Forget NGOs, forest officials to bell big cats
HUBBALLI:
The radio-collared tigress wreaking havoc in villages in Jamboti forest
of Belagavi seems to have taught the forest department a hard lesson.
For, the department has decided to take upon itself the responsibility
of putting radio collars on tigers and other animals.
Absence of signal from the radio collar around the maneater's neck is a major reason for officials not being able to track it.
Currently, NGOs put radio collars on animals, which results in forest officials not knowing about the type of radio collar, how it works and other details. Consequently, during emergencies, forest officials have to depend on the NGOs to get information about the movement of animals. This, an official said, slows down the process of catching the animals.
Vinay Luthra, principal chief conservator of forests and chief wildlife warden, said the forest department is contemplating taking over the responsibility of putting radio collars on tigers and other animals. "NGOs are now doing this job voluntarily, but it is sometime creating problems for us when radio callers fail to respond," he said.
He added, "We will not put radio collar belts on all animals. If a tiger, elephant or any other animal is involved in conflict with humans or other animals, such animals will be caught and released into forests after putting a radio collar."
He said a radio collar cost around Rs 1 lakh and NGOs have bearing the cost till now.
The forest department plans to buy radio collars and train its staff, particularly vets, in putting radio collars on animals. "If we take this responsibility, we will be able to get all details. We will soon send a proposal to the forest department seeking its approval for our plans," he added.
Absence of signal from the radio collar around the maneater's neck is a major reason for officials not being able to track it.
Currently, NGOs put radio collars on animals, which results in forest officials not knowing about the type of radio collar, how it works and other details. Consequently, during emergencies, forest officials have to depend on the NGOs to get information about the movement of animals. This, an official said, slows down the process of catching the animals.
Vinay Luthra, principal chief conservator of forests and chief wildlife warden, said the forest department is contemplating taking over the responsibility of putting radio collars on tigers and other animals. "NGOs are now doing this job voluntarily, but it is sometime creating problems for us when radio callers fail to respond," he said.
He added, "We will not put radio collar belts on all animals. If a tiger, elephant or any other animal is involved in conflict with humans or other animals, such animals will be caught and released into forests after putting a radio collar."
He said a radio collar cost around Rs 1 lakh and NGOs have bearing the cost till now.
The forest department plans to buy radio collars and train its staff, particularly vets, in putting radio collars on animals. "If we take this responsibility, we will be able to get all details. We will soon send a proposal to the forest department seeking its approval for our plans," he added.
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Captured leopards live in cramped cages
Chandrapur: Seven leopards, captured from conflict areas, are kept in inhuman conditions in small trap-cages, in gross violation of norms in Chandrpaur district. NGO Eco-Pro has strongly condemned the dismal condition of caged leopards and warned of agitation if the big cats are not shifted to larger enclosures.
Escalation of man-animal conflict in buffer zone of Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) in summer 2013 had led to caging of five leopards. Three of the five leopards responsible for menace have been held captive since then. Two more leopards were caged in Mamla and Adegaon, recently. These leopards being responsible for attacks on humans are not going to be released back in the wild.
"Of the seven leopards, three were captured in TATR buffer, two in Bramhapuri and one each in Chandrapur division and FDCM. All of them have been kept in the small trap cages, where there is hardly any space to move. NTCA guidelines hold that if leopards are to be kept caged for a period of one month or more, they should be kept in more convenient and spacious facility," said president, Eco-Pro, Bandu Dhotre. He claimed to be pursuing the issue since last many months.
"I had voiced the issue in district tiger cell meeting in June this year. Accordingly, Superintendent of Police, who is president of the tiger cell, had directed the related forest divisions to build large enclosures to keep such captive leopards. But no steps have been taken so far," he said.
