Save the Tiger Rally

In an enormous show of support for preserving that species now endangered in India, the tiger, over 70 cars took to the roads in New Delhi in order to raise awareness of the necessity of saving the tiger. The event ran from Constitution Club to the Hotel Taj Palace and the drivers were members of Parliament who had committed to doing their part to help increase this awareness.

The rally, designated TSD (time, speed and distance) was set off by the Indian Vice President, Hamid Ansari, and Agatha Sangma, the youngest MP in the UPA-II cabinet, took home the title of Best Women’s Driver, while the Best Couple Driver accolade went to Aneekant and Nishikant Dubey. It was conceived by a joint venture between the Constitution Club of India (CCI) and JK Tire Industries Ltd who consider the goal to be an inestimable service to India and wildlife conservation on the whole.

This is a hugely positive step towards approaching a solution to a real threat; the number of tigers has reportedly shrunk drastically from the 40,000 recorded at the start of the 20th century to approximately 1700 today, with illegal poaching being a major contributory factor. As the national animal of India, the loss would be felt on many levels, and utter prevention is part of the rally’s goal, otherwise aiming to gather politicians on one footing.

The appeal of tigers has a massive bearing on the travel industry as well, with many thousands of people coming through to see the unique animals every year.

Great Himalayan National Park to get UNESCO World Heritage status

Shimla: The Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP) was poised to be on the UNESCO World Heritage Site soon as the nomination of the same had been accepted and evaluation process was likely to take place early next year. This was revealed by Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, in the 5th Wild Life Board Meeting held here under his Chairmanship late last evening


Chief Minister said that presently there were 33 Wild Life Sanctuaries, 2 National Parks spread over an area of 7,161 kms. and rationalization process of the same was in progress to take inhabited areas out of the purview of the Wild Life Sanctuaries. He said that rationalization process was nearing completion and would take 1.5 lakh population of 775 villages out of the sanctuary area which had been a pressing demand of the villagers falling in the area. He expressed concern over the increasing monkey and wild life menace amongst the farming community and said that the State Government had been making consistent efforts to take every possible step to check the population explosion of the animals and had set up 4 monkey sterilization centres in different parts of the state while 21 more had been proposed to be set up in near future. He said that so far over 35,000 monkeys had been got sterilized. Board agreed for enhancement of the grant-in-aid from existing Rs. 1.35 crore to Rs. 2.80 crore to further strengthen the programme.

Prof. Dhumal said that The Himalayan Snow Leopard Research Centre would soon be developed near Kibbar village of Spiti valley at a cost of Rs. 5.15 crore to preserve the wild life specie in its natural habitat and carry research and development programme over the same. He said that a large number of migratory birds had been visiting the wetland in the State during winter season and a detailed study was being carried by the experts into their behaviour. He said that the Wild Life Wing of the State would be strengthening the satellite tracking studies of various such migratory bird species in collaboration with Bombay Natural History Society and fit in 18 more solar powered transmitters to 18 more migratory birds. He said that a Migratory Bird Research Centre would also be set up at Pong Dam by associating local youth in their preservation as also work as guide to visitors to generate income for themselves. He said that Rs. 2 crore Eco-Tourism Project in Pong Dam Wetland would also be executed with the help of Tourism and Civil Aviation Department to create infrastructure to meet requirements of the visitors. He expressed satisfaction over the efforts made
by the Wild Life Wing in captive breeding of endangered vultures which had helped in increasing their population. He said that Himachal Pradesh happened to be the first state in the country for having undertaken such a vital project in hand and succeeded in the same.

Chief Minister said that Himachal Pradesh had emerged the First State in the world where successful breeding of Western Tragopan had taken place at Sarahan village in district Shimla, which had made its image as the ‘Western Tragopan Village’. He said that a presentation to this effect was given by Mr. John Corder, Vice President, World Pheasant Association, UK whose services had been requisitioned by the State Government as Advisor, Conservation Breeding of Pheasants Programme. He said that the presentation given by him in the UN Assembly to 5,500 delegates from the world over had acclaimed a huge applaud for the achievements State had made in conserving the Western Tragopan. He said that Conservation Breeding Programme of Monal would also be strengthened by developing Conservation Breeding Phesantry for Himalayan Monal, near Manali by spending Rs. 2 crore in the first phase. He said that a Wild Life Crime Bureau would also be set up by working out modalities with the Government of India. He underlined the need for setting up of Online Wildlife Information Management System through CAMPA Funds so that regular monitoring of the wild life was carried. He directed the Board to constitute a Committee under the Chairmanship of Additional Chief Secretary (Forests) to clear the forest clearance cases pending the final decision at the Board Meeting.
Prof. Dhumal thanked the wild life experts for their valuable suggestions which would go a long way in conserving the precious wild life in the State and make Himachal Pradesh a safe haven for flora and fauna. He laid stress over the deployment of the wild life trained staff in the Wild Life wing. He advised the authorities to strike a balance between development and the nature so that both could benefit equally.

