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.
Friday, May 7, 2010
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.
Friday, March 19, 2010
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.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
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.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
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.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
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).
Monday, December 7, 2009
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)
Sunday, November 22, 2009
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.
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.)
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
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
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.
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.
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
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
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
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
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.
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.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
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.
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)
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Katerniaghat Foundation and its conservation initiatives
Katerniaghat Foundation came in to existence almost two years back. The foundation had been working in the field of wildlife conservation in Dudhwa-Katerniaghat area. Recently I received the 'Inaugural Issue' of the news letter ' published by the Foundation. Its name is beautifully given as Kat's Eye.
The issue begins with comments of the prominent wildlife personalities who visited Katerniaghat in last few years. Few of them are Mr P. K. Sen, Mr Asad Rahmani, Mr Rom Whitaker, Mr Bivash Pandav and Mr Diwarkar Sharma. The Editorial written by Dhrub Basu unleash the role of NGO vis-a-vis environmental conservation issues.
The very first issue is full with variety of articles mainly contributed by Mr Chanramani Kant Singh, Mr S. Kumar, Neeraj Kumar and Dhrubjyoti Basu. The story of revival and restoration of Katerniaghat narrated by me has also got the place in the issue.
I hope that PDF version of the news letter will be circulated by the Foundation soon for the wider circulation of the text. I wish to see contribution from people other than forest officials or office bearers of the foundation in the very next issue.
The foundation is going to organising a workshop on Tiger Conservation issue on 8th of November and hopefully would be able to draw the attention towards the need of tiger conservation in the country.
The team of Katerniaghat Foundation particularly Mr Neeraj Srivastava and Mr Suresh Chaudhary deserve due acknowledgement for their all positive and sincere efforts.
I personally thanks Suresh ji for selecting my photograph for the cover page of the first issue of the news letter. We all liked this photograph because it was taken in complete darkness and every body know how elusive a tiger is in Terai.
Link: http://katerniaghatfoundation.googlepages.com/
Sunday, October 25, 2009
World of Birds
Bhagat Singh is a living legend, a guru for many of us. He has been visiting, camping and birding in most of our protected areas and hills of Uttarakhand for more than fifty years; with his camera and mobile camping gear customised in a Maruti van. For the last couple of years he had been silently living and enjoying nature’s bounty in a remote village of Garhwal hills. His last book on birds of Uttaranchal was published in the year 2007 and his next book on photographic life cycle of birds will be published next years. I am one of the fortunate one who keep getting his blessings and guidance both in professional and personal life. Recently I got one of his speech delivered in India International Centre, New Delhi two years back; when his photo-exhibition was organised. I took his permission to put it on this blog to share with all of us who have common feelings for birds and wildlife.
Bhagat Singh: (India International Centre, New Delhi):
The ‘World of Birds’ is the most beautiful and colourful gift of nature to mankind. Their exuberant vitality enchants us, their mysterious lives tantalize us, and their bewitching melodies uplift our hearts and minds. Their brilliant colours, innumerable forms, streamlined shapes, gorgeous flights and playful acts, full of fun and frolic, bestowed upon these magnificent denizens of the sky a place of honour and pride among the comity of living on our planet. Since time immemorial, birds have had a close relationship with human population. The whistling tunes of Thrush, sonnets of Bulbul, mournful lament of Hoopoe, hooting of Owl, out-cry of Red Jungle Fowl, Chattering of Myna, drum-beats of Barbet, ascending notes of Koel, emotional outburst of Chatak, distressed cry of Chakor, maddening call-notes of Papiya, melodies of Shyama, piercing scream of Peacock, ornamental dance of Saras, fluting tunes of Robin, lyrics of Madhuka (Lora), rhythmic walk of Hans (Swan), and a great variety of fun-filled and joyous acts of a large multitude of birds have aroused emotions and passions in human hearts and influenced human folklore and literature.
