Vol. XXVI, No. 3 June 2020 (No. 145)

LIST OF CONTENTS 8 Four poachers arrested in Jaisalmer; may have EDITORIAL 3 killed hundreds of animals over a decade Wildlife and conservation in the times of 9 COVID-19 Two tigers die of poisoning in Anaimalai TR 9 NEWS FROM INDIAN STATES NBWL clears railway line through forests 4 connecting Kawal, Tadoba-Andhari and Opposition to coal mining in Saleki of Dehing Indravati TRs Patkai ER 9 4 Four Snow leopards camera trapped in the Nanda Plea in NGT against destruction of mangroves Devi NP near Coringa WLS 5 NATIONAL NEWS FROM 10 Two wild buffaloes arrive at Barnawapara WLS ZSI releases updated checklist of Indian from Assam amphibians 5 Nearly 10,000 forest fires reported in April in just Two lions from Chotila walk 140 km to reach Gir three states sanctuary Golden jackals threatened by poaching and trade 6 in India: study CM clears Hubballi-Ankola railway project through Kali TR SOUTH ASIA 11 6 Nepal Maharashtra proposes exclusion of 41 villages, Tiger presence recorded at an altitude of 2,500 m 1,981 sq. km of forest from ESA IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS UPDATE 13 NBWL approves - Samruddhi National News Mahamarg, projects from 11 other states Gujarat emerging as gateway for Amur falcons: Tiger walks 3,000 km between Tipeshwar and WII Dnyanganga WLSs Maharashtra Leucistic sighted in TR for Return rate of tagged birds highest in Mumbai: first time BNHS

THE COVID-19 CONNECTION 14 Punjab National News Gharials, dolphins flourish in Beas CR, Harike Conservationists urge minister to withhold forest, WLS following COVID-19 lockdown environment clearances during the COVID-19 Rajasthan epidemic Spike in poaching in Western Rajasthan during MoTA urged to ensure support forest communities COVID-19 lockdown: FD, activists impacted due to COVID-19 Studies reveal pangolins as host of coronaviruses; FD issues instructions in view of the coronavirus Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand are illegal trade pandemic hotspots Uttarakhand WII’s wildlife app to collect data during lockdown Corbett TR builds isolation wards for animals, MoEFCC coronavirus related advisory to restrict takes other steps movement around PAs Human-elephant conflict reduces near Corbett TR Assam in lockdown period FD issues guidelines to sensitise people towards freely roaming animals during lockdown Increased tiger sightings in the Sunderbans during Gujarat lockdown FD taking precautions to avoid transmission of coronavirus in lions FROM THE ARCHIVES 22 Human-animal conflict reduces during lockdown PERSPECTIVE 24 Maharashtra Communicating conservation in these difficult Increase in frequency of leopard sightings, other times animals, in Aarey colony, SGNP, other PAs

Protected Area Update Vol. XXVI, No. 3, June 2020 (No. 145) Editor: Pankaj Sekhsaria Associate Editor: Reshma Jathar Illustrations: Ashvini Menon (Visual Design Studio), Shruti Kulkarni, Madhuvanti Anantharajan & Peeyush Sekhsaria

Produced by Kalpavriksh and the Centre for Policy Studies, IIT Bombay Editorial Address: C/o Kalpavriksh, Apartment 5, Shri Dutta Krupa, 908 Deccan Gymkhana, 411004, Maharashtra, India. Tel/Fax: 020 – 25654239; Email: [email protected] Website: http://kalpavriksh.org/index.php/conservation-livelihoods1/protected-area-update

*** Note: Stories that appear in the PA Update are edited version of the original news reports first published in the source mentioned at the end of the story

Publication of the PA Update has been supported by

Duleep Matthai Nature Conservation Trust C/o Foundation for Ecological Security http://fes.org.in/ Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies and Donations from a number of individual supporters

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anecdotal and only a detailed and careful study EDITORIAL can confirm if there was indeed a causal relationship between the lockdown and increased hunting, if indeed it had increased at Wildlife and conservation in the times of all. A group of conservationists had initiated a COVID-19 survey to assess patterns of hunting between the initial lockdown period (25 March-4 May The two months between the publishing of the 2020), and the pre-lockdown period (23 Jan-24 last issue of the PA Update (April 2020) and March 2020). The result was not out by the time this, the latest issue of June 2020 - has seen the we went to press, but the results should provide world turn topsy-turvy in a manner never seen some interesting insights. before. No one anticipated this coming and The 3rd broad category of importantly no one really knows what to do or developments is related to the advisories issued where we are headed. by authorities at various levels, beginning with Not unexpectedly, the world of forests, those from many state forest departments wildlife and conservation too has been impacted following the report of a tiger in the Bronx Zoo and this is reflected in the various developments in New York in the USA being infected by the and what the media has been reporting (see virus. Other more overarching advisories special section, pg. 14). Going into the details resulted in concerns being raised about the and an analysis of everything will, of course, not impacts on livelihoods on adivasi and forest be possible, but a broad sweep, bird's eye view dwelling communities. Representations sent out suggests that the developments and their by activists, researchers and organisations noted reportage can be clubbed under four broad that the conditions of the lockdown would have categories. multiple effects on already marginalised The initial period of the lock down saw communities whose access to resources, health a number of reports in mainstream and social care and livelihood opportunities are precarious media on the increasing visibility of wild in the best of times. animals. Citing the reduction in human activity And finally, one saw, and continues to because of the lockdown, forest officials see the development juggernaut rolling on with reported an increased sighting of animals - even less care and concern. The Ministry of leopards in the Sanjay Gandhi NP in Mumbai, Environment Forest and Climate Change gharials and dolphins in the Beas river in Punjab (MoEFCC) seems to have gone into overdrive and tigers in the Sunderbans. There were also a granting clearances to big bang projects that number of reports of individual animals, would impact forests, wildlife and local elephants for eg., being sighted walking through communities across the country. 31 projects settlements and small towns. The drift of the were cleared in just one meeting of the National arguments seemed to suggest a welcoming of Board for Wildlife held by video-conferencing this phenomenon as wildlife and wild animals in the midst of this unprecedented crisis. Many were seen regaining what was originally and of these were granted in violation of laws and rightfully theirs. Decreased human activity was policies and without attention to due process also attributed in some cases to a reduction in and procedure. Even a global pandemic could the instances of human-wildlife conflict like we not succeed in bringing about just a momentary see with a report from Corbett TR and from pause. The more things change, the more they parts of Kerala. remain the same; they are only becoming worse The flip side of this coin, and there are where the MoEFCC is concerned. a number of reports that are still coming in, is The world has been discussing and that the lockdown and reduced patrolling has speculating on a new normal post COVID-19; resulted in a spurt of poaching and illegal we need also to be discussing a new abnormal. hunting. The evidence in many cases is Where the MoEFCC is concerned a clue lies in

