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Tiger numbers dropped by more than 70 percent in last decade, says WWF

Washington, January 27 (ANI): A new report from the WWF (World Wildlife Fund) has determined that the numbers of tigers in the wild in Southeast Asia have dropped by more than 70 percent in a little more than a decade.

According to a report by the National Geographic Society, the WWF says there were an estimated 12-hundred tigers in the Greater Mekong region during the last “Year of the Tiger” in 1998, while today, WWF estimates there are only about 350 there.

Wild tigers have even been wiped out in several reserves set up to protect them.

The Greater Mekong region includes China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.

As for the reason for the drop, WWF says the tiger crisis has developed because of deliberate and large-scale illegal hunting of tigers for body parts, mostly for use in traditional medicine.

The WWF hopes to raise awareness and funds to stop the poaching.

According to the Chinese Zodiac, 2010 is the Year of the Tiger.

Later this month, ministers from 13 tiger range countries will meet in Thailand for a conference on tiger conservation.

It’s hoped the governments will agree on future needs in protecting this big cat from extinction. (ANI)

Tiger found dead at Pench National Park

Bhopal, Jan 28 (IANS) A seven-year-old tiger was found dead at the Pench National Park in Madhya Pradesh, officials said Thursday.
“The tiger was found dead in a lake located in the Karmajhiri Range of the park Wednesday. Prima facie, it appears to be a case of poisoning,” Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) T.R. Sharma told IANS.

“During the post mortem conducted at the park, the liver and kidney of the animal were found enlarged pointing to a possibility of poisoning,” he said.

The post mortem was conducted in the presence of a representative from World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) as per the protocol established by the National Tiger Conservation Authority.

The viscera that has been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory at Sagar for tests would, however, conclusively establish whether the animal was poisoned, Sharma said.

The tiger had been radio collared Jan 7 to facilitate research for scholars from the Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India.

On Dec 24, 2009, two tiger cubs died of cold in the same park located in Seoni district in southern Madhya Pradesh, bordering Maharashtra.

India to spend Rs 200 crore for tiger conservation: Jairam Ramesh

Sunderbans (West Bengal), Jan 13(ANI): Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh said that India will spend around Rs 200 crore over the next five years for the development of Sundarbans biosphere in West Bengal.

Sunderbans is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a home to more than 400 Royal Bengal Tigers.

During his maiden visit to the world’s largest delta, Ramesh said that the Centre will infuse Rs 200 crore for integrated coastal zone management from World Bank by June end.

The grant will be used for plantation, wildlife protection and anti-trafficking activities under the Project Tiger scheme of the federal government.

Ramesh also informed that the government has plans for the locals residing in the adjacent areas to reduce their dependence on forests.

“We will spend Rs 200 crore on the conservation of Sunderbans…we also have plans for locals residing in adjacent areas, we will have to do something for them we will provide assistance for rain water harvesting and employment security of locals,” Ramesh said.

“We will join hands with the provincial government for the development of Sunderbans Eco-system. We will provide every possible support to the provincial government, whatever the government demanded we will provide,” he added.

Project Tiger, a Union Government scheme has been under implementation since 1973.

The main objective of the project is to ensure a viable tiger population in India for scientific, economic, aesthetic, cultural and ecological values and to preserve for all time, areas of biological importance as a natural heritage for the benefit, education and enjoyment of the people.

Initially, the Project started with nine tiger reserves, covering an area of 16,339 square kilometers, with a population of 268 tigers. At present there are 27 tiger reserves covering an area of 37761 square kilometers with a population of 1498 tigers. (ANI)

Camera traps yield images of rare tigress, cubs

Washington, Jan 8 (IANS) Camera traps deep in the Sumatran jungle have captured first-time images of a rare female tiger and her cubs, giving researchers unique insight into the elusive tiger’s behaviour.
After a month in operation, specially designed video cameras installed by WWF-Indonesia’s researchers seeking to record tigers in the Sumatran jungle caught the mother tiger and her cubs on film as they stopped to sniff and check out the camera trap.

The video camera also captured images of a male Sumatran tiger and its prey, wild boar and deer, as well as many other species such as tapirs, macaques, porcupines and civets.

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is operating dozens of infrared-triggered camera traps, in Sumatran province of Raiu, which start shooting once they sense body heat.

They have become an important tool to identify which areas of the forest are used by tigers, and to identify individual animals to monitor the population.

There are as few as 400 Sumatran tigers left in the wild and they are under relentless pressure from poaching and clearing of their habitat. After five years of studying tigers using wildlife-activated camera traps set up in the forest, these are the first images of a tiger with offspring.

“We are very concerned though, because the territory of this tigress and its cubs is being rapidly cleared by two global paper companies, palm oil plantations, encroachers, and illegal loggers,” said Karmila Parakkasi, who leads WWF-Indonesia’s tiger team.

The discovery comes as WWF prepares to launch a campaign Feb 14 to coincide with the start of the Year of the Tiger in the Chinese calendar.

“We want to change the course of tiger conservation,” said Mike Baltzer, leader of WWF’s global Tiger Initiative.

“It’s not just about saving the tiger from extinction, but about doubling their number by 2022,” added Baltzer, according to a WWF release.

