PROTECTED AREA UPDATE

News and Information from protected areas in India and South Asia

Vol. XIV No. 1 February 2008 (No. 71)

LIST OF CONTENTS

EDITORIAL 2

Securing corridors…Snapping corridors!

NEWS FROM INDIAN STATES

Andhra Pradesh 3

Blackbucks feared poisoned near Rollapadu WLS

Area of Nagarjunasagar – Srisailam TR reduced by over 1000 sq. kms

Assam 4

Domestic elephants to deal with wild elephant depredation

Bridge over rail line in Gibbon WLS

Tiger death in tea estate bordering Kaziranga; management proposes acquiring part of estate

Increase in Swamp Deer population in Kaziranga

Bihar 5

Large scale fish deaths near Vikramshila Dolphin Sanctuary

Jammu & Kashmir 6

118 fire incidents in PAs in last three years

Siltation threat to Hokresar

Karnataka 6

Dog squad to fight wildlife crime

Opposition to wall inside Ranganathittu WLS

NGO initiative secures elephant corridor connecting BRT Wildlife Sanctuary

Soliga tribals to be allowed to remove NTFP from the BRT Wildlife Sanctuary 

Deer to be translocated from Mysore zoo to Bandipur NP

Illegal road construction work inside Jayamangali Conservation Reserve

Kerala 8

Elephants move to TN forests with onset of Sabarimala season

Cameras to monitor tigers in Periyar TR

Madhya Pradesh 9

Meeting of Madhya Pradesh Tiger Foundation

New entry rules for NPs in MP

Maharashtra 10

Construction of wall around SG National Park to be speeded up

Minister visits Tadoba TR after midnight in violation of rules

Orissa 11

Bird census conducted in Chilka

Bhitarkanika closed for tourists for annual census

DRDO link for turtle protection units; mass turtle mortalities reported

Reduced elephant menace around Chandaka- Dampara WLS

NGO activities detrimental to Bhitarkanika forests: Forest Department

Punjab 13

Fresh water dolphins spotted in Harike

Rajasthan 13

Rajasthan to get Museum of Natural History

12 tiger cubs born in Ranthambore NP in last two years

Keoladeo NP could lose UNESCO world heritage status

Uttarakhand 14

Poaching alert in Corbett NP for New Year eve

West Bengal 15

Tigress in Sunderbans radio-collared

12 tigers in Buxa TR

Food problem for increasing rhino population in Jaldapara WLS

MoEF proposal to deal with elephant deaths in train accidents in North Bengal

NATIONAL NEWS FROM INDIA 16

Traffic to be monitored in tiger reserves to avoid animal mortality

273 villages to be relocated from tiger reserves

Wildlife Service Awards 2007

SOUTH ASIA 17

Bhutan

Workshop to develop National strategy on human- wildlife conflict

Pakistan

Five year Houbara Bustard conservation project

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 18

South East Asian Workshop on CCAs

Opportunities 18

Research Associate: Forest Fire Management 
Wildlife Conservation Society Invites Applications for its RFP 

Research project on management and use of biodiversity in the North East

Work with CAT in the Mumbai Metropolitan region

UPCOMING 19

International Seminar on PA Management

ButterflyIndia Meet 2008

Asian Wetlands Symposium 2008

Conference of the ATBC - Asia Pacific Chapter

Critical Tiger Habitats & Critical Wildlife Habitats: A Status Report 21

Readers Write 23

Protected Area Update

Vol. XIV, No. 1, February 2008 (No. 71)

Editor: Pankaj Sekhsaria

Illustrations: Madhuvanti Anantharajan

Produced by: Kalpavriksh

Ideas, comments, news and information may please be sent to the editorial address:

KALPAVRIKSH, Apartment 5, Shri Dutta Krupa, 908 Deccan Gymkhana, Pune 411004, Maharashtra, India. Tel/Fax: 020 – 25654239.

Email: psekhsaria@gmail.com

Website: www.kalpavriksh.org

Production of PA Update 71 has been supported by Foundation for Ecological Security (FES), Anand.

EDITORIAL

Securing corridors…Snapping corridors!

