Crocs breed at Katerniaghat

Katerniaghat Sanctuary is very well known for concentrated Gharial population in river Girwa. I remember, in 2005 we could locate only 5 nests of Gharial scattered on different sand bars, and before that there was no record of natural breeding in river Girwa for last 7-8 years. The eggs were predated both by wild animals and human beings. From the next year, that was 2006, intensive efforts were initiated and the number of nests constantly increased to 18 in 2006, 24 in 2007 and finally to 27 in 2009.
Last year all sand bars had been washed away in during the flood, even then the Gharials laid eggs on different scattered sites. Besides this 161 eggs were brought from Kukrail Breeding Centre, Lucknow and were artificially laid on the sand bars for ex-situ hatching.
As per the information till date 30 nests have been hatched and out of 1317 eggs 1178 hatchlings have come out. Out of 161 Kukrail eggs, 140 hatchlings have come out. It is expected that more nests will hatch in day or two.
I had been constantly observing the breeding of Gharials in Katerniaghat for last 5 years and can easily say that if the closure is provided around the breeding habitats and the Gharials are given disturbance free zone for at least three months (April -June), wonderful results can be achieved. We need similar success in other breeding Gharial habitats also.

Photos:(C) Ramesh Pandey

Leopard found dead in Kanha, claws missing

Mandla (MP), May 24 (PTI) A six-year old leopard was found dead with its three claws missing at the buffer zone of Kanha Tiger Reserve, officials said today.The leopard was found dead at a deep nullah in Shijoura area yesterday, they said.The animal's three claws were missing when its body was found, Kanha Reserve veterinarian Sandeep Agrawal, who performed the autopsy said. The poachers must have chopped them off after it died after drowning, he added.He said the postmortem of the spotted animal revealed that it died due to drowning. Some people after spotting the leopard might have dragged it out of the nullah and chopped of its claws for the nails, he said.Agrawal said that some clothes were found at the spot.

Source: http://www.ptinews.com/news/666701_Leopard-found-dead-in-Kanha--claws-missing

Cruel world of the tiger

By KATE JACKSON
Published: 24 May 2010
IN A dingy market stall in southern Tibet, a trader empties out a sack full of bones.
These pitiful relics were once a magnificent tiger, roaming wild and free.
Now sold on the black market to be used in medicines and Tiger wine, these bones can fetch around £600 per kilo
It's a sickening sight.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/features/2984986/Cruel-world-of-the-tiger-trade.html#ixzz0ovpyFAm1

Tigers attack human habitations

Attacks on human habitations, cattle and domestic animals by tigers of the Sunderbans have seen unprecedented rise since the past few months owing to drastic reduction of forest areas and dwindling numbers of prey for the great cats.
Royal Bengal tigers are often seen invading the villages across the river in both North and South 24 Parganas districts while the residents of Samshernagar village under Hingalganj police station in the North as well as Jemspur and Anpur villages of the South reported attacks of the Royal Bengal tigers, which killed several cattle, including cows, goats and sheep after entering the cattle sheds of a number of houses.
A tiger entered Samshernagar village during two successive nights and killed as many as ten cattle from four cattle sheds on May 22 night. Another tiger entered the village on May 21 night crossing Kundekhali canal of the Jhingakhali range of the Sunderbans and killed four goats, of which one was taken away by the tiger to the forest, locals said.
Incidentally, beat officers of the forest department were in a dilemma in finding a way out to prevent tigers from entering the inhabited areas. They suggested the local Panchayat and the villagers to erect strong fencing. The beat officials also suggested to arrange for night guards in this case.
On the other hand, Jemspur village of South 24 Parganas saw a full grown Royal Bengal tiger killing at least four cattle, including a dog, after entering a cattle shed of a villager during late evening.
As the villagers chased the tiger, it fled from Jemspur to Anpur village, where it also killed a few cattle. The forest officials were also called for help by the villagers. Finally the beast was caught yesterday morning. It was later sedated and brought to the Anpur beat house from where it will be released in the forest after fixing a radio collar as was done for a couple of tigers, which were caught from Chhotomollkhali and Netidhopani villages in South district.
Forest department officials have blamed the man-animal conflict to the degradation of the ecosystem following dwindling of the Sunderban forest area, which was posing a danger to the endangered animals' survival as the number of their prey had reduced considerably.