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the title of researcher Nandini Velho's lead story ASSAM in The Hindu Sunday Magazine of 23 May 2020; this ministry may well be called the Opposition to coal mining in Saleki of Dehing 'Ministry of forest clearances'. There will be no Patkai ER more pretence then and no more questions will be asked. Wildlife, forests, people and A number of environmentalists and concerned livelihoods may all be damned! people have urged the Prime Minister, the ---- Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate PS: The PA Update team at Kalpavriksh is very Change of India, the Chief Minister of Assam happy to announce the publication of first non- and the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) to English edition of the PA Update. Focused on stop any current and future coal mining project Maharashtra and published in Marathi, the first in Saleki and the whole of Dehing Patkai issue of the Maharashtra Sanrakshit Kshetra Elephant Reserve (ER). They noted that legal Vartapatra (Maharashtra Protected Area and illegal coal extraction is having and will Newsletter) was released in April 2020 (see pg. have catastrophic consequences for the whole 23). Supported by the Duleep Matthai Nature ecosystem of the region. This comes following Conservation Trust and edited by Reshma Jathar the decision made in the 7 April 2020 meeting it will be published four times a year. Please of the National Board for Wildlife to allow coal write to [email protected] and/or mining here. [email protected] if you would like The NBWL's standing committee had to be on the mailing list. discussed the proposal for use of 98.59 ha of land of Saleki, proposed for a coal mining project by North Eastern Coal Field (NECF) — NEWS FROM INDIAN STATES a unit of Coal India Limited— and gave nod to it. The meeting was held by video conferencing under the chairmanship of environment minister, Mr Prakash Javdekar. ANDHRA PRADESH The Dehing Patkai ER is spread over Plea in NGT against destruction of 575 sq. km in the Tinsukia, Dibrugarh and mangroves near Coringa WLS Sivasagar districts in Upper Assam and is home to a range of threatened and rare species Supreme Court advocate Sanjay Upadhyay including among others the hoolock gibbon, appearing for environmental activist Bolisetty slow loris, pig-tailed macaque, stump-tailed Satyanarayana urged the National Green macaque, capped langur, , Asian Tribunal (NGT) to stop the Andhra Pradesh elephant, tiger, , Chinese pangolin, Government from destroying about 100 acres of Himalayan black bear, Himalayan squirrel, mangrove forests in Kakinada for a proposed leopard cat, clouded leopard, porcupine, crab- housing scheme. The forests are in close eating mongoose, sambar, sun bear, binturong, proximity to the Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary. barking deer, golden cat, and marbled cat. The The Union government, the Andhra reserve is also home to nearly 300 species of Pradesh Forest Department, the East Godavari birds, 30 species of butterflies and over 100 district administration and the Andhra Pradesh species of orchids. It has also been noted that Coastal Zone Management Authority have now the Dehing Patkai region is already threatened been made parties to the petition. by highly polluting industries, such as coal mines, oil refineries and drilling for gas. Source: G Venkataramana Rao. ‘NGT urged to Earlier, the NBWL in its 54th meeting, stop govt. from destroying mangrove also constituted a panel to visit the proposed forests’, www.thehindu.com, 17/04/2020. Lekhapani Open Cast Project under the

Lekhapani Range of Digboi Forest Division in

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Tinsukia district. As per the report submitted by from Assam as part of an initiative to increase the panel, the Standing Committee of NBWL their population in Chhattisgarh where they recommended the proposal for broken up area have been almost wiped out. Since the Indian (57.20 ha) for approval subject to submission of Railways has suspended a majority of its trains a rectified site-specific mine reclamation plan in on account of the lockdown to deal with the consultation with the Assam Forest Department. coronavirus epidemic, the animals were On the other hand, for the unbroken area (41.39 transported by truck. The health of the animals ha), the NBWL will consider the matter after the along the way was monitored by an 18-member user agency submits a feasibility report for forest department (FD) team led by Dr. Rakesh underground mining and compliance report Verma. regarding fulfillment of all other conditions The pair was kept initially in a large recommended by the NBWL. paddock in the sanctuary. They will be kept at Barnawapara till they attain the age of Source: 'Environmentalists opposed coal mining in reproduction. The buffaloes will be allowed to Saleki of Dehing Patkai Elephant breed here and will only be released into the Reserve', www.sentinelassam.com, 18/05/2020. wild after reaching a certain number. The FD had initially planned to bring in Plea to set up modern police station and five animals from Assam, but only two could be hospital in Kaziranga NP caught in the first phase.

The NGO Aaranyak has requested Assam chief Source: ‘Pair of wild buffalo brought to minister (CM) Sarbananda Sonowal to set up a Barnawapara’, www.thehitavada.com, modern police station and a state-of-the art 19/04/2020. hospital in (KNP). In a memorandum submitted to the CM, Aaranyak GUJARAT has stated that Kohora is regarded as the gateway to KNP, which is globally known for Two lions from Chotila walk 140 km to reach its successful conservation efforts of greater Gir sanctuary one-horned rhino. Thousands of tourists, both domestic and international, stay in lodges in and Two male lions from Chotila walked 140 km in around Kohora. In view of heavy footfall of seven days to reach the Gir Sanctuary in the tourists as well as concern to keep constant vigil month of April. The animals had been resident against poachers here, the Kohora police outpost in the Chobari grassland near Chotila in should be upgraded to a full-fledged police Surendranagar district after they reached here in station. November 2019 via Hingolagadh Nature The CM was also requested to set up a Education Sanctuary in Vinchhiya taluka of helpline counter for the benefit of tourists in the Rajkot. proposed KNP police station. The lions had preyed on 24 and also attacked 35 livestock heads for which the Source: ‘Cop station, hospital plea in Kaziranga’, forest department (FD) has paid Rs. 5.15 lakh www.telegraphindia.com, 14/03/2020. compensation. The FD had also surveyed open wells in agricultural lands in the area and got CHHATTISGARH parapets constructed around 100 wells by paying farmers Rs. 16 lakh in assistance. The Two wild buffaloes arrive at Barnawapara only incidence of direct conflict with humans WLS from Assam was reported from Keshvala village of Gondal A pair of wild buffalo sub-adult calves - one on 9 April 2020 when they attacked a cattle- male and the other female - arrived recently at herder who sustained minor injuries. the Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS)

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The lions moved eventually to Babra in senior forest officials have dismissed the Amreli district and from there to Gondal via mitigation measures suggested in the report as Bagasara Road. They were then spotted in highly impractical and unrealistic. The issue and Bhesan taluka of Junagadh district and then in the state's decision will now go before the the Gir sanctuary area. National Board for Wildlife. Though the FD refused to disclose their The alignment of the tracks is between exact location, they confirmed that the place Kali TR and Bedthi Conservation Reserve, and they had reached was home to at least 25 other more than 80% of the line cuts through the lions. Officials said while the lions could Western Ghats. The project entails felling and establish themselves in Gir, there was a good destruction of nearly two lakh fully grown trees chance they would return to Chotila as they to lay a 164.44 km railway line. were well settled in the grassland there, which According to an NTCA report on the also has a good prey base. project, the forests through which the railway line cuts, supports 29 species of , 256 Source: ‘Gujarat: Chotila lions reach Gir species of birds, eight species of reptiles, and 50 sanctuary, fight for territory feared’, species of butterflies. Majority of the mammals www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com, are in the IUCN red list and also protected under 13/04/2020. the Wildlife Protection Act 1972. Gopal Kateshiya. ‘Lions walk back 140km to reach home in Gir from Source: ‘Hubballi-Ankola railway line gets Surendranagar’, www.indianexpress.com, clearance despite opposition’, 13/04/2020. www.thehindu.com, 20/03/2020.

KARNATAKA MAHARASHTRA

CM clears Hubballi-Ankola railway project Maharashtra proposes exclusion of 41 through Kali TR villages, 1,981 sq km of forest from Western Ghats ESA Steamrolling opposition to the Hubballi-Ankola railway line, Chief Minister (CM) of Karnataka The Maharashtra State Government has BS Yediurappa cleared the controversial project proposed the inclusion of 2,092 of 2,133 through (TR) at the state villages or 15,359 sq. km of the originally wildlife board meeting held in Bengaluru on proposed 17,340 sq. km, thereby excluding March 20. The board was convened for the 11.4% area from the draft Western Ghats Eco- second time in less than two weeks after the Sensitive Area (ESA). This will leave out project faced vehement opposition from some of crucial wildlife corridors, buffer areas of tiger its members in the earlier meeting held on reserves and sanctuaries from the ESA. The March 9. Leaders from across the political state has proposed exclusion of 17 villages for spectrum attended this meeting and argued in industrial activities and 13 for mining based on favour of the project while forest minister BS suggestions from the industries department and Anand Singh was absent. mining bodies. The CM overruled various objections The village, which lies in the filed by environmental experts, including a core zone of the Radhanagri Wildlife Sanctuary comprehensive report by the National Tiger in , the Maloshi and Bamnoli villages Conservation Authority (NTCA) that the project in in , and the was inimical to the environment. While the CM Yelan Gai village which was earlier marked as a and the officials supportive of the project mining village in the buffer area of the depended heavily on a report submitted by a Sahayadri Tiger Reserve, are some of the scientist from the Indian Institute of Science, villages that have been excluded.

