Dying Tigers

Tigress Killed

She was choked to death in the cave, the one place she had chosen to give birth to cubs, but fate had another story chalked out for her. Upon discovering the tiger's lair, the poachers mercilessly clogged the opening and set things on fire. She was not incinerated but rather suffocated by smoke that had filled in the cave. She was killed along with cubs in her womb. This sordid saga is not just one event, there is an ongoing onslaught on the endangered beast in India. 

In a spate of few weeks, some more tigers have been killed, and this is alarming. Often the murder is passed off as a territorial fight or due to old age, how many of these narratives are true God only knows! Who bothers since the big cats are no political liability, the incidence could just pass off as unfortunate.

Killings using guns, snares, live wire, and poisoning the kill of the beasts are ongoing year on year. In a spate of eight years around seven hundred tigers have died, and almost half have been killed leaving the rest accounting for natural deaths. 

The figure of seven hundred is ominous with most of the deaths taking place in Central India and Maharashtra, incidentally these states account for a robust number of big cats. In some other States, the population is sizeable and so are the deaths but States are not in the context in this write-up. With the increase of 750 animals between two nationwide censuses the deaths equal them, or maybe if the unaccounted or missing ones are taken into account we are losing more tigers than conserving them.    

Even if we do not enter into the nitty-gritty of census and the growing numbers, the large number of deaths should be considered alarming. Add to this wrong labeling in case of poaching's being declared as territorial fights the figure rises exponentially. 

This points to lacunae in the management practices with regards to the conservation units all over India. Once we get over our obsession with tiger tourism, which by all means is innocuous with the regulation in place we have to dive in as to what is going wrong. 

We can call the poisoning of cattle or other livestock killed by a tiger a man-animal conflict. But live wire, snaring, hunting by gun or other weapons is not a man-animal conflict it is poaching or pure murder and a crime. This is going on for too long in India for comfort, and no concerted effort is being noticed for the amelioration of this deadly scourge. 

Why this neglect?

This is not a pure case of neglect there are gaps in our protection mechanism. And the solution is at the macro level.  

The number of such incidences could be reduced if the local staff or ground staff is proactive, alert, and effective. The latter aspect is missing. The post is part of a huge government sector called the forest department and is under the aegis of State machinery.  Still, under colonial makeover, the department functions in isolation and is not proactive enough to invite public involvement hence there is no voice as a result. Most of the news generated is by an instance of tiger death and at best limited to the incident often without many details. 

Hierarchical Alienation

Hierarchical alienation is evident since some of the top brass function in isolation surrounded by a coterie which includes the ubiquitous babus. Add to this there is substantial political interference, and corruption for which not all, and the department as a whole, cannot be blamed. There are honest and hard-working people in the whole hierarchy starting from the top. But those corrupt mar the functioning and this impacts conservation initiatives.              

Hierarchical alienation leads to lower staff which is most instrumental in the protective mechanism work in complete isolation, and in a weakened position. There are two reasons: lack of support from the higher-ups since many least bother to work at ground level, and an ineffective legal mechanism. I had been pointed out these lacunae in the system by the ground staff many times. The enormity of administrative work could be another reason for the lack of interest in the field.    But let's keep in mind the dedicated honest work loving in the management the reason behind success in an increase in numbers. I am not judging everyone under the same lens since a lot of commendable work has been done.

Corrupt officials and subordinates interfere in the functioning or are lax in their attitude. Some in the management of tiger reserves are just there to while away their time with no interest in conservation, while some are not fit enough to undergo rigorous physical and mental demands of fieldwork. As regards this, it has been pointed out time and again that placement should be subject to merit. But this is not happening as favoritism, personal preference and political influences are still being talked about. Readers should note that political/administrative pressures and demands are very much prevalent in this ecosystem. Special privileges especially as regards tourism must come to an end.

 Core Vs Buffer

The anomalies in the core or the inviolate area are much less, and greater administrative cohesion is seen. This is due to a better sense of duty, pride in the heritage, and public pressure that is constantly hovering. 

The buffer is the convergence point where outside influences creep in. The outside group comprises of political goons, mafia, and detractors mostly those under severe threat perception, or under the influence of organizations that do not agree with conservation practices. 

We must also note that a good number of locals are bereft of wilderness, treat predators as threats, see herbivores as food, and have the least interest in conservation. This leaves out dedicated officers and ground staff who nevertheless carry out their duty to save the animals that survive between humans. To the benevolent group, we must add the staff, guides, small businesses benefiting from tourism and the number is sizeable. This group is supportive of all conservation initiatives and put in efforts to make them a success. 

The beat guard or forest guard is most susceptible to threats, negative influences, stressful working conditions, and as mentioned earlier he works weakened. This leads to a weak protection mechanism in the buffer where most of the tiger deaths are taking place. Few incidences do take place in the core as well especially in areas near the buffer. The borders of our tiger reserves are porous and people can enter easily as not every nook and corner can be guarded. 

In most of our tiger reserves, in spite of demands for parts due to TCM or other reasons poaching is less. Few small times poachers do exists and kill tigers accidentally wide a mechanism meant to obtain game meat. But this is happening regularly and modus operandi is live wire or snares. The ultras wherever present prevents sound protection.            

Revenge for man/livestock kills can be termed as man-animal conflict and this is done using poisoning of the half-eaten carcass. As a preventive measure, the tiger kill is removed so that in absence of predator poising will have no impact and this is working effectively in the periphery of the reserves. But for other maladies, there is no solution yet.    

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Uday is a blogger and offers Seo + Content For Digital Marketing Services. 

He teaches digital marketing (SEO) in Jabalpur.

He freelances as a naturalist/birder at Kanha National Park. He loves to write about travel. 