Source: http://samaylive.com/english/regional/676464745.html

Kathmandu summit laid the foundation for SA-WEN

Kathmandu, Nepal, 19 May 2010—Experts from South Asia have laid the foundation for a South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN) as a co-ordinated regional response to combat illegal poaching and trafficking. Seven member countries agreed to the establishment of a secretariat and an outline work programme for the network.The historic First Meeting of the South Asia Experts Group on Illegal Wildlife Trade was concluded here today with the objective of helping wildlife law enforcement agencies become better organized than the criminals themselves. As a major step towards a co-ordinated and collaborative mechanism, the Experts Group agreed that an action-oriented approach under the newly formed SAWEN should be pursued without delay.The experts from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka agreed the structure, functions and operational parameters for SAWEN, including ideas for developing multi-lateral activities based on strong inter-agency co-operation at the national level. "Co-operation and co-ordination between the government agencies supported by their international counterparts is of utmost importance to effectively tackle illegal wildlife trade in the region,” said Hon. Mr Deepak Bohara, Minister for Forest and Soil Conservation, Government of Nepal, in his closing address. The Government of Nepal has offered to drive this process further in hosting the network and acting as an interim co-ordinator for the network. Over the next six months, it will focus on co-ordinating key information and identifying further resources and expertise from member countries to develop joint operations, training programs, communication plans and fundraising to enable the network to begin interdicting major trafficking activities. The Government of Bhutan has offered to host the next meeting of SAWEN members. "WWF is pleased at the outcomes of the meeting and looks forward to working with the network in the coming months to ensure the success of this crucial initiative, "said Mr. Diwakar Chapagain, Wildlife Trade Manager, WWF Nepal."We appreciate the leadership shown by the Government of Nepal and support by TRAFFIC International in organizing this meeting."The First Meeting of the South Asia Experts Group on Illegal Wildlife Trade was hosted by the Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation, Govt. of Nepal, and supported by WWF Nepal and TRAFFIC International. Funding support for the meeting was generously provided by the US Government’s Department of State.

Source:http://www.traffic.org/home/2010/5/19/south-asia-forges-consensus-on-wildlife-enforcement-network.html

Panna reserve now 3 cubs full

Hindustan Times: By HT correspondence;

Three tiny furballs now hold the success of India's tiger conservation in their tiny paws.

The newborn tiger cubs, spotted on Friday in Madhya Pradesh's Panna national park, herald the success of the controversial plan of relocating the big cats.

A survey last year found that the once-densely populated Panna reserve had lost all its tiger, mostly to poaching. In an effort to repopulate the park, a tigress from Bandhavgarh in Karnataka and a tiger from Pench in MP were moved to Panna.

"On Friday night, we spotted the three cubs with the tigress as they came out of a cave. The tigress apparently had decided to shift her cubs to a more suitable place," an ecstatic Panna National Park Field Director R Sreeniwas Murthy said.

Forest officials again got a clear sighting of the new family the next day — the mother and all three cubs.

Murthy said this was the first instance of a relocated tigress giving birth to healthy cubs.

Earlier, forest department officials had an inkling that the tigress was pregnant because it was not moving out of the cave near a waterfall for more than a month.

The department was keeping a close eye on her movements.

"We got it confirmed on Friday night and have prohibited tourist from visiting the area," Murthy said.

The Panna Tiger Reserve was found to have 24 tigers after the census in January 2006. But by December 2008 all the tigers were gone.

Ref:http://www.hindustantimes.com/Panna-reserve-now-3-cubs-full/Article1-541504.aspx

Accused convicted for possessing Sambhar skin

The special court in Delhi convicted a man to imprisonment for his involvement in wildlife trade after he was found in possession of skin of endangered Sambhar deer. Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) of Special Act, Dig Vinay Singh, last week sent Vishal Mehra to jail for the period undergone in judicial custody which was more than seven months. A joint team of police and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) had arrested Mehra with four Sambhar skin in Rohini area in September last year. Sambhar is in schedule IV category and punishment for the crime is less than 3 years. Considering that the accused was a first-time offender, the judge converted his judicial custody to his prison term.

Ref:http://www.ptinews.com/news/632529_Man-jailed-for-possessing-Sambhar-skin

Court complaint against multinational for trade in Shahtoosh shawls

Wildlife Crime Control Bureay has filed a court complaint against a Delhi-based MNC engaged in trade of handicrafts and other heritage items across the world, for attempting to export the banned Shahtoosh shawls thirteen years ago.