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Rajya Sabha member Sambhaji Raje visits in February and March 2020 and a report has written to the Chief Minister of was subsequently submitted to chief wildlife Maharashtra, Mr Uddhav Thackeray and union warden. One of the SBWL members noted that environment minister Mr. Prakash Javdekar work in the ESZs of the sanctuaries could not start expressing concerns over the move. if the mitigation structures were not final. MSRDC has, however, already carried out works in Source: Badri Chatterjee. 'Excluding villages from Package I (tiger corridor) and II (Katepurna & new Western Ghats ESA proposal, Karanja Sohol), especially on stretches passing opening them up for mining, industries to through ESZs of two sanctuaries. be disastrous for environment: RS MP', Though the amended project got final www.hindustantimes.com, 24/05/2020. clearance only on April 7, 2020, it had been cleared on September 7, 2018 on the precondition NBWL approves Mumbai-Nagpur that the project proponent will plan appropriate Samruddhi Mahamarg, projects from 11 mitigation structures to ensure safe movement of wild animals. RL Mopalwar, managing director of other states MSRDC, noted, however, that they got NBWL

nod for road construction in ESZ of Karanja Sohol The National Board of Wildlife (NBWL) issued and Katepurna sanctuaries in January on the basis its final clearance for the Rs. 55,335 crore of which work orders were issued in February. Mumbai-Nagpur highway during a meeting held Thus, he argues, there are no violations. via video-conferencing amid the coronavirus Besides, he noted, MSRDC has already lockdown. The Maharashtra State Road submitted the requisite amount for wildlife habitat Development Corporation (MSRDC) had management to the Melghat Foundation before divided the entire highway into major stretches starting the work. As regards the ESZ of the Tansa for which environment clearances had been WLS, Mopalwar claimed that NBWL had already sought separately. cleared the road project passing through on The 701 km Samruddhi Mahamarg September 7, 2018. The fresh clearance is for the connecting Mumbai and Nagpur will pass corrected cost of mitigation measures, which is Rs. through 10 districts, 26 talukas and 392 villages, 54.57 crore. and is expected to reduce the existing travel Maharashtra chief wildlife warden time of 15 hours to eight hours. The highway Nitin Kakodkar also clarified that it was will pass through the 10 km eco-sensitive zone erroneously mentioned in the SBWL minutes of (ESZ) of Katepurna and Karanja Sohal the meeting and proposal from February 2018 Blackbuck Wildlife Sanctuaries towards one that two per cent of the total project cost had to end of the state while cutting through the ESZ be paid by MSRDC for mitigation measures of Tansa WLS closer to the Mumbai under stretch 5 passing through Tansa’s ESZ. Metropolitan Region. The total project requires The two percent of the project cost for only this 475 ha of forestland and an estimated one lakh particular stretch had to be paid and not for the trees will have to be cut. The NBWL’s decision total project cost. MSRDC brought this to the has revealed that mitigation measures have not yet notice of the state and an amended proposal was finalised, yet MSRDC has continued road work in sent to NBWL, which received clearance. ESZs and tiger corridors. The NBWL meeting that cleared the The Maharashtra State Board for Wildlife project was chaired by the Union environment (SBWL) had approved the project in January 2018 minister, Prakash Javdekar, and also cleared a following which the Wildlife Institute of India number of other projects from states across the (WII) was asked to conduct a wildlife study and country. prepare a detailed mitigation plan. The plan was tabled before an expert committee on January 17, Source: Badri Chatterjee. ‘National Wildlife Board 2020 and several concerns were raised by the issues final nod for Mumbai-Nagpur forest officers on the proposed mitigation highway amid lockdown’, structures. SBWL members then conducted site www.hindustantimes.com, 08/04/2020.

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‘National Wildlife Board issues final nod Leucistic Sloth bear sighted in Melghat TR for Mumbai-Nagpur highway amid for first time lockdown’, www.hindustantimes.com, 08/04/20. The first record of a rare leucistic Sloth bear has been documented from Melghat Tiger Reserve Tiger walks 3,000 km between Tipeshwar (TR). Leucisim is a rare genetic condition but and Dnyanganga WLSs different from albinism. The adult female bear with a beige coat, A male tiger from Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary black head and pale snout was photographed by (WLS) in has set a record by a camera trap with another of a black coat covering over 3,000 km before settling down in (possibly male) bear in the Sipna Wildlife the Dnyanganga WLS in Buldana district. The Division of the reserve recently. Camera traps tiger, T1C1, one of the three cubs born to a had been set up as part of the tiger monitoring Tipeshwar tigress T1, was radio-collared on study that is being carried out across February 27, 2019 as part of the 'Studying by the Wildlife Institute of India and dispersal of Tigers across Eastern Vidarbha Maharashtra Forest Department (FD). landscape” project undertaken by the Wildlife While the FD said that such animals Institute of India (WII) in tandem with the had low chances of survival as their colour Maharashtra Forest Department (FD). makes them more susceptible to predation, T1C1’s marathon walk has included Nishith Dharaiya, co-chair, IUCN sloth bear several back and forth journeys between expert team said that there was no threat to their Tipeshwar WLS and the forests of Adilabad health due to this condition. Nonetheless, he district in neighbouring Telangana and also to noted, a genetic examination and behavioural Painganga WLS and from Dnyanganga WLS to study is necessary to find out more about the the Ajanta hills in . A break-up of mutation. the walk showed that it has covered 360 km around Tipeshwar, 1,475 km from Tipeshwar to Source: Badri Chatterjee. ‘In a first, leucistic sloth Dnyanganga, and 1,185 km around bear spotted in Maharashtra: Forest Dnyanganga. department’, www.hindustantimes.com, A WII team headed by wildlife scientist 16/04/2020. Bilal Habib has tracked the tiger's movement at over 6,000 different GPS locations along its RAJASTHAN journey. Aged about two years, the tiger has baffled wildlife experts as to why he hasn’t Four poachers arrested in Jaisalmer; may settled anywhere along his journey route. He has have killed hundreds of animals over a walked many landscapes, including highways, decade rivers, agricultural lands and forests and yet avoided confrontation with humans. One The Rajasthan Forest Department (FD) arrested possible explanation for his ceaseless walk is four people in Jaisalmer district recently for that he might be searching for a mate. The FD being involved in poaching of chinkaras. Initial has now constituted a committee of experts that investigations suggest that they may have killed will decide if a female should be translocated hundreds of chinkaras and other protected for him to Dnyanganga WLS. species over almost a decade. The latest incident that led to their Source: Vivek Deshpande. ‘Walker’ covers over arrest was the poaching of three chinkaras that 3,000 km to zero in on his new home’, came to light in the Pokhran region after FD www.indianexpress.com, 31/03/2020. officials received a tip-off on April 2 from the local Bishnoi community. A team sent to the spot discovered remains like head, skin and

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other body parts of three chinkaras – two male chosen to poison the boar that was eventually and one female. One of the accused was consumed by the tigers. subsequently arrested from his house in the nearby area along with some remains of the Source: ‘Two tigers die after consuming poisoned animals, including meat. Three more accused boar in Tamil Nadu’, were nabbed over the next few days. The gun www.thenewsminute.com, 10/04/2020. with which the animals had been shot was also recovered from them. TELANGANA The four accused belong to a local tribal community and live near the Desert NBWL clears railway line through forests National Park. They used to hunt the animals for connecting Kawal, Tadoba-Andhari and meat and bury away their remains. No Indravati TRs connection, however, has been established thus far between them and supply of wild meat to the The National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has local hotels. The FD was also trying to establish given clearance for a third broad gauge railway the exact numbers of animals killed by the line by the South-Central Railway (SCR) accused over the years. It was suspected this through Telangana's Kaghaznagar Forest would be in the 100s as they have been hunting Division, the forests of which connect three almost every alternate day. tiger reserves (TRs) —Kawal in Telangana, Tadoba-Andhari in Maharashtra and Indravati in Source: Mayank Aggarwal. ‘Rajasthan uncovers Chhattisgarh. chinkara poaching racket’, The SCR had initially proposed the www.india.mongabay.com, 14/04/2020. cutting down of trees across 189 ha of forests. A Telangana Forest Department survey noted that TAMIL NADU the area needed is less following which the Telangana State Board for Wildlife Two tigers die of poisoning in Anaimalai TR recommended clearance for only 21 ha. The clearance also comes with a slew Two ten-year-old tigers, believed to be a of conditions including construction of cross- breeding pair, were found dead at Pollachi in over tunnels for animals, widening and Anaimalai Tiger Reserve (TR) in the second extension of existing bridges and a payment of week of April. The post-mortem revealed the Rs. 15 lakh for the vulture conservation cause of death to be the consumption of a programme in Kaghaznagar. The National Tiger poisoned boar. The carcass of the half-eaten Conservation Authority has also laid down the boar was found along with that of the tigers and condition that the SCR should purchase private forest officials ruled out poaching as a cause of lands located amid fragmented forest areas and death. An enquiry has been initiated into who give it to the FD as compensation. poisoned the boar. The carcasses were found in the Source: V Nilesh. ‘National wildlife board nod for Pothamadai forest beat in a forest area named rail line in Telangana's Kawal tiger Pungan Odai. There are no human habitations corridor’, www.newindianexpress.com, here except for a tribal hamlet a few km away. 10/04/2020. While villagers had complained of livestock being lifted, the tigers were not considered to be UTTARAKHAND responsible for that. Four Snow leopards camera trapped in the Wild boars, however, have been a Nanda Devi NP serious problem for the farmers here and it has been suggested that one of them may have Four snow leopards including a pair have been photographed by a camera trap in the Malari

