Story-Place - Trzpur
TNN Jul 25, 2011, 11.38am IST
JORHAT: Forest officials on Sunday rescued an elephant calf from Nameri National Park, located about 35 km from Tezpur town in Sonitpur district, and relocated it to the wildlife rehabilitation centre in Kaziranga National Park for treatment. The four-month calf, which got separated from its herd during the recent wave of floods, was stranded in the Sirusa area of the famous elephant reserve.
''Our forest staff found the calf around 6 am in the Sirusa area. The calf got separate from its herd more than a week ago and could not leave the area because of the floods. When the forest staff found the animal, it was too weak to walk. It appeared that the calf had not eaten for many days," said Abhijit Bhawal, in-charge of the Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, Kaziranga.
"As soon as we received the report, we rushed to the spot and started treating the animal. It was important to relocate the calf to our centre for treatment," he added.
Officials of the Kaziranga Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre rescued two other elephant calves from Nadua reserve forest and Kordoiguri area during the last few weeks. Forest officials said both the incidents occurred due to the floods. Forest staff rescued another elephant calf from Nadua reserve forest located at the boundary of the Nameri national park on July 6 and it's now undergoing treatment at Biswanath Chariali in Sonitpur district. The rehabilitation centre officials said calf that was rescued on Sunday had sustained injuries at its right foot.
source-timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Story/Place - Mumbai
The two fishermen arrested on Saturday in connection with the flamingo killings near Charkop, were granted bail on Sunday and asked to report to the Charkop police station for 15 days for questioning. The accused, Yashwant and Prabhakar Bhandari, had been booked under Schedule IV, annex 26 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and were produced by sub-inspector Gopal Bhosale of the Charkop police station at the holiday court in Bandra under Metropolitan Magistrate Joshi.
“Since they are first-time offenders and it is a bailable offence, they were granted conditional bail,” said Bhosale. Flamingos are protected under Schedule IV, Annex 26 of the WPA, 1972, and the sections under which the two suspects are booked are 39 and 51.
Senior police inspector R J Bandekar confirmed that Yashwant possessed a licence for his double-barrel rifle used to kill the flamingos. “It was a sports rifle and Yashwant said he had never used it before. We are trying to ascertain if it is true and are collecting more evidence besides the pictures clicked by a photographer who witnessed the incident,” he said.
fish caught in the nets set up by the fishermen. He didn’t even have a hunting licence. He claims that the flamingos were killed by accident. We are investigating all the possibilities,” said an officer.
The maximum punishment for the offence is three years in jail or a fine of Rs 21,000 or both. The mangroves near Charkop, where the incident took place, line the banks of the Gorai creek. Though the area is home to many bird species, it is not monitored by the forest department. Also, there are no specific monitoring plans for flamingos, which are migrant birds visiting the city for only two to three months a year.
sourced-indianexpress.com
sourced by jimsjungleretreat.com
The two fishermen arrested on Saturday in connection with the flamingo killings near Charkop, were granted bail on Sunday and asked to report to the Charkop police station for 15 days for questioning. The accused, Yashwant and Prabhakar Bhandari, had been booked under Schedule IV, annex 26 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and were produced by sub-inspector Gopal Bhosale of the Charkop police station at the holiday court in Bandra under Metropolitan Magistrate Joshi.
“Since they are first-time offenders and it is a bailable offence, they were granted conditional bail,” said Bhosale. Flamingos are protected under Schedule IV, Annex 26 of the WPA, 1972, and the sections under which the two suspects are booked are 39 and 51.
Senior police inspector R J Bandekar confirmed that Yashwant possessed a licence for his double-barrel rifle used to kill the flamingos. “It was a sports rifle and Yashwant said he had never used it before. We are trying to ascertain if it is true and are collecting more evidence besides the pictures clicked by a photographer who witnessed the incident,” he said.
fish caught in the nets set up by the fishermen. He didn’t even have a hunting licence. He claims that the flamingos were killed by accident. We are investigating all the possibilities,” said an officer.
The maximum punishment for the offence is three years in jail or a fine of Rs 21,000 or both. The mangroves near Charkop, where the incident took place, line the banks of the Gorai creek. Though the area is home to many bird species, it is not monitored by the forest department. Also, there are no specific monitoring plans for flamingos, which are migrant birds visiting the city for only two to three months a year.
sourced-indianexpress.com
sourced by jimsjungleretreat.com
SC clears denotification of GIB sanctuary
Story/Place - NagPur
Vijay Pinjarkar Jul 24, 2011,
NAGPUR: Finally, the Supreme Court has cleared the long-pending denotification of Great Indian Bustard (GIB) Sanctuary at Nannaj in Solapur district. From 8,496 sq km earlier, the sanctuary will now be restricted to 1,222 sq km.
The SC decision came on Friday. However, MK Rao, chief conservator of forest ( CCF) for Pune wildlife circle, said, "The detailed order is awaited but we've heard that the SC has allowed our prayer. The committee on rationalization of boundaries of national parks and sanctuaries of ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) had recommended an area of 1,222 sq km," Rao told TOI on Sunday.
The matter was pending in the court since 2006. On October 20, 2008, the SC had directed the committee for rationalization of boundaries to recommend the area of the GIB sanctuary. Accordingly, a committee headed by VB Sawarkar, ex-director of Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, recommended denotification of two sanctuaries in Maharashtra on the precondition of declaring some new sanctuaries.
The news sanctuaries that were to be declared included Mansinghdeo at Nagpur (183 sq km), Rajmachi, Thane, Pune, Alibaug (122.96 sq km), Sudhagarh-Tamni, Western Ghats (220.18 sq km), Tipagarh, Gadchiroli (52.4 sq km), Kopela-Koramarka, Gadchiroli (90.93 sq km), and Isapur Bird Sanctuary, Yavatmal (121.55 sq km). Of these, only Mansinghdeo has been declared as a sanctuary.
The central committee had visited Bhimashakar and GIB sanctuaries from November 29 to December 2, 2009, to study the Maharashtra government's proposal to denotify these two sanctuaries.
The drastic decrease in GIB area from 8,496 sq km to 1,222 sq km will bring protected area (PA) network in the state from 4.97% to 2.6% i.e. from 15,332 sq km to 8,059 sq km - a sharp drop of 60.55%. As per the recommendation of WII, PA area should be 5% of the total land area of the state.
Pune-based Dr Pramod Patil, who works for conservation of the grassland birds and also runs the GIB Foundation, hailed the court verdict. "While establishing the GIB sanctuary in 1979, it was a mistake by authorities to include such a huge area under PA network. After the enforcement of wildlife laws became stricter, people started feeling the heat and the public opinion turned against GIBs, harming the cause," said Dr Patil.
Dr Patil added that now problems of locals will be solved. "A separate area for GIBs will help strike a balance between development and conservation. Now, the department should focus on how GIBs can be conserved," said Dr Patil.
source-timesofindia.indiatimes.com
sourced by jimsjungleretreat.com
Vijay Pinjarkar Jul 24, 2011,
NAGPUR: Finally, the Supreme Court has cleared the long-pending denotification of Great Indian Bustard (GIB) Sanctuary at Nannaj in Solapur district. From 8,496 sq km earlier, the sanctuary will now be restricted to 1,222 sq km.