An interesting set of ‘infrastructure’ is to come up in protected areas in different parts of the country. These are bridges for wildlife, physical constructions that will allow wild animal movement along traditional routes. Conventional flyovers have been proposed on roads running through the Rajaji and Manas National Parks (PA Update Vol. XIII, No. 5) for vehicles to move over and allow animals to cross under. In the Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary, on the other hand, custom made steel bridges, designed like trees are to come up for gibbons to cross over a rail line running through their forest (see story below). In another, first of its kind initiative in the country, a group of NGOs is actually purchasing land that constitutes corridors between significant forest areas (see stories from Karnataka in this issue of the PA Update). The move is ensured at permanently securing these small ‘patches’ of forests so that these vital but tenuous connections are not broken.

While there might be questions about the implementation of the bridge construction plans or the widespread and long term financial and logistical viability of purchasing corridors (how many can be bought and where will the money come from?), there can be no denying their importance. These initiatives are also clear pointers towards the realization that corridors are absolutely crucial in a landscape that is being ruthlessly fragmented, where wildlife habitats are rapidly shrinking and protected areas are left only as islands in a sea of hostility all around. They are the symptoms of a larger problem where there is no vision or planning for the larger landscape and where attempts at securing corridors for wildlife like those discussed above are savagely out numbered by the magnitude and scale of the snapping of existing corridors.

Mining projects like in Orissa, Jharkhand and Chattisgarh; dam building like in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh; road, railway line & canal construction, and destruction of the forests by encroachers all over are rapidly cutting off channels for wild animal movement. The results are evident: rapidly escalating elephant depredation like in Orissa; increased animal deaths in road accidents and on railway lines like in North Bengal and growing hostility of local people as they suffer even more damage to life and property from the ‘straying’ animals. An equally important but little studied dimension is the slow but visible breakdown of the traditional pastoral and agricultural practices. Agricultural systems, in particular, used to be far more tolerant but are becoming increasingly unfriendly to wildlife as they get rapidly commercialized and intensified.

There is, without doubt, a serious and urgent need to go to the root of the problem. Corridors for human movement like the road and rail networks need to be planned (or even stopped or removed when necessary) to ensure that wildlife corridors are not snapped; a larger picture of the landscape (the oft repeated landscape planning) and the needs of wildlife have to be kept in mind; local communities need to be taken into confidence and made part of the conservation agenda; and hugely destructive activities involving construction of ports, dams, mines and industrial complexes that go under the name of developmental projects need to be reigned in.

All we could end up with, otherwise, is another huge cement, concrete and steel construction binge in the name of wildlife. There will be many bridges but all useless, because nothing will be left on either side to bridge.

NEWS FROM INDIAN STATES

ANDHRA PRADESH

Blackbucks feared poisoned near Rollapadu WLS

Three blackbucks were found dead in fields adjoining the Rollapadu Wildlife Sanctuary in December. The incident occurred in a maize field near the Chintalakunta Village of Midtur Mandal.

Forest officials believe that the local farmers may have poisoned the animals as they have been raiding crops in Aspari, Maddikera, Alur, Midtur, Tuggali and five other mandals. The dead animals were taken to the Atmakur Veterinary hospital and details of the postmortem are awaited.

Source: ‘Rayalaseema ryots poison Blackbuck?’, http://www.wildlifewatch.in/news/874 20/12/07

Contact: DFO (Wildlife Management), Rollapadu WLS, Atmakur, Kurnool. Andhra Pradesh. Tel: 08516-283337

Area of Nagarjunasagar – Srisailam TR reduced by over 1000 sq. kms

The area of the Nagarjunasagar – Srisailam Tiger Reserve (NSTR) has been reduced by over a 1000 sq. kms. The reserve that was spread over 3568 sq kms in the districts of Mahbubnagar, Nalgonda, Prakasam, Kurnool and Guntur is now 2527 sq. kms.

The move was initiated following a directive of the Central Government to form an expert committee and delineate the Critical Tiger Habitat (CTH) as per the 2006 amendments made to the Wildlife Protection Act. An expert committee that went into the matter suggested the change including the removal of all area from Nalgonda district.

It has been pointed out that lot of these areas had already been denotified for mining, irrigation and other such projects. The prominent example is that of uranium mining (PA Update 45) and work on the irrigation project that have already been going on in within the NSTR in Nalgonda district.

The notification was issued in the last week of December 2007.

