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Jhurjhura tigress in Bandhavgarh is dead
Bandhavgarh Tigress dead
The Jhurjhura tigress in Bandhavgarh who had three small cubs is dead. It is reported that she was hit by a gypsy and died at around 9 am in the jhurjhura dam area. All the drivers and guides of the gypsies (11) that had gone in that route are being questioned.
Postmortem is being done on the body of the tigress now.
Official version is awaited.
The tigress was finding it difficult to feed her cubs in the rajbehera dam area, as by the time she used to go and fetch her small cubs, her grown up cubs from previous litter used to come and eat the kill. So since the last two weeks, she had left the rajbehera area and was staying in the jhurjhura dam area. There is good hiding place for her cubs in the caves in jhurjhura.
Personally, I have been photographing her for the past few years. It is heartbreaking to think that her three small cubs who are too small to hunt themselves are now orphaned.
Did Bandhavgarh tiger choke to death?
Another news article on this....
NAGPUR: Tiger conservation took a hit on Tuesday when one death was reported inside the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, 475 kms from Nagpur.
This is the 18th tiger death in India since January and comes at a time when census readings are being studied to check if the tally of 1411 from the count four years ago has gone up or down. The new figure will be announced by the Wildlife Institute of India in October this year.
The incident took place at 10am in Zurzura in Tala Range of the reserve. There are conflicting claims not only about the reasons of death but also of the tiger's sex.
Some tourists from Nagpur told TOI that the tiger had died due to suffocation after its neck got entangled in a wire snare which may have been put by villagers to trap herbivores. Others claimed the tiger was hit by a tourist vehicle and died due to injuries.
Forest officials, however, rule out both the possibilities and are giving a completely different view.
CK Patil, field director & conservator of forests at Bandhavgarh, feels that the tiger – a male according to him — could have died in a territorial fight. He denied that it was injured and attacked tourists' vehicles.
Patil was also emphatic that the tiger did not have had wire snares on its neck.
Contradicting his boss' claims, JN Shukla, the Tala range forest officer (RFO), told TOI the dead animal was a three-year-old female and there were no external injury marks on its body. This clearly indicates that the tiger did not die in a territorial fight as is being claimed by Patil.
Taken from http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...ow/5951666.cms
Tigress died after vehicle hit it
The post-mortem, conducted on a tigress, killed at the Bandhavgarh National Park on Wednesday, suggests the big cat could have been a victim of an accident.
The tigress, aged about three years, died of internal haemorrhage caused by the impact from a vehicle. Veterinarians say the tigress could have been hit around 9.30 am.
Forest department officials have checked a vehicle of a jungle camp operated by Shyamendra Singh, son of state PWD Minister Nagendra Singh.
The article was taken from http://www.hindustantimes.com/Tigres...e1-546330.aspx
Bandhavgarh tigress died due to vehicle hit, say officials
Bhopal, May 21 (IANS) A tigress which died in Madhya Pradesh’s Bandhavgarh National Park Wednesday succumbed to internal haemorrhage, confirming apprehensions that it was hit by a vehicle, officials said Friday.
“The autopsy report of the tigress suggested death due to internal haemorrhage caused perhaps by being hit by a vehicle,” said Madhya Pradesh Chief Wildlife Warden R.S. Negi.
Veterinary expert A.B. Srivastava, under whose guidance the autopsy was performed, said: “The tigress had suffered multiple injuries probably after a vehicle hit.”
Officials of the park, located in Umaria district, were Wednesday informed about the tigress lying in an injured condition near a water source. However, the big cat which looked distressed died within a few minutes of the forest department team reaching the spot. Its cubs are now being looked after by the wildlife department.
“The post-mortem also revealed that the tigress was around eight years old, and not three years as presumed earlier,” he said.
Investigations are on to locate the vehicle which hit the big cat, Negi said. “The forest department has sought the help of the police and forensic team to locate the vehicle.”
Negi said eight tourist vehicles had entered the park Wednesday as per the gate entries and a forensic examination of the vehicles would be carried out.
Besides the tourist vehicles, the forest department’s vehicles that had entered the park would also be checked, since there are no eyewitnesses to the incident.
