ristine Kuntala waterfalls turns into dumping yard

Story/Place - Hyderabad

Sudipta Sengupta Aug 28, 2011,




HYDERABAD: From being a picturesque site with pristine surroundings, the Kuntala waterfalls in Adilabad has now turned into a foul-smelling open dump yard. Environmentalists familiar with this area rue how this 147-feet-tall waterfall, the highest in Andhra Pradesh, is now lost in stink and garbage littered around. this once peaceful weekend holiday destination.

The lack of surveillance by local forest officials has further worsened matters, they allege, with revellers from neighbouring districts using the eco-tourism site to indulge in unscrupulous activities.

"The first thing that catches your eye as you walk into the area is the sight of people consuming alcohol around the waterfall. There are bottles, food packets and other junk strewn all over. It is absolutely appalling," said city-based wildlife activist Diya Banerjee, who recently visited the waterfall. She added, "In fact, locals appointed to watch over the tourist spot too seemed to be having a good time. Nobody seemed bothered about the mess."


With the Kuntala waterfall located in the dense Nirmal forest, not too far away from the Kawal wildlife sanctuary, environmentalists fear that these activities, if not checked, can impact the rich bio-diversity of the region. Pointing out how this 'sensitive' forest zone is home to a large number of birds and wild animals, such as langurs, they said it was important to look after its upkeep to ensure a proper ecological balance. "But unfortunately, most eco-tourism sites across AP are in a similar condition, thanks to the negligence of concerned authorities," said Farida Tampal, state director of World Wildlife Foundation-India (WWF).

source-timesofindia.indiatimes.com

sourced by jimsjungleretreat.com

No docs to treat state's 257 tigers

Story/Place - Indor,

Kundan Pandey, TNN Aug 28, 2011,




INDORE: Madhya Pradesh has 257 tigers, but is without a wildlife doctor. This fact has come to light through an RTI application.

The applicant, RTI activist Ajay Dubey, had sought details about a wildlife doctor in Madhya Pradesh, but forest department failed to furnish them on the pretext that the documents of the doctors currently employed with the department were not available with it. Dubey, who filed the application in June, 2011, said that the doctors available with the department were not qualified to handle wildlife. All that the department could provide in answer to the RTI application was the list of five doctors: Dr Sandeep Gupta, Dr Atul Gupta, Dr Sandeep Kumar Agrawal, Dr Jitendra Kumar Jatav and Dr Akhilesh Mishra.

However, these doctors, said Dubey have not attended the specialized course in wildlife from IVRI (Indian Veterinary Research Institute) Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh. Dubey said, "IVRI Bareilly is the only institute in the country which trains veterinarians in wildlife and provides enough exposure in handling animals in the wild. However, the RTI activist said that none of the doctors have undergone the requisite training at IVRI. He further criticised the state government for not appointing an expert for treating wildlife.



As per government data, there are nine national parks and 25 sanctuaries in the state. Also the issue of Ratapani being given the status of a sanctuary is still pending. Retired chief conservator of forest (wildlife) PM Lad said treatment of wild animals including tigers needs expertise and normal veterinary doctors cannot understand and deal with the problem of big cats. He further stated that that the basic reason why wildlife doctors shy away from taking up government jobs is because of unattractive salary packages. "Abroad, wildlife doctors are paid well," said Lad.

A veterinary doctors working with the forest department of Madhya Pradesh said on the condition of anonymity that there is a bit more exposure in the IVRI. When asked why the people are not joining forest department, he said that the poor salary structure discourages them to take up government jobs like wildlife doctor.

Principal Chief Conservator of Forests H S Pawla claimed that the department has wildlife doctors. "The certificates might not have been with the department at the time of RTI, therefore they must have not been made available," he said. As regards hiring veterinary doctors from Madhya Pradesh Veterinary Department, he said there were no doctors with veterinary department so they hired three doctors recently on contract basis.

Tigers died or disappeared in Madhya Pradesh from 2006 to 2010: Panna Tiger Reserve - 24, Kanha Tiger Reserve - 29.




source-timesofindia.indiatimes.com

sourced by jimsjungleretreat.com

Forest dept seeks direction from govt

Story/Place - Panaji,

TNN | Aug 29, 2011,


PANAJI: The forest department has sought direction from the state government whether it should grant clearances under the Forest Conservation Act (FCA) for the operation of mines or refer all the cases to the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL).

Any mining lease operating within the 10-km zone from the border of any sanctuary or national park has to get clearances under the FCA from the Centre and approval of the state chief wildlife warden.

The issue has arisen after Goa state pollution control board ( GSPCB) suspended the operations of 35 mining companies for not providing requisite approvals from the chief wildlife warden and clearance under the FCA.

"Considering a Supreme Court order, we don't know whether we (forest department) have to grant clearances to mining companies or if we should refer all the cases to the national board for wildlife, hence we have asked direction from the government," said sources in the forest department

An apex court order dated 2006 had ruled that the ministry of environment and forest should refer the matter of clearance of mining leases to the standing committee of the NBWL under Section 5(b) and 5(c) (ii) of the Wild life (Protection) Act.

