IndiaWilds Newsletter Vol.1 Issue VII

IndiaWilds Newsletter Vol.1 Issue VII

Wildlife Management: Tiger Translocations

What is the state of wildlife in this country?

Every month I keep on asking this question again and again. Every month there is news about the death of our mega fauna from various parts of the country either due to poaching or due to the improper handling by the forest department. In this month let us examine two cases of tiger translocation in two different National Parks.

The tiger translocation process from Ranthambhore to Sariska was hailed as a success. Is it actually so?

Sariska had come to the limelight after poachers systematically killed all its tigers. Panna has followed the same ignominious path. The response to Sariska was airlifting of a tiger and tigress from Ranthambhore. Nobody cared that the tiger and tigress taken from Ranthambhore were siblings. Are we not concerned about maintaining a healthy gene pool? Bringing two siblings to freshly populate a landscape defies all logic. I hope this situation is rectified by introducing more tigers from different areas to maintain genetic diversity.

At least, the tigers from Ranthambhore are reported to be healthy after relocation. Not so fortunate was a tigress from Nagarhole. She was supposed to have taken to cattle lifting and it was decided to capture here. She was tranqulised and displayed in a cage for 3 days for the stream of visitors from the surrounding areas, while a radio collar was awaited. She died after she was released in Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary. For further details please check:
http://www.indiawilds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1303

I wish the National Tiger Conservation Authority guidelines are rigorously adhered to as well as experts consulted in all tiger relocations undertaken in any part of the country.

With this issue Karnataka remains in the news for all the wrong reasons. In the previous month the order to stop night traffic in the road passing through Bandipur was lifted – a move that is likely to increase disturbance and wildlife deaths due to road kills. And now comes the news of the sad death of a tigress in Nagarhole.

Please shoot an email to Shri B. S. Yediyurappa, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Karnataka at cm@kar.nic.in and urge him to take action. You may also email our Hon’ble Minister for Environment and Forests Shri Jairam Ramesh at mosef@nic.in . Please remember that your voice matters.

It is a fact that a number of tigers have died in different National Parks and sanctuaries due to improper dose while traquilising. This needs to be tackled and systemic deficiencies need to be removed. Please check the link for further details:
http://www.indiawilds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23

 

Natural History:

A few interesting discussions in the Natural history section are as follows:

Bird Behaviour – mobbing:
http://www.indiawilds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1212

Mimicry – by Vikram Gupchup
http://www.indiawilds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1289

Wildlife Photography:

Short toed snake eagle in flight by AB Apana
http://www.indiawilds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1247

Bonellis Eagle and Stepple Eagle fight by Kiran Ghadge
http://www.indiawilds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1151

Crested Bunting by Kiran Ghadge
http://www.indiawilds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1253

Reed warbler by Rahil Abdulghani
http://www.indiawilds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1128

Great Egret by Bibhav Behera using a 135mm lens
http://www.indiawilds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1166

Baya weaver by Sagar Patil using a Compact camera
http://www.indiawilds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1224

Rat Snakes by Mrudul Godbole
http://www.indiawilds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1238

Infant Mugger by AB Apana
http://www.indiawilds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1144

Barasinga Portrait by Nishad Rangnekar
http://www.indiawilds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1128

Ethics in Nature photography is an ignored subject. However, it is pertinent topic as most of the photographers have no qualms in disturbing the subject and its habitat just to get that shot. Please refer to the following link for discussion on Nature Photography Ethics
http://indiawilds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1241

Regards,
Sabyasachi Patra
www.indiawilds.com/forums

(Circulated in July 2009)

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