Monday, July 18, 2022

 Memorandum submitted regarding not shifting tigers from Ranthambore's tourist area.

Memorandum submitted regarding not shifting tigers from Ranthambore's tourist area.


18 July 2022..

Recently, people associated with Ranthambore tourism and NGO organizations submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Conservator of Forests on Monday in protest against the tigress that was shifted from Zone-5 area of ​​Ranthambore tourism area to T- 102 in Ramgarh.


At the same time, he demanded not to shift any tourist area tiger from Ranthambore in future. Because the livelihood of the local people is related to tourism, if after the tourism sector is shifted elsewhere, then it will have a bad effect on the income of the government and the livelihood of the local people.

Along with this, he demanded that in future the tiger should be taken from the non-tourism area and the participation of local people should be ensured by forming an advisory committee. Opinion should also be taken from the members of the vehicle union office bearers.

 He said that if any tiger would be sent to tourism zone in future, then we were compelled to warn of agitation by people associated with tourism, local organizations and wildlife lovers.

 on this occasion

Ranthambore Jungle Safari Vehicle Owners Union, Ranthambore Drivers Association, Ranthambore Nature GuideAssociation, Pathik lok seva samiti , Ranthambore Tiger Conservation and Rural Development Committee, Ranthambore Hotel Association, Ranthambore Travel Agent Association, all the office bearers and members of Ranthambore Bagh bachao  Sangharsh Samiti Sawai Madhopur were present.


Photo: Wildlife lovers, union and institutions officials handing over the memorandum


Tuesday, September 14, 2021

MT-4 closed in 28 hectare enclosure since 11 months

MT-4 closed in 28 hectare enclosure since 11 months


Kota, Jhalawar, Bundi, Chittorgarh :- Lightning aka MT-4 Tigress, is closed and caged in a 28 hectare enclosure in MHTR since 11 months, it's same like a life time imprisonment for another Big Cat after T-24, and T-104.

Here it's worth mentioning the only fault of MT-4 was that she got a shoulder injury while T-24 and T-104 are caged inside enclosure on allegedly killing humans, there were protests for releasing T-24 by many wildlife lover but for MT-4 it seems nothing is happening.

Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve became the most controversial Tiger Reserve of Rajasthan, when many tigers died and disappeared from MHTR in 2020. 

The only survivor was MT-4, she lost her cub also, of which her picture went viral. She was also found limping and in injured condition after days of search and combing operation conducted by the forest department with the help of the professional tiger trackers.

In upcoming October it would be almost 1 year for MT-4 in cage, Lightning was one of most loved Tigress of the Tourists when she was in Ranthambhore. 

She was shifted in MHTR to accompany MT-3 who came by itself from Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve, they both roamed outside the 80 square kilometer enclosure, MT-3 also later died. While another Tiger couple was inside the enclosure MT-1 and MT-2 of which MT-2 and her cubs died and MT-1 the first Tiger of MHTR disappeared.

MT-4 is living a lonely life since 11 months and experts says that this is not good for wild and free ranging animal, it will definitely affect her wild behavior in future.

Problem with MHTR is that the so called 80 square kilometer Predator Proof Fencing is not at all safe, people are found getting inside enclosure, it was found broken from many places even security wall which adjoins the Iron Fence is also found broken from many places allowing the intruder to trespass into the enclosed area, while NTCA has already asked them to dismantle the ₹ 20 Crore and area wise 80 square kms long Predator Proof Fencing. Wildlife Lovers has questioned that was it the sheer wastage of Public Money ? 

Meanwhile why there is a delay in releasing the big cat MT-4 in Big Enclosure ? or Shifting her to Seljar another core of MHTR and why there is delay in bringing a partner for MT-4 ? is seriously worth questioning. But before shifting any tigers back in MHTR or releasing MT-4 the security of the animal must be ensured.




September means Big Butterfly Month

September means Big Butterfly Month


Jaipur : September is the month of butterflies, wherever you go you'll see some or the other butterflies fluttering here and there, some are seen nectaring flowers, some are seen doing mud-puddling and some mating or laying eggs.

Butterfly is a beautiful creature or rather we say an insect, that always attracts and fascinate us, they have beautiful wings and verity of colours, and they are found in different shapes and sizes, almost all butterflies are attractive. 

There are more than 125 species of butterflies in Rajasthan, some of them are Common Rose, Crimson Rose, Common Jezebel, Common Jay, Tailed Jay, Plain Tiger, Blue Tiger, Common Leopard, Common Castor, Danaid Eggfly, Great Eggfly, Common Mormon, Common Crow, Red Periot, Common Gull, Small Salmon Arab, Zebra Blue, Forget me not, Common Joker, Gram Blue, Common Grass Yellow, White Orange Tip, Yellow Orange Tip, Baronet, Common Shot Silver Line, Lilac Silver Line, Blue Spotted Arab, Desert grizzled skipper, Skipper, Tricolour Pied Flat, Lime Butterfly and so on.... The list continues.

September is after rains is perfect season fot them to breed, it's not harsh like summers and winters so this season is known for the butterflies. Many organisations including BNHS and now Forest Department also organises Big Butterfly Month. Here you have to collect data of the butterflies you see in a specific area. Recently in Madhyapradesh a Butterfly Survey has been conducted at Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary.

Similarly in many places all over the country this event is organized, butterfly are one of the key species of any eco-system, they are good pollinators equally as bee, and it is not an  exaggeration that you can't imagine human life without butterflies. 

This is the time when we can create awareness and teach and educate our next generation about how important are butterflies. Habitat loss and severe anthropogenic pressure has disturbed the life cycle and survival of many species. As you know butterflies lay eggs on specific plant their larva or caterpillar survives on specific host plant, so if that specific plant is lost you'll also not find a particular species of butterfly there. So if we need to save our environment and similarly ourselves we need to conserve our forest and eco-system.

Multi Talented Forest Guard Chandra Pratap Singh Tanwar

Multi Talented Forest Guard Chandra Pratap Singh Tanwar


Karauli, 14 Sept : Posted at Mandrayal Division of Kailadevi Karauli, Chandra Pratap Singh Tanwar is multi talented personality. 

He is an artist and paints beautiful pictures of Tigers, whenever he has spare time after duty he makes scratches of Tigers and other wild animals and paints them beautifully.

His subjects are mostly wild tigers whom he sees almost everyday in field while patrolling the area. He has also made some wall paintings in his division office walls. 


His paintings and pencil sketches are mostly based on Nature and Wildlife and mostly focused on Tigers and Wolves especially. The species are the iconic species of the area. Art is basically based on your observation and then how you put it down on a piece of paper. 


A wall painting of Tiger made by C.P. Tanwar at Aashaki Vanpal Naka Range Karanpur is one of his famous work, meanwhile painting T-118 with cubs is also one of his famous paintings.

A painting which he made a few days back of T-80 aka Toofan is also worth watching.



But most of the time his work get un-noticed, regardless of that he keeps on doing his work, social media is one the platforms where he sometimes exhibits his work. 

As there are similarly many other forest guards who are muti-talented, have other hobbies like photography, sports, sports shooting, or play music.

These artist sometimes need a larger platform, where people and officers can see and appreciate their work. Also some NGO can organise a Photography and Painting Exhibition made by the forest guards, and then people will know that how much talent is hidden in the Forest Department. 