The SC decision came on Friday. However, MK Rao, chief conservator of forest ( CCF) for Pune wildlife circle, said, "The detailed order is awaited but we've heard that the SC has allowed our prayer. The committee on rationalization of boundaries of national parks and sanctuaries of ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) had recommended an area of 1,222 sq km," Rao told TOI on Sunday.
The matter was pending in the court since 2006. On October 20, 2008, the SC had directed the committee for rationalization of boundaries to recommend the area of the GIB sanctuary. Accordingly, a committee headed by VB Sawarkar, ex-director of Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, recommended denotification of two sanctuaries in Maharashtra on the precondition of declaring some new sanctuaries.
The news sanctuaries that were to be declared included Mansinghdeo at Nagpur (183 sq km), Rajmachi, Thane, Pune, Alibaug (122.96 sq km), Sudhagarh-Tamni, Western Ghats (220.18 sq km), Tipagarh, Gadchiroli (52.4 sq km), Kopela-Koramarka, Gadchiroli (90.93 sq km), and Isapur Bird Sanctuary, Yavatmal (121.55 sq km). Of these, only Mansinghdeo has been declared as a sanctuary.
The central committee had visited Bhimashakar and GIB sanctuaries from November 29 to December 2, 2009, to study the Maharashtra government's proposal to denotify these two sanctuaries.
The drastic decrease in GIB area from 8,496 sq km to 1,222 sq km will bring protected area (PA) network in the state from 4.97% to 2.6% i.e. from 15,332 sq km to 8,059 sq km - a sharp drop of 60.55%. As per the recommendation of WII, PA area should be 5% of the total land area of the state.
Pune-based Dr Pramod Patil, who works for conservation of the grassland birds and also runs the GIB Foundation, hailed the court verdict. "While establishing the GIB sanctuary in 1979, it was a mistake by authorities to include such a huge area under PA network. After the enforcement of wildlife laws became stricter, people started feeling the heat and the public opinion turned against GIBs, harming the cause," said Dr Patil.
Dr Patil added that now problems of locals will be solved. "A separate area for GIBs will help strike a balance between development and conservation. Now, the department should focus on how GIBs can be conserved," said Dr Patil.
source-timesofindia.indiatimes.com
sourced by jimsjungleretreat.com
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Hoshiarpur leopard death: Cops arrest three for laying snares
Story/Place - Amritsar,
AMRITSAR: The Hoshiarpur police on Saturday arrested three persons for laying snares in the jungles in which a leopard was caught, and died while being rescued on Friday.
Chief Wildlife Warden, Punjab, Gurbaz Singh and District Forest Officer (wildlife) Satnam Singh said that they conducted the inquiries and found that the accused — Pyare Lal, Gurdial and Tarsem, all residents of Khnagwari village in the Dholbaha range of the district — had laid the snares to trap wild animals. The leopard, which had strayed from the jungles of Himachal Pradesh, got entangled in it and died of exhaustion and stress.
‘Make Punjabi first language in Chandigarh’
AMRITSAR: Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee chief Avtar Singh Makkar on Saturday shot off a letter to Punjab Governor and Administrator, Chandigarh, Shivraj Patil, demanding that the Punjabi be made the first language in the Union Territory (UT). He said that Chandigarh has a majority of Punjabi population and the city is associated closely with the psyche of the Punjabis. “The language should be primarily used in the all official work of the UT. It should be made the first language'', demanded Makkar.
KAPURTHALA: Around 100 persons were taken ill in the Kesri Bagh area after they drank the contaminated water supplied by the municipal corporation in the locality on Saturday.
Most of those taken ill were vomiting and complained about stomach pain and diarrhoea. Three patients were referred to Jalandhar hospitals while another 15 were admitted to Civil Hospital Kapurthala. Civil Hospital, SMO, Dr Guriqbal Singh said that a door-to-door survey was being conducted and teams of the doctors have been deputed in the area. Also chlorine tablets were being distributed among the residents
source-source-indianexpress.com
sourced by jimsjungleretreat.com
AMRITSAR: The Hoshiarpur police on Saturday arrested three persons for laying snares in the jungles in which a leopard was caught, and died while being rescued on Friday.
Chief Wildlife Warden, Punjab, Gurbaz Singh and District Forest Officer (wildlife) Satnam Singh said that they conducted the inquiries and found that the accused — Pyare Lal, Gurdial and Tarsem, all residents of Khnagwari village in the Dholbaha range of the district — had laid the snares to trap wild animals. The leopard, which had strayed from the jungles of Himachal Pradesh, got entangled in it and died of exhaustion and stress.
‘Make Punjabi first language in Chandigarh’
AMRITSAR: Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee chief Avtar Singh Makkar on Saturday shot off a letter to Punjab Governor and Administrator, Chandigarh, Shivraj Patil, demanding that the Punjabi be made the first language in the Union Territory (UT). He said that Chandigarh has a majority of Punjabi population and the city is associated closely with the psyche of the Punjabis. “The language should be primarily used in the all official work of the UT. It should be made the first language'', demanded Makkar.
KAPURTHALA: Around 100 persons were taken ill in the Kesri Bagh area after they drank the contaminated water supplied by the municipal corporation in the locality on Saturday.
Most of those taken ill were vomiting and complained about stomach pain and diarrhoea. Three patients were referred to Jalandhar hospitals while another 15 were admitted to Civil Hospital Kapurthala. Civil Hospital, SMO, Dr Guriqbal Singh said that a door-to-door survey was being conducted and teams of the doctors have been deputed in the area. Also chlorine tablets were being distributed among the residents
source-source-indianexpress.com
sourced by jimsjungleretreat.com
2 fishermen arrested for killing flamingos
Two fishermen were arrested in the city on charges of poaching flamingos on Saturday. The accused have been booked under relevant sections of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and the Indian Arms Act.
Yashwant Bandari and associate Prabhakar Bhandari were booked after a local resident who suspected them of killing flamingos took their photographs.
Gautam Singh, a local resident, had seen some men with guns, standing knee deep in the mangrove muck on Friday. He informed the police that he had seen three dead flamingos, which he suspected were killed by ‘gun shots’.
The Charkop police showed the photographs clicked by Singh to local informers. The first lead came when an informer identified one of them as a local fisherman who owns a weapon. The search led police to Yashwant Bhandari’s house at 2 pm on Saturday.
R J Bhandekar, senior police inspector with the Charkop police station, confirmed the arrests. On questioning, Yashwant told the cops that he had used his new hunting weapon, a double barrel Indian rifle, on the migrant birds.
source-indianexpress.com
sourced by jimsjungleretreat.com
Yashwant Bandari and associate Prabhakar Bhandari were booked after a local resident who suspected them of killing flamingos took their photographs.