It is true that by bird watching we cannot earn our livelihood but if we cultivate the hobby of bird watching it would certainly prolong our life; for it would stimulate our heart and mind to step-in into all pervading serene wilderness, where we can breathe fresh air; seek peace and tranquillity; break the dull and drab monotony of the present day city life; where we can relax our nerves in the natural setting, free from tension and pollution; and soothe our depressed feelings in an environment, that throbs with the fragrance of wild flowers; with the melodious songs of a great variety of birds; with the playful acts of a large number of animals; with the exhilarating dances of lofty trees; with the glimmer of trickling water springs; and the enchanting tunes played by the orchestra of numerous waterfalls descending down the forested hills.
Furthermore, birds play a significant role in the conservation of nature. Nature-where tranquillity reigns; where mind illuminates; where soul enlightens; where heart throbs; where splendour glows; and where scenic grandeur animates transcendental bliss. Nature-which is all soothing and sublime.
People, nowadays, are becoming more and more conscious that they cannot live a healthy life, independent of their natural environment. Birds, in this context, perform an invaluable function. They warn us, by their health and well-being, of the dangers that threatens us in the environment. Several species of birds have become extinct or miserably dwindled in numbers, as a result of pesticide residues in the environment. This warns us that we too are absorbing all kinds of chemicals into our own bodies, which have unpredictable side effects, fraught with dire consequences to our healthy growth. This warns us that this is high time that we must take effective and concrete action to stop all toxic substances getting into the environment. If we are able to put a halt to this terrible decline, we will have the satisfaction that we are helping ourselves as well as these magnificent winged creatures.
India has abundant share of the natural splendour or the earth; and more that its share of bird wealth, both in terms of diversity and population. Hills covered with lush green vegetation; vast expanses of grasslands, dotted with clusters of trees and shrubby bushes; and wide open glades with luxuriant growth of green foliage provide eternal home to multitudes of birds. The wide spectrum of bio-geographic diversity of this region is fully reflected in its spectacularly rich birdlife.
Most species are resident, and stay here round the year, subject to, of course, seasonal movement; while few species, which winter in South India, migrate to Himalayas to spend their summer months. On the other hand, some strong flying birds, such as Wood cock, Indian Blue Chat, and Pied Ground Thrush which are resident of the Himalayas, take long journeys to find analogous habitats in the Nilgiri Hills in South India to spend their winter months in warmer regions, and return to their original areas in the Himalayas in Summer, where they breed and raise their young.
Unrivalled in scenic grandeur and natural splendour, India has drawn worldwide attention for being the heavenly abode of most of the beautiful and colourful birds, such as, Barbets, Minivets, Tits, Finches, Parakeets, Woodpeckers etc.
Most of the water reservoirs, rivers and lakes, spread over the entire Indian Union, provide shelter to many species of birds, which migrate from distant places in Central Asia Europe and China, to the Indian Sub-continent in winter.
Since India has a tremendous altitudinal variation, the climate of this country greatly varies from tropical heat to arctic cold of the snowy mountains. Because of this drastic change in climatic conditions, there is a different type of plant life in different parts of this country. The birdlife primarily depends on the type of vegetation that exists in different climatic zones, which can be broadly divided into (1) Tropical and Sub Tropical (2) Temperate, and (3) Alpine.
Whenever the sun shines warmly, the old male birds tune their pipe and enliven the neighbourhood with their songs. The young also begin to sing. With the advent of the spring, the blossoms peep forth in every part of the budding woods and hundreds of plants banis the dismal appearance of winter. The nature clothed in spring provides happiness and abundance to all creatures. Then the songbirds perched on the tops of detached trees, give vent to their passion. Their songs never fail to enchant the listeners.