Monday, September 13, 2021

टाइगर रिज़र्व की महिला वनकर्मी को धमकाने का मामला

टाइगर रिज़र्व की महिला वनकर्मी को धमकाने का मामला


कोटा:- मुकुंदरा हिल्स टाइगर रिज़र्व में एक नाव संचालक ठेकेदार द्वारा महिला वनकर्मी को धमकाए जाने का मामला सामने आया है। 

रिज़र्व में नाव संचालन हेतु, सीसीएफ ऑफिस के पास तैनात महिला फारेस्ट गर्द जेठी इंचार्ज को ठेकेदार, बनवारी यदुवंशी, तुषार यदुवंशी एवं नरेंद्र यदुवंशी नें डराया व धमकाया जिसके बाद महिला फारेस्ट गार्ड नें किशोरपुरा थाने में लिखित में मुकदमा दर्ज करवाया। 

घटना 15 दिन पुरानी बताई जा रही लेकिन वन द्वारा अभीतक उक्त ठेकेदार एवं उसके साथियों पर कोई पुख़्ता कार्यवाई नहीं की गई है वहीं पुलिस द्वारा भी उक्त मामले में अभी तक ठेकेदार को गिरफ्तार कर पुछताछ नहीं की गई है।

वहीं घटनाक्रम को लेकर वन्यजीव प्रेमियों एवं वन कर्मचारियों के संगठन में खासा आक्रोश है। उक्त मामले को लेकर वन्यजीव एक्टिविस्ट अनिल रोजर्स उदयपुर, बाबू लाल जाजू भिलवाड़ा, जीव रक्षा संस्था, बीकानेर, पथिक लोक सेवा समिति, सवाई माधोपुर, राजस्थान अधीनस्थ वन कर्मचारी संघ नें अपनी आपत्ति दर्ज करवाई है। 

गौरतलब है बनवारी एवं इसके साथियों पर मुकुंदरा टाइगर रिज़र्व में घुसकर रात में सर्च लाइट डाल पैंथर जैसे वन्यजीवों को परेशान करने का भी आरोप है वहीं इसके व इसके साथियों के खिलाफ कई शिकायतें वन विभाग में आला अधिकारियों को दर्ज करवाई जा चुकी है। इसके बावज़ूद महिला वनकर्मी को डराने और धमकाने जैसे गंभीर मामलों पर कोई पुख़्ता कार्यवाई अभी तक नहीं होना सम्बंधित अधिकारियों की कार्यशैली पर प्रश्नचिन्ह खड़े करता है। 

मुकुंदरा टाइगर रिज़र्व में बाघों का पुनर्वास एक तरह से फेल हो गया था, यहां या तो अधिकांश बाघ मर गए या लापता हो गए, अवैध सफ़ारी भी मुकुंदरा की बड़ी समस्याओं में से रही है, वहीं गांवों का स्वेच्छिक विस्थापन न हो पाना आदि समस्याएं भी मुकुंदरा के विकास के सामने बाधा बनकर खड़ी हैं। उसके साथ ही मुकुंदरा फारेस्ट स्टाफ की कमी से भी झूझ रहा है। ऐसे में ठेकेदारों द्वारा एक महिला वनकर्मी को डराया धमकाया जाना किसी शर्मिंदगी से कम नहीं है। 

राजस्थान के सभी वन्यजीव प्रेमियों एवं वन विभाग के कर्मचारी संगठनों की पुरज़ोर मांग है कि ऐसे आपराधिक तत्वों पर जल्द से जल्द कार्यवाई कर प्रदेश की जनता के सामने नज़ीर पेश करें।


Friday, September 03, 2021

 Story of the Two Tigress Outside Protected Area

Story of the Two Tigress Outside Protected Area

                    File Photo: T-35 (Sultanpur Tigress)

Ranthambhore, 3 Sept: There are stories of many tigers moving out of the Protected Area, but sometimes they themselves either move into another protected area or sometimes they're tranquilized by the forest department and either shifted to another Tiger Reserve or sent back to the same place from where they moved out. 

But here is a story of 2 Tigress that not only survived outside the protected area for a long time but one of them also reproduced, one of them died in suspicious circumstances.

These two Successful Tigresses are 1st T-35 The Sultanpur Tigress (Kota) and 2nd T-117 aka Badli the Sarmathura Tigress (Dhaulpur).

T-35 the Sultanpur Tigress moved out of Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve and she moved to Sultanpur a Juliflora dominated and ravine landscape in the year 2010, she was the daughter of T-27 known as Gilai Sagar Female. 

