LIST OF CONTENTS
Wetlands in Focus
NEWS FROM INDIAN STATES
Golden
Gecko sighted in Papikonda WLS
WWF, Army for conservation of Arunachal
Pradesh wildlife and forests
Assam 3
Survey for herpetofauna in and around Barail Wildlife Sanctuary
Rs 1cr
sought for Kaziranga NP
18 rhinos killed in and around Kaziranga in
first 10 months of 2007
Watchtowers constructed to warn of elephant
raids near Kaziranga
Cycle squads to counter poachers in Manas
FD
for sanctuary status for Urpad Beel
Call to declare
Sareswar Beel a sanctuary
Staff shortage plagues Orang NP
Bihar 6
Retired army personnel for Valmiki TR protection
Gujarat 6
Squads to identify electrified fences
in Gir
Hangul population between 117 and 190
Limber
and Lachipora WLSs to be included in new
Workshop
on Army participation in wildlife conservation in Ladakh
Program for wetlands in state
Six lakh migratory birds flock to
Karnataka 9
Chilli tobacco rope elephant
barrier being tried in Bannerghata NP
Tourism plans
for PAs in
FD opposes erection of electric poles inside Nagarhole NP
25
tigers counted in Bandipur TR; 14 in Nagarhole
Elephant population
dips in Karnataka
Six new species
found in Kudremukh NP
Kerala 11
New peacock sanctuary at Choolannur,
conservation reserve at Kadalundi
New ‘Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary’ to cover
forests of
MP bans polythene in national parks
MP Forest Department goes hi-tech
Low male-female crocodile ratio in the
National Chambal Sanctuary causes concern
Maharashtra 12
New spider found in Melghat TR
Dummy traps to train
forest staff in Pench TR
Orissa 12
Tourism promotion in Satkosia WLS
Mechanised boats banned at Gahirmatha for turtle
nesting season
Ban on NTFP collection causes of collapse of haat system in Sunabeda WLS; local tribals adversely affected
GIS mapping to trace elephant movement
in Chandaka Dampara WLS
Simlipal TR opened to visitors from Nov. 4
Wildlife Conservation award to the Mahabir Pakshi Surakshya Samiti, Mangaljodi
New State Board for
Wildlife constituted
SACON to study bird mortality in Chilka
Punjab 16
Kathlore forest to
be declared a wildlife sanctuary
Rajasthan 16
Weeding
operation conducted in
Rajasthan
can’t get enough ex-soldiers for wildlife protection
Bhagani village relocated from Sarika TR
Tamil
Nadu 18
Gulf of Mannar NP
Coral Reefs to be studied
Tripura 18
National park status to Trishna WLS
Uttarakhand 18
Poaching alert in Corbett
and Rajaji during Diwali
5066 vultures
counted in Uttarakhand
Elephant
Reserve for UP
Rs. 15.77 lakhs
for the Kukrail Gharial Centre
West Bengal 20
Initiative for
Red Panda protection in PAs in
Train knocks down elephant in Buxa TR
Govt identifies 94 wetlands for
regulatory framework
Trains running along wildlife corridors
might stop running at night
SOUTH ASIA 22
Permits auctioned for Markhor, Himalayan Ibex trophy hunting
UPCOMING 22
Workshop on Compensation and Rewards for Ecosystem Services
Protected Area Update
Vol. XIII, No. 6, December 2007 (No. 70)
Editor: Pankaj Sekhsaria
Illustrations: Madhuvanti Anantharajan
Produced by: Kalpavriksh
Ideas, comments, news and information may please be sent to the
editorial address:
KALPAVRIKSH,
Email:
psekhsaria@gmail.com
Website: www.kalpavriksh.org
Production of PA Update 70 has been supported by Foundation for Ecological Security (FES), Anand.
The PA Update needs your support
For details see Page 24
Wetlands in Focus
For the bird enthusiasts in
the wildlifing community, winter is certainly an exciting time. Millions of
migratory birds, particularly waterfowl, from far away lands fly into the
Indian subcontinent colonizing water-bodies of every size and shape in every
nook and corner of the landscape. The birds come and with them they bring the
spotlight on the wetlands they visit.
That there is an increased awareness of the phenomenon
of bird migration is evident in the large number of reports and photographs of
the migratory birds that now appear regularly in both English and the
vernacular newspapers.
It is well known that wetlands are, in terms of
biomass, one of the most productive ecosystems that also provide a number of crucial
environmental services – they recharge groundwater, provide water for
agricultural activities, help in stabilizing the local micro-climate, act as
sinks during the flooding season, support millions of livelihoods through
fisheries, agriculture and related activities and are the homes of a diverse
range of animal and plant life.
It is also
well known, and ironically so, that wetlands are one of the most abused systems
– their waters are full of toxic chemicals that are discharged as industrial
effluents or which run off from agricultural lands, they are used as dumping
grounds for our wastes and are continually drained to create land for industry,
human habitation or agricultural fields. As water stress and demands for the
resource increase, control over wetlands and use of the water is also bound to
also become a source of serious conflict between various stakeholders; wildlife
and migratory birds being one important category of such a stakeholder, though
one that does not have any voice.
It is imperative that the issue of the protection and
conservation of wetlands must become a priority for all sections of society, be
it the media, the non-governmental sector, government agencies, the courts or
ordinary citizens.
Efforts are certainly being made. National level
organizations like the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and the Salim Ali
Centre for Ornithology and Nature (SACON) have worked on creating an umbrella
Wetlands Policy and an action plan for wetlands, but nothing concrete has
emerged from there. The media, however, has taken greater interest in recent
times, as is evident from the reports in this and earlier issues of the PA
Update. In many parts of the country communities like the Sri Sri Mahavir Pakhi Surakshya Samiti of Mangalajodi under
the Chilka Forest Division (see news from Orissa below) have taken up
protection programs, both for the birds and for the wetlands (for more such
initiatives see <www.iucn.org/themes/ceesp/Wkg_grp/TILCEPA/CCA%20India%20brochure%20(2).pdf>).
A number of wetlands have
been declared as protected areas, important birds areas or sites of importance
under the provisions of the Ramsar Convention. Many more are regularly proposed
for inclusion within such frameworks for better protection and management (see
news from
All this is welcome, but clearly, much more needs to be
done because the threats to our wetlands, like too many of our other natural
ecosystems, is increasing faster and is much larger than we care to believe.
NEWS FROM INDIAN STATES
Golden Gecko sighted in Papikonda WLS
A specimen of the rare
Golden Gecko was recently found by the Wildlife Institute of India in the
The reptile is mostly found in
the rocky ravines of the Eastern Ghats and has been recently sighted in the
Western Ghats of Karnataka and
Source: ‘Golden Gecko sighted in Papikondalu sanctuary’, http://www.newindpress.com/news, 10/10/07.
Contact:
Divisional Forest Officer, Wildlife, Papikonda Wildlife Sanctuary,
WWF,
Army for conservation of Arunachal Pradesh wildlife and forests
The Indian Army has recently signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) –
The
MoU was signed by Maj. Gen. D. S. Sidhu, GOC 5 Mountain Division, and Sejal
Worah, programme director of WWF-India, at a function at Tenga in Arunachal
Pradesh in September.
Source: ‘Wildlife
protection’, http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070908/asp/northeast/story_8290104.asp
Contact: Sejal Wohra, WWF-I, 172-B,
CWLW, Forest Department, Itanagar – 719111.
