GLOBAL TIGER FORUM
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THE GLOBAL TIGER FORUM SECRETARIAT STAFF (AS ON DECEMBER 2014): SECRETARY GENERAL: DR RAJESH GOPAL ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER: G. GIN CHIN LAM TECHNICAL OFFICER: DR ANIRUDDHA MAJUMDER LIAISON OFFICER, MALAYSIA: MR MIKE BLATZER LIAISON OFFICER (WASHINGTON D.C.): DR BARNEY LONG ART: ANANDA BANERJEE COVER PHOTOGRAPH: ADITYA SINGH GLOBAL TIGER FORUM GLOBAL TIGER FORUM IS AN INTER-GOVERNMENTAL INTERNATIONAL BODY FOR THE CONSERVATION OF TIGERS IN THE WILD
GTFNEWS DECEMBER 2014
Edited by S P YADAV
Global Tiger Forum Secretariat B-16, 1st Floor, Sector - 64, Gautam Budh Nagar Noida- 201301, U.P, INDIA GTFNEWS IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
CONTENTS
Note from the Secretary General (5) 6th General Assembly of the Global Tiger Forum (6) 2nd Stock Taking Conference to Review Implementation of the Global Tiger Recovery Programme (GTRP) (7) Tigers be afraid (10)
News from Tiger Range Countries (12) Bangladesh Bhutan Cambodia China India Indonesia Lao PDR Malaysia Myanmar Nepal Russia Thailand Vietnam
News from International Agencies/NGOs (30) (A) CITES (B) Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) (C) WWF (D) SAWEN (South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network) (E) International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) (F) INTERPOL (G) 21st Century Tiger
News from National NGOs (41) (A) Wildlife Conservation Trust (WCT) (B) Corbett Foundation (C) Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) (D) Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS-India) & Centre for Wildlife Studies (CWS) (E) Wildlife Trust of India (WTI)
Tiger Mortality Statistics of India - July to December 2014 (56)
Of the GTF (57)
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NOTE FROM THE SECRETARY GENERAL
These six months were eventful for the GTF, gearing up for a larger mandate to closely hand hold the TRCs, in collaboration with its members.
The Forum was represented in the 'Tigers Forever' conference organized by the Panthera in Indonesia, during July, 2014.
The sixth General Assembly was organized as a back to back event, during the second Global tiger Stocktaking conference on 16 September at Dhaka. The said assembly was well attended by member, non members, experts and organizations. The inaugural session was graced by the Hon'ble Deputy Minister of Environment and Forests, who released several important reports and publications of the Forum, viz. Action Tiger (3rd edition), Global tiger Atlas and Bibliography on tiger. These were done in collaboration with India, Nepal, WWF and IFAW.
The GTF also offered its portfolio of services to TRCs, in conformity with the St Petersburg declaration and the Thimphu Affirmative Nine Point Action Agenda. The Forum committed itself to work in close coordination with like minded organizations for serving as a 'single window' platform to provide technical and resource support to TRCs.
The General Assembly was also appraised of the appointment of the new Secretary General of the Forum, and Bhutan was elected as the new Chair.
A delegation from the Forum visited the Clemson University (USA) for formalizing a MOU to assist the TRCs.
Several important meetings happened during this period, which are important to tiger conservation. The Second annual meeting of SAWEN was held in Nepal during August, and the meeting of the Standing Committee of the CITES in November (2014).
The enthusiasm and response from TRCs and members were reassuring, which is very important for the cause.
Dr. RAJESH GOPAL Secretary General
2014 December 5 GTFNEWS IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII THE SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE GLOBAL TIGER FORUM
The sixth General Assembly of the Global Tiger Forum (GTF) was held at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel, Dhaka, Bangladesh, on the 16th September 2014. The Assembly was chaired by India, being Chair country of the Global Tiger Forum. The Assembly was attended by member tiger range countries, non-member tiger range countries, member non-tiger countries, international and national NGOs, International organizations, wildlife experts, scientists, donors and observers.
Release of Reports/Compilations: The Deputy Minister of Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of Bangladesh released the following reports/compilations by the GTF Secretariat in collaboration with partners such the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), Government of India, Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation (MFSC), Government of Nepal, Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF), International Fund for Animal Welfare and Wildlife Institute of India, during the 6th General Assembly of the Global Tiger Forum: (i) Indo-Nepal Joint Monitoring report (ii) 3rd Edition of Action Tiger (iii) Global Tiger Atlas (iv) Bibliography on Tiger
The General Assembly approved the membership of new members in the GTF, MoU with the IUCN, Clemson University, USA, and Virginia Tech Centre for Leadership in Global Sustainability, Arlington, USA.
The GTF submitted its offer of “Portfolio of Services” to the Tiger Range Countries on the major issues/ priorities/ thematic areas highlighted in the St. Petersburg Declaration on Tiger Conservation (2010) and the Thimphu Affirmative Nine-Point Action Agenda on Tiger Conservation (2012) and stated that the Secretariat of the Global Tiger Forum (GTF), in close coordination with the Global Tiger initiative (GTI) Secretariat, Clemson University, Open Parks Network and the Wildlife Institute of India, was ready to serve as a “Single Window” platform facilitating technical resource flows between the interested TRCs on the above aspects of GTRP and ready to work as a virtual platform.
The GTF formed a Technical Advisory Committee in the field of tiger biology, landscape ecology, protection, trade, community engagement infrastructure and information to cater need of the growing challenges for tiger conservation.
The General Assembly of the GTF elected the Minister-in-Charge of Wildlife Conservation of the Royal Government of Bhutan as its Chairperson for three years.
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September 13-16, 2014, Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel 107 Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue, Dhaka 1215, Bangladesh
The Second Global Tiger Stocktaking conference was Bangladesh, in collaboration with the Global organised on September 14-16, 2014, at Dhaka, Tiger Initiative (GTI) and the Global Tiger Forum Bangladesh, with the assistance of the ongoing project (GTF). The Conference brought together donor project on (World Bank) Strengthening government representatives and experts from all Regional Co-operation for wildlife protection tiger range countries, non-tiger range countries, (SRCWP), by the Bangladesh Forest Department, international and national NGOs supporting tiger Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of conservation.
Dhaka Recommendations on Advancing Implementation of the Global Tiger Recovery Program Dhaka, Bangladesh, September 16, 2014
Senior Officials and Experts of the 13 Tiger Range In taking stock of the GTRP Implementation Plan Countries1 (TRCs) and partner organizations, 2013-14 based on the Thimphu Agenda, conference development partners, and donors met from September participants agreed that significant progress has been 14 to 16, 2014, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, at the 2nd achieved in meeting the goals of the Thimphu Agenda Stocktaking Conference to Review Implementation of and in addressing the wild tiger’s decline toward the Global Tiger Recovery Program (GTRP). The extinction. Notable achievements include adopting new GTRP is the road map endorsed by TRC leaders in legislation and policies, creating new protected areas, 2010 at the International Tiger Forum in St. growing transboundary collaboration, building capacity Petersburg, Russian Federation, to achieve the goal of of frontline staff, and reaching out for the participation the St. Petersburg Declaration on Tiger Conservation: of the private sector; however, some areas of continued double the number of wild tigers globally by 2022. concern remain. Participants therefore recommend the following actions to advance implementation within the Building on the pledges of the St. Petersburg timelines of the Thimphu Agenda: Declaration, the Thimphu Affirmative Nine-Point Action Agenda, which emerged from the 2nd Asian 1. To strengthen FRONTLINES: Continue to Ministerial Conference on Tiger Conservation, held in increase investment in frontline staff Bhutan in November 2012, outlines areas to be targeted remuneration, benefits (inter alia, risk allowances, for intensified efforts by the TRCs and partners. rations, and improved quality of life), recognition,
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skills development, and field equipment and tools, climate change adaptation and to smart green including communications and transportation. infrastructure for the GTRP. Continue to professionalize their service through increased use of technology-based patrolling in 7. To develop new partnerships with BUSINESS protected areas and other tiger habitats. Maintain AND INDUSTRY: Take advantage of the robust patrolling databases and improve Confederation of Indian Industry’s (CII) offer to intelligence-led enforcement. support and facilitate TRCs interested in industry engagement and seek other opportunities to 2. To conserve HABITAT: Map and secure tiger leverage private-sector support. habitat (protected areas, buffer zones, corridors, and other units) and land uses in tiger landscapes, 8. To build comprehensive AWARENESS and reduce employing new tools and technology for mapping illicit demand: Conduct targeted and well- and monitoring habitat. Assess and maintain researched and designed programs to reduce illicit functionality of corridors. Regularly assess demand for tiger parts and for prey species. management effectiveness in tiger protected areas. Urgently assist in development of the Global Convene national- or provincial-level meetings and Support Program for demand reduction. To working groups with relevant development sectors support campaigns to reduce illicit demand, review to develop Smart Green Infrastructure (SGI) laws and policies to ensure they contribute to these applications in tiger landscapes threatened by efforts. infrastructure. 9.a. To MONITOR tigers, prey, and habitat: By 2016, 3. To engage COMMUNITIES: Expand capacity to complete science-based national tiger monitoring deal with human-tiger conflict, which may and assessment to determine tiger population, increase with tiger or prey recovery, through prey, and habitat status in all tiger habitat. national and local conflict-relief funds and Undertake reserve-specific tiger monitoring using publicize these efforts among affected camera traps, DNA analysis ensuring transparency, communities. Make communities partners in or other intelligent technologies) to build up conservation. national tiger databases.
4. To enhance COLLABORATION: Actively engage 9.b. To MONITOR GTRP implementation: Continue with neighboring TRCs in transboundary to improve program implementation and landscape management. Actively improve coordination through refinement of Key international intelligence sharing, through existing Performance Indicators, increased capacity to channels, leading to enforcement operations gather and report data, and harmonizing KPIs to including those in hot spots of illegal tiger trade. the Thimphu Agenda. Develop a more systematic Actively promote multi-agency and multi-country and periodic monitoring and reporting strategy. collaborations through organizations such as SAWEN and ASEAN WEN. Make use of the These recommendations will form the basis for the valuable ICCWC Wildlife and Forest Crime GTRP Implementation Plan 2015-2016, which will be Analytic Toolkit, which was successfully piloted in presented for endorsement at the 3rd Asian Ministerial two TRCs. Conference on Tiger Conservation.
5. To launch RESTORATION: TRCs and partners The TRCs appreciate the commitment of the with the expertise commit to support ongoing Government of Bangladesh under the dynamic plans of Kazakhstan, Cambodia, and China and leadership of the Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh encourage other countries and sites with low tiger Hasina in tiger conservation. TRCs invite the densities to advance feasibility planning for Honorable Prime Minister to continue her stewardship restoration. of the St. Petersburg Declaration.
6. To increase the FLOW OF FUNDS: Continue to TRCs acknowledge and appreciate the significant seek increasing governmental budgets for tiger contribution of the World Bank through the GTI to conservation. Request development partners and convene the donors to devote attention to the TRCs and themes that are underfunded. Establish or enhance TRCs’ Heads of Governments, Ministers, and Senior national systems for tracking utilization of Officials and the TRCs’ partner organizations. This led financial resources for tiger conservation. Identify to the development and sustained implementation of points of entry to access funding sources related to the GTRP and National Action Plans to double wild
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tiger populations globally by 2022, and has greatly By adoption and issuance of the Dhaka elevated the tiger conservation agenda at the national Recommendations on Advancing Implementation of and global levels. TRCs call for clarifying the future role the Global Tiger Recovery Program, Senior Officials of the GTI within the World Bank and, recognizing the and Experts of the TRCs express their resolve and critical importance of maintaining the continuity of conviction that following these recommendations, high-level government engagement enabled by the coupled with continued collective action and political World Bank, the TRCs will in a timely manner explore leadership, will move us significantly closer to achieving and make recommendations on options for going the goal of doubling the number of wild tigers globally forward so decisions can be made at the 3rd Ministerial by 2022, and ensuring the integrity of tiger Conference. conservation landscapes. PHOTO: WWW.TIGERSINTHEFOREST.COM PHOTO:
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Dear Tigers:
The 3000 of you in the wild have known for some time that your days are numbered. But the Tiger “Summit” of 2010 gave you some hope. After all, with five Prime Ministers and President of the World Bank in attendance, a Saint Petersburg Declaration was adopted and implementation of Global Tiger Recovery Program (GTRP), aiming to double your numbers by 2022, was launched. My colleagues called me the architect of GTRP. Now four years into its implementation, the architect is a bit worried.
So, perhaps you should be too. After all it is your survival that is at stake.
Mind you, there are more tiger experts working for you; there are more tiger conferences talking about you; there are more networks and consortia with you (and wildlife) in their names and more glossy publications about you. Since the Summit, there have been at least 4 conferences of more than 150 people, at least 5 workshops involving 25 plus experts. New acronyms such as SAWEN, ICCWC, IWBC, MDTF have been created. Initiatives like Open Parks Network, Zero Poaching, Wildlife Premium Market, Global Forest Watch etc have emerged. Number of scientific articles about you and your genetics is increasing. Resolutions about totally eliminating tiger trade have been passed at conferences attended by 400 plus people. Kazakhstan has decided to restore long lost tiger populations. Five new tiger reserves have been created. Even the rarely seen snow leopards now have an SLRP of their own, inspired by your GTRP!
But dear tigers, four years into implementation, the GTRP faces challenges that are bothersome.
First, we still do not know for sure how many of you are there! India for one knows and feels good that numbers are somewhat higher, though since 2008, 20% of your habitat in India has been lost and at least 30% of you live outside tiger reserves, where it will be virtually impossible to save you from the effects of future development. Most other TRCs either know that your numbers are down, or are uncertain, or are still setting up systems to measure. Similarly, four years into the program, we do not really know if overall habitat loss is halted, or poaching has reduced, or interdiction of smugglers is up or known hot spots of illegal tiger trade are being eliminated. If one cannot monitor outcomes, how can one manage?
Secondly, some countries have created special security forces and many have added front line staff to guard you in the reserves. Most of these staff stay away from their families in ramshackle huts and have no life insurance though the work is risky. While poachers have jeeps, guns, cell phones and GPS devices, most front line staff are on foot, and many of those who protect you, do not even have boots or rain coats! How can they win the war against poachers?
Thirdly, demand for your body parts continues unabated, whether by traditional medicine consumers, or tiger skin rug connoisseurs, or those who believe your bones are better than Viagra, or those who drink tiger wine thinking it is exotic. A short ad campaign in which you were quoted as saying “I am not a rug” is over. Unless celebrities start speaking up against things derived from a dead you, how will demand be eliminated?
Fourthly, you know we humans need to drive everywhere, into wilderness too. But these roads being built around or in your habitat, do not allow you to roam, something critical to your survival. In-breeding will destroy you as fast as poachers will. These smart roads cost a bit more, due changes in alignment or to create underpasses. The lone TRC with a known willingness to pay these extra costs is now having a push back! After all, there are real long term benefits that accrue to society from a well-conserved habitat: saving of fresh water, source of bio diversity and medicinal plants, sequestration of carbon etc. Four years ago we pledged to document and tell the world about the real value to humanity of the habitat you protect. We are not there yet.
Fifthly, communities of poor people exist around where you live, living off the same habitat. People from these communities sometimes kill you for profit and other times as retaliation against you for killing their livestock. Most TRCs now compensate people for any loss they suffer on your account. In Africa, lions bring tourism revenues to communities which become their protectors. Of course, unlike you lions are not shy, making it easier to build tourism around them. But in most TRCs gate charges at tiger reserves are set way below market, and the modest
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revenues go into government coffers rather than to the community. A serious effort to make protectors out of poachers is still work in progress.
Finally, the World Bank, having so effectively championed your cause, is now on the verge of abandoning you, just when we are set to do the real job at hand. The Bank through the Global Tiger Initiative did make things happen. Tiger conservationists began to connect and share knowledge and be held accountable by colleagues from other countries. Partners began to work in tandem with TRCs’ national efforts. Funds began to flow, though Myanmar, the one country with the potential to increase tiger numbers significantly has almost no resources raised so far. Processes of periodic substantive consultations, of joint action planning and of holding each other accountable, which the Bank helped facilitate, are at risk of being abandoned leading to a potential loss of momentum.
You ask, if there is a path of hope ahead. Yes, maybe, if a few things can change:
First, you must tell all who believe in your survival, to focus on implementing the GTRP. Yes, the iconic species that you are, you can trigger lot of tangential energies. Now is the time to insist that only priority must be to implement the GTRP and save you from extinction. Forget all else that sounds exciting.
Secondly, you must ask the World Bank why it wants out, when success is far from assured and failure is likely if it simply steps out. If the World Bank faces budget issues then let us to do things differently: cut out the frills of excessive conferences; drop non-GTRP agendas; cut out supply driven initiatives of “tool kits” and “networks”. Get the focus back on performance by TRCs on implementing the GTRP, through sound indicators. Move the GTRP monitoring function to lower cost centers where real expertise does not cost an arm and a leg to mobilize, and where the tigers in the wild actually live. Not only will costs be lower, we will get a sharper focus on you, the tiger in the wild.
Thirdly, why not ask the Bank which rightly takes pride in putting TRCs in the drivers’ seat to let TRCs actually take the lead in the future monitoring of GTRP implementation? Having successfully launched GTRP’s first phase of four years, the Bank and its partners can now help TRCs get organized to take the lead in Phase II at least when it comes to monitoring of real performance and of flow of funds.
Fourthly, you must insist that the World Bank disengagement be strategic: it must continue to do two things that it alone can do well. It must continue to get senior policy makers’ attention and help raise resources. Let us face it, we have a GTRP under joint implementation by 13 TRCs because the Bank, building on the foundations built by tiger conservationists worldwide, reached out to senior policy makers and was able to encourage TRCs to apply some of their borrowings and grants to the tiger and wildlife agenda.
Finally, you must urge other partners to step in to fill the space left by the Bank. Else all that has been painstakingly built will be lost. Resources going for tiger conservation need to support, in addition to actions by TRCs on the ground, the current but more streamlined process for joint action planning and collaborative monitoring of performance. Help is also needed to build an institution (such as the GTF), to be truly owned by all TRCs to support aspects of GTRP monitoring and coordination that the World Bank will step out of.
Lastly, all this will need to be accompanied by renewed high profile global leadership of international and national NGOs as well as the World Bank, to ensure that saving you from extinction remains high in the public mind and resources keep flowing to the front lines.