Her childhood was spent in Gilai Sagar, Aam Chouki, and Tumaka area under the Protection of her mother, but when she moved out she was now all alone, dependent on herself. 

T-35 or the Sultanpur Tigress ruled the area for almost 6 Years means up to 2016. 

Unfortunately, Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve has declared Tiger Reserve in 2013 the Tigress stayed there just near 50 km from Kota Headquarters but No Concrete Efforts were made at that time to shift the Tigress to MHTR. 

She was found dead in Khawada village in Sultanpur in mysterious conditions near a blue bull kill a possible poisoning of the carcass was suspected. 

Several wildlife activists at that time alleged that she has been deliberately killed because she was feeding on cattle. 

Meanwhile, officials at that time ruled out the possibilities of carcass poisoning and asked the media to wait for Postmortem Investigation. 

Later everyone forgot what happened to Sultanpur Tigress and the reports were buried in the past. 

Therefore keeping herself alive for almost 6 years outside a protected and near-human-dominated landscape, under unfavorable conditions is really a tough task.

                   T-117(Badli with cubs)

Similarly T-117 aka Badli daughter of T-92 Sundari T-72 Sultan, who was born in Kailadevi's Mandarachal area with her sister T-118 Varsha, moved out from Phase-II of the Protected Ranthambhore Tiger Project and moved to Territorial Division of Dhaulapur which is not a Tiger Reserve surprisingly she gave birth to 2 cubs in Sarmathura area with her partner T-116 male. 

This tigress is under continuous vigilance of the territorial forest staff but when any tiger is mostly dependent on cattle conflict with humans is inevitable. 

Hope that the staff will be on the highest level of vigilance, and the Story of Sultanpur will not be repeated.


 





Thursday, September 02, 2021

African Cheetah introduction in MHTR, How much Feasible?

African Cheetah introduction in MHTR, How much Feasible?


Kota, Jhalawar, Bundi, Chittor: Struggling terribly to Save its Tigers, Now MHTR is focusing its eye on African Cheetahs. 

Some African Cheetahs are likely to be shifted from South Africa probably during December 2021 or Jan 2022.

They will be introduced in Palpur Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary of Madhya Pradesh, the survey by the WII Dehradun team for the introduction of Cheetahs has been conducted in these places of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh namely, 1. Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve, 2. Shergarh Wildlife Sanctuary, 3. Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, 4. Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary, 5. Madhav National Park and 5. Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary. 

Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary of Madhyapradesh was considered as the best suitable choice for the introduction of Cheetahs keeping in mind all the safety and prey-base factors of a species introduction back in wild to India. 

Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve which is almost 759 square km in area and having an 80 square kilometer Predator Proof Fencing, the MHTR lobby is now trying to get 3-4 Cheetahs of 12 which are going to be shifted in Kuno.

Tigers were introduced in MHTR in 2018 and within 2 years out of 7, Six Tigers died and disappeared, huge male Tiger also the first Tiger of MHTR MT-1 disappeared from within the enclosure and was still not been found. 

Problems which MHTR has that Predator Proof Fencing and Security wall is broken from many places even one can enter with jeep from these points inside the enclosure. 

20 crores Predator Proof Fencing is not at all predator-proof, there are Leopards, Hyena and Wolves inside the 80 square kilometer enclosure, which can give competition to newly introduced species, meanwhile locals cattle and livestock has access to the enclosure from broken wall and fence areas, illegal grazing is a major problem in MHTR.

In MHTR's core, there are almost 16 villages, out of which 1 Ghati Village has been completely relocated. People were caught destroying anti-poaching and surveillance camera system in MHTR, there are illegal Safaris in MHTR, till now MHTR is not fully and functionally open for Tourism, but people who operate illegal safari penetrate and illegally trespass into the forest of MHTR with the help of the corrupt lower staff. 

Prey base is already a major problem in MHTR. With current conditions, experts say that it unsuitable for African Cheetahs.

Until and Unless things are changed or improved or taken up to the Task, New Species introduction looks un-feasible in MHTR.