He can be contacted at: 

pateluday90@hotmail.com

09755089323

Author

Tiger Poaching is Not Man Animal Conflict. It is Crime

Poaching is a heinous crime that is not a man-animal conflict and, this misconception has to be correctly implanted in society. Snaring, electrocution, and poisoning, all are done on the pretext of poaching for the small game thus mitigating the enormity of the crime in the public view. I do not know if any possible leniency accrues from the legal framework as such. Or is it labeled as small game poaching to address the culpability of sentinel in a more acceptable manner?  What can we do?      

Tiger

The recent snaring of a young tigress in the buffer zone of Kanha National Park adds up to another heinous crime against the beleaguered predator. Snaring is unimaginably painful and gruesome. Poaching in the buffer zones is a regular occurrence albeit the span between is reassuring but at the same time, it lulls the setup into complacency. These incidents keep on happening infrequently and some may go unnoticed by the public eye. For the death of the tiger is sometimes kept in a veil of secrecy for reasons unknown or simply to ward off public pressure.  

After every tiger poaching, there is some noise but like every crime, the act is soon forgotten. We are famous for forgetting even gruesome crimes that belie human sensibility whence precious life is concerned. We suffer from a weak memory. Although every life and every life form is precious, nonreversible incidence like the killing of big cats means the extinction of the species. Our National Animal can be killed so easily is a startling fact.        

The vast spread of our jungles and the humanity that prevails in between is an excuse enough for those in charge of the protected areas to get away. And the legal provisions are so shallow that every murderer gets bail and the case drags on and on. Though punitive measures cannot come into consideration until the act is proven but there can be some prevalent signs or logic that can come into play of the possibility of crime weighing down on the person assumed to be the culprit. Something that prevents outright bail. 

In such instances, bail is a clear getaway or escape from the grip of the law. The legal lacunae and skillful advocacy and delayed criminal proceedings are further attenuated by corruption in the courts and the clog that is present regarding the humongous number of cases is an encouragement for die-hard criminals or in this context the poachers. This criminal indulgence in tiger killing in India does not instill fear of punitive measures and its repeated occurrence is assured.            

The punitive sentence awarded is also not enough...poaching a tiger leads to jail for eleven years or so. And the indictment is rare. Why do we not consider the killing of rare and endangered megafauna on par with the murder of humans? Are we so biased against other life forms?  Not only this we continue to damage our environment through irrational resource utilization and management. And then we complain of climate instability.  

If we can be so sagacious in legislating the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 then we can consider this as well. A strong punitive measure should be in place for killing endangered species.   

Indian Conservation Ethos

We are powered by the past in conservation our fabulous Vedic civilization outshines all global ethos in according sanctity to all life forms and nature as a whole. We consider vital elements of nature as holy or sanctimonious why not the tiger or the leopard or the elephant? Is it because of past abundance and hence the lack of importance of these species? This could be true and so is the truth that we fear changing Holy sanctions even if they are not rational anymore. Things need to change with time and the prevalence of facts in the contemporary without fear of Holy wrath. Every Indian carries the ethos of the Vedic civilization within, howsoever shallow in some instances.      

The killing of big cats in India will continue unmitigated unless strongly discouraging punitive measures are put into the act.            

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Uday Works as Freelance Naturalist and Blogs on conservation, tigers, and environmental issues.

He also provides SEO and Website Content in English. He teaches Digital Marketing in Jabalpur in the summer.

He can be contacted at:

Mail: pateluday90@hotmail.com
 Mob: 09755089323

             

Tiger Conservation: Contingency History & Traffic

When the numbers fall and the home shrinks the extinction seems inevitable. Well, that is what exactly has happened to the tiger in India. One after another misfortune arrived, always hunted but never in extreme in the ancient times the downfall came surprisingly in the modern times right between us. The clock has started ticking right in our lifetimes..perhaps a bit earlier whence the Raj overcame us. 

Modern weapons, greed for timber, and pure bloodthirst were the reason for the big cat's beleaguered state. The ball had started rolling, spinning out of control, and since then never come to a stop. Large-scale tree felling and commercial plantation had started transforming unnaturally the profile of the carnivore's habitats all over the country. 

Those habitats today in a perfect state of preservation remained so because of being out of reach or being privileged enough to gain the status of royal hunting preserves - the shikargahs of the Maharajahs. Nevertheless, hunting continued recklessly, in fact when the Raj ended and the Maharajahs began to lose hold the local bigwigs duly took over to bring an end to a vermin and a vicious killer with haste. 

Hunting was the most indulged sport during the Raj with the rulers, nobles man and Maharajahs joining in the spree. Tigers were the prized target, and many were killed with royal aplomb...beyond sustenance, mercilessly...and as one author put pregnant tigress, cubs, and young all were slaughtered. The greatest decrease in the numbers was brought about by the bounty hunters during the Raj whence thousands of tigers and other predators were slaughtered mercilessly...cleansing the country of vermin for a few rupees in a decade.     

The unchecked human population implosion was another reason whence to meet the hunger needs of the ever-growing millions of large-scale tiger habitats were converted to fields. Commercial greed had never come to a halt and large-scale clear felling for valuable timber continued unabated.  

As far as hunting is concerned the rot stemmed whence in 1972 Wildlife Protection Act was legislated and Project Tiger came into the picture. From one hundred thousand tigers the number had plummeted to 1400 or less. Horrendous! 

Just when we thought that the mayhem was over another menace surfaced and the system under the spell of the recent success of Project Tiger was shell-shocked. A poaching mechanism comprising importers of animal parts (TCM) smugglers, some people of the department, and small-time but deadly hunters of yore was in the act surreptitiously.

Panna and Sariska were the eye-openers whence all the tigers in the conservation units were poached. Thankfully it was not too late and intense protection of the big cats came into the picture. Albeit such an incidence is unlikely to happen thanks to conservationists and wildlife managers and staff the leak continues. 

The poaching intent is for smuggling tiger parts to consumers of TCM etc in many countries. The nexus is deep and underground and continues to operate through actively pursued by the agencies and NGOs like  WPSI there seems to be no end. The emergence of recent trafficking reports carries a foreboding of doom. India ranks highest among the countries from where the trafficking of tiger parts takes place. This is suggestive of a leak and calls for revamping our protection and intelligence-gathering mechanism.     