Board granted approval to allow setting up of 200 MW Bara Banghal HEP; divert forest land for drawing water from Pazeena Khad in district Solan to supply drinking water to the villagers; permit installation of Radar System at Dalhousie keeping in view its strategic importance; recommend enhancement of compensation rates for damages caused to human being and domestic live stock by wild animals; carry repair and maintenance, metalling and tarring over Bir to Rajgundha and Barot to Baragram road in Baijnath Sub-Division of district Kangra.

Shri John Corder, Advisor, Conservation Breeding of Pheasants Programme, congratulated the State Government for earning name at international level for successfully carrying captive breeding programmes of endangered species of birds like Western Tragopan and Vultures etc. . He said that the UN Assembly had also appreciated the concern State had towards conserving the flora and fauna. He congratulated the Wild Life Wing for developing an unique conservation breeding programme of Cheer Pheasant at Chail, which was unique in the world.
Dr. M.K. Ranjit Singh and Shri Vijay Bhushan, former senior Bureaucrats and experts in wild life, also deliberated upon different modes to be adopted to preserve and conserve wild life in the State.
Shri S.Roy, Additional Chief Secretary (Forests) welcomed the Chief Minister and said that the Wild Life Wing was working overtime to identify different species of birds and wild animals and taking effective steps to preserve the endangered species. He said that 130 species of bird had been identified in Shimla itself recently. He said that 21 more monkey sterilization centres were being set up on priority in different parts of the State.
Dr. A.K.Gulati, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wild Life Warden, conducted the proceedings of the Board Meeting and invited suggestions from the non-official and official members on each of the items.

Shri Sanjeeva Pandey, Chief Conservator of Forests (Wild Life), proposed vote of thanks.
Shri Tejwant Negi, Shri Parveen Sharma, Shri Gobind Sharma, MLAs, Dr. D.S. Manhas, Director General of Police, Shri R.K.Gupta, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, senior officers from different departments of Government of India, heads of the departments, senior officers and non-official members attended the meeting.

News Source - http://www.orissadiary.com/Shownews.asp?id=30876

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Three tiger cubs dead in two days, toll 17

Three tiger cubs have died in different parts of Uttarakhand in the last two days, taking the death toll so far this year to 17 — up from the seven recorded last year. Alarmed wildlife authorities have sought immediate submission of postmortem reports to shore up conservation plans.

On Tuesday, the bodies of a male and a female cub were found in Kilpura range of Terai east forest division. Another female cub was found dead in Dhela range of Corbett Tiger Reserve on Wednesday night.

According to forest department officials, the cubs might have been separated from their mothers and succumbed to the cold conditions. But officials are not ruling out any possibilities.

Uttarakhand chief wildlife warden SS Sharma said, "I have asked forest officials to submit the postmortem report to me at the earliest. After analysing the reasons for these deaths, I will be in a better position to frame a plan of action for conservation."

Earlier this month, HT had reported the rise in tiger deaths in the state. Rajendra Agarwal, state head of the Wildlife Protection Society of India, said, "It’s surprising that within two days, three tiger cubs have died… If it continues, we could face an alarming situation."

News Source - http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NorthIndia/Three-tiger-cubs-dead-in-two-days-toll-17/Article1-782995.aspx

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`Wildlife photography” good for tourism, says Chavan

Mumbai, Sep 21 (PTI) Taking a dig at the the estranged Thackeray cousins, who are currently involved in a verbal spat, Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan today said wildlife photography would boost tourism in the state. “People cannot be stopped from going into forests and taking pictures of animals. They can go abroad or travel anywhere in India (to do that). Taking pictures of good animals will in fact boost wildlife tourism in the state,” Chavan said, without naming anybody. The question asked to him was whether the proposed Gorewada wildlife project would enable `opposition leaders’ to travel there and click pictures. MNS chief Raj Thackeray had recently said that his cousin and Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray — who has a penchant for wildlife photography — should take pictures of potholes on Mumbai roads, rather than clicking animals. Mumbai civic body is controlled by Shiv Sena. Stung by the taunt, Uddhav said it was better to photograph “loyal animals in the jungle”, in a tacit reference to Raj who quit Shiv Sena few years ago to form MNS.

news source – http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/wildlife-photography-good-for-tourism-says-chavan/831792.html

National Parks of  India

Bandipur National Park Dampa Tiger Reserve Gorumara National Park Kaziranga National Park Melghat National Park Panna National Park Royal Chitwan National Park Tadoba National Park

Buxa National Park Dhrangadhra Wildlife Sanctuary Great Himalayan National Park Keoladeo Ghana National Park Mudumalai National Park Pench National Park Sariska National Park

Chilka National Park Dhudhwa National Park Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary Madhav National Park Nagerhole National Park Periyar National Park Sunderbans National Park