The Customs officials had seized at least 13 shawls from the Indira Gandhi International Airport on November 11, 1996, from the consignments booked by Cottage Industries Exposition (CIE) for UK. The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) had filed a complaint here in the court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Dig Vinay last week following conclusion of adjudication of a matter by Customs department.

On April 12 this year, Additional Commissioner, Customs, Delhi, passed an order against CIE imposing a fine of Rs 1 lakh for attempting to export shahtoosh, and an additional Rs 1 lakh as redemption fine.

Shahtoosh is a specific kind of shawl woven with the hair of the endangered Chiru or Tibetan Antelope. Selling or purchasing Shahtoosh was made illegal in all countries that signed the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in 1975.

Ref:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Home/Environment/Flora-Fauna/Court-complaint-against-multinational-for-trading-in-Shahtoosh/articleshow/5890811.cms

WCCB bags Clark R Bavin Award, 2010

The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) in the Ministry of Environment and Forests has been awarded the prestigious Clark R Bavin Award, 2010 for the exemplary enforcement action and prioritizing wildlife crime in the Ministry and other enforcement agencies. The award is presented to persons who have demonstrated their commitment to fighting wildlife crime and to protect species of wildlife listed in the Appendices of the Convention through the strict enforcement of national and international laws. It is issued by the Species Survival Network (SSN), an international coalition of over 80 non-governmental organizations, including Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), a non-governmental organization based in the United States of America. The awards, named after a former chief of the law enforcement division of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have traditionally been presented by the Secretary-General of CITES during meetings of the Conference of the Parties. This year a large number of nominations were received this year from a number of countries and organizations for individuals and agencies.

Reference: http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=59740

http://www.ptinews.com/news/571319_Wildlife-Bureau-gets-Clark-R-Bavin-Award

Looking into Kat's Eye

Though still awaiting for the hard copy of it, I got the second issue of Kat's Eye today. The cover photograph of a sitting majestic tiger taken by Sanjay Kumar is simply awesome. I think it is one of the best photographs of Dudhwa Tigers ever taken, because getting such pose of tigers in terai is a rarity. It seldom happens; once in a while. I believe tiger sighting is comparatively difficult in UP terai due to thick foliage and tall wet grasslands. Terai is altogether a different landscape, one of the highly ecological productive ecosystem; in a mosaic form of wetlands-grasslands and woodlands. I remember Amit Misra has also taken some of the wonderful photographs of tigers of Dudhwa-Katerniaghat landscape.

The maturity and growth of Kat's Eye in this issue is very encouraging. And it has only become possible due to invaluable experience sharing by contributors like G. C. Misra and Romulus Whittaker. The article on elephants of Dudhwa is again an unusual narration by Sanjay Kumar. I am happy to see the article of B N Singh, Range Officer, on notable birds of Katerniaghat. It is a fact that field foresters are very poor in documentation but he has proved it wrong with his impeccable observations which will certainly encourage field foresters to document their experiences for this magazine.

The other features of news letter including efforts of KGF on Gyps vulture conservation, field activities, survey undertaken, seminar organised has made the issue readable. Kudos for KGF team.

A Dry wetland day

The world wetland day just passed yesterday. Silently. As variety of migratory birds fly back home being unnoticed at the end of winters.

It seems that we are loosing somehow real and genuine concern for our natural resources and their immense traditional conversational values. Somehow it is being felt, in general, that apathy for wildlife is increasing in the society day by day and an unprecedented antagonistic approach has slowly and slowly crept in the mindset of the people affected with the forests and their inhabitants.

Everyday wetlands are dying or being killed. Most of the remainings are in pathetic conditions. They are forced to be killed; reasons are known to everyone. Atleast the concern for them was alive but that too has started diminishing.

What to do now?

I would mention Mohmaad Ahsan Sahib's post on Face Book specially written for wetland day, which very truely colours this entire picture.

teri jhiilaiN hon ya mere pokhar / pareshaaN sab ke sab daur e haazir meiN
Photo: Suresh Chaudhary (Katerniaghat)-2006 Winters.