Although body parts used for medicine are the most lucrative the number of tiger skins seized every year is frighteningly high. Most of the figures for seizures are consistent every year which indicates a modus operandi that has not been stemmed. 

In spite of encouraging census figures of recent counting in India, the dangers to our precious big cats loom large. How well will we be able to protect the dwindling species is a question that we should ask ourselves? Will constructive efforts and sound policies continue to fetch the species out of red? 

The pride of India needs National Support a strong political will and conservation management that up till now has been exhilarating.  In all National, Endeavours public plays an important role we the people should do whatever we can to Save The Tiger!
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Uday freelances as a naturalist/birder and loves to write about conservation.
Contact: pateluday90@hotmail.com
9755089323

Killing The Tigers Are We Living in Stone Age?

Indian Tiger

News

The recent incidences of killings of tigers and leopards at the hand of humans is alarming and is suggestive of extreme loathing of these earthly creature. It is also suggestive of continued intrusion into wilderness - that which remains.  

Why? 

For those living in the periphery of forests an incidence of man eating could be unnerving, but the chain extends much longer for there are vested interests that are keen to exploit the situation.   

Let us be honest, in case of man eating menace the locals are the target and an extreme fear and insecurity develops. When humans are killed the sentiments rise and the immediate instinct/solution is to exterminate. This in spite of technological means that could avoid killing.    

From the killing of the tigress Avni it is evident that we do not resort to measures to stem the rot at the very beginning in order to avoid human deaths including that of the predator. Satkosia could be another impending disaster. We have to stress more on the proactive methodologies and safeguards to prevent the big cats turning aberrant. I think our institutes are doing commendable research and there is hope.  

For the politicians, bureaucrats and local leaders - the singularly powerful people - elimination of problem animal is the only solution...for them it is also a populist goal. These are the people who can pressurise the local administration into an unholy act? 

But the question remains are we in India willing to do more than just providing physical protection to the cats in protected areas? The animal survives in non designated areas as well, and the stray population is as important for the gene pool and conservation. 

Tiger conservation is a comprehensive act and it involves the whole nation. Frequent incidence of man animal conflicts indicate that there are still grey areas that remain unplugged in species management in India. The lacunae is further compounded by utter disregard towards conservation among some of the ruling coteries, bureaucrats and NGOs.  The public besides few are equally to blame for being unconcerned and ill informed. 

We live in Human First Era!

A developmental imperative accords low priority to conservation which could prove disastrous in the long run. We are destroying remaining natural habitats helter skelter in our zeal to develop commercially, urbanize and create unnatural wealth by destroying the crucial natural resources. Rabid development is not the solution for myriads of problems facing the society, and sooner or later there should be a paradigm shift. Will it be too late then?     

Man eating is not an aberration as most people believe, it could be a natural recourse in absence of prey base, since long time back we could have been a part of the food chain. An accidental encounter, stress, self defense whence in proximity all could lead to man killing and could initiate consumption of humans. The repeated act leads to the big cat being termed as man eater. 

The reason for aberrant behaviour as we term is the scarcity of prey base, destruction of its home and intrusion into its domain. All this is rampant in the present circumstances.    

It is circumstances that have pulled the species apart and we no longer are deemed as prey. But it is always in the capacity of the predator to kill us. That it does not leads to justification that the species kills only for food. Energy in the wild is crucial and a specie cannot indulge in wanton killing. The fear of humans also contribute to the big cats maintaining distance from. All life forms on Earth fear us since we have amply demonstrated our ability to kill wantonly.   

Much more is required to understand the beasts that stalk the Earth. Tigers, lions, leopards are predators along with the lesser carnivores. Their role is to limit the populations of herbivores and maintain an equilibrium. Although hunting and consumption could have been an act of natural selection or an opportunistic food preference. The specie is at the top of the food chain in most ecosystems and is crucial in maintaining the delicate balances. 

The forests which nurture the predators for example are the source of food, water security and fresh air. None of the elements that constitute this ecosystem can be removed or damaged beyond repair if the productivity has to be continued. This means the tiger is as valuable as any element in the crucial web of life that shapes our environment.    

Selfish Humans!

Humans are a selfish breed albeit they have been nurtured by the same ecosystem that was shared by other life forms. We were once part of the same food chain that now works in the remaining ecosystems all over the Earth. We constituted the tiger's prey base, and perhaps humans targeted the predators as competitors. The stone age could reveal a saga of bitter animosity between the carnivore and homo sapiens if we could peek back. But nature works in such a manner that there is no room for wanton killing.   

Saving the tiger is crucial for our environment as well as for our survival. Species extinction is like a catastrophe which we also call an Armageddon.   

The Tiger is a matter of National Pride for a diverse India. Save It! 

Tiger Deaths - A Real Conundrum

In a short span of time four tigers died at Shahdol District in MP, one each in Corbett National Park in UK and Sanjay Dubri in Chhattisgarh. A tiger was electrocuted near Pench National Park, a tiger was found dead near Sehore....the story goes on. Though more tiger inhabited area should be taken under the net of protection on many instance the process has laggard behind due to reasons unknown.

If any process in this country has to gather pace, that has to be tiger conservation measures. It seems conservation bodies at National and local level are obsessed with tourism rather than finding solutions that could save the big cats in India.    

It no longer surprises whence the tabloids speak of death of the big cats including the leopard. Though not all deaths have a alarming reason many die of one. The ongoing threat is of course electrocution. But poaching and poisoning goes on hand in hand. 

Poisoning is preventable as they do so at Kanha National Park by quickly shifting the carcass out of reach of the predator. This must be done elsewhere too but not everywhere especially in an around our reserve forests. Fortunately not many tigers inhabit our reserve forests as their number has drastically gone down and they are found only in and around the protected areas or the tiger reserves.  

