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“Leave Me Alone” Campaign

“Leave Me Alone” Campaign

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other livelihoods are sustainable. None As once more struggle for Thakkar of these can possibly rescue the poor survival, a global ‘Leave Me Alone’ “leave from poverty. (LMA) campaign, looks to nudge N Varun It is in this context that Sanctuary ‘back to the future’ to guarantee the me alone” Asia posits India’s save the ambi- tiger space, isolation and protection tion. It is in this context that we ask that from its principle threats: poaching, The voice of the tiger… human rights’ and nature rights’ groups , mines, linear intrusions including vignettes of tigerland unite against the forces that have divid- canals, highways and railway lines, and ed and ruled us at the cost of both our encroachments at the hands of both biodiversity and welfare and dignity of rich and poor. our people. The strike strategy of the LMA cam- a sANCTUARY REPORT paign involves the creation and champi- Why ‘Leave Me Alone’? oning of right livelihoods for millions of ’s success in the 1970s and ‘ecosystem people’ whose sustenance 1980s can be attributed to its ‘leave the must come from regeneration of biodi- tiger alone’ strategy, which resulted in versity, not from its depletion. such a dramatic tiger and biodiversity The return of the tiger in Com- ore than half the world’s M recovery that even critics grudgingly munity Nature Conservancies will be population now lives in urban landscapes acknowledged that Project Tiger was a collateral benefit of improving the that have been so altered in the image probably the ‘most successful conserva- human condition, not its central pur- of Homo sapiens that all but the most tion project in the world’. pose. Other collateral benefits of al- adaptable of wild plants and animals The strategy then was simple: lowing nature to regenerate naturally have been wiped out here. National and Choose representative ecosystems in would be improved flood and drought international nature conservation strate- which tigers and the plants and animals control, climate mitigation and adapta- gies for the future must therefore see us tion for hundreds of million Indians at collectively protecting the biodiversity of risk from climate gone wrong. As far- the handful of wilderness landscapes we sighted economists are at pains to have rescued from human impacts with The return of the tiger in point out to their archaic colleagues, all the fervor of an animal struggling for its Community Nature Conservancies this must result in a dramatically reju- very existence. will be a collateral benefit of venated economy, as the nature-capital Clearly, this is not a people ver- improving the human condition, of the begins to be sus wildlife obsession as some myopic not its central purpose. rebuilt by working in concert with na- people suggest. Our fate and that of ture’s imperatives. the natural world are trussed together The option, of continuing to wage inextricably. Protecting the gene plasm with which they co-evolved, remove war against nature, has foregone con- contained in the tiny biodiversity vaults permanent human dwellings, agricul- clusions that should terrify young In- we call national parks and sanctuaries is ture and industry from such spaces, and dians who stand no chance of leading probably the ultimate human rights issue. leave nature to regenerate by repairing normal, happy, safe and carefree lives Equally vital is the imperative of guaran- itself. Backed by the late Prime Minis- in an era of climate change. teeing the well-being and the right to life ter , nature did respond We should start with a reality check. and dignity of communities living closest well. Streams and rivers that used to We must discount the PR being put out to these natural treasuries, for they are dry soon after the began to by self-congratulatory Indian govern- destined to be the ultimate custodians of run full. Species of plants, insects, birds ment agencies. The news on the tiger the biodiversity that is the heartbeat of and animals that looked like they would front is not good. But all is not lost by our planet. vanish sprang back to life. Not by un- any measure either. We have more ar- In the past few decades, however, dertaking any massive greening pro- eas protected under the Project Tiger insatiable market forces have weaned grammes, but by leaving nature alone umbrella than ever before… we have communities that once lived in a tenuous so that wind, water and living species more tiger supporters than ever be- balance with nature away from natural were able to combine to renew - fore. But we have fewer tigers. And living. In fact, livelihoods of most such aged geographies, with little or no ef- we have lost over half of the roughly communities now involves daily wages fort from humans apart from securing 300,000 sq. km. of tiger habitat that to cart biodiversity out of natural eco- the inside of the chosen Protected Ar- existed on the day that Project Tiger systems to feed bottomless markets. eas from outside damage. was launched in 1973. Much of this The most obvious examples of such self- Four decades later, however, politi- to dams, mines, roads and commercial defeating livelihoods includes the sale of cal support for Project Tiger has virtu- monoculture plantations. And possibly tendu leaves to the bidi (local cigarette) ally vanished and consequently many an equal amount to encroachments industry, stripped for papermills, past gains, which had come primarily and agriculture. firewood lifted for urban kitchens, and at the cost of communities who were minerals of all descriptions in scales large summarily torn from ancestral homes, The Telia ‘Girl Gang’ in theTadoba-Andhari or small. None of these and scores of have been severely eroded. Tiger Reserve in . 01

22 Sanctuary Asia, August 2013 Sanctuary Asia, August 2013 23 Sanctuary | Cover Story More at www.sanctuaryasia.com | Cover Story Sarkar FACING PAGE ya S i n g h Adit ya A Focus Ni la d r i 01 A tiger on patrol at , West Bengal. The , tiger and are likely 02 The Ramganga river flowing to suffer most as a result of habitat through the Corbett Tiger fragmentation in North Bengal. Reserve, . Though populations may show rising THIS SPREAD trends, we worry about human-animal 03 Corbett and young conflicts. On the rhino front, however, have greatly benefitted from we have good news, from Jaldapara, the protection afforded to where field protection and consistent the forest in the name of the tiger. management efforts have given rhinos 04 In the Dudwa Tiger Reserve, an extra lease on life. Another area of , which Billy satisfaction is the addition of science Arjan Singh fought for all his to our management endeavours. DNA life, a tiger watchfully allows analysis by the Centre for Cellular a sloth to pass by unchallenged. and Molecular Biology confirms the presence of at least 20 tigers in Buxa and we expect this number to rise. Our priority is to manage elephant conflict, protect habitats to ensure a viable 01 03 tiger population can be sustained and

revive rhino habitats. We also need R a i c h i n to micro-manage niches within the Sa megafauna landscapes so that lesser known creatures including amphibians Marwah A nura d ha and migratory birds are able to flourish. What worries me is the rising tide of anger of human communities that are forced to confront huge animals such as elephants and gaur. The only real solution is to consolidate corridors and prevent intrusions into areas set aside for wildlife. Such anger is exploited by poaching syndicates and though we are getting cooperation and help from the police, the fact is that recently in Buxa an elephant’s entire head was sliced to remove the tusks. N.C. Bahuguna, IFS, PCCF and Chief Wildlife Warden, West Bengal