End of an era

The late night of the first day of new year 2010 arrived with an untimely sad news. One of our friend from Lakhimpur informed on phone that 'Billy is no more'. It was really unexpected to hear something of this sort. It was a great loss. The first thought which came in my mind was that 'an era ends with Billy's demise, no one of his clone is now left in this country'. And his demise is an irreparable loss for Dudhwa and terai of Uttar Pradesh.

Billy was a legend in the field wildlife conservation. His zeal and passion for the tigers even in this age was simply unmatched. Billy was 94 and was ailing for quite some time. He use to live mostly in Tiger Haven near Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, Palia, Lakhimpur-Kheri.

Though there had been differences amongst the field wildlifers and conservationists regarding his way of rearing and preserving big cats in the past, but no one could deny his unbound support for the protection and conservation of tigers in terai and also his initial contribution in making of Dudhwa National Park.

I was fortunate enough to have interactions with him in last few years, particularly when I was posted in Pilibhit, Katerniaghat and Dudhwa (additional charge for one month). I met him many a times along with Mr. Naseem during my Dudhwa visits. I could always notice a spark in his eyes with any good news relating to tigers of terai; either it was breeding tigresses and tiger cubs in Katerniaghat or recovery of tiger population in Pilibhit or busting of any organised poachers gang in terai. He was always keen to know what is happening in the jungles of Terai particularly in Dudhwa. He used to have his own intelligence both on the health of the jungles and efforts of the park officials. He used to be very critical many a times particularly to after tiger death incidents.

He always felt very happy when some one met him to know about his views on tiger conservation and needs of hour in this field. Though he was unable to recall many of the past incidents coherently but his heart and mind were always rightly placed both for the tigers and terai conservation. We will certainly miss him.

He was a great admirer of tigers and terai; which I liked very much.

Billy!! Bid Adieu..

Photo: Billy narrating old stories and incidents (January 2006, Tiger Haven).

Elephant's plight

About 2 tonnes of ivory seized in Kenya recently in a joint operation of enforcement agencies and Interpol in Africa. The 'operation costa' was implemented in six south african countries in which 100 people were arrested. It was one of the biggest ever seizure in the history of south africa. It indicates that even after ban on trade in ivory the international demand persists and poaching of elephants is going on every where for its ivory.

Day by day the forests are getting fragmented. The corridors are being encroached for so called developmental and strategic needs. Human inhabitations are getting closure to natural habitats of giant animals resulting gory elephant-human conflicts.

The tigers and leopards overshadow plight of elephants and news like operation costa indicates, the problem persists globally. There is a need of total ban on ivory trade worldwide, which may reduce the demand of ivory at international level.

(Ivory photo: Interpol, reference www.ens-newswire.com/ens/nov2009/2009-11-30-02.asp)

Man-leopard conflict rages in Uttarakhand

DEHRA DUN: The man-leopard conflict appears to be raging in Uttarakhand owing to mounting attacks by the carnivores in various parts of the state
and killing of man-eaters by locals. As the dusk falls, villagers of Baniawala, Rangharwala, Premnagar, Ghangora and other areas of western Dehra Dun feel scared in going out in open fearing an attack by a leopardess. For past few days, the animal along with her two cubs has let lose a reign of terror and made the lives of the residents of these villages miserable. This is the condition despite the fact that at least six leopards were killed last month in the state after they were declared man-eaters, wildlife officials here said. A leopard, which had attacked around 15 people, was shot dead early this month after it was trapped in a house at Garhi Cantt area. In another incident, a leopard was clubbed to death at Khandah area of Pauri district on Friday. On Thursday, a leopard was axed to death in Uttarkashi district by irate villagers of Kumrara area after it attacked the locals. Meanwhile, Dr S P Goel of Wildlife Institute of India (WII) here expressed concern over rising incidents of the animal attacking human population and being killed by them in retaliation and said that efforts are on to minimize the attacks. During the past six months, around 15 leopards had been killed at various places in the state.

(Note-Man-leopard conflict is taking heavy toll in Uttarakhand and many leopards have been declared man eater in last few months and had been killed by people. People dont have any sympathy with the animals and want immediate elimination of the strayed animal from their surroundings. The situation is deteriorating day by day. The time has come to work out the solution of this problem.)

