A NOTE on CROP RAIDING by GOLDEN LANGUR in FRAGMENTED FORESTS in WESTERN ASSAM, INDIA by Rekha Medhi, Dilip Chetry, P.C

REGIONAL OFFICE FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC (RAP), BANGKOK FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS July-September 2005

Regional Quarterly Bulletin on Wildlife and National Parks Management

Vol. XXXII : No. 3

Featuring

Vol. XIX : No. 3 Contents

Current Status of Elephant Conservation in Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh……………………………... 1 Leopard Menace in Kangerghati National Park……....… 7 A Study on Tiger-Human Conflicts in the Sundarban Reserve Forest (Bangladesh)……………….……… 8 Twenty Years of Rhino Re-Introduction Programme in Dudhwa National Park…………………………...… 14 Characteristics of Dusky Megapode Nesting Grounds in the Coastal Areas of Rumberpon Island….…....… 20 REGIONAL OFFICE A Note on Crop Raiding by Golden Langurs in FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC Fragmented Forests in Western Assam…….…....…. 23 Porcupine Menace in Coconut Palm Ecosystem of Dakhina Kannada Region of Karnataka………..…... 28 TIGERPAPER is a quarterly news bulletin dedicated to the exchange of information relating to wildlife and national parks management for the First Announcement – Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission Asia-Pacific Region. Set to Meet in India………………………………… 1 Second Meeting of the APFC Executive Committee….... 2 Foresters Converge at XXII IUFRO World Congress...... 3 ISSN 1014 - 2789 Fostering Dialogue and Cooperation for Sustainable Forest Management in China……………..………… 4 Address Tsunami Rehabilitation News………………………..….. 5 Developing a National Forest Programme for TIGERPAPER Malaysia…………………………………………..... 6 FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Enhancing the National Forest Programme (nfp) Maliwan Mansion, Phra Atit Road Bangkok, 10200, Thailand Process in Thailand…………………………………. 7 Tel: (662) 697-4000 Large Fires in Southeast Asia Cause Serious Facsimile: (662) 697-4445 Environmental Damage………………………….….. 9 E-mail: [email protected] Capturing Opportunities for the Poor from Forest Management: Time to Get Creative…………..…….. 10 Editor: Janice Naewboonnien Asia-Pacific Forestry Chips and Clips……………..……. 13 Advisors: M. Kashio and P. Durst New RAP Forestry Publications………………………… 15 FAO Asia-Pacific Forestry Calendar……………….…… 16

TIGERPAPER is dependent upon your free and voluntary The opinions expressed by the contributions in the form of articles, news items, and announcements in contributing authors are not the field of wildlife and nature conservation in the region. In order to necessarily those of FAO. The better serve the needs of our readers please write to us and send in the designations employed and the information you have or let us know if there is any information that you presentation of the material in the need. We appreciate receiving your letters and make all efforts to TIGERPAPER do not imply the respond. expression of any opinion on the part of FAO concerning the legal or Cover: Elephant mother & calf constitutional status of any country, Photo: Bibhab Kumar Talukdar territority or sea area, or the delimitation of frontiers.

Vol. 32: No. 3 July-September 2005

Elephant conservation in Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh| CURRENT STATUS OF ELEPHANT CONSERVATION IN MEGHALAYA AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH IN NORTHEAST INDIA

by Bibhab Kumar Talukdar

Introduction

he northeastern region of India holds 33% of In this paper the current status of elephants in TIndia’s total elephant population of 28,000 and Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh will be as- also provides shelter to about 1,900 domesticated sessed, along with the problem these states are elephants, which accounts for 56% of the total facing from various angles. Further emphasis domestic elephant population in the country. Out has been given to critically analyze the threats of the estimated 11,000 wild elephants in northeast to elephants and their habitats and also to re- India, Assam provides refuge to almost half of duce the man-elephant conflicts in these two them (Choudhury, 1999; Talukdar & Barman, in states of northeast India. press.). Meghalaya and Arunachal in northeast India also hold sizeable populations of elephant. Meghalaya

The state of Meghalaya comprising an area of forest areas, 0.13% are in protected areas, 22,429 km2 lies between latitudes 25º02’N and 10.33% are Reserve Forests and 89.54% are 26º07’N and longitudes 89º49’E and 92º50’E. unclassed forests. The unclassed forests are Topographically, the whole state is a plateau except managed by the district councils of Khasi, for narrow strips in the northern, western and Garo and Jaintia hills. southern parts. The altitude ranges from 150-1,950 m above MSL. The average annual rainfall in the The forests of Meghalaya can be divided into state varies from 4000 mm to 11,436 mm. The the following categories: sub-tropical pine, highest rainfall is recorded from Cherrapunjee and tropical wet evergreen, tropical semi- Mawsynram. About 42% of the total geographical evergreen and tropical moist deciduous forests. area of the state is covered with forests. Of the Sacred groves are mostly found in the Khasi 11 Vol. 32: No. 3 July-September 2005

and Jaintia Hills districts, which represent the cli- parks and three wildlife sanctuaries, with a to- max vegetation of the area. As per satellite imag- tal notified area of 301.68 km2. However, the ery data of December 1998, the forest cover state is planning to expand the protected area stands at about 15,633 km2, comprising 69.70% network of national parks and wildlife sanctu- of the total geographic area of the state, of which aries to 775.10 km2 in the next couple of year’s 5,925 km2 are dense forests, while 9,708 km2 are time. classified as open forest. There has been a loss of 24 km2 forests during 1997-1999, mainly Elephant conservation in Meghalaya can’t be attributed to shifting cultivation. Interestingly, the addressed without some reference to the state forest department controls only 12% of the neighbouring state of Assam and also the total forest area in the state, while the rest is neighbouring country of Bangladesh due to the managed by district councils and private interstate migrational habits of elephants. There individuals. The state has declared two national are seven districts in Meghalaya and the district- wise elephant habitats are shown in Table-1.

Table-1: Showing the District -wise elephant habitats in Meghalaya

Name of the Total geographical Total elephant % of elephant

| Elephant conservation in Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh District area of the District habitat in the habitat in the 2 2

(km ) District (km ) District East Khasi Hills 2,748 Not yet recorded 0 West Khasi Hills 5,247 1,677 31.96 Ri Bhoi 2,448 1,236 50.49 Jaintia Hills 3,819 855 22.39 East Garo Hills 2,603 2,079 79.87 West Garo Hills 3,714 2,996 80.67 South Garo Hills 1,850 1,668 90.16 Total State wise 22,429 10,011 44.63 Area

The forest department of Meghalaya conducted population. However, during the 1998 census, two official censuses of elephants in the state some areas could not be covered due to the which are shown in Table-2. The estimates carried presence of army authorities engaged in flushing out in the year 1998 showed a decline in the out the ultras believed to be camping in some of elephant the elephant habitat areas in the state.

Table-2: Showing elephant estimates in Meghalaya including sex ratio. [Source: Meghalaya Forest Department]

Elephant Estimation Particulars Year 1993 Year 1998 Total number of elephants estimated by direct sighting 2,222 1,319 Total number of elephants estimated by indirect 2,872 1,840 information Ratio of Calf:Sub Adult:Adult 1:1.6:3.8 1:2.6:4.4 Sex Ratio Male:Female 1:2.1 1:1.96

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Most of the areas with elephant populations fall During 1993-1998, about 50 elephants were killed Elephant conservation in Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh| under clan, community and private lands, and as in the state, 60% of which was due to poaching. such, these areas are affected by slash and burn Elephant deaths between 1994-2001 are shown agriculture (jhum) leading to disjunctive distribution in Fig-2. In the year 2000, about 30 pieces of ivory and reduction of the elephant population. The area were seized near Shillong in Meghalaya from currently affected by shifting cultivation is smugglers, which indicates that the trade on ivory estimated at 0.11 million ha. is on the rise.

Fig-2: Elephant Deaths in Meghalaya during 1994- 2001

20 15

10 Number 5 0 "1994" "1995" "1996" "1997" "1998" "1999" "2000" "2001" Year

Man-elephant conflicts are also found to be the State Government declared Garo Hills Elephant increasing in Meghalaya. A total of 22 persons Reserve with a core area of 533.89 km2 on 31 were killed by elephants between 1994-2001, and October 2001, comprising Balpakram National another 17 were grievously injured. Three forest Park, Siju Wildlife Sanctuary, Rewak Reserve staff lost their lives while discharging their duties Forest, Emangiri Reserve Forest and Tura Peak on elephant protection. The forest degradation due Reserve Forest. to developmental works and jhumming is the main cause of increased man-elephant conflict in the Suggested measures to reduce man-elephant state. Since jhum settlements are interspersed conflict in Meghalaya with forest areas, the wild elephants encounter crop fields with little or no protection and raid them Eco-development measures need to be taken in for the highly nutritious crops. While attempting the fringe villages where the man-elephant conflict to prevent crop raiding, loss of human life takes is acute. Capacity-building measures need to be place every year in the state. The man-elephant initiated for the locally affected villagers to conflict in the state was found to be highest during diversify their livelihood options and reduce biotic the period August-January. Prevention methods pressure on the elephant habitats in the state. to reduce man-elephant conflicts include shouting, Furthermore, the elephant corridors need to be use of firecrackers, beating drums, tins, sticks, brought under legal protection to stop further etc., and brandishing fire torches. It has been alteration of elephant corridors for other found that the tolerance of the local people developmental purposes. Unscientific bamboo affected by man-elephant conflicts seem to be harvesting, which also takes place in the prime remarkable, although this condition may not last elephant habitat, needs to be stopped in order to long as people have expressed their anguish at reduce man-elephant conflicts. A conservation the lack of proper mitigating measures to reduce education programme could play a positive role in the man-elephant conflict in the state. Realizing motivating the local people to support elephant the need to designate forest areas for elephants, conservation and the protection of habitats. Timely

33 Vol. 32: No. 3 July-September 2005

payment of compensation for loss of human life occurring in the state are tropical wet evergreen, due to man-elephant conflicts should be given high subtropical pine, montane wet temperate and sub- priority at the government level so that the victims’ alpine/alpine forests. families get the support quickly and efficiently. To prevent trade in elephant parts, especially the ivory Shifting cultivation is widely prevalent in the state. and meat, special anti-poaching measures are In a study undertaken by the Forest Survey of needed to strengthen the intelligence and wireless India in 1999, the area affected by shifting network across the state. Additional inter-state cultivation during 1987-97 was estimated to be conservation and protection measures between 2,300 km2. Assam and Meghalaya need to be worked out to help overcome some of the problems. Protected areas

Arunachal Pradesh The protected area network comprising two national parks and 10 wildlife sanctuaries consists The state of Arunachal Pradesh is located in of about 9,600 km2. of forest area, constituting northeast India, lying between latitudes 26o39’N 11.44% of the geographic area of the state. The and 29o28’N and longitudes 91o33’E and 97o25’E state has one tiger reserve – Namdapha, and and comprising an area of 83,740 km2. The terrain one biosphere reserve – the Dehang-Dibang consists of sub-montane and mountainous ranges, Valley. The elephants are mainly found within sloping down to the plains of Assam, and is divided the altitude of 2,860 m in the forest of Arunachal | Elephant conservation in Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh into valleys by the rivers Kameng, Subansiri, Siang, Pradesh. The forest cover given in Table-3,

Lohit and Tirap. The total population of the state reveals that there has been an overall increase is 0.86 million, comprising 87.2% rural population of 3,601 km2 of dense forest. This is the result and 12.8% urban population (1991 census). The of conversion of 3,923 km2 of open forest, 136 population density is 10 persons per km2. m2 of scrub and 340 km2 of non-forest to dense forest. The gain is, however, partly offset by The forest cover of the state, based on December degradation of 513 km2 of dense forest to open 1998 to February 1999 satellite data, is 68,847 km2, forest, 12 km2 to scrub and 273 km2 to non-forest. which constitutes 82.21% of the geographic area. The decrease of 3,356 km2 of open forest is on Dense forest accounts for 57,756 km2, open forest account of conversion of 3,923 km2 to dense 11,091 km2, Reserved Forest 29.73%, unclassed forest and 117 km2 to non-forest. The decrease forest 70.25% and Protected Forest a mere 0.02% is also associated with conversion of 513 km2 of of the total forest area. About 150 km2 is private dense forest and 171 km2 of non-forest to open ownership forest. The four main forest types forest.

Table -3: Change in forest cover in Arunachal Pradesh (km2) (Source: Forest Survey of India)

Assessment Assessment in 1999 based on Dec 98- Feb 99 Data Total 1997 in 1997 Dense forest Open forest Scrub forest Non-forest based ofnNov.94 & Nov. 95 data Dense forest 53,357 513 12 273 54,155 Open forest 3,923 10,407 0 117 14,447 Scrub forest 136 0 85 194 415 Non-forest 340 171 7 14,208 14,726 Total 1999 57,756 11,091 104 14,792 83,743 Net change +3,601 -3,356 -311 +66

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During the 2001 elephant census, the Department ratio, including adults and sub adults, is 1:1.9, Elephant conservation in Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh| of Forests of Arunachal Pradesh recorded about which can be considered as healthy for the 1,606 individuals. The total number of tuskers future growth of elephants in the state. recorded during the census (including adults and Elephants are found in 9 of the 13 districts in sub- adults) was only 56, representing 3.49% of the state, (Table-4). the total elephant population. The male-female

Table-4: District-wise forest cover with presence of elephants.

DISTRICT Geograhic Dense Open Total Scrub Elephant Area Forest Forest (km2)

Siang East 4,150 3,042 362 3,404 0 Present Upper Siang 7,231 5,190 870 6,060 0 Absent West Siang 7,508 5,538 1,013 6,551 0 Present Subansiri Lower 10,083 7,352 1,751 9,103 10 Present Subansiri Upper 6,630 4,586 1,093 5,679 30 Absent Kameng East 5,267 3,740 1,094 4,834 5 Present Kameng West 6,358 4,274 1,204 5,478 37 Absent Changlang 4,891 3,869 277 4,146 0 Present Dibang Valley 13,434 8,237 1,242 9,479 6 Present Papum Pare 3,272 2,320 738 3,058 0 Present Tirap 2,103 1,721 137 1,858 0 Present Lohit 10,636 7,016 940 7,956 0 Present Tawang 2,180 871 370 1,241 16 Absent Total 57,756 11,091 68,847 104

The movement of elephants in Arunachal Pradesh was studied during 2000-2002 and divided into three zones (Table-5)

Table-5: Zone -wise elephant movement areas in Arunachal Pradesh.

Zone Sub Zone Name of Areas Zone-1 I Medo in Lohit district, Diyung RF, Namdapha Tiger Reserve, Pangsu pass to Myanmar II Deomali, Kanubari in Tirap district to Joypur RF in Eastern Assam. Zone-2 I Laipulia, Likhabali, Telum in East Siang, Sile Balek upto D’ Ering Wildlife Sanctuary II Mebo-Dambuk in East Siang, Deopani, Koronu, Bhismak Nagar in Dibang Valley district and Digaru, Taphragam, Tengapani RF upto Lohit river in Lohit district Zone-3 I Dullungmukh in Lower Subansiri, Dirgha, Kakoi, Joihing, Howah camp, Boka, Denka, Rose in Papum Pare district II Poma, Balijan, Tarso in Durpung and Daflagarh RF to Radaso, Goloso in Papum RF, Pakhui-Tipi, Doimara-Eaglenest pass to Balemof in Amartola RF then to Bhutan in west and Sonai-rupai WLS in Assam in the south.

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Threats § Poaching – This is a major problem with regard to tuskers. The forests of Increases in the human population are directly or Arunachal Pradesh, are located in remote indirectly related to man-elephant conflicts in the and inaccessible areas, and so the state. Some of the key threats are: poaching of elephants often goes § Habitat fragmentation – This is unrecorded. Due to a shortage of assumed to be the prime cause of man- manpower in the Forest Department, it elephant conflicts. Any localized is not easy to check entire forests areas, deforestation often leads into especially those located in remote and fragmentation in elephant habitats, which inaccessible areas. A poacher arrested hinders the natural seasonal movements in Assam in 2001 mentioned that his group of the elephants from one forest to the had killed more then 10 tuskers in other. Selective logging in elephant Arunachal Pradesh during 1997-2001. habitats lead to the depletion of the This illustrates the magnitude of the elephants’ natural food reserves and have problem. steadily led to elephants straying into § Manufacture of country liquor – Some human habitations for food. Jhum villagers residing in the surrounding cultivation also adds to the habitat elephant habitats often manufacture fragmentation. brewed rice and country liquor made of

| Elephant conservation in Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh § Encroachment – Due to the human molasses. Once the elephant gets a taste,

population explosion, prime elephant it will often come to these villages in habitats are often targeted for human search of liquor and then start destroying settlement. This leads to direct paddy fields and huts. confrontations with elephants for sustenance. Due to such degradation and encroachment in elephant habitat, Suggested measures to reduce man- especially along the elephants’ migration elephant conflicts in Arunachal Pradesh route, depredations in human habitation areas have been found to be on the rise. Elephant conservation in Arunachal Pradesh About 5.2% of elephant habitats in needs appropriate and effective measures to win Arunachal are under encroachment. people’s confidence and seek their continued § Human casualty – Man-elephant support to conserve elephants and their habitat. conflicts in Arunachal Pradesh have This can be achieved by restoring the degraded resulted in about 21 human casualties and elephant corridors and stopping further 10 people injured during 1989 to 2001. encroachment. The State Government has already Most of the human casualties have been taken measures by declaring Kameng Elephant recorded from Seijosa (4) and Reserve (1,892 km2) and the expansion of Pakhui Banderdewa (5), areas in southwest and Wildlife Sanctuary with Doimara Reserve Forest south-central Arunachal Pradesh and Papum Reserve Forest. Artificial water respectively. Roing and Pasighat in sources need to be set up in key sites to provide northeastern Arunachal Pradesh is water during the dry season in the foothills. Eco- another area where six humans lost their development programmes in the elephant- lives to wild elephant attacks. affected villages need to be developed with proper § Crop depredation – Crop depredations guidance on alternative agricultural crops that are by elephants have been found to be a not generally damaged by elephants and options major cause of conflict between man and to diversify the livelihood of these villagers so that elephant in the state. Crop damage has their dependency on forest produce for earning been high in Seijosa, Banderdewa and their livelihood could be lessened and not further Roing-Pasighat. During 1996 to 2001, aggravate the man-elephant conflict. about 1,400 families were victimized.