Gautam Singh, a local resident, had seen some men with guns, standing knee deep in the mangrove muck on Friday. He informed the police that he had seen three dead flamingos, which he suspected were killed by ‘gun shots’.
The Charkop police showed the photographs clicked by Singh to local informers. The first lead came when an informer identified one of them as a local fisherman who owns a weapon. The search led police to Yashwant Bhandari’s house at 2 pm on Saturday.
R J Bhandekar, senior police inspector with the Charkop police station, confirmed the arrests. On questioning, Yashwant told the cops that he had used his new hunting weapon, a double barrel Indian rifle, on the migrant birds.
source-indianexpress.com
sourced by jimsjungleretreat.com
Leopard dies allegedly due to negligence of wildlife officials
Story/Place - Hoshiarpur,
Harpreet Kaur, Hindustan Times
A leopard, which had strayed in a village in Dholbaha forest range on Friday, died allegedly due to negligence of the wildlife officials. How ill trained the department is when it comes to the rescue of accidently trapped animals, came to light on Friday when the rescue team took almost
two hours just to administer a tranquilizer to the wild cat. Minutes after it was injected with anesthesia and trapped in a net, it died.
Eye witness said that the official gun refused to go off due to rust. Moreover, the staff had just a single dart to administer anesthesia to the leopard which had got entangled in a zizyphus tree. A missed shot could have left the animal struggling for much longer.
Around 12 in the noon, when it was put in a cage, the leopard had almost collapsed. On reaching the veterinary hospital in Hoshiarpur, the officers declared it dead. It was estimated to be three and a half year old.
The leopard entered village Khangwari-20 kilometres from Dholbaha, some time in the night but villagers spotted it in the morning. "As soon as we saw it, we informed the department", said Kandi Vikas Manch president Karnail Singh. DFO (Wildlife) Satnam Singh, however claimed he received the information around 8.30am and had reached the site in an hour.
According to him, the animal died of shock and heat stroke. Denying negligence on part of the officials, he said the staff acted as quickly as it could. "You can not use the gun on animals recklessly", he quipped.
Wildlife conservator Ratnakumar, who was told about the death on his way to Hoshiarpur, said the department would find out if there was any lapse on the part of local officers. "Let the autopsy report first ascertain the cause of death. We'll take action if negligence is proved", he said. As for other inadequacies, he said the matter would be taken up with higher authorities..
The death of the leopard has sparked off anger in animal lovers. Rattan, a conservationist from Himachal Pardesh, who arrived in Khangwari on being informed about the presence of the animal, alleged that the department had mishandled the operation.
"The officials took too much time to rescue the animal. It was appalling to see that the gun they had brought was not in a working order". He also criticized the police for not controlling the crowd which he claimed "overstressed" the animal.
Sukhdeep Singh Bajwa, a former honorary wildlife warden squarely blamed the officials for the incident. "In the last 14 months, five wild cats have died in Hoshiarpur and Ropar forest ranges which is very shocking. What is the use of spending millions on a separate wildlife wing if our precious animals were to die out like this", he remarked.
"It is sad that the department does not have a veterinary expert and has to seek the services of the veterinary department in time of need", he added. Another former wildlife warden Gunraj Singh too was critical of the way the whole operation was handled.
"The officers kept fiddling with their phones even as the animal struggled for life. A timely action could have saved its life", he said.
source-hindustantimes.com
sourced by jimsjungleretreat.com
Harpreet Kaur, Hindustan Times
A leopard, which had strayed in a village in Dholbaha forest range on Friday, died allegedly due to negligence of the wildlife officials. How ill trained the department is when it comes to the rescue of accidently trapped animals, came to light on Friday when the rescue team took almost
two hours just to administer a tranquilizer to the wild cat. Minutes after it was injected with anesthesia and trapped in a net, it died.
Eye witness said that the official gun refused to go off due to rust. Moreover, the staff had just a single dart to administer anesthesia to the leopard which had got entangled in a zizyphus tree. A missed shot could have left the animal struggling for much longer.
Around 12 in the noon, when it was put in a cage, the leopard had almost collapsed. On reaching the veterinary hospital in Hoshiarpur, the officers declared it dead. It was estimated to be three and a half year old.
The leopard entered village Khangwari-20 kilometres from Dholbaha, some time in the night but villagers spotted it in the morning. "As soon as we saw it, we informed the department", said Kandi Vikas Manch president Karnail Singh. DFO (Wildlife) Satnam Singh, however claimed he received the information around 8.30am and had reached the site in an hour.
According to him, the animal died of shock and heat stroke. Denying negligence on part of the officials, he said the staff acted as quickly as it could. "You can not use the gun on animals recklessly", he quipped.
Wildlife conservator Ratnakumar, who was told about the death on his way to Hoshiarpur, said the department would find out if there was any lapse on the part of local officers. "Let the autopsy report first ascertain the cause of death. We'll take action if negligence is proved", he said. As for other inadequacies, he said the matter would be taken up with higher authorities..
The death of the leopard has sparked off anger in animal lovers. Rattan, a conservationist from Himachal Pardesh, who arrived in Khangwari on being informed about the presence of the animal, alleged that the department had mishandled the operation.
"The officials took too much time to rescue the animal. It was appalling to see that the gun they had brought was not in a working order". He also criticized the police for not controlling the crowd which he claimed "overstressed" the animal.
Sukhdeep Singh Bajwa, a former honorary wildlife warden squarely blamed the officials for the incident. "In the last 14 months, five wild cats have died in Hoshiarpur and Ropar forest ranges which is very shocking. What is the use of spending millions on a separate wildlife wing if our precious animals were to die out like this", he remarked.
"It is sad that the department does not have a veterinary expert and has to seek the services of the veterinary department in time of need", he added. Another former wildlife warden Gunraj Singh too was critical of the way the whole operation was handled.
"The officers kept fiddling with their phones even as the animal struggled for life. A timely action could have saved its life", he said.
source-hindustantimes.com
sourced by jimsjungleretreat.com
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Spurt in crop damage cases due to wildlife in state
Story/Place - Nagpur,
Vijay Pinjarkar, TNN Jul 19, 2011,
NAGPUR: Animals suffer when humans enter their habitat, so it is that people suffer when animals enter their homes and fields. Official figures show that government is doling out more and more towards compensation for crop damage, but very little thought is being given to control the menace.
The spurt in crop depredation cases in the state over the years calls for a corrective policy to balance conservation with the livelihood of people.
In the last 11 months, from April 2010 to February 2011, 17,725 cases of crop damage by wild animals were reported, a threefold increase in crop damage cases compared to last year, which was 5,182.
In 2010-11, Rs 2.13 crore was paid to farmers as compensation as compared to Rs 60.83 lakh in 2009-10. The figures for last five years show that of the 15 wildlife and territorial circles, Kolhapur, Yavatmal, Nagpur, Aurangabad and Chandrapur are the most vulnerable, with highest number of crop depredation cases.
