TIRUNELVELI, Tamil Nadu: The Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR) has witnessed two-fold increase in tiger population in 2010-11, when compared to the last estimate in 2006-07. H Malleshappa, Chief Conservator of Forests and Field Director of Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, said the tiger population was around 15 to 18 as per the tiger estimate taken in 2010-11. “This is a two-fold increase when compared to the 2006-07 estimate of six to eight tigers,” he informed. Tigers that migrate from Periyar … Read More
RTI Response from Environment Ministry Indicates Nearly 200 Tigers Poached in the Last 12 Years
An RTI application filed with the Ministry of Environment and Forests reveals that 197 tigers were killed through poaching between 1999 and 2011. The ministry also attributed the local extinction of tigers in Sariska and Panna to poaching. The worst years were 2001 and 2002, where 36 tigers were poached in each year. Two tigers have been poached already this year between January and March 17th. The ministry has not provided details of the action taken report for each case, … Read More
Radio-collared Tiger Poisoned in Nepal
Kathmandu, Nepal — A Bengal tiger fitted with a GPS tracking collar and translocated from Nepal’s Chitwan National Park to Bardia National Park has been killed, according to Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation officials. Authorities believe the tiger died after eating the flesh of a cow deliberately laced with poison. Three men suspected of involvement in the death have been arrested.… Read More
Bharatpur — Can we Regain this Bird Paradise?
The year 2004 was a fateful one for Bharatpur, India’s most famous bird sanctuary. In order to appease farmers belonging to particular community, the then Chief Minister of Rajasthan, issued an order diverting water from the Ajan Bund away from the Bharatpur marshes and into the fields surrounding the park, unleashing catastrophic consequences for this 250 year-old artificial wetland. Since then, Bharatpur has never been the same. While various schemes to bring water to the park are under consideration, bird … Read More
Leopard Crossing, Mysore — Mananthavadi Highway, Nagarahole
A leopard tentatively crosses the Mysore – Mananthavadi highway in Nagarahole national park and tiger reserve in Karnataka. Based on the fact that this road passes through an extremely crucial habitat for elephants and tigers and number of tragic roadkills, conservationists filed an application to the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) of the Supreme Court to close the road to nighttime traffic.
The CEC on 05-05-2008 concluded that no vehicular traffic be permitted between 6pm and 6am apart from other mitigation … Read More
Tiger Wanders 280 kms Through Karnataka Forests in Search of Territory
On May 1, a young male tiger which had strayed into a betelnut plantation in gama and was stoned by a mob, attacked and killed a man before it was tranquilized by the forest officials. On May 7th, the tiger was released into the Bhadra tiger reserve. Analysis of the photographs of the tiger’s release by the Centre for Wildlife Studies (CWS), a wildlife NGO which had been camera trapping in Karnataka for around two decades, showed that the tiger … Read More
Camera Traps Reveal Four Tigers in Anamalai Tiger Reserve
The presence of four tigers has been revealed by camera traps setup in three ranges of the Anamalai Tiger Reserve. The cameras had been installed after understanding the movement of the animals through front line uniform staff and anti-poaching watchers. The cameras were installed in Ullandy, Valparai, Manambolly and Amaravathy ranges and the sightings were recorded by the ones in Ullandy and Manambolly. Encouraged by the results, camera traps have been relocated in other strategic locations to know the presence … Read More
Camera trap in Sirumugai Reserve Forest near Coimbatore records Tigers
A camera trap in Sirumugai Reserve Forest has recorded the movement of a Tiger. This is the third sighting of a tiger in the Sirumugai Range. A census conducted in March found several pug marks. The forest department plans to assess whether the tiger is a migrant one or native to the Coimbatore Forests. The Sirumugai range is contiguous with the lower reaches of the Western Ghats, Mudumalai Tiger reserve, Sathyamangalam Forests and Silent Valley in Kerala.… Read More
Tiger Sightings in Central Indian Forest Corridors
A WWF-India Carnivore Sign Study in the Central Indian Forest corridors has found evidence, including direct sightings, of tigers using the corridors. Joseph Vattakaven, Tiger coordinator, WWF-India says the sightings strengthen the conviction that tigers spilling over from Kanha and Pench need these corridors to disperse safely. Tigers that lose out on competition and sub-adults often move out of the reserve into other areas through these corridors. This also ensures their long term survival by preventing in-breeding. … Read More
Assamese conservationist Firoz Ahmed wins prestigious award
M Firoz Ahmed, a Wildlife Biologist working with Aaranyak in Assam, has been awarded the prestigious Carl Zeiss Wildlife Conservation Award 2011.
Firoz is currently conducting research on tigers, prey animals and their habitats in Orang, Manas and Kaziranga National Parks supported by the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation. He is also involved in community-based conservation of wildlife in Assam and is a passionate environment educator.
The Carl Zeiss Wildlife Conservation Award is given annually to wildlife conservationists, researchers and managers … Read More
Report: Tiger Link — March 2011
The Ranthambhore Foundation publishes TigerLink, a news letter that serves as a valuable resource library and is a strong pressure lobby to counter misguided development policies of the government. It is
distributed widely, especially among policy makers, decision makers, experts and NGO’s concern with tiger conservation across the globe. It also serves as an information base for media professionals and those
seeking concise information on tiger conservation issues.… Read More
Lessons from Voluntary Resettlement in the Western Ghats
K.Ullas Karanth and Krithi Karanth on the lessons learned from resettlement projects in three important protected areas in the Western Ghats — Nagarahole, Bhadra and Kudremukh.
Forests in the Western Ghats occur as fragmented strips within a larger landscape matrix of crops and tree plantations. Reserves in the Ghats cover only twelve per cent of total area and the average reserve size is 243 sq km; the fourteen legally protected areas in the Ghats cover a total of only 6400 … Read More
Hand reared Tigress released into Panna Wildlife Reserve as part of experiment Mar 29, 2011
A six year old hand-reared tigress has been released into the Panna Wildlife Reserve in Madhya Pradesh by HS Pabla, the head of the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department. Experts however contend that this amounts of suicide for the tigers as they cannot match wild tigers in terms of survival skills. However, HS Pabla contends that the tigress has been trained for the last six years and been bereft of human company. The tigress (along with another) were in an enclosure … Read More
Review of the Tiger Task Force report, 2005 — Joining the Dots but Losing the Cats?
After the Sariska catastrophe, and the resultant public outcry, the Prime Minister appointed a Tiger Task Force (TTF) to review the status of the species. The TTF submitted a 206-page report titled Joining the Dots in August 2005. Dr Ullas Karanth reviews the TTF report.
Maintaining ‘inviolate’ areas for wild tiger populations
The TTF recognizes that viable breeding populations of wild tigers need sufficient habitats free of incompatible human uses. It projects an area of 37,000 sq km, within boundaries … Read More
Tribute — Billy Arjan Singh (1917 – 2010)
Prerna Bindra looks back on the life of a committed conservationist whose legacy in wildlife preservation continues to inspire.
‘HONORARY TIGER’ Padma Bhushan Billy Arjan Singh breathed his last on the first day of the Year of the Tiger’ – January 1, 2010. He will be remembered as a pioneer conservationist, and for his long and courageous battle for India’s wildlife. My abiding memory of Billy dates back to five winters ago. I was at Tiger Haven, his home at … Read More
CI is a non-profit, non-commercial portal that aims to facilitate wildlife and nature conservation by providing reliable information and the tools needed to campaign effectively.