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Selective capture of problematic elephants could worked out with Assam to effectively deal with Elephant conservation in Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh | Leopard Menace in Kangerghati NP| be carried out with proper planning to use them some of the problems. for other domestic purposes. Loss of life and property of the fringe villagers due to man- The author conducted his research on elephant conflicts need to be handled with prompt elephants from Feb 2000 to April 2002 in action and proper recompense. Conservation Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh for awareness is essential and could be launched by Aaranya – a center for biodiversity government and non-government agencies to conservation in northeast India based at educate the people and political leaders about the Guwahati. He is currently Regional Director impacts of deforestation that could lead to intense of Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and man-elephant conflict in near future. The the Environment – Eastern Himalaya manufacture of country liquor in the elephant Programme. Address: Bungalow No:2, problem areas needs to be monitored through Bhujiapani, PO: Bagdogra, Pin: 734422, West proper education programmes, followed by strict Bengal, India. law enforcement. Further inter-state elephant E-mail: [email protected] conservation and protection measures need to be

LEOPARD MENACE IN KANGERGHATI NATIONAL PARK

by R. Chakraborty and S. Kar

angerghati National Park is situated at the At present, the tribals livelihood is mainly from Keastern boundary of Bastar District in the cultivation and cattle rearing. Due to the lack of state of Chhattisgarh. It has beautiful landscapes, huts, as well as for the safety of the cattle, the forests, limestone caves and wildlife. The park people usually sleep among the cattle at night un- presents a good example of man-animal harmony der a four-sided open leaf or hay topped enclave. where animals and tribal people co-exist in peace in the tranquil life of the forest. The park area is It was observed that there is one leopard that re- 200 km2 and the entire park constitutes the core sides in the forest on a hilltop near Kotomsar vil- area with no buffer zone. Nearly 50 villages are lage that often comes to the village around mid- located at the outskirts of the park and one forest night to lift cattle. This leopard has developed a village named Kotomsar is located within the core very peculiar habit of attacking sleeping people in area of the park. the facial region with its paw. It causes severe injury to the person, but the leopard is not a man- In December 2004, while the authors were sur- eater. veying the faunal composition of Kangerghati National Park, they heard about two incidents of These incidents have broken the historical man- leopard menace. The first incident occurred on animal harmony. No doubt it is due to the dimin- 10 December 2004 at Kotomsar village, during ishing herbivore population, either by hunting or which one tribal male was injured, and the second habitat destruction, that has cause the leopard to incident occurred two days later at Maghipal vil- seek prey outside the forest. Thus, special atten- lage just outside the park. It was also reported tion needs to be given to maintain the prey-preda- that leopards injured three people in the winter of tor ratio in the national park. 2003. Authors’ addresses: c/o Zoological Survey of India, 27, J.L. Nehru Road, F.P.S. Building, Kolkata – 700 016, India.

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A STUDY ON TIGER-HUMAN CONFLICTS IN THE SUNDARBAN RESERVE FOREST (BANGLADESH)

by Nirmol Kumar Halder

Introduction consequently, it is a most important component in the ecological balance. Although Bangladesh he Bangladesh Sundarban lies in the Sundarban is rich in suitable tiger habitat, the tiger Tsouthwestern part of Bangladesh between population is facing serious problems due to latitudes 21º39’00" to 22º30’15"North and various factors like habitat change, inadequate Tiger-human conflicts in Sundarban Reserve |

| longitudes 89º02’00" to 89º54’07" East. It is the fresh water supply, lack of prey population in

single largest mangrove forest in the world, certain places, poaching, human pressure, disease

covering a total area of 6,017 km2. The total and natural calamity, etc. landmass of the forest is 4,143 km2 (68.85%), covered with mangrove vegetation, bare ground, In order to protect this critically endangered scrub, and grassland. The remaining 1,874 km2 species several strategies had been adopted during (31.15%) consists of water bodies in the forms of the past three decades, as given below: numerous rivers, canals and creeks with widths § Special patrolling in the potential places varying from a few meters to several kilometers. where poachers usually roam has been enforced with the help of the local This mangrove tract is the last abode of Bengal administration. tiger in Bangladesh that still maintains a viable § Public awareness programmes for tiger population, against all odds of nature and human conservation were carried out during the interference. Several surveys have been conducted project period. in Bangladesh Sundarban over the last three § The Bengal tiger is listed in Schedule III decades. Mountfort (1967) reported there might of the Bangladesh Wildlife Act (1974), be 100 Bengal tigers in Sundarban; Hendrichs implying its full protection by interdicting (1975) said 350 Bengal tigers were alive in hunting, killing and capturing and it is also Sundarban – this survey was based on pugmarks included in CITES Appendix I, completely and studies in some areas in the east, south & interdicting international trade. west sanctuaries. The Forest Department reported § Improvement of the tiger’s prey base is that the population of Bengal tigers in Sundarban suggested by Deodatus (2003) in the was 450 in 1985 and 459 in 1992 based on Wildlife Management Plan for the interviews carried out by the Forest Department. Sundarban Forest. Tamang (1993) surveyed some parts of the § Under the Sundarban Biodiversity Sundarban and, based on pugmarks, declared the Conservation Project, a study on the number of tigers in Sundarban to be 362. The relative abundance of Bengal Tiger and Bangladesh Forest Department conducted the its prey base in the SRF and studies on Bangladesh-India joint tiger census-2004 with the tiger-human conflicts by NGOs and financial assistance of UNDP, which estimated the agencies (Hussain & Acharya, 1994; JJS tiger population to be 419. The methodology was 2003b) were conducted. manual analysis (based on some parameters) of § During a previous period a specialist had collected pugmarks during the census. tried to do camera trapping of tiger in the forest. A proposal has again been The tiger plays a pivotal role in controlling the deer submitted by a tiger specialist to attempt population in Sundarban. It is critical in maintaining a camera trapping project for tiger in SRF. the food chain in the Sundarban ecosystem;

Vol. 32: No. 3 July-September 2005 |

§ A study on behavioral ecology of Bengal Objectives Of the study Tiger-human conflicts in Sundarban Reserve| Tiger is being conducted by the Forest Department and US Fish and Wildlife § To determine the extent of tiger loss from Department, University of Minnesota. the Sundarban § In addition to all the studies and protection § To determine the extent of human death activities, strategies for reducing tiger- by tiger attack inside or outside the forest human conflicts in the Sundarban Forest § To determine the extent of domestic should be emphasized. Because other than animal killed by tiger attack at the adjacent poaching, most of the losses of Bengal to the forest Tiger have occurred from the Sundarban. Methodology of the study From 1992-2002, an average of 50 people were attacked by tigers each year. Most cases occurred Data from the last seven years on tiger-human inside the forest and approximately 75% of the casualties, tiger attacks on human beings or cattle, attacks resulted in the death of the victims and tiger killings/deaths inside the forest or in the (Deodatus, 2003). Over the last fifty years, tigers adjacent area of the forest were collected from in the Sundarban have taken a toll of about 1,000 the register of the Office of Conservator of human lives. These are only the reported cases; Forests, Khulna Circle, Divisional Forest Office the actual number may be 30% higher than that of the Sundarban East Forest Division, Sundarban recorded. The victims are generally poor Bowali West Forest Division. Autopsy reports from the or Mowali villagers. In the past Bowalies & divisional headquarters and the field level offices, Mowalies went inside the forest at their own risk e.g. range offices and station offices, were also and brought their own firearms or other weapons examined. Records of cattle deaths were collected to protect themselves. Now it is not permitted to from the nearby forest offices of the locality. The bring any sort of firearm into the forest. data was analyzed to fulfill the objectives of the study. Information from the official records was Generally, two types of incidents involve casualties: verified by the field surveys of the resource users a) tigers roaming out of the forests and entering and people of the locality during the study period. villages and killing/injuring humans and domestic animals; and b) people attacked by tigers inside Results and discussion the forest while collecting forest resources. Nypa and honey collectors appear to be most vulnerable. About 4.1 million people reside in the seventeen upazillas of six districts (Khulna, Satkhira, Man-eaters Bagerhat, Barisal, Pirojpur, Barguna). Among them, about 1.1 million people are directly There are different opinions as to why a tiger dependent on the resources of the Sundarban becomes a man-eater. The age of a tiger is one Forest. Different professions like honey collector, factor. The relatively older tiger can more easily golpata collector, fishermen, etc. have been catch a human being or domestic animal rather attacked by tigers while carrying out their activities than swifter prey species like spotted deer in the inside the forest. Most attacks were near villages forest. Injured tigers that are not strong enough to adjacent to the forest. Usually there is only a small run fast to catch the prey in the forest may turn to barrier between the forest and the village, e.g. a domestic animals or humans. Or the lack of prey narrow creek or in some other places the river animals in some places may be another cause for channels that are silted up. As a result, the natural a tiger to become a man-eater. barrier is not significant enough to keep tigers out and due to the daily tidal effect the tigers might be Some tigers cannot find their own territories. The confused by the lack of territory markers to territory marking substances like urine marks may determine their home range and may enter the get washed away and scratch marks are not found village. Further study is needed to determine during periods of high tide. For that reason the whether this assumption is really true. But the tiger may enter into the villages and attack people. following table shows that in the year 2000, 35

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local people were killed and one person was in- wood collection 11.86% in fishing, 7.5% in jured by tiger attacks both inside and outside the Ceriops decandra collection and in the collection forest. The second highest number of incidents of Phoenix paludosa leaves. But now it is found occurred in 2001, when the number of dead was that 53% of the casualties occur amongst people 19 and number injured 5. In 2003, 1999, 2002, 2004 engaged in fishing, 16% among Ceriops collectors, (up to October) and 1998 the number of human 9% nipa collector, and 2% Phoenix collector. deaths caused by tigers was 15, 12, 9, 2 and 2 respectively. (Source: Sundarban East and West According to the data recorded from 1998 to 2004, Forest Division, Khulna Circle, Bangladesh Forest the average annual human casualty rate due to Department, 2004.) Bengal tiger attacks is about 23. The following table shows that about 52% of the people killed Human casualties by tiger attacks in SRF are fishermen. The second highest resource users (18%) attacked by tiger Siddiqui & Choudhury (1987) stated that there are are Mowalies (honey collectors), Bowalies Tiger-human conflicts in Sundarban Reserve |

| people of certain professions who work inside the comprise about 14%, Gewa collectors of Dhaka

forest that have a higher risk of being attacked by match factory account for about 7% and persons tigers than others. It was found that 31.2% of the of unknown professions represent about 9% of casualties involved people engaged in nipa leaves the total attacks. collection, 30% in honey collection, 13.4% in fire

Table-1: Professions of people killed by Bengal tigers in SRF between 1998-2004

Profession Number of people killed Percentage (%) of the in Sundarban Reserve total attacks Forest Fishermen 49 52 Mowali (Honey Collector) 17 18 Bowali (Goran & golpata collector) 13 14 Gewa collector of Dhaka match 7 7 factory Unknown 8 9 Total 94 100

Source: Sundarban East and West Forest Division, Khulna Circle, Bangladesh Forest Department, 2004

The Royal Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris) is the to many different reasons, tiger losses are flagship species of the Sundarban Forest and its occurring from the forest. According to the conservation deserves high priority for several records of the Forest Department, poaching is reasons: i) it is endangered world wide; ii) the not that great a threat to the conservation of this Sundarban population is one of the largest critically endangered species in the Sundarban populations in the world; iii) it plays a key role in forest. The following table shows the number of the Sundarban ecosystem – being the largest tigers that died between 1998 to 2004. Only three predator; iv) the danger of its presence reduces were lost due to illegal poaching. Twelve tigers human intrusions in the forest and hence were killed by public attacks at villages adjacent contributes to its conservation; and v) its mystique to the forest. Five tigers died of old age or natural potentially attracts many tourists. However, due causes and two were lost for unknown reasons.

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Table-2: Tiger deaths in SRF since 1998-2004 Tiger-human conflicts in Sundarban Reserve|

Year Number of Causes of Location Remarks tiger deaths death 1998 1 Public attack Nildumuria, No tiger control unit in with the Sundarban West the locality assistance of Division BDR 1 Unknown cause Bogi, Sarankhola, It was found in the Sundarban East paddy field Division 1999 1 Public attack in Sundarban West No strategy for the villages Division reducing tiger straying 1 Illegal poaching Sakhbaria patrol The dead body was Post, Khulna found in trap Range, Sundarban West Division 2 Public attack Chandpai Range, No strategy for Sundarban East reducing tiger straying Division 2000 1 Dead under the Burigoalini, Old age treatment of Sundarban West veterinary Division surgeon 1 Public attack Datinakhali, No strategy for Sundarban West reducing tiger-human Division conflicts in the locality 1 Old age Chandpai Range, Natural causes Sundarban East Division 1 Public attack Dhangmari, Tiger tranquilization Sundarban East unit not yet formed Division 1 Illegal poaching Sarankhola, Seized during Sundarban East transporting on the way Division of Pirojpur district 2001 1 Old age Sundarban West Natural causes Division 2 Natural causes Sundarban East Natural causes Division 2002 2 Public attack Locality, Tiger tranquilization Sundarban West unit not yet formed Division

1 Illegal poaching Jongra khal, Unexpected. Poaching Chandpai, is mostly controlled by Sundarban east FD Division

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2003 1 Public attack Locality, Tiger tranquilization unit Sundarban West not yet in operation Division 3 Public attack Locality No strategy for reducing {Dhansagar (1), tiger straying Chalishdunia (1), Ashanshunia (1)}, Sundarban East Division 2004 1 Injury found in Inside SRF Cause of injury (Up to leg unknown October) Total 22

Tiger-human conflicts in Sundarban Reserve |

| Source: Sundarban East and West Forest Division, Khulna Circle, Bangladesh Forest Department, 2004

Domestic animals (e.g. cows, dogs, pigs, goats, a result, the relative density of spotted deer in the etc.) in the villages are very often killed by tigers. western part compared to the eastern part of the There has been no scientific study to determine forest is low. That may be why tigers take the reasons for the killing of those animals, but domestic animals for their alternate food sources. some assumptions are offered by the author. At Another cause might be the age of the tiger, or the western part of the forest salinity is high, and any kind of injury to the tiger’s health. Injured or for this reason there is a great lack of keora, sundri old tigers can more easily catch domestic animals and sungrass vegetation, which are the preferred than swift prey species in the forest. In the food for spotted deer, which comprise the main following table we see that 28 domestic animals prey-base for the Bengal Tiger in Sundarban. As were killed by tiger between 1998-2004.