In 2010-11, Aurangabad recorded 6,882 cases of crop damage followed by 5,413 in Yavatmal, 1,466 each in Nagpur and Kolhapur and 1,105 in Chandrapur. In 2009-10, this was 1,859, 828, 702, 471 and 829 respectively in the above circles. The number may be more, as many cases are not reported owing to tedious procedure and delay in payment of compensation. Two year earlier, in 2008-09, Aurangabad had reported 28,357 cases of crop depradation, many of which were blamed on ingress of elephants from neighbouring southern states.
Forest officials say increasing crop damage cases indicate herbivore population like wild boars, black bucks, nilgais, deer and bison is on the rise. However, conservationists say this is not wholly true.
Prafulla Bhamburkar, manager, Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), says nilgais, popularly called as rohis, and wild boars are main source of crop damage. These species are prolific breeders.
The population of nilgais is multiplying as there are no predators left to kill nilgais. Cheetah was a good predator for nilgais but it has gone extinct. Also, Nilgais stay close to the villages and in adjoining scrub forests, where tigers are rarely seen, says Bhamburkar. The solution, he says, is that the government should provide subsidy to farmers to encourage solar fencing around farms.
Conservationist Kundan Hate says crop damage and cattle kill cases are inversely linked. "Where there is presence of predators, cattle kill cases have gone up and crop damage cases are less," he said.
Take for example Bhiwapur in Umred tehsil. With tiger numbers going up, 15 cattle kills were reported in 2010-11 while crop damage cases were only 5. Contrarily, in Katol, 196 cases of crop damage were reported during the same period while there was only one cattle kill.
Paoni RFO Anil Waghmare agrees with Hate. He says in 2010-11, his range recorded two cases of crop damage while 7 cattle kills were reported. Paoni being adjacent to Pench tiger reserve, there is presence of carnivores.
The destruction in Kolhapur was also due to straying of elephants from Karnataka to Sindhudurg and Ratnagiri districts.
Chandrapur villagers complained, "Fed up with large-scale crop destruction by wild animals, we've stopped cultivation. Getting compensation from the government is a tedious job. We don't want government's agriculture package but they should subsidize solar fencing for our farms," said Vinayak Bhalavi of Navargaon in Sindewahi.
source-timesofindia.indiatimes.com
sourced by jimsjungleretreat.com
Vijay Pinjarkar, TNN Jul 19, 2011,
NAGPUR: Animals suffer when humans enter their habitat, so it is that people suffer when animals enter their homes and fields. Official figures show that government is doling out more and more towards compensation for crop damage, but very little thought is being given to control the menace.
The spurt in crop depredation cases in the state over the years calls for a corrective policy to balance conservation with the livelihood of people.
In the last 11 months, from April 2010 to February 2011, 17,725 cases of crop damage by wild animals were reported, a threefold increase in crop damage cases compared to last year, which was 5,182.
In 2010-11, Rs 2.13 crore was paid to farmers as compensation as compared to Rs 60.83 lakh in 2009-10. The figures for last five years show that of the 15 wildlife and territorial circles, Kolhapur, Yavatmal, Nagpur, Aurangabad and Chandrapur are the most vulnerable, with highest number of crop depredation cases.
In 2010-11, Aurangabad recorded 6,882 cases of crop damage followed by 5,413 in Yavatmal, 1,466 each in Nagpur and Kolhapur and 1,105 in Chandrapur. In 2009-10, this was 1,859, 828, 702, 471 and 829 respectively in the above circles. The number may be more, as many cases are not reported owing to tedious procedure and delay in payment of compensation. Two year earlier, in 2008-09, Aurangabad had reported 28,357 cases of crop depradation, many of which were blamed on ingress of elephants from neighbouring southern states.
Forest officials say increasing crop damage cases indicate herbivore population like wild boars, black bucks, nilgais, deer and bison is on the rise. However, conservationists say this is not wholly true.
Prafulla Bhamburkar, manager, Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), says nilgais, popularly called as rohis, and wild boars are main source of crop damage. These species are prolific breeders.
The population of nilgais is multiplying as there are no predators left to kill nilgais. Cheetah was a good predator for nilgais but it has gone extinct. Also, Nilgais stay close to the villages and in adjoining scrub forests, where tigers are rarely seen, says Bhamburkar. The solution, he says, is that the government should provide subsidy to farmers to encourage solar fencing around farms.
Conservationist Kundan Hate says crop damage and cattle kill cases are inversely linked. "Where there is presence of predators, cattle kill cases have gone up and crop damage cases are less," he said.
Take for example Bhiwapur in Umred tehsil. With tiger numbers going up, 15 cattle kills were reported in 2010-11 while crop damage cases were only 5. Contrarily, in Katol, 196 cases of crop damage were reported during the same period while there was only one cattle kill.
Paoni RFO Anil Waghmare agrees with Hate. He says in 2010-11, his range recorded two cases of crop damage while 7 cattle kills were reported. Paoni being adjacent to Pench tiger reserve, there is presence of carnivores.
The destruction in Kolhapur was also due to straying of elephants from Karnataka to Sindhudurg and Ratnagiri districts.
Chandrapur villagers complained, "Fed up with large-scale crop destruction by wild animals, we've stopped cultivation. Getting compensation from the government is a tedious job. We don't want government's agriculture package but they should subsidize solar fencing for our farms," said Vinayak Bhalavi of Navargaon in Sindewahi.
source-timesofindia.indiatimes.com
sourced by jimsjungleretreat.com
Monday, July 18, 2011
On trail of India's lost amphibians
Story/ Place - Mumbai,
Simit BhagatSimit Bhagat, TNN 2011,
MUMBAI: After scouring forests and marshlands across the nation trying to locate rarely sighted amphibians, wildlife researchers and naturalists, who are part of the Lost Amphibians of India (LAI) initiative, will share their findings today at a press conference in Navi Mumbai.
LAI is a search taking place simultaneously in 16 states for 67 amphibian species that have been 'missing' for a period ranging from 16 years to 169 years. Around 24 teams of researchers and nationalists are involved in the project.
Dr Caesar Sen Gupta, who is a member of the expedition teams from Mumbai, said, the aim of the project is to locate species that have not been spotted since their first sighting.
"Until now, five species of amphibians have been rediscovered in the eight expeditions, carried out mainly in the Western Ghats and the Northeast." LAI rediscovered rare frog species, including the Chalazodes bubble-nest frog, Anamalai dot frog, Dehradun stream frog, Silent Valley tropical frog, and the Elegant tropical frog. Each of these species was last seen decades ago, and had been classified 'missing'.
Dr S D Biju, the programme coordinator of LAI, said, "For a successful conservation programme, we first need to know what we have to save.
The fact that these species were rediscovered gives us hope that all is not lost. We have gathered more data on other lost species." With around 341 recorded species, India can be called a 'global hub of amphibians'. On the flip side, however, over 40% of Indian amphibians are facing extinction. LAI hopes to garner more support and spread awareness in the coming months. Monsoon is the best time for such expeditions, and the teams have planned 20 more field trips before the rainy season ends.
