Umred-Karhandla an Evolving Success Story… an Unknown Destiny

Sanctuary | Report Umred-Karhandla An evolving success story… an unknown destiny By Roheet Karoo handi, Jai, T6, T4… are tigers patch of about 200 sq. km. was What a long way we have come Cthat are presently on every tiger unknown, unprotected and exploited from those early days! Just a few enthusiast’s wish list. Their home, the almost beyond belief. The credit for months ago, Umred-Karhandla was Umred-Karhandla Wildlife Sanctuary this resurrection must go to the sheer notifi ed as a satellite core of the Bor (UKWLS) in central Maharashtra, has grit and resilience of a small group of Tiger Reserve. More importantly, today, almost magically proven that all tigers people who persistently brought to the it is adding measurably to the water, need is protection, space and isolation attention of the powers that be that the food and economic security of the and they bounce back. area had the potential to turn into one people of the region. How diff erent things were just of the fi nest natal areas and also a home Umred lies only about 50 km. from eight to nine years ago, when this for dispersing tigers from Tadoba. the tiger capital of India, Nagpur. Here, 50 Sanctuary Asia, February 2016 More at www.sanctuaryasia.com | Report AMRUT NAIK AMRUT Umred-Karhandla’s legendary tigers Chandi and Jai’s four cubs are now ready to disperse in search of newer territories. The sanctuary is now one of the major tiger source populations for the greater Tadoba landscape. there are leopards, wild dogs and rarely- made Umred a second major tiger source Shegaon, Ranai, Bhiwapur, Indira Sagar, seen mammals such as honey badgers and population site, after the Tadoba-Andhari Marupaar, Khapri, and Bhansara along pangolins that I have had the privilege Tiger Reserve, for the greater Tadoba with several seasonal nullahs, streams, and of sighting on multiple occasions. Elusive landscape. The above list just proves rivulets that sustain wildlife throughout wolves and hyaenas too patrol these that there is an even healthier prey-base the year. forest precincts. Presently, three adult density of chital, sambar, nilgai, gaur A JOB WELL DONE tigresses – Chandi, T6 (Fairy), T4 (Rai) and wild pigs that thrive in the healthy, from Pauni Range along with Chandi’s tropical, dry deciduous vegetation of this Managing and safeguarding this forest, cubs, and Fairy’s cubs Srinivas and Bittu, hilly terrain. The forest is well-watered by in the face of unrelenting anthropogenic sired by Jai, the sole alpha male, have multiple lakes – Karhandla, Tarna, Wahi, pressures, has been, and is, an incredibly Sanctuary Asia, February 2016 51 Sanctuary | Report delicate and complex task as it is with Area, Srinivasa Reddy, Field Director and Low cost, artifi cial waterholes most wildernesses across India. Prior to Chief Conservator of Forests, Pench were constructed to encourage wild Umred-Karhandla being notifi ed as a Tiger Reserve and his staff worked animals not to wander out into farms to sanctuary, it took much perseverance to to involve locals in conservation. They quench their thirst. A series of proven initiate and have constructive dialogues consulted every family to understand soil and water conservation measures with politicians, forest offi cials, and their needs, and Ecological Development were taken that saw the regeneration villagers, asking them to take cognisance Committees were deployed to work of nullahs and streams that turned of the existence of tigers and recognise with local villagers. About 3,000 LPG perennial while in the past they had run that it needed urgent intervention in cylinders were distributed at subsidised dry by January each year. Locals were the form of protection and restoration costs, thus resolving the huge issue of employed to create fi relines to fi ght through effi cient management. For that, fuelwood collection from the forest. forest fi res. We are currently involved in the forestland had to be handed over to At this point the Hemendra Kothari an exercise to enhance the productivity the Forest Department, and the villagers Foundation and the Wildlife Conservation of grasslands so that herbivores fi nd would have to cooperate. Trust, stepped in and off ered hospitality suitable pastures inside the park. It took us six long years to establish training to around 300 local youth, with Walking and mobile patrols inside and that resident and breeding tigers many fi nding placement in the scores around the periphery of the Protected called Umred-Karhandla home. In 2012, of new lodges that have come up in the Area were enhanced and we found Umred-Karhandla, with the help from region. As many as 70 young men and local youth pitching in towards this end. the ever-supportive Praveen Pardeshi, women were trained and helped to fi nd Fifteen crack teams now patrol the then Principal Secretary of Forests, employment as nature guides. And now, forests 24x7. and