Forest department caged two leopards from Veraval in Junagadh and Rajula in Amreli in past 48 hours. One of the big cats died of heat. The big cat that died was a female caught in Savani village near Veraval on Wednesday morning. “The leopard used to prey upon village cattle and had been thwarting our attempts of caging her. As a last-ditch effort, we had set up a cage with a live goat as bait inside it in an orchard. Attracted by constant bleating of the goat, the leopard got inside the cage at 5am and was trapped,” said Jokhia, in-charge range forest officer of Veraval.
However, the leopard appeared seriously ill and after spending a few hours in the cage it died. Preliminary investigation of the forest department attributed heat wave as the cause of the death. The big cat’s body was sent to veterinary hospital in Sasan Gir for postmortem to ascertain the exact cause of death.
The deceased leopard appeared about three years old, five feet long and two feet high. Meanwhile in Rajula, a male leopard was found caged on Tuesday morning. The leopard had killed four goats and an equal number of dogs on the outskirts of Rajula and Jhampadar village in the past 10 days.
By : Timesofindia
Friday, April 30, 2010
By identifying India’s first individual whale shark, Gujarat has taken a big step forward in understanding this often misunderstood...
Whale sharks — the world’s biggest fish species — swam the waters of the world even before dinosaurs evolved. And yet scientists today don’t even have basic statistics on this endangered species. Exact numbers? Your guess is as good as anyone else’s. Besides, breeding grounds of this mammoth fish are a mystery and no one has photographed a newborn whale shark. Its reproductive system was understood as late as 1996.
It is for this reason that marine scientists are excited about India identifying its first individual whale shark recently along the Gujarat coast as part of the Whale Shark Conservation Project. Detailed photographs taken of the fish will be sent to ECOCEAN, which maintains the global whale shark database and coordinates international research.
“To preserve this prehistoric species, we need to understand its habitat, migratory patterns, its DNA and breeding grounds,” says Dhiresh Joshi, coordinator of Wildlife
Trust of India (WTI), one of the partners on the conservation effort. “Gujarat has already done a lot in conserving the whale shark, but with this endeavour, we are joining hands with the global community.”
Once the ECOCEAN database has enough numbers, scientists hope to get details on whether the schools found in Asia, the Caribbean, Australia and the Far East are individual communities that never meet each other or if they breed with each other. They also want to know migratory patterns. One recently, a radio-collared whale shark travelled 13,000 km within a few months, giving some idea of the long distances they travel.
“Gujarat will play a crucial role in conserving the whale shark because the species congregates in unusually large numbers here,” Joshi adds. “Satellite imaging from Isro has shown the Gujarat coast is ideal for plankton breeding, the whale shark’s favourite meal, but we need to understand the food highways better.”
In Vietnam, the whale shark is the deity ‘Ca Ong’, which translates as ‘Sir Fish’
In Kenya it got the name ‘papa shillingi’ from the myth that God threw shillings upon the shark which are now its spots
Javanese also refer to the stars by calling it ‘geger lintang’, meaning ‘stars on the back’
COOL CUSTOMERS
Although massive, whale sharks are docile fish and sometimes allow swimmers to hitch a ride. In fact, fishermen often take advantage of the fish’s cool nature, sail close to it and harpoon it to death
WHERE THEY LIVE
They are found in all tropical seas and migrate every spring to Australia given the abundance of plankton there. They are sighted in large numbers along the Gujarat coast as well
UNDER THREAT
In Gujarat, fishermen killed this species to use its liver oil as waterproofing in traditional boats. In the Far East, its fin is used for the infamous shark-fin soup
WHAT THEY EAT
Fortunately human beings are not on the menu of this fish! Its favourite meal is plankton or drifting organisms and plants that it gulps down with huge amounts of water
In a unique endeavour, Gujarat made Ram Kathakar Morari Bapu ambassador of the ‘Save the Whale Shark’
It is for this reason that marine scientists are excited about India identifying its first individual whale shark recently along the Gujarat coast as part of the Whale Shark Conservation Project. Detailed photographs taken of the fish will be sent to ECOCEAN, which maintains the global whale shark database and coordinates international research.
“To preserve this prehistoric species, we need to understand its habitat, migratory patterns, its DNA and breeding grounds,” says Dhiresh Joshi, coordinator of Wildlife
Trust of India (WTI), one of the partners on the conservation effort. “Gujarat has already done a lot in conserving the whale shark, but with this endeavour, we are joining hands with the global community.”