Arunachal Pradesh. Tel: 0360 – 222310 (o)/
224370 ®. Fax: 0360 – 222351/223556
Survey for herpetofauna in
and around Barail WLS
The
NGO Aaranyak has undertaken a project ‘Diversity and Distribution of
Herpetofauna and Evaluation of Conservation Status in
The
study has covered the lower elevation of the Barail Wildlife Sanctuary, fringe
villages and tea gardens of the northernmost areas of Cachar and has recorded 57
species of reptiles and amphibians in the area comprising 19 species of snakes,
15 species of lizards, 20 species of frogs and three species of turtles and
tortoises. The survey found two species enlisted in the International Union for
Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species — the Asian giant
tortoise (Manouria emys) and keeled box turtle (Pyxidea mouhotii).
. More species of reptiles including
the four keeled skink, which was spotted here for the first time in 1905, are
expected to be found when the survey covers new ranges.
Source: ‘Rediscovery of skink after a century’http://www.telegraphindia.com/1071031/asp/northeast/story_8489074.asp
Contact: Aaranyaak, Samanwoy Path (Survey), PO
Beltola, Guwahati - 781 028,
Rs 1cr sought for Kaziranga NP
The Assam Forest Department (FD) has
approached the Supreme Court for Rs. One crore for development of the
The
FD had put forward a proposal for the company to provide 8,000 litres of petrol and diesel
a year for vehicles used in patrolling the park. In response to the plea of the
company that this was too much, the Supreme Court has asked them to pay an
amount of Rs. Five lakh to the department for the purpose.
Source:
Rs 1cr sought for park
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1071110/asp/northeast/story_8530783.asp
Padmaparna Ghosh. ‘OIL to help monitor Kaziranga’,
http://www.livemint.com/2007/11/07231652/OIL-to-help-monitor-Kaziranga.html
18 rhinos killed in and around Kaziranga in first 10 months
of 2007
|
|
Date |
Range |
Poaching method |
|
1 |
07.01.07 |
Burapahar |
Gun Shot |
|
2 |
04.03.07 |
Kohara |
Gun
Shot |
|
3 |
09.03.07 |
Burapahar |
Gun
Shot |
|
4 |
15.03.07 |
Burapahar |
Gun
Shot |
|
5 |
06.04.07 |
Agoratoli |
Gun
Shot |
|
6 |
13.04.07 |
Agoratoli |
Gun
Shot |
|
7 |
20.05.07 |
Burapahar |
Gun
Shot |
|
8 |
03.07.07 |
Burapahar R |
Gun
Shot |
|
9 |
17.07.07 |
Bagori |
Gun
Shot |
|
10 |
20.07.07 |
Agoratoli |
Pit
poaching |
|
11 |
24.09.07 |
Agoratoli |
Gun
Shot |
|
12 |
23.10.07 |
Bagori |
Gun
Shot |
Rhino poaching /Accidental deaths of Rhinos outside the
Park area in 2007
|
1 |
26.01.07 |
Lakhimpur |
Accidental |
|
2 |
16.03.07 |
BhaktaChapori |
Gun
Shot |
|
3 |
16.05.07 |
Golaghat Divn. |
Accidental |
|
4 |
06.08.07 |
Bonkowal |
Gun
Shot |
|
5 |
06.08.07 |
NKAWLS |
Gun
Shot |
|
6 |
15.09.07 |
Hatikuli T.E |
Gun
Shot |
Source:http://www.wildlifetrustofindia.org/html/news/2007/071025_rhino_killed_by_poachers_in%20_Assam.html
Contact: Director, Kaziranga NP, PO Bokakhat, Dist. Golaghat – 785612,
Watchtowers constructed to warn of elephant raids near
Kaziranga
Three watchtowers have been constructed in
Lokhowjan, Rajabari and Borsapori to help the local farmers ward away the wild
elephants from the nearby Kaziranga NP. Frequent raids by elephants have
angered the villagers who have resorted to attacking these elephants with
spears and crude arms. Lack of compensation for the damage to their crop and
property has further aggravated the problem. Nearly 174 hectares (about 42
tons) of crops were damaged in Lokhowjan, Rajabari and Borsapori in 2006.
The watchtowers have been constructed by The
Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) with the help of the Assam Forest Department as
part of an initiative under WTI’s Rapid Action Project (RAP).
Source: Watchtowers constructed
to warn of elephant raid near Kaziranga,
http://www.wildlifetrustofindia.org/html/news/2007/071009_elephant_watch_towers_assam.html
Cycle squads to counter poachers in Manas
Taking a cue from the Indian Army’s
extensive use of bicycles in counter-insurgency operations,
The
squad in Manas comprising of 40 bicycles was to be launched in the last week of
November. An additional 40 bicycles will also be eventually procured.
The park has
also procured four motorcycles and several new guard camps have been set up in
the remote areas of the park to ensure better protection.
Source: Pullock Dutta. ‘Manas
cycle squads to counter poachers’,
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1071120/asp/northeast/story_8566316.asp
Contact: Director, Manas NP, PO Barpeta Rd.
Dist. Barpeta – 781315,
FD for sanctuary status
for Urpad Beel
The Assam Forest Department (FD) has proposed to
declare the Urpad Beel in the Goalpara district as a bird sanctuary.
Thousands of migratory waterfowl visit the wetland every year that was recently
listed as an Important Bird Area by the Bombay Natural History Society.
The FD is reported to have just
completed a comprehensive study on the waterbody following which the proposal
was mooted.
The beel, covering an area of
six square km, is in Agia, about 10km from Goalpara town along National Highway
37. The FD says that declaring the beel a sanctuary would also help in
the conservation of crocodiles that are found here.
Source: ‘More protection for lake’s winged guests’, http://www.telegraphindia.com/1071011/asp/northeast/story_8418757.asp
Call
to declare Sareswar Beel a sanctuary
The Dhubri based NGO Nature’s Friend
has asked for the Sareswar Beel to be declared a wildlife sanctuary. The
beel that has been listed as a Site of Global Importance in the
Directory of Asian Wetlands plays hosts to 1000s of birds every year and is
considered one of the best wintering sites in the region for migratory
waterfowl.
The
Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) too is reported to have supported the move
and has promised putting of infrastructure like watch towers and a guest house
to encourage visitors to the place.
Nature’s
Friend has also pointed out that the government has recently decided to allot
land on the periphery of the wetland for commercial activities and that this
would be detrimental for the ecology of the place. The NGO has said that it
will take up the matter with the Chief Minister of
Source: ‘Sanctuary dream spreads wings’,
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1071026/asp/northeast/story_8470791.asp
Staff shortage plagues Orang NP
The Rajiv Gandhi (Orang) National Park
is reported to be plagued with a serious shortage of manpower and this is
adversely affecting protection and conservation work here.
The
park does not have a veterinary doctor and the park authorities have to look
elsewhere in cases related to death of or injury to wild animals. Of the 186
forest guards required to patrol the park, only 50 guards and 36 casual
employees are employed at present. The park also has only four mahouts and five
gardeners, against the requirement for 16 each. Similarly, while 18 boatmen are
required for the 16 country boats and two motor boats, only nine have been
employed.
(Also see PA Update Vol XIII, No. 5,
Oct 2007, for similar reports of staff shortage in PAs across the country)
Source: ‘No cure for park illness –
Orang reels under veterinary crisis’, http://www.telegraphindia.com/1071023/asp/northeast/story_8451759.asp
Contact: DFO, Orang NP, Mangaldoi Wildlife Division, P.O. Mangaldoi, Darrang - 784 125, Tel: 0914-22065(O), 22349(R)
Chief Wildlife Warden –
Retired
army personnel for Valmiki TR
The Bihar State Government has decided to recruit
retired army personnel for the protection of the Valmiki Tiger Reserve. A proposal in this regard,
which was put forwarded by the state government to the centre, has been
approved. The protection force will comprise of 50 personnel in its first phase
and will be expanded later.