The office of additional principle chief conservator of forest has sought advice from the state government in the matter.

The clearances are valid till the end of the 20-year mining leases; once the mining lease is renewed mining companies have to apply for fresh clearances from the forest department.

In all cases where environment clearances have already been granted within the 10-km zone from the boundary of sanctuary and national park, the forest department wants to have clear directions from the government for granting clearances to mining companies said sources in forest department

Sources also said that according to the environment clearance there is a clause which mentions that the forest department should give clearances before mining operations commence.


source-timesofindia.indiatimes.com
sourced by jimsjungleretreat.com

Rusty Spotted Cat is new addition

Rusty Spotted Cat is new addition to cat species in Corbett Park Rusty Spotted Cat is new addition to cat species in Corbett Park Submitted by admin2 on Fri,
Story/Place - New Delhi
08/12/2011,
NetIndian News Network New Delhi, August 12, 2011
Advertisement
ADVERTISEMENT The Rusty Spotted Cat (Felis rubiginosa) is a new addition to the list of cat species in Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand.
The cat is a highly endangered species, which has been accorded the highest statutory protection under schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, besides appendix I of the CITES.
The species is little smaller than the domestic cat with a rufescent or fawn grey coat. It is targeted by professional track hunters for its valuable fur.This cat is endemic to India and Sri Lanka, and has been reported mainly in the Western Ghats, besides possibly in some pockets of Jammu and Central India. During the recent country level estimation of tigers and co-predators (in 2010), its presence has also been reported in the western areas of Pilibhit.Corbett Tiger Reserve has the unique distinction of being among the first nine tiger reserves where Project Tiger was launched in 1973. The reserve and its landscape, especially around Morghati, Pakhro and nearby areas harbour a number of cat species like Jungle Cat and Leopard Cat, besides a very high density of tiger.
Advertisement
ADVERTISEMENTThe current tiger occupancy as per the assessment of 2010 in the Corbett Block covers an area of 2287 sq.km. with an estimate of 214 (190-239 tigers). The Corbett area has the highest tiger density in the world (9.4 tigers per 100 sq.km.) at the landscape scale.The rare and elusive Rusty Spotted Cat was photographed by a research team of the Wildlife Institute of India at a camera trap station on the road on July 28 and August 3, 2011, near the well-known Morghati Forest Rest House within the reserve, an official press release added

source-netindian.com

sourced by jimsjungleretreat.com

Story/Place - India
last year, says a report, ‘Status of tigers, co-predators and prey in India-2010,' released here on Thursday by Jagdish Kishwan, Additional Director-General (Wildlife), Ministry of Environment and Forests.
“The estimated population of 1, 706 individual tigers represents a 20 per cent increase from the last survey in 2006, which estimated a number of 1,411 tigers. The increase is based on the survey of additional areas as well as an increase in the number of tigers within high-density populations,'' the report said.
The assessment of tigers, co-predators and prey included 17 States with tiger population and involved 4, 77, 000 work-days by forest staff and 37, 000 work-days by professional biologists, making it the largest exercise of its kind in the world. It is done once every four years and is a collaborative initiative between the National Tiger Conservation Authority, the Wildlife Institute of India, tiger States and outside expertise.
“The increase in the numbers is due to the fact that tiger populations in Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Karnataka have shown an increase in their density.
The inclusion of Sunderbans, some portions of the North-East and parts of Maharashtra have also contributed to the increase and the methodology consisted of a double sampling approach,” noted Mr. Kishwan.
But despite the good news, the report warns that tigers are still in danger due to an overall 12.6 per cent loss of habitat, which means that more tigers are being squeezed into smaller areas, which could lead to a lack of dispersal and consequent loss of genetic exchange between populations, and an increase in human-tiger conflict.
“Human wildlife conflict has been one of the major issues that we need to work around to ensure that not just tigers but other endangered species have a chance of flourishing.
The Ministry of Environment and Forests is also looking at amending and bringing in harsher penalties for those caught under the Wildlife Act. We will also bring in the eco tourism guidelines very soon.”
Lead author of the report, Dr. Y. V. Jhala, said: “The loss of corridors does not bode well for the tiger. Poaching can wipe out individual tiger populations, but these can be re-established by reintroductions as has been done in the Sariska and Panna reserves.
However, once habitats are lost, it is almost impossible to claim them back for restoration. We found that tigers require good forests and prey, along with undisturbed breeding areas, for long-term term survival.”


source-thehindu.com

sourced by jimsjungleretreat.com

Tiger cub killed after being hit by unidentified vehicle

29/07/2011

Story/ place - Dhela
by an unidentified vehicle in Dhela range of Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR) in Ramanagar, a forest official today said.The carcass of the three-month-old female tiger cub was found lying in a pool of blood last night, Warden of CTR Umesh Tiwari said.A postmortem report today revealed that head injury was the cause of the death of the tiger cub,

source-news.in.msn.com

sourced by jimsjungleretreat.com