Source: Mir Ayood Ali Khan. ‘Tiger reserve shrinks’, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com 07/01/08.

Contact: Field Director, Nagarjunasagar - Srisailam Tiger Reserve, Srisailam Dam (East) – 512103, Andhra Pradesh, Tel: 08524-286089 / 286140(R). Fax: 08524-286071

ASSAM

Domestic elephants to deal with wild elephant depredation

The Assam Forest Department (FD) is creating a special force of 150 specially trained mahouts and a few kunkis (leader elephants) to help combat the growing depredation of wild elephants by driving them away from human habitats. A special training module has been used to build the new force. A two –week training for the last batch of 25 mahouts was conducted in October 2007.

Domestic elephants have been used to drive away wild elephants in the past but the lack of success of the operations was attributed to the fact that neither the elephants nor the mahouts had the right kind of training.

It is hoped to correct this situation with the training this time that was provided by the well known elephant expert, Parbati Baruah.

It has also been pointed out in this context that most of these domestic elephants were earlier engaged in the timber extraction industry and were left with no work following Supreme Court orders on felling and transportation of timber here. Many of these were deserted by their owners on account of the huge cost incurred for feeding them.

Critics of the present program have questioned its success. They point out that most of the domestic elephants were sold off in Bihar and in South India and that it would be a tough task to find healthy elephants for the new force.

Source: ‘Jumbo power tapped’, The Telegraph, 18/10/07.

Bridge over rail line in Gibbon WLS

The Northeast Frontier Railways had decided to build two bridges over an 800-metre stretch of railway line inside the Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary in Jorhat district of Assam. The idea is aimed at connecting the gibbons who have been separated on account of the rail line.

The bridges, the first of their kind in the country, would be made of steel and designed to look like trees. The Railway Authorities have said that the exact sites for the bridges have been identified and a proposal will soon be submitted to the Forest Department (FD) for clearance. Work would start as soon as the FD pays the deposit fund.

(Also see PA Updates 50 and 57)

Source: Pullock Dutta. ‘Railways to put gibbons back on track’, The Telegraph, 04/01/08.

Contact: DFO, I/c Gibbon WLS, Jorhat Division, P.O. Jorhat, Dist. Jorhat – 785001, Assam. Tel: 0376-32008(O), 320456(R

Dr. Dilip Chetry, Gibbon Conservation Centre, Meleng, Mariani, Jorhat – 785634. Tel: 09435043982 / 03771-244378. Email: chetryd@rediffmail.com

Tiger death in tea estate bordering Kaziranga; management proposes acquiring part of estate

One tiger cub was found dead and another was found in a semi-conscious state in the Rongagora division of the Tata Tea owned Hathikuli Tea Estate bordering the Kaziranga National Park. Other wild animal carcasses are also reported to have been found here in recent months. Wild animals often stray into the tea estate, which forms part of a corridor from Kaziranga to the Karbi Anglong hills on the other side of National Highway 37.

Forest officials have said the recent incident happened because the tiger cubs consumed dead cattle that was laced with a strong pesticide. Samples of the cattle flesh have been sent to State Forensic Laboratory in Guwahati and the Forest Department has said that legal action would be initiated against the tea estate if pesticide presence was confirmed. They have also proposed to acquire the Rongagora Division of the tea estate to prevent such incidents in the future.

The Tea Estate Management has, however, said that the company was aware of its responsibilities and that a decision had been taken to convert the 470 hectares estate into an organic plantation. 160 hectares are reported to have already been made organic and the rest would also be converted in three years time. They have also not ruled out the possibility of one of their workers spraying pesticide on the cattle carcass to avenge for loss he may have faced on its killing by the tiger, but have argued that they cannot be held responsible for the actions of one of their employees.

The FD in turn has argued that a bottle containing pesticides was found at the site and even if done by a worker it was proof that the Tea Estate management was using pesticides in the plantation.

In related subsequent developments the TE management formed an eco-development committee to convince the FD of its commitment to wildlife protection. Space has also been provided to the FD to set up camp in the plantation area and a plea was also made to the plantation workers to help the park authorities to protect wildlife, particularly those animals that entered the area.

Source: Pullock Dutta. ‘Kaziranga management counters tea pesticide threat’, The Telegraph, 02/01/08.