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Environment/Flora-Fauna/Man-leopard-conflict-rages-in-Uttarakhand-/articleshow/4795687.cms

A leopard's majesty

Vicky Nanjappa in Bengaluru
Capturing a leopard is no joke, even on a camera.
Bangalore-based kidney specialist Ajith Huilgol and avid wildlife photographer did just that and won a runner-up award at the UK-based Veolia Environment Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition 2009, in the 'Behaviour: Mammals' category. The annual competition is jointly organised by the Natural History Museum, London, and the BBC's Wildlife magazine.
Dr Huilgol captured a rarely seen image of a leopard descending from a tree in his camera and the photograph won among 43,000 other entries from 94 countries.
Every photograph may speak a thousand words, however Dr Huilgol's speaks of a fascinating story. What began as a patient task of observing a leopard ended in fetching the doctor a world-renowned award.
Dr Huilgol said he had shot the photograph when he had gone to Kabini in the Nagarhole forest region in Karnataka with his family for a wildlife vacation.
"My family and I were in a jeep and watching this leopard perched on the tree. We spotted it at around 7.23 am and clicked her pictures. In fact she was so comfortable with our presence that she did not even budge an inch as we clicked the pictures. However, at 7.28 am, a jeep passed by which startled the leopard and thus prompted her to come down. I managed to get a shot of her as she came down the tree."
"My first reaction was to curse the other jeep driver who disturbed the leopard. But today I realise that it turned out to be a boon," he added.The general notion is that wildlife photography is time-consuming. However, Dr Huilgol said, it is always not so. "Take this photograph for instance, it took just five minutes to capture," he said. Image: Dr Huilgol's photograph that won the runner-up award at the UK-based competitionPhotographs: Dr Ajit Huilgol

http://news.rediff.com/slide-show/2009/nov/17/slide-show-1-award-winning-wildlife-photographs.htm

Green lessons for school kids - in lap of nature

By Asit SrivastavaLucknow, Nov 20 (IANS) Imagine riding through a lush green forest, soaking in lessons on the environment. That’s what many school students in Uttar Pradesh are about to experience, thanks to the officials of a wildlife sanctuary.
The Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary in Bahraich district, some 270 km from Lucknow, has taken the initiative to bring in school students from parts of the state and hold educational camps within the sanctuary.
“The entire exercise is aimed at sensitising the young generation towards nature. I believe in order to conserve nature, one should first feel it. And here the students will get that feel, which in turn would immensely contribute to our educational programmes,” divisional forest officer (DFO) of Katerniaghat R.K. Singh told IANS on telephone.
Established in 1976, the sanctuary is situated in the Terai area on the India-Nepal border in Bahraich district. Spread over 400 sq km, it is home to a variety of animals such as tigers, leopards, swamp deer, blackbuck, chital, barking deer, sloth bear, wild boar, and a number of endangered species of reptiles.
“We plan to start the education programme Dec 1. Initially, students of schools in Bahraich and its adjoining districts would be covered. On various weekends, the students would be brought to the sanctuary where the educational camps would be organised,” said Singh.
The educational programmes will focus on several topics, including conservation of fauna and flora for the sake of mankind and man-animal conflicts, and involve a ride through the forests and lunch arranged by forest officials.
“This would be done in order to make the educational camps more lively. Such arrangements would help make school children take interest in our programmes,” said Singh.
The forest officials have already roped in a number of schools in Bahraich, Shravasti, Lakhimpur and other districts.
Usha Varshney, a science teacher at the Seventh-Day Adventist School in Bahraich, told IANS: “The initiative is laudable. The best thing is it will definitely make environmental teaching more interesting and lively.”
Pradeep Kumar, a teacher with the Dharm Sabha Inter College, said: “We welcome the novel step taken by the wildlife sanctuary officials. The move will definitely generate a sense of responsibility towards nature.”
Children are also excited about the educational camps.
“For us, it would be fun. It would be a sort of picnic for us, where we would also get a chance to learn several things by our practical experience - something not possible in conventional classroom teaching,” said Achal Chitarnshi, a Class 11 student of the Navuday Inter College in Bahraich.
Forest officials believe it is crucial to involve the young generation to spread environmental awareness.
“In today’s perspective, you just cannot ignore the role of school students in safeguarding the environment through social mobilisation and community participation,” a forest official said.