Wildlife park to come up in Nagpur district

Mumbai, Sep 21 (PTI) In a move that could boost tourism in the state, especially in the Vidarbha region, Maharashtra cabinet today approved setting up of an international wildlife park and zoo at Gorewada in the Nagpur district. Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan told reporters after the weekly cabinet meeting that state forest development corporation will develop the park on Private-Public Partnership (PPP) basis, and Rs 720 crore had been earmarked for it. “The project, which will include Gondwana bio-park, Indian safari and African Safari, River ride, and Gorewada Reserve will be spread over 28.37 hectares,” he said. A Special Purpose Vehicle will be formed in which 51 per cent stake will be held by the government. The decision was taken after the report by the Singapore-based consultant Bernard Harrison and Friends was submitted to the government. The Chief Minister said the objective of setting up the park was to preserve rare wildlife. Chavan said for the year 2011-12 and 2012-13, a provision of Rs 50 crore had been made for the project.

ews source – http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/wildlife-park-to-come-up-in-nagpur-district/831519.html

National Parks of  India

Bandipur National Park Dampa Tiger Reserve Gorumara National Park Kaziranga National Park Melghat National Park Panna National Park Royal Chitwan National Park Tadoba National Park

Buxa National Park Dhrangadhra Wildlife Sanctuary Great Himalayan National Park Keoladeo Ghana National Park Mudumalai National Park Pench National Park Sariska National Park

Chilka National Park Dhudhwa National Park Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary Madhav National Park Nagerhole National Park Periyar National Park Sunderbans National Park

Endangered Western Tragopan bird spotted in Kashmir

A recent survey by Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and state Wildlife Protection Department in Pir Panjal range has confirmed the presence of the critically endangered Western Tragopan (Tragopan melanocephalus) at two new sites in Poonch area of Jammu and Kashmir.

Daan-e-gir in Kashmiri, Western Tragopan is a schedule I species on the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act and listed as ‘Vulnerable’ by the IUCN Red List, the western tragopan is a medium-sized, brightly colored pheasant endemic to the western Himalayas and inhabits coniferous forests.

The survey was carried after interactions with locals revealed the possible presence of the Western Tragopan in the area. A team from WTI and assisted by locals, visited the areas in May to authenticate the information. During the survey, the birds were sighted at the Kalamund-Tatakuti and Khara Rakh areas of the Pir Panjal range.

“The bird is extremely shy and silent. But knowing that the best way to locate the species would be during its breeding season, when it becomes highly vocal, we returned in May,” said Riyaz Ahmad, the team leader and Assistant Manager, Species Division of WTI.

A victim of rampant poaching for its meat and plumage and habitat degradation and fragmentation, the western tragopan has previously been reported only from Kazinag range and Kishtawar National Park in the state. A few scattered records occur from Sud Mahadeo area of Jammu province.

“I was pleasantly surprised to note the tragopan’s presence in these areas. Unlike its usual haunts, the moist north facing coniferous slopes, the present sites are located on the south face of Pir Panjal along Poonch. The immediate step would be to gauge what numbers exist at these sites to effect conservation,”said Dr Rahul Kaul, South Asia Representative, IUCN SSC Galliformes Specialist Group and Chief Ecologist, WTI.

In addition to western tragopan, the team also sighted another threatened species in the region, the cheer pheasant (Catreus wallichii). Ecologically diverse and representative of western Himalayan forests possessing key species such as the markhor, brown bear and musk deer, the team has recommended Kalamund-Tatakuti for notification as a protected area.

News Source - http://www.kashmirdispatch.com/headlines/10063834-endangered-western-tragopan-bird-spotted-in-kashmir.htm

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Elephant calf rescued after falling headlong into ditch

‘He was stressed and exhausted'

December 2010: A five-year-old male elephant calf has been rescued after falling down a ditch in an Indian tea estate.

‘He was stressed and exhausted'
December 2010: A five-year-old male elephant calf has been rescued after falling down a ditch in an Indian tea estate.

The calf, near Bokakhat in central Assam and reunited with its natal herd by the Assam Forest Department and a Mobile Veterinary Service team from the International Fund for Animal Welfare and the Wildlife Trust of India (IFAW & WTI).

The calf was first sighted by local people in Lakhowjan Tea Estate, near Bokakhat in Central Assam. Following its screams, they found it trapped. Its herd was nearby and a passing tractor was reportedly attacked. The Assam Forest Department and IF:AW-WTI Mobile Veterinary Service were called to help.
‘Since the calf was upside down, he was stressed and exhausted from the efforts to free himself,' said Dr Anil Deka, IFAW-WTI veterinarian, who was at the rescue.

The ditch was widened with an excavator to heop free the animals, and wooden poles were used to help the young calf stand.

Rejoined its herd
‘Shots were fired in the air to keep the herd away till the rescue operation was over. Once freed, the calf headed back to its herd,' Dr Deka added.

This is the tenth displaced elephant calf to have been reunited with its natal herd by IFAW-WTI in northeast India. Several others that could not be reunited are undergoing long-term rehabilitation. These calves are hand-raised at the IFAW-WTI run Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) and reintegrated with wild herds in Manas National Park.