02 04

Nevertheless, in the name of the ti- Over the years, Sanctuary’s writers tiger saved – nature can repair the dam- also happens to be one of the most stun- This park feeds the Ramganga river that No. 5, October 1990). This reserve is also ger we have managed to save species have been consistently underscoring the age inflicted on wild India if we leave it ning landscapes in the world. Neverthe- pours into the . It is in India’s na- home to the and the highly- as diverse as the hard-ground baras- threats to India’s tiger reserves and Pro- alone to heal in Intensive Conservation less, both elephant and tiger poaching tional interest to protect it. The Supreme endangered Bengal Florican. Sugarcane ingha of Kanha, saltwater crocodile of tected Areas in the public domain. While Units, or ICUs. incidents have taken place and the park Court needs to crack the whip to rein in fields along the boundary have caused the Sundarbans, golden langur in Ma- these efforts have raised the level of is also severely afflicted with the wrong all manner of offenders harming Corbett. massive tiger-human conflicts with both nas and the Forest Spotted Owlet in public support, particularly from young UTTARAKHAND kind of tourism with lodges having come In the words of Brijendra Singh, Honor- losing out. Encroachments and the shar- . And, despite the litany of bad India, we have regrettably been unable Corbett Tiger Reserve up in all the wrong places, seriously im- ary Wildlife Warden: “The lodges are ‘ring- ing of a porous border with Nepal have news on the wildlife front, some sci- to win the support of India’s public ser- pacting elephant and tiger movement. barking’ Corbett and choking it.” encouraged poaching and a flourishing entists are still confident that because vants as defined by her aging politicians, This is where Project Tiger was launched Lantana camara and other weeds, forest wildlife trade. Forest fires, retaliatory kill- breeding populations in diverse tiger bureaucrats, technocrats and economists. on April 1, 1973. Named after the famous fires, dynamite fishing and polluting in- UTTAR PRADESH ings, siltation of grasslands, human-ani- Jim Corbett, this is now one of India’s habitats still survive, tiger numbers in On Global Tiger Day, July 29, there- dustries in nearby Rudrapur and Kashipur, Dudhwa mal conflict and linear intrusions consti- India could conceivably rise from under fore, a nation-wide initiative titled ‘Leave best managed tiger reserves (Sanctu- impact the reserve as do illegal encroach- tute other threats. Dudhwa needs much 2,000 to over 10,000 – provided ac- me Alone’ has been put in place, designed ary Vol. XXVI No. 2, April 2006), which, ments and a stubborn irrigation colony Made famous by the late Billy Arjan greater public and political support and cepted policies for tiger protection are to embed just one dominant thought in despite a multitude of problems, offers in Kalagarh that refuses to move out Singh, Dudhwa is where rhinos were suc- funds. Settlements in the core and buf- actually implemented. the psyche of all who say they want the a viable breeding habitat for tigers. It despite court battles and public opinion. cessful reintroduced (Sanctuary Vol. X fer must be resettled outside. Given the

24 Sanctuary Asia, August 2013 Sanctuary Asia, August 2013 25 Sanctuary | Cover Story More at www.sanctuaryasia.com | Cover Story

THIS SPREAD t hak e r vi k g al Sah B itt u b ha 01 Mating tigers at Rajbag, in s har Para D. M. Raj Krishnani speaks to Ranthambhore, . 02 Sunayan Sharma, former Sanctuary Asia, on his Field Director, Sariska Tiger Save the Tiger mission Reserve, Rajasthan. 03 A tiger at Bandhavgarh, The ‘Save the Tiger’ Facebook , wading page started off with just 10 ‘likes’ through his prime gift to from friends and family on July humans… pure water. 17, 2008. Today it has a whopping 04 An endangered Forest Owlet 2.7 million ‘likes’ and a reach of over Athene blewetti in 1.8 billion. Melghat, Maharashtra. Before I started the ‘Save the FACING PAGE Tiger India’ page on Facebook, I often 05 This tiger cub in Tadoba, asked people what they thought of Maharashtra, has become when I said “tigers”. I got responses the face of the “Leave Me Alone” campaign. ranging from “beautiful” to “ferocious” 06 ‘Pilgrim’s Progress’ in Sariska, to “predator” but rarely did anyone where temple tourism is say “endangered” or “a species that one of the key problems was in need of protection”. obstructing a tiger recovery. I have always been obsessed with 01 02 05 tigers. The urge to know and learn more about them has been constant. e rj i Ban When I first went on Facebook five h jo s h i es h jay g al Sah B itt u years ago, I was thrilled to see 20 s h i R ajar to 30 pages on my favourite cat, but soon realised that there were no updates on them for months, often just blank pages with no images. There was no authentic, accurate, updated page with the latest information on conservation efforts. So I wondered, why wait for someone else to start a page? – I would do it myself. The ‘Save the Tiger’ Facebook page started off with just 10 ‘likes’ from friends and family on July 17, 2008. Today it has a whopping 2.7 million ‘likes’ and a reach of over 1.8 billion. It is not the numbers that excite me – my objective then and now is

03 04 60 to create awareness. The numbers are just an affirmation that I am low intensity tourism here, smaller Com- advantage of Rajasthan’s water secu- out in search of territory, they are under other huge issue is pilgrimage tourism, XXVIII No. 5, October 2008) is fragmented going in the right direction and that munity Nature Conservancies with home- rity. To the east, Ranthambhore runs threat from angry people. Prosopis juli- which leaves plastic, noise and pollution and a combination of cattle grazing, min- people love and want to protect stays have a good chance of success. contiguous with the Kuno and Madhav flora, an exotic invasive, has taken over in its wake. ing, human-wildlife conflict and forest fires the tiger. I am delighted that Sanctuary National Parks of Madhya Pradesh and between 10-20 percent of the reserve continue to threaten the park. The Wildlife Asia has chosen to be an active RAJASTHAN to the south, the Mukundra Hills Tiger and is spreading. Illegal mining for con- Sariska Institute of India played a key role in plan- partner in the new campaign ‘Leave Ranthambhore Reserve (approved in-principle) adds a struction material at the edges, coupled ning and monitoring the reintroduction of Tigers went locally extinct here, then were Me Alone’. Sanctuary is my soul hypnotic possibility of real contiguity with staff shortages are issues that have tigers and they must now be authorised The late is instant- re-introduced. But the primary reason for partner when it comes to defending and of absorbing some of the big cats not yet been adequately tackled. Poach- to create and help in the monitoring of a ly associated with the Ranthambhore their being wiped out, antagonistic locals in the tiger. I have always believed that that migrate at some future date. ers have hit Ranthambhore badly three scientific conservation management plan Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan (Sanctuary league with poaching gangs, has not been even a small effort like sharing a As of now, however, corridors are times in the last three decades. and long-term tiger recovery plan, which Vol. XXXI No. 4, August 2011). Togeth- tackled. Nor have most of the other lim- post makes a difference because you degraded and an insular tiger popula- er with the Keladevi Sanctuary to the Ranthambhore’s high profile should iting factors including a highway running includes joining forest blocks in Alwar Di- never know who might be spurred northeast and the Qualji Closed Area tion is the result, barring a few strays be its armour of protection, but uncon- through the park. The good news is that vision and Jamva Ramgarh Sanctuary (hit into action by it. and Sawai Man Singh Sanctuary to the leaving the park. A large human popula- trolled tourism will have little benefit in recent months strong steps have been by mining!) in Jaipur. Other corridors that Read the full text online at south-west, this park has the potential tion surrounding the forest exerts biotic actually going towards either wildlife taken to improve patrolling and to take on should be joined to Sariska include Bundi, www.sanctuaryasia.com/leavemealone to greatly expand its horizons to the pressures and whenever young tigers go conservation or community welfare. An- poachers. But the reserve (Sanctuary Vol. Kota, Chittorgarh, Udaipur and Sirohi.