Written in the hope that you, the majestic tiger in the wild, will live forever;
Yours truly Anand Seth
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BANGLADESH
6 poachers held with two them,” the Rab official said adding might have been hunted weeks tiger skins in Sundarbans that 10 rounds of live bullets were ago,” he said. The Daily Star, 18 October also recovered after conducting a The elite force received 2014, Dhaka, Bangladesh search on them. intelligence that poachers had Those arrested are Sheikh hunted down some tigers in the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Bakhtiar Uddin, 42, son of Sundarbans and were smuggling arrested six poachers and seized two Mahiuddin Ahmed from Satkhira, tiger skins through Satkhira, the tiger skins from their possession and Md Gazi Selim, 35, son of official said. which are believed to have been Mokhles Gazi, Rabiul Islam, 35, During primary interrogation, acquired after the beasts were son of Wazed Ali, Md Gazi the poachers confessed to have been hunted down in the Sundarbans. Mostafizur Rahman, 36, son of smuggling the tiger skins to Dhaka The poachers were arrested from Shahjahan Ali, Faruk Sana, 48, son for sale, the official said. “They are Satkhira Sadar upazila late last of Md Ali Sana and Gazi Md being quizzed further.” night, Rab 8 Deputy Commander Amirul Islam, 25, son of Sekandar Maj Adnan Kabir told our Bagerhat Ali Gazi - all from Khulna. correspondent this morning. “One skin is fresh, suggesting Tigers in danger: In “Two tiger skins, each about that it was hunted down recently. Sundarbans, number of the nine-foot long, were seized from The other skin is old - this tiger national animal halves in 10 years The Daily Star, Staff Correspondent
Data analysis of the ongoing census in the Sundarbans suggests that the number of Bengal Tigers in the forest’s Bangladesh part might have come down to half of what it was 10 years ago. The 2004 Bangladesh-India joint tiger pugmark survey in the Sundarbans put the number at 419. India has recently completed its part of the camera trapping census that began in May last year and estimates the number of the majestic breed of tigers at 81-90 inside its territories. The number was 232 in 2004. In Bangladesh, the Forest Department has divided the Sundarbans in three blocks: Katka-
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around 4,000sqkm in India was home to 668 Bengal Tigers. However, Prof Jhala, who attended the 2nd Global Tiger Stocktaking Conference 2014 in Dhaka that ended yesterday, held it more important to determine the health of the forest than determining the number of tigers. “You see, maybe there are two hundred tigers in the forest. But we need to see whether the number is decreasing or sustaining. If the number decreases, we have reasons to be worried. But ... if it sustains, then it’s fine.” He, however, did not disclose the number of tigers in the two blocks already surveyed in Bangladesh. Asked about the impact of Rampal power plant project on the Sundarbans, Jhala said it would hamper the tiger conservation programme as continuous movement of water vessels in the rivers bordering the mangrove forest would affect wildlife and their movement across the rivers. A forest department official, who recently did his diploma from the Wildlife Institute of India and was a student of Prof Jhala, told Kachikhali (East), Nilkamal area has a unique set of stripes just like The Daily Star it was discussed in and Goalkhali-Koikhali. Census in the finger prints of humans. one of their classes that the number the first and the third blocks has A total of 270 cameras have of tigers in Bangladesh could be as been completed. The department been set up in the three blocks, small as 130. will start working in the other block each having 90 cameras at 45 Under the Strengthening in November. Besides, it would also points. Regional Co-operation for Wildlife conduct a canal survey to see the Animal ecologists and Protection Project of the World density of pugmarks of the national conservation biologists consider this Bank, the ongoing census is animal. as one of the most scientific scheduled to be completed in “Though the census is not methods of Tiger census. March 2015. complete yet, analysis of the data “The pugmark survey was not a Bengal tigers roamed in 17 collected from the two blocks scientific method and it districts of Bangladesh only a suggests the number of tigers would overestimated the number of tigers. century ago but now the be less than 200 in the Bangladesh In the Indian part of the Sundarbans is the lone habitat for part of the Sundarbans,” said a Sundarbans, 80 to 90 tigers were the majestic beasts in the country. forest department official. found in the latest census,” said In the camera trapping census, Prof Yadvendradev Jhala of the two video cameras are placed face- Wildlife Institute of India. Jhala is Which will win? Sundarban to-face on two sides of the corridors working as an expert in the or harmful projects? used by tigers. Later, experts Bangladesh census as well. Anu Muhammad examine the tigers’ images captured According to the 2004 survey, in the cameras and determine the the world’s largest mangrove forest Recently, Bangladesh hosted a three number of the royal beasts by that sprawls over an area of day international conference on analysing their stripes. Each tiger 6,000sqkm in Bangladesh and tiger conservation in Dhaka.
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Delegates from 13 tiger range countries attended the conference that began on September 14. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her inaugural speech, stated that her “government will do everything for conservation of the tigers.” These words sound rhetorical and absurd since the government has also been planning several projects threatening the Sundarban’s survival, the main habitat of tigers in the region. People in general and independent experts, particularly from Bangladesh, have been expressing their concern and protest against these projects in many ways. Many research papers and investigative articles have specified the problems. Big local and national demonstrations, including 6 day and NTPC (India) keep continuing ruling party, would be set-up in the Dhaka Sundarban long march, work for building the plant. Not buffer zone. Those “are posing raised people’s voices, artists have only that, the government allowed a serious threats to the already written songs and plays about the Bangladeshi company last year to vulnerable mangrove forest, which Sundarban. build another power plant near the acts as a natural wall, reduces There are numerous research forest. On March 19, the intensity of cyclones and saves life papers and articles to show the government signed a Memorandum and property” (The Daily Star, uniqueness of the Sundarban, its of Understanding (MoU) with October 13-14, 2013). ecological importance as well as its China to set up a 1,320 MW coal- According to the report, around economic value and its role as a based power plant in Patuakhali, 3,000 acres of land in that area have mighty natural wall against natural which is close to the Sundarban. already gone to a few groups, disasters. Dr. Y. Jhala of Wildlife These projects and the “mostly through using unfair Institute of India, who attended the government’s attitude encourage means.” Online advertisements also tiger conference, said to National violation of the national law to are available about the availability Geographic that “there are only protect the environment, ignore of another 1,550 acres of “industrial around five viable wild tiger international law and convention to land” in adjacent areas, which could habitats left in the world for long follow certain rules for protecting be used for “shipyard, ship-breaking term hope. This is one of them. If ecologically sensitive areas, and yard, oil depot, cement factory and you break these up into smaller encourage grabbers to take LP gas unit”! parts you lose that, not ecologically, possession of land. The consequence for the local but biologically.” poor people, including religious (http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/ Grabbers’ free zone minority, has been disastrous. Many 2014/09/17/bangladesh-vows-to- Last year, a series of investigative were forced to leave their homes. protect-wild-tigers-in-spite-of- reports in a leading English Recent events show that things have industrialization/) language newspaper revealed the become much worse. Dr. Abul Bashar, biologist and government’s role in allowing Dhaka University professor, showed industrialists “to purchase land and Ramsar and UNESCO worried that the ecosystem in the providing site clearance to install International community and Sundarban is unique in the world, hazardous industries, grossly related international agencies have any damage in any part of the violating environmental laws” in the also been making their points system will be disastrous to the Sundarban area. The report against harmful projects in greater whole system (Sarbajonkotha, mentioned that a number of Sundarban, not only because the November 2014). projects, including government Sundarban is a rare ecological Despite popular protest and owned silo, naval dockyard and treasure of Bangladesh but also expert opinion against Rampal coal- commercial projects sponsored because it is the location of Ramsar, fired power plant, the government mostly by persons blessed by the declared a World Heritage Site by
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Unesco. In 1992, according to would be difficult to reverse” is very outcry against destruction in the Ramsar convention also signed important. name of development? Evidences by Bangladesh in 1972, the Most importantly, the show that it may be the latter. Sundarban was declared as UNESCO Committee urged the There are reports of harassment, Ramsar site wetland. And at government to undertake a surveillance, and threats to Unesco’s 21st conference of the “comprehensive Strategic protesting local people too. World Heritage Committee in Environmental Assessment (SEA) of It seems that local and foreign 1997, the Sundarban was declared a development in the Sundarban” and grabbers and profiteers are natural World Heritage Site, the to submit to the World Heritage influencing the government’s only natural World Heritage Site in Centre, by February 1, 2015, “an decision making process. People Bangladesh. updated report on the state of and environment do not have any That explains the worries conservation ... for examination by space in their consideration. Not expressed by the Ramsar secretariat the World Heritage Committee at only have the policymakers lost the and Unesco about the fate of the its 39th session in 2015.” ability to understand scientific Sundarban after government (http://whc.unesco.org/en/soc/2868) arguments, they have also lost approval of dangerous commercial That means they are expecting commonsensical vision. The projects. Since 2011, the Ramsar that the government will not Sundarban is a rare forest, a secretariat has been sending letters proceed with the projecits before combination of rich eco-systems. of concern to the government of doing some fresh and credible For Bangladesh it is much more, it Bangladesh. These projects also comprehensive assessments. is a question of life and death. made Unesco question the Millions of people have always been government’s role in allowing Protest from India protected from so many natural problematic projects, and write Meanwhile different organisations disasters by the mighty Sundarban. about the government’s indifference and experts from India have also Recently, several theatre groups, and inaction in protecting the started joining their voices to save singers, artists and writers came people and environment. the Sundarban because (i) an Indian together in Dhaka as part of At its 35th session (UNESCO, company is the major partner of the countrywide cultural campaign to 2011), the World Heritage leading project of destruction and register their protest against Committee requested the (ii) the Sundarban spreads into destructive projects in greater government to submit a state of India as well. Therefore, if damage Sundarban and to urge all at home conservation report by February 1, is done in Bangladesh the effect will and abroad, national and 2013. But the government ‘has not not stop at the political boundary. international organisations, submitted the requested report.’ On On September 8, the National environmentalist groups, experts May 22, 2013, the World Heritage Fishworkers’ Forum (NFF) and and individuals to come forward Centre wrote a letter to the Dakshinbanga Matsyajibi Forum effectively to build strong resistance government to express their serious (DMF) of India had sent a letter of against destruction of the concern. On April 11, 2014, it sent request to the prime minister of Sundarban. a letter to the government India to stop participation in the (http://news.mongabay.com/2014/102 requesting further information Rampal coal fired power plant 8-hance-rampal-coal.html). about projects affecting the project. The letter said: “Our We keep on saying that there Sundarban. country should not be a partner in are many alternatives for generating Unesco also noted that the “the the destruction of environment and electricity, but we have only one dredging necessary to keep the ecology of the largest and the Sundarban that cannot be rebuilt, channels of the Pashur River open richest mangrove forest on our cannot be replaced by any other, for navigation is likely to alter the planet that provides the Bay of therefore there is no alternative to morphology of the river channels.” Bengal eco-system with the largest the Sundarban. Therefore the committee nursery of fish ... the hundred The survival and growth of the “...requests the State Party to ensure thousand fishers and wild honey Sundarban, therefore, cannot be that the Environmental Impact collectors dependent on the natural compromised for giving profit to Assessment (EIA) for the dredging resources of the Sundarban forests.” business barons. activities include a specific — The writer is Professor of assessment of potential impacts ... Sundarban must win Economics, Jahangirnagar University and to submit it to the World Will the governments of both and Member Secretary, National Heritage Centre prior to making Bangladesh and India stop Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, any decisions that would be advancing with weapons of Mineral Resources, Power and Ports. difficult to reverse.” Their concern Sundarban destruction, or continue Published: 12:00 am Thursday, for “making any decision that defying local, national and global November 06, 2014
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BHUTAN
15 tigers confirmed in Known as TraMCA, the states that 543 pictures and 32 RMNP transboundary Manas conservation videos were obtained from 650 Kuensel Online Sep 12, area meeting helps Bhutanese grids where camera traps were set 2014. By Tashi Dema conservationists to share and gather up. information and avail expertise Officials said 1,522 grids were Wildlife: About 15 royal Bengal facilities. identified in the southern belt that tigers are confirmed to be roaming “It also helps in developing represents potential tiger habitats, in the forests of the Royal Manas people to people contact, which and 510 cameras were set up. Locals National Park (RMNP), forestry helps in conservation activities,” a were consulted for identification of officials confirmed. park official said. potential sites. This was found out from Bhutanese conservationists are The cameras were left functional camera trappings set by RMNP and also looking forward to India sign for 60 days. Once in every two the Manas National Park in India the memorandum of understanding weeks, the survey team monitored in a transboundary tiger-monitoring on wildlife cooperation between the the cameras stationed nearby field programme initiated from February two countries. “Bhutanese officials office, and those located in far- to April. have signed the MoU and it’s with flung areas were monitored once a Officials from RMNP said India,” a conservationist said. month, the report states. camera traps have captured 25 RMNP is also home to other About 700 locals were tigers in the parks, 13 in RMNP, 11 large mammals like Asiatic water interviewed on their perception of in MNP and two found in both the buffalo, gaur, sambar and Asian tigers, which wildlife officials parks. elephants. Eight of the 11 cat considers useful for tiger RMNP manager Tenzin Wang- species found in Bhutan have been conservation and to mitigate chuk said all park officials were spotted in the park. human wildlife conflict. involved in the camera trapping, as Other key findings from the camera traps were set in 72 preliminary survey state that 48 locations in the park’s 1,057sqkm 20 tigers spotted by camera species of mammals were also area, spreading from Sunkosh river traps in south Bhutan photographed. to Khaling wildlife sanctuary. Kuensel Online Aug 15, The survey conducted by a team He said that it was a follow up 2014. By Nirmala Pokhrel of Bhutanese professionals is to the first tiger monitoring expected to estimate tiger conducted in 2011, when 14 tigers Preliminary report released on population, density and were spotted. ongoing tiger survey of southern belt distribution. It would also help RMNP officials said such trans- understand the habitat status of boundary collaboration would not Wildlife: The wildlife conservation tigers, and establish a database of only go a long way in protecting division has identified 20 tigers in mammalian and prey species in the tigers, but also in implementing the southern region from May to country. wildlife conservation action plans. June this year, as a part of its first Lyonchhoen Tshering Tobgay, RMNP is in the middle of nationwide tiger survey that began during the launch said, the implementing smart patrolling, in February. numerous protected areas in the outpost construction and habitat Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay country are gifts from the throne, management. launched the preliminary report for and inheriting a vast amount of Conservationist in India and the southern belt yesterday at the forest cover is significant. Bhutan often meet to discuss on wildlife conference in Thimphu. “Presence of tigers is an trans-boundary issues. The preliminary report further indicator of the health of our
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environment, our social security lyonchhoen said, is not new forest Lyonchhoen said that the and unique culture. It defines who but the old and untouched ones wildlife conservation conference we’re and this differentiates us from too. that is organised once in three years the rest of the world,” he said. “We Starting this month, camera for three days should be held may be a poor country but we’ve traps were set up in the central belt annually. free health care, education and and northern belt that will be kept The conference ends on August kidu.” till March next year. The final 16. Meanwhile, lyonchhoen also The declaration that 51 percent survey report will be launched on launched the Green Bhutan project of the country being protected, June 2, 2015. website yesterday.
CAMBODIA
Plan to bring jungle beast explained how the population of back to the Kingdom the Cambodian tiger had declined The Phnom Penh Post, Sat, since the 1960s. 13 September 2014, Sean The problem is global. The Teehan world’s tiger population declined by 93 per cent since WWF began Wild tigers have not been seen in keeping records, due to both Cambodia for years, but - despite hunters and habitat destruction habitat degradation and financial through land clearing. hurdles - there are hopes the species Fewer than 32,000 now exist, could be reintroduced with just an estimated 320 remaining in the Greater Mekong Not seen in seven years, the region. Kingdom’s most famous predator In Cambodia, the hunting of could be set to return to the wilds. sambar deer and other tiger prey for Dry forests in the Eastern Plains food or traditional remedies, as well and tropical rainforests in the as land clearing that eliminates their Cardamom Mountains were once natural habitat, has curtailed the home to a multitude of species - carnivore’s access to food and from the wild kouprey to the strained their chance of survival, Indochinese tiger. Omaliss said. But after decades of “Wildlife hunters [kill], maybe deforestation, much of the forest A waterfall in Mondulkiri, where tigers not the tigers themselves, but the has now been stripped bare and could be introduced Heng Chivoan prey,” he said. “Our worry is first, experts believe the tiger to be people hunting tigers, and second, “functionally extinct”. international NGOs backing a people hunting their prey.” “In recent years, tiger proposed action plan drafted by the In December, Omaliss’s team populations in Cambodia have Forestry Administration that would accompanied staff from the declined so drastically that resident see the species once again stalk the California-based San Diego Zoo - breeding wild tigers are no longer country’s forests. which participates in global recorded,” a representative of the Dr Keo Omaliss, director of the conservation projects - to World Wildlife Fund (WWF) said department of wildlife and Mondulkiri province’s protected in an email. biodiversity at the Forestry forest and the Cardamom But interest is growing in an Administration, is among the plan’s Mountains to investigate the ambitious project to restore tigers to proponents. feasibility of restoring tigers in the wild, with local and In an interview this week, he Cambodia.
