular collar (no.7224) was previously fitted on a Tigress & had fell off from her and retrieved later by the dept. The report now claims to evaluate quality of such collars & its efficacy in the Sundarbans.