Once the ECOCEAN database has enough numbers, scientists hope to get details on whether the schools found in Asia, the Caribbean, Australia and the Far East are individual communities that never meet each other or if they breed with each other. They also want to know migratory patterns. One recently, a radio-collared whale shark travelled 13,000 km within a few months, giving some idea of the long distances they travel.
“Gujarat will play a crucial role in conserving the whale shark because the species congregates in unusually large numbers here,” Joshi adds. “Satellite imaging from Isro has shown the Gujarat coast is ideal for plankton breeding, the whale shark’s favourite meal, but we need to understand the food highways better.”
In Vietnam, the whale shark is the deity ‘Ca Ong’, which translates as ‘Sir Fish’
In Kenya it got the name ‘papa shillingi’ from the myth that God threw shillings upon the shark which are now its spots
Javanese also refer to the stars by calling it ‘geger lintang’, meaning ‘stars on the back’
COOL CUSTOMERS
Although massive, whale sharks are docile fish and sometimes allow swimmers to hitch a ride. In fact, fishermen often take advantage of the fish’s cool nature, sail close to it and harpoon it to death
WHERE THEY LIVE
They are found in all tropical seas and migrate every spring to Australia given the abundance of plankton there. They are sighted in large numbers along the Gujarat coast as well
UNDER THREAT
In Gujarat, fishermen killed this species to use its liver oil as waterproofing in traditional boats. In the Far East, its fin is used for the infamous shark-fin soup
WHAT THEY EAT
Fortunately human beings are not on the menu of this fish! Its favourite meal is plankton or drifting organisms and plants that it gulps down with huge amounts of water
In a unique endeavour, Gujarat made Ram Kathakar Morari Bapu ambassador of the ‘Save the Whale Shark’
campaign. This was the first time that a spiritual leader was roped in for an environmental cause and was effective in convincing fishermen not to kill the species.
India has put the whale shark under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act (1972) and banned its fishing and trade in 2001. Maximum punishment for killing a whale shark is seven years imprisonment.
Gujarat’s pride: Lion count touches 405
“We are putting the number at around 405,” said a source. The final count would be declared by senior officials who would take a call on Friday morning before the data is submitted to Chief Minister Narendra Modi by 4 pm.
Sources further said there was much hue and cry over the large number of lions moving out in the fringe areas of Gir. However, according to officials, the count in Gir forest was around 290 lions while another 25-odd lions were spotted in the Girnar and Mityala sanctuaries.
Officials said the three sanctuaries put together would account for around 315 lions, while the remaining were in Khamba, Mahuva, Palitana and parts of Amreli district.
A senior forest official said this was exactly the figure which was derived at during the nine-month exercise which began before the census. Officials said that of the 90-odd lions which venture out of the Gir sanctuary, about 25 are in Mahuva, while another 30 are in Khamba. Interestingly, not a single lion was sighted in the coastal belt from Veraval to Mangrol.
The four-day census exercise, which began on April 24, covered a large area spread over 10,000 sq km. No less than 1,300 forest officials and volunteers were deployed for the exercise using global positioning system and digital photography.
Officials said photographs taken by volunteers had helped forest officials cut down on the time taken previously to complete the census. “We have been able to arrive at the final count in less than 72 hours of the completion of census,” said a senior official.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Fund crunch blocks move to shift Maldharis from Gir sanctuary
Ahmedabad: It will be a good few years before the Asiatic Lions are able to enjoy complete privacy in their abode in the Gir sanctuary in Junagadh.
The 376 Maldhari families currently living in the sanctuary area with their livestock will continue to stay there till the state government receives funds from the Centre to facilitate their relocation.
Recently, a grant of Rs50 crore was approved by Union ministry for environment and forest for Gujarat for the purpose of lion conservation.
This, however, is a fraction of the Rs236 crore sought by the state for several conservation projects.
Principal Chief Conservator of forests Pradip Khanna said plans to be funded by the grant had already been prepared.
The task of relocating the maldhari families will take more than the sanctioned amount, he added.
“We will take up other projects such as eco-development, gene pool project, etc,” Khanna said. “Relocation of Maldharis will not happen for now.”
The presence of Maldharis is believed to have detrimental effect on the lions, driving them out of the sanctuary area. The department estimates that the cost of rehabilitating one Maldhari family would come to at least Rs10 lakh.
“The crucial part is to get all of them to agree to be relocated,” said a former forest official from the region. “And if they agree and are given land outside the sanctuary, then it has to be ensured that they do not leave the land allotted to them and return to the forest, as has happened in the past.”
The recently released CAG report highlights similar irregularities in the relocation of Maldharis.
