Without forests, where is the question of forests rights?

Forest dwellers and those living around forests should have GUARANTEED employment and livelihoods, but not as conduits to supply forest biomass to bottomless markets. They should in fact be recognised officially as ecosystem farmers - caregivers for Intensive Conservation Units (ICUs) who are respected across the world, whose food, water, health, education and financial well-being should become our national objective. Unfortunately, many human rights activists and social workers whose understanding of the ecological imperative is not quite up to scratch, believe that turning such communities into channels that end up feeding gluttonous urban demands amounts to offering them legitimate livelihoods, even though this ends up exhausting their larder and driving them to penury in the long run. Here is one such example of tendu, Diospyros melanoxylon, which even the most sensible activists continue to champion in a most senseless way:

BY : Bittu sehgal Sir, sanctuary Asia,

Tiger population rises on the back of conservation efforts

The tiger population in the country has risen to 1,706 in 2010 from 1,411 in 2006, the latest Tiger Census released today said, thanks to sustained conservation efforts.


The census, which was the most comprehensive and scientifically conducted exercise so far, used cameras installed at strategic points like water bodies in forests, as also in respective territories of big cats.

Computers were used to analyse and collate the data.

The 2006 Census had shown a sharp fall in the number of tigers in ‘protected areas’ - reserves, national parks and wildlife sanctuaries - in 19 states across the country.

According to it, India had only 1,411 wild cats left in its forests.

Whale shark tagged with satellite collar off Gujarat coast

The whale shark was listed under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act in 2001, according it the highest level of protection.
For the first time in India, a whale shark has been tagged with a ‘satellite collar’ to track the migration routes, behaviour and ecological preferences of this member of the largest fish species in the world.


The satellite tag was put on the fish last week by a team of researchers from the Whale Shark Conservation Project, a joint venture of the Gujarat Forest Department and Wildlife Trust of India (WTI).

According to WTI Assistant Field Officer, Manoj Matwal, another whale shark will be tagged by mid-May.
“The first set of data received indicated that the tagged whale shark, a 6.5 m long male rescued off the Gujarat coast, had reached the coast of Maharashtra moving southward,” Mr. Matwal told PTI.

“We plan to install a similar satellite tag on another whale shark, preferably a female, by mid-May as after that they are not seen off the Gujarat coast,” he said.

“For the second tagging, we are exploring the sea near Veraval and Sutrapada in Junagadh district where the spotting (of whale shark) has been good.”

Satellite-tagging is the latest initiative under the Whale Shark Conservation Project. Earlier there have been efforts to do photo-identification, genetic analysis and visual tagging of whale sharks in India.

“The satellite tag, which is a marine equivalent of a satellite collar, was attached to the caudal fin of the fish.
Data from the tag is transmitted to the satellite every time the fish surfaces,” Mr. Matwal said.

“This tag is expected to last for about six months and give us data related to movement of the fish, its preference in water temperature, diurnal and nocturnal activities and swimming patterns between different layers of water.”

The success of tagging was confirmed after receiving the first signal 68 hours after the tag was fixed.
“The signal was received 250 km off the coast of Mumbai, revealing that it had travelled southward,” Mr. Matwal said.

Over the coming months, researchers would be closely following the movement patterns of the whale shark.
During the tagging operation, WTI also collected a tissue sample of the fish for genetic analysis.

The whale shark was listed under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act in 2001, according it the highest level of protection.

Whale shark is the largest fish species in the world with a flattened head, and a wide mouth positioned at the tip of the snout that stretches almost as wide as the body. The creatures are greyish, bluish or brownish above, with an upper surface pattern of creamy white spots between pale, vertical and horizontal stripes.

Whale sharks were once hunted off the Gujarat coast for its liver oil, which was used to water-proof boats. But after initiation of Whale Shark Conservation Project in 2008, the local fishermen have been made aware of the importance of the fish, and they now participate in conservation activities.

by :The Hindu

Lioness killed by crocodile?

Lake, Where Carcass Was Found Floating, Has Crocodiles
A nine-yearold lioness may have been killed in a crocodile attack, suspect forest officials. This is the second big cat to die in the last two days in Khambha, the eastern part of the Gir sanctuary.

On Sunday morning, the forest department found the lioness’ carcass. Primary investigation revealed that the lioness could have died due to drowning as the carcass was found floating in the pond. The possibility of poisoning was ruled out as the carcass had not turned black.

R L Meena, conservator of forest said that the recovery of the carcass floating in the lake, which is about 150-metre long reveals, shows that the animal may have drowned. He said that the lake also has some crocodiles; hence, the possibility of a crocodile attack cannot be ruled out. However, only a post-mortem would reveal the exact cause of death.

In a similar incident a lioness was found dead in the same area on Saturday. The officials said that it had died of old age.

Meena, however, added that a major cause of worry for forest department was that same water hole was being used by wild as well as domestic animals. He said that the post-mortem report of a lion revealed that the death was due to infection of worms. “There was large presence of worms in the animal which were commonly found in domestic animals,” said Meena. This was only due to sharing of a water hole by the lion and some domestic animals.

By : TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Second chargesheet filed in Amit Jethava murder case

Ahmedabad:The city crime branch on Friday filed a voluminous supplementary chargesheet in the RTI activist Amit Jethava murder case. The report was filed after the arrest of the sixth accused Shailesh Pandya, who is a sharpshooter.

One Bahadursinh Rathod, who is believed to have helped the accused persons in carrying out illegal mining activities in the prohibited Gir sanctuary, has been shown as an absconder in the chargesheet. The investigating agency has been maintaining that Pandya had fired on Jethava on July 20, last year in front of the Gujarat high court campus.

