Proposal to discuss new railway line slashing Bandipur Tiger Reserve

By Saswati Mukherjee, TNN | Jan 2, 2013, 08.10 PM IST

timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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BANGALORE: Despite the tragic death of a herd of five elephants being mowed down by a railway train in Orissa just two days ago, the chief minister of Kerala is scheduled to meet his Karnataka counterpart on January 3 at 4pm at the latter’s residence ‘Krishna’ to discuss the proposal of new railway line slashing Bandipur Tiger Reserve, one of India’s finest protected areas. The environmentally and economically unfeasible railway line is proposed to connect Nanjangud in Karnataka with Nilambur in Kerala at a humungous cost of Rs 3384 crores with about 22 kms of the line passing through the famed tiger reserve.

Taking a strong stand on the matter, Wildlife Matters, an organisation working towards the conservation of wildlife said that while the aftereffects of fragmenting wildlife habitats are glaringly obvious in the number of wildlife deaths due to railway lines in Assam, West Bengal and Jharkhand, the proposed railway line forebodes a similar fate for wildlife in Bandipur. According to the Elephant Task Force report drawn up by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, India has lost 150 elephants as a result of train hits since 1987. Innumerous smaller wildlife is unaccounted for. It is difficult to understand how such projects that have deleterious effects on wildlife can be proposed and supported by the head of the state especially when a reconnaissance cum traffic survey report submitted to the Railway Board had proposed an alternative alignment that avoids entering into the tiger reserve.

The re-opening of vehicular traffic along NH 212 and NH 67, passing through the core of Bandipur Tiger Reserve is also on the agenda of the Kerala CM’s visit to Karnataka. The Kerala government has been relentlessly pursuing the removal of the effective night existing ban from 9 pm to 6 am even though the matter is currently sub judice. Their first attempt was rejected by the former Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa in favour of wildlife conservation. A second attempt was moved with former CM, DV Sadananda Gowda on opening up the night traffic ban on December 18, 2011.

A proposal to have a convoy system allowing vehicular traffic at night was also discussed between the governments and experts and duly rejected.

In a meeting held on the 30th June 2010 under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary, Sri SV Ranganath, along with the representatives from Kerala, all pertinent points were discussed and agreed upon regarding the night traffic closure. But the Kerala government is still persistent on its efforts to have the ban lifted.

Despite the fact that the central government itself has already submitted an affidavit in the Supreme Court supporting the night traffic ban, Kerala is still hoping to get it cleared at the centre which has a Congress lead government, if the BJP government of Karnataka supports it, notes experts of Wildlife Matters.

An alternate road passing via Hunsur-Gonikoppa-Kutta-Kartikulam was proposed to be repaired and developed by the Karnataka government in accordance with the Karnataka High Court order in the case of WP 17498/2009 and 919/2010. The Government of Karnataka has already released budget to repair the alternate road and work has already been taken up.

It is important to remember that while developmental projects are fundamental to a country’s growth, it is a matter of great concern when these projects are taken up at the cost of our ecological heritage. It is sincerely hoped that the Karnataka and Kerala governments give utmost importance to wildlife conservation issues in the forthcoming meeting.

 

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Green lobby protests tiger’s killing in Kerala

Indo-Asian News Service | Updated: December 04, 2012 13:05 IST

http://www.ndtv.com

 

Kochi: Environment activists are protesting the shooting of a tiger by forest officials in Kerala on December 2. The tiger had killed 14 domestic cattle heads in several villages of Wayanad district.

The Kerala chapter of the Wildlife Protection Society of India, in a missive to the state government, has threatened to move court against the killing, saying “there was no evidence to substantiate that the animal was a threat to life and property of human beings”.

The society cited the Wildlife Protection Act to push its argument on the clause that “chief wildlife warden issues an order to hunt tiger, a national animal (Schedule 1 animal and part of Schedule 2 animals) only if it is proved that it is a threat to life and property”.

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“Even if it is a man-eater, it should be proved authentically. Until then, no such order should be issued. The order to hunt the animal was illegal,” S Guruvayurappan, a senior functionary of the Wildlife Protection Society of India, said in a statement.

The green lobby is up in arms because Kerala and Karnataka governments, which jointly conducted the operations, killed the tiger after they failed to tranquilise it.

A section of green campaigners challenged the governments’ decision to kill the tiger “instead of neutralising it with tranquilisers”.

Wayanad District Collector K Gopalakrishna Bhatt said “though the forest department officials had tried to tranquilise the tiger, shooting down the animal was the only option left”.

The 12-year-old tiger had spread terror in villages of Naikatty, Kottamkara and Muthanga on the Kerala-Karnataka border, killing as many as 14 domestic cattle heads.

Karnataka forest officials said the Kerala Forest Department could not bring the tiger down with two rounds of tranquilisers initially because of the agitated mob, forcing forest officials from Karnataka to kill the animal.

A petition by senior representatives of wildlife organisations in Kerala demanded urgent action from Tiger Conservation Authority and the Prime Minister so that tigers were not killed anywhere else in the country.