Link:http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/enviornment/green-lessons-for-school-kids-in-lap-of-nature_100277295.html

Community support needed to conserve biodiversity

COIMBATORE: Union Minister of State for Environment and Forest, Jairam Ramesh called for community participation to conserve biodiversity and to protect the environment. Speaking to reporters at Salim Ali Centre of Ornithology and Natural History (Sacon), Mr Ramesh said poaching and poisoning of tigers is a serious issue in India. “In order to control it, we are setting up protection forces involving local communities apart from upgrading wildlife crime control bureau,” he added. He said, out of 37 tiger reserves in India, only 9 are in good shape, 10 in satisfactory condition and remaining in precarious situation. Also, there are only 1200 to 1400 tigers in the wild now. Mr Ramesh said the ministry is looking forward to amend the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 by initiating a stringent punishment for crime caused to wildlife. “As like FEMA Act or Money Laundering Act, the punishment for crime caused to wildlife should also be severe. We have already done some changes to the old act and has circulated it to all states for inputs,” he added. He said, police alone cannot safeguard wildlife and forest but, the local communities should also take some interest in preserving the same. As an experiment, the forest officials have started involving local Gujjars for social enforcement in Corbett National Park. The minister is also looking to involve the local communities in other parts of the country to protect the environment. He cited an example of how Sacon is working with social communities including church groups and students to increase awareness of hornbill, which is almost extinct in Nagaland. Another example for sustainability was the work of Sacon at Andaman and Nicobar valley, where they preserve edible-nest swiftlet, a valuable bird that is currently on smuggling net. Earlier Mr Ramesh released a wetlands atlas of India, which was prepared by Sacon based on satellite imagery. “There are over 60,000 inland wetlands present in India spread over 7 million hectares. These wetlands are on great threat from real estate people. So the local community and local administration should take steps to protect them,” he said. Regarding the proposal of setting up a neutrino observatory at Singara in Nilgiris, Mr Ramesh said, “after spending almost two months on the subject, I have come to a conclusion that Singara cannot be permitted. It is now a closed chapter.” He said, the observatory is very important for both theoretical and experimental physics but when matter was evenly balanced, he had to yearn on the side of environment. He added there would have been a four-year period of considerable disturbances in that area with serious implications on the corridor if the project had been given a go-ahead.

Link: Economic Times :http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/5257390.cms

Notorious tiger poacher apprehended by WCCB

Source: The Pioneer, New Delhi:

A suspected aide of notorious poacher Sansar Chand, involved in the killing of several tigers, including those in Sariska Tiger Reserve, has been arrested by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB). The accused, Bheema (38), wanted in connection with the killing of a tiger and illegal wildlife trade, was arrested on Tuesday from Ballabhgarh in Haryana in a joint operation by the WCCB and Gurgaon police. According to the WCCB, a concerted and coordinated effort by various agencies, including the CBI, made the arrest possible. Earlier, the CBI and WCCB in a joint operation on November 5 had successfully nabbed seven poachers and wildlife traders from Nagpur and Delhi. Two poachers were arrested from Majnu Ka Tila in the Capital. Hides of two adult tigers, 25 kilograms of bones, seven otter skins and other contrabands were recovered from their possession. A WCCB official said the arrested persons belonged to a gang of poachers and they provided leads which resulted in the arrest of Bheema.Bheema, a proclaimed offender, is wanted in a poaching case in which tiger bones, body parts, several traps and implements were recovered from his house at Surat Nagar in Gurgaon in July 2008. The accused is involved in a number of cases pending in nine States, including Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh. He is also suspected to have been involved in poaching cases in Maharashtra and Karnataka.A case against Bheema was registered in the Rajendra Park police station in Gurgaon on July 7, 2008.Bheema was earlier nabbed by the police on August 15, 2005, with a tiger skin, 7 kg tiger bones, 500 g tiger fat, and tiger canines but he was out on bail. Sansar Chand and his associates are suspected to be behind the extinction of big cats from the Sariska Tiger Reserve. “The WCCB was acting in close association with the CBI and other agencies to bust the racket. Acting on a tip off, we nabbed Bheema,” the official said. He said that Bheema’s arrest was expected to throw light on the working of the racket and illegal trade network in the country, especially in North India. The accused, who hails from Gurgaon, had managed to escape on several occasions earlier, the officer said. The WCCB is initially probing his involvement in poaching cases in the north.