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Ron Swaisgood, general said. “We have to really make sure scientific director of the San Diego that there are no hunters or loggers Zoo’s Cocha Cashu Biological inside the core zone.” Station in Peru, was among the Workshops with WWF, Wildlife staffers who made the trip. Alliance and most wildlife The group, which did not organisations operating in the area include experts in tigers or the have been held. region, decided against participating After the plan is drafted, it must in efforts to repopulate, he said in be approved by the Council of an email. Ministers and the Minister of “After our visit, we decided not Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, to pursue the idea of reintroduction Omaliss said. of tigers in Cambodia. We are While government commitment currently evaluating how we may be remains to be seen, Marx says able to assist with tiger recovery Wildlife Alliance, at least, is all in. PHOTO: WWF PHOTO: elsewhere and are not at present A tiger caught by a camera trap in “If the government finally considering reintroduction to be Mondulkiri's forests. decided that they wanted to one of the options.” reintroduce tigers we would be with A San Diego Zoo spokeswoman Marx’s team first thoroughly them wholeheartedly,” he said. who Swaisgood forwarded a Post researched how the animals had reporter to for additional come close to extinction, as there Captive animals need ‘soft release’ information would not explain was no reason to resurrect a species into wild what drove their decision and only to have it disappear for the Animals that have been relocated declined to provide access to very same reasons. without time in captivity are someone able to clarify. Wildlife Alliance scrutinises released into their new territory Omaliss said it came down to a locations, not only for proper right away, Wildlife Alliance’s Nick funding issue, though the zoo climate, and access to food and Marx said. But for those that have would not confirm this. water but also to determine if the spent time in captivity, a “soft While no one has yet tried to land tenure is safe or in danger of release” method is applied. restore Cambodia’s tiger population, becoming a space used for The creatures are placed in a other species have been successfully agriculture. Local laws banning cage in their new habitats, fed and reintroduced in the Kingdom and hunting are also necessary for a closely monitored while they other countries. location sufficient for acclimate to their new “It’s been done frequently with reintroduction. environments. several species, and without A successful reintroduction of After a period of time, the cage reintroduction, some species would tigers in Cambodia is entirely door is opened and the animals are be extinct,” said Nick Marx, possible if all resources are free to move about as they please, director of wildlife rescue and care extended, Dr. Omaliss believes. but are still provided with programs at Wildlife Alliance. For the past two years, Omaliss, supplementary food if they are not He has overseen the other administration officials and ready to begin finding their own. reintroduction of multiple wiped- NGO advisers have crafted a Conservationists’ role in the out species in Cambodia, including Cambodian Tiger Action Plan he soft-release techniques basically binturong (bearcats), gibbons and hopes to complete by the end of the resembles that of the parent of a pangolins, all under strict protocol. year and later implement. young adult leaving home for the “It’s not the sort of thing to do Tigers would have all they need first time. willy-nilly,” he said, adding that he in a habitat in the Mondulkiri Some animals are more recep- believes it can be done with tigers. forest and between 100 and 200 tive to the supplementary food — Globally, reintroduction has hectares would be used as a core which also enables conservationists been achieved with enough zone for tigers, within the protected to monitor them with camera traps frequency that the International forest, which encompasses nearly — than others, Marx said. Union for Conservation of Nature 400 hectares in total, he said. While the pangolins that Marx (IUCN) published guidelines to be The most important worked with never touched the followed - from deciding when requirement of the plan could also food provided for them, some relocating animals for the purpose be one of the most difficult to fulfil: binturong (also known as bearcats) of repopulating the species is funding. released in Koh Kong three years appropriate to continued project “We need funding of millions ago are still eating the food his staff management and monitoring. and millions of dollars,” Omaliss continues to provide.
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Incomes fuel body parts trade Tiger’ attacks man in forest that tiger until it left us and went to Over the years, hunters have bagged The Phnom Penh Post, Tue, the forest,” Pheara said. tigers for their pelts as well as the 17 July 2014. Khouth Nget was sent to a local clinic perceived medicinal benefits of their Sophak Chakrya and Sean for treatment of his injuries. Photos body parts among Asian countries Teehan Nget provided to the Postshow him including China and Vietnam, with stitches on his head and explained Wildlife Alliance’s Nick A Pursat man’s reported encounter bandages on his arms, right leg and Marx. with a tiger in the Cardamom left shoulder. Tiger bones, for example, are Mountains has left him injured and But Bunra Seng, country believed in certain cultures to be a in fear, but it has left experts in director at Conservation remedy for rheumatoid arthritis. doubt. International, who works in the Using the rare animal’s body On Sunday afternoon, Ngem Cardamom Mountains, said the parts for remedies or to acquire a Nget, a 51-year-old farmer in animal Nget says attacked him was tiger’s strength has increased across Phnom Kravanh district’s Santre more likely a clouded leopard. Asia in recent years, as an increasing commune, walked into the “There are a lot [of] clouded number of people earn larger woods to forage for traditional leopard cats in that area,” Seng said incomes, providing expendable medicine and other supplies, in a text message yesterday. Images income which did not exist before, accompanied by his nephew of many have been caught by according to NGO Care for the Det Pheara, 31. hidden cameras in the mountains Wild International. After the two split off, Pheara over the years. “As wild tiger populations heard his uncle shrieking. By contrast, the last image of a declined due to trophy hunting, “Help me, the tiger is going to tiger in Cambodia was captured in pest control and habitat loss, eat me,” Pheara recalled hearing his 2007 by a hidden camera in human populations and per capita uncle scream. “When I heard that, I Mondulkiri province. The last expendable incomes increased ran to him and saw the tiger was physical evidence of tigers in that dramatically in East Asia,” the biting his legs, and he fell on the area dates to 2010, WWF group’s website says. ground.” Cambodia spokesman Tep Asnarith “This has led to a resurgence In an interview with the Post said yesterday. of interest in traditional cures, the yesterday, Nget said the sight of the If the animal that attacked Nget use of which is seen as a status large cat stunned him. When he was a tiger, it would be the first symbol, a way to retain customs tried to run away, the animal chased attack in the area in nearly 30 years, amid rapid change and as an and pounced on him, scratching said Santre commune’s police chief, alternative to the fallibilities of and biting him. Kruoch Non. The last tiger attack Western medicine.” “I … used my machete to attack there occurred in 1987, Non said.
CHINA
Chinese man jailed for 13 The man, identified as a rich of which was killed by an electric years for eating tigers businessmen surnamed Xu, shock, the report said. Reuters, December 31, 2014 organized three trips to the Xu and his friends ate the tiger 4:06 AM? southern province of Guangdong meat and he was reported to have last year to buy the tigers, which he said: “If anyone asks, say it is beef, BEIJING (Reuters) — A Chinese then transported to his home region horse or big cat meat”, Xinhua man has been jailed for 13 years of Guangxi, Xinhua news agency reported. for buying and eating endangered said late on Tuesday. Xu was arrested after one of his tigers and making wine made Xu and his accomplices deals was recorded by someone out of their blood, state media witnessed the killing of three tigers nearby who reported it to the reported. in three deals with the sellers, one police.
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The report did not say where the world’s smallest subspecies and Xinhua reported. the tigers came from, only that they the only one native to central and The newly-established nature were suspected of being smuggled southern China, is feared to be reserves, with a total area of more into the country. extinct in the wild. than 6,200 sqkm, are scattered Xu was originally sentenced in across 15 provinces and April and then appealed, but this autonomous regions, including week a court rejected that appeal, China sets up 21 new Liaoning, Fujian and Henan Xinhua said. national nature reserves provinces and Inner Mongolia Tiger meat is believed by some By Indo Asian News Service Autonomous Region. Chinese to have health-giving | IANS India Private The reserves will become properties and to work as an Limited/Yahoo India News - sanctuaries of 35 state-level aphrodisiac, which has driven a Tue, Dec 23, 2014 endangered animal species, such as booming trade in tiger products in the Manchurian tiger, giant panda recent years as the country has Beijing, Dec 23 (IANS) China has and golden monkey, as well as 12 become wealthier. set up 21 new state-level nature kinds of rare wild plants. China is home to tigers, mainly reserves, increasing the country’s The number of national nature in the remote northeast, but their total conservation area to nearly 10 reserves has now reached 428, numbers have shrunk drastically percent of the country’s land covering 930,000 sq km. due to poaching and habitat loss territory. The reserves are important in despite government conservation A circular approving the new protecting biodiversity and efforts. reserves was issued Tuesday by the implementing international The South China tiger, one of State Council General Office, conventions, the circular said.
INDIA
NTCA to Provide Ration from this fiscal, according to a Tiger Reserve, Bhadra and Dandeli- Allowance to Tiger gazette notification of the Anashi in Uttara Kannada. Conservation Staff government of India. According to a rough estimate By Express News Service, This allowance is a huge leap for over 3,000 workers will benefit Published: 25th August 2014 frontline NTPC workers including from this move in Karnataka. 06:00 AM foresters, forest guards, watchers, The ration allowance was van mazdoors, malis, chowkidars recommended first by the Tiger MANGALORE: Tiger and mahouts. They will get a Task Force (TTF) headed by Sunita conservationists from all over the maximum of `860 per month as Narain in 2005 and also by the country had patted the state on the ration allowance. This increase will Ministry of Environment, Forest back when it boasted of having over be effective in all Tiger reserves and Climate Change (National 400 tigers in the wild in 2012. across the country, according to the Tiger Conservation Authority) to However, the kudos went nothing gazette notification, issued by the effect of creating amenities for beyond a pat. The National Tiger NTCA member secretary Rajesh the staff who will be on frontline Conservation Authority (NTCA) Gopal. duty in the event of promotion of has finally decided to reward its The state has five major tiger tourism in tiger reserves. frontline workers in the form of a reserves, namely Bandipur, The Central government had monthly ration allowance starting Nagarhole, Biligiri Rangana Hill seen the reason for providing the
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‘ration allowance’ as a motivation Gopal told Express, “Over 10,000 area of 300 square kilometers, we for staff of tiger reserves. The workers in 47 Tiger reserves spread are talking about a huge manpower government went to the extent of out on 2.02 per cent of India’s in all the 18 states. We must pay amending the Wildlife Protection geographical area in 18 states will our tributes to those frontline staff Act 1972 for this purpose. get this benefit. If you consider as it is due to their hard work that NTCA member secretary Rajesh there are 50 frontline staff in an Project Tiger has been a success.”
INDONESIA
Tiger-skin trader nabbed in attempting to resell it for Rp 4.5 are conducted on Java Island,” Lampung million,” Lampung Police Subakir said. Oyos Saroso H.N., The spokesperson Adj. Sr. Comr. He added that whoever was Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sulistyaningsih said Thursday. implicated in protected animal- Archipelago | Thu, October During preliminary questioning, trading activities faced up to five 23 2014, 6:55 PM Eka claimed she was just an years in prison and a Rp 100 ordinary housewife. But she said million fine. The Lampung Police have announ- the police suspected she was part of Dwi Nugroho of the Wildlife ced their arrest of tiger-skin trader, a larger illegal animal-skin trading Conservation Society (WCS) said identified as Eka Widya Sari. Eka, syndicate. much of the tiger-skin trading took who told the police that she had The head of Lampung’s Natural place in Sumatra, adding that most obtained the skin via Facebook, was Resources Conservation Agency of the skins were sent to buyers in arrested while waiting for a buyer in (BKSDA), Subakir, said according European countries and Singapore. a restaurant in Bandar Lampung. to recent intelligence, the price of — See more at: “We also confiscated the 26.5 tiger skins had risen recently due to http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/ by 30 centimeter piece of tiger skin, increasing overseas demand on the 2014/10/23/tiger-skin-trader-nabbed- which she had purchased for Rp 4 black market. lampung.html#sthash.xoVNQPCb. million via Facebook and was “Most of the illegal transactions dpuf
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LAO PDR
Nam Et-Phou Louey Night Safari, to give visitors a spot where camera photo traps are National Protected Area unique wildlife experience and installed to take pictures of the (NPA) - Conservation insight into their conservation animals coming through. With a bit Through Tourism work. The starting point of the of luck, there will be a leopard or Published: Wednesday journey is the small town Vieng even a tiger in the pictures! October 1, 2014 MYT Thong, located in the peripheral of A highlight is the BBQ on a 8:00:00 AM the protected area in the small riverbank within the core zone of valley of the Nam Khan river. the protected area, where delicious Nam Nern Night Safari, a Wildlife From Nong Khiaw it is a scenic food and lao stories are told by the Conservation Society (WCS) 4 hour ride through mountainous boat men at the camp fire. The day Project in Laos’ largest national landscapes, passing small villages ends with the breathtaking night park. Laos is known for its natural and breathtaking sunrise views in safari, where the boats turn off their beauty and rich biodiversity, the early morning hours. To reach engines and drift downstream of the especially in the border region near the starting point for the Nam river. It really is a special experience Vietnam. Nern Night Safari program of the as you melt into nature…and To save this environment, (WCS), Longtail boats will bring become part of it. The only light, several national protected areas the visitors from the village of besides the impressive starlit sky, is (NPA) were set up around the BanSon Khua upstream to the the torch of the boat man looking country. One is the Nam Et-Phou jungle camp in the core zone of the for animals coming down to the Louey protected area in Houapanh protected area. Along the way you river in the evening hours. and Luang Prabang Province in might already see some lizards and The next day after breakfast, the Laos, near the border to Vietnam. birds and maybe also a dear. guides will take you on a hidden Since 2002 the WCS (Wildlife The camp is an idyllic place at trek to historical sites in the jungle Conservation Society) has been the riverbank where visitors stay in and explain about jungle herbs and monitoring the number of tigers, open bamboo bungalows in the the use of plants. The trip can be leopards and other endangered middle of lush jungle vegetation. extended with another activity day species in the area and established a After a lao lunch, visitors are taken in the forest and jungle areas of the tourism program called Nam Nern further upstream to see a salt leak protected reserve.
MALAYSIA
Malaysia’s high society it’s not just any ball. It is one with a in aid of the Save Wild Tigers answers the call of the wild good cause in mind with efforts charity initiative, and all profits will Published: Wednesday that should be applauded. How be channelled there. So take out October 1, 2014 MYT many of us know that today there your best black tie outfit, or choose 8:00:00 AM, The Star are just 3,000 tigers left roaming a tiger-inspired one, and have a Online By Sunita Chhabra the wild? Out of these, only 300 are whale - or tiger - of a time if you’re in Malaysia. headed there. Efforts are underway to save wild The Majestic Hotel Kuala A celebrity-clad function, it is a tigers on a majestic scale. Lumpur will be playing host to The part of “Inspire”, a series of A grand ball is happening soon and Majestic Tiger Ball on Friday Oct 3, aspirational events being held in aid
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Sculpture of tiger head by esteemed London artist Lauren Baker up for auction for a good cause
of Save Wild Tigers. Sponsored by 50,000 Swarovski crystals, this one- range countries. Raising awareness YTL Hotels, this event of the year of-a-kind sculpture is now on of their plight by working with will be attended by Malaysian display at KL’s Starhill Gallery until international companies such as royalty as well as ambassadors, high Sept 30. The arresting creation will YTL is an ideal platform for us and commissioners, and regional then make its way to The Majestic we are grateful for their support. business leaders. Hotel to be auctioned at the gala Time is running out. We need to The royal patron is Her Royal dinner, along with other tiger- save wild tigers before it is too late.” Highness Sultanah Kalsom the inspired items. As part of this exciting schedule Sultanah of Pahang, while the Planned on a grand scale, of events, The Majestic Hotel has fashion patron is Datuk Jimmy joining the dinner will be presented “The Inspired Stay” Choo. Entertainment will be international celebrities and visitors package. A unique experience for provided by British singer Lee John on a very special Eastern & two, it includes an exclusive suite of the 1980s pop act Imagination, Oriental Tiger Express train journey and spa experience at The Majestic who will sing their biggest hit Just from Singapore, en route to Penang Hotel, VIP tickets to The Majestic An Illusion, as well as his dance and Bangkok. Guests on board will Tiger Reception and Gala Dinner, club hits from the late 1990s and include British fashion stylist Gok and the onward journey from Kuala early 2000s. In 2005, he also Wan of the TV series How To Look Lumpur to Bangkok on board the recorded a jazz album. Good Naked, English actress Jaime Eastern & Oriental Tiger Express Another highlight is a Winstone from the British comedy for two nights, including a stay at performance by renowned ballerina film Powder Room, and Datuk the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok. Maria Sascha Khan, whose father Jimmy Choo. This once-in-a-lifetime experience is and grandfather are Malaysian. The train arrives in the early priced at RM26,000++. Khan is a member of the evening on Oct 3, and all The train will make a stopover Bayerisches Staatsballett in Munich, passengers will alight to join The at Eastern & Oriental Hotel Penang and a mentor for Youth Arts In Majestic Tiger Reception and Gala for a private tiger-themed art Action. There will be a fashion Dinner. Profits from this unique exhibition. Called “Overexposure”, show by Datuk Tom Abang Saufi, train journey will also be donated the event in Penang will display a and more music from US band to this noble cause. unique collection of stunning Pure Energy. Simon Clinton, founder of Save photography of wild tigers, from Not to be missed is the high- Wild Tigers, says, “Having grown some of the world’s leading wildlife profile auction of the stunning up in Malaysia, I’m only too aware photographers including Roger Crystal Tigress by London artist of the decline in wild tiger numbers Hooper, Michael Vickers, Nick Lauren Baker. Created with over both here and in the other 12 tiger Garbutt and Robin Hamilton. This
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will hopefully remind visitors of the Malayan tiger now critically across three major tiger landscapes raw beauty of this magnificent endangered, numbering as in Peninsular Malaysia. species and help raise awareness of few as 250 Though it said that more sites the worrying plight of the wild By Patrick Lee needed to be surveyed to determine tiger. a more robust tiger population The launch will be attended by PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s estimate here, it added that the the celebrities taking the ride on the national animal, the Malayan tiger, Malayan tiger now met the IUCN Eastern & Oriental Express en is being pushed to the point of Red List criteria of “Critically route to Bangkok. Profits from the extinction. Endangered”. exhibition will go to targeted tiger Current estimates have pegged It previously classified as conservation programmes including Malaysia’s tiger population at as “Endangered” in 2008. the Wildlife Conservation Society little as 250 to 340 tigers in Previous moves to increase of Malaysia for their critical tiger Peninsular forests, nearly half Malaysia’s tiger population to 1,000 conservation works in Johor and of the previous estimate of by 2020, such as specified in the Pahang. “Overexposure” follows the 500 tigers. National Tiger Conservation Action Ball and will be held from Oct 4 to “Despite all efforts, including Plan, were now considered 18. the strengthening of legislation “unachievable”. Just think about it: It’s a wild, and increased patrolling, tiger Immediate tiger conservation untamed, unrivalled species that conservation across the vast tropical efforts are being explored, including can be found in Malaysia. The tiger forest landscape continue to face the setting up of tiger patrol units has sparked imaginations challenges.” in the Belum-Temengor, Taman everywhere with its sheer majesty, “Poaching for illegal Negara and Endau-Rompin tiger handsome beauty and strength. And commercial trade is the greatest priority areas. it might soon disappear. You’ve seen and most urgent threat to tigers in Also included were a the tiger on the big screen and read Malaysia, followed by loss and comprehensive national Tiger about it in books, but only so few fragmentation of forests,” said Survey in the Peninsular’s remaining remain in our jungles. We will lose a joint statement by the major forest landscape, and the something invaluable if we don’t do Department of Wildlife and strengthening of existing forest and our part to save them and their National Parks (Perhilitan) and the tiger conservation mechanisms. habitat. Malaysian Conservation Alliance It was added that though federal — This article was originally for Tigers (Mycat). funding and donations from published in Life Inspired, out every It was added that the new Mycat’s NGO donors had helped second and fourth Sunday of the estimates were made from studies thus far, more resources were month, and distributed exclusively conducted between 2010 to 2013 needed. with The Sunday Star to selected using camera traps under a There are no Malayan tigers in areas in the Klang Valley. standardized protocol at seven sites Borneo.