Meanwhile, a forest department team is keeping an eye on the tigress’s cubs.
The cubs are aged around 5 months and are being closely monitored and special care would be given to them, Negi said.
Last year, too, three cubs were shifted to an enclosure inside the park after their mother died.
This is the second incident of a tiger being killed in the reserve due to a vehicle- hit within a year. On April 24, 2009, a male tiger was hit by a tourist vehicle and died subsequently.
Taken from http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/...100367376.html
TOI: MP minister's kin car hit tigress in Bandhavgarh
NAGPUR: In a new twist to the controversy over the death of a tigress in Bandhavgarh Reserve, TOI learns the incident occurred after a vehicle hit the wild cat. Sources confirmed that the vehicle that hit the tigress was allegedly owned by a resort run by PWD minister of MP, Nagendra Singh.
A close relative of the minister's son was in the vehicle when it inadvertently hit the tigress. Park officials have detained three vehicles. A tourist had told TOI that the death happened due to a collision with a vehicle. Naresh Kadyan, master trainer of Animal Welfare Board of India and a representative of International Organisation for Animal Protection in India, has issued notice to the chief wildlife warden of MP under section 55 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
He has also demanded the sacking of the minister. Kadyan claims that it was Singh's son who was in the vehicle that dashed against the tigress.
"Officials are trying to hush up the matter," he said from Delhi. "The minister's son and others have violated the law. Yet the police failed to lodge an FIR against them for violation of section 9, read with 51 of Wildlife Protection Act along with section 428-429 of IPC specifying criminal conspiracy against wild animals or any relevant legislations. The chief wildlife warden has failed to perform his duties."
This was taken from http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...ow/5955969.cms
3 in dock over tigress death
Sharing this article published in Hindustan Times
Sabyasachi
3 in dock over tigress death
Chetan Chauhan, Hindustan Times
New Delhi, May 26, 2010
First Published: 22:59 IST(26/5/2010)
Last Updated: 23:00 IST(26/5/2010)
The Madhya Pradesh forest department is investigating whether officials allowed relatives of a state cabinet minister inside Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve late in the night, resulting in the accidental death of a tigress.
Forest officials found the dead tigress on May 21 after being alerted by tourists who saw the animal in pain. The post-mortem revealed that a fast-moving vehicle had hit her.
“Efforts are still on to trace the vehicle that hit the tigress,” said a senior state forest department official, refusing to comment on whether a minister’s relatives were present in the reserve, 481 km from Bhopal, that night. “All aspects are being investigated.”
The forest department has, however, suspended three officials. One allegedly accompanied the minister’s relatives. “We would like to know what one of the suspended officials was doing in Bandhavgarh, which was not under his jurisdiction,” said P.K. Sen, former director of Project Tiger.
It was alleged that the vehicle in which they were travelling accidentally hit the tigress, after which they fled. The carcass was found next morning.
State forest minister Sartaj Singh said the officials had been suspended for not cooperating with the investigation and for being absent on the day of the incident. In a report submitted to the National Tiger Conservation Authority on Wednesday, the state government said an assistant director and two range officers had been suspended for negligence.
Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh has sought a report from the chief minister.
The source article can be found here:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/3-in-d...e1-548980.aspx
Central Empowered Committee
It is very sad and shocking. From all the stuff what I read and heard, it looks like there is definitely a politician and few park officials involved. Looks like a powerful man was taken for a night safari in the park by the park officials and thats when their jeep hit the tiger.
We should also file a complaint on this matter with the Central Empowered Committee (CEC), constituted by the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India to look into Forests, Wildlife and related matters. They have the powers to summon anyone and conduct an enquiry. I have taken some wildlife matters to them and I have been happy since there are no red tapes in CEC:
Member Secretary, Central Empowered Committee, II Floor, Chanakya Bhawan, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi-110021
Tel: +91-11-26884921, +91-11-26884923, +91-11-24101926
Fax: +91-11-24101925, Email: info@cecindia.org, website: www.cecindia.org
Many Bandhavgarh park officials behave like rogues. I was in Bandhavgarh two weeks back. We were watching the Bamera male feasting on a wild boar in a Nala. The view was not clear and we could catch only a few glimpses. A forest department vehicle came there with a former CCF (chief conservator of forest) as a guest. They shoo'd away our jeep and they were alone. Once our jeep moved, the forest officials started throwing something (may be small stones) at the tiger to bring him out so that their ex boss could photograph the tiger. This is too sad and ridiculous.
