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RE: Bigcats News - Richardrli - 05-05-2014

Was the 200kg for T-102 weighed or estimated?


RE: Bigcats News - GuateGojira - 05-05-2014

(05-05-2014, 04:48 AM)'Richardrli' Wrote: Was the 200kg for T-102 weighed or estimated?

 
Weighed, twice: first in February 1974 and a second in February of 1976. In both occasions was baited, so I estimate him at 184 kg empty belly.

He was still young but already an adult, sadly he was poisoned when he was in his prime.
 


RE: Bigcats News - Apollo - 05-05-2014

 Poaching gang busted; tiger, leopard cat skins seized



*This image is copyright of its original author

The leopard skin seized by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau.




*This image is copyright of its original author

The tiger skin seized by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau.

Officials of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, Southern Region, busted a gang involved in poaching in Tamil Nadu and seized tiger and leopard cat skins from it in Coimbatore on Thursday. 

The bureau’s regional deputy director (south), S.R.V. Murthy, said the four-member gang poached the tiger and the leopard cat skins in Kodaikanal forests. 

Palpandi (29) is the leader of the gang and Karpagavinayagam (30) is his aide. Both hailed from Kukkal in Kodaikanal. The two transported the skins by bus from Kodaikanal to Coimbatore.   

An officer from the bureau approached the poachers as a prospective buyer and asked them to come to Coimbatore. The gang asked for Rs. 70 lakh for the skins and demanded an advance of Rs 1 lakh. The official agreed and met them in Coimbatore and paid the advance.

Mr. Murthy said preliminary investigation revealed that Palpandi was a habitual offender and Karpagavinayagam assisted him during poaching operations.

Arumugam, the mastermind, is at large. Soon he would be arrested.Cases have been registered under various Sections of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, which included Section 3 (Prevention of Hunting), Section 27 (Restriction on entry into Sanctuaries) and Section 39 (Wild animals to be treated as government property), Mr Murthy said. 

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/poaching-gang-busted-tiger-leopard-cat-skins-seized/article5970845.ece

 
 



RE: Bigcats News - Apollo - 05-05-2014

(05-05-2014, 05:21 AM)'GuateGojira' Wrote:
(05-05-2014, 04:48 AM)'Richardrli' Wrote: Was the 200kg for T-102 weighed or estimated?


 
Weighed, twice: first in February 1974 and a second in February of 1976. In both occasions was baited, so I estimate him at 184 kg empty belly.

He was still young but already an adult, sadly he was poisoned when he was in his prime.
 

 


Hi Guate,
How old was T-102 when he was weighed ?
Did T-102 had any permanent territory or he was just a floater ?
What was the reason for the poisoning (like enetering villages, killing livestocks, killing human etc) ?

 


RE: Bigcats News - Apollo - 05-05-2014

HISTORICAL LESSONS OF SUCCESSFUL CONSERVATION EFFORTS.


Click the link to read the full article

http://www.thewildlifenews.com/2014/05/04/historical-lessons-of-successful-conservation-efforts/
 


RE: Bigcats News - GuateGojira - 05-06-2014

(05-05-2014, 08:38 PM)'Apollo' Wrote: Hi Guate,
How old was T-102 when he was weighed ?
Did T-102 had any permanent territory or he was just a floater ?
What was the reason for the poisoning (like enetering villages, killing livestocks, killing human etc) ?
 
Dakre male was weighed when he was about 4 years old in the first capture. In the second capture, he was about 6 years old.
 
This was an extraordinary case, as when this male reached the adulthood, there was no other dominant male in the area, so this young specimen take the area for itself and established a large territory, practically the western half of Chitwan (the eastern half was for the Sauraha male). It was until his dead that Sauraha (T-105) expanded its territory to practically the entire northern area of Chitwan.
 
So, yes, T-102 was a territorial male that was killed at its six years of life. There was not an apparent reason of why human poison it, but I remember that he apparently killed a domestic cow. It was a tragic death of an almost prime male. [img]images/smilies/sad.gif[/img]
 


RE: Bigcats News - Apollo - 05-06-2014

(05-06-2014, 09:34 AM)'GuateGojira' Wrote:
(05-05-2014, 08:38 PM)'Apollo' Wrote: Hi Guate,
How old was T-102 when he was weighed ?
Did T-102 had any permanent territory or he was just a floater ?
What was the reason for the poisoning (like enetering villages, killing livestocks, killing human etc) ?