According to experts, amphibians are indicator species and act as environmental barometers, making them an important part of the ecosystem. The roles they play-from controlling the population of insects and the spread of disease to humans and crops-are an important part of the ecology.
Massive habitat loss is one of the main threats that amphibians in India face. "The aim of the project is not only to find our lost amphibians, but also to see how we can conserve and protect their habitats," Biju added.
source-timesofindia.indiatimes.com
sourced by jimsjungleretreat.com
Simit BhagatSimit Bhagat, TNN 2011,
MUMBAI: After scouring forests and marshlands across the nation trying to locate rarely sighted amphibians, wildlife researchers and naturalists, who are part of the Lost Amphibians of India (LAI) initiative, will share their findings today at a press conference in Navi Mumbai.
LAI is a search taking place simultaneously in 16 states for 67 amphibian species that have been 'missing' for a period ranging from 16 years to 169 years. Around 24 teams of researchers and nationalists are involved in the project.
Dr Caesar Sen Gupta, who is a member of the expedition teams from Mumbai, said, the aim of the project is to locate species that have not been spotted since their first sighting.
"Until now, five species of amphibians have been rediscovered in the eight expeditions, carried out mainly in the Western Ghats and the Northeast." LAI rediscovered rare frog species, including the Chalazodes bubble-nest frog, Anamalai dot frog, Dehradun stream frog, Silent Valley tropical frog, and the Elegant tropical frog. Each of these species was last seen decades ago, and had been classified 'missing'.
Dr S D Biju, the programme coordinator of LAI, said, "For a successful conservation programme, we first need to know what we have to save.
The fact that these species were rediscovered gives us hope that all is not lost. We have gathered more data on other lost species." With around 341 recorded species, India can be called a 'global hub of amphibians'. On the flip side, however, over 40% of Indian amphibians are facing extinction. LAI hopes to garner more support and spread awareness in the coming months. Monsoon is the best time for such expeditions, and the teams have planned 20 more field trips before the rainy season ends.
According to experts, amphibians are indicator species and act as environmental barometers, making them an important part of the ecosystem. The roles they play-from controlling the population of insects and the spread of disease to humans and crops-are an important part of the ecology.
Massive habitat loss is one of the main threats that amphibians in India face. "The aim of the project is not only to find our lost amphibians, but also to see how we can conserve and protect their habitats," Biju added.
source-timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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The woods are lovely, but dark and deep?
Story/Place - India
Anahita Mukherji, TNN Jul 17, 2011, 06.38am IST
Tags:
India's forest cover has been increasing, says the government. But the government might just be fudging the figures. According to a research paper called 'Cryptic Destruction of India's Native Forests', written by two Indian scientists and a colleague from Australia, the exact opposite has been happening — our forest cover has been decreasing.
While the country's latest 'Status of Forest Report 2009' claims a 5% growth in the country's forest cover between 1997 and 2007, the research paper calls the government's bluff by pointing out that large chunks of this cover were actually made up of exotic tree plantations such as eucalyptus and acacia. When the plantations were subtracted from the total forest cover, the figures showed a 1.5-2.7% shrinking of India's natural forests each year. More ominously, the paper adds that "India has already lost 80% of its native forest cover".
While plantations form a large part of India's afforestation effort, environmentalists say that a row of planted trees cannot be called a forest. Quite on the contrary, plantations are often referred to as ecological deserts. They're made up of a single species, while natural forests are multi-canopied, consisting of an undergrowth of leaf litter, bushes and shrubs, small, shade-loving trees and taller trees that form the roof of the forest. "It's impossible to replace what has evolved over thousands of years," says Stalin D, director (projects) for Vanashakti, a conservation organization.
According to PK Sen, executive director of the Ranthambore Foundation, natural forests support associated species — those that depend on each other. The clearing of forests then, which are later replaced by plantations, often results in the extinction of several species of flora and fauna. Kamaljit S Bawa adds in his book Conservation Biology — A Primer for South Asia that "in past geological periods, the loss of species eventually balanced out or exceeded the evolution of new species. However, current rates of extinction are 100 to 1,000 those of past rates".
Conservationist Belinda Wright says the country is currently witnessing a dramatic loss of forest corridors which link one protected area with another. "Because of the destruction, animal and plant populations cannot move from one area to another, leading to the isolation of those populations. That eventually leads to the extinction of species," she says. Wright adds that the loss of forest corridors also results in mananimal conflict.
source - timesofindia.indiatimes.com
sourced by jimsjungleretreat.com
Anahita Mukherji, TNN Jul 17, 2011, 06.38am IST
Tags:
India's forest cover has been increasing, says the government. But the government might just be fudging the figures. According to a research paper called 'Cryptic Destruction of India's Native Forests', written by two Indian scientists and a colleague from Australia, the exact opposite has been happening — our forest cover has been decreasing.
While the country's latest 'Status of Forest Report 2009' claims a 5% growth in the country's forest cover between 1997 and 2007, the research paper calls the government's bluff by pointing out that large chunks of this cover were actually made up of exotic tree plantations such as eucalyptus and acacia. When the plantations were subtracted from the total forest cover, the figures showed a 1.5-2.7% shrinking of India's natural forests each year. More ominously, the paper adds that "India has already lost 80% of its native forest cover".
While plantations form a large part of India's afforestation effort, environmentalists say that a row of planted trees cannot be called a forest. Quite on the contrary, plantations are often referred to as ecological deserts. They're made up of a single species, while natural forests are multi-canopied, consisting of an undergrowth of leaf litter, bushes and shrubs, small, shade-loving trees and taller trees that form the roof of the forest. "It's impossible to replace what has evolved over thousands of years," says Stalin D, director (projects) for Vanashakti, a conservation organization.
According to PK Sen, executive director of the Ranthambore Foundation, natural forests support associated species — those that depend on each other. The clearing of forests then, which are later replaced by plantations, often results in the extinction of several species of flora and fauna. Kamaljit S Bawa adds in his book Conservation Biology — A Primer for South Asia that "in past geological periods, the loss of species eventually balanced out or exceeded the evolution of new species. However, current rates of extinction are 100 to 1,000 those of past rates".
Conservationist Belinda Wright says the country is currently witnessing a dramatic loss of forest corridors which link one protected area with another. "Because of the destruction, animal and plant populations cannot move from one area to another, leading to the isolation of those populations. That eventually leads to the extinction of species," she says. Wright adds that the loss of forest corridors also results in mananimal conflict.
source - timesofindia.indiatimes.com
sourced by jimsjungleretreat.com
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Green pigeon stays as state bird
Story/Place - Pune,
TNN Jun 29, 2011,
PUNE: The Forest Owlet, a critically endangered species, will not be the state bird. Instead, the green pigeon will continue to hold the pride of place.
A proposal tabled by the Bombay Natural History Society to give the honour to the Forest Owlet was unanimously rejected by the State Wildlife Board on Tuesday.
The meeting, chaired by chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, resolved that there was no need for the change, but agreed to initiate steps to conserve the Forest Owlet.
