Lions not in, Madhya Pradesh moves to populate Kuno with tigers

25/02/2016
Lions not in, Madhya Pradesh moves to populate Kuno with tigers
Hindustan Times
http://www.hindustantimes.com/bhopal/lions-not-in-madhya-pradesh-moves-to-populate-kuno-with-tigers/story-8oDDVFdvPySnAo67hrRmaM.html
The Madhya Pradesh government is considering introducing tigers in the Kuno-Palpur wildlife sanctuary instead of waiting for the Gujarat government to translocate lions, says a note on the website of the state forest department.

The note in the sub-link titled "Special Conservation Initiatives" said: "If the stalemate is not resolved expeditiously, the state (government) may have to consider introducing tigers in the sanctuary as wasting such a prime a habitat is not in the interest of conservation of wildlife in the state…".

"The government of Madhya Pradesh is very keen to have the lions at the earliest as the state has done everything expected from it, including the relocation of 1,545 poor families, to help conserve this national heritage…", the note said.

In December last year, the union ministry of forest and environment cleared its stand on the state's demand to translocate lions from the Gir National Park in Gujarat to the Kuno-Palpur Wildlife Sanctuary.

In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Union forest and environment minister Prakash Javadekar said translocation of lions from Gujarat to Madhya Pradesh was a "long-term action" and will take more than 25 years.

The note points out that though the state government has asked the Centre to transfer a pride of lions from Gujarat at the earliest, "the government of Gujarat is somehow not inclined to provide the animals for starting the lion population in Kuno and the Centre is now seriously considering the option of using zoo bred animals of certified Asiatic lineage to start the new lion population…"

Narendra Kumar, principal chief conservator of forests, said the suggestion to introduce tigers in Kuno-Palpur came from the National Tiger Conservation Authority after a team visited the sanctuary to study prey base.

On the Centre's argument that the re-introduction project will take 25 years, Kumar said: "We can't wait for such a long time. The habitat has been readied for a carnivore and we will have to do something there. However, the government is yet to discuss about the NTCA suggestion."

Lions not in, Madhya Pradesh moves to populate Kuno with tigers

25/02/2016
Lions not in, Madhya Pradesh moves to populate Kuno with tigers
Hindustan Times
http://www.hindustantimes.com/bhopal/lions-not-in-madhya-pradesh-moves-to-populate-kuno-with-tigers/story-8oDDVFdvPySnAo67hrRmaM.html
The Madhya Pradesh government is considering introducing tigers in the Kuno-Palpur wildlife sanctuary instead of waiting for the Gujarat government to translocate lions, says a note on the website of the state forest department.

The note in the sub-link titled "Special Conservation Initiatives" said: "If the stalemate is not resolved expeditiously, the state (government) may have to consider introducing tigers in the sanctuary as wasting such a prime a habitat is not in the interest of conservation of wildlife in the state…".

"The government of Madhya Pradesh is very keen to have the lions at the earliest as the state has done everything expected from it, including the relocation of 1,545 poor families, to help conserve this national heritage…", the note said.

In December last year, the union ministry of forest and environment cleared its stand on the state's demand to translocate lions from the Gir National Park in Gujarat to the Kuno-Palpur Wildlife Sanctuary.

In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Union forest and environment minister Prakash Javadekar said translocation of lions from Gujarat to Madhya Pradesh was a "long-term action" and will take more than 25 years.

The note points out that though the state government has asked the Centre to transfer a pride of lions from Gujarat at the earliest, "the government of Gujarat is somehow not inclined to provide the animals for starting the lion population in Kuno and the Centre is now seriously considering the option of using zoo bred animals of certified Asiatic lineage to start the new lion population…"

Narendra Kumar, principal chief conservator of forests, said the suggestion to introduce tigers in Kuno-Palpur came from the National Tiger Conservation Authority after a team visited the sanctuary to study prey base.

On the Centre's argument that the re-introduction project will take 25 years, Kumar said: "We can't wait for such a long time. The habitat has been readied for a carnivore and we will have to do something there. However, the government is yet to discuss about the NTCA suggestion."

Govt drops lion conservation plan

24/02/2016
Govt drops lion conservation plan
The Times of India City
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Govt-drops-lion-conservation-plan/articleshow/51118087.cms
Gandhinagar: Gujarat government has officially dropped Rs 750 crore 'Long term Conservation of Asiatic Lion Plan' pursued by then CM and now Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the then Congress led UPA government aggressively .

Since past more than five years Gujarat government had pursued the project with the central government and had asked all the Members of Parliament (MPs) to follow the project up with the Union ministry of forest and environment(MoEF) rigorously . However, now the Gujarat government has officially dropped the plan for some unknown reasons. It has also re moved it from the official list of pending issues of Gujarat with the government of India recently given to Gujarat MPs.

