Union environment minister, Jayanthi Natarajan revealed to the members of the standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) that the planning commission’s proposal to merge three centrally sponsored schemes — Project Tiger, Project Elephant and Integrated Development under Wildlife Habitat (IDWH) into one has been dropped. When the move was proposed, all nine members of the NBWL had opposed the move. NBWL members thanked the Union Minister and the Planning Commission chairman, for showing concern towards the implications … Read More
Coal Mining Destroying Critical Tiger Habitat Around Tadoba Tiger Reserve
New Delhi, 22 November, 2011: Coal mining poses a serious threat to tigers in Maharashtra’s Chandrapur region, near the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) and must be reined in. This is the verdict of a Fact Finding Mission to the area organized by Greenpeace India, consisting of wildlife experts Praveen Bhargav and Biswajit Mohanty and environmental lawyer Rahul Choudhary.
The team released its findings and recommendations in a report titled “Undermining Tadoba’s Tigers” at a press conference in New Delhi. … Read More
Conservationists Win Legal Battle in Bhadra Tiger Reserve
In a tough legal battle conservationists, succeeded in stalling two projects that would have upset the ecologically fragile eco-system buffering the Bhadra Tiger Reserve in Chikmagalur district.
One was a 124 windmill project to be set-up by Karnataka Renewal Energy Development Ltd (KREDL) subleased to BB Hills Wind Farm Development for a period of 30-years on the Bababudangiri Hills and the other was a resort-cum-spa, promoted by Bangalore-based Brigade Hospitality Services, in collaboration with the Singapore-based Banyan Tree Hotels and … Read More
Three Elephants Killed By Poachers In Simlipal
Three elephants have been killed by poachers in Simlipal Tiger Reserve, Orissa. The pair of tusks missing from one of the elephants pointed to the fact that this is the work of ivory traders. It appears that the elephants had been poisoned. Conservationists have expressed concerns over poachers being active in Simlipal again. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has also expressed concern over mass killings of elephants. Last year, about 10 elephants were killed in Simlipal. … Read More
Annual Tiger Census to Start in Arunachal Pradesh this Month
The annual tiger census in Arunachal Pradesh will be conducted by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) this month. The tiger numbers in Namdapha and Pakke, the two tiger reserves in Arunachal, would be determined using scientific methods and reputed NGOs are to be involved in the process. The NTCA will provide all the equipment necessary as well as the training required for the field staff. Camera traps are to be placed at a distance of 1 km for 35 … Read More
Project Tiger May Be Merged With Other Conservation Schemes
Project Tiger, India’s first wildlife protection program, may be merged along with other conservation schemes. The Planning Commission has asked the environment ministry to merge Project Tiger along with Project Elephant and Integrated Development under Wildlife Habitat (IDWH). The move has been opposed by all nine members of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) who have termed it “retrograde”. They have written a strongly worded letter to the Planning Commission chairman, Montek Singh Ahluwalia and a copy has been sent … Read More
Proposal to Include Buffer Areas of Manas Under Field Director Control
The Management Effectiveness Evaluation brought out by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has recommended that the buffer areas of the Manas Tiger Reserve under the control of Manas’ field director. Manas was notified as a tiger reserve in 2008, with 500 sq km as the core area and 2,337.10 sq km as buffer. Currently, the buffer areas are under the control of the Forest Chief of the Bodoland Territorial Council. The core … Read More
Environment Ministry Asks Chattisgarh to Propose Tiger Reserve Status for Guru Ghasidas National Park
The Union Environment Ministry has asked Chattisgarh to submit a proposal to the National Tiger Conservation Authority asking for Guru Ghasidas National Park to be declared a Tiger Reserve. The national park lies in between Madhya Pradesh’s Bandhavgarh and Jharkhand’s Palamau tiger reserves. It is also contiguous with Madhya Pradesh’s Sanjay Dubri Tiger Reserve. Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh has said that this would make for the largest landscape for tiger conservation in this part of Central India. Wildlife Institute of … Read More
NTCA Sets up Ten Member Committee to Monitor Land Use Practices in Tiger Reserves
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has set-up a 10-member expert panel to monitor land-use practices like mining, road construction and railway lines that affect tiger habitats. The panel will draw upon the best practices prevailing in other countries. The panel will examine current demands for diversion of habitat areas towards infrastructure projects in the tiger range states. It will also make recommendations for harmonising land use vis-a-vis tiger conservation in India. The panel will submit its report in six … Read More
NTCA Will Study Adverse Impacts of Adani Power Project Near Nagzira Sanctuary
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) will study the adverse impacts of a proposal to divert 163.84 hectares of land to the Adani Power Project in Gondia district. This land is within 10 kms of the Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary. The NTCA study will focus on the adverse impacts of the gaseous and particulate emissions and additional thermal load from the plant on flora and fauna. The Adani plant is meant to be a 3300 MW one. Work is already in … Read More
Camera Trap Images of Tigers in Andhra Tiger Reserve Point to Recovery
Camera traps in the Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve (NSTR) in Andhra Pradesh have captured images of a tigress and her three tiger cubs feeding on a kill. The camera trap sequences provide evidence of breeding tigers and boosts conservationists hopes of a recovery in this large landscape. The India Tiger Estimate 2010 released by the Ministry of Environment and Forests last year records that the forests of Andhra Pradesh had a decline in the population of tigers. NSTR has an area … Read More
Jairam Ramesh Pushes for More Protection for Tigers in Similipal National Park
Mr. Jairam Ramesh has written a letter to Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik asking for more safeguard measures for Tigers in Orissa. He has suggested at-least eight measures and has also asked the Orissa Chief Minister to intervene personally. The letter has been prompted by the visit of a senior official from the National Tiger Conservation Authority to Similipal National Park, who appraised Jairam Ramesh about the situation. The letter recommends that a small contingent of the state armed force … Read More
Pressure on Government to Adopt More Comprehensive Tiger Estimation Methodology
Ullas Karanth and seven other top wildlife experts said that Jairam Ramesh’s announcement of an increase in tiger numbers from the national tiger estimation exercise, was based on unreliable data. The letter, published in Science magazine, added pressure on the government to adopt a more comprehensive counting methodology. Ullas Karanth is a member of the ministry’s National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). Though Jairam Ramesh had hit back at Ullas Karanth’s letter, on the same day he approved a new scientific … Read More
MOEF Press Brief — Annual Intensive Tiger Monitoring Will Kickoff in November
The annual tiger monitoring exercise will kickoff in November and will include Simlipal and Satakosia. The MoEF has made this announcement following a three day workshop where experts deliberated on the Best Management Practices in Tiger Conservation. The November census is titled Phase IV of the National Tiger Estimation Programme. The annual monitoring will be done by the respective Chief Wildlife Wardens of the reserves. The methodology will be determined by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and NTCA. Simlipal, … Read More
Recently Inaugurated Nagpur NTCA Office Found Locked
The recently inaugurated regional office of the National Tiger Conservation Authority in Nagpur is now locked. The NTCA board inaugurated by Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and Union Minister Jairam Ramesh is also missing. During the inauguration, Chavan and Ramesh said that the opening of the NTCA office is the first step towards boosting tiger tourism in and around Nagpur. NTCA Joint Director and Deputy Inspector General S P Yadav says that until an Assistant Inspector General is appointed, the office … Read More
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