Several NGOs felt the bird would be better protected if it was given the status.
Chavan said he would soon forward the state government's proposal to declare five new sanctuaries to the union government. These are Rajmachi in Thane-Alibaug, Sudhagarh-Tamni in the Western Ghats, Tipagarh in Gadchiroli, Kopela-Kolamarka in Gadchiroli and Isapur bird sanctuary in Yavatmal.
The meeting cleared the proposal to recruit forest guards, provide vehicles to range forest officers and granted them permission to use ammunition after sunset.
The State Board for Wildlife, Maharashtra government comprises prominent conservation NGOs like Satpuda Foundation, Sahyadri Nisarga Mitra of Chiplun and the BNHS.
"The decision to recruit more forest guards and provide vehicles to forest range officers is welcome. The chief minister also talked about purchasing 100 vehicles for the forest range officers," Nishant Kale, member of Satpuda Foundation, told TOI.
It was also decided to allow forest guards and forest officers to fully focus on wild life conservation and forest safety and not manage eco-tourism.
Kale said that the proposal for a nature interpretation centre, a leopard rescue centre and laying of electric lines in Ahmednagar district inside the bustard sanctuary will be taken up after the denotification process. The area is proposed to be reduced from about 8, 500 square km to around 1,222 square km.
The proposal to laying a transmission line through Sanjay Gandhi National Park was rejected and the members said renewable energy sources should be explored. The proposal to lay a 400 KV transmission line in Matheran was not decided upon.
"This is an eco-sensitive zone and it is not under any sanctuary. The Wildlife Board of India will take a decision," he said.
A proposal from a private company seeking forest land near Phansad wildlife sanctuary was also rejected.
The meeting granted permission for repairing the electric lines passing through the Tungareshwar wildlife sanctuary. The proposal will now go to the Central Wildlife Board and has to get an approval from the Central Empowered Committee. All development projects in the 10 km radius of wildlife sanctuaries have to get a nod from this committee constituted by the Supreme Court, said Kale.
Bhau Katdare, founder of Sahyadri Nisarga Mitra of Chiplun, said the board will meet twice in a year. Tuesday's meeting was held after 28 months.
sourced-timesofindia.indiatimes
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TNN Jun 29, 2011,
PUNE: The Forest Owlet, a critically endangered species, will not be the state bird. Instead, the green pigeon will continue to hold the pride of place.
A proposal tabled by the Bombay Natural History Society to give the honour to the Forest Owlet was unanimously rejected by the State Wildlife Board on Tuesday.
The meeting, chaired by chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, resolved that there was no need for the change, but agreed to initiate steps to conserve the Forest Owlet.
Several NGOs felt the bird would be better protected if it was given the status.
Chavan said he would soon forward the state government's proposal to declare five new sanctuaries to the union government. These are Rajmachi in Thane-Alibaug, Sudhagarh-Tamni in the Western Ghats, Tipagarh in Gadchiroli, Kopela-Kolamarka in Gadchiroli and Isapur bird sanctuary in Yavatmal.
The meeting cleared the proposal to recruit forest guards, provide vehicles to range forest officers and granted them permission to use ammunition after sunset.
The State Board for Wildlife, Maharashtra government comprises prominent conservation NGOs like Satpuda Foundation, Sahyadri Nisarga Mitra of Chiplun and the BNHS.
"The decision to recruit more forest guards and provide vehicles to forest range officers is welcome. The chief minister also talked about purchasing 100 vehicles for the forest range officers," Nishant Kale, member of Satpuda Foundation, told TOI.
It was also decided to allow forest guards and forest officers to fully focus on wild life conservation and forest safety and not manage eco-tourism.
Kale said that the proposal for a nature interpretation centre, a leopard rescue centre and laying of electric lines in Ahmednagar district inside the bustard sanctuary will be taken up after the denotification process. The area is proposed to be reduced from about 8, 500 square km to around 1,222 square km.
The proposal to laying a transmission line through Sanjay Gandhi National Park was rejected and the members said renewable energy sources should be explored. The proposal to lay a 400 KV transmission line in Matheran was not decided upon.
"This is an eco-sensitive zone and it is not under any sanctuary. The Wildlife Board of India will take a decision," he said.
A proposal from a private company seeking forest land near Phansad wildlife sanctuary was also rejected.
The meeting granted permission for repairing the electric lines passing through the Tungareshwar wildlife sanctuary. The proposal will now go to the Central Wildlife Board and has to get an approval from the Central Empowered Committee. All development projects in the 10 km radius of wildlife sanctuaries have to get a nod from this committee constituted by the Supreme Court, said Kale.
Bhau Katdare, founder of Sahyadri Nisarga Mitra of Chiplun, said the board will meet twice in a year. Tuesday's meeting was held after 28 months.
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Greens roar with delight at tigers' permanent status
Story/Place-Panaji,
TNN Jun 30, 2011,
PANAJI: Protection of the flagship species like tiger in Mhadei wildlife sanctuary is a golden opportunity for Goa not only to conserve the big cat but also halt the spreading tentacles of destruction, say environmental activists. Carving out a tiger reserve in the eco-sensitive region will lead to focused protection of the tiger as well as the entire ecology. "This is a great opportunity for Goa to protect the region's lifeline, River Mhadei from diversion," says Bicholim-based activist, Ramesh Gawas.
Concurring with him, Sujeet Dongre, co-ordinator, centre for environmental education (CEE) said, "The status of the project tiger site will certainly enhance the level of protection even as it enjoys a certain status as a wildlife sanctuary. And the state will receive more funding for focused protection of the tiger and consequently the surrounding environment," he added. Some environmentalists are satisfied that the status of the flagship species is no longer that of a visitor to the state.
Says Clinton Vaz, co-ordinator of wild Goa, an NGO. "It is now official that they are residents of Goa," he said. Jairam Ramesh, union minister of environment and forest had referred to the resident status of the Goa tiger in his letter to chief minister Digambar Kamat. But some are aware of the Goa government's lack of seriousness in mooting a proposal for a tiger reserve. "It is very reluctant about it only because of mining interests," Gawas said. The preliminary report that the samples of tiger bones found in the Keri poaching case did not belong to the big cat was an indication of it. "Secondly, it was the Centre that had to prod the state to submit a proposal on the tiger reserve," Gawas added. Agrees Vaz, "The people have been crying hoarse for a long time that the tiger is a resident of Goa," he said. Sawant said that on-field evidence gathered by wildlife lovers suggests that Goa may have more big cats than is assumed. "Tigers have existed in Goa since time immemorial," he said.