‘Tata in save-wildlife pledge’, The Telegraph, 08/01/08.

Contact: Director, Kaziranga NP, PO Bokakhat, Dist. Golaghat – 785612, Assam. Tel: 03776-268095(O), 268086®

Increase in Swamp Deer population in Kaziranga

A recently conducted census in Kaziranga NP has counted 681 Swamp Deer here; a significant increase from the 468 deer that were reported in the last census in the year 2000. The figure, however, was 58 short of the population during the first Swamp Deer census conducted in 1998. The first census conducted in 1966, which was carried out along with the rhino census, had found 213 swamp deer.

Of the 681 swamp deer this time, 189 were male, 384 female and 108 yearlings.

The park was divided into 14 compartments for the purpose of the count. The Burapahar Range which had never reported any Swamp Deer earlier had 22 animals this time.

Park officials have also informed that population estimation surveys of buffaloes, tigers and elephants are to be conducted in Kaziranga in early 2008.

Source: ‘Swamp deer population jumps in Kaziranga’, http://www.wildlifewatch.in/news/786, 14/12/08.

Contact: Chief Wildlife Warden – Assam, Rehabari, Guwahati – 781008, Assam. Tel: 0361-2566064. Fax 2547386

BIHAR

Large scale fish deaths near Vikramshila Dolphin Sanctuary

A large number of fish have been reported dead in the waters near the Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary. The cause of the deaths has not yet been established and fears have been expressed about the threats this could pose to the dolphins themselves.

Official sources said over 500 quintals of fish died in the first week of January in the Ganga in Bhagalpur. While local people said some fishermen might have poisoned the fishes, others have said that the deaths might have been on account of the pollution in the river.

Source: ‘Fish deaths near dolphin sanctuary cause of worry’, www.mangalorean.com 07/01/08.

Contact: DFO, Banka Forest Division, I/c Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin WLS, Banka, Dist. Bhagalpur, Bihar. Tel: 06424 – 232216.

JAMMU & KASHMIR

118 fire incidents in PAs in last three years

The Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) Minister of State for Forests G M Saroori recently informed that nearly 1747 hectares of forests in J&K were affected in 438 fires in the period April to December 2007. The figure for the year 2005-06 was 334 fires affecting 1461.1 hectares of land, while that for 2006-07 was 227 fires over a land area of 1172.3 hectares

It was also pointed out that 118 fire incidents took place in protected areas in the state affecting 162.13 hectares of area during the last three years.

The Minister said that nearly half the fires were caused intentionally for burning the under-growth to collect Minor Forest Produce (MFP), for scaring away wild animals, to get good growth of grass in the following season and to clear land for cultivation.

The State has also taken a number of steps to deal with these fires. Forest fires are managed by the territorial staff of the Forest Department (FD) by beating the ground fire and spraying water from nearby streams and springs. Cooperation from local people residing in the area who avail various concessions from the forests is also solicited. Control Rooms have been established in all the territorial divisions. Patrolling parties are constituted during the vulnerable period and fire vulnerable compartments have been identified in every division and kept in special focus. Control burning, slash disposal and creation and clearance of fire lines is resorted to in the vulnerable areas. Watch towers have also been constructed at number of places where staff is deployed for round-the-clock duty during the dry spell. The FD has also submitted a proposal under ‘Integrated Forest Protection (IFP) scheme’ with a financial outlay of Rs. 29.13 crores to the Government of India.

One of the key constraints in dealing with fires is the lack of adequate infrastructure. The Minister pointed out that a forest guard in J&K has to monitor 5 to 10 sq. kms of area; that the FD was unable to control the movement of security forces and other people inside the forests during the dry season and that they did not have any aerial back up for dealing with crown fires.

One particularly vulnerable target has been the timber depots of the Jammu and Kashmir State Forest Corporation (SFC). These have been regularly vandalized, particularly in the inaccessible areas of erstwhile Doda district. 98 fire incidents have been reported since 1990 in SFC coupes and operational areas gutting 47877 lakh cft of timber. The cost of gutted stocks has been estimated to be Rs. 4201.303 lakh.

Source: ‘227 fire incidents in JK this year’, www.greaterkashmir.com 24/01/08.