The Gujarat government had re-submitted the Rs 750 crore 'Long term Conservation of Asiatic Lion Plan' to the govern ment of India soon after Narendra Modi had taken over as the Prime Minister in May 2014.

The project was shelved by ear lier UPA government. The key component of the plan was to relocate Maldharis from the Gir forest at the cost of Rs 97.50 crore outside the forest area and construction of ring road to restrict vehicle movement in the forest at approximate cost of Rs.600 crore.

When asked, state forest and environment minister Mangubhai Patel said, "The government of India has not approved the plan yet. However, we will pursue the project. It has been dropped from the list for some reasons.'' The minister, however, did not specify the reason.

The plan was first submitted to the deputy inspector general of forests (wildlife), MoEF in 2009 for the funding under the centrally sponsored scheme, out of which government of India's expected share was 90% of the cost. The main objective of the proposal was conservation of Asiatic lion and its associate biota in the greater Gir region including the Gir sanctuary and national park with main components like relocation of Maldharis (Rs 97.50 crore), habitat improvement (Rs 15 crore), wildlife protection (Rs 30 crore), veterinary care, rescue and conflict management(Rs 7.50 crore) eco-development, awareness, participation and ecotourism etc.

The state government had submitted a proposal for Asiatic Lion conservation under which construction of ring road around the Gir Protected Area System (Gir National Park and Gir, Pania, Mitiyala and Girnar Sanctuaries) was proposed at an approximate cost of Rs 600 crore.

Earlier the project was downsized by the Planning Commission of India to Rs 150 crore (except the ring road).Thereafter, it was dropped by the earlier Union government.Gir ring road proposal was also rejected by the government of India. After Modi took over as PM the state government forwarded these proposals to the government of India. However, it received no response since Modi came to power.

Entangled in net, two Asiatic lion cubs found dead in Gujarat

13/02/2016
Entangled in net, two Asiatic lion cubs found dead in Gujarat
The Indian Express
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/entangled-in-net-two-asiatic-lion-cubs-found-dead-in-gujarat/

Two cubs of Asiatic lions were killed after they allegedly got entangled in fishing net tied round an agricultural field to protect the crop from wild animals, in Nageshri village of Rajula taluka of Amreli on Saturday.

Forest officers got a message that two lion cubs were lying dead on the agricultural field of Mohan Parmar in Nagreshri at around 8:30 am. "The lion cubs were found near a fishing net tied round the field of Parmar. So, we suspect that the cubs might have got entangled in the net and suffocated to death as there were no outer injury marks on their body. But the exact cause of their death will be known only after we get post-mortem reports," Rajula range forest officer (RFO) CB Dhandhya said.

The RFO further said that both the cubs were around three-month-old and female. "Our tracker party has traced the mother lioness of the cubs and are keeping a watch over her movement," he further said.

Blue bulls and wild boars damage standing crops in many parts of Amreli, including in Rajula taluka. Too ward off these animals and protect their crops, farmers fence their fields with discarded fishing nets.

"Even if it turns out that the cubs were killed after being entrapped in fishing net on Parmar's field, it will not constitute a crime and nobody has been booked as of now. It is unnatural death but no criminal angle prima facie," added Dhandhya.

Asiatic lions are an endangered species and enjoys highest level of protection in India. Killing a lion can attract seven years of imprisonment.

The only wild population of Asiatic lions in the world is surviving in Gir forest and other protected areas in Junagadh, Gir Somnath, Amreli and Bhavnagar districts in Saurashtra region of Gujarat. The 2015 census had pegged their number at 523. A number of them were spotted in revenue and protected areas in Amreli district, including in Rajula.

2 lion cubs found dead near Gir

14/02/2016
2 lion cubs found dead near Gir
The Hindu
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/2-lion-cubs-found-dead-near-gir/article8234663.ece
Two lion cubs, entangled in a fishing net were found dead in a village in the Amreli district of Gujarat. The fishing net was tied around a farm to protect the crop from wild animals.

According to forest department officials, two three-month-old cubs probably died due to suffocation after they got entrapped in the net.

The bodies of the cubs were sent for post-mortem to ascertain the exact cause of death since there was no outer injury.

Fenced fields

In the villages bordering Gir forest, farmers often fence their fields with fishing nets or barbed wire to ward off blue bulls and wild boars which damage crops.

Gujarat's Gir forest and surrounding areas spread over a half-a-dozen districts like Junagadh, Somnath, Bhavnagar, Amreli and Dwarka are the only habitats of Asiatic lions in Asia.

As per the last count conducted in 2015, the total number of lions found in the Gir forest and surrounding areas is 523.

Leopard kills four-year-old girl in Gir Somnath

17/02/2016
Leopard kills four-year-old girl in Gir Somnath
The Indian Express
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/leopard-kills-four-year-old-girl-in-gir-somnath/

Police said the leopard attacked Prabha Parmar, 4, at around 3 am while she was asleep with her other siblings in their hut.
A four-year-old girl was mauled to death on Tuesday by a leopard near Juna village in Gir Somnath district, police said.

Prabha Parmar and her family members were asleep when the leopard entered their hut at around 3 am and dragged away the child to a nearby millet field. Prabha's elder sister raised alarm and even her father chased the animal, but it disappeared in the millet field.

The child's partially-eaten boyd was later found by local forest officers, even as the leopard remained untraceable.

"Forest officials have concluded that the girl was indeed attacked by a leopard. Her body bore injuries caused by canine teeth and claws of the animal. The leopard also ate away parts of the body," Gir Gadhda ASI Ramesh Vyas said. Meanwhile, forest officers placed three cages in the evening to trap the leopard. "We located the leopard during the search for the girl, but it vanished immediately. We have placed three trap cages in the field from where the body of the child was recovered," range forest officer of Jasadhar Jayantilal Pandya said. Jasadhar is part of Gir east forest division which constitutes lion territory in Saurashtra region. 

Gujarat government reduced Gir sanctuary no-go area from 2km to 1km, alleges Congress

09/02/2016

Gujarat government reduced Gir sanctuary no-go area from 2km to 1km, alleges Congress 
The Economic Times
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/environment/developmental-issues/gujarat-government-reduced-gir-sanctuary-no-go-area-from-2km-to-1km-alleges-congress/articleshow/50909730.cms
NEW DELHI: Congress on Monday accused the Gujarat government of reducing the permissible limit for construction around Gir sanctuary to benefit business associates of the chief minister. It sought a court-monitored investigation into the allegations of land scam, and urged the SC to take suo moto cognisance of the case since it involved powerful people like the Prime Minister and the CM. 

AICC spokesman Manish Tewari said the Gujarat government issued an order on July 1, 2015 which went  against the grain of wildlife protection. "Rather than protecting the Asiatic lion and the Gir forest, the government decided to bring down the no-go area from 2 km to 1 km. Is this customisation of policy taking place and for whose benefit?" he asked. 

The state, in February 2010, had laid down that no commercial activity was permissible within 2 km of Gir, while in October 2010, the collector of Amreli district allotted 9,94,08,024 sq metres of land to a company with business links to a company with business links to the CM's daughter. Tewari said most of the land belonging to the company came under the 1-2 km area. 

"Unfortunately, the silence of both the PM and the CM has been deafening... who is benefitting from the flagrant violation of the Environment Protection Act and the Wildlife Act, and I ask the PM, if this is not corruption, then would you care to explain as to what exactly is this?" Tiwari said. 

India to follow Gujarat conservation model

10/02/2016
India to follow Gujarat conservation model
THE TIMES OF INDIA CITY
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/India-to-follow-Gujarat-conservation-model/articleshow/50924596.cms
Ahmedabad: The success of Gujarat's community-based wildlife conservation model will soon be replicated across the country . The Union ministry of forest and environment has proposed employing the 'Van Praani Mitra' model in sanctuary areas and adjoining localities across the country .

The 12-member committee developing the National Wildlife Action Plan (NWAP) to be put into effect from 2017 is also keen on following the Gujarat model. The NWAP committee headed by J C Kala, former Union secretary will now have its next meeting on or around February 20 at Gir.

Besides the `van mitra' model, successful models of rescue and treatment of wild animals followed in Gujarat will also be implemented in other states. It is worthy to note that concerned officials from several states have already undergone training at the Sasan rescue centre.

HS Singh, a member of the National Board for Wildlife, said that Gujarat has successfully implemented good practices in wildlife conservation and they should be replicated in other places. "If the model of appointing `van mitras' is implemented across the country , it would definitely curb illegal activity related to wildlife, and will help in long term conservation of wildlife in the country ," said Singh.

Principal chief conservator of forest, S C Pant, who is also part of the committee developing the 15-year action plan, said, "Gujarat first adopted the scheme of recruiting `friends of wildlife' after the poaching of eight lions that took place outside Gir forest in 2007. To ensure communitybased conservation of wildlife and lions, the forest department appointed 300 `van mitras' who bridge the gap between locals and forest officials and also inform the department about wildlife related incidents and illegal activities".
These `van mitras' are paid only Rs1,000 per month and are provided dresses of forest beat guards.