Source: ‘Now retired army personnel to save
tigers’, http://bihartimes.com/news07/Nov/9eleven4.html
Contact: Director,
Valmiki TR, Bettiah, Dist. West Champaran,
GUJARAT
Squads to identify electrified fences
in Gir
The Gujarat Forest Department (FD) and the Paschim
Gujarat Vij Company have launched a joint operation to identify electrified
fences being erected by farmers in the Gir forest region. The decision has been
taken following a number of recent incidents of electrocution of lions here due
to the electrified fences.
The
Supreme Court too had asked the Central as well as the state government for their
responses to a petition filed recently in the matter.
Source: ‘Squads to identify
electrified fences in Gir’, http://www.wildlifewatch.in/news/427,
02/11/07
Contact: Bharat Pathak, CF (Wildlife) Junagadh, Sardar Bag, Junagadh,
CWLW - Gujarat, Block 14, Dr. Jivraj Mehta Bhavan, Old Sachivalaya,
Gandhinagar-382010,
Hangul population between
117 and 190
A recent Hangul population estimation carried
out by the Jammu & Kashmir Department of Wildlife Protection and subsequent
analysis by Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has put the hangul population in
the
A study published in
2005 has suggested that the Hangul population was between 250 and 300 animals (PA
Update Vol. XI, No. 4, August 2005) while an even earlier survey of 2004
had put the number at 140 (PA Update 47)
According
to the researchers the major threats to the animal include disease
transmissions from the sheep and goats, habitat degradation due to the
collection of firewood, small timber and palatable foliage for cattle by local
people, livestock and the grazers who camp in the upper Dachigam during summer,
harassment by sheep dogs, frequent uncontrolled fires, lack of connectivity
between the relic populations and the main (Dachigam) population and predation
by the leopard (see PA Update Vol XIII, No. 1, February, 2007).
It has been suggested
that the upper Dachigam area should be made free from livestock and human use
to enable the animal to use its traditional summer range and not remain
confined to lower Dachigam only. The Forest Department is also said to have prepared
a plan for Hangul conservation. It envisages in-situ breeding of Hangul
and restoration of its summer habitats in
The Central Government is reported to have also agreed in principle to a Rs. 8.6 project for hangul conservation from the next financial year. Setting up Project Hangul is also being considered.
Source: Arif Shafi Wani. ‘Kashmiri Hangul faces extinction threat’, http://www.greaterkashmir.com/full_story.asp?Date=22_11_2007&ItemID=31&cat=1
Arif Shafi Wani. ‘Govt. mulls action plan for hangul conservation’, www.GreaterKashmir.com, 24/11/07.
Contact: Wildlife Warden, Dachigam NP, C/o.
Chief Wildlife Warden, J&K State Tourist Reception Centre Srinagar –
190001. Tel: 0194-2492627
Limber and Lachipora WLSs to be included in new
The Jammu & Kashmir State Government has proposed
the creation of a new national park, the Qazinag NP, close to the Line of
Control (LOC) near Uri in the Baramulla district. The area is reported to have
good populations of a number endangered species of wildlife like the markhor,
the musk deer and the Asiatic Black bear. It will be the fifth national park in
the state and the biggest and will include the Limber and Lachipora WLSs.
Though the exact area of the park is
still to be decided, the initial proposal has been sent to the State Law
Department for a legal opinion and to figure out issues regarding the
relocation of 15,000 odd people who live in the nearly 30 settlements within
the two sanctuaries.
(Also see PA Update Vol XIII, No. 3, June 2007 for reports of
mining inside the Limber and Lachipora WLSs)
Source: ‘New J&K park to protect bear, markhor’, http://www.kashmirlive.com/story/Fifth-national-park-on-the-anvil-in-JK/240079.html
Contact: Wildlife Warden North, Incharge –
Lachipora and Limber WLSs, C/o
CWLW, Government of Jammu &
Kashmir, Tourist Reception Centre (TRC),
Workshop on
Army participation in wildlife conservation in Ladakh
The fourth workshop on
“Military/Paramilitary Forces and Environment Conservation in Ladakh” was held
in the first week of October. The workshop was jointly organised by the World
Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) –
It was attended by seventy-five
officers from the Army, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, Himank (border roads
association in Ladakh) and the
The workshop was inaugurated by Tsering Dorjay, Chairman and Chief Executive Councillor, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council.
Source: ‘Army to help save wildlife in Ladakh’, 03/10/07. http://www.wildlifewatch.in/news/164
Contact: Pankaj Chandan,
WWF - I Hemis Complex,
Program for wetlands in state
Concerned over the shrinking
water bodies and wetlands due to a range of reasons including anthropogenic
pressure, the
Official sources said
an amount of Rs 177.68 crore was received by the state government from the
Centre under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes for the
The state government
had created the Lakes and Waterway Development Authority (LAWDA) in 1997 with
the mandate for conservation and management of Dal and Nigeen lakes. A detailed
project report for Rs 298.76 crore was subsequently approved by the Union
Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF) in September 2005.
The LAWDA and FD have
already axed more than three lakh trees and demolished hundreds of illegal
constructions in the
The state government
has also prepared a comprehensive management action plan for the conservation
of
The
State Government has also prepared and submitted a number of other proposals:
for the Mirgund conservation reserve for Rs 1.20 crore, the Hygam wetland for
Rs 1.60 crore and the Salabugh conservation reserve for Rs 1.70 crore. (See PA
Updates 45, 43, 41, 40 and 39)
Source:
‘Rs. 164 crore spend on Dal, Rs. 386 crore project for Wular Lake
A Central Government funded project for
the plantation of willow trees around the
A
proposal for planting the willows around the lake was sent last year by the
Department of Wild Life Protection to
The
plantation drive was, however, stopped recently after new Chief Wildlife Warden
A K Srivastava took charge and prepared a detailed report highlighting the
ecological impact of the willows around the lake. It is feared that the willow
trees will drain the water of the lake and lead to a shrinkage in its size.
The
money meant for the plantation has now been diverted to other programs like the
anti-poaching initiatives, and arranging feed for the birds including water
chestnuts and typha cultivation. As per official records Hokersar, hosted
450,000 migratory birds last winter.
(Also see PA Update 41)
Source: Ozair Nissar. ‘Wetlands to vanish within seven years: Environmentalists’, http://etalaat.net/english/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3028&Itemid=27
Six lakh migratory birds flock to
More than
six lakh migratory waterfowl were estimated to have reached the wetlands of
Source: ‘Six migratory birds flock
Contact: CWLW, Forest
Department, Manda Deer Park, Manda, Near Hotel Ashok,
Chilli tobacco
rope elephant barrier being tried in BAnnerghata NP
Ropes laced with chilli powder and tobacco are being tied around fields
bordering the
The
method known as the ‘chilli tobacco rope elephant barrier’ has been
successfully implemented in African countries.
Source: Amit Upadhye. ‘Great Indian rope to do the trick’, The Times of India, 19/11/07.
Tourism
plans for PAs in
The
Karnataka State Government has planned the creation of trails and camps at Aanjeri
in the Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS), Seethanadi in the Someshwara WLS,
Sakrebylu in the Shettihalli WLS, Kulagi in the Dandeli Tiger Reserve, Anshi in
Anshi National Park (NP), Bhagawati in Kudremukh NP, Talacauvery in Talacauvery
WLS and Gopinatham in the Cauvery WLS.
