Big Cat News

Sariska tigers siblings, incest dangerous: Experts

2009-07-11T01:28:00.000-05:00

Sariska tigers siblings, incest dangerous: Experts

Swati Vashishtha / CNN-IBN
Published on Thu, Jul 09, 2009 at 16:43
Updated on Thu, Jul 09, 2009 at 16:54 in India section

Jaipur: Grand plans were afoot in Sariska to re-populate the habitat with tigers. But now there's a controversy brewing. Could the three tigers - two females and one male - airlifted from Rajasthan's Ranthambhor to Sariska be siblings?

"The conclusion was arrived at by analysis of the photographic sensors. The three tigers - airlifted to Sariska last year - have all been fathered by the same male," says Field Biologist Ranthambhor National Park, Sawai Madhopur, Dharmendra Khandal.

Experts say having a common parent can be a problem for these tigers because breeding between siblings can lead to genetic disorders.

"It can have ill effects like mortalities and slow growth rate," says Khandal.

The Rajasthan government which has spent over Rs 50 lakh on the ambitious project is in denial mode and is in fact planning to release another tiger in the area.

Rajasthan Minister for Forest and Environment, Ramlal Jat says, "If they are shifted again, then the same problem of incest can arise."

While the government limits its concern to things like doubling up the budgetary allocation towards tiger conservation, what could well be another serious lapse in Sariska shows how the crucial attention to detail in saving the big cats is still nobody's priority.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/sariska-tigers-siblings-incest-dangerous-experts/96749-3.html

http://www.bigcatrescue.org

More trouble for tiger

2009-07-11T01:27:00.001-05:00

More trouble for tiger

Deepak Gidwani / DNA
Friday, July 10, 2009 2:57:00 AM

Environment and forests minister Jairam Ramesh may be fretting over poachers pushing the tiger to extinction in Panna and Sariska forest reserves. But the next big shocker could come from Uttar Pradesh where the tiger population could slide into double digits.

Officials of the UP forest department (UPFD) are busy preparing for an exercise which has been steeped in controversy over the past decade — the biennial (two-yearly) tiger census. Data relating to the survival of the big cat have been a sensitive issue as foresters and conservationists slug it out every time a census is done.

This time, the debate focuses on the efficacy of the double camera trap technique, used to estimate the tiger population for the first time in 2007. While UPFD disputed the figures, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) brushed aside all reservations, insisting it was the most reliable method available.

“The camera trap method is an advanced technique but it does have its drawbacks,” says UP’s chief Wildlife Warden (CWW) BK Patnaik. However, he hastens to add that since it has been accepted by the NTCA and the Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India (WII), which conducted the last census, there is no point in arguing over the matter anymore. “When we are talking about wildlife and that too tigers, no method can be 100 per cent accurate... at best, it’s an estimation,” he said.

The UPFD was up in arms as soon as the last figures were declared in 2008. It was a major embarrassment as the state’s tiger count had taken a nosedive from 273 (UPFD’s 2005 census) to 109 (WII’s 2007 census). The UPFD dashed off its objections to the NTCA expressing strong reservations over the WII report. The NTCA overruled all protests.

“Tiger conservation should not get bogged down by statistics alone,” says Dr Diwakar Sharma, associate director, Species Conservation Programme, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), India. He told DNA by phone from Ranthambore that the camera trap is a more sophisticated technique than the traditional pugmark method. “Lack of training (of forest department staff) could be a major drawback,” he said.

Thereby hangs a tale. While WII conducted the 2007 census, this year it is to be done by the state forest services. A senior UPFD official said no formal training for the camera trap method had been given to any of the staff who would be handling it.

UPFD officials point out other handicaps of the camera trap method. The cameras placed at a height of about two feet would miss out the cubs. Besides, the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, which has close to a hundred tigers, is surrounded by dense sugarcane fields known to be a thriving habitat of tigers. But no cameras can be placed in these fields due to practical difficulties.

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_more-trouble-for-tiger_1272654

http://www.bigcatrescue.org

Lions and tigers and bears, oh my

2009-07-11T00:37:00.001-05:00

Lions and tigers and bears, oh my

Naples Zoo is a wonderful Florida attraction

July 9, 7:45 PM · Larraine Stacey - Florida Travel Examiner

For Information About White Tigers Visit:
http://www.bigcatrescue.org/cats/wild/white_tigers.htm

This summer, Naples Zoo in southwest Florida welcomes one of the rarest creatures of the natural world, white tigers. For a limited time, Memorial Day through Labor Day, these four-year-old white tigers will be in the lush Tiger Forest exhibit near the new Black Bear Hammock exhibit. These striking cats will be seen stalking past giant bamboo or splashing in the naturalistic rockwork pool. In concert with the new bear exhibit and just arrived young purebred South African lions, white tigers will be a wild part of the summer fun in Southwest Florida. Visit www.napleszoo.org.

http://www.examiner.com/x-9092-Florida-Travel-Examiner~y2009m7d9-Lions-and-tigers-and-bears-oh-my--Naples-Zoo-is-a-wonderful-Florida-attraction

http://www.bigcatrescue.org

Two new tigers call Issaquah home

2009-07-09T23:57:00.000-05:00

Two new tigers call Issaquah home

July 9, 2009
By Chantelle Lusebrink

For Information About White Tigers Visit:
http://www.bigcatrescue.org/cats/wild/white_tigers.htm

Issaquah’s Cougar Mountain Zoological Park is the recipient of two new Bengal tiger cubs.

“We are very happy. We want people to come out and be a part of these two boys’ lives,” said Robyn Barfoot, general curator for Cougar Mountain. “If it weren’t for our guests, we wouldn’t be able to do this.”

The two cubs, a royal white Bengal, which is 13 pounds, and a standard orange-and-black Bengal, which is 15 pounds, came to the zoo July 2. They are brothers from the same litter, born at an Arizona zoo six weeks ago, Barfoot said.

“We had always planned on having four and built an enclosure to hold four,” she added, of the new arrivals. “We had special kinds in mind, though. We knew we wanted a standard orange-and-black, and then another royal white, because people love to see them. It also helps us teach people about the recessive gene and that like people, animals come in different colors.”

It is Barfoot’s hope that these tigers, like the zoo’s 2-year-old tigers, become ambassadors for tigers in the wild and inspire patrons and residents to help with conservation efforts.

The zoo’s other tigers, Taj, a golden Bengal, and Almos, a royal white Bengal tiger, are from two separate litters, but were purchased together and brought to the zoo in May 2007.

Zoo officials have completed Taj’s and Almos’ second larger tiger habitat and will transfer them to their new facility in coming weeks. The two new cubs will live in the nursery enclosure that Taj and Almos reside in now, when they are ready.

