India News: CBI takes over tiger poaching probe (10 April 2014)

CBI takes over tiger poaching probe

NAGPUR: Eight months after it was approached to investigate poaching of tigers in the region, the Central Bureau of Investigation, took over the on Friday.

The state government had written to CBI director Ranjit Sinha on July 26, 2013 requesting for probe in the poaching of tigers. State notification to this effect was published in August last week. The CBI started collecting relevant papers from September.

"Finally, the probe has been handed over to the CBI officials from Navi Mumbai who were in the city on Friday," confirmed principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) Sarjan Bhagat.

Bhagat added the probe was handed over to CBI last year but Central government notification was issued in March first week.

In August last year, the CBI was given a mandate to probe three tiger poaching cases. The arrest of 21 poachers and tiger skin traders revealed that it was not just three tigers but nearly 25. Forest officials have reached a figure of 16 so far.

When asked, APCCF for wildlife (east) SS Mishra said the CBI probe will expose national and cross-border links of organized poachers. "The CBI probe will have no affect on the ongoing court cases. We will continue to fight them," Mishra added.

However, official sources said the list of wanted poachers has touched 56. Of these 21 have been arrested and 35 remain absconding. The CBI will help the forest department to nab absconders. "We will now work jointly," said Mishra.

9 poachers nabbed

Nagpur: Nine hardened wildlife poachers were nabbed inside the Umred-Karhandla Wildlife Sanctuary on Thursday night. Two of their accomplices managed to escape. Divisional forest officer SB Bhalavi said that the accused had sneaked into the park on seven bicycles and two motorcycles with an intention to poach wild animals. A dozen weapons like spears, sickles, and knives used to kill and skin animals, besides huge thick nets were confiscated from them. "The nets could have trapped not only herbivores but also carnivores," said Bhalavi. P

source from: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/CBI-takes-over-tiger-poaching-probe/articleshow/33638206.cms

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India News: Gautala sanctuary to get cameras for tracking animals (9 April 2014)

Gautala sanctuary to get cameras for tracking animals
AURANGABAD: The Gautala Autrumghat wildlife sanctuary in Aurangabad district, a 250 sq km expanse of dense forest, will be first in the Marathwada region to get cameras to track the movement of animals and to keep a hawk eye on poaching activities.

The wildlife division has sent a proposal seeking 12 trap cameras for the sanctuary, which will also help in the bi-annual animal census activity. The trap cameras will have motion sensors and night vision to capture the image of any wildlife passing in front of it. The cameras are waterproof, heat resistant and have global positioning system (GPS).

Such cameras have been installed in Tadoba Andhari tiger reserve and other wildlife sanctuaries of the state, but will be used for the first time in the Marathwada region. The Gautala Autrumghat sanctuary, located on the boundary of the Aurangabad and Jalgaon districts, was notified in 1997.

Sunil Ohol, deputy conservator of forest (wildlife), said that the proposal has been sent to the forest division in Nashik and some permissions were still to be granted by the state government. The wildlife department expects to receive camera during next census scheduled for May.

An official said, "The cameras will help during the annual census exercise as they provide visual record of the animals. As the cameras capture the movement of animals within the sanctuary, it also helps protect and track the animals. Moreover, the cameras help keep a watch in possible poaching activity."

In addition to this, the forest department has also initiated a study of impact of human presence on animals, as vehicles use the national highway (NH-211) located near the forest area. It has carried out various development plans within the sanctuary to boost ecological activities and tourism.

Range forest officer R A Nagapurkar said that a four-member team of experts from Cohort For Bio-Research, Jalgaon has started a study of the impact of traffic and noise disturbances on wildlife, possible movement of animals and connection between major water and food resources. The team would submit its recommendations in the report likely to be ready in the next couple of months.

The RFO added that an information centre has been established at Hivarkheda, where the sanctuary starts. "The centre has the information of all the species found in the sanctuary. In future, guides would be appointed," he added. 10 locals have already undergone training to be guides under the eco-development scheme of the joint forest management committee (JFMC).

Fire-fighting equipment has been procured to tackle any wild fires, but no such instances have been reported in last two years. "The staff has been trained to deal with fires and adjoining villages have been alerted to notify fires. Fire extinguishers, helmets and jackets will be stored in a room," he added.