In a proposal submitted to the Union Government for
financial assistance, the Tourism Department has sought Rs. 9.41 crore for
strengthening infrastructure for the purpose. The project would be implemented
by the Tourism Department through the Forest Department.
While the camps at Talacauvery and Gopinatham will be
thrown open for the public for the first time, Kulagi and Sakrebylu camps have
been running for a while. In the last two years, Kulagi, known for hornbills,
Cyntheri rocks, Kavala caves, and rafting has attracted over 25,000 visitors
while Sakrebylu, a popular elephant camp has received over 8,000 tourists.
Source: Sharath
Srivatsa. ‘Plan to boost eco-tourism in the
FD opposes erection of electric poles inside Nagarhole NP
The Karnataka Forest Department (Wildlife), Hunsur Division
has objected to the erection of electric poles inside the
The FD has asked the contractor to furnish the
relevant documents for the work and stressed that the work needed to be
ratified by the department first.
The villagers here have pointed out that high tension
wires already pass through the PA and that permission for the erection of poles
to provide electricity to them should be given immediately.
Source:
‘Erecting of electric poles inside park sparks controversy’, The New Indian
Express, 07/11/07.
Contact: Dy.
Conservator of Forests, Nagarhole NP, Wildlife Division, Hunsur, Dist.
25
tigers counted in Bandipur TR; 14 in Nagarhole
The recently concluded tiger census in the Bandipur
and Nagarhole TRs has revealed the presence of 25 tigers in an area of 120 sq
kms and 14 tigers in 120 sq. kms respectively. The study was conducted by the
Wildlife Institute of India using the Camera-trap method. The forests of Bandipur
were covered in the summer of 2007, while those of Nagarahole, were surveyed after
the southwest monsoon.
Two
cameras were placed every 2 km over the chosen forest area for the purpose of
the census exercise. The line-transect method was also used.
Karnataka’s
third tiger Reserve, the Anshi Dandeli TR will be surveyed during the fourth
phase of the census in January 2008 along with ten other reserves all over the
country.
Source:
Alladi Jayasri. ‘Tiger census shows good signs in State’, http://www.hindu.com/2007/11/07/stories/2007110754970400.htm
Contact: Field
Director, Bandipur Project Tiger Reserve, Aranya Bhawan, Ashokapuram,
Elephant population dips
in Karnataka
A
census carried out in the month of May has revealed that the elephant
population in Karnataka has come down from 4347 in 2005 to 4035 now. This
figure is also considerably lower than the 5800 elephants counted here in 2002.
Experts have, however, said that there is no reason to be worried because numbers
tend to vary as elephants continually migrate from one state to another
The Asian Nature Conservation Foundation (ANCF),
Indian Institute of Science (IISc) conducted the present study using sample
block counting, line transects count, waterhole count and the block count
method.
The census was carried out in 23 forest divisions,
where the ANCF, using densities, calculated the number of elephants sighted and
divided it by the total population in all divisions.
According to the final report there were 1005
elephants in the Bandipur NP while 692 and 591 elephants were counted in the BRT
Wildlife Sanctuary and the Nagarhole NP respectively. The overall male-female
ratio for all divisions together is 1:2.1, where the sex ratio at sub-adult
class showed a higher skew towards females than in the adult class.
The census was conducted with Rs. 15 lakh that was
sanctioned to the state by the Centre under Project Elephant.
Source: Ashwini YS. ‘Elephant population
dips in Karnataka’, The Times of India, 24/10/07.
Six new species found in
Kudremukh NP
A survey conducted in October 2005 by the Zoological
Survey of India (ZSI) has reported the discovery of six new species of fauna
from the
The new fish, a variety of fresh water catfish, has
been named Glyptothorax kudremukhensis.
It was found from a stream of the Tunga flowing through a degraded forest patch
at Muduba. This 32.66 mm long, yellowish coloured, speckled fish was found in a
small water pool formed by stones that had blocked the flow of water
|
. |
The
five new insects discovered — Duta
polita, Paridris armigera, Psilanteris coriacea, Psilanteris ferruginus and Psilanteris orbitus — are parasites
that feed on other insects.
Source: The Garden of Eden just got fuller’, The Hindu, 25/10/07.
Contact: DCF, Kudremukh Wildlife Division, Karkala, Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka. Tel: 08258-221183(O), 221004(R). Fax: 08258-221183
Chief Wildlife Warden - Karnataka, 2nd Floor, 18th
Cross, Malleshwaram,
New
peacock sanctuary at Choolannur, 
conservation
reserve at Kadalundi
The
Kerala government has recently created its first ‘peacock sanctuary’, spread over
500 hectares at Choolannur. A conservation reserve for protection of birds has
also been created at Kadalundi in the Malappuram district.
Source: ‘Kerala opens first peacock
sanctuary at Choolannur’, http://www.newkerala.com/oct.php?action=fullnews&id=9032
‘Safari park to come up in
New ‘Malabar Wildlife
Sanctuary’ to cover forests of
The Kerala Forest Department recently announced a proposal to set up the
Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary that will comprise
The
Source:
‘Malabar wildlife sanctuary soon’, The
Hindu, 08/10/07.
Contact: Chief
Wildlife Warden – Kerala,
Vazhudacaud, Trivandrum
MP bans polythene in national parks
The Madhya Pradesh
Government has banned the use of polythene in national parks in the state from
November 1. Visitors will be provided with paper bags at the entrance of the
park for carrying their belongings.
Source:
‘MP to pan polythenes in national parks’,
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200710081421.htm
MP Forest Department goes hi-tech
The Madhya Pradesh Forest
Department (FD) is going hi-tech to protect the state's green cover and
wildlife by using Information Technology (IT) to enable better net-working
among forest officials. The FD has tied up with the Indian Space Research
Organisation (ISRO) and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) to train its
staff and disseminate forestry related information with the help of IT applications.
The department has recently become the first in the country to start a forest
IT training centre.
Interactive class sessions
and virtual classrooms - run by ISRO and BHEL - for officers and technical
staff have been conducted at 54 centres in the state to train officers and
technical staff.
Source:
‘MP forest dept. goes hi-tech’,
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200710211280.htm
Low male-female crocodile
ratio in the National Chambal Sanctuary causes concern
The low male-female ratio of crocodiles in the
National Chambal Wildlife Sanctuary is causing concern amongst scientists and
forest officials. Only 20 of the 865 crocodiles in the sanctuary are reported
to be male.
Climate
change and increased infant mortality has been held responsible for the present
situation.
The
government is said to have provided an incubator to the park authorities to
help them deal with the situation. A serious shortage of electricity has
however meant the equipment is not used effectively.
Source: ‘Low male-female crocodile ratio
causes concern’, The Pioneer,
15/10/07.
Contact: DFO, National Chambal WLS, Morena Division, Morena, Madhya Pradesh. Tel: 07532-226742. Fax: 07532-227367/234188
CWLW, MP, Van Bhawan, Tulsi
Nagar,
New spider
found in Melghat TR
A new spider is reported to have been discovered from the Melghat
Tiger Reserve. It was found in the Sipna Wildlife Division in October during an
expedition to study spiders being conducted by 30 research students from
The insect is about one centimeter long and has an
arch-shaped thorax, which tapers down to two lobes at the posterior end.
Reputed scientists including those from the Zoology
Department of the University have confirmed that the spider is indeed a new
species.
Source: Archana Sharma. ‘New spider found in Melghat’, The Times of India, 18/11/07.
