Docs, anti-heat kits for lion census volunteers

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Ahmedabad: 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 four-day event beginning Saturday.

Among 1,300 volunteers and staff participating in census, there are 12 doctors and 11 researchers. These doctors according to officials would be there to take care of any emergency be it heat stroke or attack by wild animals.

This year’s kit would not just take care of the food for the enumerators but also mattresses to rest. “Any enumerator in the fields has to sit down on the ground if he wants to take rest. These mattresses would also come in handy for them. Also a cap and T-shirts marking them as census participants would help them get adequate support from the locals if they have spotted lion in the vicinity,” said an officer from forest department.

Deputy conservator of forests, Sasan, Sandeep Kumar says, “The kits would have water bottles, nuts, roasted grams, juices, first aid box, and a mattress.” He said that juices would definitely help them beat the heat. A senior officer said that this time there is a separate team to supply food and medication. Principal secretary, state’s forest and environment department, SK Nanda says, “During my visit we spotted two cubs with a lioness and also adult leopards, which is a good sign. This means that there is good conservation work happening here. However, these were in category of two-three months and thus vulnerable and hence during the count, this would also be kept in mind.”

Nanda says, “We have identified 450 spot after a nine-month long survey of the lion movements and sightings. These include settlement colonies where lions are seen regularly.” “The census teams are backed up by GIS and GPS devices for the marking location of lion, spotting places, roaming area of pride and their prey area,” he adds.

“The time is perfect for the census as visibility in the jungle is high. One can easily see half a kilometre inside the jungle. The drinking water facility also shrinks, making it easy to monitor the movement of the lions,” Nanda explains. For conducting the census, the group comprising of one enumerator, a sub enumerator, volunteer and local guide have to keep an eye over the selected spot continuously for 24 hours.

The computer analysis of census data will start from April 27 with forest department officials and experts from Wildlife Institute experts from Delhi.
Big cat lover Junagadh doc part of team too

Dr B Garana a medical practitioner is extremely excited about his new job in the jungle. Garana is a part of the medical team. He says, “This is my first such experience. Being from Junagadh, I have special attachment with lions. When I learnt about the census preparations, I decided to volunteer and sent my nomination.” Lions are not just pride of the state but that of the nation, hence getting associated with census was a matter of pride for me, he adds. Interestingly about 850 medical kits which includes medicines to boost nutrition and beat the heat would have also been sponsored by Garana. TNN

Bustard vanishes, govt shuts MP bird park

Denotifies Karera Sanctuary, Allows Land Sale & Biz There

New Delhi: With the disappearance of the magnificent Great Indian Bustard, this Earth Day was a glum occasion at the Karera sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh.

Following the Centre’s recent approval of a state government’s proposal for denotification the area, comprising nearly 32 villages, would be set free for villagers to carry out sale and purchase of land and other commercial activities.

The National Board of Wildlife, chaired by environment minister Jairam Ramesh, in a recent meeting approved the state’s proposal to denotify the sanctuary, after its officials said the bustard wasn’t sighted since 1995 and that most of the land inside the sanctuary sprawling over 202 sq km was private land and people were facing lot of problems.

“Notified in 1981, the sanctuary in Shivpuri does not have an inch of forest land. As much as 146.66 sq km is private land and the rest is revenue. As the villagers live inside the sanctuary, they can’t sell their lands and are prohibited from activities like digging and transporting material,” chief wildlife warden, R S Negi said.

However, the approval has come with a rider—the board has asked the state government to declare Dihaliya lake and a portion of the adjacent revenue land to be declared as a sanctuary and probe into the reasons for the disappearance of the bird.

The Great Indian Bustard, locally known as the ‘son chidiya’ or golden bird is the most endangered member of the bustard family in the world and the total population in the wild may not exceed 700. Poaching and habitat deterioration are the two main causes for the drastic decline of the bird, which is now limited to Rajasthan’s Desert National Park and the Lala-Parjau Sanctuary in Gujarat.

What concerns wildlife experts now is the fate of ungulates like black bucks and others species in the sanctuary in Shivpuri that are facing the threat of extinction

Leopard skin trade mastermind nabbed

Palanpur: The prime accused in the wild animal skin trading scam, which had been busted in a Sabarkantha village after a forest department sting operation on April 1, has been arrested.