What is missed out by the above factors is taken care of by the railways and road accidents. In case of leopards which venture too close to human habitations they are killed by the marauding mobs and over zealous hunters often in connivance with local politicians.  Neither is the reporting by local press constructive and it is seldom brought to notice about human intrusion in the land of wild denizens. We are urbanising at a fast pace too fast as a matter of fact and bringing to nought the habitats that come on the way. The animals suffer in mute silence as they watch their land being taken away. 

Power play does not affect only the downtrodden humans it is vicious in case of wild animals. Some politicians and local hunters indulge in hunting misusing their powers. Corrupt official from the forests and other departments are often too eager for a shoot out. 

Some members of hunter gatherer tribal communities are a persistent threat to wild animals, and are active in feeding the illegal wildlife trade. Die hard poacher sitting at the helm of the network rarely face penal action, thanks to legal loop holes and an indolent judicial system which drags the cases so long that justice virtually has no meaning.            

The threat to our tigers is real the rising numbers not withstanding. Multi pronged assaults can dip the figures dangerously there is no room for complacency. What is required is a concerted efforts to save the beleaguered animal not just physical protection, proactive policies are the need of the hour. Policing, habitat management, disease prevention and effective translocation of warring tigers wherever population is in plus category.                    

A Leopard Dies!

30/7/2017

Jabalpur

This was the second instance whence a leopard was found dead at Barha Forest Range near Jabalpur. The first discovery was that of a mutilated leopard body with paws, canines missing few months back.

The second instance that probably happened yesterday was reported by the locals. This was a young leopard cub probably one year old. Since the postmortem report is not out in the open the cause of the death could not be ascertained.  The presence of leopards in this area is a big surprise in spite of the available habitat. There is nothing there for them to feed on! May be the animals peripatetic by nature venture into such areas from pockets that still accord sustenance.  

Few years back a tiger was reported on a cattle kill in these forests. The animal was probably a vagrant in search of prey. There are none at all, the herds of chinkara and spotted that could be seen some years back have all been poached. Few barking deer do not make a meal for big cats. This leaves no option for them but to go for livestock and the ensuing man animal conflict results.  Some of the locals may be resorting too poisoning, or the killing could be the handy work of poachers or wood loggers which roam this forests in search of wild boar or anything that comes around. 

Neglected with lots of interference, the reserve forests are well known for their minor forest produce including tendu leaf. I have seen few poachers with guns moving around the forests without any fear, and wood logging is a frequent occurrence in these jungles. 

A part of the area was undertaken for some period by TFRI, an institution into forest research. A concrete wall was built for the purpose but this was for a limited period. Experimental plantations could be seen for some time - done for research. But anyway from what I hear the area is back to the concerned forest department.

Most of the visits are by birders like us since the Narrai Nala a perennial stream sustains many avian species. The stream is the lifeline of the ecosystem and supports impressive floral diversity in a limited area.          

The lean forests are mixed type with affinity with forests of Kanha and Bandhavgarh as they where once a part of the tracts which have been intensively inhabited by humans and extensively farmed. Small pockets scattered here and there comprise of good canopy rest need repairs badly. The area was full of wildlife during the period lasting up to late seventies perhaps but no more. A tiger could easily be sighted during that period but now literally not even a rat is visible.    

Well this is the story of most of the reserve forests in India leaving some of the protected areas aside. Once the country's finest ecosystems they now present only a skeletal picture - the wildlife is long gone. These are the pockets that sustained large population of tigers in India. They are devoid of all forms of wildlife in the contemporary period. In order to fetch the big cats out of peril these forest have to be reclaimed and due protection accorded. Such an action would offer extra space for the predators if carefully nurtured.

But do we have the resources and the will?         

Tiger Conservation: The Mayhem Continues

Tiger Poaching in India

With the electrocution of tigress at Sanjay Dubri National Park in Madhya Pradesh another ghastly incidence unfolds. The electrocution of tigers in India continues unabated since more than a decade.

A pick on newspapers will reveal how frequent is this menace. Taking advantage of high voltage electric lines passing through and near the conservation units this form of poaching is a regular affair with the system having no answer to curb.

Tiger By Teerath Singh

Poachers small time or big time do not understand the National loss of an inheritance invaluable. This also sums up the fact that in spite of active and continued conservation efforts the beleaguered animal is not out of danger. This is also suggestive of ongoing man animal conflict in areas harboring the big cats. 

There are no answers even after decades of existing of this method of killing tigers and other wild animals. Taking into account the critical status of the predator one would have expected a quick reprisal or prevention exercise such that the menace is stopped for ever. On the contrary it seems that such incidents are considered as isolated and hence have no effect on the conservation fraternity in India.      

Compounded by other threats like poisoning and snaring facing the tiger, this is going to result in reduction of its population on long lasting basis or even extinction. 

In spite of all International hullabulloo we have not woken up from slumber. The animal requires proactive concerted and compounded efforts to brink it back from the brink of extinction.

For the political fronts at various level this issue lacks imperative as compared with more inviting actions that fetch votes. This has weakened the administrative impetus required to save wild animals in this country.

The legal system too is to blame as many culprits go scot free due to lacunae in the framework. The required punitive measures harsh enough to discourage the marauders never take place. The lethargy entwined in our legal framework further vitiates the atmosphere.

For example the recent electrocution case in Kanha buffer has not resulted in punitive action thanks to myriad of legal loopholes in our system and administrative lethargy.  

If a methodology to curb this menace is not found soon, we are going to lose large number of tigers. A nation bent upon cow protection needs to pay heed to this majestic animal in dire need of attention. Least we lose this valuable inheritance forever and lose our pride as well not forgetting the inimitable part it plays in the ecosystems across the country.  

The sad end to the recent case of electrocution at Sanjay Dubri was the subsequent death of her cubs. Taken into intensive care at Bandhavgarh Reserve they were unable to cope with infection in absence of the immunity accorded by the mother's milk.. 