Contact: Kishore Rithe, Pratishtha, Bharat
Nagar,
Dummy traps to train
forest staff in Pench TR
A novel initiative to train forest staff in
the Pench Tiger Reserve has been launched to locate tiger traps used by
poachers. Dummy wooden traps -- which
look like the original steel traps generally used by poachers to snare tigers –
will be laid in prime areas and the field staff will be asked to find them within
four hours. The wooden traps would be laid by some unidentified forest
officials. A team of six employees headed by a Range Forest Officer (RFO) that
will be asked to find the traps would be provided clues on the basis of which
they are supposed to work.
This is part of a number of new initiatives launched
here by the Director of the Reserve, Dr. Mohan Jha. He pointed out that perpetrators
of crime always leave behind a trail in the forests, but field staff was unable
to identify these because of lack of training. In the next step real steel
traps will be laid for detection, after removing the springs so that no harm is
caused to humans or animals.
The Tiger Reserve authorities have also decided to
take plaster casts of tiger pugmarks all round the year in an effort to create
its own database. Around 150 pug impression pads (PIPs) are being created for
the purpose in the park and their number will be subsequently increased.
The authorities also held a meeting with sarpanchs
from surrounding villages during wildlife week to discuss and involve them in
forest conservation efforts.
Source: Vinay Pinjarkar. ‘Novel way to curb tiger poaching’, The Times of India, 04/10/07.
Contact: Dr.
Mohan Jha, Director Pench TR, Near Govt. Press, Civil Line,
Chief Wildlife Warden,
Maharashtra State, Dr. Ambedkar Bhawan, 4 & 5th Floor, M.E.C.L. Building
Seminary Hills & Campus,
Tourism
promotion in Satkosia WLS
The Orissa Forest Department has launched a big tourism project at
Tikarpara in the Satkosia Gorge Wildlife Sanctuary.
Ten tents have been built on the banks of the
The charge for the tent per day has been fixed at Rs
500. Having earned Rs 92,000 last year, TIPPS has set a target of Rs 5 lakh for
this year. Tourism is also being started in the Purunakote area of the
sanctuary for the first time
(Also
see PA Updates Vol. XIII, No 2, 3 & 4).
Source: ‘Tikarpara now beckons eco-tourists’, The New Indian Express, 31/10/07.
Contact: Divisional
group of organisations in the name of providing
succour to poor are supporting infiltrators and the unauthorised occupation of
both, the revenue and forest lands. Besides felling trees and converting the
forestland to homestead and paddy fields, these inhabitants were fishing in
prohibited territory with resources and equipment provided by the NGOs. The FD
has also alleged that the NGOs were giving cattle and goats to the illegal
settlers here under social security schemes. Many of these were freely grazing
inside the forest areas causing further degradation.
The FD report also says that there
is evidence that some organisations were clearing the existing mangrove and
then trying regeneration to show the activity as their own project.
It is not known whether the FD has
made public the list of NGOs it has named in this report to the state
government.
DFO, Bhitarkanika NP, At/
Mechanised
boats banned at Gahirmatha for turtle nesting season
The Forest Department has also sought help from the
Coast Guard and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
personnel of
12 on shore and three off shore camps will be set up by
the FD to prevent the illegal entry of trawlers to the sanctuary during the ban
period. The local police have been requested to keep a tab on the fishermen who
illegally enter into the sanctuary to catch fish violating the order. Besides,
night patrolling will also be stepped up by the forest officials with the help
of Coast Guard personnel.
The forest officials have also planned to establish
artificial hatcheries to hatch some of the turtle eggs.
In a later development 17 fishermen were taken into
custody in the last week of November for fishing inside the Gahirmatha Marine
Sanctuary. They were arrested from four deep sea-trawlers that were spotted by
the FD near
Source:
‘17 fishermen intercepted for illegal fishing’, The Statesman, 25/11/07
Ban on NTFP collection
causes of collapse of haat system in Sunabeda WLS; local tribals
adversely affected
The
traditional barter and haat (market) system which was an informal source
of credit and trading for tribals in and around the forests of the Sunabeda
Wildlife Sanctuary has been badly hit after the ban on extracting NTFPs from
protected areas has come into place.
The Sunabeda Sangharsa Bahini (SSB) which is opposing
the eviction of tribals from the sanctuary has pointed out that business in
NTFPs from the sanctuary area gave tribals a fair price for their collection
prior to the ban. The ban has now deterred the traders from purchasing any of
the produce collected and brought to the haats by the local tribals. The
SSB has also pointed out that even if the locals managed to collect some NTFP
now, their collection fetched less returns as they no longer enjoyed the
control they had on their resources. Before the ban, tribals used to collect amla,
harida, bahada and mahul and sell them. The traders would pay the
tribals either in cash or in the form of essential commodities like clothes,
soaps, and edible oil.
(Also
see PA Update Vol XIII, No. 4)
Source: ‘NTFP ban: barter, haat system
collapse’, Express News Service, 2/10/07.
Contact: DFO, Sunabeda Wildlife Division, At/P.O. Dist. Nuapada – 766105, Orissa. Tel: 06678 - 23372(O), 23401(R)
GIS mapping to trace elephant movement in Chandaka Dampara
WLS
Efforts are
being made to use Geographic Information System (GIS) based applications to
track the movement pattern of elephants in and around the Chandaka Dampara
Wildlife Sanctuary. Annual and seasonal data and information about cropping
pattern, water availability, areas of the forests used by villagers to collect
resources like firewood or graze their cattle is to be used to understand,
predict and manage elephant depredation with the help of the villagers of the periphery
areas. This area has seen a lot of animal human conflict in recent years and it
is hoped this initiative will help deal with the problem (see PA Updates Vol
XIII, No. 3 & 1; Vol XI, No. 4; and Nos. 49, 46, 41, 39, 34, 32 & 29.)
Present analysis of the
movement pattern of the elephants from the GIS database shows that the
elephants generally move out towards the South on the Khurda side of Barunei
Hills near Ratanpur village.
The current study is being
carried out in consultation with SPARC, a GIS consulting firm.
Sanctuary authorities have
also started an exercise of naming some of the commonly sighted elephants
according to their specific characteristics. It is hoped that the exact
location of the elephant will be known which can then be notified on the
bulletin boards at different locations of the sanctuary.
Source:
‘GIS mapping to trace jumbos’, http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEQ20071017023917&Page=Q&Headline=GIS+mapping+to+trace+jumbos&Title=ORISSA&Topic=0
Contact: DFO,
Chandaka WLS, SFTRI Campus, Ghatikia, P.O. Barmunda Colony,
Simlipal TR opened to visitors from Nov. 4
The Similipal Tiger Reserve
has been opened to visitors from November 4. In the first phase, visitors will
be allowed entry through the Kalika Prasad gate via Jashipur. Repair work on
the roads through Kalika Prasad entry point had been completed while work was
still in progress on a temporary bridge over river Palpala near village
Munidara causing delay in access through Peethabata.
A maximum of 60 vehicles were to be allowed into the park,
40 through Kalika Prasad gate and 20 through Peethabata.
Tourists will also have the
opportunity of exploring the forests on elephant back. The Project Tiger
authorities here had brought three elephants to help ferry the forest personnel
inside the forests and also for protection activities. These are to be now used
for tourism purposes as well.
Entry of tourists to the
reserve had been suspended from June 15 ahead of the rainy season as the roads
inside reserve get damaged in the rains.