Table-3: Domestic animals killed by tigers in the locality between 2001-2004

Year Type of domestic animal Number 1998 Cow 1 Goat 4 Dog 1 1999 Goat 6 Pig 1 Dog 1 2000 Cow 1 Pig 1 Duck 1 2001 Cow 1 Goat 4 Duck 1 2002 Goat 8 Dog 1 2003 Cow 1 Goat 4 Pig 1 2004 No data available ---- Total 28

Source: Khulna Circle, Bangladesh Forest Department, 2004

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Conclusion References Tiger-human conflicts in Sundarban Reserve|

Tiger-human conflicts in Sundarban Reserve Anon. 1974. Bangladesh Wildlife Forest (SRF) are a very common scenario and (Preservation) (Amendment) Act, 1974. have become a regular phenomenon over the past Bangladesh Government. Order, 1973. decades and one of the major problems for its Deodatus, F.D. 2003. Wildlife Management conservation. Every year a significant number of Plan of the Bangladesh Sundarban tigers and many human lives are lost from the Forest. Technical report-23, ADB: Ban forest. Scientific studies on tiger-human conflicts 1643/3158. in SRF are urgently needed. Deodatus F.D. and Z.U. Ahmed. 2002b. Survey to determine the relative abundance of In the Sundarban Tiger Reserve of West Bengal, tiger and deer in the Bangladesh India, net fencing is put up at the periphery of the Sundarban Forest. December 2001 March forest that is very close to the villages. It’s a simple 2002. Technical Report, SBCP, Khulna. barrier that the tiger could easily tear down, but Gittins S.P., 1980. A survey of the primates of the psychological effect produces a mental Bangladesh. Flora and Fauna Preservation deterrent to the tiger and it is found that most tigers Society of London and Cond. Conserv. Tr. walk very close to net but do not tear it. The UK. fencing idea was implemented by the Forest Hussain Z. and G. Acharya. 1994. Mangroves Protection Committee (FPC) and Eco- of the Sundarban. Volume II: Development Committee (EDC) with the Bangladesh. IUCN, Gland. participation of the local panchayat, local leaders Hendrichs H.H., 1975. The status of the tiger and local people at the villages. The committees (Panthera tigris tigris Linné 1758). actively participate in forest conservation. The Säugetiere Mitteilungen 23(3) 161-199 Indian Forest Department has also activated a tiger JJS, 2003b. Wildlife dependent livelihood of control unit which employs some experts in tiger Sundarban Reserved Forest in tranquilization. These initiatives in the Indian Bangladesh. SBCP/JJS, Khulna Sundarban have proved to be very effective and Reza, M.A. 1985. Mammals of Bangladesh. pp. have achieved good results in reducing the number 55-56. Dhaka, Bagladesh. of tigers straying from the forest. The Bangladesh Reza A.H.M., 2000. Ecology of the Bengal Forest Department could carry out similar Tiger, Panthera tigris tigris (Linn. 1758) measures in the Sundarban forest. Other measures in the Sundarban. Master degree Thesis, could include providing an alternate prey base for Department of Zoology, Jahangirnagar tigers in some of the area of the forest, and the University, Dhaka. creation of natural barriers between the forest and Siddiqi, N.A. and J.H. Chowdhury. 1987. Man- the villages may also reduce tiger–human conflicts eating behavior of Tiger (Panthera tigris in the Sundarban. This is a big problem for tiger tigris) of the Sundarbans--twenty years conservation and the necessary measures must record analysis. Tigerpaper 14(3):26-32. be urgently implemented, perhaps through a Tamang, M. Kirti. 1993. Wildlife Management separate project and employing a tiger specialist, Plan for the Sundarban Reserved or by sharing experiences with the Indian Forests. Project BGC/84/056. FAO/UNDP. Sundarban Tiger Reserve. Khulna, Bangladesh.

The author is a Member of IUCN/SSC/CSG, Assistant Conservator of Forests, Wildlife and Tourism Division, Boyra, Khulna, Bangladesh; e-mail [email protected]

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TWENTY YEARS OF RHINO RE-INTRODUCTION PROGRAMME IN DUDHWA NATIONAL PARK by Satya Priya Sinha, V.B. Sawarkar and P.P. Singh

he Great Indian one-horned rhinoceros strict protection given to it when its population T(Rhinoceros unicornis) once roamed over fell to a very low level at the beginning of this the Indus, Gangetic and Brahamputra flood plains century. Although there is no precise of the Indian sub-continent. Among the relics of documentation regarding the number of rhino that Rhino re-introduction in Dudwa NP|

| the Mohenjo-Daro era, some rhino seals were existed in India at the turn of the 20th century, its

found, which are preserved in the Indian National population was believed to be around 100 in the Museum in New Delhi. The records say that the beginning of the current century, with roughly 50 invading Emperor Timor hunted and killed many to 60 in Assam and 40-50 in West Bengal. At rhinos on the frontier of Kashmir in AD 1398, and present, the Great Indian one-horned rhinoceros there is evidence that rhino existed in the western has total population of about 2,500 animals in the part of the subcontinent as far northwest as world. In India its distribution is restricted to four Peshawar until the 16th century. Babur, the founder natural populations in Assam, viz Kaziranga, of the Mughal Empire in India, in his famous Manas, Orang (Rajiv Gandhi Wild Life memoirs “The Baburnamah” described how he Sanctuary) and Pabitora, two natural populations hunted rhino in bush country near the Indus as in West Bengal, viz Jaldapara and Gorumara, one late as 1519 AD. re-introduced population in Dudhwa National Park, and one migratory population in Of the three species of rhino that roamed the Indo- Katerniaghat in Uttar Pradesh. A few rhino also Gangetic and Brahamaputra floodplains Javan occur in Bhutan adjacent to Manas Tiger Reserve, rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus), which was Assam. once fairly common in the Sundarbans, became extinct in India about 1900 AD and the Sumatran In Nepal, the country’s three rhino populations rhino (Didermocerus sumatrensis) disappeared are located in Royal Chitwan National Park, Royal from the Lushai hills of Assam around 1935. Bardia National Park and Sukhlaphanta Wild Life Sanctuary. The rhinos in Royal Chitwan National The causes of the disappearance of the Great Park belong to a natural population, while Royal Indian one-horned rhinoceros from several Bardia National Park and Sukhlaphanta Wild Life locations in its former range of distribution and Sanctuary have re-introduced populations. the decline of the remaining populations were primarily due to: Kaziranga National Park in Assam (India) has § destruction and fragmentation of rhino the biggest rhino population (about 1,600), followed habitat, primarily for extension of by Royal Chitwan National Park in Nepal with agriculture; about 600 rhinos) § hunting of rhino for sport during the Mughal period and early days of British rule in India; and The need for rhino re-introduction § poaching of rhino for horns and other body parts attributed to have magical Conservationists generally agree that an medicinal values. endangered species whose habitat type has, due to human impact, been reduced and split up into The Great Indian one-horned rhinoceros would separate “islands” should live in as many of those also have undoubtedly ceased to exist but for the islands as possible to reduce the risk of extinction.

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This applies to Great Indian rhinoceros and it be- Selection of Dudhwa Tiger Reserve for rhino Rhino re-introduction in Dudwa NP| came imperative to create as many islands as re-introduction possible, especially in its former ranges of distribution (Schenkel, 1981). Re-introduction is Following up on the recommendation of the Asian necessary mainly to establish new viable breeding Rhino Specialist Group, the wildlife status populations and safeguard the species from evaluation committee of the Indian Board of poaching and natural calamities (Mishra and Wildlife appointed a sub-committee to consider Dinerstein, 1987). alternative areas for establishing a rhino population by translocation into suitable habitats. This sub- Due to concerted efforts to protect the rhinos in committee considered the ecological requirements Kaziranga National Park, Pabitora Wild Life of potential areas for the re-introduction of Indian Sanctuary and other protected areas in Assam, rhinoceros and established the following criteria: the population is now high and during recent years § diversity of habitat, including flooded a population surplus has been observed. These grasslands with a variety of food plants; animals have spread up, down and across the § ample shade and water bodies for Brahmaputra valley. However, most areas into wallowing and drinking, especially in the which the rhinos move are used for agriculture hot season; (Schenkel, 1981) Kaziranga has an unusually high § protection from all forms of human density rhino population and Pabitora has about disturbance and harassment, including 85 rhinos in a 16 sq. km. area. From the point of pollution, poaching and the introduction of view of conservation, the only alternative is to disease via domestic stock; translocate them to other protected areas where § avoid conflicts with cultivations adjacent they can thrive. to areas of re-introduction, especially in view of the rhino’s liking for crops such Despite the extremely strong protective measures, as paddy and sugarcane; and the persecution of this animal continues due to § translocation to an area that is not the exceptionally high price of its horn. In presently inhabited by rhinos, but which Kaziranga National Park during the period 1983- falls under the former range of rhino 1989, 235 animals were killed by poachers and in distribution in the past. the same period 368 animals died due to natural causes related to floods, old age and illness (Dutta, On the basis of the above criteria, some of the 1991). In the recent past poachers wiped out the possible alternative habitats that were suggested entire population of rhinos in Laokhowa Wild Life included Dudhwa National Park (Uttar Pradesh), Sanctuary. Rhinos are also poached from other Jaldapara (West Bengal), Champaran (Bihar), protected areas as well. Intaki (Nagaland) and Lalighabri Sanctuary (Arunachal Pradesh). The sub-committee decided The one-horned rhinoceros is a hardy animal and that Dudhwa National Park was the most seldom falls victim to diseases that affect other promising and met all the above-mentioned criteria. herbivores, either domestic or wild. But any epidemic outbreak can cause great losses to the Dudhwa National Park was considered to be the animal’s numbers. In 1944 and 1947, due to most suitable because of significant similarities to suspected cases of Anthrax and another habitats in Kaziranga National Park. Dudhwa unidentified disease, several rhinos died in National Park contains a diversity of habitat, Kaziranga National Park (Dutta, 1991). In 1979, including flooded grasslands, a variety of food hemorrhagic septicemia was detected in plants and ample shade and water for wallowing Kaziranga National Park in 10 cases among the and drinking. Adequate protection is also available rhinos (Sinha, 1999) and one male died in Dudhwa in Dudhwa Tiger Reserve because of its status as National Park in 1988. a National Park and also as a Tiger Reserve. The area is part of the historic range of the rhino, the

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last one having been shot in 1878 in Pilibhit dis- were causing considerable damage to cultivated trict, which is close to the proposed re-introduc- crops and proving difficult to protect, provided tion site. added justification for the translocation experi- ment. It remains a mystery as to why the translo- A vegetation survey conducted by Dr. Hazra and cation of rhinos took place from Pabitora Wild his team of botanists from the Botanical Survey Life Sanctuary, because one of the main reasons of India revealed the presence of several food for undertaking translocation and the creation of species preferred by rhino that are common to another viable breeding population was to reduce Dudhwa, Kaziranga and Manas National Park. the high density of rhinos in Kaziranga National Park and to protect the rhino population from natu- Rhinos generally prefer grasses like Saccharum ral calamities. Between 11-21 March 1984, six Rhino re-introduction in Dudwa NP|

| spp., Cynodon dactylon, Arundo donax, animals were captured by drug immobilization and

Polytoca digitata, Hygroryza aristata, Vetiveria crated, revived and transported to stockades a few zizanioides, Imperata cylindrica, Themeda spp., kilometers from the capture area and released. Chrysopogon aciculatus, Paspalidium After release, the animals were encouraged to flavidum, Narenga porphyrocoma, Phragmites wallow and in most cases satisfactory feeding was karka, etc. established within two to three days. A team of They preferred sedges like Cyperus spp.and veterinarians rendered necessary health care, herbs, shrubs and saplings of species such as mostly consisting of treatment of superficial lac- Polygonum plebelium, Ageratum conyzoides, erations received during the capture. The first Erigeron spp., Artemesia nilagirica, Eupatorium animal captured, a large male, escaped from its odoratum, Solanun spp., Colebrookia stockade during the night. oppositifolia, Murraya koenigii, Trewia nudiflora, Litsaea spp., Premna sp., etc. On 30th March, the five remaining animals (a sub- adult, two elderly females, a young adult and one They also prefer aquatic plants like Hydrilla older male) were crated, driven in trucks to verticillata, Vallisneria spirolis, Hygroryza Guwahati Airport and loaded onto a cargo aircraft aristata, Potamogeton sp. and Trapa sp. It is chartered by the Government of India. Three of estimated that the rhino population in Kaziranga the animals were lightly sedated prior to loading takes about 77% grasses and 23% herbs and and they all remained calm during the two and a shrubs. The wide range of materials eaten by half hour flight from Guwahti to New Delhi. After rhinos suggests that the animal is not very specific being given food and water at Delhi Airport, the in its food choices. The majority of the above- rhinos were driven through the night to Dudhwa mentioned food plants are available in Dudhwa National Park, where they were uncrated into National Park (Hazra and Shukla, 1982). individual stockades. One female died due to a stressful miscarriage after 11 days, but the The re-introduction of rhino into Dudhwa took remaining four settled in well; three were released place in two phases – the first one in 1984 and the from the stockades on 20 April 1984 and the large second in 1985. The rhino re-introduction program male was released on 9 May, after being fitted in India was possible due to the keen interest of with radio collar. Another female died on July 31 the former Prime Minister of India, Smt. Indira 1984 after a bid to tranquilize her to treat a wound. Gandhi and her full support of the rhino re- This left only three rhinos, one female and two introduction programme. males.

The 1984 translocation from Assam The 1985 translocation from Nepal

Early in 1984, a group of about 10 rhinos living In order to establish a rigorous breeding nucleus outside Pabitora Wild Life Sanctuary in Assam of rhinos in Dudhwa, it was decided to introduce was selected by the Assam Forest Department more stock from a different population. The for the capture operation. The fact that these rhinos ______(con’t on p.17)

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(con’t from p.16) introduced from the outside, even after a lapse of Rhino re-introduction in Dudwa NP| collaboration of His Majesty’s Government of about 14 years. As a consequence, only one male Nepal was obtained in the exchange of four adult is mating with all the females of the population female rhinos from the Royal Chitwan National and single male sires all the calves born in the Park for 16 domesticated Indian elephants. By rhino re-introduction area (RRA) in Dudhwa Tiger selecting only females, the reproductive potential Reserve. This has resulted in a slow rate of in Dudhwa would be more than doubled and the population build up, and severe inbreeding. eventual mating of these animals with the totally unrelated Assam males would ensure maximum Had there been a few more males capable of genetic vigor. Capture took place on 28-31 March participating in breeding, the birth rate in the 1985. All four female rhinos, estimated to be population might have been much higher. At the between 5 and 7 years old, were immobilized, same time, there might have been a genetically loaded into crates, and revived. They were healthy population. As the same male sires all the immediately driven 720 km to Dudhwa and all calves, and that male continues to dominate, the withstood the 24-hour journey. They were released females of the progeny are mating with their sire. into the wild after a week. This is a very sad part of the entire programme. The population as of now is heavily inbred and Present status – a success story this trend should not be allowed to continue. This is a classic example of how small populations Of the total of nine rhinos translocated to Dudhwa suffer the threat of extinction. Nobody knew that Tiger Reserve, seven survived in excellent health, out of the two males only one would participate in i.e. the young female and both the males of the all breeding activities. An attempt to solve this 1984 translocation from Assam, and all four young problem was made by bringing a male from females from the 1985 translocation from Nepal. Kanpur Zoo in 1992, but the resident male did not Thus, these seven rhinos constituted the seed allow the newcomer to even settle down in population of rhinos at Dudhwa National Park. In Dudhwa. The new male was seriously injured by 1988, one adult male from Assam died after the founder male and was sent back to Kanpur fighting with another dominant male. In 1991, one Zoo after treatment. Now we are faced with a of the females from Nepal died due to internal situation in which even if Dudhwa-born males infection and miscarriage. Her male calf was killed establish themselves, they will be mating with close by the dominant male in 1993. The present total relatives, which is a totally undesirable genetic population of 21 rhinos comprises 16 calves born proposition. in this area and 5 rhinos of the founder population. Fence maintenance The first evidence of breeding in the re-introduced population was detected in the form of the remains The re-introduced rhino population is enclosed of a newly born calf in a patch of tall grass in within a 27.11 km2 area surrounded by a four- August 1987. There were no signs of predation; strand energized fence. Two energizers power this hence, it may have been a case of premature birth fence, one each at Salukapur and Base Camp. or death due to other natural circumstances. The There is a facility of solar power-run chargers for first successful calving occurred in early 1989. charging the batteries. This system is effective Three more calves followed in the same year. The and useful in open weather, but during the rainy breeding success has continued and the seed season arrangements are made to get the batteries population of 5 increased to 21 rhinos in November charged at Dudhwa or Palia. 2004 (4 females:1 male rhino of the founder population; 16 calves survived in Dudhwa National Monitoring Park out of a total 28 calves born). Due emphasis is given to regular and thorough After the death of a male in 1988 and a failed monitoring of the rhino population at Dudhwa. This attempt to introduce another male from Kanpur monitoring is based on surveying the area from Zoo, Dudhwa has not seen any other adult males atop elephants, from watchtowers, on foot and on

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motorbike. There are four elephants deployed for finally had to be sent back. Owing perhaps to this this purpose – two elephants are camped at very reason, Narayani, a female from Nepal, is Salukapur and two at Base Camp. Four teams presently staying outside the fenced area. monitor different areas within the RRA. They try Narayani even gave birth to her last calf in a to locate rhinos, identify them and observe their sugarcane field in Bela Kalan village about 4 km activity. Each of the adult rhinos is well known by from the RRA. all of the monitoring staff. Daily observation of sighting location, activity while sighted and any Rhinos straying out of the park unusual behavior are recorded in registers maintained at the two camps. A consolidated For the last two years some rhinos, in particular monitoring report is made by the Range Officer Narayani, have started straying out of the park. A Rhino re-introduction in Dudwa NP|

| and submitted to the Deputy Director every rapid survey in the villages Bela Kalan, Bela Tapar

fortnight. This fortnightly rhino monitoring report and Gulra Tanda and an interaction with the forest

is forwarded to the Director, Dudhwa Tiger staff of Gulra Chowki indicated that there have Reserve and to the Chief Wild Life Warden, U.P. been 11 recorded cases of straying out of rhinos. There has been crop damage but no other damage Problems has been reported.