News source - http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/elephant-rescue.html

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Indian vultures turn the corner after Diclofenac ban

New study gives hope for critically endangered birds, but more work to be done
May 2011: The ban on a veterinary drug which caused an unprecedented decline in Asian vulture populations has shown the first signs of progress, according to scientists. However, the recovery of the wild vulture populations needs the drug completely removed from the birds' food supply.

Now researchers report measurements of the prevalence and concentration of diclofenac in carcasses of domesticated cattle in India, before and after the implementation of the ban.

The governments of India, Nepal and Pakistan banned the veterinary use of the painkiller diclofenac in 2006 because of its lethal effects on vultures that feed on the carcasses of cattle and buffaloes treated with the drug.

Vulture survival depends on drug eradication being more successful
The study shows that the proportion of cattle carcasses in India contaminated with the drug declined by more than 40 per cent between 2006 and 2008. The concentration of the drug in contaminated animals also fell.
Combining the effects of these two changes, the expected rate of annual population decline of the vultures is expected to slow by around two thirds. Yet this is still expected to be around 18 per cent per year for the most susceptible species, the oriental white-backed vulture, down from about 40 per cent per year before the ban, meaning that vultures will not recover unless efforts to eradicate the drug become more successful.
Although the legal action has started to show encouraging results, much remains to be done, because diclofenac manufactured for human use is still being used illegally to treat cattle in India.

Even some alternative drugs are toxic to vultures
One of the study's authors, Dr Devendra Swarup, former Research Director of the Indian Veterinary Research Institute, commented: ‘Because of the difficulty in ensuring that human diclofenac is not being used illegally, testing the vulture food directly is the only way to find out how safe the vultures really are.'
Lead author, Dr Richard Cuthbert of RSPB, said: ‘This shows how much progress has been made, but there is still a job to do to make sure that safe alternative drugs are used. Unfortunately some of the alternatives have not been tested for their safety to vultures and one drug in increasing use, ketoprofen, is already known to be toxic to vultures.'
The only safe alternative used in India is meloxicam, which is becoming more widely used now that its cost is falling and approaching that of diclofenac. However, other drugs known to be toxic or with unknown effects remain legal and are still being used by vets.
Dr Asad Rahmani, director of the Bombay Natural History Society said: ‘Complete removal of diclofenac from vulture food is the single most important action needed to save vultures. Human formulations are still being sold by some irresponsible companies in large veterinary-sized vials and these bigger bottles must also be outlawed to make illegal diclofenac use on cattle more difficult and expensive.'

News source - http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/vulture-deaths.html


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Expert against Nagzira curtailment

Vijay Pinjarkar, TNN, Apr 7, 2011, 01.38am IST

NAGPUR: The state wildlife department's move to curtail proposed Nagzira-Navegaon tiger reserve area by confining it to its present core has been opposed by leading conservationist and chairman of Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) M K Ranjitsinh.

Based on the TOI report on the issue on March 15, Ranjitsinh has written to minister for environment and forest Jairam Ramesh about the government's plan. "I personally feel the present alignment of the proposed tiger reserve and especially the core areas, will not enhance conservation status of this very fine habitat. One should not accept such truncated and unviable areas as tiger reserves," said Ranjitsinh.

Just giving the title of a tiger reserve while doing nothing on the field to enhance viability and the conservation capacity of the existing areas is tantamount to self-deception and will create apprehensions and opposition amongst the neighbouring communities without achieving conservation goals, Ranjitsinh said.

He pointed out that in case of Nagzira-Navegaon, the situation is further compounded by the fact that there will be two small, separate existing protected areas, separated by almost 40 km of forest whose status will only be 'buffer', which has no real legal stature.

The WTI chief has urged Ramesh to settle for nothing less than 400 sq km reserve proposal. It should include original Nagzira area of 153 sq km, plus the previously proposed 155 sq km comprising reserve forests of Umarzari with Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM), Bhandara, and the area with Gondia Forest Division, besides existing Navegaon National Park of 133 sq km.

"You will recall that I had drawn your attention to the proposed exclusion of certain crucial forests in the declaration of the long overdue Mansingdeo sanctuary. Your very prompt intervention saved the situation and the conservation community is grateful for it," Ranjitsinh reminded Ramesh. He added that a similar situation seemed to have emerged again in Maharashtra. The state was going back on an earlier understanding on its part.

In September 2009, Ramesh had written to chief minister asking him to declare Navegaon-Nagzira a tiger reserve. On this basis, a proposal was prepared. It would have included 153 sq km of existing Nagzira sanctuary, plus an additional 155 sq km comprising 126 sq km area of FDCM, 27 sq km of Gondia forest division and 133 sq km of existing Navegaon Park. "I've been trying to upgrade Navegaon and Nagzira and corridor between these two PAs since 1985," Ranjitsinh said.