“The objective, hopefully some day in the distant future, once they’ve all grown up, is to introduce them and they can all cohabitate,” like several zoos in Europe have, Barfoot said. “But if they can’t, we have the two phases they can each rotate through.”

Zoo officials delayed announcing the purchase and arrival of the new tigers until this week, because so many developmental and health concerns can arise in the first few weeks of their lives, she said.

Since the tigers are still small, zoo officials aren’t releasing them publicly until July 22, when they will have two outdoor play sessions each day for the public to watch. Times for those sessions will be announced closer to the public release date.

http://www.issaquahpress.com/2009/07/09/two-new-tigers-call-issaquah-home/

http://www.bigcatrescue.org

Name the Cincinnati Zoo tiger cubs contest

2009-07-09T23:44:00.000-05:00

Name the Cincinnati Zoo tiger cubs contest

July 9, 11:39 PM

The Cincinnati Zoo needs your help naming four adorable Malayan Tiger cubs.

Proud parents Jalil and Hutan welcomed the four little boys March 21st.

It was the first litter of Malayan tigers born at the zoo in eight years.

A contest is underway right now on the zoo’s website. Four lucky winners will each receive a basic family zoo membership.

There are only about 600-800 of the endangered species in the wild. Malayan tigers are only found in tropical forests in Malaysia and the southern tip of Thailand.

For this reason, zoo officials are looking for names reflecting the tigers’ Southeast Asian heritage.

The zoo launched a page on its website to submit names.

But hurry! The contest ends next Friday, July 17th. Winners will be announced on July 24th. Enter as many times as you like, but only one name per entry.

To enter: Name the tigers contest

http://www.examiner.com/x-11511-Cincinnati-Early-Childhood-Parenting-Examiner~y2009m7d9-Name-the-Cincinnati-Zoo-tiger-cubs

http://www.bigcatrescue.org

World Bank debunks tiger farming benefits

2009-07-09T23:42:00.000-05:00

World Bank debunks tiger farming benefits

Posted on 09 July 2009

Geneva, Switzerland – Experimenting with tiger farming is too risky and could drive wild tigers further toward extinction, the World Bank told a key international wildlife trade meeting today.

WWF endorsed the World Bank’s call for countries to ban tiger farming because of the uncertainty that it will have for the long-term conservation of wild tigers.

“Extinction is irreversible, so prudence and precaution suggest that the risks of legalized farming are too great a gamble for the world to take,” World Bank Director Keshav Varma told the member countries of the 58th meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Standing Committee. “We cannot know for sure if tiger farming will work.”

Need to stop all trade in tiger parts now

“Stopping all trade in tiger parts, and phasing out these tiger farms, is of the utmost urgency if the tiger is to survive in the wild”, said Dr Susan Lieberman, Director of the Species Programme of WWF International, “It is time for the world community to join together, with tiger range state governments, to stop all poaching of tigers for illegal trade, and WWF welcomes the engagement of the World Bank in these efforts”.

Because of the unpredictability of the market environment and the small number of remaining tigers in the wild, there is “no room for experimentation,” Varma, who leads the World Bank’s Global Tiger Initiative, said after the meeting.

“Commercial trading in tiger parts and its derivatives is not in the interest of wild tiger conservation.”

Tiger trade is prohibited internationally and banned domestically in all of its range countries, including China - historically the largest market for tiger products.

However, owners of privately run tiger farms and a contingent of wealthy business men across China have been pressuring the Chinese government to allow legal trade in tiger parts within China and lift its domestic tiger trade ban, implemented in 1993.

“Having carefully weighed the economic arguments we urge the CITES community to uphold the ban on wild tiger products and for all countries to continue to ban the domestic trade of wild tigers,” the World Bank statement said.

“We also call upon the international community at large to join efforts in providing the necessary technical and other support to the respective countries in phasing out tiger farming. This is the only safe way to ensure that wild tigers may have a future tomorrow."

http://www.panda.org/wwf_news/?169902/World-Bank-debunks-tiger-farming-benefits

http://www.bigcatrescue.org

World Bank Statement On Tiger Farming - July 9, 2009

2009-07-09T22:40:00.000-05:00

World Bank Statement On Tiger Farming - July 9, 2009

World Bank statement read by Keshav Varma, Director at the World Bank and leader of the World Bank’s Global Tiger Initiative on Thursday at the 58th meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Standing Committee.

"Tiger farming has proven to be a divisive issue and one that has distracted many in the conservation community from the common goal of saving wild tigers in their wild habitats.

Too much faith has been placed lately upon the guidance that economics and market mechanisms can bring to this very complex issue. Economics is an extremely useful guide to policy, but as the World Bank can authoritatively say from the position of its vast professional and practical experience, narrow economic approach has its limits and it cannot meaningfully apply to this subject.

There are clever theories that tell us that tiger farming is and could become the panacea for conservation. But there are an equal number of experts and theories who inform us otherwise. This is not surprising. There are myriad unknowns and even more unknowables that no amount of research can cast light upon. Will legalized farming facilitate laundering? Would it create new markets and an even higher demand for wild tiger products - for those who want a luxury good - the "real thing"? And why if farming is so effective
are wild bears still poached when there is a surplus of farmed bear bile in the world? The truth is that we cannot provide answers to these counterfactuals that can only be known after the fact.

And this is why we need to exercise caution. Extinction is irreversible, so prudence and precaution suggest that the risks of legalized farming are too great a gamble for the world to take. We cannot know for sure if tiger farming will work. And if it does not work the downside risks are just too high - irreversible harm. Having carefully weighed the economic arguments we urge the CITES community to uphold the ban on wild tiger products and for all
countries to continue to ban the domestic trade of wild tigers. We also call upon the international community at large to join efforts in providing the necessary technical and other support to the respective countries in phasing out tiger farming. This is the only safe way to ensure that wild tigers may have a future tomorrow."

http://www.panda.org/wwf_news/?169902/World-Bank-debunks-tiger-farming-benefits

http://www.bigcatrescue.org

A Better Way to Run Government

2009-07-09T10:49:00.001-05:00

Maricopa County was spending approx. $18 million dollars a year on stray animals, like cats and dogs. Sheriff Joe offered to take the department over, and the county supervisors said okay.

The animal shelters are now all staffed and operated by prisoners. They feed and care for the strays. Every animal in his care is taken out and walked twice daily. He now has prisoners who are experts in animal nutrition and behavior. They give great classes for anyone who'd like to adopt an animal. He has literally taken stray dogs off the street, given them to the care of prisoners, and had them place in dog shows.

The best part? His budget for the entire department is now under $3 million.

The prisoners get the benefit of about $0.28 an hour for working, but most would work for free, just to be out of their cells for the day. Most of his budget is for utilities, building maintenance, etc. He pays the prisoners out of the fees collected for adopted animals.