In-breeding It is both interesting and disturbing that Narayani prefers to live outside the fenced area and even As discussed earlier, all calves of the Dudhwa gave birth to a calf during October 2001 in a bred population are sired by a single male rhino. sugarcane field in Bela Kalan village about 4 km There is currently no other unrelated male and all away from the RRA. the mating of the Dudhwa-bred population is taking place between close relatives. This is certainly a Recently in October 2004, one of the male rhinos very discouraging reality. born in Dudhwa was sighted near Sitapur township in a sugar cane field. Later it was darted and The original target was aimed at releasing 30 immobilized on 2 November, but escaped due to a rhinos, but due to financial and administrative faulty gate. This male rhino has killed two persons constraints only 10 could be released from 1984 and injured another person. One of the female to 1992.Four out of these ten have died and rhinos accompanied by a small calf has been another one from the Kanpur Zoo had to be sent staying outside the rhino fence in the southern part back to its origin. So, breeding started with one of Dudhwa NP in the buffer forest and has already male and four females. During 20 years of killed two persons. In October 2004, another breeding, a total of 28 calves were born, out of person was killed by the same female rhino. In which 16 survived. There have been 4 recorded the future, such incidents may jeopardize the cases of miscarriages. The population size as of conservation efforts made regarding the now stands at 21 (November 2004). It is also conservation of rhinos in Dudhwa National Park. expected that within 6 months at least 4-6 calves will be born and added to the current population. Whatever the reason, the fact that the protected area management is not in a position to maintain Intra specific fight the 9 km elephant proof trench is disheartening. The trench has to be maintained at all costs if the Since the very beginning of the re-introduction programme is to be a success. program there have been serious intra-specific fights between males as well as between male An alternative rhino re-introduction site at Bhadi and female. As a consequence of such fights, one Tal in Belraiyen range has been selected and of the two males of the first group was killed. fencing work is in progress. This new site may Another male from Kanpur Zoo was seriously prove helpful in providing a home to such animals. injured by the dominant male from Assam and

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Rhino re-introduction in Dudwa NP| Resource crunch called in from Chandan Chowki or sometimes from Palia when required. From time to time vet- The park management faces a lot of difficulties erinary officers and veterinary scientists from in procuring money for fence maintenance, wages Lucknow Zoo and Indian Veterinary Institute, for fence watchers, maintaining elephants for Izzatnagar, Bareilly visit this area. rhino monitoring and the recent need for tourism. Conclusions Tourism § A few more (in the ratio of 1 male:3 Park authorities opened the RRA for tourism in females) males and females from the wild, December 2001. Earlier this area was supposed or wild captive rhinos should be procured. to be a restricted zone and nobody was allowed § In all future re-introductions, only sub- to enter the RRA. When the RRA was opened adult individuals in the same age group for tourism, there were four elephants engaged should be chosen, as there is less chance for monitoring duties. Unfortunately, because of of casualties and they adapt better to new bad health, one female elephant died in February conditions. Moreover, having males of the 2002 and another is too weak to stand. These same age group may reduce the possibility monitoring elephants are kept on long duty hours of over-dominance by one individual. in locating rhinos. The same elephants are used § Develop an alternative rhino area within to make a number of trips for the tourists in rhino Dudhwa National Park. shows. This practice should be discontinued or § Maintain the rhino-proof trench on the reduced to three days per week. southern side of the RRA. § Restrict rhino watches to 4 days per week Poaching within the RRA until the necessary infrastructure facilities are properly At present, the park management is very much developed on the alert; patrol duties are being carried out § Procure additional riding elephants (4 for religiously but the rhinos straying out is a prob- daily monitoring and 2 elephants for lem. There is the possibility of retaliation by the tourists). local people, which would be detrimental to rhino conservation in Dudhwa National Park. In view Authors’ addresses: Dr Satya Priya Sinha, of this, the relocation of rhinos back into the Consultant, Rhino Reintroduction Programme Dudhwa NP should be carried out on a priority in Uttaranchal & Project Coordinator, SOS basis. Rhino Project in Dudhwa National Park, Uttar Pradesh, c/o Wildlife Institute of India, Biotic pressure Chandrabani, Dehra Dun 248001, Uttaranchal State, India, Email: Villages like Bela Kalan, Bela Tapar, Gulra Tanda, [email protected] or [email protected]; etc. are located near the southern fringe of the Prof.V.B.Sawarkar, IFS, Former Director power fence. At times people from these villages Wildlife Institute of India Chandrabani, Dehra venture into the RRA to collect thatch grass, fod- Dun, Uttaranchal, India; P.P.Singh, IFS, der and sometimes fuel wood and also to fish in Deputy Director, Dudhwa National Park / Tiger the swamps. Reserve, Palia Kalan (District Kheri), Uttar Pradesh, India. Lack of a veterinary facility

There is a sanctioned post for a veterinarian in Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, but no one has applied, considering the current low salary scale and bleak promotional prospects. Veterinary doctors are

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CHARACTERISTICS OF DUSKY MEGAPODE NESTING GROUNDS IN THE COASTAL AREA OF RUMBERPON ISLAND, WEST PAPUA, INDONESIA by Freddy Pattiselanno Dusky megapode nesting grounds|

Introduction According to Heij (1997), the nesting grounds are here are 22 species of megapodes generally near trees and bushes and the woods T(Megapodiidae, Galliformes) that rely on around the nesting ground are important to this external sources of heat to incubate their eggs, bird as they mainly consist of trees bearing fruit, e.g. by burying the eggs in volcanic soils, in soils which can be consumed by the bird. Mountfort heated by the sun or in mounds of rotting leaves (1988) as cited by Shannaz et al. (1992) reported (Jones et al., 1995). Fifteen species of megapode that the megapodes’ nest appearance is unique and were found to occur in Indonesia (Argeloo and built from mounds. Dekker, 1996). Megapodius freycinet (Gaimard), known as Dusky scrubfowl (Sujatnika Considering threats to the bird nesting areas such et al., 1992) or Dusky megapode (Argeloo, 1997), as agriculture development, secondary plant is classified as an Indonesian endemic bird that is invasion, uncontrolled egg harvesting, and habitat geographically distributed among the North loss (Shannaz et al., 1992), it was decided to Mollucas, New Guinea and its satellite islands conduct observations of the nesting ground along (Rand and Gilliard, 1967; Sujatnika et al., 1992). the coastal area of Rumberpon islands, and identify the possible threats that may occur at the sites. Previous studies (Dekker, 1990; Argeloo, 1994; Dekker and McGowan, 1995) showed that the This paper concentrates on the nesting ground maleo (Macrocephalon maleo), one of the situation, referring to the criteria for assessment megapode species of Sulawesi, is threatened by of conservation status of nesting grounds used by loss of habitat, egg predation and hunting, and it is Dekker (1990) and Argeloo (1994), and it is hoped listed as vulnerable to extinction (Collar et al., that the findings could later serve as baseline 1994). Threats to the maleo’s nesting grounds information for the megapode research in West around the coastal area have been affected by Papua in the development of a future conservation habitat degradation with a detrimental effect on program for this species. the maleo population (Baker and Butchart, 2000). Methods Egg harvesting is another threat that occurs not only at easily accessible coastal nesting grounds The study was conducted on Rumberpon Island, close to human habitations, but also at remote sites Manokwari (134º8’-134º15’E, 01º44’-01º75’S). (Argeloo, 1994), and there is no evidence that The study site was an approximately 18,000 ha harvesting at traditionally managed sites is upland tract in the northern part of Cenderawasih sustainable (Baker and Butchart, 2000). Other Bay. The mean annual rainfall is 2,648 mm, daily disturbances by humans (e.g. shooting, trapping temperature is about 21.1-31.1ºC and the humidity and snaring) of maleos at or adjacent to nesting is 83%. The vegetation of the coastal area is grounds were also reported as having serious comprised of various families such as Areceae, consequences for the dwindling populations at the Fabaceae, Combretaceae and Rhizoporaceae, remaining active sites. whereas Verbanaceae, Sapindaceae and

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Malvaceae are found from the foothills up to the of the families Piperaceae, Malvaceae, Arecaceae, Dusky megapode nesting grounds| hills. Fabaceae, Combretaceae and Rhizoporaceae. It was assumed that the vegetation provided a place The methods included a series of activities starting for the birds to rest, play and forage. Atmawidjaja with observation and measurement of some (1997) described that food sources such as fish, characteristics around the Dusky megapode’s insects, worms and fruits required by the birds nesting ground. In addition, the local people familiar were sufficient around the nesting ground habitat. with the presence of this bird were interviewed about the nesting ground location and condition. According to Petocz (1987), the natural vegetation in the endemic bird area (EBA) was tropical rain The fieldwork commenced with a comprehensive forest dominated by Pometia, Alstonia, Garcinia reconnaissance of the area with the aid of a map and Terminalia. Heij’s research (1997) noted that of the area. A vegetation analysis was carried out plants growing near the nesting ground of E. to determine the composition. The measured wallacei included grave-trees, “pohon Sambodja”, characteristics were height and diameter, the Plumeria acuminata and fruit-bearing trees. material composition, temperature and humidity around the nest. Visual observations were also Temperature and humidity were influenced by the carried out to assess the nesting appearance. environmental conditions and vegetation around the nest. Like other regions in Papua province, the Results Rumberpon Islands have a wet tropical climate which does not register a significance difference 1. Description of the nesting ground between the dry and rainy seasons.

Irian Jaya and its satellite islands have a variety Sea areas with an open sand plain nesting ground of topographic conditions that are influenced by could be easily reached by sunlight during the day the equatorial climate and humidity. These time. Temperatures around the nesting ground conditions allow the wet tropical vegetation to ranged from 32-36ºC with 60-65% humidity. grow easily in most parts of Irian Jaya. Around Argeloo (1997) stated that 32-35ºC was the 70% of the vegetation covered a dry part of this optimum temperature for burying megapode eggs island which supported an endemic bird in Irian under ground. Heij (1995) as cited by Rompas Jaya. The area was dominated by mangroves (1997) quoted that E. wallacei laid their eggs in which provided a habitat for sea-birds. From the places with temperatures ranging from 31-35ºC. sea line and stretching inland, sago and members of the Pandanaceae are grown. Other vegetation 2. Nesting appearance included Malaeuca sp., Eucalyptus araucaria and dipterocarps, which are known as a natural During the study period three new nests were habitat of birds. found, approximately 60-100 m from the sea line. The nests were located on the sand surface, 1 m Field observations found that the vegetation in height above sea level. The nest sizes are growing around the nesting places were tree plants presented in Table 1

Table 1. Nest Sizes

No. Diameter (m) Height (m) 1. 6.0 0.5 2. 3.5 0.5 3. 4.5 1.5 Mean 4.6?5 0.8?1

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Rand and Gilliard (1967) indicated that nesting order to successfully incubate the bird eggs. mounds are frequently found in low open Moreover, this shape helps to protect the eggs vegetation within 150 feet of the seacoast. They from predators due to the huge size of the eggs further described that nests are up to six feet in (48x43 mm). height with flattened tips (some are at least fifteen feet in diameter) and very broad bases (some Heij’s research (1995) as cited by Rompas (1997) reaching at least thirty feet). described that the egg of Eulipoa wallacei (one of Megapode family) had an average length of Burnie (1992) reported that generally the bird 78.1 mm, a diameter of 48.9 mm and weighed nests are dish-shaped. In the current study it was 101.7 grams. Visual observations and a material Dusky megapode nesting grounds| analysis were carried out after a random sample

| observed that the Dusky megapode nests were shaped like a volcano. It is probable that this shape specimen of nesting material was taken. The

is useful in keeping the nest temperature stable in composition is given in Table 2.

Table 2. The average composition of nesting materials

Material Weight (gram) Roots 0.28 Leafs 2.60 Oyster fragment 6.22 Chopping woods 63.35 Sand 180.81

Data showed that the nesting material was domi- Measurements were taken of three new nests and nated by sand (180.81 g) and the smallest part it was found that the nests were constructed was roots (0.28 g). This composition confirms that approximately 60-100 m from the sea line, 0.5- the nesting material is easily found around the site, 1.5 m in height, and 3.5-6 m in diameter. Nests with sand the dominant component, possibly be- were formed into a volcano shape and composed cause it can easily be formed into a volcano shape of roots, leaves, oyster fragments, chopped wood to provide an alternative source of heat for hatch- and sand. ing the eggs. Other materials in small parts added to the heat source through the decomposition pro- References cess. Argeloo, M. 1994. The Maleo Macrocephalon According to Petocz (1987), the Megapode family maleo: new information on the build their nests from heaps of sand and litter. distribution and status of Sulawesi’s Jones, et al., (1995) described that the eggs are endemic megapode. Bird Conserv. Int. put in the sandy places near the beach and are 4:338-393 not incubated by the birds. Argeloo, M. 1997. Megapodes: The Missing Link Between People and Conservation. Conclusion Prosiding Seminar Nasional Pelestarian The nesting location was on the sand surface, 1 Burung dan Ekosistemnya Dalam m above sea level. The dominant vegetation Pembangunan Berkelanjutan di Indonesia. around the nesting ground was comprised of Kerjasama PAU Ilmu Hayat IPB dan Piperaceae, Malvaceae, Arecaceae, Fabaceae, Puslitbang Biologi LIPI, 24 September 1997, Combretaceae and Rhizoporaceae. The ambient Bogor. temperature around the nest ranged between 23- Burnie, D. 1992. Burung. PT Bentara Antar 26ºC with 55-65% humidity. Indonesia, Jakarta Dekker, R.W.J. 1990. The distribution and status of nesting grounds of the Maleo

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| Dusky megapode nesting ground| Macrocephalon maleo in Sulawesi, Indo- Aves). Prosiding Seminar Nasional nesia. Biol. Conserv. 51:139-150 Pelestarian Burung dan Ekosistemnya Dalam Heij, C.J. 1997. The Moluccan Megapode, Pembangunan Berkelanjutan di Indonesia. Eulipoa wallacei, Biological Data, Man Kerjasama PAU Ilmu Hayat IPB dan and Bird, Conservation. Prosiding Seminar Puslitbang Biologi LIPI, 24 September 1997, Nasional Pelestarian Burung dan Bogor. Ekosistemnya Dalam Pembangunan Shannaz, J., P. Jepson dan Rudyanto. 1992. Berkelanjutan di Indonesia. Kerjasama PAU Burung-burung Terancam Punah di Ilmu Hayat IPB dan Puslitbang Biologi LIPI, Indonesia. Kerjasama Departemen 24 September 1997, Bogor. Kehutanan dan Birdlife Internasional Jones, D.N., R.W.J. Dekker & C.S. Roselaar. Sujatnika, P. Jepson, T.R. Suhartono, M.J. Crosby

Crop raiding by golden langur | 1995. The Megapodes (Megapodiidae). dan A. Mardiastuti. 1995. Melestarikan Oxford. Keanekaragaman Hayati Indonesia. Petocz, R.G. 1987. Konservasi Alam dan Ministry of Agriculture Nature Conservation Pembangunan di Irian Jaya. Pustaka and Fisheries, The Netherlands. Graffiti Press, Jakarta Rand, A.L. and E.T. Gilliard. 1967. Handbook Author’s address: c/o Animal Science Depart- of New Guinea Birds . Weidenfield and ment, Universitas Negeri Papua Manokwari, Nicholson, London. Jl. Gunung Salju Amban Manokwari 98314, Rompas, C.F.E. 1997. Morfologi Pola Protein West Papua, Indonesia. Member of the World dan Kariotip Megapoda Maluku Eulipoa Pheasant Association Megapode Specialist wallacei (Megapodiidae, Galliformes, Group. Email: [email protected]

A NOTE ON CROP RAIDING BY GOLDEN LANGUR IN FRAGMENTED FORESTS IN WESTERN ASSAM, INDIA by Rekha Medhi, Dilip Chetry, P.C. Bhattacharjee and B.N. Patiri

Introduction et al., 1997; Subba, 1989; Wangchuk, 1995; olden langur (Trachypithecus geei) is an Srivastava et al., 2001 a,b). Gendangered primate with a very restricted range. Globally, its distribution is confined only to At the Congress of International Primatological parts of India and Bhutan. In India, the species is Society held in Beijing in 2002, a proposal was limited to a small area of western Assam, between made to include golden langur among the 25 most the Manas River in the east, Sankosh River in the endangered primate species in the world. Currently, west, and the Brahmaputra River in the south. In habitat shrinkage and fragmentation resulting from neighboring Bhutan, its distribution is restricted to habitat destruction has been identified as the the foothills of the Black Mountains. primary threat to the primate population in northeast India. The natural habitat of golden Since its discovery, several studies have been langur is also declining at a rapid rate in its carried out to determine the golden langur’s exact distribution range in India. During the last 5 years, distribution range and population status (Gee, 1961; 35% of the golden langur’s habitat was lost in India. Wayre, 1968; Mukherjee and Saha, 1974; A comparative analysis based on the satellite Mukherjee, 1978; Mukherjee, 1994; Mukherjee, images taken in 1988 and 1998 showed a 50% 1995; Mukherjee and Southwick, 1997; Mukherjee loss of the original golden langur habitat