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This pygmy hogs the limelight

Sharada Balasubramanian


Assam is home to the world's smallest and rarest wild suid (pigs), the Pygmy Hog (Porcula salvania). Bullet-shaped, standing just 25 cm tall, they were once widely found in the wet grasslands of the Himalayan foothills stretching from Uttar Pradesh to Assam, through Nepal terai and Bengal duars.

Today they are confined to a few pockets along Assam's border with Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh. In fact, its only viable population exists in the Manas Tiger Reserve. The world conservation union (IUCN) has accorded the highest priority rating (Critically Endangered) for the pygmy hog, which is also listed in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act.

Importantly, the pygmy hog is also a sensitive indicator species. “The faster disappearance of these animals indicates that something is wrong with the habitat,” says Dr Goutam Narayan, Project Director, Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme (PHCP). “Less-sensitive animals such as the wild pig or the rhinoceros will not die just because their habitat has become degraded. It is only the sensitive indicator species that highlight any disturbances in the environment. Hence, it is essential to save these species if we wish to conserve the biodiversity of any ecosystem,” he explains.

The grasslands are needed not just for the hogs, but also as a reservoir against floods. During rains the grasslands absorb water, which later drain into streams and groundwater systems, thereby providing water in the dry season.

The pygmy hog's habitat is endangered by human settlements, agricultural encroachments, cattle grazing, flood control schemes, planting of trees in the grasslands, and indiscriminate use of fires to clear grasslands for fresh growth of grass.

“Burning of grassland is the greatest threat to pygmy hogs, as they need thick cover and build grass nests throughout the year,” says Narayan.

“In 1961, it was believed that we had lost the species,” he adds. The animal was rediscovered in 1971 in Assam, but no detailed surveys were done until 1978, by which time only about five pygmy hog populations were left. Recommendations for the conservation of the grassland habitats were sent to the State and Central governments, but there was little action and four of the populations vanished.

In 1996, captive breeding was started at Manas National Park, but the animals could not be released into the wild due to non-availability of safe habitat. Finally, 35 captive-bred hogs were released at the Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary between 2008 and 2010. “Since we have established a breeding population in Sonai Rupai, we will release them in Orang National Park in the coming years,” says Narayan.

The habitat suited to pygmy hogs is equally crucial for the survival of several other endangered species such as the one-horned rhinoceros, tiger, swamp deer, wild buffalo, hispid hare and Bengal florican.

The pygmy hog conservation programme is sponsored by the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust (DWCT). Famous naturalist and author Gerald Durrell encouraged a tea planter, originally from UK's Jersey Island, to embark on a breeding programme for pygmy hogs after they were accidentally rediscovered at a local tea market in Assam.

As the grassland in a nearby reserve had been set on fire, the tiny pigs had scampered for safety into the tea bushes. Some labourers caught them, mistaking them to be wild pigs, and tried to sell them in the market. Although the tea planter managed to breed several pygmy hogs in captivity, unfortunately none of them survived. One captive-bred pair had been sent to Zurich Zoo where they produced a litter, but these too didn't survive.

Outlining the difficulties in captive breeding, Narayan says, “Usually you need 12 to 15 founder animals to start a breeding project, but we were only allowed to capture six. Nevertheless in five years, the numbers grew 12 times over.”

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Claws are out over India's tiger resurgence

By Gautaman Bhaskaran

CHENNAI - The Indian tiger is burning bright. Or, so says the latest census released in March. According to the National Tiger Conservation Authority and Wildlife Institute of India, numbers of the national animal have grown by 12%.

The 2006 census put the population at 1,411, while the 2010 survey estimates that there are now 1,706 of these majestic creatures living in the wild, though this include a hitherto uncounted 70 animals in West Bengal's riverine Sundarbans.

Tiger enthusiasts are jubilant that the big cat is thriving, against seemingly insurmountable odds. But some experts areunconvinced over the government's methodology.

A double sampling process was used - first, data were collected by using standardized protocols, including pug marks, the availability of prey, the condition of habitats and so on. Later, cameras were used, but only in 5% of the total area investigated.

Y V Jhala, a scientist from the Wildlife Institute of India who coordinated the census, said 800 cameras were installed for about 50 days, and 615 tigers were photographed and identified by their unique stripe patterns. "The camera trap intensity of one per 4 square kilometers is the highest in the world. The extrapolation from 615 photographed tigers to an estimate of 1,706 was based on peer-reviewed methodology standardized in the 2006 census", Jhala added.

However, Ullas Karanth, the renowned scientist-conservationist heading the Center for Wildlife Studies in Bangalore, laments that "the full process of how these tiger numbers are generated for individual tiger populations and landscapes has not been made public in a scientifically acceptable manner".

He feels that there are "serious deficiencies" in the methodologies used, leaving him unconvinced about the rise in the tiger population, particularly in the face of the animal's devastatingly rapid decimation in the past.

Karanth may be quite right to wonder how these felines could have multiplied in these four years since many of the dangers they face are still present.