MYANMAR
Traffic study details illegal but diminished into Thailand, a The report shows that the cat trade in two border new study released by wildlife number of shops in Tachileik selling towns trade monitoring group Traffic tiger and wild cat products fell from By Aye Sapay Phyu | says. 35 in 2000 to six in 2013, while Wednesday, 24 December The Traffic study scrutinises two the number in Mong La more than 2014, Myanmar Times decades of survey data in Tachileik, trebled to 21 from six in 2006. The on the border with Thailand, and report states that Mong La caters The trade in tiger and other wild Mong La, within Shan State’s almost entirely to Chinese cat parts from Myanmar into Special Region 4 and on the customers, adding that both towns China has grown in recent years Chinese border. are situated on international borders
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and serve as sources for illegal cross- in Tachileik and Mong La it’s open prosecution of wildlife criminals in border trade. season for wildlife traffickers, with Myanmar and called on It adds that all wild cat species the contraband bought by those neighbouring source and consumer are protected under the Convention who have little fear of being countries, especially China, to on International Trade in stopped for their criminal actions,” allocate more resources to ramp up Endangered Species of Wild Fauna said Dr Shepherd. existing efforts to clamp down on and Flora (CITES) and by national The authors also suggest that illegal wildlife trade. laws. trade in other illicit wildlife “It’s time for the relevant The report, titled Trade in tigers products, such as ivory, is also on enforcement authorities to live up and other wild cats in Mong La and the rise in Mong La, while to their international commitments Tachilek, Myanmar - a tale of two Tachileik’s customers from to address wildlife crime,” said Mr border towns, was published in Thailand now mainly buy cheap Nijman. Biological Conservation, a clothing. Though inside Myanmar December 22 press release said. The Although the dynamics of the territory, Mong La is controlled report studied information gathered trade in wild cat parts differed in by the National Democratic from 19 surveys of wild cat trade in the two border towns, in both Alliance Army, an ethnic Chinese Tachileik between 1991 and 2013 clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) group that formed following the and seven surveys between 2001 parts were the species most often collapse of the Burma Communist and 2014 in Mong La. seen in trade. Clouded leopard parts Party in 1989. Its territory in The media release stated that were observed in all but two of the eastern Shan State is known as most of the 2000 parts recorded as surveys, representing at least 482 Special Region 4. being on sale were claws, skulls, individuals. A Ministry of Environmental teeth and skins. Other wild cat species Conservation and Forestry official Authors Chris R Shepherd, commonly found in trade over the who spoke on condition of regional director for Traffic in decades included leopard cat, anonymity said that this self- Southeast Asia, and Vincent leopard, tiger and the asiatic golden administered status makes it Nijman, professor of anthropology cat. difficult to enforce Myanmar law. at Oxford Brookes University, argue Traders in both towns claimed “We don’t have an office in that that the decrease in Tachileik could that tiger and leopard products were area. It is really hard to enter the be due to greater enforcement mainly sourced from Myanmar and area,” he said. action in Thailand, while the India. Previous studies reported that But he said the team, including increase in Mong La may be linked large cat skins and bones on sale in Department of Forestry officials, as to the rising buying power of Tachileik also originated from well as those from other China’s consumers, and the Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. departments such as police and apparent ease in smuggling illegal Smaller species were said all to be customs, checked wildlife trading wildlife parts into China from sourced from Myanmar. and other cases of drug smuggling Mong La. The authors urged more and illegal trading in the border “With little or no enforcement effective enforcement and gate of Tachileik.
NEPAL
Save the tiger: The success of alarming rate. According to a survey The chief cause of this population the Bengal tiger in Nepal conducted by the World Wildlife fall was habitat destruction caused shows you can make a Fund, the number of tigers in the by extensive deforestation. This was difference Sukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve in exacerbated by the illegal poaching Harvey Day Monday 28 July Nepal fell by about 30% between that feeds the enormous demand 2014, The Independent 2005 and 2008. The decline was for trafficked tiger products. such that there were only an However, last year the For a long time the number of estimated six tigers in the reserve in government of Nepal announced tigers in Nepal was decreasing at an 2009. that amazingly the number of tigers
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has started to increase. They found that the tiger population had increased by 63 per cent since the last survey in 2009, putting the total number of tigers in Nepal at about 200. As part of a concerted effort to boost the tiger population, the Nepalese government and the WWF provide training and resources to park rangers, encourage local community engagement, protect tiger habitats and combat illegal poaching. “Tigers are a part of Nepal’s natural wealth and we are committed to ensuring these magnificent wild cats have the prey, A Bengal tiger track in Royal Bardia National Park, Nepal protection and space to thrive,” said Megh Bahadur Pandey, Director complacency to creep in, all the the broader TX2 campaign which General of Nepal’s Department of conservation gains we applaud aims to double the number of wild National Parks and Wildlife today could be gone tomorrow,” tigers by 2022 - the next Chinese Conservation. added Shubash Lohani, Deputy year of the tiger. “We cannot afford to forget that Director of WWF’s Eastern To make this dream a reality, wildlife criminals are aggressively Himalayas program. the WWF relies on the generous preying upon the last of the world’s Moreover, the success of the support of tiger fans across the wild tigers and if we allow tiger population in Nepal is part of world.
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RUSSIA
New drone to protect which flew over the local area re- continue this project and will test new Russian big cats cording footage and taking pictures devices to improve the effectiveness of 9 October, 2014, WFN at high altitude. The demonstration anti-poaching patrols.” was a success, with the inspectors The Deputy Director for 2006 Whitley Award winner, Sergei showing a keen interest in using Security at the Land of the Bereznuk who runs the Phoenix this type of technology for future Leopard, Eugeny Stoma, recognised Fund in Russia, met with inspectors anti-poaching patrols. the advantages of using drones, at the Land of the Leopard “The next step for drone-use particularly for monitoring the National Park to present the bene- would be law-enforcement patrols situation when leopards and tigers fits of using a small drone to patrol with inspectors during which we will approach villages. “We are grateful to the park. The inspectors are respon- try to find poachers and reveal Phoenix Fund for such an sible for protecting the park’s Amur violations from air,” said Sergei opportunity. Using this quadcopter, leopard population and hold quar- Bereznuk. “The management of we can monitor the movement of the terly meetings to evaluate their several nature protection agencies, animals from a distance without work under a special anti-poaching namely Anyuisky National Park, putting inspectors’ lives at risk,” he monitoring programme (SMART) Ussuriisky Nature Reserve and said. “The drones can also conduct with the support of the Phoenix Inspection Tiger, also showed lively surveillance in the winter when the Fund. interest in this new tool helping to tree leaves don’t hinder the view, and After the meeting, the inspec- take a view over their territories from on rivers to see where poachers place tors went to see the drone in action, above. At Phoenix Fund we will nets.”
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THAILAND
Mae Wong dam EHIA Natural Resources and River Frog, Ichthyopis youngorum, ‘deeply flawed’ Environmental Policy and Planning and Pseudocalotes kakhiensis. Wasu Vipoosanapat, Janjira will submit the EHIA report to the “Ichthyopis youngorum, for Pongrai, The Nation Independent Commission on example, were last seen in Thailand November 8, 2014 1:00 am Environment and Health on in 1960,” he said. November 19 for consideration. Petch Manopawitr, deputy Park full of wildlife, including rare Speaking at the forum, Dr director of the International Union species and tigers, environmental Songtham Suksawang, an adviser to for Conservation of Nature groups say. the chief of the National Parks, Southeast Asia, said the zone was The environmental health Wildlife and Plant Conservation among the last few places in impact assessment for the Mae Department, warned that if the dam Thailand with tigers. Wong Dam is too flawed for the went ahead without a proper study The Mae Wong National Park project to get approved, on its possible environmental impact covers parts of Kamphaeng Phet and environmentalists told an academic the country might lose one of its Nakhon Sawan. The Mae Wong forum yesterday. most abundant forest zones. Dam would be constructed in the Somruthai Tasaduak, of the Water park. Resource Engineering Department at Unesco voices concerns Conservationists have been Kasetsart University, said the EHIA He said the United Nations trying to get the national park world clearly showed key information about Educational Scientific and Cultural heritage status as part of the the project was missing. Organisation’s world heritage unit Thungyai-Huai Kha Khaeng “There are no details on how to had written to the DNP to express Wildlife Sanctuaries. Songtham said direct water to communities and concerns about the dam. the wildlife diversity study revealed how to ensure that the water volume Somphot Duangchantrasiri — information greatly different from will be adequate for those who live who heads the Khao Nang Ram what was contained in the EHIA downstream,” he said. Somruthai wildlife research unit and took part prepared by a consulting firm hired said information on construction in a study on wildlife diversity in the by the Royal Irrigation Department. was also missing. area where the dam would be built “Our study found that the area At the forum, hosted by the — revealed that there had been chosen for the Mae Wong Dam Seub Nakhasathien Foundation, hundreds of wildlife species, project is the natural habitat of rare speakers presented information on including three newly discovered or wildlife species,” Somphot said. why they believed the Royal very rare breeds, in the forest zone Songtham said previously that Irrigation Department project that would be submerged if the dam the DNP had been told that the should not be given the green light. went ahead. Mae Wong forest did not have It is understood the Office of The breeds are the Giant Asian significant value.
VIETNAM
Viet Nam moves to reduce biodiversity has made it a hub for The three-day workshop, demand for wildlife products illegal transportation of rare species jointly organised by CITES Viet Updated October, 23 2014 and stronger efforts are needed to Nam (Convention on International 09:29:00, Vietnam News curb wildlife trafficking, experts said Trade in Endangered Species of at a workshop that opened in Ha Wild Fauna and Flora) and the HA NOI (VNS) - Viet Nam’s rich Noi on Tuesday. US States Department, aims to
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find ways to reduce illegal trade in local authorities to step up legal Viet Nam has made some plant and animal products in the measures as well as awareness headway in this regard. country. campaigns to reduce the demand for For instance, the National Viet Nam’s environment was wildlife products. It has also created Programme on Illegal Rhino extremely diverse, with 12,000 plant a list of endangered species to be Demand Reduction has demand for species and 1,600 mammals, birds protected, the workshop heard. rhino-based products in Ha Noi by and reptiles and other animals, Viet Nam has started modifying 77 per cent, according to CITES making it a hotspot for illegal trade its penal code to include more severe Viet Nam. in rare flora and fauna, said Nguyen punishments for wildlife trafficking Other initiatives include the Ba Ngai, deputy head of the Viet and related crimes. National Programme on Controlling Nam Forestry Administration under “Raising awareness and reducing Illegal Wildlife Trade, the Tiger the Ministry of Agriculture and the demand for wildlife products is Conservation Strategy and the Rural Develoment. an important instrument in the fight National Plan for Elephant In February this year, the to protect wildlife in Viet Nam,” Conservation. Government ordered ministries and Ngai said. — VNS
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NEWS FROM INTERNATIONAL ORGANSIATIONS
CITES SECRETARIAT
RECOMMENDATIONS ON take note of the information working group recommends that ASIAN BIG CATS ADOPTED about the alleged illegal trade the Standing Committee adopt the AT THE 65TH MEETING OF across the Ka Long river at the following additional CITES STANDING border between near Mong recommendations outlined below COMMITTEE, JULY 2014, Cai, Viet Nam, identified in and request that the Secretariat GENEVA. Annex 1; communicate relevant d) request China, India, the Lao recommendations via a Notification Recommendations Of The Cites People’s Democratic Republic, to the Parties. Secretariat Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand and The Secretariat recommends that Viet Nam to provide a report to The Standing Committee: the Standing Committee: the Secretariat, by 1 June 2015, Concerning legislative and a) request the Lao People’s on activities implemented in regulatory measures Democratic Republic, relation to recommendations a) f) encourages Parties to review all Myanmar, Thailand and Viet to c) above, as applicable, for relevant national legislation to Nam to review their consideration by the Standing ensure that national measures implementation of Resolution Committee at SC66; and restricting internal and Conf. 12.5 (Rev. CoP16), and e) encourage Appendix-I Asian big international trade in Asian big in particular: cat range States, where possible, cats, and their parts and i) paragraph g) under URGES to promote the elements derivatives are comprehensive in - for Lao People’s referred to in Decision 16.70, that, recalling Decision 14.69, Democratic Republic, paragraph a), within existing or parts and derivatives obtained Thailand and Viet Nam; planned broader enforcement from specimens bred in and initiatives in order to implement captivity are included; ii) paragraph c) under URGES, this part of the Decision in a g) recalling Decisions 14.66 (Rev. and paragraphs a), c) and e) cost-effective manner, and to CoP15) and 14.69, as well as under the first invite the Secretariat to support Resolution Conf. 12.5 (Rev. RECOMMENDS - for these as instructed by the CoP16), requests all Parties Myanmar, with a specific Conference of the Parties. where internal and international focus on its borders with trade in Asian big cats and their China and Thailand, and Sources: parts and derivatives is the towns of Mong La, n SC65 Doc. 38 (CITES permitted, to report to the 66th Golden Rock and Three Secretariat) report, http://www. Meeting of the Standing Pagodas Pass; cites.org/sites/default/files/eng/com/sc Committee on what legal trade b) request China, India and Nepal /65/E-SC65-38.pdf is allowed, the species and trade to take note of the information n SC65 Com. 4, http://www.cites. volume involved, and describe about the alleged illegal trade in org/sites/default/files/eng/com/sc/65/c how such trade is monitored Asian big cats from the seven om/E-SC65-Com-04.pdf and enforced, and to inform border towns identified in about measures taken to prevent Annex 1 to the present Recommendations Of The Sc65 illegal exports; document, and to take it into Working Group On Asian Big Cats account when developing work The working group recommends Concerning national law programmes and undertaking that the Standing Committee adopt enforcement law enforcement operations;1 all of the recommendations (a-e) in h) encourages Parties to engage c) request China and Viet Nam to SC65 Doc. 38. In addition, the with e-commerce trading site
1 The border towns of China, Nepal and India identified in Annex 1 at page 40 are: Burang (in Chinese) or Purang (in Tibetan), local name Tagla Kbar also known as Taklakot, Leh (IN), Shiquanhe town (named in Tibetan, Senge Khabab, and in Chinese, Ali), Siliguri (IN), Dharchula (IN) and Darchula (NP), Raxaul (IN) and Birgunj (NP), Manipur (IN) including Imphal and Moreh, Biratnagar (NP), and Zhangmu (named in Nepali: Khasa).
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companies and to encourage facilities to prevent illegal trade, these stockpiles, and, if them to ensure that no online including oversight of any applicable, actions to destroy advertisements are made for international trade to ensure such stockpiles with the illegal specimens of protected non- commercial purposes, and exception of those used for species; monitored destruction of the educational or scientific i) encourages Parties to take note specimens that die in captivity; purposes; of the recommendations of m) encourages Parties developing INTERPOL’s 2014 assessment DNA registration, photographic Concerning inter-sessional work of enforcement responses to identification, or other types of o) requests the Working Group on tiger crime; identification databases of Special Reporting Requirements j) encourages Parties to share captive Asian big cats to make to consider all reporting images of seized tiger skins this information available requirements for individual with range States with outside national borders for law species and devise a template photographic identification enforcement purposes to assist which would form the basis for databases so as to assist in the forensic determination of the consistent reporting across identification of the origin of origin of seized specimens, and species; the illegal specimen; encourages the Secretariat and p) decides to establish an inter- Parties with financial resources sessional Working Group on Concerning demand reduction, and technical expertise to assist, Asian Big Cats to identify education and awareness through in-country activities, outstanding issues of concern, k) recalling Resolution Conf. 12.5 Parties that have yet to establish assess implementation of these (Rev. CoP16), urges Parties to national registries or recommendations, Resolution address the growing use of Asian identification databases for Conf. 12.5 (Rev. CoP16), and big cats, including as pets, parts Asian big cats to do so; related Decisions, and to make and derivatives as luxury items recommendations for further through targeted demand Concerning the management of action at the 66th meeting of reduction strategies, including national and privately-held stocks the Standing Committee.2 behavioural change of parts and derivatives interventions, and to strengthen n) in accordance with Resolution Sources: demand reduction efforts; Conf. 12.5 (Rev. CoP 16), n SC65 Com. 4, http://www.cites. requests all Parties with national org/sites/default/files/eng/com/sc/65/c Concerning the prevention of or privately held stockpiles of om/E-SC65-Com-04.pdf illegal trade in parts and captive-bred or confiscated n SC65 Sum. 9, http://www.cites. derivatives from breeding facilities Asian big cat body parts and org/sites/default/files/eng/com/sc/65/e l) recalling Decision 14.69, urges derivatives to report to the xsum/E-SC65-Sum-09.pdf Parties to develop and Secretariat on the volume of n SC65 Sum. 3, http://www.cites. implement regulatory controls these stockpiles, measures taken org/sites/default/files/esp/com/sc/65/e for Asian big cat breeding to guarantee the security of xsum/E-SC65-Sum-03.pdf
2 The Committee agreed to establish an intersessional working group on Asian big cats to be Chaired by China and comprising India, Indonesia, Malaysia, United Kingdom, United States, Viet Nam, IUCN, Asiacat, Born Free Foundation, Elephant Action League, Environmental Investigation Agency.