 
Dakre male was weighed when he was about 4 years old in the first capture. In the second capture, he was about 6 years old.
 
This was an extraordinary case, as when this male reached the adulthood, there was no other dominant male in the area, so this young specimen take the area for itself and established a large territory, practically the western half of Chitwan (the eastern half was for the Sauraha male). It was until his dead that Sauraha (T-105) expanded its territory to practically the entire northern area of Chitwan.
 
So, yes, T-102 was a territorial male that was killed at its six years of life. There was not an apparent reason of why human poison it, but I remember that he apparently killed a domestic cow. It was a tragic death of an almost prime male. [img]images/smilies/sad.gif[/img]
 

 



Thanks alot for this valuable information Guate.
 


RE: Bigcats News - Apollo - 05-06-2014

 China bans eating of Tiger, Rhino Horn, Panda


*This image is copyright of its original author



Beijing: Consumers of endangered animal products in China face a risk of considerable jail time after the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress reinterpreted existing criminal laws last week to put greater pressure on those who eat or purchase protected species.

Chinese law makes it illegal to hunt and buy any of the country’s 420 protected endangered species, which include Asiatic black bears, South China tigers, golden monkeys, and giant pandas.

However, the rule was not so stringent before.

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/140505/world-asia/article/china-bans-eating-tiger-rhino-horn-panda


RE: Bigcats News - Apollo - 05-06-2014

The Vietnamese prime minister approved a national Tiger conservation plan



*This image is copyright of its original author



A national tiger conservation program was approved by Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, according to a posting on the website of the nation’s government.

The plan calls for establishing priority areas for tiger conservation and researching the feasibility of tiger populations recovering, as well as for strengthening inspections and activities in fighting against conservation violations, according to the posting. The program will run to 2022.

While tigers are native to Vietnam and aren’t classified as extinct in the country, the Southeast Asian nation may no longer have a healthy breeding population of the animal, according to a posting on the website of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Poaching and deforestation may have reduced Vietnam’s wild tiger population to fewer than 50 from more than 100 a decade earlier, Thanh Nien newspaper reported in 2012. Surveys found traces of between 27 and 47 tigers, mostly in border areas in central Vietnam, according to the report.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-27/vietnamese-premier-approves-national-tiger-conservation-plan.html



RE: Bigcats News - Apollo - 05-07-2014

The Science of Counting Tigers






 

 


RE: Bigcats News - Apollo - 05-08-2014

2 villages to be moved from Similipal core area


Two villages are going to be shifted from the core area of Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR), the biggest reserve in the state, to keep it free from poachers and human disturbances.

Sixty-one tribal families were relocated in 2012 followed by 32 families in December 2013. An expert team headed by former additional director general of wildlife Jagdish Kishwan is scheduled to visit STR on Tuesday to examine the relocation plan, sources said.

"We have identified Kabad Ghai and Jamuna villages, located within the core area, for relocation. There are about 16 families who will be displaced. The team is likely to visit the villages to make an assessment," said regional chief conservator of forest (RCCF) Anup Nayak.

He said that the team would interact with the villagers. "According to the Wildlife (Protection) Act and guidelines of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), the core area of the reserve should be kept free from human habitation," he added.

The tiger reserve is spread over 2,750 sq km with 1,195 sq km of core area and 1,550 sq km of buffer. Since the inception of STR, it has been a major concern of the wildlife officials to ensure a safe habitation area for the big cats. "We are yet to identify the place where the displaced villagers would be relocated. After the team's return, we will be able to select a place outside the core area," said Nayak.

Official sources said according to the NTCA guidelines, the displaced families would be entitled to get Rs 10 lakh each. "The families will be relocated only after obtaining their consent. Apart from the monetary compensation, each family will be allotted 10 decimal homestead lands and a house under 'Mo Kudia' scheme at the site where they will be relocated," said a senior STR official.

The STR had been working on vacating the core area for the last two years. "Freeing the core area from human habitation will also help us check poaching as there are incidents of tribal families indulging in poaching of prey animals in the core area," said the official.

While as per National Tiger Conservation Authority (2010 Census), there are about 23 tigers in the sanctuary, the state government in 2004 claimed that the reserve had observed movement of 64 tigers. The present population of tigers in the sanctuary is not known. About 415 anti-poaching personnel have been deployed with VHF radio sets for effective surveillance.
 