The signatories included S. Guruvayurappan of the Wildlife Protection Society of India, Tony Thomas, director of the legal cell of One Earth One Life, Aravindakshan P. of Aashrayam Rural Development Society, Arumughan Pathichira, chairman of Haritha Development Association, and Prasanth Randedath, Kerala coordinator of Nirmuktha.

Seeking answers to posers, the petitioners demanded that “even after shooting two tranquiliser darts, why did the staff kill the tiger?”

They wanted to know the “identity of the shooter”, and asked whether it was his intention “to murder the animal and who authenticated that the tiger shot down was the cattle lifter”.

“What will be the future of remaining tigers in the Wayanad landscape?” the petition said.

 

Rules shot down to kill Wayanad tiger: Experts

 

Tuesday, 04 December 2012 13:50

Moushumi Basu | New Delhi

http://www.dailypioneer.com/nation/113100-rules-shot-down-to-kill-wayanad-tiger-experts.html

At a time when tiger protection is the topmost conservation priority of the country, wildlife experts have questioned the circumstances that led to the shooting of the tiger at Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala. They have pointed out that the situation could have been easily avoided had there been adequate planning in advance prior to the tranquilisation process and most importantly, the mob surrounding the operation kept at bay.

Wildlife activist from Kerala, N Sasindra Babu, is to file a PIL in the Kerala High Court against the State Forest department for the tiger killing on Sunday. “The tiger was not a man eater, it was lifting cattle from the fringe villages, how can a tiger be shot in such circumstances,” he questioned.

Further no permission was sought from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) in this connection, he added. NTCA, however, could not be contacted for comments.

Babu further pointed out that the area has nearly 110 human encroachments and cattle kill by tigers in the fringe villages is a common phenomenon across the country, Further, in Wayanad even the history of cattle kill was lesser this year (about 80) in comparison to over 110 last year.

“While sometimes tigers may have to be shot when human life is threatened, the fact that this tiger was shot after it was darted twice earlier, does not seem to suggest a professionally well executed operation,” pointed out Dr K Ullas Karanth, tiger expert and Director, Centre for Wildlife Studies. However, often unruly mobs inflamed by irresponsible media reports make it impossible to conduct a professionally competent chemical capture.

Former member of National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) Praveen Bhargav pointed out that Wayanad, Nagerhole and Bandipur reserves are contiguous stretches of forest that have very high density of tiger population. When there is a problem animal, the first priority should be to remove it from the area. In the process, the operation should be well-planned with adequate technical and administrative support. He felt that had the mob been kept under control, the unfortunate situation could have been avoided. The tiger was already coming down after the second dart but the public created a ruckus and the situation went out of hand.

He also condemned the scenario in which the killed tiger was paraded before the public as though it was a victory, reminding one of the olden days of hunting.

“The mob fury is justified, considering the loss of livestock in their villages,” pointed out Vidya Athreya, wildlife biologist. Such incidents will occur as long as the crowd is not controlled. It is very important thus to cordon off the area of operation with minimal people present. “But with so many people around, the animal being captured gets petrified and runs helter-skelter for cover, as it has happened in this case. Trying to carry out such delicate operations in such a situation can only spell disaster,” she added.

 

Tiger killed in Wayanad was not a man-eater: Maneka

KOLLAM/WAYANAD, December 4, 2012

http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/kerala/tiger-killing-triggers-a-storm/article4160564.ece#

Maneka says it was not a man-eater

The killing of a tiger, which had given sleepless nights to people in several villages of Wayanad district of Kerala over the past fortnight, has triggered an uproar within and outside the State.

A special task force of the Forest Department shot dead the tiger inside a coffee plantation near Moolamkavu on Sunday after it ventured out of the forest and lifted over a dozen cattle from the neighbouring villages. Green activists in the State are up in arms against the killing and have threatened to move the Kerala High Court on the issue.People for Animals (PFA) chairperson Maneka Gandhi said “the incident creates a sound base to wind up the Wildlife Department.”

Talking to The Hindu on the phone from the PFA headquarters in New Delhi on Monday, she said the tiger was not a man-eater and there was no reason to kill it. A so-called special task force was deployed to “capture” the tiger and “not to kill it.” It could have been easily captured and relocated.

According to the Forest Department, it all happened because an uncontrollable crowd followed the task force inside the forests. This made it clear that the authorities had encouraged people to come inside the forests and witness the operation. “The operation should have been one to save the tiger and not to eliminate it,” she said.

The incident conveyed a message that Kerala had got used to killing its wildlife treasures without giving any forethought. “The State has a Wildlife Department which either takes bad decisions or no decisions,” she said.

Probe ordered

When contacted, a top forest officer, who did not wish to be quoted, said the department had ordered a high-level probe into the incident. The probe would focus on whether shooting the tiger at that point of time could be justified.

The officer said the task force adhered to all rules and tried its best to tranquilise, capture and relocate the tiger. But the crowd was simply unmanageable.

E. Kunhikrishnan, wildlife enthusiast and professor at University College, Thiruvananthapuram, told The Hindu that the Forest Department had done its best to save the tiger. But the tragedy occurred because of the mob.