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ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTIGATION AGENCY (EIA)
TIGER CRIME NEWS IN investigations; pers communications Alliance (ALTA); journalistic media 2014 IN TIGER RANGE to EIA; published reports, briefings, sources, both print and broadcast, STATES (excluding India) bulletins and press releases from in a range of languages, NGOs and specialist groups: corroborated where possible EIA has compiled records from the Education for Nature Vietnam through pers comms and against following sources for tiger crime (ENV), FREELAND Foundation, additional sources. incidents in 2014, excluding Flora and Fauna International Criteria for proposing that information from India. (FFI), Wildlife Conservation particular incidents involve tigers Society (WCS), Wildlife suspected to have come from Sources: Official Government Conservation Nepal (WCN), captive source is provided in the submissions to CITES and Global Snow Leopard Network, Wildlife following publication: SSN-ENV, Tiger Initiative; published Watch Group, TRAFFIC, WWF, Caged Assets: Tiger farming and information from national Police Wildlife Friends Foundation trade (2014), SSN-ENV, Caged and Customs; published Thailand (WFFT), WildTeam Assets: Tiger Farming and Trade information from intergovern- (Bangladesh), Wildlife Alliance, (2014), available via http://eia- mental bodies ICPO-INTERPOL, Zoological Society London international.org/caged-assets-tiger- ASEAN-WEN and SA-WEN; EIA (ZSL), Amur Leopard and Tiger farming-and-trade-2
INCIDENT DESCRIPTION OF INCIDENT YEAR BANGLADESH Sundarbans tiger skins seizure, October 2014 Two tiger skins 2014 BHUTAN Bhutan tiger skin and bones seizure, September 2013 1 tiger skin and bones, suspects fined 2013 CHINA Wenzhou Tiger Carcass Seizure, January 2014 One tiger carcass, sourced from circus in Anhui, had been 2014 traded five times prior to interception. Captive-source. See Appendix 2 Leizhou, Guangdong tiger trade gang arrests, One tiger carcass, main suspect pled guilty. Captive source. 2014 March 2014 Pu'er tiger skin seizure, reported May 2014 One tiger skin 2014 Operation Protector in Fujian, June 2014 One tiger skin, wildlife operation 2014 Sanmenxi City Tiger Cub Seizure, July 2014 One live tiger cub, one piece of tiger skin, investigations across six provinces. Cub suspected captive-source. 2014 Operation Skynet in Beijing seizes taxidermied tigers, Operation Skynet: seized taxidermied tigers: two from post, 2014 reported 2014 and four from premises. See Appendix 3 INDONESIA Aceh Tiger Seizure, January 2014 One stuffed tiger 2014 Java arrests for tiger trade, announced October 2013 One tiger skin, two tiger paws, one stuffed tiger head, tiger 2014 claw, suspected trading online NEPAL Sallaghari tiger skin coat, September 2014 One tiger skin coat 2014 Kathmandu tiger skin seizure, October 2014 One tiger skin 2014 RUSSIA Primorsky highway and premises raids, October 2014 Tiger bones 2014 THAILAND Northeast tiger cubs seizure, February 2014 5 live tigers, suspected captive-source 2014 Muang Tiger Cubs Seizure, May 2014 4 live tigers, suspected captive-source 2014 Pathiu District Tiger Cubs And Leopard Carcass 3 live tigers, suspected captive-source, courier bailed 2014 Seizure, June 2014 Patthalung highway tiger parts seizure, 08 July 2014 65 kg tiger parts (limbs) 2014 VIETNAM Nghe An live tigers seizure, June 2014 2 live tigers, suspected captive-source 2014 Bien Hoa tiger carcass seizure, August 2014 2 tiger carcasses, suspected captive-source 2014 Totals: 4 CARCASSES, 15 LIVE, 7 SKINS REPRESENTING 26 TIGERS 17 SUSPECTED CAPTIVE-SOURCE
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Operation Skynet in China News from Education for local traditional medicine hospital results in the recovery of 6 Nature Vietnam (ENV) to produce tiger bone medicine tiger specimens. https://www.facebook.com/Educationf with the intention to auction. This http://legal.brtn.cn/20140810/VIDE orNatureVietnam/photos/pb.1352132 action clearly violated Vietnam’s law 1407646384404124.shtml 59857607.-2207520000. against the trade of protected 1418998068./816607945051465/?t wildlife. In August 2014, Beijing TV ype=3&theater Through the media, ENV first interviewed Forest Police Vietnam, December 2014 brought the case to light and then officers following their investigation worked hard to maintain attention into the illegal trade in stuffed Thanh Hoa authorities incinerate on the case. Despite this, during the tiger specimens. The police were confiscated tiger bone medicine last four years the provincial alerted to a network of traders after tireless efforts by ENV. authorities expressed continued selling taxidermy specimens Today, after four years of tireless reluctance to destroy the illegal without permits and subsequently efforts by ENV, Thanh Hoa products citing the ‘value’ of the recovered six stuffed tigers; two that provincial authorities finally tiger bone medicine. ENV’s efforts had been dispatched to a buyer by a incinerated confiscated tiger finally yielded success after we post from traders in Fujian bone medicine. The incineration wrote to the chairman of the Thanh Province, and four from the home of 2.77 kg of the illegal medicine Hoa provincial people’s committee of another buyer.. was witnessed by both ENV urging them to destroy the Beijing Forest Police officer, and the relevant government confiscated medicine in October Han Meng said “It is because bodies. 2014. of the huge market demand, Back in 2010, a dead tiger from This case demonstrates to some illegal traders use the the black market was confiscated by provincial authorities across the illegal means to purchase and Thanh Hoa provincial authorities. country that dead animals produce specimens then sell to However, instead of destroying the confiscated from wildlife trade must the public.” dead animal, authorities sent it to a be destroyed.
WWF
Amur tiger Bones the course of the police raid an coordinator at WWF Russia Amur Primorsky Province, Russia, animal carcass was discovered in the branch, who carried out the October, 21 cabin of a minivan, which had been examination of the bones. - Further stopped on the federal highway investigation will clarify the details A special examination carried out “Khabarovsk — Vladivostok” in of the crime.” by the experts of WWF-Russia Mikhailovsky district of Primorye. In 2013, the Government of the Amur branch and “Amur Tiger” After further searches of the Russian Federation significantly Center confirmed that a large party suspects three bags of bones of toughened the punishment for of bones uncovered during different shapes and sizes were illegal hunting and, even more investigations by the police in uncovered. The seized animal parts importantly, for trade in rare Primorsky Province belonged to the were sent for the examination to the species, as WWF insisted upon. Amur tigers. The suspects in the “Amur Tiger” Center and WWF Article 258.1 was appended to the illegal trafficking of tiger parts were Russia. Criminal Code of Russian detained by the special security “In the course of a special Federation and criminalizes not services of the Russian Ministry of examination together with the only illegal taking of but also the Internal Affairs that answer for “Amur Tiger” Center we were able purchase, storage, transport, transfer combating the illegal exploitation of to identify one of the largest parties and sale of highly valuable wild animals listed in the Red Data of tiger bones confiscated in animals and marine living resources, Book of the Russian Federation. Primorsky Province in recent years. as well as their parts and products, According to the press release of Unfortunately, it is an irreplaceable protected by the Russian Federation the Russian Ministry of Internal loss for Russian wildlife, - said Pavel and/or by international agreements Affairs of Primorsky Province, in Fomenko, Species Program with Russian Federation. These acts
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recommends protection buffers around saltlicks to reduce disturbance on sambar deer, a key prey species for tigers n Myanmar- May - MoU on conservation work, inc. tiger related work, signed between WWF and Myanmar government n China, Mongolia, Russia- May - WWF representatives from China, Mongolia and Russia create joint plan on Amur Eco-region conservation, a critical area for tigers n Bhutan, China- June- Funding raised to support law enforcement monitoring work in Royal Manas National Park, Bhutan as well as Wangqing and Suiyang Forest Bureaus in China n Nepal- June- 5yr MoU between WWF and the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) formalises partnership to curb wildlife crimes n All tiger range countries- July- Seized Amur tiger bones ©Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs Global Tiger day was celebrated across all the tiger range countries in late July are punished by up to 7 years of WWF Tigers Alive - Update n All tiger range countries- July- imprisonment and up to 2 million WWF Tigers Alive Initiative World Ranger day was also rubles fines. continues to drive TX2 forward celebrated across all the tiger range “In August 2014, one year after working at all levels from field to countries in late July Article 258.1 came in force the first government ministries ensuring the n Indonesia-October- Marco guilty verdict for possession and goal to double tiger numbers is Lambertini launched Ranger for a distribution of the Far Eastern achieved. day in Sumatra. leopard skins was imposed in In September, a conference was October also saw the inaugural Vladivostok. A new investigation of held in Dhaka where all tiger range gathering of the Human Tiger illegal trafficking of tiger parts, which countries agreed to publish their Conflict Conference. One of the is now being carried out by the law tiger numbers for the 2016 halfway outcomes from the workshop was enforcement agencies of Primorye point. the formation of the ‘Chitwan complements this court decision. Each 2014 has been an extremely Understanding for Human Tiger case of the death of the Amur tiger productive and pro-active year for Conflict Working Group’ (HTC and Amur leopard should be the Tigers. WG), a team of 9 people, to be investigated and solved. Only the chaired by Ghana S. Gurung of unavoidability of punishment can Alive Initiative and a summary of WWF Nepal. stop poaching and preserve rare just some of our activities are listed Finally, in November, members species” — says Fomenko. below: of the TAI core team attended the Investigation of this case Highlights from our year: World Parks Congress in Sydney to continues. WWF is ready to n Cambodia- January - Law man our side-event on Zero provide examination and technical Enforcement Monitoring (LEM) Poaching. This side event was support to state law enforcement workshop particularly important for us, agencies involved in the protection n Indonesia- February - Staff from starting the build up to what of biological resources and Bukit Barisan Selantan National promises to be an extremely suppression of crimes in this area. Park, Indonesia, are trained on important event - the first Zero — On behalf of the team: Yulia SMART and basic ranger skills by Poaching Symposium, working Fomenko, Communication Manager, WWF ranger trainer Towards Zero Poaching in Asia, to WWF-Russia, Amur Branch n Malaysia- April - WWF be held in Nepal in February 2015.
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SAWEN
Second annual meeting of INTERPOL and WWF Nepal, syndicates who control the growing the South Asia Wildlife Nepal’s Minister of Forests and Soil, and highly lucrative illicit wildlife Enforcement Network Mahesh Acharya, said at the trade, it is impossible for any one (SAWEN) meeting: “The illegal trade of country to tackle wildlife crime http://www.interpol.int/en/News-and- wildlife has become one of the alone,” said David Higgins, the media/News/2014/N2014-157 largest criminal activities in the Head of INTERPOL’s world. This clearly warrants us to Environmental Security unit. KATHMANDU, Nepal - strengthen regional as well as global “INTERPOL therefore Formulating a collaborative strategy collaboration to combat illegal trade welcomes the work undertaken against wildlife crime was the focus of wild animals and plants, and also during this SAWEN meeting to of the second annual meeting of the come up with a regional strategy enhance our collaborative response South Asia Wildlife Enforcement with actions to deal with wildlife against wildlife crime,” he Network (SAWEN), which brought crime.” concluded. together more than 50 wildlife Megh Bahadur Pandey, the An INTERPOL Workshop on experts and representatives from Director General of the Wildlife Forensics in South Asia countries in the region, as well as Department of National Parks and preceded the SAWEN meeting, and from INTERPOL and other Wildlife Conservation and Chief brought together experts to discuss international organizations. Enforcement Coordinator of how to develop wildlife forensics Officials met to further SAWEN, underlined the role of the and crime scene investigation strengthen regional cooperation meeting in ‘curbing the wildlife capabilities in South Asia to support against poaching and the illegal trade in the region and beyond, law enforcement efforts to address wildlife trade. In this respect, the which stand as one of the most wildlife crime. meeting focused on standardizing challenging issues in conserving The workshop included policies and laws, strengthening biodiversity today’. recommendations on standardizing institutional capacity, sharing To this end, the meeting also DNA and forensic testing, which knowledge amongst member highlighted the need for enhanced were presented during the SAWEN countries, and promoting information sharing and meeting as part of a proposal to collaboration amongst regional and intelligence analysis, including via create a wildlife forensic network international partners to enhance secure channels provided by among SAWEN member countries. wildlife enforcement in the region. INTERPOL. “In the past, criminals have had With the three-day (27-29 “Wildlife crime represents a an advantage because little attention August) meeting organized by the serious transnational threat to was paid to wildlife crime. This SAWEN Secretariat in collaboration South Asia’s biodiversity. Driven by SAWEN meeting is turning the tide with the Government of Nepal, transnational organized criminal to favour wildlife and all of us, especially the rural poor in South Asia who are most dependent on biodiversity for their livelihoods,” said USAID’s Environment Team Leader, Mary Melnyk. “USAID’s partnership with INTERPOL and SAWEN is firmly establishing the means to combat transnational wildlife crime using the latest tools and advances of INTERPOL,” she added. The SAWEN meeting included experts from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Secretariat, INTERPOL, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), USAID, the World Bank, TRAFFIC, ASEAN- WEN, FREELAND Foundation, and WWF.
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INTERNATIONAL FUND FOR ANIMAL WELFARE (IFAW)
Progress and continued Table 1: Number of tiger products/parts traded online challenges confronting May July Sept. Nov. Jan. online trade in tiger parts 2013 2013 2013 2013 2014 and products, China case Total listings of tiger study, contribution by the parts/products 762 2222* 154 308 153 International Fund for New adverts added Animal Welfare (in litt. since last check 90 60 4 6 1 2014) Illegal trade of tiger parts and *In Jul 2013, 2065 tiger advertisements were found on a single collection website . The website had since tightened its policy and added filters to block out listings containing the products online words for tiger products.
IFAW monitors online wildlife revisited in 2014, we found the a Hong Kong wine production trade in China by conducting Tiger Bone Bar had remained company. The link below is to its sales routine checks of 21 major web- closed but the Tiger Bone Wine Bar outlet in Guangzhou, selling “Bone based marketplaces every two was re-opened in February 2013. A Nurturing Wine” in tiger shaped months. The below chart shows the total of 30 advertisements for tiger bottles. http://www.xiongsenjiuye.com/ listings of what claimed to be “tiger bone wine were listed in the Tiger gongxiao.asp# products” advertised on these Bone Wine Bar, among which 6 websites from May 2013 to Jan were posted in 2014. In 2013, Xiongsen opened its own 2014. Weibo. Its advertisement for “Tiger The types of tiger parts and Sales of tiger bone wine by tiger Bone Wine” was bombarded with products most frequently seen farms criticisms from netizens. After that, advertised online are tiger bone The Xiongsen Bear and Tiger the Weibo account seems to have pieces, carvings from tiger bone. It Mountain Village now has registered been abandoned. is difficult to identify the authenticity of the tiger parts listed FIGURE 2: Xiongsen’s Sina Weibo page online. We track those that claimed to be from a tiger.
Baidu tiger bone bars In March 2012, Baidu shut down two online bars (forums) specific to the trade of tiger products. One was called Tiger Bone Bar, the other was called Tiger Bone Wine Bar. When
FIGURE 1: Tiger bone wine sold on the Baidu bar
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http://www.weibo.com/p/100505240 http://www.zjww.gov.cn/callingactive/ 5843167/weibo?from=page_100505 2012-03-20/144129678.shtml &wvr=5&mod=headweibo http://www.forestry.gov.cn/portal/zrbh/ Auctions of tiger parts and s/1492/content-521905.html products The SFA notice banning the While there seems to be a auction of endangered species, significant reduction of tiger bone specifically tiger bone, rhino horn wine in auction in the mainland in and elephant ivory (January 2012) 2012, we have found an auction prompted many auction houses to house in Hong Kong listed and sold cancel planned auctions containing tiger bone wine in an October parts and products from these auction that same year (see the wildlife species. The removal of screenshots below). endangered wildlife from auctions resulted in a 40% reduction of Demand reduction efforts overall auction turnover in The involvement of law mainland China. enforcement agencies and websites FIGURE 4: Identification Manual for Below are the links to IFAW and the improvement in their Endangered Wildlife Commonly blog and related stories in the respective ability are crucial for Traded Online Chinese auction industry newsletter reducing the illegal trade of wildlife and media. online. Based on the information toolkit for website management http://www.ifaw.org/united- gathered during long-term online services but also an invaluable states/news/chinese-trading-ban-sees- monitoring, IFAW in collaboration reference for law enforcement huge-decrease-endangered-species- with China CITES Scientific officials to combat wildlife trade on auction-sales Authority compiled the the internet. Funding for the Identification Manual for manual was provided by the United http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/76 Endangered Wildlife Commonly States Agency for International 1387.shtml Traded Online, as both a practical Development (USAID) and the Freeland Foundation. FIGURE 3: Tiger bone wines sell on auction house Significant seizures and cases involving tigers and other Asian big cats Case 1: 2014-3-18 Police in Leizhou city, Zhanjiang province arrested a gang for slaughtering tigers and eating meat. The principal admitted killed more than 10 tigers before. Police seized at least 10 tiger skins and 9 huge jars of tiger bone wine, each weighing hundreds of pounds.
FIGURE 5: Tiger was slaughtered in public
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Media reports of this case: http://news.21cn.com/hot/social/a/201 4/0318/16/26730965.shtml
http://v.qq.com/cover/7/71da1t7escry4 h8.html?vid=f00142uodli
(http://www.iqiyi.com/w_19rr1i23sl. html) FIGURE 7&8: Bengal tiger skins seized in the Yunnan case http://www.bxqw.com/userlist/hbpd/ne wshow-30856.html Table 2*: Purpose of Online Wildlife Advertisements Total listings Listings for Listings for Percentage for http://www.natureworldnews.com/arti collectibles medicine medicinal purpose cles/6455/20140327/tigers- 168 157 11 7.0% slaughtered-in-china-as-status-symbol- *Based on internet monitoring from 10th March - 18th April, 2014. The data shows new listings and-entertainment-for-wealthy- posted in the last two months. class.htm
Case 2: 2014-4-3 Police in Wealth overtaking health as the overall auction turnover in 2012. Heilongjiang province seized demand driver Stricter laws and policies issued by tiger bone weighing 8.39kg Recent monitoring of online the central government prohibiting and bear paws, likely smuggled marketplaces on general sales the trade of endangered species can from Russia. websites, i.e. e-commerce, classified, have a huge impact in stigmatizing http://news.163.com/14/0403/03/9O and public forums, found that the wildlife consumption. SIBN2N00014AED.html majority of the wildlife parts and n Wealth is overtaking, if not products advertised are for replacing health as the major driver investment/collections rather than of the demand for wildlife parts and for medicinal use. The websites products. For endangered wildlife monitored include: Taobao, Paipai, species such as tigers and rhinos the Alibaba, Ganji, 58 City, Baixing, demand for their parts and and Baidu forums. Wildlife species products is increasingly driven by monitored include: rhino, tiger consumers who seek them as (other big cats), pangolin, saiga “investment” which can only gain antelope and bear. value as the species edges towards extinction. Summary: n More Chinese online marketplaces are taking a zero Camera-trap captures tolerance policy against illegal released Russian tiger Kuzya wildlife trade. Websites that have a thriving in China policy banning endangered species By: Anna Filippova, Posted: FIGURE 6: Tiger and bear parts seized in trade have far fewer illegal trade Tue, 11/18/2014 listings. The combination of NGOs Case 3: 2014-1-22 Yunnan providing market monitoring data, We have some amazing news - we forest police seized 335 stricter website policies banning recently received a photo of Kuzya, endangered wildlife products, wildlife trade, targeted enforcement, the traveler. Kuzya is one of the including 166 tiger bone pieces, removal and blocking of illegal rehabilitated Amur tigers, which three Bengal tiger skins, the body listings, has demonstrably reduced were released back into the wilds of of a baby tiger, and other big online sales of endangered wildlife. Far East Russia in May of this year. cat products. This is the largest n Government policies in China seizure of wildlife products play an important role in deterring We are overjoyed for him! Yunnan police in 10 years. wildlife trade. The notice issued by Approximately a month ago Kuzya http://www.chinanews.com/fz/2014/0 the State Forestry Administration to swam across the Amur River and 1-22/5769122.shtml, China Auction Association banning into China. This area is much more http://news.qq.com/a/20140123/000 the auction of tiger bone, rhino densely populated than the 879.htm horn and elephant ivory halved the bordering Russian territory, and
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Krai and the wetlands of the Sanjiang Natural Reserve in the Heilongjiang Province. The travels of Kuzya have demonstrated to us the importance of these corridors and the need to establish new ones.