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/2-villages-to-be-moved-from-Similipal-core-area/articleshow/34720808.cms


RE: Bigcats News - Apollo - 05-08-2014

Ongoing tiger census at Ranthambore shows two cubs missing 


The ongoing Phase IV tiger monitoring at Ranthambore National Park has revealed that at least two cubs are missing. The phase is part of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) protocol for all tiger reserves in the country for a national count of big cats. During the process, small grids are created in the reserve and trap cameras are set up for a picture of the big cats. The entire park is covered in about three months.

While one of the four cubs of tigress T-19, daughter of the famous Machchli, has recently been missing from the Rajbagh area of the forest, a cub of the Durrah tigress has also not been spotted for the past four to five months.

"T-19 has been a resident of the lake area in the forest. The lake area comprises Padam Talao, the Rajbagh talao and the Malik Talao. She has been shifting its cubs even from a very small age. In fact, it was during one such shifts from Jhalra to Padam Talao that she was first spotted with her cubs in March this year," said an official.

"Last when she was seen with her four cubs was at Rajbagh. Thereafter she was seen alone two or three times but later three of her cubs were also seen. However, no one knows what happened to the fourth," he added. Trap cameras set up in the area managed to click pictures of just the three cubs. T-19 had littered sometime around January-February this year but were spotted only in March with one of the cubs in her mouth and three others trailing her. Officials are unsure on the fate of the missing fourth cub. 

Also missing is a seven-eight month old cub of the Durrah tigress. "In fact this cub has been missing for quite some time. It is about four to five months since the cub of this tigress was last seen," said an official. 

Ranthambore has been on upswing since the past couple of years with a 'baby boom'. In fact, it is estimated that there are about 58 big and small tigers at the reserve. But while that was the good news, some big cats have also been missing or are dead. The Ranthambore tiger reserve's real picture will emerge after the results of the tiger monitoring are out after a couple of months. 
 

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/environment/flora-fauna/ongoing-tiger-census-at-ranthambore-shows-two-cubs-missing/articleshow/34747985.cms


RE: Bigcats News - Apollo - 05-08-2014

Fresh prey-density estimate must before shifting Gir lions: Gujarat

Gujarat has reiterated that the proposed translocation of Gir lions to Kuno Palpur be based strictly on the new guidelines of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Gujarat has also demanded that Madhya Pradesh conduct an estimate of prey base density over a larger area than over only 350 sq km. Officials of the Gujarat government said that Madhya Pradesh has been pushing the prey base count done over only 314 sq km when it plans to release lions over 700 sq km area.

The state made these suggestions at the third meeting of the expert group formed to look into the translocation of lions to Kuno Palpur held on April 29, a day before the Lok Sabha elections in Gujarat. During the meeting, the action plan prepared by experts Ravi Chellam and Y V Jhala was discussed at length.

It may be recalled that the expert group of 12 members was formed following the Supreme Court order giving the go-ahead for translocation of lions to Kuno.

Sources said that Madhya Pradesh has once again demanded central assistance for the project and for conservation of lions in the area. At the meeting held on April 29, an official of the Gujarat government objected to the action plan and said that the apex court, in its April 15, 2013 order, had clearly stated that shifting of lions to Kuno should be based on IUCN guidelines, the sources said.

The new guidelines list a series of studies which have to be undertaken before translocation of the big cats is carried out. The Gujarat government objected that the proposed action plan does not mention the studies that have to be undertaken under the new guidelines, the sources said.

Some members of the expert group even raised objections to the question of another member who said that Gujarat had surplus lions and some should be translocated to Kuno. Several experts along with officials from Gujarat objected to the use of the word, 'surplus'.

The action plan also recommends that the process of translocation should begin by shifting a dozen big cats from Gir to Madhya Pradesh. It has suggested that, in all, 30-40 animals from the wild be translocated to Kuno over a period of time.


 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Fresh-prey-density-estimate-must-before-shifting-Gir-lions-Gujarat/articleshow/34610641.cms


RE: Bigcats News - Apollo - 05-09-2014

Manas: Nobody’s tiger reserve…


This column was written based on a recent trip to Manas Tiger Reserve in Assam. The situation in this once glorious reserve, with its unique biodiversity, was depressing. It was impossible to imagine it sinking further, but terrible new has just come in. With the outbreak of violence in Bodoland Territorial Area District, the fallout on Manas has been grave, and may well prove fatal, if urgent measures are no taken to step up security to protect the reserve.