Environmentalists believe that the next step is to work together. "Both sides (people and the forest department) are now accepting the fact that tigers are residents of Goa," says Vaz. But Siddarth Karapurkar, a Margao-based social activist said that people's protection should be woven into habitat protection. "They have lived for centuries and are better forest protectors than the forest department," he said. Activists in Bicholim and Sattari are also satisfied about Tuesday's development. "The proposal should have come much earlier, but it should not be delayed to allow further destruction," Amrut Singh of the Animal Rescue Squad said. He and various other activists said that the Swami Vivekanand Paryawaran Sanghatana, Keri, headed by Rajendra Kerkar, and the Bombay Natural History Society had contributed in creating awareness about the issue. "The government has to respond immediately as there are several benefits to the state," Gawas concluded.
sourced-timesofindia.indiatimes
sourced by jimsjungleretreat.com
TNN Jun 30, 2011,
PANAJI: Protection of the flagship species like tiger in Mhadei wildlife sanctuary is a golden opportunity for Goa not only to conserve the big cat but also halt the spreading tentacles of destruction, say environmental activists. Carving out a tiger reserve in the eco-sensitive region will lead to focused protection of the tiger as well as the entire ecology. "This is a great opportunity for Goa to protect the region's lifeline, River Mhadei from diversion," says Bicholim-based activist, Ramesh Gawas.
Concurring with him, Sujeet Dongre, co-ordinator, centre for environmental education (CEE) said, "The status of the project tiger site will certainly enhance the level of protection even as it enjoys a certain status as a wildlife sanctuary. And the state will receive more funding for focused protection of the tiger and consequently the surrounding environment," he added. Some environmentalists are satisfied that the status of the flagship species is no longer that of a visitor to the state.
Says Clinton Vaz, co-ordinator of wild Goa, an NGO. "It is now official that they are residents of Goa," he said. Jairam Ramesh, union minister of environment and forest had referred to the resident status of the Goa tiger in his letter to chief minister Digambar Kamat. But some are aware of the Goa government's lack of seriousness in mooting a proposal for a tiger reserve. "It is very reluctant about it only because of mining interests," Gawas said. The preliminary report that the samples of tiger bones found in the Keri poaching case did not belong to the big cat was an indication of it. "Secondly, it was the Centre that had to prod the state to submit a proposal on the tiger reserve," Gawas added. Agrees Vaz, "The people have been crying hoarse for a long time that the tiger is a resident of Goa," he said. Sawant said that on-field evidence gathered by wildlife lovers suggests that Goa may have more big cats than is assumed. "Tigers have existed in Goa since time immemorial," he said.
Environmentalists believe that the next step is to work together. "Both sides (people and the forest department) are now accepting the fact that tigers are residents of Goa," says Vaz. But Siddarth Karapurkar, a Margao-based social activist said that people's protection should be woven into habitat protection. "They have lived for centuries and are better forest protectors than the forest department," he said. Activists in Bicholim and Sattari are also satisfied about Tuesday's development. "The proposal should have come much earlier, but it should not be delayed to allow further destruction," Amrut Singh of the Animal Rescue Squad said. He and various other activists said that the Swami Vivekanand Paryawaran Sanghatana, Keri, headed by Rajendra Kerkar, and the Bombay Natural History Society had contributed in creating awareness about the issue. "The government has to respond immediately as there are several benefits to the state," Gawas concluded.
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sourced by jimsjungleretreat.com
Satellites to track Sariska's big cats,
Story/Place-Rajasthan,
IANS Jul 14, 2011,
Tigers in Rajasthan's Sariska Tiger Reserve may soon be connected with a satellite, enabling foresters to keep a constant watch on their movement. The system will be a first for India, that too, in a place where the big cats had once vanished.
The satellite system is being planned as the earlier installed radio collars, connected to a wireless system, failed to track the location of some tigers which had gone missing from the reserve in Alwar district, over 140 km from state capital Jaipur.
One of the tigers, called ST-1, which had disappeared from the forest department's radar
last year, was found dead after allegedly being poisoned by residents of a nearby village.
Currently, the reserve has two tigers and three tigresses.
"The shifting of some other tigers is being planned to accommodate a growing population of big cats at Ranthambore National Park; so we have decided to introduce a better tracking system in Sariska," a forest department officer, who did not like to be named because of official rules, told us.
The radio collars currently in use are the hi-tech Very High Frequency (VHF) tracking device strapped around the neck of the big cats.
But now the government is proposing to go in for global positioning system (GPS)-linked radio collars.
Under the new system, 10 wireless towers will be installed at the reserve. The radio collars will be connected to these towers, which will send signals to a satellite connected with a control room being set up in Sariska.
"This control room will give us constant information about tigers' movements in and around Sariska," said the officer.
He said a detailed project report has been sent to the union ministry of environment and forests. "The project is likely to cost around Rs.50 million," the officer added.
Sources said after radio collars were found to be ineffective, the department had launched a system to manually track the big cats.
"Foresters and some guards remain in the field for tracking. It is such a vast area that they too find it difficult to keep proper watch on straying tigers," said the officer.
However, wildlife experts are somewhat skeptical about the new system.
"I am of the opinion that the GPS collars are not suitable for the tigers. There have been some instances in other countries where the wild cats have tried to chew up the external antenna, following which the satellite link got snapped," Babu Lal Jaju, Rajasthan incharge of the NGO People for Animals, told us.
During 2004-05, the forest department and the state government faced all-round criticism over the disappearance of tigers from Sariska.
A report produced in March 2005 by the Wildlife Institute of India confirmed that there were no tigers left in the Sariska reserve at all. Poaching was found to be a reason for the dwindling tiger population.
Facing flak from different quarters, the state government decided to relocate tigers from Ranthambore National Park in Sawai Madhopur district of Rajasthan to Sariska.
The Sariska Tiger Reserve, originally a hunting preserve of the erstwhile princely state of Alwar, was declared a wildlife reserve in 1955.
In 1978, it was declared a Tiger Reserve. The total area of the park is 866 sq km. Some of the wildlife found in the reserve include leopards, jungle cats, hyenas, jackals, chital, sambars, langurs, wild boar, four-horned deer and many species of birds.
source-timesofindia.indiatimes.com
sourced by jimsjungleretreat.com
IANS Jul 14, 2011,
Tigers in Rajasthan's Sariska Tiger Reserve may soon be connected with a satellite, enabling foresters to keep a constant watch on their movement. The system will be a first for India, that too, in a place where the big cats had once vanished.
The satellite system is being planned as the earlier installed radio collars, connected to a wireless system, failed to track the location of some tigers which had gone missing from the reserve in Alwar district, over 140 km from state capital Jaipur.
One of the tigers, called ST-1, which had disappeared from the forest department's radar
last year, was found dead after allegedly being poisoned by residents of a nearby village.
Currently, the reserve has two tigers and three tigresses.
"The shifting of some other tigers is being planned to accommodate a growing population of big cats at Ranthambore National Park; so we have decided to introduce a better tracking system in Sariska," a forest department officer, who did not like to be named because of official rules, told us.
The radio collars currently in use are the hi-tech Very High Frequency (VHF) tracking device strapped around the neck of the big cats.
But now the government is proposing to go in for global positioning system (GPS)-linked radio collars.
Under the new system, 10 wireless towers will be installed at the reserve. The radio collars will be connected to these towers, which will send signals to a satellite connected with a control room being set up in Sariska.