26 Sanctuary Asia, August 2013 Sanctuary Asia, August 2013 27 Sanctuary | Cover Story More at www.sanctuaryasia.com | Cover Story

MAHARASHTRA Pench while adding their strength to its protec- Melghat tion,” he said to Sanctuary. The narrow Major battles were fought for Pench a forest corridor connecting Chandoli with Kishor Rithe of the Satpuda Foundation decade ago when the fish mafia and the Koyna, also needs to be secured. The has consistently been working with the irrigation colonies threatened to wipe - highway passes through Maharashtra Forest Department to free out these forests. Today, this central In- here and efforts should be made to wid- this remarkable dry deciduous forest of dian landscape (Sanctuary Vol. XXII No. en the forested corridor, not the road, encroachers and poaching gangs. In re- 3, June 2002) represents one of the which is picturesque with great tourist cent times a revamped protection mech- finest tiger recovery stories emanating potential. South of Chandoli, the Rad- anism and staff motivation have com- from India. But we need greater political hanagari Wildlife Sanctuary also cries bined to dramatically improve the tiger support from the Central Government, out for better corridor connectivity for situation, particularly since several dozen which is singularly focussed on creat- tigers. As of now wildlife movement is villages have indicated their strong de- ing commercial infrastructures such as pinched by the steep valleys of Vishal- RAJAJI sire to move out and some have already highways, while refusing to even con- gad and Amba and very destructive min- done so. Nevertheless, forest fires, illegal sider bypassing the most ecologically ing near Udgiri. grazing, quarrying, road-widening proj- sensitive forest patches. Connectivity ects and the spread of exotic plants con- between the Pench and Tadoba Tiger MADHYA PRADESH Reserves through the Nagzira Wildlife tinues to place pressure on the reserve Bandhavgarh SUHELWA Sanctuary-Navegaon National Park is a (Sanctuary Vol. XXXI No. 5, October distinct possibility now thanks to some One of the most exciting places to see 2011). The Chikaldhara Pumped Storage very positive decisions taken by the Ma- tigers in India, the reserve (Sanctuary Project on the boundary of the reserve harashtra Government. But we are still Vol. XXXII No. 3, June 2012) is located and the Upper Tapi Stage II Project have far away from the restoration of buf- in the Vindhyan ranges, where some of SANJAY DUBRI been rejected, but contractors in search fer zones and we need steps to connect the oldest hills on the planet flirt with of lucrative contracts refuse to give up eastern aspects of the Satpuras. Band- and are still hoping to induce politicians havgarh was carved from the protected to “somehow allow” these destructive Central Indian Highland forests. Today, projects to be built. Meanwhile, the rela- An ecologically-restored Panpatha would enhance this world-famous reserve is a victim tively low tiger density shows signs of of its own success. Runaway tourism wildlife corridor connectivity improvement, in keeping with increased has brought in a whole slew of prob- with M.P.’s Sanjay-Dubri and prey densities. lems. Add to this bauxite mining, coal Chattisgarh’s Guru Ghasida TEN TIGER DEFENDERS mining, poaching, urbanisation of Tala Tadoba-Andhari National Parks. village, flyash dumping in the Johila ADITYA PANDA, SATKOSIA, SIMIPAL & PALAMAU TIGER RESERVES DULU BORA, KARBI ANGLONG, This is probably India’s most exciting ti- river and degradation of the corridor D. V. GIRISH, BHADRA TIGER RESERVE/ ger reserve, thanks to major manage- between the Bandhavgarh and San- KISHORE RITHE, SATPUDA LANDSCAPE OF these forests to those of Mansinghdev. jay Reserves – and it is obvious that MOHAMMED SALEEM, SILENT VALLEY, COIMBATORE ment steps taken to revive and expand its POONAM & HARSH DHANWATEY, TADOBA-ANDHARI TIGER RESERVE boundaries and connect the park to outly- ’s people want the city to be Bandhavgarh needs help. An ecologi- PRAVEEN BHARGAV, ing Reserved Forests, thus offering tigers, called the Tiger Capital of India, but for cally-restored Panpatha would enhance RAJENDRA KERKAR, MHADEI, this to actually take root it is the tigers’ wildlife corridor connectivity with M.P.’s ROHEET KAROO, TADOBA-ANDHARI TIGER RESERVE LANDSCAPE protection, space and isolation. Flanked SARBARANJAN MONDAL, SUNDARBANS TIGER RESERVE to the south and east by the Reserved priority that must determine the land Sanjay and Chattisgarh’s Guru Ghasida Forests of Chandrapur and to the north use outside of Nagpur where tigers exist National Parks. Chattisgarh’s Achanak- / northeast by Brahmapuri, the scope for on all four sides. mar Tiger Reserve towards the south- the Tadoba landscape becoming the tigers’ east and M.P.’s Phen Wildlife Sanctuary UTTARAKHAND 1. Corbett Tiger Reserve 15. Valmiki 29. new hope in India is bright. As of now, Sahyadri and must also be 30. Parambikulam UTTAR PRADESH CHATTISGARH linked to Bandhavgarh. The Umaria- however, we must contend with the real- This Western ’ tiger landscape 2. Dudhwa 16. Indravati 17. Achanakmar 31. Kalakkad-Mundanthurai ity of man-animal conflict and retaliatory Rewa road and another between Parasi, RAJASTHAN (Sanctuary Vol. XXV No. 3, June 2005), 18. Udanti-Sitanadi 32. Anamalai 3. Ranthambhore Khitoli and Barhi must be shifted away. 33. Mudumalai poisoning of cattle kills. A totally pointless located in the southern aspect of the 4. Sariska 34. It is vital that an area of 10 km. around 19. Palamau proposed dam, the Human Irrigation Proj- legendary Sahyadri ranges, incorpo- MAHARASHTRA WEST BENGAL 5. Melghat ORISSA ect, continues to rear its head. Over 50 the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve be de- 35. Sundarbans rates Koyna, Chandoli, Radhanagari and 6. Tadoba 20. Similipal 36. Buxa clared as ecologically fragile under the 7. Pench 21. Satkosia villages lie inside of five kilometres of the Sagareshwar, which have seen protec-

8. Sahyadri Environment Protection Act. border and Sanctuary Asia has mooted tion since 1985. “The declaration of Sa- 37. Namdapha MADHYA PRADESH 22. NagarjunaSagar- 38. Pakke the idea of creating Community Nature hyadri as a tiger reserve will greatly en- 9. Bandhavgarh 23. Kawal Kanha 10. Kanha ASSAM Notied Conservancies (Sanctuary Vol. XXXIII No. hance protection,” says G. Sai Prakash, a 11. Pench 39. Kaziranga In-principle approved 24. Nagarahole 12. Bori-Satpura 40. Manas 3, June 2013), which have the potential of forest officer whose passionate efforts Dr. George Schaller worked here and put 25. Bandipur Proposed 13. Sanjay-Dubri 41. Nameri 26. Bhadra offering thousands of livelihood opportu- Kanha on the world map through his epic 14. Panna contributed in getting this tiger reserve Tiger Defenders 27. Dandeli-Anshi 28. Biligiri-Ranganathan Temple 42. Dampa nities, with a dramatic reduction in human- notified. “Now it is vital that we convert book, The and the Tiger. Initially animal conflict, even as tiger numbers rise. private lands, gaonthan areas and other protected as a national park for baras- As of now the northwest boundary of the government department-held lands into ingha whose numbers had plummeted, reserve, which has a negligible buffer, is conservancies that can offer visitors the Kanha’s declaration as a tiger reserve the most vulnerable. opportunity to savour this wild paradise, (Sanctuary Vol. XXXI No. 6, December

28 Sanctuary Asia, August 2013 Sanctuary Asia, August 2013 29 Sanctuary | Cover Story More at www.sanctuaryasia.com | Cover Story ar ti l d Ba

THIS SPREAD Pa i ju Ba biodiversity-rich forest. Right now it ary with the Guru Ghasidas National