During the love-season, some songbirds pour out their feelings with heightened passion. Like proud musicians, they swell their throat, spread their tail, droop their wings and lean alternately to the right and left. The fluting tunes of some songbirds are among the most exhilarating sounds of nature. Many small birds, like Warblers, sing in gentle, continuous trilling manner. It appears as if they speak in verse or give expression to their passions in song.
Conservation of birds is a matter of great concern. Each one of us owns the responsibility to conserve and protect the miracles of birdlife that thrives on our planet. We can do this by knowing as much about these winged creatures as we can.
All of us need to associate ourselves with the future of birdlife, and the unspoilt beauty of the magnificent land of our county. We need to appreciate the beauty and the variety of birds, and cooperate honestly in the endeavour to protect these wonderful winged creatures of our land. Concerted efforts are needed to arouse the interest of the people at large in the subject of birds and bird watching.
Bird Photography:
Bird photography is a challenging task. Even if one is whole time devoted with the most ardent will and determinations, it is not possible in one’s live time to take clear and sharp pictures of all the species of birds that are found the year round even in small area of about 300 Sq Km. Some of the reasons are:
(i) Birds are extremely shy of human being. The moment one attempts to approach them, how so much cautious, quite and careful one may be in his movement; the birds instantly take to wings. The birds have been blessed with keen eye-sight and with an acute sense of hearing.
(ii) Many of the birds are quite small in size, and generally remain hidden in bushes and leafy trees. Even when sighted, they remain partly screened amongst leaves twigs and branches.
(iii) Birds, in general, do not remain still at a place. For want of food and for fear of danger, they move swiftly from twig to twig, from branch to branch, and from tree to tree, up and down. Thus, they hardly provide any time to the photographer to click his camera.
(iv) Bird-photography primarily depends on day light conditions, particularly when one attempts to photograph birds in their natural habitats. Apart from the weather conditions that remain uncertain for most part of the year, the drifting shadows, with the movement of the sun in the sky, seriously disturb the light conditions, reducing considerably the chances of clear and sharp pictures.
(v) In jungle with dense undergrowth, particularly in hilly areas, the movement of the photographer is not only grossly restricted, but is also fraught with dire consequences for his life. I, myself is a witness to an incident in which a photographer from England, who was a keen bird watcher with years of experience at his credit, lost his life at the hands of a tiger in the Corbett National Park, while he was attempting to photograph a horned forest owl perched on a giant leafy tree. The unfortunate victim had glued his eyes on to the owl, unmindful of the stripped beast lurking for him in the nearby bushes.
(vi) Most of the birds migrate to distant lands for breeding, nesting and in search of food. Their power of flight enables them to overcome barriers that restrict the barrier that restrict the movement of the photographer. Even among the resident birds, considerable altitudinal movement takes place to escape the rigors of the seasons, particularly the winter. Migration is periodically alternative swing between two areas that promote optimum living conditions such as food, water etc. At respective seasons. Some of the birds, who are endowed with strong and sustained flights, migrate to long distances to escape extreme climatic conditions. It is not easy to locate them for months together, particularly in inhospitable hilly terrains.
(vii) Lack of minimum civic facilities such as accommodation, food, water and security etc. In remote and inaccessible areas in Indian Jungles, particularly in the interior regions of the Himalayas severely hamper the work of bird-photographers. Even if one gathers enough courage and summons boldness to face hazards he would not be at all certain about the final outcome.
To conclude, I must put on record that birds are the most beautiful and colourful ornaments of our forests. They adorn our homes, beautify our gardens, and entertain us with their sweet melodies and gorgeous flights. They deserve our love, affection and kindness.
Thanks.