The report states that, between 1972 and 78, 588 families were shifted out of the Gir protected area.
Each family was given eight acres of cultivable and grazing land, 600 sq meters of residential plot and Rs 6050. A total of 257 families were not shifted.But of the 588 families that were relocated, 87 returned to the forests and reside with authorization in the protected area.
According to the CAG report, the forest department had said that a scheme for the rehabilitation of Maldharis had been approved and would be implemented on availability of funds from the Centre.
But adequate steps to prevent relocated Maldhari families from returning to the protected area were not taken, the CAG report says.
“Consequently, the expenditure that was incurred on their earlier relocation towards farm lands, housing plots and cash, proved to be infructuous,” the report has commented.
The 376 Maldhari families currently living in the sanctuary area with their livestock will continue to stay there till the state government receives funds from the Centre to facilitate their relocation.
Recently, a grant of Rs50 crore was approved by Union ministry for environment and forest for Gujarat for the purpose of lion conservation.
This, however, is a fraction of the Rs236 crore sought by the state for several conservation projects.
Principal Chief Conservator of forests Pradip Khanna said plans to be funded by the grant had already been prepared.
The task of relocating the maldhari families will take more than the sanctioned amount, he added.
“We will take up other projects such as eco-development, gene pool project, etc,” Khanna said. “Relocation of Maldharis will not happen for now.”
The presence of Maldharis is believed to have detrimental effect on the lions, driving them out of the sanctuary area. The department estimates that the cost of rehabilitating one Maldhari family would come to at least Rs10 lakh.
“The crucial part is to get all of them to agree to be relocated,” said a former forest official from the region. “And if they agree and are given land outside the sanctuary, then it has to be ensured that they do not leave the land allotted to them and return to the forest, as has happened in the past.”
The recently released CAG report highlights similar irregularities in the relocation of Maldharis.
The report states that, between 1972 and 78, 588 families were shifted out of the Gir protected area.
Each family was given eight acres of cultivable and grazing land, 600 sq meters of residential plot and Rs 6050. A total of 257 families were not shifted.But of the 588 families that were relocated, 87 returned to the forests and reside with authorization in the protected area.
According to the CAG report, the forest department had said that a scheme for the rehabilitation of Maldharis had been approved and would be implemented on availability of funds from the Centre.
But adequate steps to prevent relocated Maldhari families from returning to the protected area were not taken, the CAG report says.
“Consequently, the expenditure that was incurred on their earlier relocation towards farm lands, housing plots and cash, proved to be infructuous,” the report has commented.
Forest dept officials move in AC cars to count lions
No less than 70 air-conditioned cars have been hired by the forest department for the officials during the fourday census which concluded on Tuesday.
Sources in the department said that the forest department was estimating an expenditure of 25 lakh for the census.
Sources said that during census the officials especially the senior officers used these
cars while travelling. Not only that, some officials in the forest department
were also seen travelling in cars with their families. A volunteer also said that the choice of the volunteer was also to be questioned as those selected were not associated with the field.
However, a senior officer said that these cars were hired in the name of the sub-zonal team which were to travel from one beat to another clicking photographs and recording the location of the lions on the GPS. He said that since these teams were to move around quickly they needed cars. However, these teams were given jeeps while the cars were being kept at the services of the officials.
He said that the local villagers should have been given preference than as they were aware of the movement of the animal in their respective areas. A officer refusing to be quoted said that several of the volunteers instead of helping the officials were seen standing and watching lions. Officials said that there was no screening of volunteers. It is worthy recalling that the volunteers even complained of families attending the census.
Officials said that the mismanagement part was more in the revenue area where even friends were taken in the teams. A local journalist from Amreli said that he had visited the census not officially but illegally with few of his friends who were volunteering for the census.
By: Times of india
Sources in the department said that the forest department was estimating an expenditure of 25 lakh for the census.
Sources said that during census the officials especially the senior officers used these
cars while travelling. Not only that, some officials in the forest department
were also seen travelling in cars with their families. A volunteer also said that the choice of the volunteer was also to be questioned as those selected were not associated with the field.
However, a senior officer said that these cars were hired in the name of the sub-zonal team which were to travel from one beat to another clicking photographs and recording the location of the lions on the GPS. He said that since these teams were to move around quickly they needed cars. However, these teams were given jeeps while the cars were being kept at the services of the officials.
He said that the local villagers should have been given preference than as they were aware of the movement of the animal in their respective areas. A officer refusing to be quoted said that several of the volunteers instead of helping the officials were seen standing and watching lions. Officials said that there was no screening of volunteers. It is worthy recalling that the volunteers even complained of families attending the census.