I have long wondered when the rest of the country would take a look at the way he runs the jail system, and copy some of his ideas. He has a huge farm, donated to the county years ago, where inmates can work, and they grow most of their own fresh vegetables and food, doing all the work and harvesting by hand.

He has a pretty good sized hog farm, which provides meat, and fertilizer. It fertilizes the Christmas tree nursery, where prisoners work, and you can buy a living Christmas tree for $6 - $8 for the Holidays, and plant it later.

Yup, he was reelected last year with 83% of the vote.

TO THOSE OF YOU NOT FAMILIAR WITH JOE ARPAIO

HE IS THE MARICOPA ARIZONA COUNTY SHERIFF

AND HE KEEPS GETTING ELECTED OVER AND OVER

For the cats,

Carole Baskin, CEO of Big Cat Rescue
an Educational Sanctuary home
to more than 100 big cats
12802 Easy Street Tampa, FL 33625
813.493.4564 fax 885.4457

http://www.BigCatRescue.org

Sign our petition to protect tigers from being farmed here:

http://capwiz.com/bigcatrescue/issues/alert/?alertid=9952801&type=CU

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“Uphold the ban” says World Bank in Geneva today!

2009-07-09T10:21:00.001-05:00

"Uphold the ban"

World Bank supports ban on tiger trade, calls for phasing-out of tiger farms

July 9, 2009. GENEVA – The 40 member organizations of the International Tiger Coalition (ITC) applaud remarks by the World Bank today stating that legalizing tiger farming is too great a gamble for the world to take if tigers are to have a future in the wild.

"Having carefully weighed the economics argument, we urge the CITES community to uphold the ban on wild tiger products and for all countries to continue to ban the domestic trade of wild tigers," said Keshav Varma, Director at the World Bank and leader of the Bank's Global Tiger Initiative at the 58th meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species Standing Committee.

Tiger trade is prohibited internationally and banned domestically in all tiger range countries, including China - historically the largest market for tiger products.

However, a handful of wealthy businessmen who own large-scale tiger farms are asking the Chinese government to lift China's 16-year ban on tiger trade so that wine and other products made from tiger parts can be sold domestically.

"Given the unpredictability of the market environment along with the fact that there are only 3,500 tigers in the wild, there is no room for experimentation," said Varma to the ITC. "Commercial trading in tiger parts and its derivatives is not in the interest of wild tiger conservation."

"Farming tigers for trade will only hasten the loss of this irreplaceable species," said Judy Mills, moderator of the International Tiger Coalition (ITC). "The World Bank's groundbreaking statement underscores the fact that tiger trade from any source cannot be allowed if the world wants wild tigers."

NOTE TO EDITORS:

B-roll (TRT: 2.06, NATSOT): http://www.divshare.com/download/7307598-cf7

High-resolution images: http://www.savethetigerfund.org/Content/NavigationMenu2/News/MediaKits/TigerFarmMediaKit/default.htm

http://www.bigcatrescue.org/InternationalTigerCoalition.htm

Zoo tigers 'key' to Amur survival

2009-07-09T06:05:00.001-05:00

Zoo tigers 'key' to Amur survival

Past plans to use captive Amur tigers to help boost the subspecies' wild population could be reinstated soon, a wildlife park chief has predicted.

The move would follow research suggesting fewer than 35 out of 500 big cats in the wild are genetically diverse for healthy breeding.

Doug Richardson, of the Highland Wildlife Park, said using captive animals had been mooted before.

The park at Kincraig has five of the world's largest cat.

Researchers Michael Russello and Philippe Henry of the University of British Columbia, in Kelowna, Canada led a team drawn from universities in Canada, Japan and the US in a bid to analyse the genetic profiles of the remaining wild Amur tigers.

They sampled DNA found within the droppings of an estimated 95 individuals found throughout the Amur tiger's range.

The scientists said the results revealed the tiger was down to an effective wild population of fewer than 35 individuals.

Although up to 500 of the big cats actually survive in the wild, the effective population is a measure of their genetic diversity.

Mr Richardson said: "The study confirms the lifeboat role that captive programmes play.

"On an ocean liner you know the lifeboats are there, but you hope you never have to use them."

'Potentially dangerous'

He added: "These captives animals are completely unrelated to the current wild population.

"If done badly, the reintroduction of tigers is a potentially dangerous scenario, but there are different ways of going about it and we may have to start dusting off ideas on this that have been articulated in the past."

Mr Richardson said the process of reintroducing tigers to an area - such as habitat close to Russia's border with China - was complex.

It could involve releasing a pregnant female into an enclosure and allowing her young to be raised without them becoming familiar with people or feeding on domestic livestock.

The young tigers would be released into the wild once they were 18 months to two years old.

Potential clashes with wild tigers and their territories would have to be carefully considered.

Amur are the rarest subspecies of tiger.

A male and female and three cubs are kept at the Highland Wildlife Park.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/highlands_and_islands/8138011.stm

http://www.bigcatrescue.org

Counterview: Save the tiger first - View: Welcome the big cat

2009-07-09T05:42:00.000-05:00

Counterview: Save the tiger first

9 Jul 2009, 0000 hrs IST, Narayani Ganesh

Jairam Ramesh, minister for environment and forests, says that the government proposes to import cheetahs to reintroduce them here in the wild. He hopes that by doing so, the Asiatic cheetah that is now found only in some regions of Iran and Pakistan, might start breeding in India as well, several decades since its extinction here in the mid-20th century.

The world's fastest land animal ran out of steam in India because the authorities have failed to check poaching and habitat destruction. These two problems continue to plague the tiger and lion, which is why the big cats in India are dwindling in numbers even as traders in wildlife products and the land mafia are making a killing. It is not as though we have now reinstated lost habitats and have found a way of putting an end to the hegemony of ruthless poachers. Why then does the minister wish to inflict all these problems on the poor spotted creature, transplanting it away from its familiar surroundings that are probably better preserved and protected? Should we not first save the tiger that is faced with grave threats?

Desertification, loss of grassland and forests to agriculture, falling numbers of prey and the threat of poachers mean that when the imported cheetah arrives in India, it will have to deal with a hostile environment. And cheetahs are animals that are used to moving around freely in fairly expansive habitats. They don't confine themselves to a small, marked territory. Add to this its weak gene pool, its fragile nature, poor survival rate among cubs and low fertility rate and what you have is a recipe for disaster.