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(Srivastava et al., 2001b). The natural habitat of Materials and methods the species is not only shrinking, but is also becoming fragmented. Due to the fragmentation of For the current study a questionnaire method was used. Data on vegetation and crop raiding by golden habitat, many populations are becoming trapped in isolated forest fragments and a number of small langur was collected as per the pre-set question populations of golden langur are now living in close format. Information regarding people’s attitude towards golden langur were also gathered. The proximity to human areas. Choudhury (2002) mentioned crop raiding by golden langur, but no field study was carried out from April to August 2002. The villages living on the immediate boundary serious attempts have been made to collect data | Crop raiding by golden langur on the emerging status of the golden langur as a of the forest containing a golden langur population

crop raider. To fill this gap the present study was were selected for the study. The householders were interviewed randomly and 40-50 % households carried out to determine the status of golden langur as vegetation raider. For the present study, four were interviewed. different habitats of golden langur, viz. Manas Tiger Reserve, Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary, Results and discussion Kakoijana Wildlife sanctuary (proposed) and Damage to livestock and crops by wild animals is Nayakgaon rubber plantation were selected. a common feature, not only in India but also in other countries. Crop raiding by Rhesus macaque The study sites were as follows: i) Chakrashila Wildlife sanctuary with (Macaca mulatta) is a serious problem in different an area 4,500 ha lies between parts of its distribution (Chalise, 1997; Ghimire, 2001; Miah et al., 2001). Crop raiding by monkeys latitudes 26°15? and 26°26?N and longitudes 90°15? and 90°20?E , is not an uncommon occurrence in Assam and other states of Northeast India but proper scientific between Dhubri and Kokrajhar districts of Assam. studies have not been carried out to evaluate the ii) Nayakgaon Rubber Plantation is actual economic damage caused by the raiding of crops by different species of primates. Our visits under private ownership in the district of Kokrajhar. The area covers to different parts of Northeast India during primate studies in the last six years recorded rhesus 174.03 ha. iii) Kakoijana (proposed) Wildlife macaque as the principal crop raider among the Sanctuary is situated between nine primate species available in the region. Besides rhesus macaque, two other primate species, i.e. 26º222 to 20º212 N and 90º332E and 90º342 in Bongaigaon district of stump-tailed macaque (Macaca arctoides) and Assamese macaque (Macaca assamensis) have western Assam, covering 1,700.24 ha. also been reported to raid crops in jhum (shifting iv) Manas Tiger Reserve spreads over cultivation) areas (Chetry et al., 2002). an area of 23,837 km2 along the Indo-Bhutan border, north of the In this study emphasis was laid on evaluating the vegetation-raiding status of golden langur, one of Brahmaputra River in the state of Assam. Its core and most important the endangered and restricted range species in area – Manas National Park – has fragmented forest pockets in western Assam. It was found that golden langurs come out of the 500 km2 of forest. The remaining area forms the buffer zone of the forest to visit villages and invade vegetation in home gardens. According to the study, problems involving Tiger Reserve and consists of a number of Reserve Forests. For the golden langur are the highest in Kakoijana, followed present study, Chirang Reserve by Manas (Ultapani) and Chakrashila. Forest (Ultapani area) under the Haltugaon Forest Division was The study has revealed that golden langur causes maximum damage to the Gamari (Gmelina selected.

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arborea ) trees planted by villagers. Other plant Interviews with the villagers revealed that this Crop raiding by golden langur| species in these areas that are affected by the feeding on plant parts of different species in vil- species include Mangifera indica, Artocarpus lage areas is a comparatively a new development heterophyllus, Averrhoea carambola, Solanum on the part of golden langur. Other examples are melangena, S. tuberosum, Brassica oleracea the potato (Solanum tuberosum) and cauliflower var. botrytis, Dioscoria bulbifera, Langenaria (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis), which villag- siceraria, Bambusa sp. and Bauhinia sp. ers say langurs started to feed on 3 years ago. It Interestingly, the young leaves of Gamari is one is likely that scarcity of food in the habitat areas of the natural food items of the langurs. Similar to due to indiscriminate felling of trees as well as Gamari, Dioscorea sp and Mangifera indica shrinkage of their habitat has forced the langurs were also reported to be food plants of golden to invade human areas. Villagers also support this langur in Umananda River island (Medhi, 2002). view.

Table 1: List of plant species raided by golden langur in villages Sl No Local name English Scientific name Family Parts name used 1 Gamari Gmelina arborea Verbenaceae All leaves 2 Aam Mango Mangifera indica Anacardiaceae YL, URF, RF 3 Kathal Jackfruit Artocarpus Moraceae Budding heterophyllus fruit 4 Kordoi Star Fruit Averrhoea Averrohaceae RF carambola 5 Bengena Brinjal Solanum melangena Solanaceae YRF 6 Aloo Potato Solanum tuberosum Solanaceae Tuber 7 Phoolkabi Cauliflower Brassica oleracea Brassicaceae FL var. botrytis 8 Gach Aloo Wild yam Dioscoria bulbifera Dioscoreaceae ST, Corm 9 Panilao Water gourd Lagenaria siceraria Cucurbitaceae URF 10 Bah Bamboo Bambusa sp. Poaceae YS 11 Kanchan Bauhinia sp. Casesalpinaceae YL, FL YL= Young leaves, YS=Young stem, URF=Unripe fruit, RF=Ripe fruit, YRF= Young unripe fruit, FL= Flower, ST=Stem cortex.

Although the damage caused by langurs is at this epic. However, if the damage caused by the stage is not considerable and has yet to cross the langurs becomes higher with the passage of time, economic threshold level, from the point of view then in extreme cases people may develop a of future conservation and management efforts negative attitude towards the species, like in the this emerging ecological problem needs special case of rhesus macaques and elephants, and may attention right now, as this problem is directly or start to kill them as pests despite their former indirectly linked with habitat destruction. Severe beliefs. man-elephant conflicts resulting from loss of elephant habitat has already threatened the Anticipating the possible negative implications of conservation of the giant jumbos, despite the a man-langur conflict in the future conservation people’s belief in elephants as Lord “Ganesha”. of this endangered species, it is suggested to try Similarly, in almost all the golden langur habitat in to solve the problem in the budding stage. A timely India, the species is revered as the descendent of measure of restoration of habitat is the most cost Lord Hanuman, the monkey god of the Valmiki’s effective solution to this ecological problem. Strict

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measures should be taken to stop further Medhi, R. 2002. Behaviour of Golden langur, destruction of the golden langur’s habitat and Trachypithecus geei (Khajuria, 1956) in a special eco-development schemes should be riverine island . Thesis submitted to Gauhati initiated to minimize pressures on the habitat of University, India. the species. The long-term observations of Miah, D. Md., Rahman, L. Md. and F. Md. Ahsan. damage to crops and other vegetation by golden 2001. Assessment of crop damage by langur in different areas should be carried out with wildlife in Chunati wildlife sanctuary, the specific aim of reviewing the trends and then Bangladesh. Tigerpaper 28(4):22-28. to define a viable long-term conservation Mukherjee, R.P. and S.S.Saha. 1974. The golden recommendation for the benefit of both the local langur (Presbytis geei Khajuria,1956) of | Crop raiding by golden langur| people and the neighboring populations of golden Assam. Primates 15:327-340.

langur. Mukherjee, R.P. 1978. Further observations on the golden langur (Presbytis geei Acknowledgements Khajuria) with a note on capped langur (Presbytis pileatus Blyth) of Assam. The authors would like to thank the Assam Primates 19:737-747. Forest Department, Govt. of Assam, for Mukherjee, R.P. 1994. Status of the Golden providing necessary permissions. Special langur, Presbytis geei Khajuria. Zoological thanks go to Mr. Abhijit Rabha, Director, Tiger Survey of India. Status of Endangered Project Manas. We are also grateful to Mr. Species, Report 1:1-16. Uttam Saikia, Mr. Dipankar Majumdar and Mukherjee, R.P. 1995. New localities for the Mr. Gagan Das for their help during the study. Golden langur. Asian Primates 4(4):17. We are greatly indebted to our field helpers Mukherjee, R.P. and C.H. Southwick. 1997. and the villagers for their invaluable Present status of the golden langur in assistance during the field work. This work is Assam, India. Asian Primates 6:1-4. a part of a project supported by the Pittsburgh Mukherjee, R.P, Srivastava, A., Mohnot, S.M., Zoo. Bernstein, I. and C.H. Southwick. 1997. Population status of the golden langur References (Presbytis geei) in Assam. Amer. J. Primatol 42:135. Chalise , M.K. 1997. Monkeys from Makalu- Srivastava, A., Baruah, M. and S.M. Mohnot. Barun Conservation Area ( MBCA ). 2001a. The population dynamics and NASHON Bulletin 7 (1-4): 30-34. conservation of golden langurs. Jour. Chetry , D. , Medhi, R. and P.C. Bhattacharjee. Bom. Nat. Hist. Soc. 98(1):12-17. 2002: A Report on Primates of the Nokrek Srivastava, A., Biswas, J., Das, J. and P. National Park, India. Tigerpaper 29(3):30- Bujarbarua. 2001b. Status and distribution 32. of Golden langurs (Trachypithecus geei) Choudhury, A.U. 2002. Golden langur in Assam, India. Amer. J. Primatol. 55:15- Trachypithecus geei threatened by habitat 23. fragmentation. Zoo’s Print Journal Subba, P. B. 1989. The status and conservation 17(2):699-703. of the golden langur (Presbytis geei Ghimire, S.C. 2001. A glimpse of crop raiding Khajuria, 1956) in the Manas National by rhesus monkeys in Bandipokhara, Park, Bhutan. Tigerpaper 16(4):16-18. Palpa, Nepal. NASHON Bulletin (10-11):12- Wangchuk, T. 1995. A census and the bio- 13. geography of golden langurs (Presbytis Gee , E.P. 1961. The distribution and feeding geei) in Bhutan. Tigerpaper 22(3):1-6. habit of golden langur, Presbytis geei Wayre, P. 1968. The golden langur and the (Khajuria, 1956). J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Manas Sanctuary. Oryx. 9:337-339. Soc. 53:252-254.

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Authors’ addresses: Rekha Medhi, Dilip Chetry Pin- 781014, India; B.N. Patiri, Divisional Crop raiding by golden langur| and P.C. Bhattacharjee, c/o Animal Ecology Forest Officer, Wildlife Division of Kokrajhar, and Wildlife Biology Lab., Department of Kokrajhar, Assam, India. Zoology, Gauhati University Guwahati, Assam,

Golden langur (Photo: Dilip Chetry)

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PORCUPINE MENACE IN COCONUT PALM ECOSYSTEM OF DAKSHINA KANNADA REGION OF KARNATAKA

by A.C. Girish, B.B. Hosetti and A.K. Chakravarthy

Introduction (other than coconut and arecanut) of porcupine in Kidu, Sakaleshpur and Badra Wildlife Sanctuary, n Dakshina Kannada region of Karnataka, Chikmagalur were also identified with the help of Iporcupines are causing damage to cultivated a botanist. The frequency distribution of porcupine coconut, arecanut and oil palm plantations debarking of coconut palms in Kidu farms was | Porcupine menace in coconut palm ecosystem (Chakravarthy, 1994). Damage occurs to coconut also worked out. The bark damage (cm2) was

seedlings up to matured palms throughout the year. categorized into 5 groups based on the extent of The initial and important symptom of injury to palms bark removed. During April, damage to cashew is bark stripping or debarking. Since cultivated kernels by porcupines was observed, despite the palms are of high commercial value and the area presence of coconut palms in the vicinity. The under cultivation of palms is rapidly increasing in damage to cashew kernels was quantified and the South India, protection of palms from porcupine data was tabulated. All of the above observations damage is of concern. Studies on the basic aspects were recorded in coconut gardens in and around of porcupine feeding behavior and pest status are Subramanya (D.K). needed (Chakravarthy et. al., 2003). Results and discussion Materials and methods The evidence of feeding damage by porcupines A survey of selected localities in Dakshina was found on 37 species of cultivated and wild Kannada region of Karnataka was conducted plants, apart from the cultivated palms. In the from September 2002 to December 2004, utilizing above areas, porcupine was also found to debark a four-wheel drive vehicle. Observations on the wild and cultivated palms such as coconut, presence or absence of crops damaged by arecanut and species of Phoenix palms. The porcupine were recorded. Porcupine damage was porcupines inhabited hillsides, made burrows and identified and confirmed by pugmarks, presence adapted easily to foraging and feeding in the of quills, presence of porcupine burrows in the surrounding cultivated plains. vicinity and teeth marks on the damaged plants/ palms. Observations were recorded on the pattern Porcupines appear to preferentially feed on certain of damage and expressed in terms of the number plant species while avoiding other species like of palms damaged to the total number of palms in rubber, apparently because of lesser palatability, a plot. Damage that had occurred within one week or that have bark characteristics that do not of being observed was categorized as fresh facilitate feeding. Feeding marks were located damage and damage more than one week old was more frequently on Ipomea botata, Bambusa sp. classified as old damage. The yield loss due to and Discorea sp. In addition, Agave americana porcupine damage was assessed in terms of the (15-30%) and Caryota urens (15-20%) were also number of nuts produced by palms in healthy as frequently chosen by porcupine for feeding. compared to damaged palms. The mortality of palms/seedlings was also assessed. Porcupine The porcupine’s preference caused mortality to burrows were located in the vicinity of coconut coconut palms of 15 years age (46%). Although plantations and the structure of the burrows was the data collected did not reveal a consistent measured in different localities. Alternate hosts relationship between age and palm mortality, it was

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Porcupine menace in coconut palm ecosystem| observed that palms less than 20 years old were removed 250 cm2 between January and March more vulnerable to porcupine damage than those 2003. In February, the animal had not fed on the above 20 years. palm, showing that feeding on a particular palm is not predetermined. Porcupine debarking was observed in coconut plantations of different ages. The debarking As man encroaches into the wild, the natural activity exhibited a wide variability, i.e. debarking habitat of porcupines is becoming fragmented and occurred on young palms (<5 years) and old palms shrunken. As a result, the porcupine has turned to (>30 years). Most of the palms were debarked foraging in cultivated ecosystems, and in certain in the range of 0 to 75 cm2, which usually places causing economic losses. This feeding constituted a small portion of the total volume of damage is incidental and so the porcupine should bark present in the palm. Cultivated coconut not be branded as a pest. At times of food scarcity palms adjacent to the forest suffered heavier and in areas where the natural foods of porcupine damage compared to coconut palms planted are depleted, they may feed on cultivated crops further away. and cause economic damage locally. Since the role of the porcupine in the ecosystem has not yet been One of the alternative food items taken by determined and it is an animal protected by the porcupines in this study area was cashew Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972, non-chemical (Anacardium occidentale ) (in April). The crop protection methods without causing mortality porcupines chew the kernels, suck out the juice of the animal are desired. or sap and leave behind the kernels. Damage was expressed in terms of percentage of total References kernels available to porcupines under the cashew tree canopy to the number damaged by Anonymous, 1993. The Wildlife (protection) porcupines. The percentage of kernel damage Act 1972. Natraj Publishers, Dehradun. caused by porcupines varied from 6-16%, and by other animals 12-22%. However, during May, Chakravarhty, A.K.1994. Integrated vertebrate the porcupines did not use cashew kernels and pest management in hill regions of any damage was caused by other animals varying Karnataka. ICAR Research project Final between 10 to 83%. Report, 58 pp.