Four villages, Hivarkheda, Bildari, Haraswadi and Junona, have been identified to reduce the impact on forest area. "Smokeless stoves and solar cookers have been provided to villagers, street lights operating on solar energy have been installed. Majority of the houses have solar system capable of lighting 2-3 bulbs," Nagapurkar said.

Measures have been taken to conserve water. About 35 artificial and an equal number of natural water ponds have been built provide for animals. About 12 cement check dams have also been constructed to conserve water.

The historical sites of Gautam Rishi temple and Sita Nani have been developed to attract visitors and affordable residential arrangements have been made. Four rest houses and a dormitory can accommodate around 70 people. The rooms can be booked through the wildlife office located in Aurangabad. "The bamboo hut is entirely eco-friendly and has been set up at the edge of a mountain for a great view," he said.

Adequate safety arrangements have been put in place for the tourists with nakas and watch towers, with one guard and two forest workers stationed especially during night hours. Another chowk has been created at a central location of the sanctuary.

Sign boards are placed at significant places indicating directions to spots about 12 pagodas have been constructed for resting and sight seeing purposes.

source from: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/developmental-issues/Gautala-sanctuary-to-get-cameras-for-tracking-animals/articleshow/33523892.cms

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India News: 9 poachers nabbed in Umred-Karhandla (12 April 2014)

9 poachers nabbed in Umred-Karhandla
NAGPUR: In a timely action, Umred-Karhandla Wildlife Sanctuary officials nabbed nine hardened wildlife poachers inside the sanctuary who were on hunt for wild animals on Thursday night.

The poachers have been identified as Shankar Tambekar, Rajeram Nanhe, Vinod Dighore, Vishnu Mandhre, Krishna Nanhe, Prakash Nanhe, Harichandra Dighore, Baiju Tambekar, and Suraj Kare. All the accused are residents of Budhwaripeth, Umred. Two of their accomplices managed to escape.

Assistant conservator of forests (ACF) and investigating officer Nandkishore Kale produced all the accused before judicial magistrate first class (JMFC) VL Bhosale on Friday. The court sent them to forest custody till April 14.

According to divisional forest officer (DFO) SB Bhalavi, the gang was nabbed at 10.30 pm in compartment number 1415 in Karhandla beat when RFO GF Luche was on patrolling round. The accused had sneaked into the park on seven bicycles and two motorcycles with an intention to poach wild animals.

A dozen weapons like spears, sickles, and knives used to kill and skin animals, besides huge thick nets were confiscated from them. "The nets could have trapped not only herbivores but also carnivores," said Bhalavi. The poachers were initially evasive saying they were going for fishing.

Officials said the accused are habitual offenders and must be frequenting the area even before it was notified a sanctuary but have been caught for the first time. When the accused were produced in court, their 60-70 supporters including relatives thronged the court premises.

source from: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/9-poachers-nabbed-in-Umred-Karhandla/articleshow/33638121.cms

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India News: Two more vulture species decline in population drastically over the years (11 April 2014)

Two more vulture species decline in population drastically over the years

BANGALORE: In a recent paper published in the Cambridge Journal - Bird Conservation International, researchers from BNHS-India and Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), it has been stated that like the three Gyps species, even Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus and Red-headed Vulture Sarcogyps calvus had declined by nearly 80% and 91% respectively in the Indian subcontinent since the mid-1990s and are now globally threatened. Both species are likely to have showed similar physiological intolerance and exposure risk to diclofenac through a common ancestry and foraging niche with Gyps vultures. The paper examined the records of Red-headed and Egyptian Vultures obtained on road transects in and near protected areas between 1992 and 2011, particularly in northern India. This study comes as one of the strongest evidence that these two vulture species have also been affected by diclofenac.

Commenting on the impact on these two species, Chris Bowden, International Species Recovery Officer and SAVE Programme Manager said, "This study clearly shows that not just the Gyps species, but also other vulture species, have been affected by drugs such as diclofenac to varying extents. Future conservation efforts should cover all such species that have been affected, through a broader framework of research and advocacy".