Source:
‘Simlipal biosphere reserve to be opened from Nov. 4’, http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002200710261440.htm
Contact: Director, Simlipal Tiger Reserve, P.O. Baripada, Dist. Mayurbhanj – 757002, Orissa. Tel: 06792-252593(O), 252773(R) Fax: 256705
Wildlife Conservation award to the Mahabir Pakshi
Surakshya Samiti, Mangaljodi
The Sri Mahabir Pakshi Surakshya Samiti of Mangalajodi
under Chilka Forest Division in Khurda district was recently awarded the Biju
Patnaik Award 2006-07 for Wildlife Conservation for their excellent work of
bird protection. The award which includes Rs. One Lakh and a citation was given
away in the first week of October by Chief Minister of the State, Mr. Naveen Patnaik.
The Chief Minister also released two books on the
occasion - Wildlands of Orissa, prepared by scientists and State wildlife
officials, and Orchids of India, compiled by former Chief Wildlife Warden,
Saroj Kumar Pattanaik.
Speaking
on the occasion the Chief Minister said that the state could not create any
more protected areas, though attention would be paid to maintaining and
protecting existing wildlife corridors.
Source: ‘Wildlife award for Mahavir bird
protection body’, The Pioneer,
02/10/07.
‘Naveen calls for restoration of critical wild animal corridors’, The Hindu, 04/10/07.
New State Board for
Wildlife constituted
A new State Board for Wildlife (SBWL) has been
constituted in Orissa. The term of the last board has expired in 2005 and the
state government had taken no interest in reviving it since.
Three young MLAs have been inducted in this new board. They
are Pratap Keasari Deb and Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo of the Biju Janata Dal and
Nitesh Gangadeb of the Congress.
Other members of the board
include Prof Priyambada Mohanty Hejmadi;
Former PCCF (Wildlife) SK Patnaik; former IG Forests MF Ahmed; environmentalist
and former MLA Bibhudhendra Pratap Das; ornithologist S Balachandran from the Bombay
Natural History Society; Chief of Project, Bihang Uday Narayan Dev; former
Minister Mangala Kisan; Prof GBN Chaini; AK Sharda and SN Patro.
The Chief Secretary is a permanent invitee of the
board, while the PCCF (Wildlife) is its member-convener.
Source: ‘State wildlife board revamped, three MLAs included’, The Pioneer, 14/10/07.
Contact: CWLW Orissa, see below
SACON
to study bird mortality in Chilka
The Coimbatore-based Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology
and Natural History (SACON) has submitted a proposal to the Wildlife Division
of the Orissa Forest Department for surveillance of waterfowl at Nalabana Bird
Sanctuary in
The project is intended to monitor the bird mortality
and identify possible reasons behind chemical contamination, disease aspects
for mortality of waterfowl and recommend remedial measures.
Nearly 1000 and 2000 migratory birds were reported to
have died in Chilka in 2005 and 2006 respectively. The reasons for the deaths
have not yet been identified.
Source: ‘Forest Dept. plans study on migratory birds at Chilka’, The Pioneer, 26/10/07.
Contact: DFO (WL), Chilka, 1865/66 Nuasahi
Nayapalli (near Sub PO), Bhubaneshwar – 751012.
Orissa. Email: bravo_123@satyam.net.in
CWLW– Orissa, Plot No. 8, Shahid Nagar, Bhubaneshwar – 751007, Orissa. Tel: 0674- 2512502 / 2513134 / 2515840. Fax: 512502
Kathlore
forest to be declared a wildlife sanctuary
The Punjab Forest Department (FD)
has issued a preliminary notification to declare 2,000 acres of forest near
Kathlore, on the border of J&K, as a wildlife sanctuary. The forest, which
is home to hog deer, wild boar, neelgai, sambar and a number of bird species lies
on the banks of the River Ravi.
FD officials say that creating a sanctuary here would
help deal with the problem of poaching and encroachment.
Local villagers, on the other hand, say that the forest
land now being declared a sanctuary originally belonged to them. They have also
expressed serious concern about the damage caused to their crops by wild
animals here like the wild boar. They have pointed out that as per the culling
policy, permits to kill wild boar at night are not give and they are also only
allowed to hunt the male.
The FD says it is aware of the people’s problems and that
they are they are seeking funds to erect a barbed wire fence around the forests
to prevent wild animals from straying into the adjoining fields. The FD also
intends to hold meetings with the surrounding villagers to apprise them of the
sanctuary proposal and to seek their support for the same.
Source:
‘Post-conflict, Kathlore forest declared a sanctuary’, The Tribune, 05/10/07
Contact: Chief Wildlife Warden, Punjab, SC No. 2463-64,Sector 22-C, Chandigarh - 160022.Tel: 0172-2705828(O), 2675661(R). Fax: 2705828
Keoladeo
The
Rajasthan State Government is proposing a Rs. Six Billion project for revival
of the wetlands of the Keoladeo Ghana National Park that have been hard hit in
recent years on account of a severe water shortage.
Surplus water from the
Water from the Ajan bund which has
been the main source of water for the PA has not been released for the last few
years because of the demands of adjoining villages to use it for their
agriculture. It has been suggested in the past that water should be made
available from the
Source: ‘Bharatpur bird sanctuary to get a facelift’, http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=14560536&vsv=SHGTslot2 14/11/07.
Contact: Director,
Keoladeo
Weeding
operation conducted in Keoladeo
Over six sq. kms of the 29 sq. kms
The plant has vigorous coppicing power. The park
authorities had made several attempts in the past to kill the mother trees but
could not succeed as even the burnt stumps sprouted with great vigour. The
mammal population in the park such as Blue bulls, chital, wild boar and feral
cows, which consumed the ripe seeds, helped its propagation. The only option
seemed to be uprooting each individual tree.
Hiring
contractors who would agree to uproot the host trees for their wood was ruled
out because of the stringent Wildlife Protection Act. By 2006 the situation was
reported to have gone from bad to worse. As an effort to involve local
villagers, the Forest Department held several meetings with the local villagers where they were
told that instead of stealing wood from the park they could now earn it through
their labour. Initially only five individuals responded positively, but this
number increased steadily. In response the authorities formed an Eco Development
Committee in February 2007 and registered all the villagers to take their help
in dealing with the problem.
The
A team of
60 forest staff kept vigil, maintaining a complete record of the wood
transported out of the park.
By September 2007, 550
families were engaged in removing of the plant from the park; they had cleared
nearly six sq. kms and removed more than six tons of wood as reward. The
authorities have set a deadline of one year to eradicate the weed from the
park.
Source:
Sunny Sebastian. ‘
Rakhee Roy Talukdar. ‘Villagers to bird park rescue’, http://www.telegraphindia.com/1071007/asp/nation/story_8405558.asp
Rajasthan can’t get enough ex-soldiers for wildlife
protection
The Rajasthan government's
plan to recruit ex-soldiers to guard wildlife sanctuaries and stem the rise in
poaching has evoked a poor response. Only 700 applications were reportedly received
though the posts advertised were a 1000. Of the applications received 10% were
further found to be not suitable.
Source: ‘Rajasthan can’t get
ex-soldiers as wildlife wardens’,
http://www.newkerala.com/oct.php?action=fullnews&id=10066
Bhagani
village relocated from Sariska TR
Bhagani village in the Tehla forest range of the
Sariska Tiger Reserve was recently relocated to a site near Behor in Alwar
district, about 100 km from Sariska.
The Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), an NGO helping the
forest department to relocate this village, handed over bank drafts of
compensation to 18 families who have been relocated.