At the end of the 19th century, 40,000 tigers roamed the length and breadth of India. But hunting for sport, and later for commerce saw most of them die. In 1972, when it was found that there were less than 2,000 of these animals left in the wild, prime minister Indira Gandhi established Project Tiger. Special reserves were created out of existing national parks and forests, and new laws were enacted to save the tiger, and in the next 15 years, its population is believed to have risen.

However, the next two decades saw intense neglect of the nation's wildlife. Tigers were driven to near extinction, with international specialists issuing one warning after another. Among them was the renowned tiger specialist Peter Jackson, who ticked off the Indian administration by saying that one tiger was being killed everyday by poachers.

Some officials, smug in their bureaucratic positions, dismissed Jackson's words as hollow rhetoric, typical of a white man's limited vision of the Orient. Until, an explosive revelation came in 2004. A journalist broke the news that the Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan, claiming to be home to about 18 cats, had, in fact, none at all. Earlier, the Rajasthan Forest Department dismissed persistent rumors of tiger poaching in the Reserve, and said that the animals had merely migrated and would come back after the rains. The Project Tiger, now renamed the National Tiger Conservation Authority, endorsed this view. True, true, it agreed without batting an eyelid.

The media expose, when it came, shook the country, and a quick check confirmed the worst fears. Not one tiger at Sariska had lived to tell the tale of murderous men who had systematically butchered just about every big cat there - and sold its parts for a fortune. The government turned red with embarrassment and had to admit that poaching was to blame. It was a national shame repeated in other reportedly well-protected reserves.

The causes for this are well known, but often glossed over or denied. The demand for tiger skins, bones, penises and other parts has been touted as a cure in Chinese traditional medicine for a number of ailments, sexual impotency included. With China's tigers completely gone, poachers turned their attention to India, where poverty and ineffective implementation of laws made it a cakewalk for them. They really had a free run.

India's exploding population and industrial growth led to human encroachments of forest land, and the tiger found itself with insufficient prey. (An adult tiger needs one deer every week.) So, it began to sneak into villages - on the periphery of forests and sometimes well within them - and take away cattle. Faced with economic losses arising out of such livestock destruction, villagers first tried poisoning the tigers, but later understood the rewards to be gained helping poachers, who were perfectly willing to share a small part of their booty with the poverty stricken rural masses.

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Shooting from the heart

CHANDIGARH: India's first woman wildlife photographer Rathika Ramasamy had to wait for six months at Bharatpur bird sanctuary to click a perfect shot of a Saras crane pair. On her visit to the city, she narrated her close encounters with snakes, lions and gleaming birds of African jungles and Indian bird sanctuaries. For her, the most interesting work so far has been shooting Saras crane at Bharatpur bird sanctuary, Rajasthan.

Describing her 'perfect shoot', she said she had to wait for six months to shoot photographs of a Saras crane pair at Bharatpur. 'I waited for the right moment to capture elaborate courtship dances being engaged in by these cranes. When I got the shot, I was on seventh heaven. These photographs are possibly the best of my collection,' she said.

She has been regularly visiting national parks in and around Delhi to keep her zeal alive. She got into more active photography by shooting wildlife, especially wild cats, sitting patiently in hiding to catch the cats in action. She then zeroed in on the birds. 'I am a nature-friendly person and used to visit bird sanctuaries. I grew up visiting bird sanctuaries near my native place,' she added.

While she specializes in bird photography, she is also into wildlife photography. 'I remember a time when we were stuck at Nehru Park, New Delhi. While clicking photos of a lion that came suddenly in front of our vehicle, when we tried to move back, an elephant was coming from the other side. However, we managed to escape. I will never want to face such an experience again,' she added.

With her first SLR camera that she got from her uncle, Dr Appasamy, an amateur photographer, Rathika started capturing nature's moments like blooming flowers and swaying trees. 'My first candid shot was of my parents in the house that is close to my heart,' she said.

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You'll meet the locals as well as wildlife at this new reserve

Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary is the final link in a chain of reserves across southern India. And it's not just for rich tourists, says Sarah Barrell

Sunday, 13 March 2011

'Nothing stinks and everything is pleasant." So concludes the welcome film at India's newest tiger reserve. I'm at base camp in Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary, a little-known, recently created conservation area in eastern Kerala.

Myself and some 15 Indian tourists are jockeying for position in front of a screen in the spanking new interpretation centre watching a list of "dos and don'ts" aimed at those unfamiliar with the conventions of a nature reserve. That goes for most of the group.

Wildlife safaris are new to India's domestic travel market, partly because posh lodges in tiger tourism hub states such as Madhya Pradesh price out many local visitors. Day-tripping was the only easy way to visit Parambikulam until last year when basic camp facilities were added. Apart from my British companion and me, visitors to the reserve today are all from Kerala and neighbouring Indian states. A minibus transports us en masse, from the broiling Tamil Nadu town of Annamalai, past orderly groves of coconut palms, teeming villages and litter-strewn streams.