Damocles Sword: Challenging the Conservation Ethos

License to Kill 

It hardly seems true that badly ravaged and plundered ecosystems in India support abundance of wildlife, anymore.  Well according to the government this is true somewhere in some States. Hence the permission for legal culling of  abundant species is on the table. 

Our five thousand year (plus) cultural heritage which boasts of conservation ethos ranging from the Vedas to the non violent concepts of preservation of life have proved to be ineffective as far as human greed for wealth, especially in the contemporary times whence economic prosperity is of greater concern.

The  malafide addition due legalising this murderous assault on species well below the sustenance level in India is giving rise to lust for killing. Though the honourable have reasoned that this is being done to protect crops from damage hence boost economic growth.      

Taking advantage of this largess, it is alleged that the lustful are killing with glee even in premises where hunting has not been legalised.  

Wildlife in India is already under severe survival stress from rabid industrial growth, resulting pollution, unchecked human settlements, unplanned urbanisation and rapid deforestation. Though we are discussing about the contemporary era, Indian ecosystems have been ravaged since thousands of years, more so since the beginning of the Raj. The wildlife has been continuously decimated resulting in critical existence of many species and extinction of some.        

Barely subdued, the lust for killing by the wildlife protection act and awareness, the legalization may renew the fervour of the big and small and open up new vistas of hunting illegally under the umbrella of the law.

To worsen the matter the demand for animal parts internationally is posing severe threat to rare species. Rampant poaching is taking place in this country in neglected areas not forgetting the sordid incidences in the protected areas during this decade.

The sharp retort from Menaka Gandhi (within the ruling government) who is erudite in matter of conservation took the environment ministry with surprise. Well "overzealous" is what the ministers and bureaucrats usually think of such reactions and most of the sane conservation voices are hence subdued.

It is for the people enmasse to react to every ill advised policy, especially if it is published with populist desires. Wildlife in India is doomed till saner policies and proactive protection measures are put in place. Public should come into picture before it is too late.        

Tiger Conservation: It is a matter of space & protection

Although the tiger population has risen marginally in recent times, the animal is still in danger. Danger of extinction that is. The animal survives in National Parks and Tiger Reserves, these are protected areas. The survival can at best be described as precarious in some of the protected areas.

The core or the critical tiger habitat provides sanctuary to these big cats and a reasonable protection. This is where the animals breed the most. In protected areas, where human and livestock disturbance is minimal along with adequate protection measures the population growth is substantial.         

With the expanding population, the predators have to move out of the core into buffer in order to find space and avoid insurmountable competition from dominant tigers. The buffer zone contains human habitations with plethora of livestock contributing to grazing pressure and depletion of resources. The buffer zone which at many places has completely lost whatever reasonable crown cover was there earlier, also contains fields converted from forests during the era whence there was free for all. The road intersections, burgeoning and urbanization of settlements are all contributing to ever reducing buffer. 

Image By Doornik

In well protected ecosystems like Corbett, Ranthabhore, Kanha, Bandhavgarh and Pench National Parks there is significant movement of tigers in the buffer. The constriction of good habitat is creating terrible territorial conflicts with fatalities. The matter is compounded by reduced breeding, and reduction in prey base.  As the population increases the space availability would be a major issue..it already is at reserves mentioned.    

The human population pressure is constant as there are very little restrictions. The viability of the buffer zone is limited, hence the big cats are entirely dependent upon the core of which there is no scope of enlargement since the dense crown cover is limited, thanks to indiscriminate felling in the yesteryear {s}.        

Image By Doornik

The matter is further compounded by poaching which is limited locally but more vicious whence organized gangs descend unto the protected area. The well known poaching strategy is using hunter gatherer communities like pardhis, bawarias and behlias and perhaps more. The innervated communities are easily subject to enticement by the network operating locally on the behest of major gangs in India and outside. Being hunters since yore, these are expert at their jobs and many an instances go unnoticed, hence the mystery of missing tigers...  

The demand is fueled by China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan and to some extent other Asian countries. The  pelts, crafts, cosmetics and medicines are commercially available all over the World. 

The demand as mentioned will never be reduced let alone come to a naught. These countries are never going to mend their ways, hence no time or effort should be wasted on convincing them otherwise.

Strictly controlling poaching and penury is an option that cannot be otherwise.          

Greater impetus has to be accorded to what is already being done in the core. It seems highly improbable that human settlements could be reduced in the buffer zone hence more efforts should be spent on afforestation, development of habitat by creating water bodies and preserving whatever is there already. 

The crux if this article is that in spite of human settlements, livestock and agriculture significant pockets of forests should be protected and conserved in the same manner as core. This can be done by integrating the protection mechanism with that of the critical habitat. The burgeoning of industrial or commercial activity has already been restricted by the law but more vigilance is required in order to plug the loopholes.

Veterinary practices should be enhanced in order to control disease and treat ailments amidst the wild animals and the livestock. 

Until unless more is done in the buffer the viability of tiger surviving would be limited to the core area.         

Debacle at Pench - Poaching of Tigers

The poaching of Bagin Nala Tigress and her cubs reminds me of my first visit to the park at River Pench. 

In that bright sunny day I could feel that I was in a tiger heaven just as Kipling had penned in his famous Jungle Book. I could imagine Mowgli along with the wolf pack waving at me from behind the dense canopy that lined attentively all along the road to Karmajhiri.  

The forest ranger had given me a lift generously from Khawasa but was in no mood to elaborate what lay all along us. In his deep husky drawl he informed me, "animals here are larger." And then there was silence as we moved on to the final destination the forest rest house.    

Those enamored by negative fall out of tourism..there were no hotels then as tourism was in infancy.  Few people from Nagpur made day visits for excursions.  

Seoni Hills and surrounding forests of Chindwara were once abode of the tigers and teemed with wildlife. Most of the forests have been denuded in the last few decades, but the ecosystem is still intact in the Pench Tiger Reserve that engulfs Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra border region on the Jabalpur Nagpur highway.  