The relocation is said to be a follow up of the
recommendations made by the Tiger Task Force (TTF) that was set up after all
tigers were reported poached from Sariska.
11 villages are located inside the reserve and four of
these were selected on a priority basis for relocation. Bhagani is the first of
these four. Negotiations are reportedly on for the relocation of the second
village to a place near Moujpur in Alwar district (see PA Updates Vol
XIII, No. 3, Vol XII, No. 4 and Nos. 57, 56, 55 & 50).
The Forest Department here has also already recruited
35 ex-army personnel out of the 100 posts recently created as per
recommendations of the government. A nod is also being awaited for halting
night traffic on the highway that runs through the heart of the reserve.
Source: ‘Village relocated as Sariska prepares for
big cats’, http://www.newkerala.com/oct.php?action=fullnews&id=11748
Contact: Director, Sariska Tiger Reserve, Sariska, Alwar – 301022, Rajasthan. Tel: Tel: 0144-41333 (O)
The
Suganthi Devadason Marine Research Institute, affiliated to the
The project will be funded by the Gulf of Mannar
Biosphere Reserve Trust under a United Nations Development Programme - Global
Environmental Facility scheme.
It will be conducted by fixing permanent monitoring
stations around 10 islands falling under Mandapam, Tuticorin, Vembar and
Keezhakarai group of islands - Vilanguchalli and Koswari (Tuticorin group),
Nallathani, Puluvinichalli and Upputhani (Vembar group), Valai, Poovarasanpatti
and Vallimunai (Keezhakarai group), and Pullivasal and Manoliputtui (Mandapam
group).
Biological parameters such as percentage cover of
corals, species composition, size structure of coral communities, presence of
newly settled coral (coral recruitment), coral growth, fish population around
corals, extent of coral bleaching, mucus secretion owing to stress, micro algal
assemblage and sedimentation on the reefs, would be investigated as part of the
study. Physical and chemical properties of the ecosystem too will be monitored.
(Also see PA Update Vol. XIII, No. 4)
Source:
R Vimal Kumar. ‘Coral reef eco-system to be studied’, The Hindu, 15/10/07
Contact: Wildlife
Warden, Gulf of Mannar NP, Collectorate Compound, Ramanathapuram – 623503,
Tamil Nadu.
CWLW, Tamil Nadu, 6D,
National park status to
Trishna WLS
The Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary located in the
Source:
Tripura wildlife sanctuary become national park’, http://newspostindia.com/report-22346,
06/11/07
Contact: Chief Wildlife Warden, Tripura, Aranya Bhawan, Nehru Complex, Agartala – 799001, Tripura. Tel: 0381-225223. Fax: 0381-225253/224013, 2422249
Poaching
alert in Corbett and Rajaji during Diwali
A special tiger poaching alert
had been issued in the Rajaji and
The alert was sounded after Uttarakhand forest officials
received information that some poaching gangs from Rajasthan and Haryana had
become active in the adjoining national park areas and could use the festive
season to poach here as well.
Source: Sahil Nagpal. ‘Tigers in danger in Corbett in
festive season – red alert on’, http://www.topnews.in/tigers-danger-corbett-park-festive-season-red-alert-24314
Contact:
Director, Rajaji NP, 5/1 Ansari Marg, Dehradun – 248001,
Uttaranchal. Tel: 0135-2621669 Fax: 2621669
5066 vultures counted in Uttarakhand
A recent census conducted by the Wildlife Department
of Uttarakhand has put the population of vultures at a little over five
thousand in the state.
Out of the 5,066
vultures counted the highest number was 2311 of the Himalyan Griffon vulture.
The numbers for the other species of vultures were as follows: Red Headed
vultures – 200; Cinereous species – 574; Eurasian Griffon – 35; Lammergeier –
205; Indian Vulture – 279; Slender Billed vulture – two; White Rumped – 255 and
the Egyptian Vulture - 316. The species of as many as 889 vultures could not be
ascertained.
The count was conducted in 32 forest
divisions in the state – 14 in Garhwal and 18 in Kumaon. The protected areas
covered in the census included the Nanda Devi,
The maximum 485 vultures were
counted in the
Source:
Jotirmay Thapliyal. ‘Vultures flying high in Uttarakhand’, The Pioneer, 12/10/07.
Contact:
CWLW, 5, Chandrabani, Mohobewala,
Dehradun, Uttaranchal. Tel: 0135- 2644691
Elephant
Reserve for UP
The Uttar Pradesh Government has proposed the creation
of a 744 sq kms Elephant Reserve spread across the
According to the biennial census figures available
with the State Forest Department, the number of elephants in the Bijnore forest
division in 2005 was 16. In 2007 the figure had gone up to 62. The Najibabad
range reported 24 elephants in 2005. In 2007, their numbers jumped up to 254
mainly due to migration of the animals from the
Source:
Atiq Khan. ‘It’s official: elephant rules the roost in Uttar Pradesh’, The
Hindu, 04/11/07.
Rs. 15.77 lakhs for the Kukrail
Gharial Centre
The Uttar Pradesh government has issued a grant of Rs
15.77 lakh to the Kukrail Gharial Rehabilitation Centre (KGRC) for conservation
of the ‘critically endangered’ gharials.
The
state forest department (FD) has also asked the Centre for a Rs 1.45-crore
grant to upgrade the rehabilitation centre. The step was taken following a
survey undertaken by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and
Natural Resources (IUCN) which has put the gharial on the red list of
critically endangered species this year.
The
population of the animal in the wild in now estimated to be only 200. The
construction of various structures on rivers like dams, barrages and activities
like sand mining are believed to be the main reasons behind the drastic fall in
the gharial population.
The Gharial Rehabilitation Project had
been started in 1975 at the behest of the Central Government. Over the years,
the KGRC kept the successful breeding and survival record of the gharial at over
90 per cent. Nearly 4000 gharials have been released in rivers across the
country since the project was launched. The initiative started suffering when
the Centre stopped the financial assistance in 1992-93 and the state government
too pulled out in 1998-99.
The State FD is now working on a collaborative project
with the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust for the conservation of the gharial. The KGRC
would be upgraded in such a way that it would provide as a favourable habitat
for the breeding of gharials. The tourism zone would be separated from the
breeding zone, the wildlife museum would be renovated and a new watchtower
would also be constructed for the tourists.
Source: ‘UP allots funds for gharial conservation’, http://www.wildlifewatch.in/news/231, 08/10/07
Contact: DFO, WL, National
Chambal Wildlife Division Mau Van Block,
CWLW, Govt. of Uttar
Pradesh, 17, Rana Pratap Marg,
Initiative for Red Panda
protection in PAs in North Bengal
Help
Tourism and Association for Conservation & Tourism (ACT) has launched
initiatives in and around PAs in
1)
A collaborative
eco-tourism project with youth in Hee Bermiock and Singling, adjoining the
Barshey Rhododendron Sanctuary
2)
Development of an
ecotourism project in Kolakham village adjoining the
3)
Attempts are also
being made to develop and declare community reserves at Hee Patal, the
Contact: Raj
Basu. Help Tourism, 143 Hill Cart Road, Malati Bhavan, 1st
Floor, PO Box 67, Siliguri – 734401. Tel: 0353-2535893 / 2433683 / 09434146891.
Email: helptourism@sancharnet.in
Tel: 09733000444. Email: actraj@gmail.com
Asit Biswas. Tel: 09831031980 Email: asit.helptourism@gmail.com
Train
knocks down elephant in Buxa TR
A
male elephant was struck down by a railways parcel van about 100 metres away
from Rajabhatkhawa Railway Station within the Buxa Tiger Reserve in early
November.
