3 tigers found dead in Corbett in 6 days; forest officials on tenterhooks

[Debasis Bose]

3 June 2013 Dehradun: The Jim Corbett Tiger Reserve in Uttarakhand is facing a crisis with three tiger deaths reported in past six days and nine tiger deaths this year. In the latest incident, the body of a two-and-half-year-old male tiger was found in a decomposed state in the western part of the reserve, close to a water body, on Saturday.
The forest officials are on tenterhooks. Corbett Field Director Samir Sinha said that poaching cannot be ruled out.
The forest department has taken four Gujjars into custody for further interrogation.
The bodies of the big cats in all the three instances suggest they died days before being found, raising doubts over the way patrolling is being carried out in the tiger landscape of Kumaon's tarai region, experts said.
The tiger population in India is estimated to be 1,706 with close to 200 big cats in the Corbett Tiger Reserve. :sad:

[Saktipada Panigrahi]

We are angry. We are pinning a lot of hopes on preservation of Terai landscape for survival of tigers. All the tax-payers' money are going down the drains! I have heard that the present Chief Minister has been taking keen interest for tiger corridor to Rajaji. In Kaziranga, every year stiff resistance is put up by foresters sometimes even at the cost of their lives. I have never heard of any gun battle with the poachers in Corbett.
Bhai Debasis,
Although sad, thanks for spreading the message.
Kind regards,SaktiWild

Shri Sabyasachi,
You may please think of writing to CM on behalf of IndiaWilds.
Kind regards,SaktiWild

[Sabyasachi Patra]

This is really sad state of affairs in our premier tiger reserve. I just returned from a "wildlife pilgrimage" where I could sit down at the spot where Jim Corbett had shot the famous maneating leopard of Rudraprayag. Trying to climb the hills with my equipment I was short of breath. Today the forests are gone, then hills are denuded. Where Jim Corbett used to place each step with utmost care, lest the maneater wins the bet, today I trudge along with only thought of walking those steep inclines. It gave me a perspective of what we have lost.

The few places which still have wildlife left - like the Corbett Tiger Reserve where Jim Corbett had earlier exhorted his villagers not to kill animals - may soon be bereft of any wildlife. It would be a sad day indeed. The omen is not good. I will certainly write a letter on behalf of all of us in IndiaWilds and request the urgent intervention of the Hon'ble CM.

[Kaustuv Chatterjee]

Please let me know if you want any media support on this....

[Saktipada Panigrahi]

'DARK TWIST TO A CORBETT TALE'

Three tigers dead in a week under mysterious circumstances, 32 deaths in two and a half years ---all in the forests of a reserve that is a showpiece of tiger conservation. Who is targetting the animal?

kumar sambhav shrivastava investigates

Published in
The Sunday Statesman
4 AUGUST 2013
Kolkata
************************************************** *******************
The Article contains a detailed map of Corbett T.R ( Ramnagar, Terai West, Kaladhungi, Kalagarh ranges etc shown), exact places where tigers were poached, poisoned or killed/carcass found separately, dates of such occurences, locations of resorts etc. all shown in the map. The author has dealt with the mystery,if any surrounding such unnatural deaths. The article is map-centric and therefore, I have attempted am posting a short review only.

SALIENT POINTS OF THE ARTICLE:
(1)Massacres have taken place precisely in three areas : Kalagarh Range, Terai West Forest Division, Ramnagar Forest Division as evident from the map.
(2)The author finds areas bordering U.P have been hard-hit.
(3)Kosi corridor on the eastern boundary is almost blocked .
(4)New/upcoming resorts will further block passage through northern and easern boundary of the park.
(5)Many bodies of tigers have been found very close to resorts in the South-East boundary particularly in Terai West and Ramnagar Divisions.

A map detailing the aspects stated above has given me a clear perception .


SaktiWild

[Debasis Bose]

Dear Saktipadada,

Thank you for sharing the information. Request if you could post the map. Infers resort mafia's involvement.

Regards
Debasis Bose

[Sabyasachi Patra]

The map is from the article in Down to Earth by Kumara Sambhav Shrivastava. Original article source: http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/dark-twist-bright-tale
http://www.downtoearth.org.in/dte/userfiles/images/32l_20130731.jpg

[Saktipada Panigrahi]

Immensely grateful, Shri Sabyasachi for coming out with the magnified map of Corbett T.R before I could keep my tryst with Bhai Debasis and other members/viewers. The same map was published in The Sunday Statesman. Like a photograph, a map speaks a lot.
Kind regards,SaktiWild