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area at an altitude of 3100 m in the Nanda Devi Nearly 10,000 forest fires reported in April in National Park (NP) (PA Update Vol. XXVI, No. just three states 2). This was confirmed when the researchers accessed the cameras and set up in the park for According to the Forest Survey of India, fire the period January to March. alerts issued based on the Suomi National Polar- orbiting Partnership (SNPP) – Visible Infrared Source: Neeraj Santoshi. ‘In a rare sight, four Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) sensor, snow leopards captured on camera in atleast 3,531 fires were recorded in , the Uttarakhand’s Nanda Devi National highest in the country between April 9 and 16. Park’, www.hindustantimes.com, Maharashtra with 3,203 fires in that period was 14/04/2020. second followed by , which reported 2,472 fires. Though the incidents in Odisha are less NATIONAL NEWS FROM INDIA this year compared to the same period last year, the numbers are slowly rising. Between 9 and \ 16 April 2019, Odisha recorded 4,429 fire spots ZSI releases updated checklist of Indian while the same for the previous year was 682. Amphibians According to forest officials the situation is not as bad as last year except for A comprehensive updated checklist of Indian forest divisions like Rayagada, Baliguda and amphibians was launched recently on the Boudh. Podu cultivation in these areas has been website of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI). the main reason for the rise in the forest fires. The list shows a substantial increase in the While the forest department has claimed to have number of amphibians listed in India - from 284 engaged the ground staff to curb forest fires, the in 2009 to 447 species in 2020. Wildlife Society of Odisha, an NGO, said that The updated checklist includes as the top forest officials are in Bhubaneswar systematic classification with scientifically due to the lockdown there is not much action on updated species names and year of discovery the ground. with their IUCN Red List conservation status, available till April 2020. Among the species Source: Debabrata Mohanty. ‘Odisha tops forest listed, 20 are critically endangered and 35 fire incidents in the country for a week’, endangered. 19% of the species are data www.hindustantimes.com, 17/04/2020. deficient and about 39% are not assessed as per Red List conservation status of IUCN. Golden jackals threatened by poaching and The checklist was compiled by a trade in India: study team of research scientists including Dr. KP Dinesh from ZSI, Western Regional Centre, Golden jackals in India are threatened by Pune, Dr. C Radhakrishnan from Calicut, poaching and trade driven by religious beliefs in Dr. BH Channakeshavamurthy, ZSI, Calicut, sorcery and superstition, says a new study Mr. P Deepak from Mount Carmel College, published by the Wildlife Conservation Society Bengaluru and Mr. Nirmal Kulkarni from the - India, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology Mhadei Research Centre, . Link: & Environment, Wildlife Conservation Trust, https://zsi.gov.in/WriteReadData/userfiles/file/C National Centre for Biological Sciences, hecklist/Amphibians_2020.pdf University of Florida - USA, James Cook University - Australia and Conservation Source: Press release issued 17/05/2020. Initiatives. Titled ‘Do wildlife crimes against less charismatic species go unnoticed? - a case study of poaching and trade in India’,

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the report is an outcome of research conducted tiger at an elevation of 2,500 m. The camera as part of the Wild Canids – India Project and trap exercise was part of a month-long was published in the Journal of Threatened campaign to prove the presence of tigers at Taxa. higher elevations in the Himalaya undertaken Researchers collected publicly available with financial and technical assistance from the information from government seizure data, news World Wildlife Fund (WWF). reports, social media posts, blogs and e- A total of 32 camera traps were placed commerce platforms to create a repository of by the divisional forestry office in the mountain jackal hunting, poaching and trade incidents forests of the Mahabharat region after locals from 2013 to 2019. The findings revealed that reported tiger sightings. The Nepali word ‘bagh’ 126 skins, eight tails, more than 370 jackal is often used interchangeably to mean tiger and horns, 16 skulls and two live jackals were seized leopard, and wildlife biologists wanted to make by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau. sure if the animal was indeed a tiger. They are The analysis brought to light a now examining other images to determine widespread demand for a talisman that appears whether the tiger simply wandered into the to be derived from the jackal skull known as higher elevation, or lives there. ‘jackal horn’. The ‘jackal horn’ trade is fueled Higher-altitude sightings of tigers have by extensive online endorsement and been reported in other parts of the Himalayan unsubstantiated claims made by religious range; Bhutan has recorded sightings at altitudes practitioners. The sale of jackal horn appears to between 2,765 m and 3,350 m in the Royal be common place in Indian trade markets as Manas and Thrumshingla National Parks. evidenced by advertisements on social media Additionally, the Global Tiger Forum and popular online retail outlets. has carried out studies to determine the The study also showed that jackal meat feasibility of high-altitude tiger conservation. is consumed by several communities in the The study points to factors such as ‘gentle northeastern states and parts of western, central elevation, high forest cover, high drainage and southern India. Jackal body parts such as density, high temperature variations and head, skin, tail and teeth find use in traditional moderate dry conditions’ as potential factors in and cultural practices in southern India and the change of tiger habitats in the western jackal organs are believed to have medicinal Himalaya. This could also be the reason for properties in Central India. tiger presence in Dadeldhura, though another factor is the increase of prey species in the Source: Vijay Pinjarkar. ‘Poaching and trade of mountains due to the spread of community jackals rampant: Study’, forests. Tigers need a stable herbivore www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com, population, and research has suggested that 04/04/2020. there has been a fall in prey density in Sukla Phanta and Bardia NPs in the western Tarai. Also, captured in the camera trap SOUTH ASIA images in Dadeldhura were foxes, leopards, civets, porcupines and various species of deer and pheasants. The findings assume more NEPAL importance because the area is not a protected area. Tiger presence recorded at an altitude of 2,500 m Source: Mukesh Pokhrel. ‘Tiger selfie is highest- ever sighting in Nepal’, Camera traps placed in Dadeldhura’s www.nepalitimes.com, 14/04/2020.. Mahabharat region have captured images of a

Protected Area Update Vol. XXVI, No. 3 11 June 2020 (No. 145)

NOW AVAILABLE

The State of Wildlife and Protected Areas in Maharashtra News and Information from the Protected Area Update 1996-2015 Edited by Pankaj Sekhsaria Published by Duleep Matthai Nature Conservation Trust, Kalpavriksh and Rainfed Books,

Contents: - Editor’s Note - Protected Areas in Maharashtra – a brief introduction - Section 1: News and Information from protected areas: Bhimashankar WLS, Bhorgad CR, Bor WLS, Gautala Autramghat WLS, Kolamarka CR, Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary, Gyanganga WLS Jaikwadi Bird Sanctuary, - WLS, Karnala WLS, Lonar WLS, ESZ, Mahendri Reserve Forest, Mansingdeo WLS, ESZ, Muniya CR, Nandur Madhmeshwar Bird Sanctuary, WLS, Rehekuri Blackbuck Sanctuary, Sanjay Gandhi NP, Sewri Wetlands, Tansa WLS, Creek WLS, Tipeshwar WLS, Tungareshwar WLS, Umred-Karhandla WLS, Yawal WLS, Melghat TR, Nawegaon-Nagzira TR, Pench TR, Sahyadri TR, Tadoba-Andhari TR, Tigers, General News from Maharashtra

- Section 2: Analysis and Perspective: 1) Media reporting on the protected areas in Maharashtra - A thematic analysis (Trupthi Narayan and Pankaj Sekhsaria); 2) Wildlife coverage in the Marathi Print Media – a practitioner’s perspective (Reshma Jathar); 3) Dividing lines- tribal rights and tiger reserves (Shiba Desor); 4) Rocky plateaus: Little understood treasures of the Western Ghats (Aparna Watve) and 5) Community Conserved Areas in Maharashtra (Neema Pathak Broome with Sneha Gutgutia, Shruti Mokashi, Kavya Chowdhry, Sarosh Ali and Rupesh Patil)

ISBN: 9788192326931, Price Rs. 400; xi+235pp, 100 line drawings by Ashvini Menon For copies at 20% discount write to [email protected]

Protected Area Update Vol. XXVI, No. 3 12 June 2020 (No. 145)

IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS UPDATE

NATIONAL NEWS has revealed. Of 10,803 individuals of migratory shore-birds across 46 species ringed in the Gujarat emerging as gateway for Amur Mumbai region between 2014 and 2020 falcons: WII (majorly from 2018 onwards) 4.6% (497 birds) Tracking of satellite tagged Amur falcons by the were recorded again at the site. Wildlife Institute of India (WII) suggests that The high recapture data is attributed to Gujarat is an important gateway for these very high site fidelity for these migratory birds migratory birds. Having flown 3,200km non- and intensive efforts of bird ringing over a long stop over the Arabian Sea, ‘Irang’, a sub-adult period by the BNHS. More recent data from satellite-tagged Amur falcon, was reported, November 2019 to January 2020 showed 3,453 entering Gujarat to the south of Porbandar in the birds ringed by BNHS across wetlands near Gir forest region at 1am on May 3. Bhandup pumping station in Mumbai, the Thane WII scientist R Suresh Kumar has creek and TS Chanakya wetlands in Navi noted that falcons use Kutch and Saurashtra as Mumbai. Of these, 3,415 were small waders and way points after their long flight over the 38 flamingos with 160 recaptures during the Arabian Sea. The WII has tagged about 15 exercise. Amur falcons thus far to study migration Apart from the Lesser and Greater pathways and environmental patterns. flamingos, birds ringed by BNHS include In related news, another individual bird, common waders such as Little stint, Curlew Chiulon, named after a village in ’s sandpiper, Lesser sand plover, Common Tamenglong district reached its breeding area in redshank, and Black-tailed godwit. The rarer northern China on May 7. The bird which made birds ringed included Red-necked phalarope, a brief stop in following its return Spotted redshank, and Bar-tailed godwit. Most from Africa in the third week of April left for of these birds visit Mumbai after spending the China on April 28. The bird clocked 9,600 km summer in Arctic Russia. in 15 days since leaving the Somali coast on 80% of the recaptures recorded were April 23. from the sites where the birds were tagged. For example, a bird ringed in 2014 at Panje wetland Source: Maulik Pathak. 'Gujarat emerging as in Uran was recaptured in Panje again in 2018. gateway for Amur falcons: Wildlife Institute of India', Source: Badri Chatterjee. 'World Migratory Bird www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com, Day: Return rate of tagged birds highest 09/05/2020. in Mumbai: BNHS', Sobhapati Samom. 'Radio-tagged Amur www.hindustantimes.com, 08/05/2020. Falcon reaches breeding ground in China

from NE India', www.hindustantimes.com, 12/05/2020.

MAHARASHTRA

Return rate of tagged birds highest in Mumbai: BNHS

More tagged or ringed migratory birds return to roosting and feeding sites in Mumbai and than any other region in India, a study by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS)

Protected Area Update Vol. XXVI, No. 3 13 June 2020 (No. 145)

THE COVID-19 CONNECTION

NATIONAL NEWS minutes to appraise each project. They also noted that reliance on digital documents Conservationists urge minister to withhold uploaded by project developers on the Parivesh forest, environment clearances during the single-window clearance portal led to “fait COVID-19 epidemic accompli situations” and gravely compromised the appraisals by the committees during the A group of 291 conservation scientists and lockdown. The signatories said that appraisals allied professionals, including 12 former and assessments for clearances were being members of the Standing Committee (SC) of reduced to an “empty formality” lacking the the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) and credibility and rigour of its purpose. former affiliates of the Forest Advisory Given the current circumstances and Committees has asked Union environment uncertain future, they called for fresh minister, Mr Prakash Javdekar, to withhold appraisals, holding in abeyance forest and forest and environment clearances during the environmental clearance decisions and COVID-19 pandemic. postponing further meetings till all pandemic- The communication to the minister related travel and meeting restrictions are came in response to the decisions and completely lifted across India. They urged the clearances given by the 57th meeting (held by Ministry of Environment Forest & Climate video conferencing) of the SC on April 7 for 31 Change (MoEFCC) to carry out its intended proposals affecting 15 tiger reserves, mandate of protection of forests, wildlife and sanctuaries, notified eco-sensitive zones, natural heritage and not fast-track the clearance deemed eco-sensitive zones and designated of projects. wildlife corridors from 11 different states. The signatories included among others These included 16 linear infrastructure projects former Bombay Natural History Society and others such as the private sector Etalin director, Asad Rahmani, conservationists MK hydro-power project in and Ranjitsinh, AJT Johnsingh, Belinda Wright, a coal mining project in the Dehing Patkai Bittu Sahgal, Biswajit Mohanty, Kishor Rithe, Elephant Reserve in Assam. Expert Appraisal Prerna Singh Bindra, Divyabhanusinh Chavda, Committees (EACs), bodies under the ministry, Praveen Bhargav, Shekar Dattatri, Goa-based also approved a slew of infrastructure project lawyer Norma Alvares and film-maker Mike proposals as part of considering 145 projects on Pandey. Indian academics from the universities April 22-24. Ten EACs have conducted 15 of Columbia, Yale, Michigan and Cambridge meetings in this regard so far, according to the also signed the letter. Union environment ministry’s Parivesh portal. In a separate letter, conservationist The signatories presented several Rohit Choudhury appealed to Mr Javdekar to concerns with regard to project evaluations not save the independence of National Tiger being done rigorously and non-following of Conservation Authority. This comes in procedure by statutory bodies. They said video response to the MoEFCC’s bid to restructure its calls were not an efficient mode of regional offices by subsuming the NTCA and communication to assess the environmental, all the other specialised wings such as the livelihood and impacts of projects. Forest Survey of India (FSI), the Central Zoo They pointed out that under normal Authority (CZA) and the Wildlife Crime circumstances, EAC meetings lasted an entire Control Bureau (WCCB). day. In comparison, meetings during the recent lockdown lasted only 2 hours, with only 10

Protected Area Update Vol. XXVI, No. 3 14 June 2020 (No. 145)