01 In the Pench Tiger H a seeb is a good breeding site for tigers but Park in . A Sundarbans Update Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, when young-adult tigers try to disperse The Sundarbans ecosystem is clear- tigers have made a they are unable to easily find territories ly at risk from the impacts of cli- significant comeback. Panna of their own. To Satpura’s northeast, mate change. The changing weather 02 Changeable Hawk Eagle in Here too, all tigers were wiped out, be- the Kanha Tiger Reserve, the forests of Chindwara act as a con- will not only affect tides from the Madhya Pradesh. necting link with the Maikal landscape cause officials went into a denial mode south, but may also cause unsea- 03 The Joranda Waterfall in the (through the Pench-Kanha corridor). when Dr. Raghu Chundawat warned, for sonal floods from the north. This Simlipal Tiger Reserve, Orissa. Several villages lie within and out- over a year, that one by one the tigers could affect the delicate side the reserve. Herbivore density is he was monitoring through satellite col- ecosystem and therefore, the future relatively low on account of encroach- lars were going missing (Sanctuary Vol. of the tiger. Another problem we ments and the consequent degradation XXVIII No. 3, June 2008). By all accounts, face is poaching. We do confiscate of vital meadows that herbivores need however, the relocation programme that boats with snares and traps, but to survive. Inadequate and an aging followed in the wake of the official ac- we need to be better equipped to field staff and lack of equipment are ceptance that all of Panna’s tigers had counter poachers, particularly those other issues hampering effective pro- been poached, has shown a measure of from across the border, who seem tection and monitoring of tigers. The success. Located on the banks of the to be getting more determined and adjoining Pachmarhi forests were once Ken river, Panna is rightly proud of the better equipped. Tiger-human con- a major tiger stronghold, but these now fact that as many as 12 tiger cubs were flict remains a constant worry and face the brunt of runaway construction born here in 2012. However, old prob- consumes much of our resources 01 02 and uncontrolled religious and commer- lems refuse to go away and these need and attention. 2011) saw its protected confines expand cial tourism. Several villages situated in strong political will. One tiger cub, for in- Scientific assessments and mon- to around 2,000 sq. km. including the Bori Sanctuary want to resettle outside stance, was found dead in late July 2012. itoring have been made possible due Mukki and Halon valleys. The Kanha- the critical tiger habitat and if this task to camera traps and DNA analyses, Pench landscape and its connectivity to K allaj e R aj es h is conducted justly and transparently which is giving us a better picture of forests in Maharashtra present us with it would benefit both people and the The Kanha-Pench landscape predator-prey relationships. the best hope we have for the long- park. Some fringe villages could find and its connectivity to forests The tiger is the pride of Bengal term survival of the striped predators their fortunes made if sensible people in Maharashtra present us with and of late, we have noticed a jump in central India. Unfortunately, connect- work with them to create Community the best hope we have for the in tourism by around 30 per cent. ing corridors in Seoni and Wara tehsils Nature Conservancies, with profes- long-term survival of the striped We restrict visitors to the buffer are already degraded and poaching for sionally managed homestays on lands predators in central India. areas of the Sundarbans Tiger Re- ‘bush meat’ is commonplace. Kanha’s owned by the villagers themselves. serve and around Sajnekhali. Plans buffer desperately needs to be ex- are afoot to tentatively extend ac- tended southwest through the tehsil of cess to the Basirhat area to disperse Baihar in the district. Dispers- Sanjay-Dubri Poaching, loss of fringe habitats, illegal fishing, the illegal removal of timber and the impact. ing tigers from Kanha and Bandhavgarh This little known tiger reserve We are assisting villagers to have been reported from distant loca- incorporates both the Sanjay National overgrazing are unsolved issues. Worse, a national highway through the reserve set up bee boxes so that they can tions in the district and seem Park and the Dubri Wildlife Sanctuary, continue to earn a livelihood from to serve as a conduit for tiger popula- jointly extending across 831 sq. km. in is now causing even more roadkills and mining too is a problem that honey without risking their lives by tions existing in Madhya Pradesh all the the Kusumi and Majhauli blocks of the entering the forest. Another prob- way to Achanakmar. Tiger-centric tour- Sidhi district of Madhya Pradesh. A needs to be addressed if the tiger is to have any kind of long-term future here. lem is the tendency of brokers to ism policies (such as the infamous tiger tentative corridor connecting Sanjay- corner fishing licences, which de- shows) provide few benefits to local Dubri to Bandhavgarh results in tigers 03 BIHAR prives locals of their income. This is communities, and even less money from straying from this more famous re- Valmiki an area where social activists could tourism finds its way back to hardcore serve, seeking sanctuary from time to work together with our staff. conservation. Anthropogenic pressures eration of vegetation. As in other parks, families living in abject poverty around. time in these sal, bamboo, mixed for- Located along the Indo-Nepal border, In the days ahead, we hope including illicit bamboo extraction in the there is a shortage of staff and the buf- More coordination and joint-patrolling est glades. And though human distur- this reserve (Sanctuary Vol. XXX No. 2, to continue garnering public sup- buffer zone, and insidious deforesta- fer zone with over 100 villages is still not and sharing of intelligence between Pench bance and overgrazing are the order April 2010) is contiguous with the world- port. Protecting the Sundarbans tion, coupled with forest fires are seri- under the control of the Field Director. An (M.P.) and Pench (Maharashtra) would dra- of the day, in the words of the Field famous Chitawan National Park and the forest is vital to the economy and ous issues threatening this beautiful re- important link between tiger habitats to matically benefit both tiger reserves.. Director, K. Raman: “This is one of the Parsa Wildlife Reserve in Nepal. Despite safety of the people of West Ben- serve, which is the southern source of the west and south (Melghat) and to the most beautiful tracts of forest land in the potential of this large landscape gal. If my staff is properly equipped the . east (Kanha and Nagzira), illegal fishing in Bori-Satpura India and its strategic positioning can unit for tigers, it has largely been given and credible social workers join us, I the reservoir, poaching and forest fires set best be understood by the fact that step-motherly treatment and continues believe we will be able to improve Pench by intruders continue to harm the forest. Possibly one of the most picturesque of earlier this year, in March 2013, el- to suffer ungodly biotic pressure from both the quality of life of people The ’s critical core The Pench hydroelectric dam is one more all Indian tiger reserves, this is the jew- ephants from Betla (Palamau), actually around 140 villages located close to the and the status of the tiger in the area is now virtually free of human habi- cross that this magical tiger reserve must el in the crown of the 25,000 sq. km. reached Sanjay-Dubri and returned af- reserve boundary. As many as 20 vil- Sundarbans ecosystem. tation and its buffer zones have healthy bear. Compensating crop damage and Satpura landscape (Sanctuary Vol. XXIV ter spending time feeding and resting. lages remain in the core as well. Recent Soumitra Dasgupta IFS, forests. The forest staff has created good guaranteeing communities a livelihood No. 6, December 2004). Its remarkable Naturalists also confirm sightings of efforts of NGOs and the Bihar Forest CCF & Field Director, working plans that include soil and water based on the restoration of biodiversity ecological values have bought much- skimmers in this moist deciduous wild- Department seem to be creating circum- Sundarbans Tiger Reserve conservation efforts and natural regen- could turn the fortunes of thousands of needed global attention to this lush life paradise, which shares a bound- stances in which local communities might