"This control room will give us constant information about tigers' movements in and around Sariska," said the officer.
He said a detailed project report has been sent to the union ministry of environment and forests. "The project is likely to cost around Rs.50 million," the officer added.
Sources said after radio collars were found to be ineffective, the department had launched a system to manually track the big cats.
"Foresters and some guards remain in the field for tracking. It is such a vast area that they too find it difficult to keep proper watch on straying tigers," said the officer.
However, wildlife experts are somewhat skeptical about the new system.
"I am of the opinion that the GPS collars are not suitable for the tigers. There have been some instances in other countries where the wild cats have tried to chew up the external antenna, following which the satellite link got snapped," Babu Lal Jaju, Rajasthan incharge of the NGO People for Animals, told us.
During 2004-05, the forest department and the state government faced all-round criticism over the disappearance of tigers from Sariska.
A report produced in March 2005 by the Wildlife Institute of India confirmed that there were no tigers left in the Sariska reserve at all. Poaching was found to be a reason for the dwindling tiger population.
Facing flak from different quarters, the state government decided to relocate tigers from Ranthambore National Park in Sawai Madhopur district of Rajasthan to Sariska.
The Sariska Tiger Reserve, originally a hunting preserve of the erstwhile princely state of Alwar, was declared a wildlife reserve in 1955.
In 1978, it was declared a Tiger Reserve. The total area of the park is 866 sq km. Some of the wildlife found in the reserve include leopards, jungle cats, hyenas, jackals, chital, sambars, langurs, wild boar, four-horned deer and many species of birds.
source-timesofindia.indiatimes.com
sourced by jimsjungleretreat.com
3 elephants electrocuted in north Indian sanctuary
Story/Place-Lucknow
(AP) – Jul 8, 2011
LUCKNOW, India (AP) — Three elephants were electrocuted at a wildlife sanctuary in northern India, apparently after they uprooted a utility pole and were caught in its wires, a forest official said Friday.
The charred bodies of the elephants entangled in the wires were found Friday at the Dudhwa National Park in Uttar Pradesh state, Vijay Pandey said.
The elephants appeared to be part of a herd moving through the park in the Himalayan foothills, Pandey said.
He said veterinarians will conduct autopsies on the elephants before they are buried in the park.
The park is about 155 miles (250 kilometers) southeast of Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh.
India's wild elephant population is estimated at about 26,000.
Although the threat to elephants in India is not as dramatic as that facing tigers, the steady decline of their population worries wildlife activists.
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(AP) – Jul 8, 2011
LUCKNOW, India (AP) — Three elephants were electrocuted at a wildlife sanctuary in northern India, apparently after they uprooted a utility pole and were caught in its wires, a forest official said Friday.
The charred bodies of the elephants entangled in the wires were found Friday at the Dudhwa National Park in Uttar Pradesh state, Vijay Pandey said.
The elephants appeared to be part of a herd moving through the park in the Himalayan foothills, Pandey said.
He said veterinarians will conduct autopsies on the elephants before they are buried in the park.
The park is about 155 miles (250 kilometers) southeast of Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh.
India's wild elephant population is estimated at about 26,000.
Although the threat to elephants in India is not as dramatic as that facing tigers, the steady decline of their population worries wildlife activists.
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Goa should protect its forests and wildlife, says Amte
Story/Place-Goa
Rajendra P Kerkar, TNN Jul 9,
KERI: Goans need to protect its forest and wildlife to ensure that their state remains beautiful. Indiscriminate felling of trees and increased encroachments are destroying natural habitats of wild animals forcing them to enter areas of human settlement. Man and wild animal conflict is on the rise and before it reaches the summit, we have to work for conservation and protection of wildlife said Prakash Amte, a well-known social reformer from Hemalkasa of Gadchiroli district in Maharashtra.
He was speaking at an interview by Narayan Desai at DinanathMangueshkar auditorium at Kala Academy, Panaji. The programme was organized by Swami Vivekanand Smruti Sangh, Keri-Sattari to mark the Silver Jubilee of its existence.
Prakash Amte and his wife Mandakini Amte were chief guests at the valedictory function. The duo won the Magsaysay Award in 2008 for community leadership for enhancing the capacity of the Madia Gond to adapt positively and other interventions through dedicated social service in forested areas of Hemalkasa. They have worked for the upliftment of the community by providing amenities of health, education and creating social awareness since 1973.
He stated that every Goan should come forward to take responsibility of the child struggling for education. He mentioned Ajit Malkarnekar as the first Goan to contribute in the work started by Baba Amte.
He invited Goans to visit Hemalkasa for first-hand experience of Lok Biradari project. The programme was coordinated by Ajay Vaidya. Raosaheb Rane, the president of the Silver Jubilee celebration briefed the crowd about the work of Swami Vivekanand Smruti Sangh. The speaker of the Goa legislative assembly Pratapsingh Rane presided over the function.
source-timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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Rajendra P Kerkar, TNN Jul 9,
KERI: Goans need to protect its forest and wildlife to ensure that their state remains beautiful. Indiscriminate felling of trees and increased encroachments are destroying natural habitats of wild animals forcing them to enter areas of human settlement. Man and wild animal conflict is on the rise and before it reaches the summit, we have to work for conservation and protection of wildlife said Prakash Amte, a well-known social reformer from Hemalkasa of Gadchiroli district in Maharashtra.
He was speaking at an interview by Narayan Desai at DinanathMangueshkar auditorium at Kala Academy, Panaji. The programme was organized by Swami Vivekanand Smruti Sangh, Keri-Sattari to mark the Silver Jubilee of its existence.
Prakash Amte and his wife Mandakini Amte were chief guests at the valedictory function. The duo won the Magsaysay Award in 2008 for community leadership for enhancing the capacity of the Madia Gond to adapt positively and other interventions through dedicated social service in forested areas of Hemalkasa. They have worked for the upliftment of the community by providing amenities of health, education and creating social awareness since 1973.
He stated that every Goan should come forward to take responsibility of the child struggling for education. He mentioned Ajit Malkarnekar as the first Goan to contribute in the work started by Baba Amte.
He invited Goans to visit Hemalkasa for first-hand experience of Lok Biradari project. The programme was coordinated by Ajay Vaidya. Raosaheb Rane, the president of the Silver Jubilee celebration briefed the crowd about the work of Swami Vivekanand Smruti Sangh. The speaker of the Goa legislative assembly Pratapsingh Rane presided over the function.
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Friday, July 1, 2011
Tungareshwar wildlife sanctuary
. The proposal will now go to the Central Wildlife Board and has to get an approval from the Central Empowered Committee. All development projects in the 10 km radius of wildlife sanctuaries have to get a nod from this committee constituted by the Supreme Court, said Kale.
Bhau Katdare, founder of Sahyadri Nisarga Mitra of Chiplun, said the board will meet twice in a year. Tuesday's meeting was held after 28 months.
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Bhau Katdare, founder of Sahyadri Nisarga Mitra of Chiplun, said the board will meet twice in a year. Tuesday's meeting was held after 28 months.
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