Source: 'Conservationists urge Javadekar after areas, support for minor forest produce (MFP) The Hindu’s story on NTCA collection and sale. restructuring', www.thehindu.com, - The central government should look into the 13/05/2020. cases of forest rights violation and eviction due Badri Chatterjee. 'Withdraw green nods to mining and forest diversions, plantations by given during lockdown: Conservationists forest department, restrictions on access to to minister', www.hindustantimes.com, forest for livelihoods activities etc. 13/05/2020. - MoTA should also ensure that district and Vijay Pinjarkar. 'Withhold forest and eco sub-district level officers are well informed clearances amid pandemic: Experts urge about all relevant guidelines and orders related minister', to COVID-19 and lockdown issued by the www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com, 14/05/2020. Centre and the states from time to time and that these are complied with. MoTA urged to ensure support forest - MoTA and TRIFED should work with state communities impacted due to COVID-19 tribal departments to urgently devise effective institutional mechanisms for the collection, In a letter issued in the first week of May, a storage, procurement and sale of non-timber number of researchers, experts and forest rights forest produce during the ongoing collection groups urged the Ministry of Tribal Affairs season. Necessary financial and logistical (MoTA) to take urgent steps to ensure support support should be provided to the gram sabhas for tribal and forest communities affected due and forest management committees constituted to COVID-19 outbreak and the lockdown. under the Forest Rights Act (FRA) together The topics covered in the letter include with other PPAs for direct procurement from health, livelihood, the specific situation of the the gatherers. particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs) - MoTA should request MoEFCC to release the who are in severe distress, the issue of pastoral huge compensatory afforestation fund to the and nomadic communities whose migration and gram sabhas constituted under FRA to support seasonal access to livelihood resources has been community forest management for generating severely restricted, the continued tenurial livelihoods and wage employment for tribals insecurity of forest dwelling communities, and forest dwellers to deal with the economic restriction on movement in protected areas, crisis. continued diversion of forest land, concerns - Ensuring support to vulnerable communities about compensatory afforestation being carried such as the PVTGs and pastoral communities out on forest land used by tribals and other and traditional forest dwellers, environmental - Effective implementation of FRA so that impact assessment (EIA) amendments being communities are more secure in the long run. brought in, and the issue of evictions and mining in states like Gujarat and Odisha. Source: Press release dated 06/05/2020. The letter also asked for the following Contact: Sushmita Verma, Email: [email protected] steps to be taken up on an urgent basis: Tushar Dash: [email protected] - MoTA to set up a COVID response cell and issue specific guidelines to address the issues Studies reveal pangolins as host of and problems of tribals and forest dwellers. coronaviruses; Tamil Nadu and - The central government should coordinate Uttarakhand are illegal trade hotspots with the state governments to provide immediate relief to the tribal communities by A recent study, published in the journal Cell, ensuring information and awareness, providing has placed pangolins as a natural reservoir of health care and testing facilities in the tribal coronaviruses similar to SARS-CoV2, which has caused the COVID-19 pandemic. Another

Protected Area Update Vol. XXVI, No. 3 15 June 2020 (No. 145)

recent study had identified the presence of transport them via road in trucks and other SARS-CoV2 like viruses in Malayan pangolins heavy vehicles to West Bengal, Assam, smuggled into China to be sold in wet markets. and eventually into China via The discovery of multiple lineages of Myanmar. pangolin coronavirus and their similarity to It is believed in China that the SARS-CoV2 suggests that pangolins should be pangolin's various body parts, especially their considered as possible hosts in the emergence scales, and also its fetuses, blood, bones and of novel coronaviruses and should be removed claws have healing properties in traditional from wet markets to prevent zoonotic medicines. The meat is also considered a transmission, said Ved Kumar, a former delicacy and a high source of protein. Its wildlife conservationist with the Wildlife consumption is also a symbol of status. Institute of India (WII), and founder of Maaty Biodiversity Conservation & Societal Research Source: ‘Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand emerging as Organization. hotspots for pangolin trafficking in In their study, published in the journal India, researchers warn’, Forensic Science International: Reports, Kumar www.economictimes.indiatimes.com, and his team described the hotspots for 09/04/2020. pangolin trafficking in India. Based on their research, between 2003 and 2014, states in WII’s wildlife app to collect data during Northeast India like Assam, Manipur, and lockdown were the hotspots for pangolin poaching in the country. Between 2014 and The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has 2018 most of the cases were reported from launched an app called ‘Lockdown Wildlife central, northern, and eastern Indian states Tracker’ to collect data of wildlife movement where Maharashtra and Uttarakhand reported through human habitation during the the second highest position with 12 per cent of coronavirus lockdown period and help in overall seizures. (Also see PA Updates Vol. wildlife conservation and management in the XXVI, No. 1 and Vol. XXV, No. 1). long run. Based on earlier studies from 2011 to The important features of the 2013, analysing 51 pangolin seizures reported application include recording wildlife sightings all over India, the scientists said that 42 of them anytime and from anywhere, uploading were made from the Northeastern states of sightings with photographs, quick entry tools India. Assessing another report of more than 91 making the recording experience short and pangolin seizures made between 2009–2017, simple and GPS enabled entries of all sightings. they said that the states of Manipur and Tamil Once the lockdown is lifted, WII will Nadu have had the highest number of share the data with the respective states and documented confiscations. shall also come out with detailed state specific Over the last decade 119 pangolin reports in addition to a national one. seizures were recorded and it is estimated that 7,500 individuals perished in a decade. While Source: Suparna Roy. ‘Now, an app to track the northeast has been a trade hotspot, current wildlife straying outside habitats during trends seem to suggest the poaching is moving lockdown’, www.hindustantimes.com, towards southern and northern India. In the 18/04/2020. current scenario, Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand are the hotspots of pangolin poaching. MoEFCC coronavirus related advisory to According to the scientists, the restrict movement around PAs poached animals are transported by traffickers into China and Myanmar using road and postal The Union Ministry of Environment Forest & services. In southern India traders purchase the Climate Change (MoEFCC) issued an advisory pangolin body parts from the local poachers, to restrict the movement of people around Protected Area Update Vol. XXVI, No. 3 16 June 2020 (No. 145)

protected areas across the country after a tiger the public about wild animals that they might tested positive for coronavirus at Bronx Zoo in come across during the lockdown. The advisory New York in the United States of America. appeared in all local papers in the state with an The four-year-old tiger named Nadia appeal to the public to cooperate with the and six other tigers and lions at the zoo that also authorities and also listing out a set of dos and took ill are believed to have been infected by a don’ts. 'Don’t take a selfie with the wild zoo employee who wasn’t yet showing animal'; 'don’t go too close to the wild animal' symptoms. The zoo was closed to the public and 'don’t make noise near the wild animal', from March 16 onwards amidst the pandemic. were some of the instructions in the said list. The MoEFCC advisory has urged While wild animals venturing into many precautions including highlighting human habitation is not a new phenomenon in immediate preventive steps to be taken to stop Assam, forest officials noted that the lockdown the spread of the virus among wildlife, reducing had resulted in an increase in the frequency of human-wildlife interface, setting up of a task sightings and the distances that the animals force of veterinary doctors, biologists, and field were covering. On March 24, for example, a managers, creating a 24x7 reporting rhino from the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary was mechanism, enhancing disease surveillance and found in Khetri in Sonapur 25 km away. reporting action taken to the ministry. Usually they come out to Maloibari Pothaar, Forest rights activists, however, wrote right next to Pobitora, but this time, probably to Union ministers Prakash Javadekar and because of lack of villagers/sounds of cars, it Arjun Munda, flagging the concern that the walked much further. The animal was located advisory can be misused to restrict the access of almost three days later and brought back to the tribal and nomadic communities to natural sanctuary. resources. Forest and tribal rights groups, In another incident in the last week of including the Van Panchayat Sangharsh March, a leopard was killed by the authorities Morcha, the All India Union of Forest Working after it attacked a member of the tranquilising People and the Adivasi Jan Van Adhikar team and a BSF jawan in a village in Jorhat Manch, urged that the advisory be re-issued district. In Dibrugarh’s Tingkhong, two juvenile with clarifications that it should not be leopards died on March 30. Though it is implemented to restrict customary and legal common for leopards to venture into villages, rights of use and access of the local young ten-month old leopards are generally not communities living in and around protected seen. A flock of Whistling teals were similarly areas. seen in Dighalipukhuri Lake in an area of Guwahati that is otherwise buzzing with human Source: Jayashree Nandi. ‘COVID-19: Govt activity. restricts movement of people around

national parks’, Source: Tora Agarwala. ‘No selfies with animals: www.hindustantimes.com, 06/04/2020. Why lockdown is forcing Assam Forest ‘Centre’s advisory to prevent animal- Dept to issue new advisories’, human transmission can be misused to www.indianexpress.com, 04/04/2020. evict tribals: Activists’,

www.outlookindia.com, 17/04/2020. GUJARAT ASSAM FD taking precautions to avoid transmission FD issues guidelines to sensitise people of coronavirus in lions towards freely roaming animals during lockdown After a tiger at the Bronx Zoo in New York tested positive for the coronavirus, the Gujarat The Assam Forest Department (FD) issued Forest Department (FD) sounded a high alert guidelines in the first week of April to sensitise with regard to the disease spreading in Asiatic Protected Area Update Vol. XXVI, No. 3 17 June 2020 (No. 145)