Siltation threat to Hokersar

A recent report ‘Comparative studies on Ecology of Hokersar wetland, Kashmir: present and past,’ conducted by the Centre of Research Studies, Kashmir University, has pointed out that the Hokersar wetland is being seriously threatened by siltation. The wetland that was spread over 13.5 sq kms is now said to be barely 5.5 sq kms in area. The main reason is said to be the silt brought down by the perennial streams, the Dudhganga and Sukhnagh that feed the lake.

It has also been pointed out that the unchecked siltation is responsible for the disappearance of economically viable species like Nelumbium nucifera and Euryale ferox that are found here. Species composition too has changed drastically over the years. In 1985 there were 85 macrophytic species found whereas now their number is just 24. (Also see PA Updates Vol. XIII, No. 6, and PA Updates 43 and 41).

Source: ‘Incessant silt deposition poses major threat to Hokersar’, http://www.wildlifewatch.in/news/935, 28/12/08

Contact: Wildlife Warden, C/o Chief Wildlife Warden, J&K State Tourist Reception Centre Srinagar – 190001. Tel: 0194-2492627

KARNATAKA

Dog squad to fight wildlife crime

The Karnataka Forest Department (FD) has proposed the setting up of its own squad of trained sniffer dogs to tackle the increasing problem of poaching and wildlife crime. The FD has already written to the Secretary, Department of Forests, seeking permission to set up a dog squad.

The squads, if approved would have six dogs of different breeds and six trainers. They would be set up in Bangalore, Hubli, Mysore and Shimoga. The estimated cost of creating one such dog squad is Rs. 20 lakhs

Source: TS Ranganna. ‘Dogs to be trained to go after smugglers, poachers’, www.hindu.com 28/12/07.

Opposition to wall inside Ranganathittu WLS

Naturalists and local villagers have opposed the Forest Department’s work on the construction of a 130 meter wall inside the Ranganathittu Wildlife Sanctuary.

While the naturalists feel that the concrete wall will disturb the natural ambience and the nesting birds here, the people of Palahalli and other surrounding villages fear that their fields may be inundated when there is a heavy outflow of water from the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) reservoir.

Forest officials have argued that the project has been planned taking into account the expert opinion from the KRS engineers. They say that an outflow of more than one lakh cusecs of water inundates the area and the wall was being constructed to avoid the inconvenience caused to the visitors and birds. It has also been pointed out that the excess water would join the river and there was no question of it being diverted to the neighbouring fields.

Source: ‘Wall in sanctuary draws flak’, www.newindpress.com 18/12/08

Contact: Forester, Ranganthitu Bird Sanctuary, Palahalli, Shrirangapatta Taluk, Mandya – 571401, Karnataka

NGO initiative secures elephant corridor connecting BRT Wildlife Sanctuary

In the first initiative of its kind in India the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) have purchased a strip of 22.5 acres of land to secure it as an elephant corridor connecting the forests of the Biligiri Rangaswamy Wildlife Sanctuary (BRTWLS) to the forests of Kollegal.

A formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was recently signed between the Karnataka government and WTI transferring the land, known as the Edayargalli-Doddasampige (E-D) corridor, to the Forest Department. In return for the title deeds, forest officials will maintain the corridor as a safe passage for elephants.

The E-D corridor is a narrow strip of land (0.5 km wide and 2km long) that lies between Kurubaradoddi village (to the north) and Aandipalya village (to the south). These villages are connected by the Kollegal -Satyamangalam highway. The corridor is crucial to the local elephant population and is also home to other endangered wildlife like tigers and leopards.

WTI, IFAW and their partners have also acquired part of the Tiruneli - Kudrakote elephant corridor linking the Wayanad WLS in Kerala to the Brahmagiri WLS in Karnataka. Four families of the Thirulakunnu settlement located in the corridor are reported to have also voluntarily moved.