Seventeen porcupine burrows were located in an Chakravarthy, A.K., B.B. Hosetti and A.C. Girish. area of 121.41 ha at Kidu, of which 6 were 2003b. Porcupine (Hystrix indica) foraging categorized as big burrows and 11 as small activity in cultivated ecosystems in burrows. Eleven were active burrows and 6 Western Ghats of Karnataka. Rat-a-tattle, burrows had been abandoned. Porcupines RILSCINSA Newsletter 3(1) : 18 pp. preferred scrub jungle but they easily adapted to foraging and feeding in open fields dotted with Lantana bushes and Khus grass clump. Authors’ addresses: A.C. Girish and B.B. Hosetti c/o Departmant of Applied Zoology, The porcupines gnaw the bark, chip out the bark Kuvempu University, Shankargatta, Shimoga pieces and consume them. An individual porcupine 577 451, India (e-mail: [email protected]; removed a 44 cm2 surface area of bark during A.K.Chakravarthy, c/o Department of November to December 2003, a 188 cm2 bark Entomology, UAS, GKVK, Bangalore 560 065, area during December to January 2003, and India

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Table 1: Food range of porcupine in hill and coastal regions of Karnataka

Common Name Scientific Name Damage (quantity assessed) Sweet potato Ipomea batatas Lamk. 20 (10 tubers) Bamboo Bambusa arundinacea (Retz.) 12 (15 tillers) Tapioca Manihot esculenta Crantz. 50 ( 68 tubers) Alocasia Alocasia indica Schott.. 2 ( 5 tubers) Cane Calamus tenuis Redt. 25 ( 45 tillers) Diascorea Diascorea esculenta Burm. 7 ( 42 tubers) Ananus Ananas comosus (L.)Merr 10 ( 250 plants)

| Porcupine menace in coconut palm ecosystem Banana Musa paradisiaca L 25 ( 1500 suckers)

Kathale(Cactus) Agave americana L 35 ( 850 plants) Wild turmeric Zingiber zerumbet Rose ex.Sm 15 ( 250 plants) Colacasia Colacasia indica L 10 (150 plants Gauri gedde Gloriosa superba L. 5(100 plants) Byne palm Caryota urens L. 20(45 seedlings) Acacia Acacia catechu Wild 35(45 fruits) Ridge gourd Luffa acutangula(L.)Roxb. 2(75 plants) Bottle gourd Lagenaria leucantha L. Vulgaris 20(10 plants) Muskmelon Cucurbita pepo L. 25(5 plants) Mango Mangifera indica L. 1(108 fruits) Groundnut Arachis hypogea L 1 (one acre) Pumpkin Cucurbita moschata L. 2 (one acre) Beans Dolichos lablab L 1 (one acre) Rubber kai, Ficus elastica L 5 (10 plants) Thare mara nuts, Terminalia ballarica L 2 (20 plants) Elachi mara fruits, Ziziphus zizuba L 1 (5 plants) Kakke mara roots, Cassia fistula L 5 (45 plants) Kare mara roots Kanthium sps 2 (4 plants) Thavere gedde, Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. 10 (45 plants) Kadu irulli Crinum defixum ker-Gawl. 5 (10 plants) Bhela fruits Ferronia elephantum L 2 (3 plants) Coconut Cocos nucifera L. 15 (seedlings) Cashewnut Anacardium occidentale L 15(140 nuts) Arecanut Areca catechu L 3 (25 seedlings) Ragi Eleucine coracana L 1 ( one acre) Paddy Oryza sativa L 2 (one acre) Garcenia xanthochymus 10 (45 plants) Diascorea oppositifolia, 5 (10 plants) D. bulbifolia 2 (3 plants Hard metallic substances

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Porcupine menace in coconut palm ecosystem|

Table 2: Mortality of porcupine-damaged Coconut palms Plot No. Area (ha) Age (years) Mortality of palms Distance of the plot (%) from forest (km) 1 4.5 (932)* 15 46 0.3 2 3.0 (600) 23 22 0.8 3 5.0 (1055) 27 19 0.8 4 3.0 (600) 30 10 0.8 *Figures in parentheses indicate the number of palms/seedlings in the plot t=3.155*, Mean+/- =24.25, SD=+/-15.37 mean SE=7.68, Correlation coefficient (r= +0.9206) significant at 5%.

Table 3: Frequency distribution of porcupine debarking on coconut palms at Subramanya, 2002-04 Bark Number of palms / seedlings damaged Damage (Average of two years in an individual month) Range (cm2) Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct 0-25 12 4 4 5 5 3 3 0 4 4 6 8 25-75 7 3 8 7 2 5 4 0 3 2 4 2 75-150 1 2 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 150-225 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 >225 1 2 5 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Total 21 11 20 12 10 8 7 0 7 6 11 13 F Value at 5% with 8 df = 15.9 = NS

Table 4: Porcupine damage to different varieties of coconut palms at Subramanya (2002-04) Month Andaman Benalium East Coast Malayan ordinary Tall Dwarf Yellow May 5(1.56) 12(8.0) 18(7.2) 20(10.81) June 10(3.13) 15(10.0) 12(4.8) 12(6.48) July 7(2.19) 10(6.6) 22(8.8) 9(4.86) August 13(4.07) 8(5.33) 8(3.2) 14(7.56) September 9(2.82) 14(9.33) 10(4.0) 7(3.78) October 4(1.25) 5(3.3) 14(5.6) 15(8.1) November 3(0.94) 11(7.33) 6(2.4) 0.6(3.24) December 2(0.62) 16(10.66) 16(6.4) 13(7.02) January 8(0.31) 9(6.0) 4(1.6) 12(6.48) February 2(0.62) 4(2.66) 9(3.6) 10(5.4) March 1(0.31) 6(4.0) 5(2.0) 4(2.16) April 1(0.31) 3(2.00) 2(0.8) 5(2.7) Total number of trees damaged 65(20.38) 113(75.33) 126(50.4) 127(68.6) Mean 5.41(1.69) 9.41(2.38) 10.5(4.2) 10.58(5.7) Std. deviation 3.94(1.23) 4.35(2.90) 6.08(2.43) 4.67(2.52) Data in bracket indicates % damage to the total available for damage.

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Types of porcupine feeding damage to coconut palm | Porcupine menace in coconut palm ecosystem

a. Burrowing of stem b. Debarking

c. Dehusking of nut d. Toppling of coconut seedling

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Vol. XIX: No. 3 Jul-Sept 2005

First Announcement

ASIA-PACIFIC FORESTRY COMMISSION SET TO MEET IN INDIA

Delegates and participants of the 21st session of mission (APFC) convenes in Dehradun, 17-21 the Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission will have April. Mark your calendars and plan to attend this the chance to visit South Asia’s historic “cradle of important meeting. forestry” – Dehradun, India. Steeped in tradition, and home to several major forest-related research A key feature of the APFC meeting will be a special and education institutes, Dehradun offers a unique session: “Toward Sustainable Forest Manage- venue for the region’s forestry leaders to gather ment.” A particular focus of the special session for their premier bi-ennial forum. will be consideration of approaches for financing sustainable forest management and whose India is the seventh largest country in the world responsibility it is. With forestry issues holding the and has a population of over one billion. Seventy- spotlight in national and global fora, there is five percent of the people live in rural areas and growing debate about how to finance forest depend heavily on forests and other natural re- management in an efficient and effective manner. sources for their livelihoods, medicine, housing The APFC session will allow participants to share materials and food. Forests now cover about 67.55 views on this important topic.The special session million hectares, or about 20.5 percent of the will also examine the findings of the 2005 Forest country’s land area. India is one of the 17 Resources Assessment, review the accom- “megadiversity” countries and its forests are home plishments of APFC and FAO in the region, and to remarkable plant and animal biodiversity. consider major developments in APFC member countries. Community management of natural resources has become an important strategy in India since it An additional element of the special session will pioneered the concept of joint forest management focus on the role of regional mechanisms in in the 1970s and 1980s. Under this system, the supporting efforts to achieve sustainable forest central government decentralizes control of forests management. Representatives of the Asia Forest and turns it over to villagers, who take over the Partnership, Asia FLEG, ASEAN, the Secretariat responsibility for forest protection, management of the Pacific Community, Asia Forest Network, and water use. Despite some problems, the system and others will be invited to share their views and has greatly helped the country with its land experiences. management challenges for the past 30 years. An in-session seminar on payment for The Asia-Pacific forestry community will have an environmental services will probe deeper into the opportunity to observe first-hand India’s forests prospects for these newly emerging mechanisms and dynamic forestry sector in early 2006, when for funding forest management and protection. the 21th session of the Asia-Pacific Forestry Com- Experiences from various countries and

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organizations will provide the basis for discussing The members of the APFC (currently comprised how these mechanisms can be put to better use in of 30 countries in Asia and the Pacific) meet ev- the region. ery two years in general session to review forestry developments in the region, discuss problems Also on the agenda will be debate on the develop- of mutual concern, and set new agendas for inter- ment and effectiveness of codes of practice for sessional work. Active participation of international planted forests, forest harvesting and management NGOs and the private sector in all APFC activi- of wildland fires. Consideration will also be given ties is encouraged. to the potential need for a broader regional code for sustainable forest management standards. Formal invitations for the 21th APFC session will soon be extended to the Commission’s 30 mem- Finally, information will be shared on joint FAO/ ber countries, and to international organizations ITTO efforts to develop guidelines for forest law working in the region. For more information on enforcement, activities of the Asia-Pacific Forest the session, please contact Patrick Durst, Senior Invasive Species Network, and proposals for a Forestry Officer (Asia and the Pacific), who also new Asia-Pacific Forest Sector Outlook Study. serves as FAO Technical Secretary for the APFC, at the address below: Several pre-session workshops and side meetings Patrick B. Durst will also be arranged in conjunction with the main Senior Forestry Officer APFC meeting in Dehradun. In addition, exhibits FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific and displays will be prepared by various interna- 39 Phra Atit Road, Bangkok 10200, Thailand tional and Indian forestry organizations to high- Tel: (66-2) 697-4139; Fax: (66-2) 697-4445 light a wide range of activities in the region. E-mail: [email protected]

SECOND MEETING OF THE APFC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

The second meeting of the Asia-Pacific Forestry analysis conducted during the first Executive Commission (APFC) Executive Committee was Committee meeting were also reviewed and held 31 August – 1 September in Hua Hin, evaluated. The general conclusion was that the Thailand. The 15 participants in the meeting results were still largely valid. Discussions focused represented the current members of the Executive on how the weaknesses and threats have been Committee, a number of members from the addressed in order to turn them into strengths and previous Executive Committee, and FAO staff from opportunities. It was acknowledged that some the APFC secretariat. The main objectives of the progress had been made in addressing the meeting were to: 1) review APFC’s work in weaknesses identified (e.g. the raising the profile relation to the recommendations made during the of APFC, clarifying the links between FAO and 20th APFC Session held in Nadi, Fiji in 2004; 2) APFC, and enhancing the involvement of the plan the next Session, to be held 17-21 April 2006 private sector and NGOs). in Dehradun, India; 3) discuss the need for working groups on particular issues; and 4) identify potential Participants were briefed on the outcomes of topics for inter-sessional meetings. UNFF 5 and its potential implications for APFC. During UNFF 5 there was a move by some A brief overview was given of the main APFC countries to emphasize regional approaches to activities since the last session of APFC. This support the implementation and coordination of the briefing described recent APFC activities, meetings IPF/IFF proposals for action and discussion, which and publications. The results of the S.W.O.T. could then be presented at a global level at UNFF. 2 Vol. XIX: No.3 July-September 2005 FORESTFOREST NEWSNEWS

It was suggested by some countries that existing Another session identified potential priorities for regional structures be used to implement this APFC. Based on the results of the earlier approach, such as the regional UN Economic and brainstorming session and from the criteria for Social Commissions or FAO’s regional forestry prioritizing issues for APFC involvement, commissions, in order to avoid duplication. The participants identified issues that APFC might participants discussed the advantages and effectively address. The following broad priority disadvantages of such an approach. Although the areas were identified: forest policies; poverty; Executive Committee was of the opinion that sustainable forest management; environment APFC could effectively fulfill the desired roles in and environmental services; globalization, Asia and the Pacific, it was acknowledged that it regional cooperation and trans-boundary issues; was ultimately up to member countries to decide and information exchange forum, networking what mechanisms to pursue. and education.

During a brainstorming session on the future The Executive Committee also addressed direction of forestry in Asia and the Pacific, preparations for the up-coming 21st APFC participants were challenged to identify three session in April 2006 in India. Peoposals for mega-trends in forestry for the region. The issues agenda topics were screened and prioritized, identified were clustered according to the following and consideration was given to potential side main issues: plantations; rural livelihoods and meetings. The delegation from India gave a participation; payments for environmental presentation on the current status of services; water-related issues; globalization and preparations for the session. A draft agenda for (international) trade; and other trends. It was the 21st APFC session was compiled and stressed that APFC should not attempt to address submitted to FAO Rome for review and final all issues, but rather that it should identify and approval. It is anticipated that the final agenda prioritize the issues considering its comparative will be approved by October 2005. advantages vis-a-vis other organizations.

FORESTERS CONVERGE AT XXII IUFRO WORLD CONGRESS

The XXII World Congress of the International Appanah). Three other presentations were made Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) in the session, including: was convened in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, § Forest residues: a global analysis of 8-13 August 2005. The Congress, which is tropical forests (Dennis Dykstra, USA) convened every five years, was attended by § Paper trails: environmental regulation of approximately 2,000 delegates from more than the pulp and paper industry in a global 90 countries. economy (Kathryn Harrison, Canada) § Economic compensation of watershed Patrick Durst, Senior Forestry Officer from forest environmental benefits: analyzing FAO’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, the effect on forest management and social chaired the Technical Session on “Environmental welfare at different compensation levels Concerns of Forest Utilization” and presented an (Wu Shuirong, China) invited paper on the “Challenges facing forest certification and ecolabelling of forest The Congress issued two resolutions (“The products in developing countries” (co-authored Brisbane Resolutions”) calling for global with Philip McKenzie, Chris Brown and S. cooperation in forest-related research, and promoting science for decision making.

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FOSTERING DIALOGUE AND COOPERATION FOR SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT IN CHINA

The First Meeting of the Forest Dialogue Forum The agenda was packed with 34 presentations over of China was convened 3-4 August 2005, in the course of the 2-day meeting, in addition to Beijing. The primary organizers were the State opening remarks from representatives of SFA, Forestry Administration (SFA) of China and the World Bank, UNFF, FAO and WWF. Session Chinese Academy of Forestry (CAF), with themes focused on forest policy, wildlife additional support provided by FAO, World Bank conservation, forest industry and trade, forest and WWF. resources management, forest restoration, and partners and participation of stakeholders. More than 100 people participated, including representatives from national forestry agencies China-based representatives of non-governmental and institutions, research academies, universities, organizations (including such diverse groups as local and provincial governments, NGOs, projects, WWF, IUCN, Greenpeace, The Nature and international organizations. About 20 foreign Conservancy, Wetland International, participants attended. Environmental Investigation Agency, Telepak Indonesia, WildAid, Oxfam, and Conservation The State Forestry Administration formally International) were especially appreciative of the established the Forest Dialogue Forum in March opportunity to participate in the meeting, and for 2005 to support dialogue among multi-stakeholders the rare chance to be extensively briefed by senior in the context of sustainable forest management SFA officials. Participants also appreciated and to enhance cooperation among government briefings on various projects and activities of organizations, NGOs, international organizations, international organizations working in China. internal institutes, private-sector entities and donor Project staff, in turn, valued the chance to brief agencies from other countries. The theme of the senior Government officials on their activities. first meeting of the Forum was “Forest Policy and Sustainable Forest Management in China.” The meeting was refreshingly open with regard to the wide range of participants and the diversity Specific objectives of the meeting were to: of perspectives expressed. Several presentations, § increase understanding of policy imple- for example, focused on illegal logging and trade, mentation in the different departments of SFA; and the impact of China’s surging forest imports § provide an overview of international initiatives on resources in neighboring countries. and national progress of research, education, and national program working toward All participants agreed on the usefulness of the sustainable forest management; Forest Dialogue Forum and urged that it become § identify areas and priorities for future work a regular feature, perhaps on an annual basis. This identified by the workshop; view was supported by SFA officials, who § enhance cooperation and coordination among suggested that such meetings of the Forum could stakeholders on forest issues; be centered around different specific themes each § establish contacts and linkages between the year. SFA officials also suggested that “ad hoc” participants and the international community; working groups could be established to address and themes of common interest. § deliberate and exchange views on practical options for effectively enhancing international cooperation.

4 Vol. XIX: No.3 July-September 2005 FORESTFOREST NEWSNEWS

TSUNAMI REHABILITATION NEWS

Under the Finland-financed Tsunami Rehabilitation compared to the ones that were longitudinal and Project, FAO recently fielded Dr. Ravishankar provided a large surface area for the tsunami Thupalli (M.S. Swaminathan Research wave. In the Maldives, mangroves were more Foundation, India) to assess the status of tsunami often found in sheltered lagoon-like areas, and they impact and the measures needed to enhance appeared to provide a second line of defense rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in the wherever they were present. Maldives. On the basis of the preliminary assessment, Dr. Dr. Thupalli, who just finished the field work, Thupalli proposes several mitigation measures, reports that the coastal forests have protected the including planting of coastal green shields. The islands to a large extent. In the process, the coastal vegetation would also protect against vegetation did undergo considerable damage in monsoon winds and beach erosion. Local some of the coastal areas. Depending on proximity communities can be involved in these planting to the sea, residential establishments and garden initiatives. Besides improving management of trees were also destroyed. Interestingly, roads mangroves, the consultant also suggests the need constructed in line with the tsunami flow provided for developing some integrated coastal zone a channel for the waves to rush inland, and those management guidelines. Such guidelines will adjacent to the area suffered more damage. The minimize ad hoc measures, and preserve the waves had less impact on the circular-shaped atolls tranquility of this tourist paradise.