lions. Wildlife experts and officials working on KERALA lion conservation in and around Gir pointed out that while the exact cause of the recent deaths Human-animal conflict reduces during of 8-12 lions in Dhari was not known, they lockdown were certain it was because of some disease. A forest official noted, however, that Data compiled by the Kerala Forest Department the chances of lions in Gujarat being infected (FD) suggests that human-animal conflict has with the coronavirus were very slim as they live declined during the coronavirus lockdown in in the wild, unlike the tiger at the Bronx Zoo. many forest divisions in Kerala. Though the Further, there was little scope for any close data collected before and after the lockdown is encounter between humans and the lions. not for the same duration, the declining trend is The deaths of as many as 29 lions due perceptible. to tick-borne babesiosis and the canine While the number of incidents distemper virus in two months in 2018 had involving conflict in the high range circle become a major concern for the authorities and comprising , Marayoor and wildlife experts here (PA Update Vol. XXV, was 60 from March 1 to 23, it dipped to 12 No. 1). during the first phase of the lockdown from March 24 to April 2. Also, the number of Source: ‘Gujarat: Lions monitored by forest incidents in wildlife north circle, Palakkad department’, comprising Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary and www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com, other divisions declined from 141 in the pre- 07/04/2020. lockdown period to 57 after lockdown began. In the Palakkad circle it dipped from 91 to 35. Forest officials have pointed out that the reduction in the number of incidents could State wildlife department steps up vigilance be due to the fact that animals weren't disturbed by people who are indoors. Earlier, it was In orders passed in the second week of April, noted, the mere presence of wild animals near the Haryana Wildlife Department issued human habitations was reported as conflict. instructions to all districts, particularly those From the data collected, merely seeing an with sensitive wildlife habitats, to increase anti- animal or encountering it is not being reported poaching surveillance in wake of the as a conflict during lockdown. coronavirus related lockdown. Officials were also asked to keep a close eye on the health and Source: ‘Man-animal conflict rates plummet’, behaviour of captive animals, particularly apex www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com, carnivores, in view of the reports of the New 08/04/2020. York Bronx Zoo tiger testing positive for the virus. MAHARASHTRA No case of poaching was reported in Haryana in the first two weeks of the lockdown, Increase in frequency of leopard sightings, however. other animals, in Aarey colony, SGNP, other PAs Source: Prayag Arora-Desai. ‘Wildlife department to step up anti-poaching surveillance An increase was reported in the frequency of during lockdown’, leopard sightings in the Aarey Milk Colony www.hindustantimes.com, 09/04/2020. adjoining the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) in the first two weeks of the coronavirus related lockdown starting March end. A spike was also noted in the number of

Protected Area Update Vol. XXVI, No. 3 18 June 2020 (No. 145)

sambar, spotted deer and a host of primates water quality of the Beas has considerably across SGNP. improved in the last few weeks and the Punjab According to the Maharashtra Forest Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has removed Department (FD), sightings of leopards in the river from polluted category after a recent Aarey went up from an average of two a week, survey. Dolphins too have been spotted at to pictures being taken by the camera traps distances of 50 km from areas they are daily during this period. Images captured regularly sighted. included many of cubs as well from different Ground reports shared by the teams of locations in Aarey. This type of movement has the wildlife department and 'Beas Mitars'- a not been observed before by any of the four network of riparian communities along the camera traps in the area. The 16 sq. km Aarey reserve revealed that prey intake of the gharials Colony has a resident population of six to seven has increased due to availability of aquatic life leopards including cubs, as well as a transient like fish in abundance. This has emerged as a population moving from SGNP. Additional heartening sign particularly in light of the principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife) molasses leak incident in 2018, which had led Sunil Limaye said that a similar increase in to mass mortality of numerous species of fish observations was recorded in Karnala and (PA Update Vol. XXV, Nos. 6 & 1; and Vol. Tansa Wildlife Sanctuaries as well. XXIV, Nos. 3 & 1). The river dolphins too were In another related development captive being sighted more often in Gharka and big cats in SGNP’s safari section, which were Karmowala villages falling in Tarn Taran district being fed chicken during the first week of the and occasionally in Harike WLS as well. lockdown, will be given frozen buffalo meat as Gharials are being regularly spotted the Deonar abattoir agreed to supply the meat basking on the mid-channel islands of the Beas for the two months starting April 4 onwards. CR and about 25 gharials on an average have The meat was originally meant for export been spotted per sighting at different location. purposes, which has been put on hold due to the Encouraged by these reports the wildlife lockdown. department has decided to release more gharial hatchlings in winter. Source: Badri Chatterjee. ‘Rapid increase in Dr Kuldip Kumar Lomis, principal leopard movement in Aarey Colony: chief conservator of forests, wildlife and chief Forest department’, wildlife warden of Punjab, said that the gharials www.hindustantimes.com, 10/04/2020. are doing well in the reserve and are being regularly monitored. He added that the Beas PUNJAB Mitars and teams of the department have helped in gathering river-related information and quick Gharials, dolphins flourish in Beas CR, field action amidst COVID-19 related Harike WLS following COVID-19 lockdown restrictions in the state. The department is planning to further augment staff strength and The Punjab Wildlife Department has said that infrastructure for the reserve along with regular the long COVID-19 lockdown has come as a patrolling and enforcement. boon to river dolphins and gharials in areas like the Harike Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS) and Beas Source: Vinod Kumar. 'With Beas pollution Conservation Reserve (CR), thanks to improved down, rare Indus river dolphins venturing out', www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com, water quality due to reduced human activity and 06/05/2020. industrial pollution. Vinod Kumar. 'Highly sensitive to With a clean, fast flowing river now pollution, gharials flourish in Beas in full of fish, the lockdown has turned the Beas COVID-19 lockdown', CR - a 185-km stretch of the Beas River- into a www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com, perfect habitat for the gharials, which were re- 13/05/2020. introduced in the river over two years ago. The RAJASTHAN Protected Area Update Vol. XXVI, No. 3 19 June 2020 (No. 145)

Source: ‘Isolation wards created for elephants at Spike in poaching in Western Rajasthan Corbett National Park’, during COVID-19 lockdown: FD, activists www.uttarakhandnewsnetwork.com, 09/04/2020. Officials of the Rajasthan Forest Department and activists highlight that there has been a rise Human-elephant conflict reduces near in poaching of wild animals and birds in Corbett TR in lockdown period western Rajasthan during the COVID-19 lockdown. They have recorded at least 30 cases The reduction of vehicular traffic around the of killing of animals, including chinkara and the Corbett Tiger Reserve (TR) on account of the peacock during this period. Demand for meat coronavirus related lockdown is said to have and loss of daily wages are among the main significantly reduced incidents of human- reasons credited for this spike in wildlife elephant conflict here. Wildlife experts said this poaching. was on account of the fact that elephants can Eight to ten cases of poaching were now cross roads easily without running into reported from Nagaur and six from Jodhpur traffic or human beings. Villagers meanwhile with similar reports coming in from Jaisalmer, noted that they didn't even realise when an Bikaner and Pali as well. elephant passes through a corridor without any One of the reasons for the spike in disturbance to human settlements. poaching of wildlife, according to members of According to the chief conservator of the local Bishnoi community is the surge in forests, western circle, the reduced human demand for meat in the general populace during pressures have helped in the reduction of the lockdown. conflict. Also, the forest department (FD) is continuously monitoring the whole landscape to Source: Azera Parveen Rahman. 'Rajasthan sees see for changes in the behaviour of animals in spike in wildlife poaching during pre- and post-lockdown periods. The data is COVID-19 lockdown', being collected with camera traps at different www.india.mongabay.com, 20/05/2020. locations on the national highway that cuts through the Corbett landscape to study conflict UTTARAKHAND cases. The traps are also helping the FD to keep an eye on anti-social elements trying to enter Corbett TR builds isolation wards for the forests during the lockdown. animals, takes other steps The elephants regularly create a Alerted by the National Tiger Conservation commotion when they have to cross the Authority after the coronavirus infection was highway to reach the Kosi River. The crossings detected in a tiger in the United States of often bring them in conflict with human beings America, the Corbett Tiger Reserve (TR) and lead to elephants attacking vehicles. There management has built one isolation ward each have been several instances when tourists have for animals, especially domestic elephants, in fled from their vehicles to save their lives. Last Bijrani and Kalagarh. November, a wild elephant killed a 52-year-old Pet elephants and guard dogs are man after pulling him out of a bus near the believed to be more at risk of infection as they reserve in Mandal forest range in Nainital go out in the forest to patrol with their handlers. district. Elephants sometimes also attack Therefore, unnecessary visits to the 17 pet vehicles for food items on the 25 km road elephants in the reserve was banned. A ban was stretch in the Ramnagar area near the reserve. also imposed on mahouts visiting their family members. The elephant camp was sanitized and Source: Suparna Roy. ‘Man-elephant conflict falls minerals and vitamins were being given to sharply around Corbett as COVID-19 increase the immunity of elephants and guard lockdown stops traffic’, dogs. www.hindustantimes.com, 14/04/2020. Protected Area Update Vol. XXVI, No. 3 20 June 2020 (No. 145)