There was a proposal at the turn of the century to clone the cheetah at a Hyderabad-based facility at a cost of $1 million. Nothing happened. The money could be better spent in restoring scrubland and forest, training poachers to turn protectors and clamping down on the market for wildlife products. Let's first protect and save what we have here before re-introducing a species that has been extinct for more than half a century.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Editorial/VIEW-Welcome-the-big-cat/articleshow/articleshow/4754294.cms

View: Welcome the big cat

9 Jul 2009, 0000 hrs IST

Cheetahs have been extinct in India since 1952. But Jairam Ramesh, minister for environment and forests, now plans for India to have a homegrown species via a repopulation programme. This will bring cheer, and not only to animal lovers and wildlife enthusiasts.
For far too long we've had tragic headlines about vanishing tigers and elephants and leopards being driven to the edge in man-animal conflicts. But the cheetah story suggests that the authorities care enough about India's wildlife heritage to resurrect the only animal to have been declared extinct in the country in the last 1,000 years.

Expect predictable potshots at such a mission. Some critics will say India has enough on its plate: habitat loss and poaching of animals like tigers, now absent in Sariska and Panna. We need, however, to combat wildlife endangerment regardless of whether or not the cheetah returns.

Encroachment and the poacher-forest official nexus are stand-alone issues. Some may say cheetahs need vast tracts of now-scarce grassland, so getting them is impractical. Since Ramesh indicates that technical studies will assess feasibility, they might want to hold their fire.

The plan will also come up against the unenlightened viewpoint that every human activity should be people-centric. Public money, it will be argued, can be better spent on social programmes. Surely aiding human beings and conserving animals aren't mutually exclusive. Protecting dying species is part of the larger effort at nature conservation.

A report recently revealed that over 800 animal and plant species have gone extinct in the past five centuries. Almost 17,000 more are on the brink. Such large-scale destruction represents a heart-rending loss to man's natural heritage. If anything, every country should get into rescue mode.

In the Asiatic cheetah's case, just about 70 to 100 are said to be surviving, their presence limited to Pakistan and Iran. By giving the big cat another home, India can help boost its longer-term chances of survival. Beautiful and intelligent species shouldn't have to die out just because we don't want to look beyond our backyards

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Editorial/VIEW-Welcome-the-big-cat/articleshow/articleshow/articleshow/4754301.cms

http://www.bigcatrescue.org

Zoo prepares for new tiger, other arrivals

2009-07-09T05:27:00.000-05:00

Zoo prepares for new tiger, other arrivals

Posted: Wednesday, Jul 8th, 2009
BY: Paula McCambridge

Just a month after the death of its 9-year-old Malayan tiger, Sala, the Charles Paddock Zoo is expecting a young 1-and-a-half-yea- old male Malayan to arrive within the week from the San Diego Zoo and to be available for public viewing after a 30-day quarantine.

“If all goes well, it’ll get through quarantine with no problems,” said Alan Baker, zoo director. “And we’re not expecting any problems, but with living animals there’s always something.”

The “always something” happened last month when Sala unexpectedly died, leaving zoo personnel saddened and surprised, Baker said. Preliminary lab results now suggest Sala suffered from a viral infection that included complications that led to her death. Zoo officials expect a full lab report within the week.

When zookeepers noticed Sala was losing weight, she underwent exploratory surgery, during which, her heart simply stopped beating, Baker said. She was an adult in her prime — tigers in captivity can live to be 15 to 16 years old — and had successfully undergone surgery in the past, so staff had every reason to believe she could withstand the exploratory surgery, he said.

With Sala gone and with the hope of getting another tiger for the zoo, personnel made repairs to the exhibit.

http://www.atascaderonews.com/V2_news_articles.php?heading=0&page=72&story_id=1994

http://www.bigcatrescue.org/

Orissa Govt. contemplating to launch tiger tourism again in Similipal

2009-07-09T05:11:00.000-05:00

Orissa Govt. contemplating to launch tiger tourism again in Similipal

Friday, July 03, 2009
Report by Orissadiary correspondent;

Bhubaneswar: Forest officials of the Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) in Mayurbhanj district are reportedly contemplating to launch tiger tourism again to attract more visitors .The decision was taken at the fourth annual general body meeting of the Simlipal Eco-tourism Society (SES) held at the Salabani forest bungalow at Baripada.

Sources in the Similipal Eco-tourism Society said that over the phone that the society was readying a robust new plan to lure tourists in the tiger country to watch and enjoy nature’s bounties while safely ensconced in a well caparisoned Howdah, a pavilion or seat fixed on an elephant’s back.

Eight-foot tall Bhawani and the seven-foot tall Sova are being readied for the joyride on nature's trail, sources indicated.

Both these two pet and trained cow elephants, 51-year-old Bhawani and the 52-year-old Sova, along with nine-foot tall and 43-year-old tusker Mahendra, were bought from the Hamsur wildlife division of Rajiv Gandhi National Park in Karnataka in December, 2001 to combat poaching and timber smuggling in the STR, sources added.

According to a decision taken at the meeting, a single group comprising four tourists can travel along the bank of river Khairi flanked by the scenic beauty of Simlipal hills via the natural orchiderium at Gudgudia.

Tourists will have to pay Rs 100 per head for a single one-hour long joy ride.

The meeting also decided to ensure restoration and repair of the forest roads and culverts that might be damaged by monsoon rains on a war footing so that the park can be reopened for the visitors tentatively on November 1.

http://www.orissadiary.com/CurrentNews.asp?id=13235

http://www.bigcatrescue.org

10 tigers dead in last six months

2009-07-09T03:52:00.000-05:00

10 tigers dead in last six months

Imran Khan
First Published : 03 Jul 2009 03:59:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 03 Jul 2009 11:19:43 AM IST

BANGALORE: There has been an alarming increase in the number of tiger deaths this year. With 45 deaths in the first six months, 2009 can be termed as one of the worst years for tigers in the country.

In Karnataka alone, which boasts of a healthy population of around 280 tigers, 10 tiger deaths have been reported in the past six months. Unlike other states, where the major cause of the deaths of tigers is poaching, the state forest officials assert that in Karnataka, the deaths are mostly natural.

Speaking to The New Indian Express, PCCF B K Singh, said that barring a single incident at Nagarhole where a tiger was poached, the other deaths were natural. However, according to police records, around five tiger pelts were confiscated in the past six months, proving that poaching was thriving in Karnataka.

“The state was once considered a safe heaven for tigers. But not anymore.

Poaching is slowly creeping into Karnataka and the number of pelts confiscated reveals that we have to be on guard,” said Sanjay Gubbi of Wildlife Conservation Society.

“We still do not have the data readily available,” he added.

Praveen Bhargava of Wildlife First said that there were various reasons for the deaths of tigers in the state. Sometimes they got old and died and sometimes they died due to the loss of their canine teeth, Bhargava added.

He said though poaching was not as bad in Karnataka as in other states, we needed to keep a constant vigil.