The tiger was in the precarious state whence I arrived at Pench. Along with the tiger, other animals were being electrocuted using the 11 KVA line that passed through. The villagers had access through the park, possibly translocation had still not taken place?

The charred remains of the tiger unnerved me no end, the seat of the administration at that time was Karmajhiri barely two kilometers away. Other animals besides a poacher were charred to death using this hideous method.

The countenance of those responsible for protection of  wilderness was, at best could be described as shocking. There were more explanation for the events than action...

Tigress Pench

Tigress with cubs at Pench

and as we see in India all things gradually fizzle out. It did.

The shocking incidence at Pench is suggestive of prevailing presence of  the poaching fraternity, and nothing has been done regarding this. The wildlife is still in danger thanks to ineffective mechanisms and lack of will to foresee what threats are emerging. Is there a proactive strategy in place?   

The animals are surviving somehow, but a noose hangs around them all the time. After engaging abundant resource we could not prevent the murder of the most popular tigress. The fate of  many a big cats hangs in balance...entirely at the mercy of humans. 

Photo Credit: Dharmagiri

Muchmucha Tiger is Dead

As the story unfolds the Muchmucha (Bandhavgarh) male tiger died due to electrocution in one of the fields in the village. Muchmucha is on the Tala Road about fifteen km from Barhi. This is the bitter tale of tiger's survival in India. The electric wire trap was laid by some notorious poachers obviously for small game.  

It is assumed that the tiger died on 25th February 2013 some times in the night while crossing over. The male tiger was about five years old and in a state of good health. I hope the tiger had mated with the female it encountered in my last trip. The tiger was in its prime and was in a position to sire many cubs but the tragedy has put stop to that.     

The tiger population in the outskirts of Bandhavgarh is thin and it will be some time before another male takes over the breeding process. The electrocution menace is wide spread in Central Indian Tiger Reserve. This is due to 11 KVA line passing through many reserves. 

It is problems like these which have to taken care of but unfortunately myopia rules over our thinkers. Precious time is wasted on issues like tourism which are already under an experienced control mechanism.  Not one voice is raised regarding issues that are really decimating the left over big cat populations in the country.

Another Tiger Killed

A tiger was butchered here about two day back and its part cut off at jungles of Umaria near Bandhavgarh National Park. The tiger poachers were caught by the police while two poachers are still at large.One of the poachers is said to have taken the tigers limb for cooking. Earlier a tiger was electrocuted on this Sunday in the Ghunghuti Forests near Bandhavgarh. 

Blue Eyed Tiger by Tirath Singh

Bandhavgarh Landscape

This is the said state of tiger conservation in India. There is no proactive stand to prevent the extermination of this majestic cat and few hundred remain. While so much was furor was caused  by the tiger tourism issue no one bothers to bring forth the actual issues. The lacuna in our conservation efforts and absolute disregard for other life forms in India.

Tiger Tourism Beginning of the end

The bleak future unfolds as closure of tourism in tiger reserves appears imminent. There is hope that some space will be given but this is merely a conjecture. Tourism in buffer is just a joy ride in case of most of the reserves. The buffer zone suffers from intrusion and lot of other disturbance, secondly the ecosystem at most of the places is not intact. These factors do not contribute to stable wild populations. Certain endangered and niche dwellers are confined to the core zone.     

Hence tourist interested in wildlife watching will diminish and they will not arrive here. The park (Read Buffer) would be visited by holiday makers interested more in revelry than anything else.   

The major impact will be on forest guides and drivers apart from closure of most of the hotels. The wide scale unemployment will result in lots of frustration. These are the people with excellent knowledge of the whole forests, animal movements and behavior. They will be easy target for the vicious network of poachers. If tourism is practically closed then adverse means of income could be sought by many. The only answer  that seems plausible is a hefty compensation or large scale induction in the department in case of those who are in temporary status or not in the muster roll at all.         

The loss of income to the administration would mean less conservation and management efforts. Another loss would be that of awareness that was regularly created. Status maintenance would suffer or would be restricted to the department.The valuable contribution of amateur and professional wildlife photographers and observers would be practically negligible. I believe the access to core zone will remain open to the privileged dignitaries.            

With full respect to Hon. Supreme Courts Ruling time will tell the impact of the changing paradigm.

Tiger Supari - India

The recent news in papers is alarming but nothing new, except that the tiger has achieved a near human status in India. Well of the negative kind. Killed, poached, hunted and displaced from his homelands for ever this animal species is a cynosure of all wildlife lovers and conservationists.  

In the resent times the animal has been victimized by a bizarre system of medicine, which has all but decimated the tiger population in China and elsewhere in the region. Hunting tiger is no longer a sport but poaching has taken over - for greed of money. The vast nexus of illegal traders of animal parts, local hunters and middle men is taking a toll of the species. 

The supari word is popular is the underworld. It is hiring a killer to kill an opponent or an innocent victim for money. Supari killing in India is rising alarmingly amongst the unemployed youth in India. The impunity with which the crime is executed is a frightening proposition. The loop holes and complexities in the law are the encouraging factors.

As far the tiger is considered there is no law, and hardly anyone is convicted of heinous wildlife crimes. Well tiger is not human enough, its charisma or importance does not appear to raise a hue and cry. A cry that will awaken the Nation. For the contract killers this would be a very easy and safe job. Keeping the demand of tiger bones in reckoning the deal would be lucrative, and by all means for some traditional communities of hunters turned poachers.      

The shoot at sight order in tiger reserves of Maharashtra is appreciable but not enough. More advance techniques in tiger protection, a supportive law and reign on local poachers is becoming more and more imperative. In spite of Wildlife Protection Act, poaching and intrusion in our reserved forests is quite common. This is what leads to graduation in hunting rare protected species in the most popular protected areas of the country. But who cares.       