Tigress found dead, three cubs missing in Bandhavgarh

Bhopal, Aug 20 (IANS) The depleting number of big cats in Madhya Pradesh has gone down further with one more tigress found dead at Bandhavgarh national park and her three cubs also untraceable, wildlife officials said Thursday. This is the third tiger death at Bandhavgarh this year.
“Park employees saw the body of the tigress aged around 6 years in Pator range of the park Tuesday evening. No injury marks were found on her body and she is suspected to have died of consuming some poisonous thing,” said Chief Wildlife Warden R.S. Negi.

He said the tigress had three cubs – one male and two female, aged around 7 months, but there was no trace of these cubs too after the tigress’s body was found.

Negi said a deputy ranger saw the tigress in distress on Tuesday and reported the matter. The tigress went under a culvert, where it was later found dead. Senior officials, including Director Chandrakant Patil, reached the spot and took the carcass into custody.

There were no visible injury marks on the big cat, Negi added.

A post-mortem examination was ordered and according to new norms by the National Tiger Conservation Authority, a panel of experts was required to be present when it was carried out.

Government veterinarian J.P. Tripathi, who carried out the process, said the death of the tigress seems to have been caused by poisoning because there were no signs of injury on the body.

He said the viscera would be sent for tests to the forensic science laboratory in Sagar and veterinary college, Jabalpur, for histopathology reports to confirm the cause of the tigress’s death.

More at : Tigress found dead, three cubs missing in Bandhavgarh http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/enviornment/tigress-found-dead-three-cubs-missing-in-bandhavgarh_100235400.html#ixzz0eb2F8Hbq

121 breeding tigers in Nepal spells new ray of hope for the species

Washington, July 28 (ANI): Conservationists worrying about the fate of the majestic tiger can now breathe a sign of relief as about 121 breeding tigers are estimated to have been found in Nepal.

The figures announced by the Nepal Government’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC) shows the presence of 121 (100 – 194) breeding tigers in the wild

within the four protected areas of Nepal.

The 2008 tiger population estimate was jointly implemented by the DNPWC, Department of Forests (DOF), WWF, National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC) with support from Save The Tiger Fund (STF), WWF-US, WWF-UK, WWF International and US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

“To obtain reliable population estimates of wide ranging species like the tiger, it is important to undertake the survey simultaneously in all potential habitats,” said Dr. Rinjan Shrestha, Conservation Biologist with WWF Nepal.

Previous studies had been undertaken in different time periods and at different spatial scales.

“To derive information on both abundance and distribution of tigers, the current survey employed two methods – Camera Trapping method inside the protected areas and Habitat Occupancy survey both inside and outside the protected areas,” said Dr. Shrestha.

“The tiger numbers have increased in Chitwan but decreased in Bardia and Shuklaphanta,” said Anil Manandhar, Country Representative, WWF Nepal.

“In spite of the decade long insurgency, encroachment, poaching and illegal trade, the present numbers is a positive sign, but we can’t remain unworried. The declining numbers in western Nepal has posed more challenges, needing a concerted effort to save this charismatic endangered species focusing on anti-poaching and illegal wildlife trade,” he added.

The Government of Nepal has approved and launched the ‘Tiger conservation Action Plan 2008- 2012′.

A comprehensive management plan has been devised in which the target is to increase the population of tigers by 10 per cent within the first 5 year period of the plan implementation.

“Tigers can not be saved by the effort of a single individual or a single organization,” said Gopal Prasad Upadhyay, Director General, DNPWC.

“The transboundary relation with India needs to be strengthened further and all organizations should work together to conserve tigers,” he added. (ANI)

More at : 121 breeding tigers in Nepal spells new ray of hope for the species http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/health/121-breeding-tigers-in-nepal-spells-new-ray-of-hope-for-the-species_100223877.html#ixzz0eb1bBk7f

Centre signs tripartite agreement with Rajasthan and NTCA to conserve Tigers

Sariska (Rajasthan), July 26 (ANI): The Union Government, has signed a tripartite agreement with the Rajasthan Government and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) for the conservation of tiger in the Sariska and Ranthambore tiger reserve.

The pact was signed after a two day all India meet of field directors of tiger reserves in Sariska on Saturday.

Speaking on this occasion, Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh said, Rajasthan has promised accountability and adequate utilization of funds as the Centre plans to release rupees 300 million for the conservation of tigers in its two tiger reserves.

“I am happy that Rajasthan is the first state where we are having this tripartite agreement,” Ramesh said.

Three tigers- one male and two females were relocated from Ranthambore to Sariska reserve after it lost all of big cats, mainly due to poaching and other reasons.

Ranthambore, spread over 700 sq km area, has more than 40 tigers in the national park.

India has half the world’s surviving tigers, but conservationists says the country is losing the battle to save the big cats. There were about 40,000 tigers in India a century ago, but decades of poaching had cut their number to about 3,700, according to a count conducted in 2001 and 2002.

According to conservationists the new census results suggested there was a decline of 65 percent in Madhya Pradesh, which has one of the largest populations of tigers in the country.

It is difficult to trace the exact figures of tiger because of its shy nature. No government keeps the records on poaching, is also a blockade to the conservation efforts.

The trade of tiger parts and products are illegal but poachers still operate with impunity because a single animal can fetch up to $50,000 in the international market.

Besides the highly priced tiger skins, organs, teeth, bones and penises of the big cats fetch high prices in the black market, for the Chinese medicine. (ANI)

More at : Centre signs tripartite agreement with Rajasthan and NTCA to conserve Tigers http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/india-news/centre-signs-tripartite-agreement-with-rajasthan-and-ntca-to-conserve-tigers_100223089.html#ixzz0eb04TJfZ