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=10+tigers+dead+in+last+six+months&artid=6SbOGOF84T8=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=

http://www.bigcatrescue.org

Qatar: Growing number of cheetahs kept as "pets"

2009-07-08T18:21:00.002-05:00

Spotted: cheetahs kept as pets

By Peter Townson

Although Qatar is signed up to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), there have been a number of reports of cheetahs being paraded around public places including schools, and a number of veterinary clinics told Gulf Times that they had been approached to offer assistance to the owners.

And despite legal restrictions, some practitioners have been offering their services to the big cats' owners, justifying their work on the basis that "if we don't help, then no one else will".

Their efforts may well help keep a litter of cheetah cubs, or an adult cat alive, but they are still contributing towards a mindset that dictates: "These animals are like pets – we can take them to the vet in the same way as if they were a pet cat or dog," an animal activist said.

A local vet, who wished to remain anonymous, explained that he had been visited on a number of occasions by the owners of cheetahs, asking for his services in treating sick and dying specimens.

Another member of staff at one of the veterinary practices here explained that she had also been approached by owners looking for help.

"I actually had one man contact me who owned a male and female cheetah who had produced a litter of cubs," she said, adding "he asked me to ‘de-claw' the eight cubs as he needed to present them to other members of his family as gifts, and one of them had already scratched one of his children.

"I was astonished when he told me he thought he would release the male cheetah back into the wild in Africa," she said, adding "how could he expect an animal that had been living in captivity in a domestic situation to have the necessary survival skills to live in the wild again?"

Gulf Times spoke to the director of the Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation, Dr Sven Hammer, who voiced his concern at the number of ‘wild animals' which are being kept as pets throughout the country.

"A cheetah will always remain a wild animal. When they become mature they usually change their behaviour from a cuddly cat to a real wild animal which means that they become unpredictable or even aggressive," he said, explaining that the usual methods of attempting to deal with this are declawing and removing the cats' canines.

"This is clearly an abuse since the animal cannot behave naturally and this cruel procedure is often done by unqualified vets leading to a lifetime of pain for the ‘pet cheetah'," he explained, adding "professional vets refuse such an operation, because it is against the ethics of wild animal and animal welfare."

Dr Hammer claimed that he had been approached many times to ask for such operations over the past 10 years in Qatar, but had always refused.

He said he has heard about people feeding their cheetahs with "milk, cheese or canned cat food", because of a belief that by not feeding them meat, they will remain placid.

"This superstition causes many health problems – deficiencies, bone deformities, blindness and others," he explained.

"When the owner loses interest in the animal or it becomes difficult to handle, the cheetah is released in the desert or simply left in a tiny cage," said Dr Hammer.
He said that the way to prevent people owning wild animals is to promote awareness and legislation.

"Capacity building is the only sustainable measure in our opinion," he said, adding "people have to understand that threatened species are no inexhaustible resource."

"The best way to start with this is in school," he argued.

He also said that the existing laws needed to be upheld and that everyone needed to be called to account, regardless of social standing or connections.

The animals are reportedly smuggled through Bahrain which is not signatory to the CITES treaty, and another common route is simply to drive from Saudi Arabia. All these cheetahs are poached from the wild as cubs and this significantly affects the wild cheetah population.

Dr Hammer pointed out that any animals that had been kept as pets would not be able to survive if released in the wild, claiming that they would "die a wretched death within a short time".

There are legal ways of keeping threatened species in captivity, but there are many legal requirements and procedures that must be followed before an owner can be approved.

"Before you receive the legal papers and permits you have to prove you have the skills to keep the particular species, and representatives of the authorities will visit to make sure the facilities meet the given standards," explained Dr Hammer, adding "this is something that should be implemented here".

He described the necessary requirements for keeping a cheetah, such as a 400 sq m enclosure featuring natural vegetation, shade, rocks, hills and old tree trunks. This should include a separation area and there are also specific dietary requirements as well. During summer months in Qatar the cheetah should have access to methods of cooling such as air-conditioned rooms and water irrigated areas.

Asked whether there could be people breeding cheetahs in Qatar, Dr Hammer explained that they are "one of the most challenging cat species breeding wise", but claimed it would not be impossible, adding "it is very questionable whether one should target breeding threatened species just for the pet market".

He described the legal situations surrounding the ownership of cats such as cheetahs as a "difficult issue", but argued that something must be done to improve enforcement to ensure that the animals are not brought in for unsuitable owners or paraded around in public.

http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=301603&version=1&template_id=36&parent_id=16

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National Zoo's success at breeding clouded leopards

2009-07-08T18:10:00.000-05:00

National Zoo Welcomes Rare Clouded Leopard Cubs

by Guy Raz

All Things Considered, July 5, 2009 - The Smithsonian's National Zoo is bursting with pride over its latest additions: two rare clouded leopards. The two yet-to-be-named baby leopards were born in late March at the zoo's research center in Front Royal, Va., a far cry from their native habitat in Southeast Asia. The species, hunted for skins and medicinal uses, is endangered. The zoo is trying to preserve the species, but has not been successful mating the animals.

It's been nearly two decades since a birth at the zoo.

Little is known about the mating habits of clouded leopards because their natural habitat is thick jungle and few are observed in the wild. In captivity, the male will sometimes kill the female it is paired with, according to the National Zoo's JoGayle Howard, who has been studying the animals for decades.

"We really did want to see if we could prevent the male aggression, and what worked the best was to put 6-month-old cubs together and see if they would bond and grow up," says Howard. "And that really was the secret."

The cubs' parents, Hannibal and Jao Chu, were imported from Thailand and grew up together.

And in a stroke of luck, three other clouded leopards were born at the Nashville Zoo. Those cubs will be introduced to the two born at the National Zoo. Officials are hopeful they will mate.

Produced by Matt Martinez

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105971473

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Smothering of a Florida child by a Python

2009-07-08T14:47:00.001-05:00

Today in Washington:

NELSON TO TALK THREATS TO NATIVE WILDLIFE: Among those set to testify today before the U.S. Senate Environment and Works Committee as it discusses native species wildlife threats is U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., who is likely to bring up the recent smothering of a Florida child by a non-native species, a pet python. Also on the program is Jeffrey Hill, assistant professor of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences at the University of Florida. (10 a.m., 406 Dirksen Senate Office Bldg., Washington.)

Tampa Tribune Editorial:

Tampa Tribune - Nix slithery import

The killing of a 2-year-old Sumter County girl by a Burmese python should erase any doubt about the wisdom of U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson's proposal to ban the importation of the giant snake. The Burmese python has established a breeding population in the Everglades, and officials say there may be as many as 150,000 slithering around South Florida - the result, apparently, of some python owners releasing snakes that become too big to handle. There is no reason to allow continued trade of a snake that has proved itself a menace to natural Florida and, as the horrible Sumter case underscores, a threat to humans. The nine-foot snake left in a bag inside an aquarium last Tuesday night, slithered free, sought out and suffocated the toddler in the child's bed. This is the first documented python attack in Florida. But such attacks by snakes around the nation are hardly unknown. And now, with so many snakes in the wild, it's not just the snake owners who have to worry. A snake more than 16 feet long has been found in Florida's woods. Another large snake died trying to eat an alligator. Responsible reptile enthusiasts, to be sure, don't release snakes, and they make sure the snakes are properly fed and caged to eliminate the chance of attack. But it's abundantly clear that under the current system far too many people buy the large constrictors without proper training, knowledge or commitment to its long-term care. Nelson is right. Florida shouldn't allow the trade of these dangerous exotics. The import of Burmese pythons should be banned.