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DEVELOPING A NATIONAL FOREST PROGRAMME FOR MALAYSIA

The national forest programmes (nfps), as with the agreements reached in international and endorsed by the Intergovernmental Panel on regional dialogues. Forests/Intergovernmental Forum on Forests (IPF/ IFF), encompasses a wide range of approaches With the above background, several organizations to sustainable forest management within different (FAO, GTZ-Malaysia and Forest Department countries, and can be applied at national and sub- Peninsular Malaysia) organized a workshop to national levels. It is emphasized that the nfps should develop the nfp for Malaysia. The objectives of embrace a broad inter-sectoral approach at all the workshop included better understanding of the stages, including the formulation of policies, international and regional forestry dialogues, a strategies, action plans, as well as their consensus on a framework and elements for a implementation, monitoring and evaluation. Malaysian national forest programme and its Furthermore, nfps should be implemented in the implementation, and harmonization of the context of each country’s socio-economic, cultural, Malaysian 5-yearly forestry development political and environmental situation, and should programmes with the IPF/IFF national forest be integrated into wider programmes for programmes’ approach and process. sustainable land use, taking into account the activities of the other sectors such as agriculture, A total of 64 participants and resource persons energy and industrial development, and broader from 30 organizatons (Malaysian government national development policy and planning agencies, private sector associations, NGOs and frameworks, such as national economic international agencies) participated in the development or poverty reduction strategies workshop. (PRSPs). Ten working papers were presented at the Many countries in the Asia-Pacific region are still Workshop, which highlighted the following issues: in the process of elaborating, updating and § Challenges to sustainable forest management implementing their nfps according to the basic which include causes of deforestation, market principles and elements agreed in the IPF. In this and policy failures, and forest management context, Malaysia needs to review its Five-Yearly practices that failed to take into account social Forestry Development Programmes against the and economic approaches in landscape planning and implementation procedures management; elaborated in the nfp process. The issues at hand § Establishment of a special fund through include: i) the majority of the forestry practitioners issuance of green bonds to finance the and policy makers are not fully familiar with the development of forest plantations under the international forestry processes; ii) Malaysia’s 5- Ninth Malaysia Plan (2006-2010); yearly development programmes’ formulation and § Continued implementation of the Malaysian implementation differ for the three regions of Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Forest Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak; iii) there Management and the MS ISO 9002 standards has been no deliberate and systematic review and for sustainable timber production; interpretation of the 5-yearly forestry development § Development under the Forest Sector programmes in terms of their fulfillment with the Development Programme (FSDP) in Sabah IPF/IFF Proposals for Action; and iv) there is a to rebuild its timber resource base; need to examine the adherence of Malaysia’s § Efforts by conservation societies (World forestry development programmes and practices Wildlife Fund Malaysia & Malaysian Nature

6 Vol. XIX: No.3 July-September 2005 FORESTFOREST NEWSNEWS

Society) to push for ecologically sustainable sustainability. Another issue was that of the management and conservation of Malaysian implementation mechanism for the Malaysian forests; National Forest Programme (MNFP). The § The need for a system of National Accounts working groups proposed setting up of several (SNA) that includes both forest products with working committees to oversee the implementation a market value as well as the non-marketed of the MNFP. environmental services; § The need for research in management and The Workshop proved to be a major step in the silviculture of logged-over forests and development of the Malaysian National Forest rehabilitation techniques for degraded forests, Programme. This represents the first time that all quantification of the ecological functions and three regions met to discuss the various issues, services of natural forests, development of and the steps needed for implementation. The forest plantations and climate change; and working groups pointed out that the mechanism § The position of Malaysia’s forestry and timber for coordination, monitoring and reporting on the sector in the face of increasing non-tariff implementation of the MNFP should be developed barriers in terms of technical measures, further. On the basis of the recommendations, product characteristic requirements, and Malaysia’s Ministry of Natural Resources and sanitary and phytosanitary requirements, and Environment would undertake further activities for increasing competition from low-cost the implementation of the MNFP. The Ministry producer countries such as China and also requested additional support from FAO and Vietnam. GTZ to further this process.

Following the working papers, the working groups For further information, please contact: looked into the framework and elements of the Mr. S. Appanah, National Forest Programme Malaysian National Forest Programme that also Advisor (Asia-Pacific) included that of social acceptability and E-mail: [email protected] accountability, and environmental and ecological

ENHANCING THE NATIONAL FOREST PROGRAMME (NFP) PROCESS IN THAILAND

Although Thailand has been a partner in the nfp The workshop served to enable a dialogue among Facility since its inception, the nfp process has the major stakeholders and provided an opportunity not made significant progress for various reasons. for information exchange. The main objective of Therefore, the Facility convened the workshop the workshop was to enhance the capacities and Enhancing the National Forest Programme commitment for a stronger, country-led, (nfp) Process in Thailand - A country participatory nfp process in Thailand. The assessment of the nfp’s basic principles and secondary objectives of the workshop were to: elements, 6 – 8 July 2005, at Khao Yai, Thailand. The workshop was attended by 37 participants, § test and fine-tune the “nfp for all” toolkit/ representing the various stakeholder groups training module, so that it can be used in other involved in the nfp process (government, private partner countries; and sector, NGOs, academia and local authorities).

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§ to revitalize Thailand’s nfp process by ensur- great value and the participants felt that it ing that the key stakeholders in the nfp pro- could be applied in Thailand. cess have a clear understanding of the con- § Many of the nfp elements are already in place cepts and principles of national forest in Thailand; however, a gap analysis needs to programmes and how to apply and assess be made in order to assess which elements them to enhance the country’s nfp process. are currently missing. § Sustainable development needs to be one of Workshop the central themes in Thailand’s national forest programme. The workshop consisted of presentations § If the nfp process is to succeed in Thailand, (concepts, approaches and case studies), plenary political will and support is essential. This will discussions, and group work. Group work results require some lobbying. were presented and discussed again in plenary. Outputs of the discussions were synthesized as a Forest policy in Thailand: basis for further work in groups or plenary. On § For many of the participants, this workshop the final day of the workshop, the participants were presented an important opportunity to exam- provided the opportunity for a closed session in ine the national forest policy (in Thai), which which they were able to discuss how to proceed was implemented in 1985. with their nfp process. § There is a need to revise and update Thailand’s national forest policy to incorpo- The workshop comprised the following rate the latest international developments. components: § There has been little movement in Thailand’s § Forest policy process in Thailand – major national forest policy process since the reor- issues, achievements, lessons learned and ganization of the Royal Forest Department. challenges ahead; § Sectoral legislation needs to be revised to iden- § National forest programmes: the nfp concept, tify and minimize contradictions and conflicts principles and elements, opportunities and threats for nfp concept application in Thailand; Nfp stakeholders and stakeholder participa- § Interpretation of the nfp principles and tion: elements in the country context, analysis of § The workshop provided the participants with prospects for their application in the future the opportunity to meet other stakeholders. forest policy process; § There is a need for increased stakeholder § Lessons learned in nfp processes; participation in the national forest policy pro- § Multi-stakeholder participation in nfp cess. processes: stakeholders and their roles; § Public awareness of forest policy and forest approaches and arrangements in support of issues must be raised. nfp processes and capacity-building § Participants indicated a need for a detailed requirements; and stakeholder analysis in order to: analyze stake- § Conclusions and recommendations for follow- holder interactions and how they influence up: identification of specific issues that require each other; identify the specific role(s) and further action. contribution(s) of each stakeholder; and identify additional stakeholders who should be in- Highlights from the discussions cluded in the nfp process.

After each presentation there was an opportunity Financing mechanisms for sustainable forest for plenary discussion. Some of the highlights from management (SFM): these discussions are given below. § Sound financing strategies need to be developed for SFM and to improve the manage- nfps in general: ment of existing funds. § Although the nfp concept was quite new to most participants, it was considered to be of

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§ Mechanisms must be developed to ensure among the participants by mid-August 2005. Work benefit sharing among the various will commence on the formulation of a code of stakeholders. conduct to guide the further development of the nfp process in Thailand. A workshop will be Recommendations for follow-up activities convened in November to prioritize the themes of Thailand’s nfp. On the basis of this workshop, an On the basis of discussions amongst the action plan will be formulated for further activities. participants, a list of follow-up activities was formulated with assigned responsibilities. The It is hoped that this workshop will provide the work will commence with the formation of a impetus to revitalize the dialogue between the working group comprising representatives of the various stakeholders and also the nfp process. various stakeholder groups represented at the Participants indicated their interest in continuing workshop. They will take the lead in continuing the dialogue, as is evident in the follow-up activities the process begun at the workshop. FAO will that they decided upon themselves. prepare and disseminate the workshop report

LARGE FIRES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA CAUSE SERIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE

Large forest fires in Southeast Asia, notably in much as 20 meters down in the peat soils. These Indonesia, have caused serious health and fires are almost impossible to extinguish. On a environmental problems, in particular choking haze single hectare of land, up to 100,000 cubic meters in the region, FAO highlighted in a press release of peat soil can burn. issued 31 August 2005. The conversion of forests into agricultural land “Using fire to clear forests is prohibited in most should follow established environmental practices, Southeast Asian countries and the ban should FAO emphasizes. Instead of burning forest urgently be enforced,” said Mike Jurvelius, FAO residues, machines could be used for chipping forest fire expert. He went on to add that “…tree wood and using it for compost, while precious and vegetation residues should be better utilized wood could be used for wood products. “There is or destroyed mechanically to protect human health a high demand for wood in the region; wood should and the environment. therefore not be wasted or burned,” Jurvelius said.

In Southeast Asia, large-scale conversion of In close collaboration with governments, FAO has forests into agricultural land takes place mainly in started to prepare voluntary guidelines for fire flat areas with peat soils, the most productive land management and the provision of financial for agriculture. Land conversion is usually carried resources for forestry agencies. Regional and sub- out by removing the trees and then burning the regional cooperation agreements on fire residues, a cheap way to clear land on a large management have helped to reduce the impact of scale. fires.

A particular problem in the region is that large – Source: FAO – amounts of smoke result from fires burning as 9 FOREST NEWS Vol. XIX: No. 3 July-September 2005

CAPTURING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE POOR FROM FOREST MANAGEMENT: TIME TO GET CREATIVE

People around the globe are demanding more and is tremendous enthusiasm to provide innovative more from forests in general, and tropical forests solutions to this old problem. In the latest editorial in particular. Seldom are old demands met before of Tropical Forest Update, Alastair Sarre of ITTO new demands are added to the ever-expanding claimed that there’s no reason why the forestry list. Forests are expected to provide raw materials profession, with all its problems, can’t become a in the form of wood and non-wood forest leader in the discovery of creative solutions to products. They are counted on to protect conflicts, poverty and the loss of cultural identity. watersheds and coastal areas. They are also Well, let’s take on the matter and make a supposed to deliver once-in-a-lifetime experiences difference! to ecotourists, sequester carbon and reduce the perceived threat of global warming. They have The discussion below is neither comprehensive nor been described as reservoirs of global genetic, necessarily authoritative. It is offered as food for species and ecosystem diversity. And they also thought and to stimulate a debate on realistic provide employment for millions of people. The opportunities that FAO and some of its partners complex and manifold roles of forests are intend to explore for the benefit of the poor and fascinating as well as challenging. for sustainable forest management. Readers will note that employment generation is omitted from The latest addition to this long list is poverty the text. This is not because it is unimportant, but reduction. Much has been written about the because it is obvious. challenges and opportunities related to enhancing economic benefits from forests. In 2000, the gross Payment for environmental services – the value added by the forest sector reached US$354 latest bandwagon to jump on billion (FAO, 2005), which is actually an under- estimate as it considers only the direct and most Free-market economists have trumpeted the tangible benefits. While the figure is impressive, power of market-based approaches for decades. most markets work against small-scale produc- In recent years, an invisible hand has been trying ers and there is general agreement that currently to take hold of environmental services. Within the the contribution that forests make to poverty al- forestry sector, little is known about the prospects leviation is lower than it could or should be. of requiring payment for providing environmental services, although interest in the issue has How this level can be raised has been the subject skyrocketed over the past couple of years. of intense debate. While the number of publications on this topic has been mushrooming, The extent to which payments for environmental we do not appear to be one step closer to helping services can contribute to poverty alleviation and the 1.6 billion people who rely heavily on forest sustainable natural resource management has been resources for their livelihoods. Markets do not examined recently. Landell-Mills and Porras (2002) favor forest-dependent people, especially the reviewed almost 300 cases of markets developed poor, and most forest policies are only pro-poor for environmental services. Most progress has on paper, if at all. been made in the Americas. A range of mechanisms has been applied to transfer funds There are considerable barriers that need to be from the users of forest services to the providers, overcome to make a difference. Fortunately, there who are often, but not always, forest-dependent,

10 Vol. XIX: No.3 July-September 2005 FORESTFOREST NEWSNEWS upland poor people. The authors stress the conserving through developing, is a good one; it is importance of an enabling environment, i.e. secure just a very difficult task to accomplish (Lash, land tenure, good governance and a strong legal 1997). and regulatory framework as a necessary condition to make market-based approaches work However, the number of true ecotourists is much for the poor as well as the environment. too small to make more than a marginal difference to the local people’s income and employment opportunities. Only rigorously planned developments Khare and White (2003) conclude that ecosys- that can attract more mainstream tourists will be able tem service markets could potentially offer pow- to create the necessary attraction to draw poor erful new incentives for tropical forest conserva- people away from overexploiting the natural tion and restoration, and new income opportuni- environment. ties. Angelsen and Wunder (2003, p. 29) also see some ground for optimism that forest-service pay- What can be realistically expected from forest- ments can help to reduce rural poverty. However, based tourism? It is a highly competitive business high transaction costs are often a deterrent to sell- and requires effective management and marketing ers and buyers getting together. Real markets skills – skills that rural communities often lack. have only developed in a small number of cases, The major constraint to transferring funds from and most have excluded the poor. This is particu- the rich to the poor is the imbalance in power along larly the case in the carbon market where buyers the supply chain, which permits intermediary tour can choose between sectors, sites and types of operators to capture payments for forest suppliers. The high transparency and interchange- conservation and landscape beauty without sharing ability make it difficult for the poor to compete benefits with the poor who are expected to (Angelsen and Wunder, 2003). Why, a carbon maintain the natural beauty (Landell-Mills and buyer might ask, deal with hundreds or thousands Porras, 2002). of poor forest dwellers when you can deal with one major landowner or power plant operator? How good are goods in contributing to poverty reduction? With regard to watershed protection, the issue of site selection does not come up. In hydrological Forest goods fall into two main categories: wood terms, there is a direct connection between a and non-wood forest products (NWFP). For particular downstream area and a watershed decades, the collection, processing and marketing further upstream. The real problem that this of NWFPs have been advocated as a means to particular payment scheme faces is the weak lifting people out of poverty. However, as understanding of the hydrological functions of Neumann and Hirsch (2000) indicate, most forested and deforested watersheds. Our NWFPs offer only low returns, and thus are mainly knowledge of what happens when land use and/ used for subsistence and filling income gaps. or land management practices are changed is like a sieve. Hence it remains, in Landell-Mills and The benefits from the current exploitation of Porras’ (2002) words, uncertain whether markets NWFPs for commercial purposes are unequally for forest hydrological services are potentially “a spread among participants. Low returns for labor silver bullet or fools’ gold.” usually accrue to collectors, although there are always exceptions. The NWFP sector has been The boom during the last two decades in nature described as a “low-wage trap.” Where there are tourism and ecotourism has provided another no other options, products are collected and sold opportunity to transfer funds from the pockets of even when prices are depressed. Eventually, over- the rich to the poor. Ecotourism is being portrayed harvesting and an increase in the opportunity costs as a vehicle that can provide both economic and to labor make the raw material supply of NWFPs environmental benefits, at local and national levels. more unreliable (Enters, 1998). Angelsen and The idea behind ecotourism, as a way to preserve Wunder (2003) argued that NWFPs are safety environments and benefit local communities by