They were chargesheeted last year. Pandya was arrested after the first chargesheet was filed. Jethava was killed after he filed a PIL in the high court against illegal mining activities in the Gir sanctuary.

During a hearing on Jethava’s PIL earlier this week, the high court expressed satisfaction over the state government’s actions to curb illegal mining and the judges proposed to dispose of the petition. On getting a nod from the counsel of Jethava’s family, the high court disposed of the PIL.

Meanwhile, Jethava’s father moved the high court demanding CBI probe in the murder case. This petition is pending in the high court.

‘Stop mining in 1 km area around forests’

HC Directs Govt To Take Immediate Action

The Gujarat high court has directed the state government to stop all mining activities within one km area from the boundary of all 34 sanctuaries, national parks and conservation reserves in the state. This court order is applicable even if the mining is being undertaken by companies which have a noobjection certificate.

The high court told the government to ensure implementation of this order — which is on the lines of a 2006 directive by the Supreme Court — by Friday. The court also directed the government to file an action taken report by February 24. The report is to be drawn up by the state department of forests and environment.

For proper implementation of the norm, the state government has been asked by Justice RR Tripathi to form a high power committee of the principal secretaries of the industries and mines department, forests and environment department and revenue department.

The issue emerged during a hearing on a petition filed by Param Udhyog, demanding permission for mining. The high court came to know about a government resolution passed on April 2, 2008, stating that after obtaining due NOC, mining activity would be permitted even in the prohibited five-kilometre zone from the boundary of reserve forest or sanctuary. In case of Narayan Sarovar Chinkara Sanctuary, the limit was extended to 10 kilometre. However, an affidavit filed by the government made it clear that though it is a policy decision, the government will give NOC in case to case basis.

Advocate for the petitioner, Amit Panchal, highlighted that the state government’s resolution of 2008 was contradicting the 2006 SC orders. The state government assured the high court that it would amend the GR to the effect that mining or industrial activity in the one-kilometre zone would be completely prohibited. Following this assurance, the HC asked the government to stop all mining activities.


by : TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Ropeway to Girnar from Bhesan

Thanks to jaydev Sir , He send me this mail.

First Vulture Chick hatched in captivity at Sakkarbag Zoo is good News but next lot of Long-billed Vultures' chicks of Girnar cliffs may not be that lucky.



Without doing any proper survey Ropeway company is saying that first condition put by Hon'ble Minister to recheck alternate alignment is not viable. They are saying it may cause man-animal conflict. This statement is rubbish. If Ropeway starts from Bhesan there is no possibility at all for man animal conflict. The place is completely out of the Girnar Sanctuary and if people seat on ropeway car from Bhesan and reach Ambaji by ropeway, how on earth it can cause man-animal conflict? Lions which are are there between Bhesan and Ambaji are same which are between Jatahankar (present Ropeway starting point) and Ambaji. Possibilities (if any) for man-animal conflict are same in both cases. But in latter one (Jatashankar-Ambaji rout) damage to LBVs' nesting is guaranteed.


Now every one, including Usha Braco is saying that present alignment is passing through nesting Colony of LB Vultures on Girnar cliffs, in that case Bhesan point is only alternative. Hope the survey will be done by responsible persons and vulture experts too.
 
Again .....lots Thanks to jaydev Sir

'Save the Whale Shark and sea turtle Campaign' in Saurashtra coast village

We make Gir eco friends group and completed “Dariyai jiv srushti bachavo jan jaguti abhiyan” in saurashtra coast area. Our main thought is people know about sea turtle and whale shark nearly.


We went to local people, fisherman and coast area school to explain about the trouble of whale shark and sea turtle life.

The first step, therefore, will be to create general awareness among the locals and hopefully steer the fishermen towards whale shark tourism to keep sharks alive which will increase their income. Across the saurashtra coast are planned Poster campaigns and major awareness drives in villages.

Apparently the infrastructure to develop whale shark tourism is lacking and there are currently no dive operations active in this area. It is hoped that the current 'Save the Whale Shark and sea turtle Campaign' can create sufficient public awareness to jump-start the necessary development.

In the past whale sharks have been slaughtered in large numbers when they visit the Gujarat coast, India, between March-May. In the past 10 years this has increased considerably as a means of making quick money.

Official figures before 2001 reveal, every year, over 150 whale sharks are caught along the Gujarat coast. Independent figures, however, show this figure to be closer to 500. The Data supplied by the Shark Research Institute (SRI) helped the Government band the trade and fishing in May 2001 by placing the endangered fish in schedule of the Wildlife Protection Act. This has reduced the number of whale sharks taken but legal protection is not enough as it is not possible to continuously police the state's large coastline. Awareness, therefore, is the only future key to protect and conserve this endangered species.

Over millions of years of their existence, sea turtles have evolved a variety of remarkable strategies for survival. They use a wide range of habitats, thus playing a critical role as flagship species for the conservation of the oceans' ecosystems and diversity. Many of these habitats face mounting threats today around the world. Sea turtles are also an important part of the traditional culture of many coastal indigenous peoples all round the world.

Sea turtles migrate long distances between their feeding grounds and nesting sites. After they hatch and return to the sea, only the females return as adults to nest, males may never come back to land at all. Consequently, knowledge of their biology has been confined to the small time interval when they come on to land to nest. Thus there are many questions that scientists are only just beginning to understand: Where do the hatchlings go after they leave the nesting beach? Does the turtle come back to nest on the same beach where it hatched? How do females navigate to the same nesting beaches again & again, covering several thousand kilometers?

We thanks to our team and local people for given us support. We are also hearty thanks to Mr. Nitin Bondre, Shapoorji palloonji & his Co. ltd.