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/jul/08/na-nix-slithery-import/news-opinion-editorials/

Orlando Sentinel Guest Editorial - Python tragedy is wake up call

The 2-year-old Oxford girl killed tragically by an 8-foot Burmese python that escaped from an aquarium in the home was the fourth person killed by a pet python in the United States since 2006. Her death is a sad reflection of the growing threat wild animals kept as pets pose to their owners, to the public, and to Florida's natural environment. It follows an incident earlier this year in Las Vegas, when a 3-year-old boy was squeezed to unconsciousness by an 18-foot reticulated python in his home.

These huge constrictors simply are not pets. In addition to serious risks to people, Burmese pythons are upsetting the balance of Florida's ecosystems as they prey on endangered species and challenge alligators for top-predator status. From a small population of escaped or abandoned pets, Burmese pythons have become established in the Everglades, and have been found in other parts of the state.

Due to the magnitude of the problem, people are grasping at straws for solutions. Offering bounties for Burmese pythons has been suggested. While it makes for flashy headlines, such a scheme is unlikely to be effective and may do more harm than good. Bounties can entice people to release more animals, put people at risk of injury or death, and cause environmental damage from increased human traffic and improper collection methods.

Instead, Florida needs sound policies to address this problem at its source. The state's permit system for "reptiles of concern" is insufficient to stop the trade and potential release of these animals.

The Humane Society of the United States applauds U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson's proposed legislation (S. 373) and the companion bill introduced by U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek (H.R. 2811) to add pythons to the federal injurious species list, prohibiting their importation and interstate commerce for the pet trade.

This legislation alone will not eliminate Burmese pythons in the Everglades, nor will it address the numerous other exotic species that pose risks to people and harm to Florida's environment. But it will close a major introduction pathway and help prevent pythons from becoming established in other parts of the country.

Congress should quickly pass Sen. Nelson's bill, and the state should follow with proactive measures that address other species.

The need for responsible action, including a ban on imports and trade in pythons as pets, has never been more urgent.

Jennifer Hobgood is the Florida state director for The Humane Society of the United States.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/orl-edpmyword-python-070709070809jul08,0,3609119.story

Gainesville Sun Editorial - Ban these lethal 'pets'

The owner of the Burmese python that crushed a 2-year-old Sumter County girl last week reportedly had no state permit to own the lethal "pet."

"State law requires that people have permits to possess Burmese pythons, or any Reptile of Concern," said a press release from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission following the death of Shaiunna Hare. "A permit costs $100 annually, and those wishing to possess such an animal must show on their application their understanding of animal husbandry, nutrition and caging requirements for the particular animal. One requirement for a Reptile of Concern is that it must be kept under lock and key. The snake was not."

That the snake was owned illegally, however, begs a more pressing question: Why is it in the "public interest" for the State of Florida to permit the private ownership of an exotic, extremely dangerous species to begin with?

For that matter, why is it in the "public interest" to even allow the importation and sale of such a species?

The answer is that neither is in the public interest. And it isn't just the tragic death of a child that demands a re-examination of federal and state laws that allow the importation, sale and possession of these dangerous reptiles. Thousands of pythons have either escaped or been released into the Florida Everglades, posing a considerable threat to native wildlife. That's why U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Florida, filed legislation earlier this year to ban the importation of Burmese pythons into this country, as well as the exportation of the snakes between states.

Nelson's proposed ban has been endorsed by groups like the Humane Society of the United States and the wildlife advocacy group Born Free USA.

"The private ownership of dangerous reptiles such as pythons obviously presents a real danger," Nicole Paquette, Born Free USA senior vice president and general counsel said last week. "We're hoping that this incident spurs the Legislature to hold an immediate public hearing to discuss the serious public safety concerns surrounding the keeping of dangerous reptiles in private hands. There is absolutely no reason for the general public to be keeping such animals as pets. In terms of public safety it's an accident waiting to happen."

She added: "The question is, how many accidents have to happen before legislators act to protect the public rather than the interests of a small group of individuals?"

It's a good question. In the interest of both public safety and environmental integrity, quick federal and state action is needed to ban the importation, sale and private ownership of these dangerous "pets."

http://www.gainesville.com/article/20090708/OPINION01/907081000/1076/OPINION?Title=Editorial-Ban-these-lethal-pets-

Lakeland Ledger editorial:

Lakeland Ledger - Dangerous Exotic Animals: Wrap Up Pythons

Florida and its counties spent millions of dollars to eradicate the Brazilian pepper tree after it spread through the state - even though this invasive species doesn't eat birds, wildlife ranging from rabbits to alligators, or cats and dogs. Burmese pythons can and do consume animals. Python populations multiply like rabbits, or faster, and can quickly expand their range. For example, biologist Meg Lowman reported that about 200 pythons were captured in or near the Everglades National Park from 2002 to 2005. By last year, the python population was out of control: Biologists estimated there were at least 30,000 of them. Lowman, director of Environmental Initiatives at New College of Florida, warned last year that wildlife officials need to begin serious efforts to contain the python and other creatures, such as iguanas, Nile monitors and spiny-tailed lizards. Indeed, Wednesday, an escaped 12-foot Burmese python pet got loose and strangled a 2-year-old girl. Shaunnia Hare died in her bedroom in Oxford in northern Sumter County, which lies directly north of Polk County.

http://www.theledger.com/article/20090702/NEWS/907025014/1036/EDIT?Title=Dangerous-Exotic-Animals-Wrap-Up-Pythons

Wildlife on menu spurs smuggling

2009-07-08T14:43:00.001-05:00

Wildlife on menu spurs smuggling

Sun, Jun 28, 2009
China Daily/Asia News Network

By Wang Zhuoqiong

A rising appetite for wildlife and its increasing use in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) are fueling an increase in the illegal imports of endangered animals, a senior official has said.

"Illegal wildlife trade used to be outbound, but domestic demand has reversed the trend," Wan Ziming, director of enforcement and training at the endangered species' office of the State Forestry Administration, told China Daily.

Wild animals are mostly smuggled in at the southwestern border and coastal regions, according to figures by Customs and major border points.