Later I understood from the local guides, that this is a regular practice followed by forest department whenever they have to impress their VIP guests. This VIP guest nonsense must stop.
More update on the matter
I gathered more info from my friend CR Sarath, who is the Chief Naturalist of Taj Safaris and a person whom I respect a lot for his immense contribution to tiger conservation and eco-tourism:
(http://sarathcr.blogspot.com/2010/05...ndhavgarh.html
I am reproducing what he has to say:
Quote:
I am currently in Bandhavgarh since two weeks and i could gather the following story from various sources; but first the sequence of events on the fateful morning of 19th May, when the Tigress died:
1. A vehicle from a Lodge, driven by one of the most mild-mannered and liked Naturalists in the Park, saw the Tigress at the Jhurjhura waterhole at about 6.10 am..and she charged at them! She looked injured..and the Naturalist promptly reported that to the Park authorities. In fact, I met him and his frightened guests and he told me about the encounter and asked us to avoid that area.
2. The area was promptly closed and the Park authorities went to investigate; they also got charged by the engraged Tigress and driver in his fright or whatever hit the Tigress while reversing the vehicle..the evidence is clear on the ground by a damaged machan and also the vehicle was damaged in several places.
3. When they approached the area again later..they found the Tigress dead.The time was 9.20 am.
What could have happened? Why was the Tigress charging at any vehicle? The post-mortem conducted on her the next morning revealed that the death was caused by injuries sustained 6-7 hours back..that means at around 2-3 am in the wee hours of the morning. No other vehicle can possibly enter the Park but a Forest Department (FD) vehicle. So it is clear that a speeding FD vehicle hit the Tiger and whoever did that hushed up the matter. No wonder the Tigress was aggressive and charging at any vehicle on sight. In fact, this particular Tigress is known for it's extremely non-agressive nature in the whole Park.
As expected, the blame game started..the Park officials caught hold of the last tourists who reported the incident in the first place..they wanted them to implicate the Naturalist-driver..the very man who probably saved their life by showing presence of mind and driving away! The officers intention was clear..they wanted to find a scape-goat! They harrased every other vehicle on that route..summoned them to the Park office in Umaria (30 kms away) repeatedly. But fortunately the Park Director is a upright and a strict officer..he smelt a rat..and on the 25th May ordered the suspension of 3 officers and ordered an independent enquiry. Let's hope the truth will come out.
I cannot believe that when the whole Nation is so worried about the dwindling numbers of this magnificent Big Cat, some officers who are responsible for it's very protection..in one of India's best known Tiger Reserves..can be so callous! We, all the wildlife lovers, have to all put immense pressure on the powers-to-be to catch hold of the guilty and give them exemplary punishment. There are rumours that a minister's son was taken inside the Park for a night drive..whatever the truth is and whatever it takes to bring it out..we have to act together and make an example out of this case. The culprits have to charged with the murder of four Tigers...and given the highest possible punishment.
The Forest Department should be forced to pull up it's socks. It is a department, at least at the Park level, with a almost feudal mind-set and works in a way which is not accountable and does fit into to rest of the democratic system. I have observed it closely for nearly 20 years now! For instance, in Kanha, we never see a FD vehicle drive slowly in the Park! They race down at 60-80 kmph and at the same time regularly penalise tourist vehicles which are supposed to be driving at 20 kmph for over-speeding! On several occasions, they 'banned' tourist vehicles without even hearing the other side of any incident..totally against the principles of 'natural justice'. Once, in Pench, i was driving a Range Officer and some researchers..he reprimanded me why i was driving like a 'tourist vehicle'! He meant i was driving too slow!!
I dread to think that we are entrusting them with the protection of our Tigers and Parks!