CCF, Chandrapur, Sanjay Thakre claimed it is quite difficult for the department to build and maintain such facility at their level. "Building large enclosures is not enough, there is a need of veterinary doctor and other staffers to look after the caged predators. Hence, we are inclined to send such leopards to recognized zoos. Process to send two leopards kept at Bramhapuri to a zoo in Bhopal is underway," he said.
He, however, held that there are not many takers for leopards. "All zoos in Maharashtra have refused to accommodate these leopards. We managed to send two leopards to Bhopal and are pursuing the same zoo to take two more. The transit treatment centre coming up in Chandrapur would be helpful in tackling the problem of such captured leopard," Thakre said.
He claimed that treatment centre will have its own veterinary doctor and staffers specially appointed to look after captive and stressed wild animals. Department can build some additional enclosures there for such leopards being kept in prolonged captivity, he suggested.
BUILD BIGGER ENCLOSURES
Five leopards were caged in 2013 after escalation of man-animal conflict in TATR buffer
These leopards being responsible for attacks on humans are not going to be released in wild
All of them have been kept in the small trap cages
NTCA guidelines hold if leopards are to be kept caged for a period of one month or more, they should be kept in more convenient and spacious facility
***
Forest department officials cage lioness near Gondal village
RAJKOT:
Lions have come knocking at the doors of Rajkot. Cases of the big cats
preying on cattle in villages near the city are on the rise.
In the latest incident, Gondal forest department caged a lioness on Saturday night from Betvada village. Officials said that the lioness is about two years old.
A lion and a lioness were spotted after they had strayed into Betvada village which lies 35 kilometre away from Rajkot, a week ago. The forest department had set up cages across the village in the hope of capturing the pair.
"The villagers reported incidents of lion attacks and their sightings around the village. The pugmarks suggest that it is a pair of lions. We are yet to cage the lion," said a forest department official. The official added that similar sightings have been reported from Jamkandorna during the last week.
In October this year, a scribe and photographer duo were attacked by a lion in Bildi village of Gondal taluka. They were in the area to report about similar incidents of cattle being killed by lions.
Forest department officials said that lions are now regularly spotted in villages of Jasdan, Gondal and Kotda-Sangani and Jamkandorna talukas.
A few months ago, lions had killed cattle in Bildi, Vinjuvadi and Sanala villages in Gondal taluka and Bhadva village in Kotda-Sangani taluka. These villages are about 25 kilometre from Rajkot.
The data analysis of direct and indirect evidence including sightings, prey and pugmarks shows that the kingdom of lions is now spread over 1,100 villages in three districts of Junagadh, Amreli and Bhavnagar alone in the Saurashtra region. At present, lions are spread over an area over 16,000 square kilometre in the region.
In the latest incident, Gondal forest department caged a lioness on Saturday night from Betvada village. Officials said that the lioness is about two years old.
A lion and a lioness were spotted after they had strayed into Betvada village which lies 35 kilometre away from Rajkot, a week ago. The forest department had set up cages across the village in the hope of capturing the pair.
"The villagers reported incidents of lion attacks and their sightings around the village. The pugmarks suggest that it is a pair of lions. We are yet to cage the lion," said a forest department official. The official added that similar sightings have been reported from Jamkandorna during the last week.
In October this year, a scribe and photographer duo were attacked by a lion in Bildi village of Gondal taluka. They were in the area to report about similar incidents of cattle being killed by lions.
Forest department officials said that lions are now regularly spotted in villages of Jasdan, Gondal and Kotda-Sangani and Jamkandorna talukas.
A few months ago, lions had killed cattle in Bildi, Vinjuvadi and Sanala villages in Gondal taluka and Bhadva village in Kotda-Sangani taluka. These villages are about 25 kilometre from Rajkot.
The data analysis of direct and indirect evidence including sightings, prey and pugmarks shows that the kingdom of lions is now spread over 1,100 villages in three districts of Junagadh, Amreli and Bhavnagar alone in the Saurashtra region. At present, lions are spread over an area over 16,000 square kilometre in the region.
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