Because the trade is illegal, the number of smuggling cases uncovered does not reflect the full extent of the animals and plants being brought into the country, Wan said.

Last year, there were 87 criminal cases of endangered species being smuggled, up from 77 in 2005, said Wan. In 2007, there was a spike in cases to 175.

"Illegal wildlife trade is alive and dynamic," said Xu Hongfa, director of the World Wildlife Fund's (WWF) TRAFFIC East Asia China Program.

"We have noticed an increasing amount of trade and consumption in wildlife, including bear paws, tortoises, pangolins and monitor lizards," he said.

The smuggling has severely impacted the wildlife populations in neighboring countries, particularly Southeast Asian nations, Wan said.

He said the demand stems partly from a "resource dilemma" faced by the country - rich in variety, but scarce in amount

"The demand comes from a traditional culture of using wildlife for food and medicine," he said. "It is not easy to change the cultural habits of 1.3 billion people."

Chinese people have long believed in the medicinal and health benefits of wild plants and animals.

The trade in TCM products has also been growing at an annual rate of 10 percent, which has seriously impacted medicinal plant and animal populations, though more than half of plants and animals being used by TCM are from artificial propagation or captive breeding. Up to 20 percent of these are now considered threatened.

Eating wild animals is also a traditional practice in southern China. The consumption of wild animals, which slowed amid the SARS epidemic in 2003, has once again gained popularity, a WWF survey has found.

Profit from illegal trade can be up to 10 times the cost, with restaurant operators offering the exotic dishes usually aware of the violation but lured by the gains, Xu said.

Illegal trade in tiger meat and bones is also alive, continuing to threaten the extinction of an already depleted species, he said.

Alarmingly, Xu said, more wealthy people are demanding elephant ivory for decorative purposes. Of the 87 wildlife cases uncovered by the Customs last year, more than half involved ivory, Wan said.

"The profit margin is as high as in drug trafficking but the punishment is too mild," he said.

He Yong from the International Fund for Animal Welfare China said the demand for wildlife springs from weak links in law enforcement - the use and trade of wild animal products is banned, but artificial breeding is allowed in many instances to fulfill the needs of customers.

http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Asia/Story/A1Story20090628-151404.html
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Tigers could have increased in Palamau

2009-07-08T14:28:00.001-05:00

Tigers could have increased in Palamau

7 Jul 2009, 1350 hrs IST, PTI

RANCHI: Maoist presence in some areas of the Palamau Tiger Reserve in Jharkhand is preventing wildlife experts from ascertaining the exact number of felines in the park.

Experts feel the numbers could have risen from 17 in 2007 but they have limited access to the area.

The Reserve spread over the districts of Latehar, Garwah and Lohardaga, is divided into 30 zones of which 13 are Maoist-infested and cannot be patrolled, Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) and Biodiversity, S K Sharma, told PTI here.

Without free access to these 13 zones, the staff can neither collect samples nor install cameras at strategic places like waterbodies, Sharma said.

"As per the 2007 census, the Reserve had 17 tigers, but there could be more, but we cannot verify it because we cannot place cameras in the 13 zones as Maoists are present," he said.

"We have tiger protection forces mainly comprising local people. The force is divided into several groups who regularly patrol the areas. They are not armed as it was feared that these could be snatched away by Maoists," Sharma said.

The department was in the process of setting up a strike force comprising ex-service men. "But it is not yet decided whether they would be given weapons while on patrol," he said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Health-Science/Earth/Flora-Fauna/Tigers-could-have-increased-in-Palamau/articleshow/4748479.cms

http://www.bigcatrescue.org

Strayed tiger caught

2009-07-08T14:24:00.000-05:00

Strayed tiger caught

8 Jul 2009, 1834 hrs IST, PTI

CANNING (WB): A tiger from the Sundarbans that had strayed into Chargheri village under Gosaba police station was caught in area near the village, forest department sources said.

The forest department personnel had set up a cage between the village in South 24 Parganas district and Panchamukhani forest yesterday and found the tiger inside it this morning.

A number tag and a microchip would be attached to the ear and tail of the tiger respectively to monitor its future activities before it would be released in deep jungles, sources said.

Pugmarks had been found in Bali and Chargheri villages yesterday but the animal could not be traced till the night.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Health-Science/Earth/Flora-Fauna/Strayed-tiger-caught/articleshow/4754035.cms

http://www.bigcatrescue.org

Woman poacher sentenced to five years RI

2009-07-08T14:21:00.000-05:00

Woman poacher sentenced to five years RI

8 Jul 2009, 2211 hrs IST, PTI

NEW DELHI: A court in Uttar Pradesh has sentenced a woman poacher to five year rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 25,000 in a 16-year-old tiger poaching case.

Fifty-five-year-old Dilipo was sentenced yesterday by Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACGM) Rajeshwari Tolia of a Pilibhit court, who found her guilty of violating several sections of Wildlife Protection Act by killing and smuggling tiger skins and parts.

Dilipo along with her associate Ramwati was arrested in February 1992 after forest officials seized a tiger skin and seven kg of tiger bone parts from their possession in Pilibhit, advocate DP Singh, special counsel for Dudhwa forest department, said.

At the instance of the accused, forest officials recovered tiger fat and several traps used to kill the endangered species.

However, Dilipo, a member of the Bawaria community, managed to get bail in the case. In 2005, she again fell into the net of the forest officials who arrested her from Katerniaghat Ghat division in Uttar Pradesh for a similar crime and was sent to jail for nine months.

When she was arrested in yet another tiger poaching case in 2007, forest officials thought of tightening the noose around her and reopened the case registered against her in 1992.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Health-Science/Earth/Flora-Fauna/Woman-poacher-sentenced-to-five-years-RI-/articleshow/4754609.cms

http://www.bigcatrescue.org

'No more pugmark-tracking for tiger count'

2009-07-08T13:59:00.000-05:00

'No more pugmark-tracking for tiger count'

8 Jul 2009, 0652 hrs IST, TNN

NEW DELHI: Environment and forest minister Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday told Rajya Sabha that the old system of tiger census through pugmarks was “faulty” and a new statistical measure based on camera trap has been started.

Stating that the number of tigers hovered between 1,150 and 1,600, Ramesh also made it clear that at no cost would India follow US and Chinese model of breeding tigers in captivity. “All tigers in India are in the wild and will remain in the wild,” he said, replying to calling attention on Project Tiger. He said though estimation of tiger population took place once in four years, he will prefer to have it once in two years.

In a debate that saw members cutting across party lines express concern about the falling number of tigers, Ramesh said the best protectors of environment and tigers were local communities. “We don’t need policing. We need incentives for local communities to protect the ecosystem,” he said.

Ramesh said he had already spoken to 200 vangujar families who live in the Jim Corbett Park. “I am going to start social protection force with their help. If it works, we will take it elswhere also. They will be paid and given mobility and connectivity,” he said.