Another very alarming issue we need to address immediately is about the so called VIP's in the Park. These govt officers make a mockery of the Park rules.Their vehicles do not follow any Park rules of timings, speed and routes. They flout all these rules right in front of the bonafide international and national tourists who have paid full fees and have every right to enjoy the Park. For instance, after the tragic death of the Jhurjhura Tigress, the area where her Cubs were found is prohibited for any regular visitor..in fact, half the Park is closed for them. But the 'VIP' vehicles are merrily going into this area with families in tow, making such a mockery of the great pre-cautions taken by the Park authorities.
Ramesh roars after tigress death in MP
NEW DELHI: The death of a tigress in the Madhya Pradesh’s Bandhavgarh sanctuary after being hit by a vehicle could result in the reworking of the eco-tourism policies. Environment minister Jairam Ramesh has sought a report from chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. “The minister has taken a serious note of the matter and has asked chief minister Chouhan to probe the case thoroughly and send a report,” a ministry official said.
MP’s additional principle chief conservator of forest Dharmendra Negi is investigating the case even as various theories for the death of the 10-year-old feline on May 19 in the Tala Range of the reserve are doing the rounds. Reserve field director C K Patil has demanded a CID or CBI inquiry into the incident. “Patil has written to the state’s chief wildlife warden R S Negi with such a request,” the official said.
Soon after the incident, Mr Patil had said that “a tourist vehicle had hit the tigress after which she died. But it needs investigation”. According to reports from the tiger reserve, the tigress was hit by a vehicle belonging to the state’s PWD minister Nagendra Singh’s son.
National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) member-secretary Rajesh Gopal said the post-mortem report confirmed that the tigress had died due to the impact. The tigress was being tracked by a lot of tiger watchers as she was nursing three new cubs. Mr Gopal said: “The authorities in Bandhavgarh have taken action against three officials and suspended them.”
This has given added impetus to demands for regulating tourism in reserve parks. Wildlife activist Kahini Ghosh Mehta said: “In case the death is because of VIP movements inside the park, the case needs to be thoroughly investigated and the offenders should be punished severely.”
Environmentalist Mike Pandey said: “This is a tragic incident and needs to be thoroughly investigated. In case the cause of death is hit and run by a tourist vehicle, there can’t be a bigger reason for the government to enforce strict tourism-related regulations inside and outside the park.”
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/...ow/5983294.cms
Actuall Report on Death of Jhurjhuria Tigress**
Dear Members & The Team India wilds,
Please read the report till the end, We seek Each IW members participation in fight for justice for the late angel ''Jhurjhuria Tigress''...
Field Visit to Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve regarding recent tigress mortality Report of the Member Secretary, NTCA
As directed, the undersigned visited the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (MP) on 31st May and 1st June, 2010 to ascertain the factual status regarding the recent mortality of a tigress. The factual status/ observations based on interactions with the CCF and Field Director, staff and wildlife enthusiasts/tour operators, besides site visit are as below:
1. The tigress was a resident, breeding animal at ‘Jhurjhura’ (Tala Range) which forms part of the core/ critical tiger habitat.
2. The tigress, alongwith its 3 cubs (around 6 months old) has been intensively photographed/ seen/ monitored by the park management and visitors. The said tigress has also been captured by the research team from the Wildlife Institute of India in its data collection process using camera traps.
3. The tigress was last seen by visitors and photographed on 17-05-2010 during the forenoon, besides sighting by tourists in the evening till 5 PM (Jhurjhura dam)
4. On 18-05-2010 the tigress was not seen in its usual area (Jhurjhura dam).
5. The tigress was used to viewing by visitors and there are no reports of the animal showing any aggressive behavior.
6. The day-to-day record of vehicular entry (tourist vehicles) is maintained by the park management at the main entry point (Tala).
7. It is learnt that 3 Govt. vehicles (2 belonging to the park management and 1 outsourced by the CEO, Zila Panchayat, Umaria) entered the park in the late afternoon on 18-05-2010. Besides, 2 park vehicles also went inside for the routine patrolling works from Tala to Kallwah which did not pass through the tiger spot. These 2 vehicles did not return back to Tala and stayed at Kallwah.
8. Of the other 3 vehicles, one park vehicle returned back to Tala with the staff from the main gate around 9.30 PM on the same night.