Diclofenac ban to the rescue

After the ban on veterinary diclofenac by the government of India due to sustained efforts by BNHS and RSPB, the two organizations have been actively advocating for smaller doses of human diclofenac, under the wider international consortium SAVE (Saving Asia's Vultures from Extinction), so that the same may not be illegally used on cattle. The positive fallout has been that the prevalence and concentration of diclofenac in domesticated ungulate carcasses has decreased and population declines of Gyps vultures have slowed down or even reversed in a few cases. The observations in the later years of the study reveal that the declines in Red-Headed and Egyptian Vultures also seem to have slowed down after the ban. Their numbers have even possibly increased in some areas.

Illustrating the development Asad Rahmani, Director, BNHS said, "The partial recovery of vulture numbers after the ban shows that strong research and advocacy go a long way in effective conservation. Further research should also focus on the current status of Red-headed and Egyptian vultures".

The way ahead

The level of sensitivity to diclofenac in these other two species, when ingested by feeding on cattle carcasses is yet to be known completely. Hence, further research is underway, since till now the sample size for the study of these two species has been smaller than in the case of the Gyps species. Thus, continued ban on such drugs, widespread advocacy and search for safer alternatives may benefit a wider range of vulture species in the Indian subcontinent than was previously thought.

source from: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/pollution/Two-more-vulture-species-decline-in-population-drastically-over-the-years/articleshow/33618473.cms

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India News: Committee rejects 23 of 24 proposed Uttarakhand hydro project (9 April 2014)

Committee rejects 23 of 24 proposed Uttarakhand hydro project

DEHRADUN: The Supreme Court monitoring committee formed by the ministry of environment and forests to study 24 proposed hydro projects on the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers in Uttarakhand has published minutes of meetings on the MoEF website, and unanimously decided not to recommend 23 of the new projects, worth 2683.6 megawatts. 

The committee was set up in October 2013 after the SC took note of a Wildlife Institute of India report that pointed the extensive threat to biodiversity because of these projects. The court directed the MoEF to set up a committee to examine the projects. The committee's recommendations could hit Uttarakhand's ambitious plan for self-sufficiency in the power sector. 

"We compute the cost of producing one megawatt of power at anything between Rs 8 crore to 10 crore," a senior Uttarakhand Power Corporation Ltd official told TOI on condition of anonymity on Tuesday. By his reckoning, the cost of shelved projects could be as high as around Rs 20,000 crore. The minutes of the meetings were uploaded on UPCL website a few days ago. 

Members of the committee approved only one of the 24 projects, Kotlibhel (195mw), saying it was in a "comparatively low biodiversity sensitive area", and would not significantly impact wildlife. However, they noted that the project could impede the free flow of the river up to 20 km downstream. 

The 13-member committee comprises experts from various fields. Member-secretary YKS Chauhan told TOI that immense pressure is being exerted on members from various quarters not to recommend closure of the projects. The committee has rejected most of the projects, as they are proposed in either eco-sensitive zones or within forbidden zones of wildlife sanctuaries or parks, in habitats of rare, endangered and threatened species. 

Some are in ecologically sensitive zones. The site of the proposed Rambara Project (24mw) on Mandakini river was washed out during the June 2013 deluge. Alaknanda project (300mw) and Khairon Ganga (4mw), are proposed within 10 km of the Valley of Flowers National Park, a World Heritage Site, in violation of SC directions. 

Lata Tapovan project (170mw), Malari Jhelam (114mw), Jelam Tamak (126mw) and Tamak Lata (250mw) on Dhauliganga river also fall within the Nanda Devi National Park, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. 

Two projects on the Rishi Ganga river, with a capacity of 105mw, have also been proposed within a 10-km radius of Nanda Devi National Park. Hemant Dhyani, a member of the committee, said, "These 24 projects will leave a serious negative impact on the biodiversity of the surrounding areas. The state government should revoke these projects immediately." 

Speaking of other projects not listed along with these 24, the members expressed concern that approval was granted to Lakhwar (300mw) and Vysai (120mw) recently, without the mandatory clearances, and also without an approved disaster management plan.

source from: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/developmental-issues/Committee-rejects-23-of-24-proposed-Uttarakhand-hydro-project/articleshow/33516101.cms

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