The photograph of the tiger taken in Taipingou did not arrive to us by accident. This natural reserve is well prepared to receive these wild “guests”. Its territory is cleared out of poachers’ snares, biotechnical measures are undertaken and trail cameras set up. One of the important reasons that kept Kuzya there is the high density of hoofed animals inhabiting this
PHOTO©TAIPINGGOU NATURE RESERVE NATURE PHOTO©TAIPINGGOU natural reserve. The Kuyza the tiger in Taipingou natural reserve Based on the data of Professor Zhang, an expert on large mammals many were concerned that Kuzya and has moved over to the Xing’an in the Chinese Northeast Forestry would move close to human cedar and broad-leaved woods of University, Kuzya successfully hunts settlements, start hunting domestic the Taipingou natural reserve. This and kills a wild boar every three cattle or end up in some other natural reserve was founded in days and feels so comfortable that conflict situation with people. China in the framework of the sometimes leaves an unfinished These concerns were exploited by protected trans-border natural “lunch”. some journalists, who fabricated reserves project. I witnessed a similar picture in stories of Kuzya pillaging a It is important to say that a the Panna National Park in India, henhouse. number of such environmental where tigers regularly just “get a corridors have already been taste” of their prey, leaving the rest Actually, as the satellite monitoring established and their use by tigers to other predators. data shows, he was at least 30km was documented. For instance, a Animals can behave in this way away from the alleged attack. Russian fisherman recorded a video only when food is easily available. The reality is that Kuzya has of a tiger swimming over the river It looks that our Kuzya has invalidated the worst concerns. So between the Bolshehehzirsky state made himself comfortable, and I far he has been avoiding all dangers natural reserve in the Khabarovsk personally feel much calmer.
21ST CENTURY TIGER PROJECT REPORT 2014
Fauna and Flora respond to informants and enforcement network’ agreement International (FFI), Sumatra undercover operations to catch between four provincial police poachers and remove snares across authorities and Kerinci Seblat Anti-poaching teams in Sumatra’s the area. National Park Authority has now Kerinci Seblat National Park have Increased threat was detected in been established. This major been tackling the trade in tiger 2013 when over 63 active and 53 breakthrough will help strengthen parts by helping protect the park inactive tiger snares were the local judicial system. since 2001. The national park confiscated, the result of organized covers 14,000 km and the “poaching to order”. Much of the Mataki Tags, IOZ/UCL, India inhospitable terrain means that not undercover work in 2014 is focus The new and recently developed all the park can be effectively on these criminal gangs and helps mataki is a tracking technology to patrolled. to direct additional intelligence-led record the daily activity and Six four-man teams carry out patrols. movement of tigers in the wild. The SMART patrolling and also In addition, a formal ‘law data collected by the tags can be
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downloaded remotely from a aims to design and conduct a adjoining Taman Negara National distance causing less human disease surveillance programme for park. Walkers report evidence of disturbance. tigers covering the whole of human intervention and illegal Working alongside the existing Sumatra. The first AGM planned activities to a free hotline while government-approved project, for early 2015. “boots on the ground” deter where tigers are being captured This is the first programme of poachers from threathening tigers for GPS tracking in Kanha its type in any tiger range state, and and their prey. National Park, mataki tags are may lead to evidence-based disease being trailed to see if the much prevention or mitigation strategies Tigers dams and Tribal Cultures, more detailed information they for tigers. India provide can be of help to tiger A camera survey in North-East monitoring. MYCAT Citizen Action for Tigers India where tiger data is deficient - Malaysia and the isolated tribal landscape is Wildlife Vets International (WVI) Empowering the growing numbers threatened by hydroelectric Disease surveillance for Sumatran of educated Malaysians to protect development. The data achieved Tigers their endangered wildlife and from the survey can be used to 21st Century Tiger provided funds habitats through meaningful reduce the impact of this for WVI input in a new veterinary community engagement. development on tigers and may organization, the Sumatran Tiger CAT walks take place in a eventually feed into a local tiger Health Forum was established. It crucial corridor along the Yu River action plan.
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THE WILDLIFE CONSERVATION TRUST (WCT)
The Wildlife Conservation Trust Support to departments: In a first equipment needed by forest staff. In (WCT) currently works in 100 of its kind initiative, WCT all 54 such units have been donated national parks and sanctuaries in developed Rapid Response Units to 43 parks including 35 tiger India across 17 states, covering 72% (RRUs) to help forest departments reserves*. of 47 tiger reserves and 15.5% of respond promptly to conflict Concerned about the approximately 670 Protected Areas situations. The units include challenging conditions field staff are (PAs)*. With over 3.5 million vehicles, specially-designed exposed to on a daily basis, WCT people living inside tiger reserves carnivore trap cages and other worked with state forest and several hundred million dependent on natural ecosystems, we cannot separate communities from conservation. Thus, WCT lays equal emphasis on wildlife conservation and community development.
Protection WCT works closely with state forest departments to ensure they have the best equipment and training to carry out their duties.
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departments to create a database of veterinary medicine, to supplement from nine PAs and seven territorial 1,600 Anti-Poaching Camps the officers’ skill sets. forest divisions of Maharashtra have (APCs) in approximately 60 PAs*. Although India has excellent benefited from the training*. This database was used to evaluate legislation on environmental Selected park administrators and the resources available to staff protection, there are several hurdles veterinary doctors have also been manning these posts. Subsequently, in enforcing it. A key reason is the sent abroad for further training. WCT donated several essential lack of training of forest pieces of equipment such as solar department officials. WCT aims to Research charging systems, digital cameras, redress this by conducting wildlife For WCT research and monitoring GPS devices, backpacks, binoculars, law enforcement training are crucial components of torches, first-aid kids, mosquito programmes that introduce forest conservation. Increased or stable nets and water purifiers to each officials to India’s wildlife laws, the tiger density is a measure of the APC. powers they hold and how to best success of our work and therefore, WCT also works to improve the utilise them. Specifically, officials we carry out monitoring exercises in mobility of frontline forest staff and are trained in how to apprehend different PAs. Our team trains has donated over 3,750 vehicles and charge offenders, create crime forest department staff in (trucks, 4WD jeeps, motorboats, scene maps, collect evidence, carry monitoring techniques so that they motorcycles, bicycles, tractors, out effective patrolling and develop can conduct such assessments water-tankers, etc.) to various strong intelligence networks. WCT independently. national parks and sanctuaries*. In has collaborated with the Madhya As part of Phase III of the 3rd the second half of 2014, WCT Pradesh and Maharashtra State All India Tiger Estimation exercise donated 10 Mahindra Bolero Governments to conduct routine in 2014, WCT collaborated with Campers, 43 motorcycles and 574 wildlife crime prevention sessions in the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) bicycles to various PAs across all forest training institutes of these to carry out necessary assessments India*. states. To date, the programme has in the Pench National Park, Bor, benefitted 3,186 forest staff from New Bor, Mansinghdeo, Umred- Capacity-building: A key focus of 26 PAs and several territorial areas*. Karhandla and Tippeshwar Wildlife WCT is to build capacity within WCT also collaborates with the Sanctuaries. the forest department. To this end, Gujarat Forest Department to train In 2012-2013, WCT worked WCT conducts various trainings for frontline staff from various states in with the staff of the Nagzira forest staff, often bringing in the field of wildlife rescue and Wildlife Sanctuary and New experts in various fields such as immobilisation. To date, 31 staff Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary to
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conduct an extensive camera trapping exercise prior to the area being notified a tiger reserve. In 2014, the WCT team returned to this landscape, now the Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve, to help officials fulfil their mandate of an annual tiger assessment exercise. Working with the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department, WCT recently completed an intensive camera trapping exercise in the buffer zone of the Pench Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh. WCTs field interventions are rooted in hard science. A key benefit of the research conducted by our team is that it can be used to drive policy change at a national and state level. WCT uses conservation genetics and GIS to study tiger dispersal and identify tiger corridors. This research is then used to lobby for the protection of corridors and, in turn, helps WCT fulfil its goal of catalysing the security of contiguous tiger landscapes. In 2013-2014, WCT worked with the Maharashtra Forest Department to study the connectivity of tiger populations in PAs across north-eastern Maharashtra. These areas are vital to the health of the larger Central Indian Landscape. Using tiger scat, collected in a non-invasive manner, WCT studied the relatedness between tiger populations in different reserves. The research substantiated the declaration of several smaller PAs between existing tiger reserves in Maharashtra and highlighted the significance of Health basic pathology investigations are corridors, irrespective of their The WCT health initiative focuses conducted. These initial screenings width, to the long-term survival of on providing quality healthcare to allow WCT health teams to identify the Central Indian tiger population. forest staff and communities living officials with chronic or serious in the buffer zones of tiger reserves illnesses so that further treatment Community Interventions and also in villages located along can be provided to them. ECG tests WCT works closely with the periphery of national parks and are conducted for all officials to communities living in the buffer sanctuaries. check for heart diseases and zones of tiger reserves in three key Routine health camps are specialised treatment is provided to areas: health, education and conducted for state forest diabetes patients. In addition, livelihoods, to raise their standard departments where officials and WCT ensures that all APCs within of living and reduce their their families receive thorough a PA have a first-aid box and other dependence on forests. medical checks by physicians and necessary medical supplies. WCT
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teaches officials how to use the kits heavily on forest produce to around the Tadoba-Andhari provided and routinely replenishes supplement their meagre income. Tiger Reserve. them. WCT helps impart vocational To date, over 3,700 candidates Health camps are organised for training to young people and in 361 villages in eight tiger reserves local communities in 30 and 25 coordinates with over 100 job have found jobs in mainstream buffer zone villages of the Tadoba- providers to find them gainful industry through the WCT Andhari Tiger Reserve and Pench employment, thereby reducing their livelihoods initiative*. Tiger Reserve, respectively. dependency and negative impact on Outreach programmes are forests. Education conducted in eight buffer zone In the second half of 2014, WCT understands the value of villages of the Bor Tiger Reserve. WCT collaborated with Vigyan education to a child’s future and WCT has also initiated a pilot Ashram to conduct training works extensively with government project on water and sanitation in programmes in four schools in the schools in forests by building the 10 buffer zone villages of the buffer zone of the Pench Tiger capacity of teachers, providing Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve. Reserve, Maharashtra. Similarly, infrastructural support and creating To date, WCT health initiatives WCT worked with Aide et Action, alternative avenues for learning. have benefitted 7,500 forest staff an international NGO, to train 158 Currently, the WCT education and 1,64,407 villagers in and young people from the Bandipur initiative is being implemented in around 42 PAs, including 21 tiger Tiger Reserve and 203 young schools in the buffer zones of the reserves, in nine Indian states*. people from the Mudumalai Tiger Ranthambhore, Kanha, Satpura, From this, 23,211 people have been Reserve and helped them find jobs Panna, Pench (Madhya Pradesh), reached between July and in mainstream industries. In Pench (Maharashtra), Tadoba- November 2014*. collaboration with Dr. Reddy’s Andhari, Bandipur and Mudumalai Foundation, training programmes Tiger Reserves. Over 59,000 Livelihoods on pest management, livestock students and 1,400 teachers in 418 The communities living in and vaccinations, etc. have been held villages are benefitting from this around India’s forests depend for 410 farming families living initiative*.
*The number of individuals impacted by WCT initiatives is likely to rise. The numbers given in this document are as per the updates provided in November 2014 and will need to be re-checked before publishing. Please contact the WCT team to confirm these figures prior to circulating the newsletter.
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THE CORBETT FOUNDATION
The Corbett Foundation (TCF) guides from PTR. The main 3,550 tribal and forest-dependent was founded by Mr. Dilip D. objective of the programme was to communities by 2017. Under this Khatau in 1994 with the prime enhance the skills and knowledge of programme, local communities objective of maintaining harmony nature guides with respect to the living around Corbett, between man and nature. TCF biodiversity of PTR and improve Bandhavgarh, Kanha, Kaziranga works around the tiger reserves of their communication skills. The and Pakke Tiger Reserves are Corbett, Bandhavgarh, Kanha and training module was developed as trained in various livelihood-based Kaziranga, in the fields of wildlife per the key requirements necessary activities such as hospitality, sewing, research and conservation for a nature guide, and tailoring, handicrafts, sustainable awareness, training and capacity encompassed a number of topics on agriculture, computer repair, animal building, sustainable rural flora and fauna, biogeography, and husbandry, incense sticks-making, development, community health, topics concerning basic amongst many others. So far over sustainable livelihoods, and communication skills and 28 different skills have been veterinary care. etiquettes. The programme aimed imparted under Pukaar. Between to impart knowledge related to July-December 2014, a total of 297 I. Wildlife Research and interaction between humans and individuals including unemployed Conservation Awareness: wildlife, and the role played by youth, farmers, and women nature guides in wildlife underwent training under Pukaar in conservation, and also help them programmes such as fishery acquire skills to offer an enhanced production, sustainable agriculture tourism experience. (with a special focus on Systemic Rise Intensification and III. Sustainable Livelihoods horticulture), basic hospitality, TCF has been promoting sewing and tailoring, bhihu and sustainable livelihoods in under its jhumar dance, motor repair, tally, flagship programme “Pukaar” since motor driving, bamboo handicraft, 2012 to reduce the dependency of handmade paper, carpentry and the tribal and other forest- masonry. TCF has been engaged in creating dependent communities on the TCF has also been involved in awareness about wildlife and the tiger reserves through their capacity promoting the Pawalgarh School of environment in and around building and economic Arts to facilitating alternate Corbett, Bandhavgarh, Kanha and empowerment. Pukaar consists of livelihood for the local youth and Kaziranga Tiger Reserves. In the various training programmes to women of the newly-created second-half of 2014, TCF organised enhance the skills and livelihoods of Pawalgarh Conservation Reserve in several awareness programmes in local communities and aims at Uttarakhand. TCF has been schools and villages on Global Tiger providing vocational training to promoting the school by Day, International Vulture Awareness Day, and Wildlife Week. Slideshow presentations, documentary screenings, rallies, and drawing and essay writing competitions were held for the schools and communities located in the buffer zones of the above- mentioned tiger reserves.
II. Skill Development and Capacity Building for Nature Guides of Pench Tiger Reserve (MP) Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR), Madhya Pradesh invited TCF to conduct a week-long training programme for over 90 nature
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discovering the talent, harnessing their skills and refining their art so that quality of paintings matches with the professional qualities and fetch good market.