An hour later we bump on to the sole Forest Department road that climbs up through the wilderness of the Western Ghats towards the park. On arrival in camp, first impressions are of an old Indian army base renovated to resemble a child's playground. "That looks like one I might have made," says my companion, raising an eyebrow to a roughly hewn wooden table.


The same could have been said about the bamboo raft we clambered on to later. Somewhat alarmingly, the craft is used for croc-spotting; its gap-tooth, rustic finish generously allowing us to track the hefty mugger crocodile as it slips off the bank and passes beneath us. Parambikulam was created in 2007, but India's Environment and Forests Minister declared the reserve officially open only last year. It's just beginning to turn its hand to tourism.


But should tourists be here at all? Last year, in the face of plummeting tiger numbers, there were rumblings from the Indian government about severely limiting travel to the subcontinent's 38 big cat reserves. The debate is raging about the place for tourism in India's national parks: is it aiding or adding to the problem of the country's diminishing tiger numbers? Wildlife tourists are traditionally wealthy and foreign – their money often funding smart lodges rather than the conservation of the animals they've come to see. Apart from scientists and rangers, say critics, humans shouldn't be present in India's parks at all.


The more informed side of the argument, a view that Parambikulam shares, is that managed carefully, tourism is an essential part of promoting, protecting and sustaining India's wildlife and tribal communities, as it has been in the best South African and Amazonian reserves. Parambikulam was created to form the missing link in a chain of seven conservation areas stretching 4,000sq km across the middle of southern India. It's partly run by indigenous tribes who live on the land, and entrance is restricted to 30 vehicles a day, most of those aboard regulated buses that must come and go before sunset. Movement around the park is very restricted, too. Wildlife-watching is done in the equivalent of a public bus, along more or less the same prescribed route and only at dusk.


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India’s first woman wildlife photographer visits Chandigarh

By Jaideep Mander

CHANDIGARH: Pixel Palette organized an interactive session with India’s first woman wildlife photographer Rathika Ramasamy on March 12, Saturday at the Chandigarh Press Club.
The event began at 11:30 a.m. one of the top 20 photographers of India, Rathika briefly explained the concept of photography and wildlife photography through a presentation that contained number of beautiful photographs of birds and animals. She told how to capture photographs in their natural pose without disturbing the subject.

Much inclined towards bird- photography, Rathika said that it is a much more challenging task to capture birds whether perched or in flight as they just flick away in no time even with the shutter sound. Rathika said that there should be a strong and undisturbed coordination between the eyes, hands and mind to click photographs of birds. Besides, one needs to keep a continuous watch over the birds and animals to shoot the desired picture. Rathika also shared a few close encounters in the wilderness and warned that there should be minimum of 3-4 feet gap between the subject and the photographer to avoid attack by the subject wild animal.

Rathika briefly explained settings for focus, lights, shots, midtone adjustments, shutter priorities, shutter speeds, highlighting modes, metering modes for digital cameras, histogram readings and other settings suitable for various kinds of shots. She also told the importance of composition of a picture. Rathika talked about the dos and don’ts while shooting a good landscape in sunlight, low light, snow, fog and rain as well. She gave tips regarding the type of cameras and other equipments that a person must use to suit the type of shots he desires to take.

Rathika emphasized that for a perfect wildlife photograph, a person should have 40% knowledge of the techniques of photography and 60% knowledge of his subject and the nature. She also said that to be a wildlife photographer one has to have immense love for the nature. She stressed upon the fact that some people for the sake of their photography, disturb the nature and its creatures which is very wrong and immoral.

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South African zebras fail to cross Indian red tape

HYDERABAD: It's official now. The city's Nehru Zoological Park will not be getting the much awaited zebras from South Africa as the striped animals couldn't get past Indian red tape. The zebras, selected by the zoo authorities were found to have antibodies of piroplasmosis, a tick-borne disease, during the preliminary fitness tests. Assuming that they could be potential careers of the disease, the Indian government has ruled out the import, despite wildlife experts highlighting that the disease is common even in India.

Wildlife officials said that piroplasmosis is found in India as well and blamed the stringent quarantine rules in India for the deal to fall flat. "This disease is common in zebras and donkeys and we find it in India as well. Ninety five per cent of the animals in Rajasthan have it. But the quarantine protocol of the airport does not permit this. We had sought an exemption only for this purpose to the quarantine officials at the airport but they did not agree," said Hitesh Malhotra, chief wildlife warden, who had recently visited South Africa to check the condition of zebras before the import.

He further said that the dozen zebras selected for purchase were young, aged between a year and a year-and-a-half and healthy. They were also not exposed to the forest but for the anti-bodies, which they must have acquired from their mothers, they could not be brought here. In fact, a letter in this regard was also written to the Government of India highlighting the prevalence of the disease but a negative response was received recently.