Babu Savaji Modiya, who was on the run since the busting of the scam, was arrested by the forest department from his native village Gadi Vankada in the district on April 15. After a day’s remand, he was produced in a judicial court of Vijaynagar on April 17, which sent him to judicial custody, said MJ Parmer, deputy conservator of forests, Sabarkantha. “On tip off, a forest department team with the help of local police nabbed Modhiya from his house,” said range forest officer, Vijaynagar BV Shisodia.

Modhiya was on the run since the arrests of his associates Lakshman Patel of Ahmedabad, Prakash Patel, a driver with forest department in Vijaynagar, Shyamji Patel, a land broker in Amreli and Deepak Parmar, a Nadiad district education office clerk. All five were caught by forest officials selling a leopard skin during an under-cover operation carried out by the department in Vijaynagar, but Modhiya had managed to escape.

Furthermore, Shisodia said that Modiya, during his interrogation admitted to his involvement in the hunting of big cats. Babu has had a criminal record and there are still some cases, including murder, booked against him and in court. Modhiya was arrested under sections 9, 51 and 52 of the Wildlife Act.

BY :TNN

Inter-state gang may be active in Sabarkantha

by :TIMES NEWS NETWORK


Ahmedabad: State forest department officials investigating the two recent cases where leopard skin and claws were found think that the poaching happened in Rajasthan and later the body parts of the animal were brought here for trading.

Senior foresters said the main accused Babu Modia was a resident of the district and had relatives in Rajasthan. They said there was a possibility that the accused might be dealing with traders from Rajasthan.

A senior officer refusing to be quoted said that poaching was rampant in Rajasthan, due to involvement of local tribes. “In Gujarat local people might be involved in trade but their involvement in killing was a remote possibility,” he said. The forest officials said that there was a possibility of poaching in the area, but now the officials have employed informers in the village as a result of which this trade was getting exposed.

He said that it was proper vigil and feedback from the informers that was helping the officials. However, officials said that after the poaching incident of the lions in 2007, the government has asked the officials to keep a vigil and has even roped in the intelligence bureau officials.

Chief conservator of forest (crime) DK Sharma said the spurt in such recovery is only because of the proper vigil by the forest department. “The main accused, Modia, has relatives in Rajasthan and hence he was moving between Sabarkantha and Rajasthan.” Sharma said that the possibility of interstate gang could not be ruled out.

He said that the forest officials were also investigating on this lines and once Modia is arrested, the picture will be clearer.

15 peacocks found dead in state

Palanpur/Junagadh: Fifteen peacocks died on Thursday in two separate incidents reported from villages of Junagadh and Sabarkantha districts.

Six peacocks including three peahens were found dead on Ubharan Raod in Malpur taluka of Sabarkantha district. According to range forest officer (RFO) DP Asari, it appeared to be a case of food poisoning. The birds were found lying in the vicinity of a cultivated land next to a temple there. “We are awaiting the FSL reports to confirm the cause of death,” he said.

On the outskirts of Juni Chavand village in Visavadar taluka of Junagadh district, nine peacocks were found dead. “The carcasses appeared to have been lying there for over two days as about seven of them were eaten away by wild animals,” said L M Kandoria, the regional forest officer. “Prima facie, the birds appeared to have been killed by pesticide poisoning from eating seeds or crops in fields nearby. At present there is no reason to suspect any other cause of death. PM reports will throw more light,” Kandoria said. TNN & SANDESH

Dead leopard’s nails recovered in Sabarkantha

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Palanpur/Ahmedabad: In yet another catch, the forest department has recovered 18 nails of a young leopard which had died of starvation 12 days ago near Aud village in Sabarkantha district. This is the second major catch after a leopard skin was recovered.

Three unidentified person who managed to give forest cops the slip, were performing tantrik rituals with the nails, foresters said.

Chief Conservator Crime Forest (CCCF) Gandhinagar, DK Sharma, said, “Based on a tip-off forest officials raided the crematorium situated on the outskirts of the village. Three accused had just begun what appeared to be a tantrik (black magic) ritual. But, at the sight of the government vehicle, they fled leaving the nails behind.”

The leopard carcass had been found in a decomposed condition from the forest area of the village on March 27. Postmortem revealed that the animal had starved to death. Someone had taken out its nails after the animal died.

Sharma said the officials had earlier received a tip-off that the local villagers had the nails. A close watch was kept on the movement of suspects. He said on Thursday they got the tip-off that the villagers were performing some ritual.

Sharma said since these suspects came from the nearby villages where this ritual was being performed, they have been identified and will be soon arrested.

Officials from the department said these nails were probably being used to keep away the evil spirits. According to Sharma, Darbars believe that that wearing the nails of an animal with power would make the heart of the child strong and would give them the power. Also, one had to perform the ritual before getting it framed in metal, gold and silver.

Leopard skin traders sent in judicial custody

All four accused of trading carcass of wild animals in Vijaynagar, who had been granted six-day remand on April 2 by judicial magistrate, were sent in judicial custody after their remand period got over on Tuesday.

According to assistant conservator of forests, Sabarkantha, RM Desai, “The leopard was believed to have been first trapped and later killed by hitting heavy rods on to its head. “We have also recovered mobile phones and equipment which were probably used for poaching the animal,” Desai said. These have been sent to Gandhinagar Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for investigation. “A leopard has 18 nails and can be sold to the extend of Rs 50,000 per claw,” he added.

PM Announces New Department Of Wildlife Under The Ministry Of Environment And Forests

PM Announces New Department Of Wildlife Under The Ministry Of Environment And Forests



March 19, 2010: At the fifth National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) meeting held in New Delhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in his capacity as Chairman announced the setting up of a dedicated Department of Wildlife under the charge of Minister of State for Environment and Forests (Independent Charge) Jairam Ramesh.


Informed sources confirmed that the decision was taken after Mr. Valmik Thapar, Member NWBL made a statement on the dire situation of wildlife in the country, as exemplified by the fate of the Sariska and Panna Reserves, which suffered local extinction of tigers at the hands of poachers. A proposal for a separate lion conservation project was also mooted by Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi. Other matters that came up for discussion included crop raiding by chital deer and a demand to delist corals from schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. This was opposed by all non-official members because corals are vital to the biodiversity of our oceans. Members also expressed concern at the rising number of accidental deaths suffered by wild elephants that were being run over by trains in wildlife areas, particularly in North Bengal and Uttarakhand.


The National Board for Wildlife is the apex body that decides wildlife policy in India and it has a total of 45 serving members, the Minister of Environment & Forests, plus 15 non-official members, four of whom are part of a 12-member Standing Committee of the NBWL, which handles day-to-day decisions and monitoring of the directions issued by the NBWL. Dr. Karan Singh, who was the first Chairman of Project Tiger when the project was first launched in 1973.

Siddis as tour guides in Gir

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Ahmedabad: The next time you visit Junagadh, and find a person of African origin telling you about Panthera Leo Persica (Asiatic lion), do not be surprised. Gujarat government is training some 20 youths of the African Siddi tribe, settled in Gir forest, to speak English and become tour guides. They will also be trained in driving and hospitality management as part of the eco-tourism development initiative. Officials said that tribal development department might also finance vehicles for them and attach them to hotels so that they can ferry tourists.

The Siddi community has claimed that there had been no move to bring them into the mainstream. This initiative promises to make them self-reliant.

The training is part of the project initiated by state tribal development department in order to improve livelihood, housing, access to safe drinking water and electricity, literacy, health facilities and roads to five major Primitive Tribal Groups (PTG) of Gujarat, namely Kolgha, Kathodi, Kotwalia, Padhar and Siddi.

“Looking at the concentration of Siddi tribe near Gir forests in Junagadh, we thought of training them to become ecoguides, which will help them take advantage of growing ecotourism in state, especially around Gir forests region,” said an officer from the tribal development department. The project for Siddi community was designed with focus on the potential of eco-tourism in the area. This project is also aimed at conservation and development of Siddi community, said the officer.

The Siddi population, which is roughly 8,816 in the state, is largely concentrated in Gir area of Junagadh district in Saurashtra with some settlement in Bhavnagar, Rajkot, Jamnagar and Amreli districts as well. “Since Siddis know Gir forest well, they could become good guides and could provide information to tourist and also could earn a livelihood,” said the officer. He said that for training purpose, they approached Gujarat Education and Ecological Research (GEER) Foundation, an autonomous body under Forests and Environment department.

“The first batch of 22 men from Siddi community completed 15-day training last week. Besides theoretical lectures, practical sessions were also organised which included field trips to Gir forest and other nearby places,” deputy director (environment education) at GEER foundation NK Nanda said. He said that the Siddi community members were not only told about trees and animals found in the area, but also about local history.

He further said that GEER has given them training on how to interact with tourists and the dos and dont’s of being in a forest area. He further said that not just Gir but these people would also be trained to make tourist circuits.