Officials said that the mismanagement part was more in the revenue area where even friends were taken in the teams. A local journalist from Amreli said that he had visited the census not officially but illegally with few of his friends who were volunteering for the census.
By: Times of india
Monday, April 26, 2010
He forced govt to take notice of 56 illegal mines around Gir
Porbandar: The Asiatic lion census in Gir began on Saturday only to reaffirm the fact that lions enjoy a respectable stay in the state and need no other sanctuary anywhere in the country. But one would have to share this pride with Bhanu Odedara, a Porbandar resident who through his RTI applications forced the government to take notice of the 56 illegal mines surrounding the Gir sanctuary that were proving dangerous for the lions.
“Blasting in mining activity is a m a j o r threat to w i l d l i f e and has har mful e f f e c t s. When we talk of s av i n g our lions — this should be the first step towards that cause — providing a conducive environment for our wildlife,” says Odedara.
Last year, Odedara’s RTI brought out the issue of illegal mining activities within the 5 km periphery of Barda Wi l d l i f e Sanctuary. “Twenty-one permissions for mining around the forest area had been g r a n t e d since 2002 by state geological department, many of which were given without a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the state forest department. According to the Wildlife Protection Act (1972), mining is not permissible in the 5 km periphery of the sanctuary,’’ says Odedara.
Forest officials were forced to admit that mining was going on in villages of Kodinar and Una taluka of Junagadh district. The villages include Ghantvad, Harmadiya, Valadar, Pinchhava in Kodinar taluka and Jamwala, Kansariya in Una taluka of Junagadh district.
“Forest officials said that they have issued showcause notices to the mine operators in the area. But, they should take harsh actions against the illegal mine operators,” says Odedara. He is now following up on the issue through filing RTI application.
In February 2010, office of the assistant conservator of forests, Talala (Gir) range had assured Odedara officially that the details of mines that are live within the 5 km periphery of Gir sanctuary were being sought. A detailed report is now being prepared on the action taken by the forest department to stop illegal mining activities.
“ Fo re s t officials said that there are 56 s u ch mines active in Talala range area within the 5 km periphery of Gir sanctuary,” says Odedara.
By: Times of india
“Blasting in mining activity is a m a j o r threat to w i l d l i f e and has har mful e f f e c t s. When we talk of s av i n g our lions — this should be the first step towards that cause — providing a conducive environment for our wildlife,” says Odedara.
Last year, Odedara’s RTI brought out the issue of illegal mining activities within the 5 km periphery of Barda Wi l d l i f e Sanctuary. “Twenty-one permissions for mining around the forest area had been g r a n t e d since 2002 by state geological department, many of which were given without a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the state forest department. According to the Wildlife Protection Act (1972), mining is not permissible in the 5 km periphery of the sanctuary,’’ says Odedara.
Forest officials were forced to admit that mining was going on in villages of Kodinar and Una taluka of Junagadh district. The villages include Ghantvad, Harmadiya, Valadar, Pinchhava in Kodinar taluka and Jamwala, Kansariya in Una taluka of Junagadh district.
“Forest officials said that they have issued showcause notices to the mine operators in the area. But, they should take harsh actions against the illegal mine operators,” says Odedara. He is now following up on the issue through filing RTI application.
In February 2010, office of the assistant conservator of forests, Talala (Gir) range had assured Odedara officially that the details of mines that are live within the 5 km periphery of Gir sanctuary were being sought. A detailed report is now being prepared on the action taken by the forest department to stop illegal mining activities.
“ Fo re s t officials said that there are 56 s u ch mines active in Talala range area within the 5 km periphery of Gir sanctuary,” says Odedara.
By: Times of india
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Gir village to run on solar power
Principal secretary, environment and forests, SK Nanda, says, “This is pilot project to be implemented first in this village. Later on it will be replicated in other villages too. Solar-based lighting system is the best suited to the villagers’ need without compromising on the sanctuary ecology.”
According to forest department, Jambhutala is solely depended upon either kerosene or firewood, none available easily.
The project will be implemented by Gujarat Ecology Commission. Member Secretary of GEC, E Balagurusamy, says, “These villages are part of the Gir eco system and play a crucial role in protection of the wildlife. They are also a great source of information for the forest department on any suspicious activities inside the sanctuary.”
“Providing electricity lines is not a viable options as the overhead wires or underground electric wires are fraught with dangers, which can affect the wildlife inside the sanctuary,” adds he.
The total project cost will be around Rs five lakh. Balagurusamy says, “We are hoping that the project will be completed before the monsoon season.”