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THIS SPREAD

support conservation actions, provided protected offers some degree of protec- tablished. Two of these tigers are being jun g s haaz Ph i ll ip officials realise that such communities tion from permanent destruction at the tracked on a daily basis and Kazmi be- 01 A black seen in the must be the principal beneficiaries of hands of large-scale industrial projects. lieves that with protection Palamau might Mudumulai Tiger Reserve, any incomes that flow from tourism and soon witness confirmed tiger breeding. Tamil Nadu. other forest conservation initiatives. Udanti-Sitanadi Just a few short years ago, not a single 02 A common leopard scampers down a reclining tree near tiger sighting was recorded here (during CHATTISGARH The Sitanadi and Udanti forest areas run the Kabini backwaters in the contiguous with the Sunabeda-Khariar the Phase I survey by WII), but improved Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, Indravati forests in the Nuapara district of Orissa, a relationship with local communities seems Karnataka. critical tiger habitat. The Sonabeda-Udanti- to be throwing up a model in the making 03 Over 600 Indian rivers are For over two decades virtually no man- fed by tiger forests. Here we Indravati belt continues to harbour tigers as to demonstrate how park managements agement plans, or protection efforts can operate even in Naxalite affected ge- see the Auranga river flowing do the Balimela and Kondakamberu Sanc- have been implemented in this once- ographies. As we have seen in the case of through the Palamau Tiger tuaries, which extend all the way from East Reserve, Bihar. magical tiger forest (Sanctuary Vol. XX almost all the most successful parks, when Godavari, and Vishakapatnam in No. 2, April 2000) in the very heart of the Field Director leads from the front, his Andhra Pradesh. Quarries, diamond mining, India. The administration has been to- or her men too perform beyond the call clearing of forests for agriculture through tally checkmated by the armed Naxal of duty. This is the promise being held out the misuse of the Forest Rights Act, com- movement. Consequently, no ecologi- by Palamau. These forests feed water into bine with shifting cultivation, overgraz- cal assessments have been made and the Auranga, North Koel and Burha rivers ing and forest fires and not only threaten there is the possibility that such threats – the lifelines of this drought prone area. the potential of this tiger habitat, but also could also move eastwards to encom- The strength of this landscape lies in its keep communities in a permanent poverty pass the Navegaon-Indravati landscape connectivity to reserves in the Central In- 01 02

cycle where they are condemned to earn a dian tiger landscape. Palamau is connected the propaganda unleashed to prevent and the corridors that are vital for wild- daily wages almost forever, to supply their to source populations of tigers in Band- them from accepting the offer that life movements between Kanha, Pench own forest biomass to bottomless markets havgarh and Kanha, through the Sanjay- some among them say is generous. and Tadoba. Indravati’s forests are also through exploitative middlemen. connected with tiger-occupied habitats Dubri and Achanakmar Tiger Reserves Northern Similipal with several villages, in northern Andhra Pradesh and west- respectively. It is also connected to other low prey density and human pressures, d Pan Chan d ra Adit ya ern Orissa, but we have no real ground tiger habitats such as Saranda, Lawa- needs particular attention. Palamau is connected to long and Hazaribagh, which can once information on the status of this area. Satkosia What we do know is that wildlife and source populations of tigers again be reinvigorated with tigers if Palamau is protected and its tiger popula- timber poaching is rampant, as is illegal in Bandhavgarh and Kanha, Despite its inclusion in the Project Tiger tion strengthened. mining and the illicit felling of khair and through the Sanjay-Dubri and fold some five years ago, this reserve One threat hanging over Palamau is , which unconfirmed reports believe Achanakmar Tiger Reserves. (Sanctuary Vol. XXVIII No. 2, April 2008) the exponential increase in the number of is in the control of underworld crimi- has been going steadily downhill. There villages in the reserve since its inception – nal networks, which have been able to have been no signs of tigers breeding 199 within just 1,130 sq. km. These villages forge an unholy partnership with groups here in the last three years. Five villages Sunabeda, which is in western Oris- have a population of 1.5 lakh people and an exist within the small core and more than that were once mission-driven, but are sa, borders Udanti-Sitanadi and has re- equal number of cattle. This has the impact a 100 villages lie on the fringes and bor- now in the clutches of hardcore money- ceived in-principle approval, though the of decimating the prey base, forcing carni- ders. Though one of the villages has pe- making ambitions. state government is yet to notify it as a vores to prey on domestic livestock, thus titioned for relocation, this has not been tiger reserve. Naxalite insurgency is the aggravating human-animal conflict. Poach- actioned, apparently due to shortage of Achanakmar main limiting factor here and hopefully ing for the pot hardly helps. Villages such as funds. CAMPA funds should be used to reserve status will help to put an end to This forest feeds the northern source Kujrum, one of the eight villages in the core enable this as relocation will allow fields this in this vital tiger breeding habitat. of the Narmada river. The Achanakmar- area, want to be rehabilitated outside the to be converted back to meadows, which Biosphere Reserve (Sanctu- 03 JHARKHAND reserve. This will greatly help the peo- is vital for the prey population to revive. ary Vol. XXVIII No. 3, June 2008) is part ple and give Palamau a second lease on The reserve is in urgent need of good years, the reserve has suffered greatly of the Maikal landscape and is one of the Palamau life. But we need total coordination be- making a comeback. However, despite leadership, experienced forest officers at the hands of elephant and timber most vital links in the Central Indian tiger One man, S.E.H. Kazmi, has taken it upon tween the tiger reserve management, the official notification, the Special and a scientifically robust tiger monitor- poachers. The annual local tribal mass heartland. The connectivity with Kanha in himself to resurrect Palamau (Sanctuary the District Administration and State Tiger Protection Force is yet to be ing regimen. This reserve along with for- ritual called Akhanda Shikar particular, offers great potential for tiger Vol XVI No. 5, October 1996). This re- Forest Department. formed and reports suggest that as ests in the Baissipalli belt and adjoining populations to thrive. Problems facing serve, once the pride of Project Tiger, has has also presented a huge challenge on an interim measure, the state govern- reserved forests is home to as many as the park include forest fires set by cat- been overrun by armed insurgency. That, ORISSA top of the regular trapping of animals ment is planning to put together a 500 elephants. It is also linked to forests tle grazers and the presence of over 20 along with apathy by the state govern- Similipal and uncontrolled cattle grazing. Fortu- team by diverting existing forest staff of Western Orissa, including the Khalasu- villages inside the park, most of them in ment, which has led to a shocking 90 per nately, no mass hunting was allowed in from other divisions. In 2010, Jenabil, ni-Badrani (Ushakoti) section. Ghumusar the core. Evidence suggests that many of cent staff deficiency in the reserve, had This famous tiger reserve (Sanctuary 2013 thanks to the department’s ef- the largest of the four villages in the is further connected to Kondhmal, and these villages rely on their connections caused monitoring and protection activi- Vol. XXIX No. 3, June 2009) is on the re- forts that have been strengthened by core area of the reserve was voluntar- the Dandakaranya forests on the bor- with poaching and timber mafias. The ties to virtually come to a standstill. With covery path since the extremist attack hiring almost 500 fresh recruits. Tiger ily rehabilitated. Two more villages and ders of Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Bilaspur-Amarkantak highway cuts clean strong leadership, and effective monitor- in 2009. The Forest Department, led sightings and signs are more common two settlements inhabited by Khadia Chattisgarh. The NH-42 and the Rengali through the park. Such issues are a direct ing using camera traps and foot trackers, by an able Field Director, has managed now and monitoring through both line tribals in Upper Barhakamuda wish to canal have seriously affected tiger and result of a lack of political will. Neverthe- the presence of at least four tigers in 40 to enforce some degree of protection transects and camera trap technique be relocated. The remaining villagers in elephant movement between Satkosia less, the very fact that the forest has been per cent of the park area has been es- inspite of all the hurdles. Down the is ongoing. Prey species too could be Bakua will possibly follow suit, despite and Similipal.