The supari phenomenon as regards wildlife poaching will be a land mark measure as to how successful are conservation measures in India. Sophisticated criminals with capacity to exploit inherent corruption, advance killing mechanism and lure of the money will leave no stone unturned in achieving the heinous goals.  

Sentinels of the Wild

Recently the Karnataka Government has instituted a special task force to protect the tigers in the reserves. The need for specialized and highly trained task force has become imperative in order to deliver physical protection to tigers and other animals in their natural home. 

I emphasize on the words training and hence acclimatization. I have heard of an incident in Kanha whence a force constituting retired soldiers lost their wits whence accosted by a tiger. Some firing out of fear is also said to have taken place.  I do not know how far this is true but nevertheless such a situation can be visualized easily. 

Since the inception of protected areas protection has been the biggest farce. On my recent visit to Nauradehi WLS I could see intrusion at number of places, and there are fearless wood smugglers involved in felling and smuggling teak.    

The present infrastructure at our tiger reserves is weak the forest guard is a helpless entity and easily succumbs to local pressure or lucrative liaisons. In absence of higher support he merely does his duty without any intervention. I have rarely seen presence of high officials in neighboring reserve forests, same may apply to many protected areas in India. The forest guard are easily overpowered by poaching mafia and wood smugglers in protected areas hence a more supportive mechanism has to come into picture.     

The delay in relocation process is another disabling factor since intrusion and illegal activities in the forests  are done at the behest of criminals from neighboring communities. There are some gangs based in neighboring districts and states who regularly poach in nearby protected areas. These groups are more professional and armed and ruthless towards their objective.

An armed force with war front capability is the need of the day if debacle like Sariska and Panna have to be avoided. 

Death of a tiger? News

Ever since the down slide of the tiger in India has become apparent the casus belli has created deep consternation. First it was the Project Tiger which elated then depressed. Then NTCA and what not. The down slide continues till today.

We keep on reading about death of a tiger or tigress here and there. The same goes for the leopard albeit more extensive. The situation is so precarious that a loss of one tiger in present circumstances is equivalent to hundred. The poaching of tigers in Panna and Sariska is a frightening spectacle since it happened right under the eye of the administration and that too in the core zones. How many poachers have been caught and how many of negligent staff punished. I would love to know!

Question: Who was responsible?
 
The poachers of course &......(sic)?

Question: Tourism (sic)?

Question: Migration?  

Where to? No forest left. 

Question: Disturbance by tourists?

Tigers have bred well in popular tiger reserves despite tourism. Nobody knows what happens in reserves not visited.

Question: Why it happened?

Since 1971 we are still learning and finding.....How to save the tiger?   The down slide continues.

Tiger deaths elsewhere ---- sans territorial fights.... Thank God! They are dying only because of  latter now He! He!   

The down slide continues. Power circle really is more concerned of its vote bank than the tiger? People first...Who owns the Earth?  

Once I had an argument with an important official in conservation regarding search and  punishment of all poachers big and small.

"Put into action law and order!" I suggested.

He just brushed my question aside as absurd. "What are we doing? He said.

But believe me I once mentioned this to FD of a park. He told me bluntly, "The area is so big what can I do?"

We did not discuss "Power Protection" "Negligence" "Political Apathy" "Corruption" "Punishment Posting".

Yes we did discuss "Dilapidated Protection Machinery" "Public Apathy" "Vermin Syndrome" "Pest Syndrome" "Fear of Animals".....  I told him how ineffective beat/forest guards are whence confronting local goons and gangs.

That time there did not appear to be any  regular night patrolling and intelligence collection. Is there now?"

"More concerted efforts sir?" I said.

He just looked at me silently.        

Our last hopes rely on parks like Kanha which have hitherto shown excellence in management. 

The fact is that most of the tiger deaths in India are due to poaching, thanks to our neighbor's eating & treating habits. Man animal conflict is a serious problem. Habitat Loss! Human apathy is one more. Encroaching construction is turning out to be a death knell, a complete shrinkage of natural ecosystem - habitat. Political apathy and management crisis at places. (Read lethargy & negligence) - Death due to negligence - electrocution of tiger in Pench a short distance from Karmajhiri RH.     

How to save the tiger?

Jago re India Jago re!

Bengal Tiger: Of reasoning and solutions

The Jhurjura tigress...a tragic event it has once again highlighted the plight of tigers in India. It has also brought to surface how event centric we are and how we fail to take preemptive and proactive action. We believe in reasoning for rational approach and too much at times. Paradoxically whence circumspect evidence is right at our door step we perform the worst. We believe in burying our heads in the sand and hope the rot stems on its own. 

As a mature democracy we show our concerns in debates, discussions, forums and public platforms. - thankfully there is a voice.  The rot continues as intellectual pursuit to ensuing problem intensifies. The answer is not always found, especially in case of ultra revolutionary, anti democratic and anti national contingencies that of late has become day to day phenomena. 

Declining tiger population is akin to state of emergency, it highlights lack of efficacy and incompetence of Governments and administrative setups in the country. It also highlights one basic fact, how localized democratic urgency dominates the whole scenario in India. If the tiger could vote or if it helped brew the local wine, its persecution could not have taken place so mercilessly.  Tiger poaching is an anti national activity -  the animal is our pride and priceless inheritance.             

We are simply unable to take timely proactive or preemptive actions as is evident from our handling of nefarious activities in our surroundings. We lack the will to go for offensive in order to defend. In case of tiger reserves certain communities (e.g.Bel Pardhi) are more inclined to poaching along side network of seasoned criminals, regular poachers and underground traders. Much more can be done to bring these people to boot as they  leave footprints (evidence) whence involved in nefarious activity. Use of snares and electric wires is increasing as means of killing big cats. How the poachers can lay traps without being caught even once is alarming. 

I have seen at Pench, tiger, bear and bison were electrocuted repeatedly at one spot barely  2 km from Karmajhiri R.H. It is reported that snares are being used in Kanha and Satpura tiger reserves. This could be  happening in all protected areas in Central India.  