Links:
http://www.dailypioneer.com/216627/Big-catch-Sansar-aide-in-cops%E2%80%99-net.html
http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=54173
<http://netindian.in/news/2009/11/18/0004114/alleged-tiger-poacher-arrested-wccb>
http://www.ptinews.com/news/381561_Poacher-on-the-run-for-over-a-year-arrested
http://www.headlinesindia.com/animal-news/tiger,-lion,-leopard/tiger-poacher-nabbed-in-haryana-28483.html

Need to remove curbs on tiger visits to Nepal

LUCKNOW: Tigers know no boundaries. They keep crossing over from one forest to another along the Indo-Nepal border. The movement of tigers along the
border is must if the existing population is to be saved from in-breeding. Initially, it used to be a contiguous forest along Indo-Nepal border and animals could move freely and safely. But now the connectivity between forests on the two sides is merely through three corridors -- Khata, Laljhaadi and Basanta. "These corridors are prone to encroachment on Nepal side," said Bivash Pandav, from WWF-international, working for wildlife conservation in Nepal. Nepal has Bardia National Park, Shukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve, Chitwan National Park and Parsa Wildlife Reserve. The total population counting all these four protected areas of Nepal is about 120 tigers. There is a lot of movement of tigers between Bardia and Katarniaghat. But what used to be a free movement about 35 years back for tigers along the border is now not an easy one. India can always voice its concern to Nepal in the trans-boundary meeting between the two. Protected areas on the Indian side of the border -- Dudhwa, Katarniaghat, Kishenpur and Pilibhit are believed to be housing 109 tigers (as per February, 2008, census). Several experts and conservationists discussed the core issues related to tiger conservation on Sunday in a seminar. The declining prey base in forests and increasing biotic pressure on them is a growing concern. "Forest department should first identify and acknowledge that wildlife has a problem and then only can a solution be worked out," said G C Mishra, former director, Dudhwa. The existence of Mailani-Gonda rail track that runs about 60 km through the protected area was also discussed. Train hits have killed quite a noticeable number of animals within Dudhwa. Removal of the track has been discussed on earlier occasions between railways and forest department. Railways agree that it is not a commercially profitable operation to run trains on the said track. The senior forest officials were also present on the occasion. "There has to be a holistic effort towards conservation of tigers and wildlife," said B K Patnaik, chief wildlife warden, UP. On mitigating man-animal conflict, he said that mobile rapid response units will be established to check it. Others who spoke in the seminar organised by Katarniaghat Foundation were Pankaj Agarwal, principal secretary, Transport, Mohd Ahsan, additional PCCF, UP, K K Singh, DFO, north Kheri, V P Singh of Terai Nature Conservation Society, R L Singh, ex PCCF, UP and other members of the Foundation.

Ref:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Need-to-remove-curbs-on-tiger-visits-to-Nepal/articleshow/5210196.cms

Wildlife racket busted: Tiger, Leopad and Otter skins seized

NEW DELHI: (Source:PTI) With the arrest of seven persons from Maharashtra and Delhi, the country's premier investigating agencies claimed to have busted a
wildlife racket and seized tiger and otter skins besides tiger bones from their possession. The CBI and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) in a joint operation carried out simultaneous raids in some places in Nagpur and Majnu ka Teela in Central Delhi and arrested seven persons for allegedly indulging in illegal wildlife activities. In Nagpur, the team seized two tiger skins and 30 kgs of tiger bones from five persons while in Majnu Ka Teela, a duo was arrested with two leopard and five otter skins besides 4 kgs of Red-sanders, a precious wood, agency sources said. The agencies were on the lookout for the accused for the last several months, they said, adding their names are being withheld for investigative purposes. The sources said the arrest is being considered a major achievement as a financier and two middlemen have also been held which the agencies hope will help in nabbing "bigger fishes" in the wildlife racket.

( Note: It is time to keep watch on 'khanabadosh' communities and do regular foot patrolling in the field. Local intelligence gathering and day to day monitoring of large carnivores are must-Ramesh Pandey )

Links:

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/environment/flora-fauna/Wildlife-racket-busted-tiger-otter-skins-seized-/articleshow/5207515.cms (Economic Times-Net version)

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Seizure-shows-poachers--Delhi--Maharashtra-link/538717 (Indian Express)

http://news.webindia123.com/news/articles/India/20091109/1380264.html

http://epaper.hindustantimes.com/ArticleImage.aspx?article=10_11_2009_009_004&mode=1