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ANDHRA PRADESH Kawal landscape (Sanctuary Vol. III No. 2, April/ NagarjunaSagar-Srisail- June 1983) hosts the single largest ti- Two young tiger warriors, by the names ger population in India. This is also con- am Tiger Reserve (NSTR) of Asif and Imran Siddiqui, together with nected to the Biligiri-Ranganathan Tem- their colleagues as well as the Forest De- This Chenchu homeland (Sanctuary ple (BRT) Tiger Reserve through the partment kept doggedly fighting to have Vol. XXXII No. 2, April 2012) was once Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve and the Kawal (Sanctuary Vol. XXXI No. 4, August amongst the richest wildlife areas in Cauvery Sanctuary. This landscape with India. This is also the largest tiger re- 2011) declared a tiger reserve for over 10 connectivity over 5,000 sq. km. has the years. That this is now Andhra Pradesh’s serve in India. Gundla Brameshwaram highest number of breeding females second tiger reserve is to a very large ex- (GBM), contiguous to NSTR, has been thus making it one of the most valuable tent thanks to their commitment in the brought under NSTR on paper, though meta populations of tigers in the world. face of cynicism and apathy. The victory experts suggest that it be notified as Long-term protection accorded by the comes as a blow to some local politicians a separate tiger reserve given that Karnataka Forest Department through in league with timber and sand mafias the existing reserve is itself difficult effective anti-hunting measures, re- who even tried to spread false rumours to manage. GBM, which is free of any covery of swampy grasslands (hadlus) among the 40 villages in the area that human habitation inside the sanctuary, and effective control of forest fires has they would be displaced without mercy. and has a substantial buffer of its own, ensured a healthy prey base crucial for The Forest Department must, however, could be the third and most productive supporting tiger populations. In addition, be sensitised to have very transparent tiger reserve of the state. the rigorous scientific research by the consultations with local communities at In recent times, NSTR has made a Wildlife Conservation Society, conser- the gram sabha level so that the tenta- significant comeback from the dark vation monitoring by advocacy groups tive bridges built can be strengthened. days of Naxal violence. The Forest like Wildlife First and voluntary resettle- The repair of Kawal’s corridors linking Department and NGOs have worked ment efforts by grassroot organisations it to the Tadoba-Andhari and Indravati closely with the local Chenchu popu- like Living Inspiration for Tribals have lation who are now at the cutting made Nagarahole an excellent example edge of conservation initiatives. In for other reserves to follow. Presently, one such effort, 250 to 300 Chenchus Collaboration between the main challenges are to ensure the have been recruited as tiger track- Government and non- completion of the voluntary resettle- ers and forest watchers. Much of the government agencies such as ment project, continuation of protection credit for the revival of the reserve the Centre for Wildlife Studies, efforts to prevent illegal hunting, timber since 2005 goes to successive Field Wildlife First and the Bhadra smuggling and commercial forest pro- Directors A.K. Naik and Rahul Pandey. Wildlife Conservation Trust duce extraction. The reserve now boasts of three tigers helped implement a model Bandipur AD per 100 sq. km. Vast swatches of hu- resettlement programme man free forest are now the order of for Bhadra. Bandipur (Sanctuary Vol. XXIV No. 3, June the day and more such areas are on 2004) is one of the few tiger reserves the anvil. A huge issue is the unjusti- that does not have any human settle- fied, some would say, criminal, clear- ments inside its 870 sq. km. core area. ance given for uranium exploration Tiger Reserves, which are severely de- It is also the first tiger reserve to get an on the border of the tiger reserve. graded and fragmented is vital. Just one eco-sensitive zone notification around This watershed feeds the reservoir, year of patrolling, uncovered as many as its boundary. Though the reserve is do- which is the source of supply of fresh- 400 traps, foiled 12 poaching attempts ing well overall, thanks to the efforts of water for millions and the decision and exposed as many as 20 smuggling the Forest Department and various NGOs, must be reversed. Another huge is- networks. But the reserve still needs a linear intrusions in the form of the two sue is the blind desire of developers to solid management plan grounded in sci- national highways and a proposal for a widen the alignment of the state high- ence so that ecosystem restoration ben- railway line pose a threat to wildlife move- way. Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh efits the forest and local communities. ment. Forest fires, grazing by livestock Forest Department is working to en- Nothing, of course, can replace foot pa- and pressures of fuelwood extraction hance the prey base and step up pro- trols and robust anti-poaching protocols, continue to be a concern. Mushrooming tection. This is a difficult terrain to which will always remain the backbone of and the huge pressure study, and document and the forest is of any wildlife protection measures. of tourism require implementation of reg- still prone to cattle grazing, illegal fish- ulatory measures. Maintenance of anti- ing (with illegal settlements along the KARNATAKA hunting mechanisms to counter the threat river) and uncontrolled reli- Nagarahole posed by illegal hunting will continue to be gious tourism. Say Asif and Imran Sid- an important priority. Un-scientific man- diqui, “What we need on a priority are The tropical evergreen, semi-evergreen agement interventions like construction improvised methods to stem poaching, and deciduous forest habitats of the of artificial waterbodies and water har- strong anti-poaching teams, foot pa- southern has several vesting pits, maintenance of wide-view trols and intelligence gathering on the Protected Areas. Of these, the Naga- lines and other earth moving activity is a illegal wildlife trade.” rahole-Bandipur-Mudumalai-Wynaad matter of concern. Continued on page 99