However, there was some lack of professionalism in administering the tranquiliser shots. Tigers had been easily tranquilised and relocated in other parts of the country. It also appeared puzzling how the whole incident got videographed as though it was a documentary, Professor Kunhikrishnan said.

Veterinary surgeon and technical expert of the Kollam unit of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals B. Aravind, who had tranquilised and brought under control several captive elephants that ran amok, said there appeared to have been some technical failure in the tranquiliser shots. He blamed the mob for the situation.

It would take at least 10 minutes for the tiger to swoon. The mob made the tiger wary and defensive when it experienced the pain of the tranquiliser shot, Dr. Aravind said.

Keywords: tiger killing, Maneka Gandhi, man-eater, man-animal conflict, Forest Department

 

Dead Kerala Tiger

 

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Task force kills Wild Tiger in Wayanad

cee4life -WARNING GRAPHIC DEATH OF KERAL TIGER – BUT WAIT!!! Theres more… Someone had the presence of mind, and time to film the death of this BEAUTIFUL CRITICALLY ENDANGERED TIGER… BUT DIDNT HAVE THE PRESENSE OF MIND TO CALL THE PROFESSIONALS IN TO SAVE HIS LIFE !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Task force kills Wild Tiger in Wayanad

(Click on Title to View Video)

Report on the tiger killing at Wayanad

Man-animal conflict has led to the killing of a male tiger near the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary in north Kerala on Sunday. The forest officials shot dead the beast which apparently had been attacking d

omestic animals of the human settlement near the sanctuary.

Under pressure from the locals and their political representatives, a team of forest officials with the help of their counterparts from Karnataka have been trying to capture the tiger for the last one week. The personnel had placed four cages with live baits in different places but could not capture the beast. They even placed surveillance cameras and used trained elephants to tour the forest areas.

On Sunday morning, the forest team spotted the tiger in a private land and shot a tranquilising dart. But it could not tame the tiger. So they fired another one, following which the animal turned against the team. Sanctuary wildlife warden S Sreekumar said at this stage the team, comprising veterinary surgeons, had little option but to fire the killer shot.

“We have invoked the section 11 (1) A of Wildlife Act for self-defence. Otherwise, the animal would have attacked the men,” he said.

crtsy: indianexpress/asianet

 

Foresters to issue notice to NHAI on speed breakers in Bandipur tiger reserve

 

HM Aravind, TNN | Sep 20, 2012, 08.43PM IST

timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Read more:speed breakers|National Highways Authority of India|Bandipur Tiger Reserve

MYSORE: Early on Wednesday morning when the foresters in Bandipur tiger reserve were going about their rounds, they noticed that a deer was run over down by a speeding truck and alerted the staff at the check post. They could not stop the lorry nor could they locate it. Worried, they have now decided to cut down the speed of the vehicles.

In a rare move, the forest department is issuing a notice to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) seeking it to put up speed breakers along the NH 212 that cuts across the tiger reserve or face action. The director of Bandipur, Kumar Pushkar has ordered the issuance of the notice to the NHAI.

The crime scene of the latest accident site in Maddur range indicated the criminal lack of road regulation inside the national park: The spotted deer’s body was scattered all over the place indicating over speeding.

There is urgent need to regulate the speed of the vehicles, especially trucks passing through the tiger reserve. As per the provisions contained in the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, we are issuing the notice, Pushkar told The Times of India. “After back-to-back accidents in May, we requested the NHAI to put up speed breakers. They did start the work but have left it incomplete. We’ve to ensure that the whole stretch is made safe for the wild animals,” he explained. The NHAI has built road humps for some 8 kms in Moolehole range.

Range Forest Officer (Maddur) Ratna Prabha said she went to issue the notice to the NHAI office in Gundulpet. But the official concerned was outside, she stated adding it’ll be issued on Friday.

The forest officials said the NH 212 has been newly laid and is in good condition leading the truckers to speed away. As per an estimate, 1,000 trucks ply on the stretch. The NH 67 stretch connecting Mysore to Ooty cutting across the tiger reserve has seen lesser accident since it has speed breakers.

When contacted, the NHAI Mysore division AEE J G Jadav said: “We’ve built speed breakers at the locations specified by the forest staff. In the remaining stretch, the officials have not marked the spots and we’ll do it once it is done. As per the NHAI norm, we cannot put up the speed breakers, but we complied since it a national park.”

The latest accident is fourth since May that has left four wild animals dead. For the record, in last four years, there are over 90 cases that has killed wild animals, including tiger and elephant. The 19 kms stretch between Maddur and Moolehole collecting Sultan Bathery in Kerala has transformed as the killer road since the number of casualties are on the rise in this stretch. The forest officials said the stretch has been newly laid and is in good condition leading the truckers to speed away. As per an estimate, 1,000 trucks ply on the stretch daily since it is the main supplying point to Kerala connecting Mysore to Kozhikode. Apart from NH 212, a stretch of NH 67 connecting Mysore to Ooty cuts across the tiger reserve. Since this stretch has speed breakers, the number of road accidents have drastically reduced here, they stated.