Authorities at 360-acre Zoo Park had started working on this import with Bangkok-based Goatrade Farming at a cost of Rs 60 lakh in the beginning of 2010 after several unsuccessful attempts. This time, they were certain that it would fructify. The 12 zebras were to be distributed among three zoos in the state. As per plans, six were to be housed at the zoo in the city, while two each are to be sent to Tirupati and Vizag Zoo.

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Saving the tiger needs putting people first

Since 2006, the environment ministry has demarcated and declared 39 'critical tiger habitats' — the core of our tiger reserves. Every one of them, wrote activist C R Bijoy recently, is illegal. This is an extraordinary allegation. To understand it, we need to go back to our most recent "tiger crisis" .

In 2005, the country woke up to the news that the national animal had disappeared from Sariska, a well-funded tiger reserve close to Delhi. Public shock and outrage followed, and the government set up a task force to look into why tiger numbers had fallen and what could be done to reverse this.

While the Tiger Task Force tried to understand why India's premier conservation programme, Project Tiger, had failed, some conservationists were busy with another set of debates. These concerned the upcoming Forest Rights Bill, which proposed to confer rights on adivasis and forest dwellers over lands they lived on and the forest resources they used.

The bill ran afoul of conservationists and foresters who feared recognizing people's rights would jeopardize the fragile protection of forests and wildlife. They also felt these rights would worsen the pressure these habitats already experience from firewood harvest, cattle grazing, collection of forest produce and other local livelihood activities.

But, existing forest and wildlife conservation laws such as the Wild Life (Protection) Act of 1972 (WLPA) already provided for the recognition and settlement of some of the rights of local communities. So, why was a new law being drafted with very similar provisions?

For a rather simple but disturbing reason: while creating most wildlife sanctuaries and national parks, forest departments had not implemented the available provisions to recognize and settle the rights of local people. As a result, for several decades, millions of people in our forests and wildlife reserves have lived in the fear that they could be declared trespassers and removed from their lands anytime.

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14 tigers died in two months in India

NEW DELHI: As many as 14 tigers have died in the country till February this year alone, including two due to poaching, environment minister Jairam Ramesh told Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

Replying to a question in Rajya Sabha, Ramesh said 161 tigers - 51 due to poaching -- have died since 2008.

"About 14 tigers have died, 12 due to natural and other causes and two due to poaching, till Feb 22 this year," Ramesh told the upper house.

From projections done on the basis of the last tiger census done in 2008, there are less than 1400 tigers left in India.

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Rajasthan mulls national park in Kumbhalgarh

JAIPUR: Rajasthan’s forest department plans to develop a national park in Kumbhalgarh, Raoli and Tatgarh areas of the state, an official said on Saturday.

The park, covering an area of 525 sq km, will be Rajasthan’s third one after Ranthambore and Keoladeo national parks in Sawai Madhopur and Bharatpur districts, respectively.

It is being planned to accommodate the growing population of tigers in Ranthambore National Park and prevent territorial fights among them.

The park will be developed after clubbing together sanctuary areas of Kumbhalgarh, Raoli and Tatgarh falling in Pali, Rajsamand, Udaipur and Ajmer districts, a senior forest department official told IANS.

“We have prepared the proposal on the basis of our vast research of the area. We found that it has all the potential to be developed as a national park,” said the official.

He added that combination of rocky terrains and dense forests was suitable for a variety of animals, including panthers, leopards, bears, deer and rabbits.

“There is no dearth of prey if the tigers are shifted here,” he said.

If implemented, the project is likely to give a major boost to the tourism industry in the state.

“The state government, after giving its nod, will issue a notification announcing the area as national park. After that, work to shift some of the villages will begin,” he said.

The desert state is one of the few states that can boast of two tiger projects, a bird sanctuary and 25 wildlife sanctuaries. 

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Payal Kapoor's arty soiree

When Payal Kapoor invited art enthusiasts for the art exhibition on Indian wildlife by Vikramaditya Singh, it made for a lively Saturday evening.

Jyotiraditya Scindia, who was the chief guest for the evening, surprised all by making an appearance in a sharp black suit, with colour-coordinated shoes and belt, unlike his usual self in white kurta and black jacket. And look who came all the way from Dehradun (Doon School, we mean) to accompany him – his 16-year-old son Aryaman Scindia. We asked the dad to elaborate a bit on his bracelet (the politico was wearing a casual band and a bracelet, which, looked like that of Sallu Bhai's), to which he said, looking at his wrist, "This? Oh...umm... nothing, it's just very personal. Forget it!"

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Tiger, elephant carcasses recovered from Corbett

DEHRADUN: Panic gripped Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR) on Saturday as forest guards recovered carcasses of a tusker and a tiger from different locations of the CTR area.

Wildlife warden Umesh Tiwari said the six-year-old tiger was apparently killed during a fight over mating with another tiger in the Kalagarh forest division. Sources, however, said poachers could have been involved in the killing. A gang of poachers has been active in the CTR and adjoining areas for some weeks, sources said.

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