The blatant neglect and slow of death of Manas is evident even from its spectacular heritage forest rest house at Mathanguri, in the heart of the National Park. Mathanguri has to be one of the most beautiful spots on earth, offering  a stunning view of River Beki and the forests across––Bhutan’s Royal Manas Park, where I had spent time that morning with the golden langur, endemic to the region, a blonde––and may I say lovelier––version of the variety we see across the country. From the rest house itself an array of wildlife can seen—wild buffaloes that wallow in the river, great Indian hornbills flying across the Beki and into Bhutan, the occasional capped langur, and elephants.

Marring this pristine forest and the peaceful environs is the constant drone of JCBs, excavators, dumpers hard at work to change the course of the Beki and divert its water to River Manas which has dried up. Boulder and sand extraction continues from dawn to dusk, disturbing wildlife and in blatant violation of the Wildlife Protection Act. Shockingly, according to reports the work has been ongoing since the past four years. River Manas has dried up since 2004, by some reports this could be because of hydel projects upstream. Reportedly, these are efforts to try and ‘revive’ the Manas so as to provide its waters to the villages downstream, and also an attempt to prevent Beki from changing its course as it pushes towards, and threatens to sweep away the Mathanguri Rest House.

A key concern in Manas Tiger Reserve is poaching. Seven rhinos have been poached in the park (there are currently 31 rhinos here) in the last three years. Five were killed in 2013––the last on 31[sup]st[/sup] December, when a female rhino was slaughtered in the Bansbari range of the park. She had been translocated from Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary under the ‘Indian Rhino Vision 2020’ programme in a bid to repopulate the reserve after the species was practically wiped out by poachers during the height of Bodo insurgency in the 1990s.

On 20[sup]th[/sup] September last year, three Indian nationals were arrested at Gelephu (Bhutan) with a tiger skin and bones. The tiger––disdainful of manmade boundaries––traversed both countries. Matching the photographs of the skin with camera trapped images revealed that the tiger that had been frequently observed along the Indo-Bhutanese border in Manas. The tiger was first photo-captured in Bhutan on 18[sup]th[/sup] November 2010 and last at Bansbari range of Manas National Park in India on 27[sup]th[/sup] November 2012.Unfortunately, the offenders penalised under Bhutan’s Forest and Nature Conservation Act, 1995 and Rules, 2006, have been let off lightly.

One key reason for the breakdown of protection is the staff situation in Manas. There is an acute shortage of staff and the existing staff is demotivated and demoralised with the lack of basic facilities and the return of insurgency.

A better working relationship between India and Bhutan in terms of coordinated patrolling exercises, sharing information, etc is crucial. The Indo-Bhutan bilateral pact, which is languishing at the Centre since over a year, needs to be pushed through at the earliest.

Another worrying issue is the unchecked encroachment––especially in the Bhuyanpara range in the core/critical tiger habitat of Manas––which  has doubled to eight square km from four last year. Large grasslands too have been converted to woodland mainly due to faulty management practices and a failure to understand the importance of the grassland ecosystem which is vital for rhinos as well as to support habitat specialist species like hispid hare, pygmy hog, Bengal florican, wild buffalo, etc.

Manas is also plagued by administrative issues, with its buffer out of the purview of the field director.  A large part of Manas is also managed by the Bodololand Territorial Council (BTC), adding to the ambiguity and complexity of managing the park. This gets further complicated as the entire area of Manas Tiger Reserve falls under the BTC, though ‘wildlife’ continues to be the jurisdiction of the Chief Wildlife Warden, who is responsible for implementing the Wildlife Protection Act here. Constant dialogue and mutual support between the state and BTC is therefore critical for Manas to survive, and flourish.

Manas is one of the ‘original’ tiger reserves of 1973 and harbours a number of other endangered species such as wild buffaloes, rhinos, Bengal florican, hispid hare, pygmy hog, golden langur… to name a few. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1985. Its downslide began soon after with the park and its wildlife being ravaged––bearing the brunt of armed insurgency,  poaching,  smuggling and political unrest. Forest chowkis were burnt, foresters were killed and department elephants shot. All the park’s rhinos were wiped out, elephants, tigers and other wildlife slaughtered ruthlessly; by some reports, the illegal wildlife trade and timber smuggling also helped finance the movement.Given the situation, in 1992 Manas was listed as a ‘World Heritage Site in Danger’.