According to GEC, each of the household will be provided with two solar lights, one for the kitchen purpose and other for other household activities and also street light facility for them. Nanda says, “Earlier, during our meeting with villagers inside the sanctuary, they had complained of non-availability of kerosene and also lot of problems in collecting firewood.”
By : Times Of India
GOLDEN REIGN OF LION KING!
Lion Census Begins Today, Results May Be Out On Gujarat’s Golden Jubilee
Ahmedabad: Gujarat will start counting the number of lions in the wild on Saturday. And, from all accounts, the results of the census, which will take about a week to tabulate, will bring cheer to Gujarat on its Golden Jubilee.
This census is important as some rare poaching incidents have been reported since the last census five years ago, involving gangs from Madhya Pradesh which wants to rob Gujarat of the tag of being the only place where Asiatic lions roam free.
Almost 10,000 sq km will be combed by over 1,600 officials and volunteers in this once-in-five-year exercise. The last census conducted in 2005 had revealed a lion population of 359. The 2010 census covers a much wider area spread in five Saurashtra districts of Bhavnagar, Junagadh, Amreli, Porbandar and Rajkot.
On Friday, volunteers were issued identity cards and they were introduced to their other beat members. They will fan out at about 2 pm on Saturday and return only after 24 hours. Volunteers will take rest for 24 hours and get back to the count on Monday at about 2 pm only to return on Tuesday afternoon.
The officials also instructed the teams about the angles at which the photographs have to be taken. There would be five members in a team and each team is armed with a camera and a GPS. Keeping in view the scorching heat that enumerators will have to encounter during the lion census, the forest department is taking all precautions. It will include a team of doctors and a constant supply of drinking water, juices and biscuits for the volunteers participating in the event.
The officials said that the department have identified 450 spot after a ninemonth-long survey of the lion movements and sightings. These include s e t t l e m e n t colonies where lions are seen regularly.
“The timing is perfect for the census as visibility in the jungle is high. One can easily see half a kilometre into the jungle. The water holes have shrunk with the onset of summer, making it easy to monitor the movement of the lions,” said SK Nanda, principal secretary, forest and environment.
The computer analysis of data will start from April 27 with observers from Wildlife Institute of India, which has drawn up a plan to shift some lions at an alternate habitat in neighbouring MP. Gujarat, obviously, does not want to give up its ‘pride’ and officials are confident that the census would only reinforce the lion conservation efforts of the state’s forest department in the last 50 years.
By :- Times Of India
Ahmedabad: Gujarat will start counting the number of lions in the wild on Saturday. And, from all accounts, the results of the census, which will take about a week to tabulate, will bring cheer to Gujarat on its Golden Jubilee.
This census is important as some rare poaching incidents have been reported since the last census five years ago, involving gangs from Madhya Pradesh which wants to rob Gujarat of the tag of being the only place where Asiatic lions roam free.
Almost 10,000 sq km will be combed by over 1,600 officials and volunteers in this once-in-five-year exercise. The last census conducted in 2005 had revealed a lion population of 359. The 2010 census covers a much wider area spread in five Saurashtra districts of Bhavnagar, Junagadh, Amreli, Porbandar and Rajkot.
On Friday, volunteers were issued identity cards and they were introduced to their other beat members. They will fan out at about 2 pm on Saturday and return only after 24 hours. Volunteers will take rest for 24 hours and get back to the count on Monday at about 2 pm only to return on Tuesday afternoon.
The officials also instructed the teams about the angles at which the photographs have to be taken. There would be five members in a team and each team is armed with a camera and a GPS. Keeping in view the scorching heat that enumerators will have to encounter during the lion census, the forest department is taking all precautions. It will include a team of doctors and a constant supply of drinking water, juices and biscuits for the volunteers participating in the event.
The officials said that the department have identified 450 spot after a ninemonth-long survey of the lion movements and sightings. These include s e t t l e m e n t colonies where lions are seen regularly.
“The timing is perfect for the census as visibility in the jungle is high. One can easily see half a kilometre into the jungle. The water holes have shrunk with the onset of summer, making it easy to monitor the movement of the lions,” said SK Nanda, principal secretary, forest and environment.
The computer analysis of data will start from April 27 with observers from Wildlife Institute of India, which has drawn up a plan to shift some lions at an alternate habitat in neighbouring MP. Gujarat, obviously, does not want to give up its ‘pride’ and officials are confident that the census would only reinforce the lion conservation efforts of the state’s forest department in the last 50 years.
By :- Times Of India
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