Ramesh said according to the new plan, people living in tiger reserves would be moved to buffer zones while the core inviolate area would have no human habitation. He said about 80,000 to one lakh people will be moved to buffer zones and compensation had been increased from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.

Responding to concerns expressed by nominated member Chandan Mitra that no poacher, including notorious Sansar Chand, had ever been punished, Ramesh said his ministry had proposed setting up a National Green Tribunal for speedy trials. “If the Act needs change. I am open to it,” he said, adding that Wildlife Crime Control Bureau was also in place.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Health-Science/Earth/Flora-Fauna/No-more-pugmark-tracking-for-tiger-count/articleshow/4751432.cms

http://www.bigcatrescue.org

Ramesh expresses concern over tiger population

2009-07-08T13:58:00.000-05:00

Ramesh expresses concern over tiger population

Sujay Mehdudia

Announces setting of Social Tiger Protection Force
16 out of the 37 sanctuaries in “danger zone”
Eco-system must be protected with the involvement of locals

NEW DELHI: The depleting population of tigers in the country is “alarming” and the “rampant killing of tigers” is a cause of concern, Minister of State for Environment and Forests, Jairam Ramesh said in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. Sixteen of the 37 tiger sanctuaries were in the “danger zone” where tigers had either vanished or were on the brink of vanishing.

Replying to the calling attention motion moved by Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Mr. Ramesh said rampant killing of tigers had virtually led to extinction of the big cats in Sariska and Panna, due to poaching.

Mr. Ramesh announced the setting up of a “Social Tiger Protection Force” comprising the local communities and van gujjars, to protect the tiger population from further damage. He was strongly against forming a force comprising police personnel. It was important that the eco-system was protected at any cost with the involvement of locals. Mr. Ramesh said 12 sanctuaries were in good condition with good tiger density. The condition in nine was satisfactory, but more needed to be done.

The Ministry had chalked out a massive relocation of nearly one lakh families living in or around the 37 sanctuaries. To make the relocation package attractive, the compensation was enhanced from Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 10 lakh a family. “A successful relocation experiment was carried out in the Bhadra tiger reserve in Karnataka and the second one will be carried out in the Corbett National Park.”

Fast track courts

The Minister said the Ministry was ready to examine the suggestion of setting up fast track courts to try poaching cases.

Mr. Ramesh asked the Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh governments to take stern action against poachers. “Poachers have been held in Panna but no action was taken against them. I request Madhya Pradesh to prosecute them so that Panna can be a test case for other reserves where tiger population is diminishing,” he said.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/07/08/stories/2009070856711800.htm

http://www.bigcatrescue.org

Rate of tiger extinction alarming

2009-07-08T10:23:00.000-05:00

Rate of tiger extinction alarming

Statesman News Service

NEW DELHI, 7 JULY: Due to ‘rampant’ poaching and smuggling of tiger skin in the country, 16 tiger reserves in the country might soon lose all their big cats if appropriate measures are not taken to improve the situation.

Admitting this in the Rajya Sabha today, the government said it intends to set up a national tribunal to ensure speedy and stricter punishment for cases related to poaching and other illegal activities in forest reserves.

The minister of state for environment and forests, Mr Jairam Ramesh, said the situation in 16 of the country’s 37 tiger reserves is “truly alarming”.

“These 16 reserves are in the danger zone from where tigers have vanished or are on the brink of vanishing,” he said. Two of the reserves, Sariska and Panna, have already lost all of their big cats mainly due to poaching.

The minister said twelve tiger reserves are in good condition, while the situation in the remaining nine is satisfactory but needs to improve. Tiger killing is rampant in India and smuggling of tiger skin is the second largest after illicit trade in narcotics, Mr Ramesh said. The main reasons for tiger decline include poaching, degradation of forest status outside tiger reserves and protected areas due to human pressure, livestock pressure and ecologically unsustainable land-use. This has caused fragmentation of habitat, leading to mortality of tigers and their prey due to man-animal conflicts, he said.

The minister replied in the affirmative when asked if the Central government was planning to strengthen legislation to curb poaching and other illegal activities in forest reserves.

“This is a very large issue. I am seeking approval for creating a National Green Tribunal. It will hear all cases relating to the environment and forests. The attorney general has supported the proposal (for the tribunal) that was made by the Law Commission. If the act (Wildlife Protection Act) needs to be redone, this will be done,” he said.

The Centre has initiated a programme to involve local communities in protecting tiger population and the first project, which started in Corbett Park in Uttarakhand, will be replicated in other reserves, if it is successful, Mr Ramesh said.

As per latest all India tiger census, the number of big cats is estimated between 1165 and 1657.

The new findings indicate poor status of tiger population in areas outside tiger reserves and some protected areas.

http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=2&theme=&usrsess=1&id=260258

http://www.bigcatrescue.org

Broken radio-collar of Sariska tiger replaced

2009-07-07T21:45:00.000-05:00

Broken radio-collar of Sariska tiger replaced

July 1, 2009

New Delhi (PTI): The broken radio-collar of a tiger in Sariska has been successfully replaced with a hi-tech and light-weight gadget by a team of experts from the Wildlife Institute of India and Rajasthan forest officials.

"We executed the operation of replacing the collar successfully on Monday. Though it was raining heavily we managed to locate the wild cat after five days of intense search," K Shankar, a WII scientist, who was the part of the team, told PTI.

The animal was tranquilized and a new radio-collar put around its neck.

Mr. Shankar said the gadget would help in keeping track of the movement of the striped animal in the Rajasthan forest, the two tigress already being radio-collared.

"This time we have used the radio-collar having in-built antenna unlike the earlier one which had external antenna and vulnerable to damages," Mr. Shankar added.

The collars weighing around a kg was given free of cost by Canada-based firm Lotek after its previous gadget failed to function.

"As per norms, the weight of the collar is much less than 5 per cent of the body weight of the animal which is usually around 150 kgs."

Mr. Shankar said collars were an important part of the animal recovery species plan as it would keep a track on the movement of the royal predators - two female and a male big cat and ward off the poachers.

The wild cats were shifted phase-wise since July last year from Ranthambore tiger reserves in the Northen state. Two more tigers are planned to be relocated to Sariska reserve before 2010.

The scientist explained that the collar contains transmitters that send out information in short pulses, which is picked up by a satellite, which in turn transmits the data to dedicated centres, in this case Argos centres for processing.

Relocating predators to a new habitat — a first of its kind experiment — is aimed at reviving the tiger population at Sariska which had lost all its big cats to poaching by 2004.

Taking cue from Sariska, Madhya Pradesh Government too recently translocated two tigress in Panna reserve where no big cat is left.

http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200907011254.htm

http://www.bigcatrescue.org