Manas overcame this terrible ordeal, recovering with tremendous efforts by the state, park management, staff local communities and assisted by the Centre and NGOs. It earned a place off the ‘Danger’ list after 19 years.Manas, today, again stands at breaking point.  Two days ago, with the outbreak of violence in the region, over 5,000 villagers surrounded and mobbed the Bansbari Range Office causing extensive damage and compelling Forest staff to fire in self-defence.

Another camp in the national park, Narayangudi, has been burnt and destroyed and park vehicles have been targeted too. Vehicles of conservation NGOs working the region were also attacked. It is reported that there is a move to withdraw all arms from forest staff in Manas NP. If this is done, how will they defend themselves and the wildlife of Manas in the face of such threats?

It is critical to strengthen the security by putting in paramilitary forces till situations improve and normal patrolling inside Manas can be facilitated. Equally, the forest staff and management of Manas must be supported and strengthened.Manas unfortunately is the state’s stepchild, failing to garner support, as priority and focus of the governments and the media are centred around Kaziranga. The state has failed to back the reserve and its management or address the lack of governance which has led to the current situation. 

Similarly, it has dawdled on consolidating Manas by failing to notify the extension of Manas National Park as proposed by UNESCO World Heritage Site. Similarly, the Ripu Chirang Sanctuary––a crucial tiger area, which will provide a buffer to the park has been proposed, but  is also pending with the state, even as the area is being encroached and hammered by anthropogenic pressures.Manas is one of our finest tiger reserves… and yet, it languishes, lacking the support and focus of a an apathetic state which has failed to give this tiger reserve protection and priority.

http://prernabindra.com/2014/05/08/manas-nobodys-tiger-reserve/

 
 

 

 


RE: Bigcats News - Apollo - 05-10-2014

This leopard doesn’t fall for honey trap

Playing hide-and-seek with wildlife officials, a male leopard which has made the Asia headquarters of the International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (Icrisat) its home for more than a month now, has refused to be lured by an adult female leopard and ignored sumptuous luncheon baits of live goats and dogs. 

The leopard, which the forest department says could have strayed into the Icrisat compound at Patancheru from nearby Narsapur forest, is happily feeding on wild boars, porcupines and wild rabbits, found in abundance on the institute's premises. 

It is quenching its thirst from plenty of water holes located inside and happily sleeping in the lush green hideouts on the 1,390 hectare campus. 

But the eight-year-old big cat has robbed the sleep of not just hundreds of staff and farmers, but more importantly wildlife officials, who have done several nightouts and adopted various tricks to trap it, only to throw up their hands and accept defeat. 

A leopard is an extremely smart animal and it seldom hunts or lives in a pack as it prefers a lonely life. 

Wildlife officials said about 12 camera traps have been installed in vulnerable areas, but all they got were pictures of the majestic animal jogging in the park or looking for prey. 

"The big cat is getting photographed virtually every other day but is not falling into the trap. We have been trying to trap it with goats and dogs as bait but it's a smart animal," D K Pandey, additional principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife), told TOI. 

"Since it is a protected animal listed in the near-threatened list, we cannot harm it," he added. 

Fed up with goats and dogs, someone came up with a brilliant idea of luring it with a female leopard. So an immediate SOS was sent to the zoo authorities and soon a healthy female was brought to lure Icrisat's unwanted guest. 

"We thought if everything fails, sex bait would definitely work. But it looked with disinterest at the female from a distance, turned its back and never came out," said one official. 

As a result of the hide-and-seek game, work too has been put on hold in some areas at Icrisat as the 'unwelcome' guest is in no mood to leave the cushy premises anytime soon. 

Officials conceded that never before had a big cat kept them on their toes for such a long time. 

"It has not harmed anyone till date but the whole issue is bothering us. We have done several nightouts, but it is not coming out as it can smell humans," said an expert. 

Several waterholes at Icrisat are also proving to be a hindrance. "Though it is feeding on several species, it can survive without food for a week. But water is essential. It is not restricting itself to one waterhole and is venturing out to drink water in the late night or wee hours from various sources," said an official. 

With hundreds of people working inside the fenced premises of Icrisat and its surroundings, officials said they were trying their best to tackle the issue without causing any problem to people. If they finally get to capture it, the animal would be let loose in a forest area, they said. 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Home/Environment/Flora-Fauna/This-leopard-doesnt-fall-for-honey-trap/articleshow/34848365.cms