Source: ‘Safe passage for Endangered Elephants: Karnataka corridor given to Government’, http://www.wildlifetrustofindia.org/html/news/2007/071220_elephant-corridor.htm

Contact: Rosa Argent / Monica Sood, WTI, A-220, New Friends Colony, New Delhi - 110065. Tel: 011 - 26326025/26. Fax: 26326027. Email: rosa@wti.org.in; monica@wti.org.in. Tel: 09958 127685 / 09810 606228

Soliga tribals to be allowed to remove NTFP from the BRT Wildlife Sanctuary 
 
The Karnataka State Government has taken a decision to allow the Soliga tribals to collect Non Timber Forest Produce (NTFP) from within the Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary (BRTWLS). The decision was taken during a meeting of the State Wildlife Board held in July 2007. A proposal for the implementation of the decision was formulated in September. It lays downs the rules and conditions under which this harvest can be conducted and also lists the NTFPs that can be harvested as also the quantities to be permitted. 
 A letter with the proposal was sent to the Central Government in October 2007, with a request to consider this as a special case for lifting of the existing ban and allowing the Soligas to collect the NTFPs through their LAMP societies.
 It is not known yet whether the Central Government has granted its approval.
 
Source: Letter dated 22/10/07 from the Principal Secretary, Forest, Ecology and Environment Department, Govt. of Karnataka to Deputy Inspector General (WL), MoEF, Govt. of India. 

Contact: DCF, BRT Wildlife Sanctuary, Wildlife Division, Chamarajanagar, Karnataka. Tel: 08226-222059(O), 222156(R)

 PCCF Wildlife, Govt. of Karnataka, Aranya Bhavan, IInd Floor, Malleswaram, Bangalore – 560003. Email: pccfwl@gmail.com

Deer to be translocated from Mysore zoo to Bandipur NP

Mysore Zoo authorities are reported to have launched a process of translocation of sambar and spotted deer to their natural habitat in Bandipur. 59 sambar and 79 spotted deer will be moved as part of a population control measure for the zoo.

The doctors at the zoo had dewormed the animals to be moved, screened them for the presence of endemic pathogens and administered prophylactic measures so they do not pose a threat to wildlife in Bandipur.

Source: P Krishna Kumar. ‘Mysore zoo procuring lion-tailed macaques for captive breeding’, The Hindu, 23/11/07.

Contact: Field Director, Bandipur Project Tiger Reserve, Aranya Bhawan, Ashokapuram, Mysore – 570008, Karnataka. Tel: 0821-2480901(O), 2484980 (R).

Illegal road construction work inside Jayamangali Conservation Reserve

Tumkur based conservationists have reported the illegal road construction work inside the recently notified Jayamangali Blackbuck Conservation Reserve. It has been pointed out that the small bullock cart path from Giregowdanahalli - ID Halli Cross that passes through the conservation reserve was expanded without seeking relevant permissions under the Forest Conservation Act and the Wildlife Protection Act.

The work on the road resulted in uprooting of a large number of small trees and shrubs and damage to vegetation as well. Initial complaints and queries to concerned authorities drew a blank and information was got only after the filing of the Right to Information Application.

It has also been alleged that the work has been carried with the local area funds of the Member of Parliament and Member of the Legislative Assembly of the area.

Source: Ameen Ahmed. Email dated 28/11/07. http://tumkurenvironment.blogspot.com/2007/07/as-has-been-happening-in.html

Contact: Ameen Ahmed, Ghouse Buildings, Hospet Main Road, Tumkur 572101, Karnataka. Email: tumkurameen@gmail.com

DCF, Tumkur Territorial Division, Tumkur City 572101, Karnataka

Chief Wildlife Warden - Karnataka, 2^nd Floor, 18^th Cross, Malleshwaram, Bangalore – 560003, Karnataka. Tel: 080-3341993 / 3345846. Email: pccfwl@vsnl.com

KERALA

Elephants move to TN forests with onset of Sabarimala season

The onset of the pilgrim season in the Sabarimala hill shrine has resulted in huge disturbances for the elephants in the forests here, forcing them to move to adjacent forests of Tamil Nadu. Nearly 60 elephants were reported to have entered the forests in Kaliyal, Kulasekaram and Azhagiyapandipuram of the neighbouring Kanyakumari district.

There were also reports of elephants spotted roaming along the fringes of Perunkuruvi, Akasthiyarkoodam and Vellasarithodu forests near Sabarimala on the Kerala side

Three teams of forest personnel have been formed to keep a watch on the elephants.