Photo: Bhagat ji in Katerniaghat, Winters 2009.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
EIGHTY ONE GHARIAL CROCODILES FOUND IN NEPAL
A study on population status and distribution of Gharial Gavialis gangeticus in Nepal was commissioned by Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation and WWF Nepal in January-February 2008 aiming at updating the existing status and distribution pattern of gharial and also assessing the threats in gharial conservation in Nepal. Empirical data were collected from direct count using opportunistic search method and questionnaire survey from Koshi River of eastern Nepal, Narayani and Rapti of central Nepal and Karnali and Babai rivers of western Nepal. The census estimated a total of 81 gharial in Nepal. Out of total gharial recorded during the census, 70 were directly recorded and 11 were based on indirect counts. It revealed that 41 gharial have been sighted in 102.5 km stretch of Narayani river from Devghat to Triveni. It recorded 24 gharials in 50.92 km stretch of Rapti river from Khagendramalli to Narayani-Rapti confluence. Six and ten gharials were recorded respectively from 53.76 km stretch of Karnali river and 39.52 km stretch of Babai river from Chepang to Parewaodar. Census conducted in 38.9 km stretch of Koshi river from Chatahara to Koshi Barrage could not detected any gharial and their signs. Only 27 of the total population is adult breeding population. Age and sex of 11% individuals could not be detected. The sex ratio of chitwan population was found to be 1 male to 6 female. Nepal started captive breeding program of Gharial in 1978 aiming at rehabilitating the wild population through egg collection, captive rearing and release of young into natural river systems of protected areas. There are two Gharial breeding centres in Kasara of Chitwan National Park and Thakurdwara of Bardia National Park. Since 1981 to 2007, 691 gharials have been released in different river systems. Out of 691, 339 were released in Narayani, 99 in Rapti, 85 in Koshi, 50 in Babai, 35 in Kali Gandaki and 23 in Karnali river. In Nepal, the Gharial is listed as protected animal under National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 2029, as critically endangered in IUCN Red Data Book, and is listed in Appendix I of CITES. Gharial faces many threats due to flooding and dam construction in rivers, habitat destruction and decline in food quality and quantity. Over fishing, use of gill nets and river poisoning compounded the problem manifold. Gharial is the only surviving member of Gavialidae family. It mostly inhabits large bodied, deep, fast flowing rivers in the plain.
(Source: Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, Ministry of Forestry and Soil Conservation, Government of Nepal, photo-gharials in river Girwa, Katerniaghat)
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Pop Conservation
By Prerna Singh Bindra on her blog 'Indiannaturally':
Pop conservation is here (hopefully not to stay)...Don't believe me? Read on:
We are gonna have Gangetic dolphins in the Delhi zoo. Come again? Freshwater dolphins in the zoo. The MEF believes that a romp in the dolphinarium will do the creature good. Awareness, spreading the message regarding conservation and such other lofty motives will be met. My question is: Where are you going to get the dolphin(s) from? The only way is to capture them from the wild, and that is really not a good idea (nor is getting a 'rescued' individual--there will be a rush to 'rescue' dolphins to impress the minister. For another, they are gonna die. No, i am not the Voice of Doom, but keeping fresh water dolphins in captivity is not an easy preposition. Experience has shown that they don't survive long. Just as an aside, don't most of our zoos house the tiger? And the lion? May I know how that has helped their cause? Isn't their fortune in the doldrums?The other great showbiz idea is to get the cheetah to India. You know the fastest animal on earth that once thrived in India, till we finished it off. The last three were shot (in one go) in 1947. The cheetah is now extinct in India. But hey, chill. Not for long. We are gonna fly 'em in (we been shopping in Namibia) and give ‘em some grassland (where, where?) to live in. For details on this one, read my earlier post. Suffice to say, its a no brainer, a grand money-making, headline-hogging idea. It's a conservation dud, but is surely gonna attract dollar tourists in the safari that we create for the cheetah.Tigers and lions? Never mind ‘em, once they go the cheetah way, we will just bah ‘em from Texas, plenty of ‘em there—more than all over the world in fact. So don’t worry, be happy. Oh yes, there was this other fantastic plan of getting microlights to protect tiger reserves. An idea straight out of Africa, not a bad one, but not for Corbett and Namdapha—the chosen ones for the grand experiment. Minister, minister, these are moist deciduous forests and rainforests, not savannas that can be surveyed aerialy. The canopy is not transparent. And wouldn’t it be wiser (though certainly not sexier) to first equip our foot soldier. Invest in them—ensure they are in adequate numbers, and well-equipped and trained to guard our tigers?Oh yes, there is this other brilliant idea--though not so much conservation as a gimmick. Did you know that India is going to kick of International Tiger Year on February 14. Valentine's Day. Gettit? Cho chweet. The launch is at Corbett National Park (don't roll in your grave, Jim, it's ok). Keep the date. and don't forget to bring the red roses.
Posted by prerna singh bindra on her blog:
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Leopard skins and a bear bile seized in Uttarakhand and two persons arrested
Two persons were arrested on 11.10.09 after two leopard skins and bear bile, which is believed to have medicinal value, were seized from them in Dehradun, Uttaranchal.The two have been identified as Shyam Dutta Joshi and Deepak from Chakrata region in Dehradun. The operation was jointly done by Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) with the Special Task Force (STF) of the state.
In the recent past there had been many such seizures done by WCCB, STF, Police and FD Uttarakhand relating to leopard skins and bear biles. There had been major seizures like Saharanpur (8 leopard skins seizure done by UP Police), Delhi (8 leopard skins seized by WCCB and Delhi Crime Branch), Shimla (8 leopard skins seized by Shimla Police) and Dhangadhi-Nepal (6 leopard skins seized by Nepal Forest and Wildlife Authorities) which indicated extent of the killing and threat on leopards.
Links of the news published are given below:
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Where worlds collide
I had been in Nepal last week and got opportunity to meet my old friend Tariq who is the leader of WWF-Eastern Himalaya Conservation Project stationed at Nepal. He gave me a brouchure which was worth reading and to know the potential of this lesser known and difficult landscape including North Eastern Indian Part. The most important part of the reading material is the compilation of the almost 300 new species and their relevant references as annexure. The PDF version of the brochure is available on net, the link of the same is mentioned below. Small pieces of excerpts have also been shared.
At least 353 new species have beendiscovered in the Eastern Himalayasbetween 1998 and 2008, equating toan average of 35 new species findsevery year for the last 10 years. Thediscoveries include 242 plants, 16amphibians, 16 reptiles, 14 fish, 2birds and 2 mammals, and at least 61new invertebrates.
The Eastern Himalayas is at the crossroads of two continental platesrepresented by the lowland Indo-Malayan Realm and to the north, the elevatedPalearctic Realm. The meeting of these worlds has created one of thebiologically richest areas on Earth. Spanning Bhutan, the north-eastern Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, North Bengaland Sikkim, the far north of Myanmar (Burma), Nepal and Tibet, the region includes four ofthe Global 200 ecoregions, critical landscapes of international biological importance. TheHimalayas are home to an estimated 10,000 plant species, 300 mammal species, 977 birdspecies, 176 reptiles, 105 amphibians and 269 freshwater fish. The region also has the highestdensity of the Bengal tiger and is the last bastion for the charismatic greater one-horned rhino.Even today the rugged, and largely inaccessible landscape of the Eastern Himalayas, hides thereal extent of the region’s biodiversity, with extraordinary new species continuing to bediscovered year-on-year. Between 1998 and 2008, at least 353 new species have beendiscovered in the Eastern Himalayas, 35 new species finds on average every year for the last10 years .The extent of the new species finds place the Eastern Himalayas on a par with more wellknownbiological hotspots such as Borneo.This report celebrates these unique and fascinating species discoveries. It also highlights themany vital habitats that face growing pressures as a consequence of unsustainabledevelopment in the region. Despite protection efforts, in the last half-century, this area ofSouth Asia has faced a wave of pressures as a result of population growth and the increasingdemand for commodities by global and regional markets. The host of threats include forestdestruction as a result of unsustainable and illegal logging, agriculture, unsustainable fuelwood collection, overgrazing by domestic livestock, illegal poaching and wildlife trade,mining, pollution, hydropower development, and poorly planned infrastructure. The region isalso among the most vulnerable to global climate change, which will amplify the impacts ofthese threats.Only 25% of the original habitats in the region remain intact. For the unique species of theEastern Himalayas, this means that today 163 are considered globally threatened.
No mountain range on Earth can match the awe-inspiring Himalayas. Hometo all of the world’s highest peaks, many standing above 8,000m, they includethe tallest, the formidable Sagarmatha (Mount Everest) at 8,848m. Their storyis one of fascination and intrigue, which continues to captivate the world.The 3,000km-long Himalayan mountain range, “abode of snow” in Sanskrit, was born from amassive tectonic collision 40-50 million years ago. The energy dissipated by the monumentalmeeting of India and Eurasia was far-reaching and shaped many of Asia’s most distinctivegeographical features, including the formation of the Tibetan Plateau; the highest on Earth.Even today, the relentless movement of the plates continues to push the Himalayas furtherskyward.The Eastern Himalayas spanning Bhutan, the north-eastern Indian states of ArunachalPradesh, Assam, North Bengal and Sikkim, the far north of Myanmar (Burma), Nepal andTibet forms a wall that separates the lowlands of the Indian subcontinent from the high, dryTibetan Plateau. Climatic variability and altitudinal gradation have forged the region intoAsia’s land of contrasts, encompassing some of nature’s most magnificent spaces, from theworld’s highest mountains and several of the world’s deepest gorges, to subtropical jungles,temperate forests, tall grasslands, savannas and rich alpine meadows.A myriad of cultures and faiths including Buddhists, Hindus, Christians and animists, havelived closely with the natural environments of the Eastern Himalayas for millennia. Many ofthese communities live in isolation; their customs, lifestyles and livelihoods have been shapedby their environment, and they remain deeply dependent on the resources nature provides.Where worlds collideA global biodiversity hotspot1, the Eastern Himalayas is one of the biologically richest areason Earth. Because the region sits at the biogeographical crossroads of two continental plates,it contains an incredible wealth of biodiversity from both worlds. The Indo-Malayan Realmin the lowlands of the Eastern Himalayas is home to Asian elephants, clouded leopards, wildwater buffalo, gaur, hornbills, cobras and geckos. The elevated Palearctic Realm to the northincludes the snow leopard, red pandas, black bears, wolf, golden langurs and a diverseassemblage of alpine ungulates, like takins.The Eastern Himalayas hotspot2 includes four Global 200 ecoregions3, critical landscapes ofinternational biological importance, four World Heritage sites, two Endemic Bird Areas4, andseveral global centres for plant diversity5. The Himalayas harbour a staggering 10,000 plantspecies, from tropical to temperate, from alpine to tundra; 300 mammal species, 977 birdspecies, 176 reptiles, 105 amphibians and 269 types of freshwater fish6. A third of all plantsand reptiles are endemicI, as are 40% of all amphibians7.The world’s northernmost tropical rainforests can be found in the Eastern Himalayas8 andnearly half of the flowering plants9 and bird species known from India10. The plant life ofArunachal Pradesh is considered among the most diverse in the world, ranking second only toSumatra in Indonesia and greater than Borneo, Brazil and Papua New Guinea11.Importantly, the region comprises 17 landscapes for the Bengal tiger12, Asia’s largestcarnivore, with the densest population of Bengal tigers in the world. The Eastern Himalayasare also the last bastion for the charismatic greater one-horned rhino, which once enjoyed arange spanning the entire length of the Himalaya foothills, from Pakistan to Myanmar13 butare now restricted to a few corners of India, Bhutan and Nepal.People and wildlife form a rich mosaic of life stretching across a remarkable and unparalleled.
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