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nets and poverty traps alike. Many of them go countries. But is this really true? Doesn’t the through boom and bust cycles. There are plenty increasing number of small-scale logging and of exceptions to the rule, but what appears to be wood-processing operations indicate that certain is that once a NWFP is discovered and opportunities can be captured for the benefit of becomes valuable, powerful agents find ways and the poor, with the help of creative foresters? means to exclude the poor (Dove, 1993). More steps in the right direction Can we, therefore, realistically hope that NWFPs can provide a means of socio-economic The number of positive and instructive examples advancement? They will continue to provide a is still small. Creativity is required to make them safety net for many forest-dependent people and grow and to replicate them across the Asia–Pacific prevent worsening poverty (Angelsen and region. It’s time to stop talking and to act. Wunder, 2003), but they are not the cure-all that many people would like them to be. FAO and its partners, the Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV), the Tropical Wood, or rather timber, continues to be the most Forest Trust (TFT), the Regional Community commercially important product in most forests. Forestry Training Center (RECOFTC) and the According to Angelsen and Wunder (2003) forest Department of Forestry in Viet Nam intend to be harvesting and wood processing have a few creative. The partners have joined hands to review fundamental characteristics that do not favor the the positive experiences of small-scale forestry poor. The benefits from timber extraction are operations in Asia and the Pacific, to provide usually captured by the rich, especially in tropical insights into appropriate technologies, to discuss forests, because of the capital intensity of forest current obstacles and to explore the steps to be harvesting. taken to create supportive policies and legal frameworks and establish an enabling Yet, a number of examples illustrate that it does environment. not have to be this way. Landowners in Vanuatu developed a small-scale, community-based timber Building on the discussions and the review, it is enterprise that provides quality tropical hardwood anticipated that a working group will be formed products directly to the market (Liu, 2005). which will be given the task of preparing principles Walkabout sawmills in Fiji and Vanuatu enable and guidelines to assist interested countries in landowners to profitably harvest timber in reforming forest management to increase the mahogany plantations and natural forests, share of benefits that can be derived by poor respectively. In the Philippines, people’s people from forest management, forest harvesting organizations are entitled to harvest timber in and wood processing. residual forests, and they have the skills to do this quite well with water buffaloes instead of tractors. If you are interested in the exchange of ideas and would like to be part of writing a new chapter in Capital-intensive harvesting operations leave large forestry in Asia and the Pacific, join the workshop quantities of logging residues in the forest to rot. in Ha Noi in January 2006. For more information, In the Asia-Pacific region, the waste amounts to please contact FAO’s Senior Forestry Officer in about 250 million cubic meters annually, although Bangkok, Patrick Durst, at [email protected]. only about one-tenth of this volume is economically usable or attractive (Enters, 2001). Special crews could extract this material (Anderson, 1999) and References the crews could easily be made up of poor people. Andersen, L. 1999. Extraction of forest Most foresters have been taught that economies residues. In: K.K Tai and M.R. Jaeger, Eds. of scale favor and dictate large-scale, capital- Study on extraction and processing of forest intensive operations, exemplified by the residues and small dimension logs. Technical concessionaire system prevalent in many Reports, Volume 1, pp. 40-57. Forest 12 Vol. XIX: No.3 July-September 2005 FORESTFOREST NEWSNEWS

Department Peninsular Malaysia, Kuala Landell-Mills, N. & Porras. 2002. Silver bullet Lumpur. or fools’ gold? International Institute for Angelsen, A. & S. Wunder. 2003. Exploring the Environment and Development, London. forest–poverty link: key concepts, issues Lash, G. 1997. What is ecotourism? What are and research implications. CIFOR the realistic expectations of ecotourism? Occasional Paper No. 40. Center for Paper presented at the International Seminar International Forestry Research, Bogor. on Ecotourism for Forest Conservation and Dove, M. 1993. A revisionist view of tropical Community Development. Chiang Mai, deforestation and development. Thailand. Environmental Conservation 20(1): 17-24. Liu, J. 2005. The Fasak Ecoforestry Project: Enters, T. 1998. Trends in the use of non- A new day dawning. In: Durst, P.D., Brown, timber forest products in South and C., Tacio, H.D. and Ishikawa, M Eds. In Southeast Asia. Gate Magazine 98/1: 11- search of excellence: Exemplary forest 18. management in Asia and the Pacific. RAP Enters, T. 2001. Trash or treasure? Logging Publication 2005/02. Food and Agriculture and mill residues in Asia and the Pacific. Organization of the United Nations and the RAP Publication 2001/16. Food and Regional Community Forestry Training Agriculture Organization of the United Center, Bangkok. pp. 113-124. Nations, Bangkok. Neumann, R. P. & E. Hirsch. 2000. Commercial- FAO. 2005. State of the world’s forests 2005. isation of non-timber forest products: Food and Agriculture Organization of the review and analysis of research. Center United Nations, Rome. p.71 for International Forestry Research, Bogor. Khare, A. & A. White. 2003. Current status Scherr, S.J., White, A. & D. Kaimowitz. 2002. and future potential of markets for Making markets work for forest ecosystem services of tropical forests: an communities. Forest Trends, Washington, overview. Report prepared for the DC, with Center for International Forestry International Tropical Timber Council. Research, Bogor. International Tropical Timber Organization, Yokohama.

ASIA-PACIFIC FORESTRY CHIPS AND CLIPS

FORESTRY INSTITUTIONS FALLING RE-GREENING THE YANGTZE VALLEY SHORT Forest cover in the Yangtze River valley has A hard-hitting editorial in Thailand’s Bangkok Post reached beyond 30 percent according to Chinese has accused the country’s forestry administrations forestry data. More than 3 million hectares of of failing to adequately protect forests from forest have been planted annually in the valley encroachment and illegal logging. The article, in during the past several years, taking total forest response to an announcement that more than 5,000 cover to 54.9 million hectares. The multi-layer hectares of forest has been encroached in Tak protective forest system is credited with reducing province, called for tough ministerial action to land erosion by 42 percent, and greatly improving regulate and monitor all developments which river water quality. The Chinese government has concern the environment, and for resistance to invested more than US$1.2 billion to enhance the pervasive evils of bribery and corruption. protection of forests in the upper reaches of the – Bangkok Post – Yangtze River. – Xinhua News Agency –

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CERTIFICATION MILESTONE IN per litre, and increase electricity prices by MALAYSIA….. approximately 6 percent. – Television New Zealand – The Malaysian Timber Certification Council (MTCC) has awarded certification to its first WORLD’S BIGGEST WOOD SMUGGLING private concession holder. With the award of a RACKET certificate of forest management and a certificate of chain-of-custody, Samling Plywood (Baramas) Environmental groups Telapek and Environmental Sdn Bhd became the first private company Investigation Age (EIA) have reported the world’s managing a forest management unit to be certified biggest wood smuggling operations involving a under MTCC certification, and also the first FMU single timber species. The groups have identified in the state of Sarawak to be certified. smuggling of merbau hardwood from Papua to – ITTO Tropical Forest Update 15/1 – China as the biggest smuggling racket in terms of value and volume of a single species. EIA claims ….AND IN CHINA that around 300 000 cubic metres of merbau is shipped from Papua to China each month and that The first Forest Stewardship Council certificates bribes totaling US$180,000 per shipment were for Chinese state-owned forests have been changing hands. awarded to the Baihe Forestry Bureau in Jilin – Green Building Press – Province and Youhao Forestry Bureau in Heilongjiang Province. The two bureaus manage VIET NAM’S BIGGEST FORESTRY a combined forest area of 420,000 hectares. PROJECT – FSC News + Notes – The Government of Viet Nam has signed a ACEH REBUILDING THREATENS US$74.6 million Forest Sector Development FORESTS? Project with the World Bank. Under the terms of the agreement, the Bank will provide US$59.5 A WWF report has warned that areas surrounding million in loans and grants (from the Global Aceh risk massive deforestation if immediate Environment Fund, Finland and the Netherlands), supplies of large volumes of timber are not made with the Government and local communities available for reconstruction. The report estimates contributing US$16 million. The project focuses as much as 8 million cubic metres of logs will be on sustainable management of plantations and required to rebuild Aceh over the next 5 years. conservation of biodiversity in special use forests. WWF identifies the nearby Gunung Leuser – VietNam News – National Park as an area threatened by illegal logging, with forested areas in Riau, Jambi and REGULATORY FAILURES CONTRIBUTE North Sumatra also being at high risk. TO TSUNAMI LOSSES – National Geographic News – Lack of law enforcement, which allowed NEW ZEALAND UNVEILS CARBON TAX encroachers to take over public beaches has been blamed for contributing to tsunami losses in The New Zealand Government has become the Thailand. The government has announced that from first in the world to levy a carbon tax, with an now on, the zoning of land use in tourist areas

announcement of a tax on CO2 emissions, as part must be strictly controlled and enforced. of its commitment to the Kyoto Protocol. The new – Bangkok Post – tax will be levied at US$11 per tonne of emissions and is expected to yield approximately US$400 million in revenues for government. The tax is expected to raise petrol prices by around 3 cents

14 Vol. XIX: No.3 July-September 2005 FORESTFOREST NEWSNEWS

HELPING FORESTS TAKE COVER RAP Publication 2005/13 Researchers across the globe have been The steadily growing examining a variety of interest in tropical for- NEW RAP FORESTRY methods to rehabilitate ests around the world degraded lands. These over the past decades has PUBLICATIONS include activities to not halted the continued assist the natural regeneration loss and degradation of this process, eradicating weeds, rebuilding the soil, valuable resource. If any- excluding animals from grazing the regenerating thing, the rate of degradation is accelerating sites, and introducing a variety of economic and changing the structure of the ecosystem. species. There is also interest in reforestation techniques which aim at bringing back the Millions of people depend on forests to varying biological diversity and functional processes of the degrees for their original forests. livelihoods and even their survival. Forests are their This publication presents the basic issues behind source of food, housing rehabilitation. It explains the definitions in simple material, fuel, medicine terms, examines case studies and discusses the and products for income environmental and market forces that go into the generation. Therefore, if rehabilitation of landscapes. It is hoped that this the current trend is not publication will make this technically complex reversed, millions will science accessible to the decision makers. suffer.

THE UNWELCOME GUESTS – PROCEEDINGS OF THE ASIA- PACIFIC FOREST INVASIVE SPECIES CONFERENCE as in triggering early response RAP Publication 2005/18 measures and ensuring effective monitoring and control strategies. The damage caused by invasive species The benefits of formalizing the imposes enormous costs on the forests of information-sharing process the Asia-Pacific region in terms of among Asia-Pacific countries were ecological destruction, economic losses and underlined by a core recommend- detrimental social effects. Based on a ation to form an Asia-Pacific recommendation made at the 19th session of the Forest Invasive Species Network. Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, the Asia-Pacific Forest Invasive Species This publication represents one element of ongoing Conference was organized and convened in efforts to promote sustainable forest management Kunming, China. in the Asia-Pacific region and is composed of summaries of the technical presentations and the One of the most important messages highlighted country reports submitted by the participants. It is by the conference is that invasive species are an hoped that this publication will provide valuable issue of global concern, which no single country assistance to those responsible for formulating and can adequately address alone. Cooperation is implementing policies related to forest invasive essential in narrowing incursion pathways, as well species.

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FAO ASIA-PACIFIC FORESTRY CALENDAR

26-28 September 2005. China. International Conference on Tropical Plywood. Contact: O. Serrano, Senior Forestry Officer, FOPP, FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy; E-mail: [email protected]

4-7 October 2005. Nadi, Fiji. Awareness-raising event of SPC. Contact: T. Enters, NFP Facilitator, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Maliwan Mansion, Phra Atit Road, Bangkok 10200, Thailand; Tel. (662) 697-4328; Fax: (662) 697-4445; E-mail: [email protected]

18-21 October 2005. Bangkok, Thailand. Trends in forest ownership, forest resources tenure and institutional arrangements. Contact: P. Durst, Senior Forestry Officer, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Maliwan Mansion, Phra Atit Road, Bangkok 10200, Thailand; Tel. (662) 697-4139; Fax: (662) 697-4445; E-mail: [email protected]

October 2005. National workshop on the Elephant Care Manual. Bangkok, Thailand. Contact: M. Kashio, Regional Forest Resources Officer, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Maliwan Mansion, Phra Atit Road, Bangkok 10200, Thailand; Tel. (662) 697-4141; Fax: (662) 697-4445; E-mail: [email protected]

13-15 November 2005. 5th Meeting for the Promotion of Asia Forest Partnership (AFP5). Yokohama, Japan. Contact: AFP Secretariat, [email protected]

16-19 January 2006. Hanoi, Viet Nam. Managing forests for poverty reduction: capturing opportunities for the benefit of the poor. Contact: P. Durst, Senior Forestry Officer, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Maliwan Mansion, Phra Atit Road, Bangkok 10200, Thailand; Tel. (662) 697-4139; Fax: (662) 697-4445; E-mail: [email protected]

20-21 January 2006. Pleiku, Viet Nam. Second TPR/RPAC meeting of Enhancing Sustainable Forest Harvesting in Asia project (GCP/RAS/192/JPN). Contact: P. Durst, Senior Forestry Officer, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Maliwan Mansion, Phra Atit Road, Bangkok 10200, Thailand; Tel. (662) 697-4139; Fax: (662) 697-4445; E-mail: [email protected]

17-21 April 2006. Dehradun, India, 21st Session of the Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission. Contact: P. Durst, Senior Forestry Officer, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Maliwan Mansion, Phra Atit Road, Bangkok 10200, Thailand; Tel. (662) 697-4139; Fax: (662) 697-4445; E-mail: [email protected]

FOREST NEWS is issued by the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific as part of TIGERPAPER. This issue of FOREST NEWS was compiled by Patrick B. Durst, Senior Forestry Officer, FAO/RAP.

16 FORESTRY PUBLICATIONS: FAO REGIONAL OFFICE FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC (RAP) § APFC - The unwelcome guests: Proceedings of indicators for sustainable forest management in dry the Asia-Pacific Forest Invasive Species forests in Asia (RAP Publication: 2003/05) Conference (RAP Publication 2005/18) § Giants on our hands: proceedings of the § Helping forests take cover (RAP Publication international workshop on the domesticated Asian 2005/13) elephant (RAP Publication: 2002/30) § Waves of hope – report of the regional § Communities in flames: proceedings of an coordination workshop on rehabilitation of international conference on community involvement tsunami-affected forest ecosystems: strategies in fire management (RAP Publication: 2002/25) and new directions (RAP Publication 2005/07) § Applying reduced impact logging to advance § Forest certification in China: latest developments sustainable forest management (RAP Publication: and future strategies (RAP Publication 2005/08) 2002/14) § Forests and floods – drowning in fiction or § Monograph on benzoin (Balsamic resin from Styrax species) (RAP Publication: 2001/21) thriving on facts? (RAP Publication 2005/03) § Proceedings of the International Conference on § In search of excellence: exemplary forest Timber Plantation Development, 7-9 November 2000, management in Asia and the Pacific (RAP Manila, Philippines Publication 2005/02) § Trash or treasure? Logging and mill residues in Asia- § What does it take? The role of incentives in Pacific (RAP Publication: 2001/16) forest plantation development in Asia and the § Regional training strategy: supporting the Pacific. Executive summary (RAP Publication implementation of the Code of Practice for forest 2004/28) harvesting in Asia-Pacific (RAP Publication: 2001/15) § What does it take? The role of incentives in § Forest out of bounds: impacts and effectiveness of forest plantation development in Asia and the logging bans in natural forests in Asia-Pacific: Pacific (RAP Publication 2004/27) executive summary (RAP Publication: 2001/10) § Forests for poverty reduction: opportunities for § Forest out of bounds: impacts and effectiveness of Clean Development Mechanism, environmental logging bans in natural forests in Asia-Pacific (RAP services and biodiversity (RAP Publication 2004/ Publication: 2001/08) 22) § Asia and the Pacific National Forest Programmes § Report of the 20th Session of the Asia-Pacific Forestry Update 34 (RAP Publication: 2000/22) Commission (APFC), 2004 (RAP Publication: 2004/09) § Regional strategy for implementing the Code of § Forests for poverty reduction: can community Practice for forest harvesting in Asia-Pacific (July 2000) forestry make money? (RAP Publication: 2004/04) § Development of national-level criteria and indicators § State of Forestry in Asia and the Pacific – 2003: for the sustainable management of dry forests of Asia: status, changes and trends (RAP Publication background papers (RAP Publication: 2000/08) 2003/22) § Development of national-level criteria and indicators § Advancing assisted natural regeneration (ANR) for the sustainable management of dry forests of Asia: in Asia and the Pacific (RAP Publication 2003/19) workshop report (RAP Publication: 2000/07) - 2nd edition § Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission: the first fifty years § Bringing back the forests: policies and practices (RAP Publication: 2000/02) for degraded lands and forests (RAP Publication § Decentralization and devolution of forest management 2003/14) out of print in Asia and the Pacific (RAP Publication: 2000/01) § Community forestry – current innovations and § Asia-Pacific Forestry Towards 2010 - report of the experiences (CD-ROM included) Asia-Pacific Forestry Sector Outlook Study § Community-based fire management: case studies § Trees commonly cultivated in Southeast Asia: an from China, The Gambia, Honduras, India, the Lao illustrated field guide - 2nd edition (RAP Publication: People’s Democratic Republic and Turkey (RAP 1999/13) Publication: 2003/08) § Code of Practice for forest harvesting in Asia-Pacific § Practical guidelines for the assessment, monitoring (RAP Publication: 1999/12) and reporting on national level criteria and For copies please write to: Senior Forestry Officer for Asia and the Pacific, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, 39 Phra Atit Road, Bangkok 10200, Thailand. Or visit the FAO website for an electronic version: http://www.fao.or.th/publications/publications.htm