Source: ‘Elephants move to TN forests with the onset of Sabarimala season’, http://www.hindu.com/ 08/12/07

Cameras to monitor tigers in Periyar TR

The Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR) authorities have decided to use cameras to identify individual animals, home ranges and their stripe patterns. About 40 cameras in pairs of two each are to be set up in four sq km grids to 'trap' the animals and the entire park would be covered within four to five months time. Seventeen tribals and two local youth have been trained to operate the cameras and help the forest officials in the exercise.

The gathered information is to be submitted to the Field Director’s office and would then be sent to the National Tiger Conservation Authority in New Delhi.

Source: ‘Periyar Tiger Reserve to use cameras to monitor tigers’ http://www.hindu.com 24/12/07

Contact: Field Director, Periyar Tiger Reserve, Aranya Bhavan, Forest Complex, S.H. Mount P.O. Kottayam - 686006. Kerala. Tel: 0481-2562940(O) / 2560297(R). Fax: 2569217 / 2565740

Chief Wildlife Warden – Kerala, Vazhudacaud, Trivandrum – 695014, Kerala. Tel: 0471-2322217 / 2360452 / 2204896. Fax: 2360452 / 2322217

MADHYA PRADESH

Meeting of Madhya Pradesh Tiger Foundation

A meeting of the Madhya Pradesh Tiger Foundation (MPTF) was held at the Van Vihar National Park in Bhopal in the month of January 2008. The meeting that was presided over by State Forest Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah took a number of decisions to ensure protection and conservation of forests and wildlife.

These include organizing of at least one ambulance for the use of local people in every national park in the state, construction of dormitories with a capacity of about 50 school children near every national park keeping in view the requirements of educational tours and the setting up of ashram schools by the State Tribal Welfare Department for villages located inside protected areas.

The Foundation has also decided to appoint agents, on a commission basis to collect funds for carrying out various projects and activities.

Those attending the meeting included Minister of State for Forests, Narayan Singh Kushwaha; State Principal Secretary (Forests), Prashant Mehta; Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, V. R. Khare; PCCF (Wildlife) P. B. Gangopadhyaya; Additional PCCF (Wildlife) H. S. Pabla and park directors from across the state.

Source: ‘Madhya Pradesh to whip up public support for wildlife conservation’, www.thehindu.com 20/01/08.

New entry rules for NPs in MP

The Madhya Pradesh Government has decided to enforce new rules for entry into national parks from January 2008. Entry fee to the park would now be charged per vehicle and not per individual as has been the norm so far.

According to the revised rates, foreign tourists would have to pay Rs 2000 per vehicle while Indian visitors will pay Rs. 500 per vehicle for entry into tiger reserves. This fee is applicable for light vehicles with a capacity of up to eight-passengers. For the minibus with a capacity from nine to 32 passengers, Indian and foreigner tourists would have to pay Rs 8000 and Rs 12000 respectively per vehicle.

For other protected areas the fee structure is slightly different. If would be Rs. 400 for Indians for light vehicles and Rs 1500 for foreigner tourists while for minibus it would be Rs. 1000 and Rs. 12,000 respectively.

In view of increasing pressure of tourism on the national parks and in a bid to control crowding, the state government has decided to limit the number of vehicles entering the main National Parks (Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Pench and Panna). Under this system, the number of vehicle entries has been limited to 150 in Kanha National Park, 165 in Bandhavgarh, 66 in Pench and 70 in Panna. This number is equivalent to or less than the present pressure of vehicles in the National Parks, but it is hoped that limiting their number would be very effective in the future when these areas would come under added pressure from more visitors

In the sensitive area of Kanha zone in Kanha National Park the number of vehicles would be limited to 70. In the Tala zone in Bandavgarh the entry of vehicles has been limited to only 50.

Two additional tourism zones have, however, been provided in Kanha and Bandhavgarh so that tourists do not feel disappointed or are not inconvenienced.

Information and reservation facilities are also being provided on the web at <http://www.mponline .gov.in/forest>

Source: ‘New entry fee in national parks from January’, www.centralchronicle.com. 1/12/07

Contact: CWLW, MP, Van Bhawan, Tulsi Nagar, Bhopal 462003, Madhya Pradesh. Tel: 755-557371/ 550391.

MAHARASHTRA

Construction of wall around SG National Park to be speeded up

Following a series of four incidents of leopards straying out of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (