Tiger cub saved from leg trap in south Kheri

The cub was tranquilised at 2.50 am on Monday morning and kept under intensive care in Kishanpur Wildlife Santuary

 

http://www.wti.org.in/current-news/130225_tiger_cub_saved_from_leg_trap_in_south_kheri.html

Dudhwa (Uttar Pradesh), February 25, 2013: A female tiger cub was saved from a leg-hold trap yesterday in the buffer area of Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, highlighting once again the threats posed by snares and traps to wildlife in the country.

The cub, about six-month-old, was caught in the front left paw in Malani range of South Kheri Forest Division. She had two of her toes crushed, said Prem Chandra Pandey, Wildlife Trust of India’s (WTI) Field Officer, who, along with veterinarian Dr Saurabh Singhai, assisted the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department authorities in the rescue.

The WTI team was informed at 8 pm on Sunday, and rushed to the spot, around 50 km from Dudhwa. Under the guidance of the Forest Department officials, the cub was tranquilised around 2:50 am, freed and kept under intensive care. She was dehydrated and extremely weak then, but her condition has stabilised.

“Forest Department officials have been scouting the area for more leg traps to make sure other animals don’t face a similar fate,” said Dr Anil Kumar Singh, Regional Head, WTI. “They are also on the lookout for the cub’s mother, to attempt reunion. But it takes a lot of research and planning before we can release such displaced cubs back into the wild”.

Dr Singh added that this was the second incident of a big cat getting trapped in the area. In July 2010, the Forest Department assisted by WTI rescued a leopard that got caught in a trap in Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary. The leopard was released following treatment.

The cub was caught in an iron leg-trap left by unidentified poachers

 

WTI, supported by Aircel Limited, runs the UP Carnivore Conservation Project in the state to save tigers and leopards from conflict situations. WTI has been highlighting snares and traps as a silent yet deadly threat to wildlife across the country, and runs anti-snare projects in south India to clear the forests of this ‘menace’.

“Buffer areas and forests outside PAs are particularly vulnerable, as poachers set these traps along animal paths. As we can see, even tigers and leopards fall victims to these. They may end up losing their limbs or die of starvation and bleeding,” added Dr Singh.

 

Three poachers held in Dudhwa Tiger Reserve

Monday, 31 December 2012 23:42

PNS | New Delhi

http://dailypioneer.com/nation/119453-three-poachers-held-in-dudhwa-tiger-reserve.html

Three notorious poachers have been nabbed in Dudhwa Tiger Reserve in Uttar Pradesh, in the last two days. Of the three, one was involved in tiger poaching cases since 2001 belonging to the controversial Surma village within the core area of the reserve.

There are at least a dozen cases of wild life crimes against the other two persons. The arrests have come in the wake of a special drive during New Year’s eve when the threat of poaching increases. The three arrested have been forwarded to jail on Monday. According to the Field Director Shailesh Prasad, the poachers were nabbed by the members of the night patrolling team. In the latest of the two cases, a group of seven persons were found moving suspiciously in the Dudhwa Range near Bhadrola Compartment-5.

While six of them managed to escape, one person by the name of Jawahar was caught by the team. “He was a wanted wildlife criminal in the area having old cases of tiger poaching pending against him,” said Prasad. The members of the team managed to unearth tiger skin and rear parts of a tiger, that he had kept buried under the ground”, said Prasad. He belongs to Surma village, which is the only village of its kind in the country to have the status of revenue village despite being within the core area of a reserve.

In a yet another case, two persons Jhaulal and Suresh were rounded from South Sonalipur Range under Lauki Compartment -5 of the tiger reserve. They were caught with metal traps and other tools used in wildlife crimes. There are about 10-12 cases pending against them, involving the killing of various wild animals, informed prasad. “Patrolling has been intensified, with protection measures and enforcements stepped up during the season, when poaching activities are on the rise,” said Prasad. This is the time when VIP’s and their kin chose to visit the reserve when security forces are shifted from their normal duties. Further, the onset of New Year also ushers a festive mood and there is a tendency of laxity amongst the staffs, which encourages spurt in poaching, he pointed out.