9. The other 2 vehicles indicated at serial no. 7 included the vehicle of Range Officer, Magdhi and an outsourced vehicle used by the CEO, Zila Panchayat, Umaria, who was on an inspection visit relating to works being carried out under NREGA for water impounding at the Magdhi Range.
10. It is reliably learnt from various people that the above 2 vehicles indicated at serial no. 9 stayed beyond the permitted park timings and visited the in-situ enclosure at Baheraha (Magdhi Range) for viewing the tiger cubs housed in the same (which is not permitted). Further, the vehicles also went to the tigress spot at Tala and returned back via Bhadrashila barrier instead of the main gate, which is also a cause of suspicion.
There is a strong indication (emerging out of the detailed interaction with the local people and the Field Director) that the tigress was fatally hit by one of these vehicles. The occupants in both these vehicles included the following persons:
a) Shri Akshay Kumar Singh, CEO Zila Panchayat, Umaria
b) Lalit Kumar Pandey, Range Officer, Magdhi
c) Dr. K.K. Pandey, Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, Tala
d) A relative of Shri Akshay Kumar Singh and 3 children
e) Shri Man Singh, Driver of Range Officer, Magdhi
f) A driver of the vehicle used by the CEO, Umaria.
(It is also learnt that Dr. KK Pandey owns a lodge named ‘Tiger Heaven’ and wields considerable influence in the area. He was also present in the PM subsequently, and has provided his vehicle to the CEO, Umaria office on a contractual basis/ arrangement. He volunteered for bringing the post mortem report from Jabalpur, while using the same vehicle provided to the CEO, Zila Panchayat, Umaria.)
11. On 19.05.2010, the tigress was seen in an abnormal/ injured condition by several tourist vehicles and the park staff. The Field Director and the Deputy Director were away on tour to Bhopal during the period for participating in the State Wildlife Advisory Board and other meetings.
On learning about the condition of the tigress, the Field Director telephonically instructed for cordoning of the area.
12. The tigress was found dead in the Jhurjhura dam on 19.05.2010 at around 9.20 AM. The PM was carried out the next day after preserving the carcass in a deep freeze by a team of veterinary experts which included Dr. AB Shrivatava, Associate Professor, veterinary college, Jabalpur. The Field Director telephonically apprised the undersigned about the incident. Shri Satyendra Tiwari, wildlife enthusiast and tour operator was suggested from the NTCA to be present alongwith Dr. AB Shrivastava during the PM.
13. The PM has revealed that the tigress has succumbed on account of seviour impact by due to a hard/ blunt object. There were no signs of external injury or bullet wounds. There are enough arguments/ evidences which strongly indicate that the 2 vehicles carrying the CEO, Zila Panchayat
Umaria, Range Officer, Magdhi and others as indicated at serial no. 10 was involved in this accident.
14. Since then the State Forest Department has suspended the Asstt. Director, and two Range Officers (RO Magdhi and RO Tala). In this context, the following urgent actions are suggested:
I. Advising the State for an urgent CBI probe into the whole incident which would, interalia, address the related issues (violation of rules, corruption, nexus, if any, between the lower functionaries of the park and tourist operators etc.)
II. Advising the State for immediately housing the orphaned tiger cubs in an in-situ enclosure within the park, with the technical advice of the Wildlife Institute of India and the NTCA, with Central Assistance.
III. Advising the State for strict regulation of tourism in Tiger Reserves vis-ŕ vis the advisories issued by the MoEF for adhering to the carrying capacity.
IV. Urging the State Govt. to expedite the notification of buffer zones around the core areas of Tiger Reserves, and according them further statutory protection under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and placing the same under the unified control of respective Field Directors.
V. Advising the State to address the District Collectors to examine the corridor value of an area before granting permission for a change in its landuse vis-ŕ-vis the State level corridor connectivity identified in the recent all India Tiger estimation.
VI. Strengthening the hands of the Field Director (who is a dedicated, trained officer with good track record) by posting motivated Deputy Director, Assistant Director and Range Officers, besides filling up the frontline staff vacancies.
Date: 01.06.2010
By
Dr. Rajesh Gopal
Member Secretary
NTCA, Camp Bandhavgarh
http://moef.nic.in/downloads/public-...eport_NTCA.pdf