IV. Veterinary Care and Awareness Domestic cattle constitute the primary means of livelihood for many communities living in and and Black Quarter in the both these of conflict in the Corbett around tiger reserves. They form an Tiger Reserves. Landscape is depredation of imperative source of income for livestock by tigers and leopards. their use in agriculture and b. Cattle Health Planning: Healthy This creates resentment among production of milk. To ensure that Cattle, Healthy People people against both wildlife and the the livestock are kept healthy and TCF, in collaboration with the Forest Department. With the provide maximum work output, University of Edinburgh Royal objective of alleviating this conflict TCF conducts regular veterinary (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, situation, TCF launched the “Cattle camps in Bandhavgarh and Kanha Scotland, started a project on rural Compensation Scheme” in 1995 to Tiger Reserves. The health of cattle education programme titled “Cattle give ex-gratia financial assistance to is often neglected because of the Heath Planning: Healthy Cattle, the owner of the cattle killed by a lack of facilities and poor awareness. Healthy People” for the tribal tiger or leopard in and around the TCF’s veterinary team works communities living around Kanha buffer zone of Corbett. WWF-India around the clock, and treats cattle Tiger Reserve in October 2014. has been a partner in this scheme at doorsteps to ensure that locals The project uses participatory since 1997. Under the scheme, follow sustainable and profitable educational techniques where from June to November 2014, TCF animal husbandry practices to keep villagers and vets jointly discuss has recorded 472 cases of cattle their cattle healthy and safe from their experiences and concerns in depredation by the tigers and diseases. Since these cattle often the area of animal health. This leopards. A total amount of Rs graze in forests, there is a threat of programme aims to improve the 8,07,876/- was disbursed as Interim livestock diseases being transmitted health of cattle and enhance the Relief. Villagers from about 250 to wild animals, and hence keeping productivity of existing cattle to villages and 25 Gujjar settlements, them healthy is an important step ensure that cattle numbers are kept located in remote areas and buffer towards wildlife conservation. under check. This is a pilot project zone in both the north and south In the second-half of 2014, and will be scaled up to cover other zones of Corbett Tiger Reserve are over 1006 cattle were treated for Tiger Reserves as well based on the benefitting from this scheme. various ailments from contagious results. Over 18 villages and 360 diseases to injuries. TCF ensures beneficiaries participated in the first VI. Rural Medical Outreach thorough follow-ups for its phase of the project. Throughout Programme (RMOP) veterinary programme, and was the programme, the team is The communities inhabiting the instrumental in containing the gathering information on both the buffer zones of tiger reserves do not outbreak of Hemorrhagic animal health needs and animal have an easy access to medical Septicemia in a village in the buffer husbandry knowledge of villagers to facilities. Even small illnesses can zone of Kanha Tiger Reserve. enable the vets to continue to therefore become difficult to treat improve the quality and relevance and this can in turn severely affect a. Cattle Vaccination Programme of the training programme. The their livelihood. TCF provides In the year 2013-2014, TCF programme has been timely primary healthcare outreach vaccinated a total of 77,003 cattle enthusiastically received by the along with health-related awareness in 99 villages in Bandhavgarh Tiger villagers and the team is optimistic programmes, undertakes regularly Reserve and 181 villages in Kanha about the long term benefits it will chlorination of wells, and has Tiger Reserve to prevent the spread bring. provided first aid kits to schools of diseases from domestic animals through its Mobile Medical Unit to wild herbivores. The programme V. Interim Relief Scheme (IRS) which goes on predefined routes is underway this year as well, and as The problem of human-wildlife covering several villages on a weekly on December 15, 2014, TCF’s conflict is the most challenging basis, and through an Out Patient veterinary team has vaccinated the threat for the conservation of Department which is open for 19,778 cattle against Foot and wildlife in human dominated locals for treatment. In 2013-2014, Mouth, Hemorrhagic Septicemia landscapes. One of the major causes 40,476 patients received medical
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care through TCF’s Mobile Medical posing a threat to wildlife Units and Out Patient Departments conservation as they do not have at its respective centres. Over boundary walls and there have been 16,509 patients benefitted from instances where wild animals have TCF’s RMOP during June- accidentally fallen into them at November 2014 in Corbett, night and died. To prevent such Bandhavgarh and Kanha Tiger accidental deaths, TCF has Reserves. launched a project to install chain- VIII. Biogas Project link fencing around 200 such open VII. Distribution of Energy- TCF is encouraging the installation dug wells that are situated close to efficient Stoves of biogas plants for those the core zone of Bandhavgarh. households from the buffer zones of tiger reserves, who rear cattle for the X. Wildlife Rescue Work purpose of milk production and are ready to stall-feed the cattle. TCF has provided the first such biogas plant to a Gond family in the buffer zone of Kanha Tiger Reserve. The family provides an undertaking that it will not send its cattle for grazing to forests and instead stall- feed the animals. TCF also assists the families in growing fodder for their animals. The scheme is devised to reduce the grazing pressure on natural forests and Between July to December 2014, enhance the productivity of over 180 wild animals have been TCF launched ‘Samriddhi: A step domestic animals for economic rescued and rehabilitated in the towards better health and empowerment of the communities. wild by TCF. While most of the environment’ in Kanha Tiger As an extension of this scheme, wildlife rescue work has been done Reserve to reduce the burning of work on 25 more such biogas plants around the Kaziranga Tiger Reserve, firewood in households and address is being carried out in the buffer few animals were rescued and the issue of indoor environment. In zone of Kanha and Bandhavgarh attended to around Bandhavgarh its first phase, a total 600 energy- Tiger Reserves. and Kanha Tiger Reserves. In efficient stoves with chimneys, and Kaziranga, a large number of insecticide-treated mosquito nets IX. Fencing Open Wells in animals are displaced due to annual (ITM) were distributed to Bandhavgarh floods. TCF joined hands with the households from 16 villages in the Forest Department in mitigating buffer zone of Kanha Tiger Reserve. the loss of life due to traffic The smart-stoves will help reduce accidents and poaching. TCF team the dependency on fuel-wood by helped the forest department in around 50% and hence have a controlling traffic at night on the positive impact on the surrounding NH37 which borders the Kaziranga forests in the long run. This Tiger Reserve. Many wild animals intervention will also reduce strayed in human settlement to respiratory problems that are caused avoid the flood. TCF helped to due to the inhalation of smoke and A total of 53 villages located along rescue such wild animals and at the the occurrence of malaria among the boundary of the core zone of same time domestic livestock which the communities. Energy-efficient Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve. survived attacks from such wildlife stoves have also been promoted in Agriculture is the primary were provided veterinary care. Some all the households of Ringora occupation of the communities of the wild creatures rescued and village at the fringe of Corbett Tiger residing in these villages. The successfully released back into the Reserve and energy-efficient chulahs Government of Madhya Pradesh wild included species such as King are being provided to 400 provides dug wells to local farmers Cobra, Monocled Cobra, Burmese households from Rakhi and for irrigation and there are Python, Banded Krait, Rhesus Bijhariya villages along the fringe of hundreds of such open dug wells in Macaque, Chinese Pangolin, Bengal Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve. Bandhavgarh. These wells are Florican, among others.
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CENTRE FOR WILDLIFE STUDIES (CWS)
Hotspots in India’s tiger- areas near tiger habitats: 17 districts buyers were using newer techniques trading network revealed were active but distant hubs, to avoid detection. 19:30 25 September 2014 by including the Delhi region. Poaching is insidious, says Shreya Dasgupta Trafficking was higher in Wright. “It can wipe out entire districts closer to railway routes populations of tigers before the Poaching gangs are using India’s than highways. “Poaching gangs management even knows that such a train networks to smuggle tiger and middlemen prefer to use trains threat exists in the area.” This parts across the country undetected. to transport tiger parts, since trains happened to the Sariska Tiger That’s according to research that are well-connected to remote Reserve in north-west India in 2004. has mapped the hubs of illegal forested areas and usually crowded,” The researchers hope that their tiger poaching and trafficking says Belinda Wright from WPSI. findings will help enforcement activities. “Buses, in comparison, carry fewer agencies crack down on poaching Researchers analysed 40 years’ people and can be easily stopped and monitor their enforcement worth of tiger trade data, and checked.” strategies. collected by the Wildlife Protection According to Ullas Karanth, Society of India (WPSI), and found Detection-avoidance director of the Centre for Wildlife that today’s trafficking hotspots In 2012, WPSI recorded 32 cases of Studies in Bangalore, protecting form a corridor running from poaching and trafficking of wild- tigers will require improved southern and central India right tiger parts, rising to 42 in 2013. preventative patrols, rather than up to the country’s border with But an increasing number does not only chasing traders after they have Nepal. This porous border is necessarily mean that actual tiger killed a tiger. thought to be the main trafficking has gone up, stresses the He adds that, for India’s tigers, international hub for trafficking study’s lead author, Koustubh depletion of prey in tiger habitats tiger parts into China. Sharma of the Nature Conservation could be an even bigger threat to The illegal trade in tiger parts Foundation in Mysore, India. The the species. continues to flourish in India, number of reported cases depends Journal reference: Biological driven by the high demand for tiger on how many are detected, which Conservation, DOI: 10.1016/ parts elsewhere in Asia. The study can fluctuate according to levels of j.biocon.2014.08.016 identified 73 districts in India law enforcement. Over the 40-year http://www.newscientist.com/articl which may be active hubs for tiger study period, the number of cases e/dn26274-hotspots-in-indias- poaching and illegal trafficking. decreased in some years, but this tigertrading-network- These hubs were not limited to might be because poachers and revealed.html#.VJQB0sAAA
WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY — INDIA (WCS-INDIA) AND CENTRE FOR WILDLIFE STUDIES (CWS)
WCS-India and CWS are partners different target groups in these the Forest Department staff working together in close three states, to understand and help themselves. collaboration with several State mitigate human-wildlife conflict. Recent advances in research on Governments, local partners and Media workshops were large cats and elephants were shared communities to help in effective conducted in three states facing in these workshops and experiences conservation of tigers and other serious human-wildlife conflict, to from WCS-India work in Sanjay wildlife, and their habitat, in India. make the journalist aware on the Gandhi National Park, Maharashtra relevant issues. These workshops were also provided to the Capacity building workshops and were carried out in collaboration participants so that they are made trainings with respective state Forest aware of proactive methods of Media workshops - Kerala, Goa, Departments and saw a dealing with conflict. The resource Himachal Pradesh participation of more than 200 persons included other wildlife WCS-India conducted various media people in Goa, Himachal biologist and Forest Department targeted workshops and training for Pradesh and Kerala in addition to officials who have successfully dealt
48 December 2014 with these situations in Roy P Thomas IFS, Deputy involved in conflict. Strategic Maharashtra. Conservator of Forests, Wayanad placement of camera traps can help division, said “This training is in this identification.” Training for Forest Department going to make a change in the staff in Telangana and Andhra capacity of the frontline staff of the Facilitating a win-win solution Pradesh sanctuary and is definitely going to through Voluntary Relocation In Telangana, a two-day workshop empower them to undertake the WCS-India continued to provide was conducted in Kawal TR for 70 density study of the Tigers in the assistance to authorities on frontline staff of Adilabad District, sanctuary.” voluntary relocation in various in collaboration with the Forest Contiguous with three Tiger protected areas in Karnataka, Department. In this workshop Reserves - Mudumalai in Tamil Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. issues like basic ecology of tigers, Nadu and Bandipur and Regular monitoring of the wildlife law and monitoring of Nagarahole in Karnataka, Wayanad families relocated from Bhadra tigers and its prey was covered. A WLS harbours a multitude of landscape was carried out, along field session was conducted for wildlife, including the endangered with necessary supplementary monitoring of tigers and its prey. tiger, and elephants. It spreads over interventions (including Additionally, interaction was 344.4 sq km area within the Nilgiri distribution of saplings to relocated held with 40 trainee Range Forest Biosphere Reserve. families). Officers from Andhra Pradesh, “Camera traps and line-transects WCS-India also assisted in the Telangana and Goa who were on a are today globally used to study voluntary relocation of 26 visit to Kawal TR. They were wildlife populations. It is important additional families from Kerekatte, exposed to field techniques on that our country’s frontline staff Belthangady and Karkala ranges of monitoring tigers and prey, along know these techniques, which can Kudremukh National Park. with a field demonstration. give valuable data for use in Assistance was provided to eight conservation of tigers and other families for application for Wayanad frontline staff trained for wildlife,” said Dr N Samba Kumar, voluntary relocation to the relevant wildlife monitoring Additional Director - Science and authorities. The Kerala Forest Department and Conservation, WCS-India. Dr Efforts are on-going to facilitate WCS-India organized a two-day Kumar is assisted by Senior voluntary relocation from Kawal workshop on wildlife monitoring Research Associate Killivalavan TR, through engagement of local techniques for the entire frontline Rayar as resource-persons for the people to make them understand staff of Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary training. the need and benefits. Accordingly in December 2014. Citing an example of the use of 18 local people from Mysempet More than 150 frontline staff these techniques in conservation, village were taken for an exposure up to the level of Range Forest Dr Kumar added that individual tour to Tadoba, Maharashtra to Officers posted in the Sanctuary tigers can be identified through showcase to them a successful will be trained on the use of camera their stripe patterns. “To effectively voluntary relocation program. traps and line-transect methods to mitigate a human-tiger conflict Around 130 families of three particularly study tigers and their situation, it would be imperative to villages in Kawal have now given prey. identify the correct individual their consent for voluntary relocation. Similar efforts were carried out with local people in Nagarjunasagar Srisailam TR, where following various awareness activities targeting the community, around 15 leaders were taken to visit families who have voluntarily relocated out of Nagarahole. Series of meetings were carried out in seven villages. A total of 500 families here have expressed their willingness to relocate from the TR. Interactions were also held with the elected representatives to implement relocation schemes in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
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Human-carnivore conflict Goa, which are contiguous with The findings were published in mitigation and prevention - Anshi-Dandeli TR in Karnataka. the latest article - ‘Identifying Surveys in Tamil Nadu, Himachal species, sex and individual tigers Pradesh, Maharashtra and West Monitoring tiger and wild prey in and leopards in the Malenad - Bengal the Eastern Ghats Landscape Mysore Tiger Landscape (MMTL), Human-carnivore conflict is one of Camera trap efforts were initiated Western Ghats, India’. the most important factors in the in the 1500 sq km core area of the The authors - Samrat Mondol, conservation of these large cats. In Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger N Samba Kumar, Arjun Gopala- order to better understand this issue Reserve by CWS partner swamy, Kartik Sunagar, K Ullas WCS-India has increasingly HYTICOS in collaboration with Karanth and Uma Ramakrishnan focussed on this issue in terms of the Forest Department, under the collected over 300 carnivore scat both research and policy. Phase IV Section III protocol as samples across 20,000 sq. km land- Accordingly, structured social mandated by the NTCA. scape in Karnataka, and used mole- surveys were conducted in four Assistance was provided to cular tools to identify the species villages (covering more than 400 authorities of Kawal Wildlife (tiger or leopard), assign individual households) in Sathyamangalam Sanctuary, to document reported identities and also reliably Tiger Reserve in the state of Tamil tiger movement between Kawal and determine the gender of the animal. Nadu to assess local people’s Tadoba. “Accurate scientific baseline data perception on wildlife and the is the foundation of a good occurrence of conflict. New developments in carnivore conservation initiative,” said Dr. K. Research also continued in research Ullas Karanth, Wildlife human-leopard conflict aspects in Scientists use novel genetic Conservation Society - India. Maharashtra and West Bengal. methods to identify species, sex The methods deployed included On the request of the Himachal and individuals from carnivore a novel multiplex PCR- Pradesh authorities, similar studies scats electrophoresis based approach for have also been initiated in the state Scientists from Centre for Cellular species identification, a new to understand human-wildlife and Molecular Platforms, National multiplex-molecular sexing system conflict patterns and mitigation Centre for Biological Sciences, combining two previously described strategies. Centre for Wildlife Studies and gender determination approaches Wildlife Conservation Society have (based on Amelogenin and ZFX- Tiger research and monitoring developed a range of novel genetic DBY markers), and use of micro- Beginning in Karnataka, tiger approaches to identify species, sex satellite loci for individual monitoring and research efforts and individuals from carnivore identification. have now been extended to scats. This will greatly enhance the The species identification was adjoining states of Kerala in forests utility of basic field data to done for 312 faecal samples, 229 contiguous with those in Karnataka. effectively conserve large felids in were of leopards, 39 of tigers and Research efforts have also been India. 44 of canids. Of the cats’ faecal extended to the Eastern Ghats landscape in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Monitoring tiger and wild prey in Western Ghats Landscape During July-December 2014, CWS continued its long-term research for obtaining density estimates of tigers and other large carnivores as well as estimated density of principal prey species of the carnivores. Field data collected during the previous field season was analyzed and we documented capture histories of 246 individual tigers from 4000 sq km of tiger habitat in this landscape. Prey densities were also estimated from these sites as well as from five protected areas in
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samples, sex identification process areas are not always ‘stray’ or The findings revealed 134 belonged to leopards ‘conflict’ animals but residents, Immediately after release, the two (including 78 females and 56 potentially requiring policy makers translocated animals moved away males) and 18 to tigers (including to rethink India’s leopard- 89 km and 45 km respectively from 13 females and 5 males). The management strategies. the release sites. individual identification indicated The study was a collaboration of “This indicated futility of 18 tigers and 39 leopards as unique Vidya Athreya, scientists from translocation as a management individuals. Norway (Morten Odden from strategy; this could have in fact, “We are constantly looking to Hedmark University College and aggravated the conflict, as these develop simpler yet more accurate John Linnell from Norwegian animals passed through highly- methods to collect data on wildlife, Institute for Nature Research), human dominated (even industrial) which will eventually be applied in Sandeep Rattan of the Himachal areas,” contended the scientists. their conservation. This pilot study Pradesh Forest Department, However, the animals applied for tigers and leopards is a step Maharashtra Forest Department tactics to avoid encountering ahead in conservation genetics. It and Asian Nature Conservation people, despite dependence on their can be successfully applied to any Foundation. Their findings were resources. Firstly, the animals other endangered wildlife - and will published recently in the journal mostly moved at night, which be particularly useful for large PLoS One in the article ‘Adaptable timed perfectly with low human mammals like bears or dholes for Neighbours: Movement patterns of activity. They also spent more time example, that cannot be identified GPS-collared leopards in human- closer to homes (<25 m in many through physical features,” Dr dominated landscapes in India’. location recordings) at night, than Karanth added. Five leopards (including three during the day. The article was published in the females) perceived as “problem “This gave them an access to international journal Conservation animals” and captured from people’s livestock, and yet kept Genetics Resources in the October human-dominated areas despite no them safe from people,” Athreya 2014 issue. predatory attack on people, were explained. radio-collared for the study. Two That these leopards were Adaptable Neighbours: First radio- were translocated and released more residents in these human- collar study reveals how leopards than 50 km away, while the dominated areas was also confirmed live with people remaining three were released near by the study. Bengaluru: The first-ever GPS- the site of capture. The two translocated animals based study of leopards in India, The scientists monitored the occupied bigger home ranges (42 scientists have delved into the secret animals’ activities from the time of km and 65 km respectively), lives of these big cats, and recorded release, for up to a year, recording including one in the outskirts of their ‘strategies’ to thrive in human- their behaviour - including Mumbai. The other three lived in dominated areas. The study strategies they adopt to avoid direct areas with highest human densities, concludes that leopards in human contact with people. but occupied smallest home ranges (8-15 sq km) ever recorded for leopards anywhere. “The home ranges of the three animals are comparable to those in highly-productive protected areas with a very good prey density,” said Athreya. “This indicated that food sources associated with humans (domestic animals) supported these leopards.” Moreover, two of the females even gave birth to cubs during the course of the study, confirming their residence. Despite living in close proximity to humans and even being dependent on their resources, none of the leopards were involved in human deaths during capture or following release.