Angered by the incident, activists
of the Himalayan Nature and Adventure Foundation (HNAF), a Siliguri based
conservationist group, blocked the Kamakhya-Dnanapur Capital Express for more
than an hour at the Siliguri Town station They have also threatened to disrupt
train service throughout north Bengal in future unless the authorities took
notice and enforced speed limits on trains traveling in some areas of the
Dooars. Members of the forest protection committee at Rajabhatkhawa are also
unhappy with the growing number of animal deaths from train accidents here.
The Railway authorities have, in response, argued that
they are already maintaining the prescribed speed limits and that it would not
be possible to bring down the speed limit to 40 kmph or reduce the number of
trains in the Dooars as demanded by the HNAF.
Nine wild elephants and two bison have been killed by speeding trains in the Dooars since March 2004 after the conversion of the tracks from meter to broad guage (see PA Updates Vol XIII, No .3; Vol XII, No. 3, and Nos. 49, 47, 43, 39, 36, 34, 32 & 29).
Source: ‘Parcel van knocks down elephant in
Buxa’, http://www.wildlifewatch.in/news/503,
10/11/07
Contact: Field Director, Buxa Tiger Reserve,
P.O. Alipurduar, Dist. Jalpaiguri - 736 122.
Chief Wildlife Warden, Vikas
Bhawan, North Block,
Govt
identifies 94 wetlands for regulatory framework
A draft regulatory framework for wetlands which would
be notified under the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 has
been prepared by a special multi-disciplinary expert group constituted for this
purpose. The announcement was made in the Lok Sabha recently by the Union
Minister of State for Environment and Forests, Mr. Namo Narayan Meena.
The proposed framework has the provisions for
regulatory authorities at the central, state and district levels and comments
on the same have been invited from state governments and other stakeholders. The
classification of wetlands would be based on their size, threat perceptions,
and importance at various levels.
The ministry has identified 94 wetlands, many of which
are protected areas, under the National Wetland Conservation Programme. The
wetlands identified are as follows:
Andhra
Pradesh: Kolleru
Gujarat: Nalsarovar; Great Rann of Kachh; Thol Bird
Sanctuary; Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary; Little Rann of Kachh; Pariej; Wadhwana;
Nanikakrad
Haryana: Sultanpur; Bhindawas
Himachal Pradesh: Renuka; Pong Dam; Chandratal; Rewalsar; Khajjiar
Jammu & Kashmir: Wullar; Tso Morari; Tisgul Tso & Chisul Marshes;
Hokersar; Mansar-Surinsar; Ranjitsagar; Pangong Tsar
Jharkhand: Udhwa; Tilaiya Dam
Karnataka: Magadhi; Gudavi Bird Sanctuary; Bonal; Hidkal &
Ghataprabha; Heggeri; Ranganthittu; KG Koppa wetland
Kerala: Ashtamudi; Sasthamkotta; Kottuli; Kadulandi; Vembnad
Kol
Madhya Pradesh: Barna; Yashwant Sagar; Wetland of Ken River;
National Chambal Sanctuary; Ghatigaon; Ratapani; Denwa Tawa wetland; Kanha
Tiger Reserve; Pench Tiger Reserve; Sakhyasagar; Dihaila; Govindsagar
Manipur: Loktak
Mizoram: Tamdil; Palak
Orissa: Chilika; Kuanria wetland; Kanjia wetland; Daha
wetland
Rajasthan: Sambhar
Sikkim: Khechuperi; Holy Lake; Tamze Wetland; Tembao Wetland
Complex; Phendang Wetland Complex; Gurudokmar Wetland; Tsomgo wetland
Tamil Nadu: Point Calimer; Kaliveli; Pallaikarni
Tripura: Rudrasagar
Uttar Pradesh: Nawabganj; Sandi; Lakh Bahoshi; Samaspur; Alwara Wetland;
Semarai Lake-Nagaria lake Complex; Keetham Lake; Shekha wetland; Saman Bird
Sanctuary & Sarsai Nawar Complex
Uttaranchal: Ban
West Bengal:
Source: ‘Govt. identifies 94 wetlands for
regulatory framework’, http://www.wildlifewatch.in/news/618,
22/11/07.
Trains running along wildlife corridors might stop running
at night
The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF)
is reported to have written to the Rail Board suggesting that movement of
trains through wildlife corridors in Orissa, West Bengal, Assam and Uttarakhand
be stopped at night till preventive measures were put in place.
A
number of wild animals, particularly elephants have been killed in the last few
years in railway accidents in different parts of the country.
It has been pointed out that
animal movement takes place mostly during the nights and the absence of reflectors,
underpasses at necessary points and hooting mechanism in trains are reasons why
the accidents continue to happen.
A case in the point is the
Daitari-Bansapani line connecting Orissa’s iron ore heartland, where two
elephants were killed in the month of November. While the mining projects and the
railway line was conceived in the 1980s no attention had been paid to create
passages for the safe movement of wildlife. Even the Forest Department (FD) had
not suggested preventive steps then.
The MoEF Secretary has
pointed out that the Railways must take steps to install safety mechanism and
if necessary, impose restriction on movement of trains at night.
Source: Siba Mohanty. ‘Will trains stop running at night?’, www.newindpress.com, 18/10/07.
The information was provided by the
Minister of State for Environment and Forests, S Regupathy during a program to
mark wildlife week in
The
minister also conferred the Rajiv Gandhi Wildlife Conservation Awards to Mike
Pandey for 2004 and to Himmat Singh Negi for 2005.
Source: ‘
Permits auctioned for
Markhor, Himalayan Ibex trophy hunting
The
North West Frontier Province (NWFP) Wildlife Department recently auctioned
hunting permits for four Kashmiri Markhors and three Himalayan Ibex under the
Trophy Hunting scheme for the current hunting season that will run from
December 15 to March 2008.
The permits were auctioned at a
record high rate including one for Toshi Game Reserve in Chitral for $81,000,
showing an increase of $24,000 against the previous year rate of $57,000.
The other three permits for Markhor were auctioned at
different rates; one in Chitral again in Toshi game reserve at $77,000, Gairath
Game Reserve in Chitral at $68,000 and Kaigah Game Reserve in Kohistan district
at the rate of $58,000. Three permits of Ibexes were auctioned at a rate of
$3,100 each. All the permits were auctioned to the biggest bidder, Karakuram
Treks and Travels.
For the last couple of years the revenue generated
through trophy hunting has been increased due to increase in quota of Markhor
hunting for
In the conference of CITES held in
The break-up of the hunting quota of 12 animals has
been as follows: four in the NWFP, five in
Source: ‘Permits auctioned for Markhor, Himalayan Ibex trophy hunting’, Daily Times.
Workshop on Compensation
and Rewards for Ecosystem Services
The Indian Society for
Ecological Economics (INSEE) will be organizing a two day workshop, on February
4 & 5, 2008 in the Indian Institute of Forest Management,
Unpublished papers, preferably from young researchers,
are invited on the following areas: a) Provisioning services (food, fiber,
genetic resources, bio-chemicals), b) Regulating services (air and water
quality, population and pest regulation and climate regulation), c) Cultural
Services (spiritual, aesthetic and recreational values), d) Payment for
Ecosystem Services, e) Market Mechanism for Environment Services, f) Rewards
for Environment Services.
Contact: Prof KV Raju,
Secretary, INSEE. Email: kvraju@isec.ac.in. Web: www.ecoinsee.org,
www.iifm.ac.in,
www.isec.ac.in.