now the Principal Secretary, Chief several small-scale homestays and lodges All India needs is to place the right Minister’s offi ce and Rajendra Mulak, are in the process of being established. offi cials at the right place and tigers MLA and former Minister of State HUMAN-ANIMAL CONFLICT could spring back wherever land and for Finance and so many others, was isolation is possible. A dedicated team notifi ed as a sanctuary. Understandably, But let me not leave Sanctuary Asia comprising Divisional Forest Offi cer locals in and around Umred, who were readers with the impression that all S. B. Bhalavi, Assistant Conservator dependent on forest resources, mainly this was easy, or that our problems are of Forests Uttam Sawant and Range for fuelwood and grazing of their cattle, over. I have been personally caught Offi cers G. F. Luche, Laxman Aware were not excited about the notifi cation. in the eye of several angry storms and Vishnu Gaikwad worked in unison They, after all, were paying the steepest involving human-animal confl ict and to replicate the earliest-documented price for fl ourishing wildlife through crop depredation that threatened to successes in now-famous reserves such crop raids and losing livestock as cattle end the holy grail of peace between as Ranthambhore and Tadoba. kills. They now faced impending loss of people and the park. Fortunately, With help and encouragement livelihoods and access to resources. Well Umred-Karhandla is blessed with from Deutsche Bank Ltd. we are also aware that confrontation with locals proactive forest offi cials and guards now working to expand tiger habitats can severely impede conservation and who work around the clock to keep outwards, through a Community-owned management eff orts of any Protected the balance. Nature Conservancy (CNC) model. In Years of relentless degradation of Umred-Karhandla’s forests by cattle grazing, felling of trees for fuelwood and hunting had resulted in dwindling prey-base density until strict protection measures were implemented. NAYAN KHANOLKAR NAYAN 52 Sanctuary Asia, February 2016 More at www.sanctuaryasia.com |Report the words of Ravneet Gill, CEO, “At the Bank, we believe that CNCs are destined to improve the lives of people, while physically adding productive habitat for expanding wildlife numbers.” The location KHANOLKAR NAYAN is Gothangaon, where farmers are worried that their land cannot support their families due to failing crop yields. As many as 39 families pooled in their landholdings to create India’s fi rst forest cooperative, exclusively dedicated to rewilding the land, in essence restoring farmlands to biodiverse forest status. In return, they have an assurance of dignifi ed, long-term livelihoods from both government and private benefactors. Policies have been framed to ensure that they become the fi lter through which tourism revenues fl ow and that they are off ered fi rst preference for job and Solar-powered freshwater borewells have been installed at strategic points by the Forest Department to replenish small waterbodies, streams and artifi cially-created waterholes. entrepreneurial opportunities around the park. holds out the promise of renewed up the safe dispersal of young tigers as a This mission has had support from ecological benefi ts including carbon personal challenge and is working closely some of the most unlikely sources. The sequestration, groundwater recharge with his crack team of offi cers and foot- Khadhi Gram Udyog, Nagpur division, of hundreds of wells and improved soldiers to protect these wandering tigers threw in their lot with us to create soil health. All this spells good news in search of territories. livelihoods that helped enhance the for the food and economic security of It’s an exciting (and worrying) time biodiversity of the region. They have future generations. for tigers as every success brings with trained approximately 300 individuals A ‘GRAND CENTRAL STATION’ it the possibility of retaliation against from diff erent families living in seven animals that must leave their mothers’ villages around the park, who are now FOR TIGERS protection to fend for themselves. on the way to becoming successful It’s high time that young India Umred-Karhandla’s forests provide beekeepers. With help from visionary accepted that protecting their natural a series of corridors that link the offi cials such as Srinivasa Reddy, we heritage is not a spectator sport. Bor, Tadoba-Andhari and Navegaon- hope to train another 1,000 men and The Forest Department is currently Nagzira Tiger Reserves. Through these women in beekeeping. This will serve pushing to incorporate an additional pathways, further linkages to tiger not only to sustain their families, but will 1,000 sq. km. of Territorial forest ranges populations down in Kawal, Telangana additionally help boost agriculture in the of the Bhandara and Brahmapuri seem extremely likely.

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