UTTAR PRADESH sighting being reported on five, sometimes to six days in the week. On some days, reports of FD issues instructions in view of the multiple tiger sightings from different areas of coronavirus pandemic the tiger reserve (TR) were also received. Patrolling using boats was also intensified in Following guidelines issued by the Centre to the delta to look out for tigers that show signs ensure the well-being of both forest staff and of COVID-19. wildlife in view of the coronavirus pandemic, More than two lakh tourists, hundreds the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department (FD) of honey collectors and fishermen enter the issued instructions to its staff in the first week Sunderban TR every year with permits. But of April to wear masks and observe proper because of the threat of coronavirus, entry of sanitisation before entering the protected areas, visitors to Sunderban and other protected areas to undergo health check-ups to ensure that they in West Bengal was suspended from March 17. are free of the infection before interacting with villagers living around the forests and also for Source: Joydeep Thakur. ‘Tiger sightings increase villagers to avoid routes that go through the in the Sunderban with lockdown but no forests. tourists to see them’, In order to monitor health of the www.hindustantimes.com, 13/04/2020. carnivores, the FD was told to keep an eye on big cats with the help of camera traps. The ------guidelines were to be followed if any animal was seen to display symptoms of the viral infection and in the case of a carnivore death in the forest, the samples were to be collected and sent for tests. The authorities had in response restricted the movement of villagers in the forest area and NGOs like the World Wide Fund for Nature and Wildlife Trust of India that provide regular support to foresters, were also advised to follow the guidelines. Lucknow zoo too has created a quarantine ward for the animals in the zoo.

Source: Kanwardeep Singh. ‘COVID-19 scare: UP forest dept to monitor wildlife’, Google-group for the PA Update www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com, 08/04/2020. Readers who would like to regularly WEST BENGAL receive the electronic version of the PA Update can do so by to this mailing list Increased tiger sightings in the Sunderbans by visiting: during lockdown https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/paupdate Forest officials have reported an increase in tiger sightings in the Sunderbans during the lockdown period. These were said to have doubled from not more than two in a week to a

Protected Area Update Vol. XXVI, No. 3 21 June 2020 (No. 145)

FROM THE ARCHIVES - 10 years ago PA Update 85, June 2010

ASSAM river channel coming closer to the habitat of the deer. Kaziranga NP gets record number of tourists Source: ‘River threatens Swamp deers' habitat in UP’, Deccan Herald, 24/03/10 The Kaziranga National Park was visited by a record 1,12,844 tourists in 2009-10. This UTTARAKHAND included nearly 6000 foreign visitors. Tourism revenue collected during the year was almost MoEF concerned over growing number of Rs. 122 lakhs. resorts around Corbett TR The park had recorded 73,716 tourists in 2006-07, 59,746 tourists in 2007-08 and The Ministry of Environment and Forests 1,06,051 tourists in 2008-09. (MoEF) has reportedly expressed concern over

Source: ‘Tourist record at KNP this year’, The the growing number of tourist resorts around the Sentinel, 01/05/10 Corbett Tiger Reserve. Minister, Mr. Jairam Ramesh too has UTTAR PRADESH expressed his concern regarding the influence of the land mafia near the reserve, something he Swamp deer habitat in Dudhwa TR believes could be an important reason for tiger threatened due to changing course of River deaths and rise in cases of man-animal conflict. Sharda In 1991 there were only six such resorts around the reserve, but at present there are 74 (also see Jhadi Taal, a critical refuge of the swamp deer, PA Update Vol XVI, No. 1). is under threat of submergence due to the The Minister is also reported to have changing course of River Sharda. The river that written a letter to the Uttarakhand Chief was about 4.8 kms from the habitat of the deer Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal asking him not to six decades ago is said to have now moved to permit any more resorts around Corbett. He has less than a kilometer away. also asked the state government to notify the Spread over about 200 sq km, Jhadi buffer area of the reserve so that people living in Taal is a marshy grassland on the banks of the them can be compensated if their cattle are river and is surrounded by sal forests of the killed or crops destroyed by wild animals. Dudhwa Tiger Reserve. It is home to an Source: ‘No more resorts near Corbett: Jairam Ramesh’ 23/03/10, www.wildlifewatch.in estimated 1500 deer and a study by the Wildlife

Institute of India has suggested that this shifting of the river course presents a serious threat to the animals. High run-off and siltation rates have been observed in the river during the last 40 years. This has occurred, primarily, due to massive conversion of forest to agricultural land for resettlement of people in Nepal in the upper reaches during the 1960s and 1970s and river engineering works. These changes in land use, have in turn, caused frequent and sudden changes in the river course and resulted in the

Protected Area Update Vol. XXVI, No. 3 22 June 2020 (No. 145)

Protected Area Update Vol. XXVI, No. 3 23 June 2020 (No. 145)

PERSPECTIVE

Communicating conservation in these difficult times FERN is a small Thane/Mumbai based Tableland in Feb 2020, declaration of environmental NGO that has for the last five Marine Protected Area at Lakshadweep in years been conducting an annual Environment March 2020 and the very interesting story of Lecture Series (ELS) for the citizens of Thane. tiger re-introduction to the Panna Tiger Reserve Conducted for a week following Diwali every a decade ago. year, the lectures get an average attendance of Doing this presented its own about 80 and the minimum cost we incur for the challenges. Internet connectivity and bandwidth same is Rs. 50,000. The funding comes from a was one, the discomfort with the technology few donors and from the funds that we manage among speakers and audiences was another. We to save from our paid programs over the year. also had to learn video editing from scratch. Yet We have been very fortunate that many we have had a good time doing this, have experts have spoken at our ELS. It has, received positive feedback and encouragement however, been a challenge for many of them to from hundreds of viewers and these videos will find the time to travel to Thane and deliver a be available on YouTube for posterity. lecture. We have also been requested by many While we embraced this medium due to to upload videos of the lectures on YouTube and the limitations enforced by the current situation, similar platforms for a wider outreach. While we now believe that even after we return to we have been considering this for the last two normalcy, it will be prudent to have a years, the cost of professional recording has combination of the old way of delivering been beyond our budgets and uploading an lectures and the new way of listening to them. amateur recording would mean doing injustice to the speakers’ content. Both these things had - Seema Hardikar & Subodh Khanolkar are been holding us back. the founder members of FERN. The COVID-19 related lockdown Email: [email protected] starting March presented us with a new challenge as well as a new opportunity: a lot of the experts, whom we were keen to invite in person but were hesitant due to the distance or their availability, have been relatively free as compared to their usual schedules. We suddenly For private circulation/Printed Matter lost our inhibitions and stopped worrying about To the production quality of the videos that we were planning to upload to YouTube. We knew the content and the message was important and it was reaching a far greater audience than our annual ELS. Over the last two months we have recorded 10 interviews (Paryavaranavar Bolu Kahi) and an additional 10 stories of successful conservation efforts (Tales of Conservation) and uploaded them to FERN's YouTube channel From: Kalpavriksh, Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa, (https://www.youtube.com/fern_thane). 908 Deccan Gymkhana, Pune 411004 These have covered recent topics such as the supreme court's judgement on

Protected Area Update Vol. XXVI, No. 3 24 June 2020 (No. 145)