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The authors stress that the helped Karnataka Forest research focused on identification presence of wild carnivores like Department authorities to identify and tracking of individual tigers. leopards in human use landscapes problem tigers using stripe pattern- Since the initiation of the research in India need to be dealt with matching software and additional protocol in the 1980s, more than proactive mitigation measures. information to make the 750 tigers have been identified from “There is a need for more connections. Both tigers were six protected areas in the Malenad studies on ecology of wildlife that subsequently captured. Tiger Landscape in the Western share space with humans in India, The cases are presented in a new Ghats in Karnataka. The system so that better understanding can paper titled “Photographic also enables researchers to keep feed into better policy. Efforts Database Informs Management of track of other data such as home should be put into preventing losses Conflict Tigers” published in the range locations, age and sex of to people rather than react after latest version of the journal Oryx. individual animals, activity patterns. losses have been incurred. The Authored by Drs Ullas Karanth, N Over the longer term it even management policy should also Samba Kumar and Divya Vasudev enables estimation of survival and work towards retaining the of WCS, the paper showcases use of recruitment rates and changes in acceptance and tolerance of the data gathered through long-term numbers, all of which can be used local people.” research in Bandipur and to inform management decisions on Nagarahole National Parks to wild tigers. Camera Trap Images Help Wildlife accurately identify the ‘conflict’ Once ranging across Asia from Managers ID ‘conflict’ Tigers in individuals. Turkey to Indonesia, the tiger has India In Bandipur tiger case that been decimated by a combination of Researchers of WCS in India have involved loss of a human life in late habitat destruction, overhunting of successfully demonstrated a December last year, camera traps at prey animal, poaching for the illegal pioneering technique to accurately the conflict site gave multiple tiger trade and retaliatory killing by zero in on individual ‘conflict’ pictures. Comparing it with the humans. The total wild population tigers, to remove them out of harm’s WCS tiger database, the scientists has been reduced in numbers from way and benefit both people and discovered a match with an animal perhaps 100,000 at the turn of the tigers. that had been photographed over a 20th Century to a current estimate “Accurate animal identification 5-year period between 2008 and of fewer than 3,500 animals is absolutely crucial in addressing 2012. “This animal was past its remaining in only 6 percent of the human-carnivore conflicts, if prime by 2013. Old tigers unable to species’ historic range. evidence indicates more than one catch natural prey sometimes resort However, while tigers struggle individual in the area,” says Dr to hunting livestock, bringing them to survive in other landscapes across Ullas Karanth, Director for Science in conflict with people,” added Dr their range through Asia, the big - Asia, WCS. Karanth. cats in the Malenad Tiger “Interventions based on The second tiger from Landscape of southwest India have incorrect animal identification can Nagarahole NP had only been thrived, becoming one of the largest have a host of negative recorded in the database in the tiger populations in the world with repercussions, including aggravation previous year, about 35 km from an estimated 400 individuals. of conflict itself,” he added. the site of conflict. This was Tiger conservation advances in In two tiger-conflict cases in concluded as a young tiger looking India are made possible through the south India - one involving a to establish its territory. generous support of the Liz human fatality and the other, The tiger database was Claiborne and Art Ortenberg predation of livestock, scientists generated through long-term Foundation. IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII GTFNEWS
WILDLIFE TRUST OF INDIA (WTI)
Forest Rangers in Bhutan undergo creating a more effective crime Conservation Division of Bhutan refresher training on wildlife prevention force,” added led by Mr Ratu Wangchuk, the Thimpu (Bhutan), October 8, Krishnendu Mondal, IFAW-WTI’s Deputy Chief who will impart the 2014: The International Fund for training facilitator. Torches and training on effective application of Animal Welfare - Wildlife Trust of raincoats will be distributed to all Wildlife Law and the team of India (IFAW-WTI) starts its trainees, in keeping with their Biology trainers, Ms Tshering Zam refresher training today for select commitment to duty regardless of and Mr Kinley Rabgay. forest rangers in Bhutan, under its the time or weather. The trainers’ team mentored by ongoing trans-boundary The rangers will be trained in Mr Bhupen Talukdar from the conservation initiatives. four batches over two days each at north-eastern Indian state of Assam Wildlife conservation is a Sarpang, Gelephu, Royal Manas NP will ensure that all aspects of challenging task even for a and Samdrup Zongkhar WLD. wildlife crime and trade control conservation champion like the The IFAW-WTI trainers on are covered to render the rangers tiger-range country of Bhutan, Wildlife Crime are joined by most effective in discharging mainly because of the global nexus officials from the Wildlife their duties. and cross border channels in illegal wildlife trade. “IFAW-WTI has previously trained 450 forest rangers last October of which a select 213 rangers from Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary, Royal Manas National Park and Samdrup Zongkhar Wildlife Division will undergo this refresher course,” said Jose Louies, the trainer on Wildlife Crime, who runs IFAW-WTI’s wildlife enforcement assistance operations “These refresher courses help the rangers with latest information and serves to motivate them
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AIRCEL-WTI distribute bicycles National Park. Building on its parks, including Dudhwa,” said Dr and jackets to Forest Department commitment to the cause of tiger NVK Ashraf, Director and Chief in Dudhwa conservation in India, Aircel in Veterinarian, WTI. Dudhwa National Park, UP, association with Wildlife Trust of November, 21, 2014:Each morning India (WTI), donated critical First of its kind Interpretation Jhalli Ram cycles 7-8 kilometers equipment -- bicycles and jackets-- Centre comes up in Pakke Tiger from his home to Surma Chowki in to the front line staff of the UP Reserve Dudhwa Range. Employed as a Forest Department. “Most of the Tippi (Arunachal Pradesh), August watcher with the Forest time the forest staff has to travel 20, 2014: To help promote and Department in the Dudhwa kilometers on foot and equipment spread awareness about the National Park, 40-year-old Jhalli like bicycles and jackets, will assist biodiversity of Pakke Tiger Reserve, Ram earns a meager Rs 2600 per the staff during their day and night a Nature Interpretation Centre was month to sustain his family of four. time patrolling of the park to recently inaugurated at Tippi with For years he has been wanting to ensure the safety of the tigers and the support of Wildlife Trust of buy a new bicycle as the repairs on other wildlife within,” said Brinda India’s (WTI) Wild Aid Division. the old one are way too expensive Malhotra, Head, Corporate Social Initiated by Nandini Velho and for him to afford. Responsibility, Aircel. Anjora Noronha , this is the first of On 21st November, Jhalli Ram’s Aircel in partnership with the its kind Nature Interpretation prayers were finally answered as Forest Department and WTI has Centre for Pakke Tiger Reserve and Aircel in association with Wildlife been working on projects aimed to it has been specifically designed to Trust of India (WTI) distributed mitigate man-animal conflict in and be interactive, with the help of new bicycles to several watchers of around Dudhwa National Park. artists like Rohan Chakravarty, the Forest Department in the Committed to providing resource especially to encourage the next Dudhwa National Park. Sporting a support to the front line staff of the generation in the areas as well as bright smile, Jhalli Ram sits on the UP Forest Department, this tourists to learn more about the bicycle, happy that now he will be initiative is a great leap forward in Reserve and the wildlife within, said able to gift the old bicycle to his making Forest Department gear up Radhika Bhagat, the Head of WTI’s sons who walk several kilometers to the challenges in handling the Wild Aid division. each day to reach school. “The new issue of man-animal conflict in this Pakke Wildlife Sanctuary and bicycle will certainly help me in extremely sensitive area. Tiger Reserve (PTR), located in patrolling areas far more efficiently “Equipping frontline forest staff East Kameng district of Western and I won’t have to bother about to effectively patrol the park is Arunachal Pradesh, is a biodiversity repairs for some time now,” said critical for the survival of tigers and hot spot and is home to at least 15 Jhalli Ram. its prey species in the landscape. endangered species including the Several other watchers are WTI, with support from tiger, Asiatic black bear, binturong, equally ecstatic and take the bicycle organizations like Aircel, is involved Chinese pangolin, clouded leopard, for a spin soon after they are in capacity building and training of fishing cat and slow loris. This area handed over to them by Shri VK the frontline forest staff for better is part of the Kameng Elephant Singh, Deputy Director, Dudhwa management of many national Reserve and Protected Area
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Complex. 296 bird species have also people from the indigenous tribes preceded with a five-day workshop been recorded in the TR including like Nishis, Akas and Mijis from in Tippi and Seijosa, with many the Critically Endangered white- around the park as forest watchers, local teachers, students and forest rumped vulture, the Endangered helping them move away from watchers where the basic concepts white winged wood duck and the using forest resources to helping of biodiversity were imparted. The Vulnerable Rufous-necked hornbill. preserve it. The Forest Department trainers included Sanjay Sondhi The reserve also has 31 species of of Arunachal Pradesh has also (Titli trust), Chandini Chhabra amphibians including the Indian always been supportive of awareness (Leaps and Bounds), Gerry Martin flying frog. initiatives in the area which include (The Gerry Martin Project) and The collaterals within the centre activities implemented by WTI Chandan Ri (field biologist). include infographics, posters, and such as Grain for. We also have the National Moth Week and Global interactive quiz games among other Centre for Bear Rehabilitation and Tiger Day also happened to varied displays which aim to help Conservation centre in Pakke which coincide with the days of the create and increase awareness about helps rehabilitate orphan black bear workshop and formed a part of the the numerous elements that make cubs back to the wild,” added guidance conveyed. Gerry Martin up an ecosystem, with specific Radhika Bhagat, expanding on the also lended his expertise on snake references to Pakke and in a broader desire to extend support to help rescue and handling, training the environmental context. raise the Interpretation Centre. participants on the same, with a “The State Forest Department The centre’s inauguration which special focus on the technical has been instrumental in employing took place on August 1, 2014 was equipment involved. GTFNEWS IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
TIGER MORTALITY IN INDIA - JULY TO DECEBER 2014 S.NO. Date Location State Cause of Death / Seizure Info 1 14 Jul 2014 Bospara, Mudumalai Tamil Nadu 2 16 Jul 2014 Hardia, Tala Core range, Bandhavgarh, 313 Madhya Pradesh Cardio Respiratory failure 3 17 Jul 2014 Parambikulam Tiger Reserve Kerala 4 19 Jul 2014 Chandrapur, Central Chanda, Tadoba Andhari Maharashtra Shot dead by the sharp shooters of Chandrapur Police. 5 30 Jul 2014 Ramnagar, COmptt 40, Feeka Beat, jaspur Range, Uttarakhand Terai West Division, Corbett 6 3 Aug 2014 Omkara Range, Bandipur Karnataka 7 6 Aug 2014 Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve Madhya Pradesh 8 6 Aug 2014 Kanha Tiger Reserve Madhya Pradesh 9 8 Aug 2014 Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve Madhya Pradesh Old age 10 8 Aug 2014 Bandhavgarh Madhya Pradesh 11 24 Aug 2014 Mudumalai Tiger Reserve Tamil Nadu 12 4 Sep 2014 Nainital, Corbett Uttarakhand 13 19 Sep 2014 Panna Tiger Reserve Madhya Pradesh 14 24 Sep 2014 Mudumalai Tiger Reserve Tamil Nadu 15 28 Sep 2014 Biligiri Ranganatha Temple Karnataka Cardio Respiratory failure 16 5 Oct 2014 Masinagudi, Mudumalai Tamil Nadu 17 16 Oct 2014 Mahof, Pilibhit Tiger Reserve Uttar Pradesh 18 26 Oct 2014 Umred WLS Maharashtra 19 10 Nov 2014 Mudumalai Tamil Nadu 20 12 Nov 2014 Chamorishi Range, Alapalli Division, Tadoba Maharashtra Andhari 21 28 Nov 2014 Terai West Division, Corbett Uttarakhand 22 30 Nov 2014 Mundiareeth, Khawasa Buffer, Pench, 326 Madhya Pradesh 23 4 Dec 2014 Talamalai Range, Sathyamangalam Tamil Nadu 24 7 Dec 2014 Orang National Park, Mangaldoi Wildlife Division Assam 25 8 Dec 2014 Bandipur Karnataka 26 9 Dec 2014 Lakhimpur, Dudhwa Uttar Pradesh 27 16 Dec 2014 Shivni, Tadoba Andhari Maharashtra 28 17 Dec 2014 Dodakulassi, Kurichiat Range, Waynad, Wayanad Kerala Wildlife Sanctuary, Nagarahole/Bandipur, Karnataka 29 19 Dec 2014 Segur RF, Nilgiris North Division, Mudumalai Tamil Nadu 30 19 Dec 2014 Segur RF, Nigiris North Division, Mudumalai Tamil Nadu 31 28 Dec 2014 Dechauri range, Ramnagar forest division, Corbett Uttarakhand 32 29 Dec 2014 Bhimgad WLS Karnataka 33 31 Dec 2014 Kundukere, Bandipur Karnataka 34 31 Dec 2014 Tadoba Andhari Maharashtra TIGER PARTS SEIZURE IN INDIA - JULY TO DECEMBER 2014 S.NO. DATE LOCATION STATE CAUSE OF DEATH / SEIZURE INFO 1 27 Jul 2014 Bhandara Maharashtra Tiger Skins 2 23 Aug 2014 Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve Andhra Pradesh Tiger Skins 3 23 Aug 2014 Nagarjunasagar-Sirsailam Tiger Reserve Andhra Pradesh Tiger Skins 4 19 Oct 2014 Balaghat, Kanha/Navegaon Nagzira Madhya Pradesh Tiger Skins 5 1 Dec 2014 Kanker Forest Division Chhattisgarh Tiger Skins 6 1 Dec 2014 Kanker Forest Division Chhattisgarh Tiger Skins 7 20 Dec 2014 Mancherial Forest Division Andhra Pradesh Tiger Skins Source: tigernet.nic.in
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Of the GTF
A Suggested Protocol to Distinguish Fake Tiger Skins and Other Body Parts of tiger from the Original
Introduction illegal trade in wildlife contraband products. There have Despite of considerable efforts to combat wildlife crime, been a number of cases detected of fake wildlife body it continues to be a growing problem worldwide, and parts especially fake tiger skins where stripes have been there is strong evidence of increased involvement of painted on Cattle skins, Dog skins and other animal organized crime groups operating through well- skins. Discriminating the real from fake items is very developed criminal networks, and in some cases rebel essential and important for ensuring accurate militia. This poses an immediate risk to wildlife and to prosecution. The fake tiger skins, also fuel up the illegal livelihoods, and raises concern about the links between trade and it brings confusion also in enforcement. wildlife crime and national security. Since its inception, sharing up to date information Wild tiger (Panthera tigris L.) which formerly on tiger conservation with the TRCs is one of the most inhabited vast tracts of forested landscape, has now important roles of the Global Tiger Forum (GTF) - an been pushed to a corner due to increasing human inter-governmental and international body to conserve habitation. Presently, 7% of its original wild population tiger in the wild. As there was always a global need to is now confined only thirteen Tiger Range Countries distinguish between real tiger skin and other body part (TRCs)-Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, from the fake one, GTF secretariat with the technical Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, support from Mr Nishant Varma, Regional Director Russia, Thailand and Vietnam. One of the major causes (Northern), Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), of decline of wild tiger population is poaching of tiger Government of India, have jointly suggested a protocol and its prey. Despite of substantial effort to prevent for the tiger reserve managers/enforcement authorities crime on tiger, this problem still owe a major attention of the TRCs to distinguish fake skins from the real to the park/tiger reserve manager. The demand on tiger skins. body parts viz. skin, claws, bones etc. in International The following checklist is provided for the tiger reserve market is very high and draws major attention to the managers/enforcement authorities of the TRCs in this various enforcement agencies to carb down this illegal regard: demand and also to combat organized wildlife crime in 1. Check for the presence of white Color of the upper TRCs. There is an urgent need to improve the technical lip below and adjacent to the nasal openings skills of the tiger reserve managers and other enforcement agencies making better use of modern techniques and technologies to combat wildlife crime in TRCs.
Need of Identification Protocol for Tiger Skins Fakes and counterfeits are the most dreaded things in the commercial world. With a multi-billion dollar wildlife trade in the world, it is not surprising to find fakes of wildlife items in large quantities in the market. The concerns of the enforcement authorities in this case are more for protecting the wildlife species in question than for safeguarding the interests of the traders and the consumers. Reckless trade has since long been identified as a great threat to the survival of wild fauna and flora. A large number of countries including India have 2. Check for the presence of Ocular Sun Spot enacted legislation that discourages both sale and purchase of wildlife items. Fakes are objectionable because they keep the demand for wildlife items alive. Fakes are dangerous because they can mislead the OCULAR SPOT investigators and provide a cover to the clandestine wildlife trade. Officers should always be on the lookout for fake skins, bones and other body parts as these are the indicators of market demand and it fuels up the ORIGINAL FAKE
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3. Check for presence of white color on the maxillary 9. Check for the girth of the tail and tail ending in a cheeks solid black band.
ORIGINAL FAKE ORIGINAL FAKE 4. Check for presence of white hair on the front inner 10. Check for embedment of the claw in the pad surface of ear lobe. muscle and not encapsulated in fur
ORIGINAL FAKE ORIGINAL FAKE 5. Check for presence of black color with white eyespot on the rear outer surface of the ear lobe.
11. Check for black stripe overlapped by brown and not converse.
ORIGINAL FAKE 6. Check for white color on the portion below the mandible, chest and inner portions of fore legs. 7. Check for white color on the portions corresponding to the entire belly, insides of rear legs. ORIGINAL FAKE
12. Check for presence of claws, 5 main and 1 dew on the fore paws and 4 main with dew claw absent on the hind paws.
ORIGINAL FAKE PHOTOS COURTESY: MR NISHANT VARMA/ WCCB) VARMA/ MR NISHANT COURTESY: PHOTOS
8. Check for neck stripes originating from the middle ORIGINAL FAKE portion of the head and going out to front legs in an angular fashion. 13. Check for Dentition in the order 2{I3. C1.P3.M1/I3.C1.P2.M1}=30
It is easy to distinguish the fake new skin by using hair bleach oil or varnish remover on the dyed color. If the skin is dyed with some paint or varnish or the stripes made out of dye, than its color will come out on applying the hair bleach oil or ORIGINAL FAKE varnish remover.
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Therefore we have to check for the following things to (4) Shape of head, tail and legs. distinguish the fake body parts from real:- (5) Manuals for identifying teeth, skull and distinctive (1) Texture and pattern of the skin bones, claws. (2) Check for the use of dye. (6) DNA analysis is required for small segments of (3) Presence / Absence of white belly Fur. bones.
PHOTO: ONDRA ABONYI
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CURRENT MEMBERS OF THE GLOBAL TIGER FORUM Category A: Tiger Range Countries. 1. India 2. Bangladesh 3. Cambodia 4. Nepal 5. Bhutan 6. Myanmar 7. Vietnam
Category B: Non Tiger Range Countries. 1. United Kingdom
Category C: International Non Government Organisation. 1. International Fund for Animal Welfare 2. TRAFFIC International 3. WWF International
Category D: Honorary Individuals. 1. Mr Keshav Varma
Category E: National Non Government Organisation 1. Ranthambhore Foundation, India 2. Tiger Research and Conservation Trust — India 3. Wildlife Protection Society of India 4. Wildlife Trust of India 5. Corbett Foundation, India 6. National Trust for Nature Conservation — Nepal 7. Wildlife Conservation Nepal, Nepal 8. Centre for Wildlife Studies, India 9. Wildlife Conservation Society — India Programme 10. Wildlife Conservation Trust 11. Bagh Foundation
Category F: Associate Members 1. The US Fish and Wildlife Service
Special invitee status 1. IUCN
PHOTO: WWW.TIGERSINTHEFOREST.COM
2014 December 61 NOTES
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GLOBAL TIGER FORUM IS AN INTER-GOVERNMENTAL INTERNATIONAL BODY FOR THE CONSERVATION OF TIGERS IN THE WILD