"If any lion enters a village or a house or falls in a well, the first job of the van mitra is to inform the forest department, and then put on the beat guard uniform to reach the spot and prevent local mobs from harming the animal," added Pant.

In order to provide immediate rescue, the forest department in Gujarat has opened a rescue centre in each district inhabited by lions. Forest officials said that on an average, over 800-odd animals are rescued from lion territory every year.

12 foresters transferred

07/02/2016
12 foresters transferred
Nyoooz
http://www.nyoooz.com/ahmedabad/347850/12-foresters-transferred
Summary: AHMEDABAD: In a major reshuffle 12 forest officers were transferred, including Sandeep Kumar, the sanctuary superintendent of Sasan. The department also promoted three assistan conservators of forests as deputy conservators of fo rests.Sandeep Kumar was transferred from Sasan and sent as deputy conservator of forests to the Narmada division.Kumar will be replaced by Ram Ratan Nala, who was DCF Gir West. Nala has been replaced by Pradeep Singh, who was DCF Surendranagar.Among the assistant conservators of forests who have been promoted as deputy conservator of forests are Dheeraj Mittal Dang-Ahwa), Mohan Ran Narmada Division) and Nisha Raj (Vyara).Mittal will continue in Dang, Mohan Ram will be DCF Social Forestry replacing M R Gujjar.Nisha Raj will be DCF social forestry at Navsari.

AHMEDABAD: In a major reshuffle 12 forest officers were transferred, including Sandeep Kumar, the sanctuary superintendent of Sasan. The department also promoted three assistan conservators of forests as deputy conservators of fo rests.Sandeep Kumar was transferred from Sasan and sent as deputy conservator of forests to the Narmada division.Kumar will be replaced by Ram Ratan Nala, who was DCF Gir West. Nala has been replaced by Pradeep Singh, who was DCF Surendranagar.Among the assistant conservators of forests who have been promoted as deputy conservator of forests are Dheeraj Mittal Dang-Ahwa), Mohan Ran Narmada Division) and Nisha Raj (Vyara).Mittal will continue in Dang, Mohan Ram will be DCF Social Forestry replacing M R Gujjar.Nisha Raj will be DCF social forestry at Navsari.. 

Leopard found dead in Gujarat’s Junagadh district

04/02/2016
Leopard found dead in Gujarat's Junagadh district
Nyoooz
http://www.nyoooz.com/ahmedabad/343682/leopard-found-dead-in-gujarats-junagadh-district
Summary: Soon, forest department was informed and forest officers concluded that the big cat was dead. ExpressA leopard was found dead outside an urban health centre in Dhararnagar area of Junagadh city on Wednesday. Incidentally, a leopard was stranded in the official residential bungalow of police superintendent of Junagadh district last year. Express Forest department said the big cat died due to old age. Forest department said the big cat died due to old age.

Forest department said the big cat died due to old age. Express Forest department said the big cat died due to old age. Express A leopard was found dead outside an urban health centre in Dhararnagar area of Junagadh city on Wednesday. 

The forest department said that the big cat died due to old age. Residents of Dhararnagar were scared to spot a leopard lying outside the urban health centre in Dhararnagar area on Bilkha Road of Junagadh on Wednesday morning. Soon, forest department was informed and forest officers concluded that the big cat was dead. "After we were informed at around 8 am, we shifted the leopard carcass to Sakkarbagu Zoo to conduct post-mortem.

04/02/2016
Leopard found dead in Gujarat's Junagadh district
Nyoooz
http://www.nyoooz.com/ahmedabad/343682/leopard-found-dead-in-gujarats-junagadh-district
Summary: Soon, forest department was informed and forest officers concluded that the big cat was dead. ExpressA leopard was found dead outside an urban health centre in Dhararnagar area of Junagadh city on Wednesday. Incidentally, a leopard was stranded in the official residential bungalow of police superintendent of Junagadh district last year. Express Forest department said the big cat died due to old age. Forest department said the big cat died due to old age.

Forest department said the big cat died due to old age. Express Forest department said the big cat died due to old age. Express A leopard was found dead outside an urban health centre in Dhararnagar area of Junagadh city on Wednesday. 

The forest department said that the big cat died due to old age. Residents of Dhararnagar were scared to spot a leopard lying outside the urban health centre in Dhararnagar area on Bilkha Road of Junagadh on Wednesday morning. Soon, forest department was informed and forest officers concluded that the big cat was dead. "After we were informed at around 8 am, we shifted the leopard carcass to Sakkarbagu Zoo to conduct post-mortem.