INDIA: Snow Leopards Spotted In Himachal’s Spiti valley,Wildlife Smugglers Arrested,Tigress Delivers Four Cubs

Manali: It was not only a big surprise but a matter of thrill for the locals and also the tourists when three snow leopards were sighted together near a village here.

According to a senior forest officials, the highly endangered snow leopard numbering three were spotted in village Komic by the locals and also the tourists who without wasting time captured the rare images in their respective cameras.

He said that the cold deserts of Spiti in the hill state of Himachal Pradesh is considered a safe and conducive habitat for breeding of this rare feline species. “Probably this alone is the reason why on some occasions, the locals and now the tourists have been lucky enough to have a glimpse of this beautiful animal,” said the forest official.

As per estimates of conservation organisations, the number of snow leopards in the wild in 12 countries of the world where they are found stood at around 7,000.

“It was for the first time that three snow leopards were spotted together and in all probability it was a mother with its two full grown cubs,” said an expert adding that snow leopards are solitary animals and as such only one individual is sighted generally.

The forest official said that a number of tourists visit Spiti valley to take a chance of spotting snow leopard, which otherwise is a rare sight.

Apart from ibex and blue sheep which are wild prey animals for snow leopards these carnivores also prey frequently on domestic livestock like goat and sheep of villagers. This also is the reason for snow leopard being sighted in vicinity of villages.

Tigress delivers four cubs in Pench Reserve

Bhopal: Certainly a development to rejoice as a tigress in Pench Tiger reserve has given birth to four cubs.

Pench Tiger Reserve has over 50 adult tigers

A senior forest officials said that it was the seventh litter of the tigress which is popularly known as “Collarwali” as it was a radio collared by authorities to monitor its movement in the reserve. “Till now, this tigress has given birth to 26 cubs in its seven litters and this is a record for a tigress in the wild of the state,” pointed out the official.

He said that a week back, the four cubs with the tigress were spotted by the forest guards on their routine patrol.

The Collorwali tigress in question is also called as ‘Queen of Pench’ and by some as ‘Pench princess’.

The forest official said that this tigress had given birth to 18 cubs between 2008 and 2013 and out of that 14 survived.

“Four cubs in a litter is rarity but but owing to genetics or chromosome configuration some tigress have more than two cubs and is normal but rare, ” said an expert.

He said that if prey is plentiful in the area where this type of phenomenon is observed, chances of survival of all the cubs born in the litter are very high.

It may be mentioned here that Pench Tiger Reserve has over 50 adult tigers.

Wildlife smugglers arrested, 23 red crowned roof turtle recovered

Agra: At least 23 rare species of red crowned roof turtle, popularly called `lal tilakdhari’, were recovered from international wildlife smugglers by a team of forest and police officials in a joint operation.

According to a senior forest official, in a joint operation by the forest department and the UP STF, success was achieved in nabbing wildlife smuggler Ajay Singh and his accomplice Deependra Singh. From the arrested wildlife smugglers 23 rare species of turtle, the red crowned roof turtle (Batagur kachuga) was recovered. The consignment was being transported to Chennai, said the forest official.

The forest official said that the critically endangered seized species of turtle is protected under Schedule (I) of the Indian Wildlife Act.

Though as per information, there had been regular inputs from the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) about these turtles being smuggled in huge numbers but not a single turtle was seized in last five years but with the change of guard, the priority of the administration seems to have changed and the result is there for one and all to see, said a wildlife expert.

Sources in the police said that the arrested wildlife smuggler had been actively involved in poaching for at least five years. He had been poaching the turtles from Yamuna and Chambal and then from there transporting the turtle to Chennai and Bengal for selling them in international market to fetch lucrative price.

“This was confessed by the arrested poacher during interrogation,” said a police official.

He said that the seized variety of turtle (red crowned roof turtle) are normally sold at the rate of about Rs 4,000 per turtle and the same fetches a whooping sum of Rs 1.5 to 2 lakh in Thailand and Singapore.

The recovered turtles will be released in their natural habitat, said the forest official.

INDIA: Unique Idea To Stop Poaching At Pench National Park

Located at a distance of around 70km from Nagpur, the tiger reserve — which was declared as India's 25th reserve in 1999 — has a 257.26 sq km core area bordering Madhya Pradesh and a 483.96 sq km buffer zone. It also has an eco-tourism area.

The state forest department is trying to kill two birds with one stone. To deter poaching, illegal tree felling and grazing in the buffer zone of the Pench wildlife sanctuary, the authorities have begun a unique experiment where tourism and increased footfalls would be used to deter intrusions into the protected areas.

On an experimental basis, the authorities would allow tourists to take part in guided foot patrolling, machan watch tourism (during summers) and vehicle patrolling. The revenue earned from the initiative would be ploughed back into the local community from where guides would also be selected, so that they are involved in the conservation effort and collude with poachers.

"This would act as a protection mechanism against poaching. Poachers would not enter the forest areas due to the presence of people. It will also provide employment for the locals," MS Reddy, chief conservator of forests and field director of the Pench Tiger Project, told dna, adding that this was the first time that the experiment was being tried out in Maharashtra.

Otherwise, night time movement is not allowed in the forest. "We do not have sufficient vehicles and staff. So, we are encouraging more people to come to the area," Reddy said, adding that "people will enjoy moving around in the forest at night as it would enable them to witness nocturnal life."

The pilot project will be undertaken in the Nagalwadi range, which is part of the buffer zone of the tiger project. This range, coupled with the Pavni range, together cover 202 sq km area of the buffer zone, and sees illegal tree felling, grazing of animals and poaching. The Nagalwadi range was handed over to the reserve from the Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM) in April, 2015.

Located at a distance of around 70km from Nagpur, the tiger reserve — which was declared as India's 25th reserve in 1999 — has a 257.26 sq km core area bordering Madhya Pradesh and a 483.96 sq km buffer zone. It also has an eco-tourism area.

The reserve — which has 21 tigers, 33 species of mammals, over 160 bird species, reptiles, fishes and amphibians — is an important corridor between the forest areas of Madhya Pradesh (Pench Tiger Reserve) and Nagzira-Navegaon and Tadoba- Andhari Tiger Reserves in Maharashtra.

Patrolling on foot in the jungles during the night and afternoon will be a unique experience for tourists and enable them to see bio-diversity as against travelling by vehicle in forest areas, wherein they can sight only big animals. The tourists will be accompanied by forest guards and guides on these trails.

The machans in the forests are otherwise used once a year for wildlife counting. Now, tourists would be able to use them seven times a month, i.e. during full moon nights and three days before and after it to sight animals from February 15 to June 15. Tourists will also be able to travel with forest guards in vehicles at night and the wee hours of the morning for patrolling.

However, to prevent poachers from infiltrating as tourists and prevent unruly behavior, the department has taken a series of measures like restricting numbers, allowing small batches, taking identity proofs, making it mandatory for visitors to register at least four days in advance and giving priority to people and NGOs working for conservation.

The use of liquor, narcotics, cigarettes, tobacco and search lights, gutkha, mobiles will also be banned, though binoculars would be allowed.

"Our forest guards will accompany them, which will prevent activities like drinking. Vehicles will also be checked," said Reddy.

Part of the funds generated will be given to the guides, who will be locals, while the remaining amount will be ploughed back into the local gram samiti and the Pench Tiger Conservation Foundation.