The cause of the rot is well known, we all know how and why of the decline of tigers and other endangered species in India. Man animal conflicts, peripheral discontents, encroachment, wood logging are quagmire of issues that the tiger heavens face. But the worst is unchecked poaching that continues in one form or other. The impunity with which tigers in Sariska and Panna were poached is astounding. The failure can best be ascribed to: "Nero fiddled while Rome burned".           

Not exactly! But while the tigers were being poached in one of our Nation's best protected wildlife havens the administration was right there from top to bottom. And not a blotch on their deliverance of duty. Until after! After much explanatory response and counter responsive the revelation of ghastly  truth.  I am not here to blame individual lethargy and incompetence. This article lays emphasis on exposing the inability of our system to deal effectively with contingencies that arise from within. Particularly the case of vanishing tigers. This is of utmost urgency. The anomalies in systemic governance pertaining  to wildlife protection should be rectified with electric cadence. 

If a neighboring country elements can effectively fulfill demand for tiger bones by using sources from within India by exploiting the system...How safe we are in all spheres of life?

It all bores down to the fact that machinery responsible to check and discourage poaching in our tiger reserves is ineffective - due to systemic inefficiency or loop holes. There is no intelligence gathering  up to the scale, whatever is there, it has bore no fruits.   

I know that physically guarding such large sensitive territories is not easy..but than is it so immensely difficult that we loose all the tigers in short period. The most important element in preventing poaching is the beat guard and unfortunately he is the weakest element...prone to intimidation and corruption.  Teams  of trained armed guards well versed in matters of conservation and familiar with wildlife are a must. Similarly  professional wildlife manager's trained to the task are a prerequisite. Devoid of political interference the administration should be hell bent upon protecting the area. Discouragement comes from punitive action which so far has been a big farce in and around our tiger reserves.

Of late some steps have been taken or proposed but then how effective they are time will tell. The tiger's plight depends upon implementation of correct policies with a strong will that puts them in force.             

Indian Wildlife - Dead encounters

As a child I was fascinated with the natural world. The birds and butterflies and some insects,  small  mammals and reptiles were part of our premises. Jackals, civet cats, fox and occasionally a Hyena or Leopard? would leave a tell tale sign in the night. These were my first introduction to nature. The house abounded  in wild trees  - left over remainders of forest that was taken over by early colonizers.

I grew up in natural environment in locality at a distance from Jabalpur in green suburbs. Narmada Road was then sparsely populated with greenery the hall mark and forest patches still intact in the surroundings. Urbanization had not taken place and few houses and couple of villages habituated the area. Jabalpur is situated in Central India or Madhya Pradesh.

My first sight of the Indian tiger was a dead one. It was shot by shikaris from Mumbai whence hunting was open. The license fee was perhaps  not more than hundred rupees for a tiger and less for other unfortunate mammals. The hunting blocks were all around Jabalpur.  The male tiger was shot at Nauradehi Wild Life Preserve in block called Amahpani. It was a piteous site, the animal was skinned right in front of us. Parts of its body including fat were eagerly picked up by locals for supposedly medicinal properties. I do not remember what happened to its claws. 

My first sighting of a leopard was a dead one. The leopard was shot few km away from our house by a local shikari who lived nearby. The Mumbai hunting party then fetched another leopard cub, shot by their Swiss guests on machaan ...mercilessly butchered with random bullet shots all over the body. Another vermin dead....

I once accompanied this hunting party whence we came across a doe at night in Mandla forest division. We were spared from the fright of gunfire and extreme guilt of killing an innocent animal. The shikari accompanying us on jeep was dead asleep, after an orgy of binge drinking and gluttony he was in no position to shoot. This was my first encounter with a spotted deer in the wild. The shikari slept with head leaning on the gun barrel...who cared.     

Then scores of animal arrived, sambar, chital, hare and what not...Mercifully all that organized hunting stopped whence legislation came into the effect.          

The neighborhood teemed with wild animals all around Jabalpur District also in Katni, Mandla and Sihora to name a few. All that is gone, some patches still hold small life and spotted deer which are entirely at mercy of humans. But in spite of the law, many influential people continued to shoot and the numbers began to decrease. Hunting by tribals and local hunters continued unabated as it happens often now. 

Subsequently large tract of forest became devoid of tigers, leopards and Indian wildlife. Jabalpur and its surrounding districts suffered heavy loss of wildlife and forest belts. In small numbers, deer and leopards still survive (perhaps tigers as well) but precariously since hunters still loom large. Most of the deer species have died out here but animals like wild boar still survive. These are the prime targets of illegal hunters and poachers now.

The diminutive beat guard is helpless figure over shadowed by Goonda and Political Raj. He is a witness to poaching and wood logging, the latter on daily basis. Who stops all this frankly.. I do not know...Pardon my ignorance.

Of missing tigers

It is nightmarish, the animal looms large in your head all the time. It is not a paranoia nor infatuation. For whence the tiger goes so will its associates and nature debunked.

Whence you cannot save an animal so deep rooted in our soul and so popular what can you?

The tigers have gone missing in Panna and Sariska ...this is a definite beginning of the end. The merry go round has begun...one male from here and two females from there..is that all?   What about the tigers that went missing? Who took them, definitely it is not tiger tourism the latest coy toy of those sitting at helm...the saviors of our Demi God. Controlled tiger tourism is bread and butter for many as well as it reflects positively upon the whole ecosystem.

The animal is amazing, it does not show its numbers. From twenty eight to no tigers left and nobody cried "Wolf". No amount of brainstorming works...this approach and that approach only gives meaning and purpose to the saviors.

It is a simple fact that majority of the tigers we are loosing are at the hands of the poachers and their vicious network. Get at them...it is a law and order problem. Take a punitive action that sets a discouraging example to the marauders.

But then this simple fact and consecutive action gets mired in complex web of Indian bureaucracy..democratic urgency and at time sheer lethargy and inaction.    God Save The Tiger!