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continued from page 35

Bhadra have shown a rising trend despite the by the Forest Department, which must fact that the reserve is dotted and frag- be commended for ensuring that some This reserve has received justifiable mented by human settlements, a large amount of tourism revenues reach the praise for its model voluntary relocation temple complex and large private coffee local community. However, pilgrims to efforts. The constructive collaboration estates, some owned by leading Indian the Sabarimala temple have a negative between the government and non-gov- corporates. The proliferation of resorts impact on this fragile Western Ghats ernment agencies such as the Centre for and guest houses in private enclosures forest. Illegal ganja cultivation in the Wildlife Studies, Wildlife First and Bhadra within the reserve is another serious is- inaccessible reaches and some particu- Wildlife Conservation Trust successfully sue. An offer for voluntary resettlement larly unruly behaviour on the part of ensured that 432 families living in villag- has been made to people living in the ill-informed tourists often distracts the es inside the reserve voluntarily moved reserve and some families seem keen to forest staff from the real protection out. Not surprisingly, wildlife populations accept the offer. This would undoubt- duties. Tamil Nadu’s demand to increase are recovering. However, illegal hunt- edly reduce human disturbance within the height of the ing, timber smuggling and mushroom- the forest confines. Questions are also built in 1899 would strike a body blow ing of several resorts in the immediate being raised about just how sustainable to the park as it would submerge some buffer zone are threats that need to be the current large-scale commercial ex- of the richest forests in the reserve. addressed. In 2011, a proposed wind- traction of forest produce is under the The Cumbum and Varshnad valleys, in- mill project was successfully stalled af- community rights granted under the cluding the mountain stretch between ter a tough legal battle by local groups Forest Rights Act. The Karnataka Indus- them, require to be brought into the like Wildcat-C (page 45). Mining in the trial Area Development Board’s decision Protected Area network together with buffer of the reserve at the proposed Meghamalai Sanctuary. In and Hogarekangiri (now closed due to to acquire agriculture land adjoining the 2011, both Periyar and Parambikulam legal interventions) must not be allowed reserve is another extremely serious is- were adjudged to be among the top to re-start. sue. This tiger reserve also offers safe best-managed reserves in the country. Dandeli-Anshi It is time that policy makers extended more support and exhibited a greater This is an amazing forest (Sanctuary Tamil Nadu’s demand to understanding of the ecological worth Vol. XXI No. 4, August 2001) that runs increase the height of the of these irreplaceable forests. contiguous with the Bhimgad Wildlife Mullaperiyar Dam would strike Sanctuary in Karnataka, which should Parambikulam a body blow to the Periyar by all rights also be declared a tiger re- Tiger Reserve. The mountainous, biodiversity-rich Pa- serve. The tributaries of the rambikulam reserve runs contiguous (page 68) originate in this forest. Hu- with the Anamalais in Tamil Nadu in man habitations have also risen with the Nelliampathy - Anamalai terrain in over 50 villages in the core area to refuge to elephants and is an important the southern Western Ghats. This is an the accompaniment of large-scale ex- bridge between the Western and East- extremely popular destination for tour- traction of forest produce and illegal ern Ghats landscapes. Tigers are breed- ists who are allowed to trek here, Par- grazing. Dams, hydel-power genera- ing here and some use the forest as a ambikulam is best known for its three tion units, diversion tunnels, mines and transit route to travel further south and man-made reservoirs – Peruvaripallam, highways continue to fragment this east to Sathyamangalam and the Malai Thunakadavu and Parambikulam. Lion- strategic reserve. The loss of wildlife Mahadeshwara hills. The reserve has a tailed macaques, Nilgiri tahr, elephants, on account of a lack of effective anti- good prey base of gaur and sambar. Be- , tigers and even king cobras poaching mechanisms, is aggravated by ing a popular pilgrim destination creates are found here, however the PA faces an increase in wildlife roadkills within a familiar set of problems for wildlife by threats from the insidious conversion the reserve thanks to increased traffic disturbing the sanctity of the park. The of forest into tea and coffee estates. density in recent years. National Authority Several large plantations are a source has asked for unique identity numbers Biligiri-Ranganathan of pesticide run-off and human-wildlife to be given to each tiger, to facilitate rig- conflict is increasing. Both the Anamalai Temple (BRT) Tiger Reserve orous long term scientific monitoring by and Parambikulam Tiger Reserves’ For- independent scientific institutions based This is one of India’s most recent tiger est Departments need to work in clos- on mark-recapture protocols. reserves, which was given the tag in er concert to strengthen cross-border January 2011. The local Soliga adivasi KERALA anti-poaching and protection initia- tribe opposed this move and instead Periyar tives. Climate change is causing subtle proposed a community-based tiger con- changes in both the vegetation and servation model. The recovery of wild- Possibly one of India’s most visited tiger in the response of insects to such life populations in BRT actually began reserves, Periyar (Sanctuary Vol. XXVIII changes. This is likely to have a domi- only after slash and burn cultivation was No. 1, February 2008) was Kerala’s only no effect up and down the food chain, banned and anti-hunting measures were tiger reserve until the declaration of Pa- however, little study is being done on enforced since the 1970s. Tiger numbers rambikulam. Ecotourism here is handled this critical threat.

99 Sanctuary Asia, August 2013 Sanctuary Asia, August 2013 99 Sanctuary | Cover Story More at www.sanctuaryasia.com | Cover Story w i n te r t hakur THIS SPREAD THIS SPREAD 01 Rhinos tussle for supremacy S teve 01 The Manas river, which passes ayan Bor ayan through picturesque gorges in in the Kaziranga Tiger Ud Reserve, Assam. Bhutan before splitting in two, seen here at Mathanguri, gives the Manas Tiger Reserve in Assam its name. 02 A tiger scrambles up a slick Sundarbans Tiger Reserve mudbank. Climate change threatens both tigers and humans in the largest mangrove forest in the world.

01 ARUNACHAL PRADESH

01 Sarkar Namdapha

Tamil Nadu been their main source of livelihood for well over two decades and this re- Ni la d r i Namdapha (Sanctuary Vol. XXIX No. 3, and this naturally pits them against wild settlement should be done on a prior- June 2009) is contiguous with the Kam- Kalakkad-Mundanthurai lang Wildlife Sanctuary to the north, The species. Major threats include poach- ity basis. Eradication and monitoring of forests of Turung, Tengapani, Diyun to the Situated in the southern end of the ing, commercial plantations and growth cactus Opuntia dillenii from the east- north-west and Jairampur to the south- Western Ghats in Tirunelveli and of the tribal population. The contour ern and southern parts of the poten- west. Unfortunately, all these forests suf- Kanyakumari districts, this tiger re- canal conceived in 1962 cuts through tial 600 sq. km. reserve should be a fer logging, habitat conversion to planta- serve (Sanctuary Vol. VI No. 2, April/ some of the finest wildlife habitats priority. The Singara corridor should be tions and new illegal settlements. In much June 1986) is well-known for its po- established to benefit elephants. along the northern boundary of the of the state, hunting for the pot and the tential as a source of water for three reserve. Wild animals often fall into the Sathyamangalam wildlife trade is so commonplace as to have districts (including Tuticorin). It is also canal and are washed away. Two major almost wiped out larger animals from vast the home of the Nilgiri langur, lion- highways, one going through the Ch- Once the notorious hideout of the in- tracts. The rising population of Lisus inside tailed macaque and the rare mouse innar Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala and famous and ivory poacher the reserve, and the skeletal staff of the deer or chevrotain. Biotic pressures the other through the Valparai Plateau Veerappan, this is now Tamil Nadu’s Forest Department make for poor protec- exerted by colonies belonging to the of Tamil Nadu, are responsible for a fourth tiger reserve. Located in Erode tion, which is aggravated by low staff mo- State Electricity Board, tea companies, large number of roadkills. district, it is believed to be home to 18 rale and very poor protection infrastruc- tribal hamlets, illicit mining for gem- to 25 tigers, whose home is shared by ture. Understandably, with an abysmal lack stones and pilgrims are taking a toll. Mudumalai elephants and a diversity of birdlife that 02 of effective patrolling, the prey base is The border with Kerala on the west- The area of this reserve (Sanctuary Vol. would do any bird sanctuary proud. very low, even though the tigers are able ern side is vulnerable to illegal entry XXX No. 5, October 2010) is presently Quarries operating close to the re- WEST BENGAL world’s finest breeding habitats for ma- to take sustenance from mountain ungu- serve’s boundaries are a major problem. rine species, our failure to protect the and activities. A pilot project aimed at only 321 sq. km. However, it has the lates including the takin, serow and goral. The National Green Tribunal, Southern Sundarbans Sundarbans will therefore have serious conservation of biodiversity through potential to be increased to approxi- The Nature Conservation Foundation Bench, has banned all quarrying but Possibly the most famous, yet the most repercussions on India’s food security. improved park management and eco- mately 600 sq. km. with the inclusion has been doing some good work here as only time will tell whether this order will isolated population of tigers in India, development with the involvement of of adjacent forest areas such as Sigur has Phupla Singpho and his organisation be effectively enforced. The establish- are to be found in the largest mangrove Buxa local communities has had reasonable and Singara forest ranges and Mukur- SEACOW who conduct conservation edu- ment of this reserve will significantly forest in the world of the Sundarbans success. But with as many as 50,000 thy National Park. The most important Several tea estates in the vicinity exert cation and welfare programmes in villages. improve the connectivity between the (Sanctuary Vol. XXVII No. 1, February a great deal of biotic pressure. Dolomite Sustained efforts to work with the local cattle and over 100,000 humans liv- corridor in this landscape is the Mu- Western Ghats (the foothills have Mu- 2007). Climate change poses a huge mining has caused great damage. Poaching Lisu tribe will help change attitudes toward ing on the fringes of the park, the dumalai-Mukurthy corridor, between dumalai and Bandipur) and the Eastern threat to both tigers and the humans of wildlife as well as timber, firewood re- hunting to supply the wildlife trade, while problems for this biodiversity hotspot Naduvattam and Gudalore hill, which Ghats (BRT). There is also the possibil- that occupy this wild habitat. Deforest- moval, illicit grazing, boulder removal from offering them optional livelihoods. look like they could get worse in the is still being used by elephants, gaur, ity of bringing back and chinkara ation, oil pollution, overfishing, prawn river and electric fencing also harm wild- years ahead. sambar and tigers. This corridor needs in the intervening landscape. Eradica- seed collection, reclamation, poaching, life and fragment the forest. Demographic Pakke to be secured so as to strengthen the tion of Opuntia and control of Prosopis proposed nuclear reactors, a proposal Anamalai pressures are also huge here. The presence Till recently this dense forest was little connectivity between the Mukurthy juliflora should be a priority. Incentive for international steamer channel, sew- of human settlements within the Protect- studied. However a WII study sampled an This reserve (Sanctuary Vol. XXII No.1, National Park, which harbours Nilgiri driven resettlement could help address age pollution from , porous- ed Area and border issues with Bhutan are area of 158 sq. km. with a total of 718 February 2002) is the catchment and tahr and the Sigur Range, which has biotic pressures. Speed breakers must border problems with Bangladesh, are some of the other threats that Buxa faces. camera traps and obtained 10 tiger images meeting point of numerous rivers and chowsingha and . Over 500 be installed on the major National High- only some of the myriad threats that Introducing a transborder triangle protec- (four individual tigers). In Pakke (Sanctuary streams. Hundreds of tribals live inside tribals living in the core area have ex- way connecting Coimbatore to Banga- this biodiversity vault must cope with. tion system involving West Bengal, Assam Vol. XXX No. 2, April 2010), good protec- the sanctuary and farming has thus far pressed their keenness to move out lore that runs through this reserve. Ironically, this is probably one of the and Bhutan is an urent need.

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tion and management measures that have the forest. In the process, they killed over is surrounded by fallow lands in different won over the local Nishi community, have 100 rhinos and a number of elephants successional stages and by protected and greatly improved security in the reserve. and tigers. This wildlife contraband some unclassified forests. This allows wildlife, However, the loss of wildlife corridors is a say helped to finance the violence that including tigers, to disperse between the major threat to Pakke’s wildlife. In the ad- caused uncounted deaths over several core and buffer areas but connectiv- joining buffer areas of Assam, large areas years. Part of the foothills of the outer ity would be greatly enhanced if Dampa are being clear felled for illegal agriculture, Himalaya, Manas (Sanctuary Vol. XXXII was linked to the Thorangtlang Wildlife under the fig leaf of the Forest Rights Act. No. 1, February 2012) is a lowlying, linear Sanctuary on the southeastern side. The This has escalated man-animal conflict, wilderness that stretches between western side of Dampa borders especially crop raiding by elephants. Illegal the Sankosh river to the west and the and Bangladesh. In the buffer as well as timber operations in the adjoining Papum Dhansiri river in the east. The Manas the core, hunting by local tribes for sub- Reserve Forest adds to the problems of river itself waters the western part of the sistence is common. Wildfires and unregu- elephants and other species. sanctuary. Across the river, the Bhutanese lated harvesting of non-timber forest Government has also established the produce, shifting cultivation, crop depre- ASSAM Royal Manas Reserve. After decades of dation by wild pigs which adds to people- Kaziranga militancy, this reserve is slowly gaining park conflict are all chronic problems. The Forest Department is hopelessly under- Protected jealously from the early days its old glory. The Bodo Territorial Council staffed and this hampers patrolling. What when the likes of E.P. Gee took up cudgels has been doing good work in recent days is more the buffer is not yet under the for this incredible rhino, elephant, tiger and several poachers have laid down their unified command of the Field Director. and wild buffalo haven, the Kaziranga weapons and have surrendered. A paucity Recently, three staff members were ab- Tiger Reserve (Sanctuary Vol. XXXII No. 5, of funds nevertheless continues to plague ducted by insurgent groups in Tripura and October 2012), extends towards the Karbi the park and causes delays in payments this has caused staff morale to plummet. Anglong Hills to Intanki towards the south. being made to the staff. This, in turn, During the Phase IV estimation, the NGO Kaziranga was once contiguous with leaves them vulnerable to inducements Aaranyak, one of the most active wildlife Pakke to the north but the forests here and worse. The park also lacks modern groups in the area, surveyed a small area have been replaced by agricultural fields. communication equipment and vehicles and reported at least three tigers through Intanki is nevertheless connected through and many field posts have not been filled, DNA-based analysis of tiger scat. Merci- fragmented forests to Balphakram leaving gaping holes in the protection fully the state government recently re- National Park and onward to forests in mechanism. In an ideal world, Manas should jected a proposal by the Centre to fence Myanmar. Though some connectivity exists have been the perfect example of cross- the border with Bangladesh through between some of these PAs, land grabs by border protection, but this still remains a Dampa, as this would have restricted ruthless timber and wildlife mafias, have distant dream because it has been starved wildlife movement and dealt a death blow badly damaged the landscape, with the of both funds and political support. to wild species. t support of some particularly unscrupulous politicians down the ages. This home Nameri This snapshot of tiger reserves was put to- to the largest number of one-horned Nameri in Assam is contiguous with the gether by Bittu Sahgal and Lakshmy Raman rhinos in the world is beset by poaching in Arunachal Pradesh. with inputs from Narayan Sharma, Rohit problems and by seasonal floods that are The swift-flowing, glacier-fed Jiya Bharoli Naniwadekar, Nandini Velho, Praveen Bhar- aggravated by the NH-37 highway to the river drains these magnificent forests, just gav, Aditya Panda, Brijendra Singh, Asif and south, which interrupts animal movement before emptying into the Brahmaputra Imran Siddiqui, N.K. Raman, Joydip Kundu, towards the high ground of Karbi Anglong. river. Nameri has witnessed considerable Aditya Singh and Dr. A.J.T. Johnsingh. Encroachments along the periphery of human-wildlife conflict, particularly with the park and the impact of migrants from elephants, whose forest habitat has been Bangladesh who often routinely hunt for ruthlessly converted to agriculture on The following reserves have been the pot, add to the damage caused by the account of human encroachments, which proposed or accepted in principle: loss of forest and grassland habitat. Though have been triggered by questionable In-principle approved: (Uttar the Hathikuli Tea Estate (Sanctuary Vol. claims registered in the Sonitpur district Pradesh), Sunabeda (), Ratapa- XXXII No. 4, August 2012) has now gone under the Forest Rights Act. The resultant ni (Madhya Pradesh) and Mukundara organic, other estates are a source of deforestation along the south bank of Hills (Rajasthan). extremely damaging pesticide run-off. the Jiya Bharoli river now combines with Proposed: Nagzira-Navegaon and The petroleum refinery at Numaligarh poaching and dam construction to threaten Bor (Maharashtra), Mhadei (Goa), and the growth of invasive weed including the very existence of this incredible tiger, Suhelwa (Uttar Pradesh), Rajaji (Utta- Mimosa are other problems that the elephant and rhino haven. park management struggles to overcome. rakhand), (Karnataka) and Guru Ghasidas (Chattisgarh). Manas MIZORAM Once the pride of Assam this tiger Dampa For more complete information reserve was almost totally ruined by the Located in west Mizoram, Dampa’s (Sanc- on the status of the tiger and the Bodo agitation because poaching gangs tuary Vol. XV No. 2, April 1995) main char- ‘Leave Me Alone’ campaign visit took advantage of the unrest to tear apart acteristic is the lack of hard boundaries – it www.sanctuaryasia.com.

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