Monday, May 28, 2012


Asiatic Lion Populations Outgrowing Their Sanctuary in India


The Asiatic lion once roamed through the Indian subcontinent, Mediterranean, and Middle East, but by 1907, the lions were down to only 13, and the Indian prince banned hunting the massive beasts.
As their populations grow, lions are finding their ways into villages, killing livestock and entering people’s homes. They rarely attack humans, but are often injured as villagers have put up rudimentary measures, like electric fences, to keep the predator from making their livestock prey. According to Scientific American, many conservationists and the Indian government think the smart thing to do is to transfer some of them elsewhere. One location where they are looking is the Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary.
But, Gujarat doesn’t want to lose their lions, as both sides weigh the positives and negatives of relocating the animals.
Everyone agrees that it’s great to see the numbers increasing, but with lions creeping up to 500 and the human population in India growing to 1.2 billion, where will they all go? –Brian McClintock

Friday, May 25, 2012

UP: Gir lions to roar in Mulayam's Etawah


Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government has dusted off a 2006 plan to create a miniature version of South Africa's Kruger National Park, whose lion safari draws tourists like a magnet all year round.
Significantly, the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party dispensation has chosen a 50- hectare tract of land in Fisher Forest that lies in Mulayam Singh Yadav's citadel of Etawah. This would be the first ever such project in the state.
Government sources revealed that apart from serving as an attraction for backpackers, the safari will house a lion breeding centre of international standards to augment the captive population of the magnificent Asiatic lion in the country, the Daily Mail reported.
But wildlife experts expressed doubts about the viability of the UP government's ambitious plan.
Conservationist Ananda Banerjee observed: "The first hurdle for the UP government would be procuring lions from its counterpart in Gujarat. The latter has submitted in the Supreme Court that it will not hand over lions to anyone. It refused the Madhya Pradesh government's request in this regard."
Nearly 150 hectares of land in Fisher Forest on Etawah-Gwalior highway, close to the National Chambal Sanctuary and ravines of the Yamuna had been acquired in 2005 during the Mulayam regime and was notified as a Lion Safari. Named after Fisher, collector of Etawah in 1888, the forest lies about 10 km from the Etawah district headquarters. Of the total cost of Rs 5.6 crore, Rs 1.04 crore had been allotted for the safari in 2005.
The project, however, was derailed after Mulayam's exit in 2007 after losing to the BSP.
The land for the project has already been identified in the Fisher Forest area of Etawah. The project would take about two years to complete after the CZA grants approval.
The state government recently sent a request to the Gujarat government asking for a lion and four lionesses needed for natural breeding. The Gir National Park in Junagadh (Gujarat) is the only natural habitat of pure Asian lions in Asia. When the original project had been sent to the CZA in 2005, it had granted approval on the condition that a lion breeding centre be set up as part of the safari.





Tuesday, December 13, 2011

हडमतिया गाव के किसानने लगाये फंदे में फसे तेंदुवे की हुई दर्दनाक मौत

किसानने लगाये फंदे में फसे तेंदुवे की हुई दर्दनाक मौत

रिपोर्ट: हनीफ खोखर, जूनागढ़ - गुजरात.
मंगलवार के दिन एक और तेंदुवे की दर्दनाक मौत हो गई, गुजरात के अमरेली जिले के राजुला के करीब हडमतिया नाम के गाव के एक खेत में किसान ने वयारो के फंदे में फस जाने के कारन तेंदुवे की मौत हो गई है, गिर के जंगल के करीब राजुला तहेसिल के हडमतिया गाव की खेत में यह हादसा हुवा था, तेंदुवे को मौत के घाट उतारने वाले किसान के खिलाफ तेंदुवे की हत्या का मामला दर्ज करके वन विभाग ने किसान को गिरफ्तार कर लिया है. और कोर्ट में पेश कर के रिमांड की भी मांग की है.
गुजरात के अमरेली जिले के राजुला के खिजदिया गाव की खेत में एक और तेंदुवे की दर्दनाक मौत हो गई, किसान नथुभाई वालेराभाई पिंजर के खेत में काम कर रहे उनके भागीदार रमेश काना दोलासिया ने अपने पाक को नुकशान कर रहे भुंड (डूककरो) को फ़साने के लिए मोटर सायकल के क्लच वयारो का फंदा लगाया था मगर इस फंदे में रात के समय डूककरो के बदले तेंदुवा फस गया और उनकी दर्दनाक मौत हो गई, सुबह सुबह खेत में काम करने वाला किसान रमेश काना दोलासिया जब अपनी खेत में काम करने आया तब उसने तेंदुवे की चिल्लाने की आवाज सुनी और उन्होंने देखा तो क्लच वायर में तेंदुवा बुरी तरह से फसा हुवा था और स्टील के तारो से निजत पाने के लिए जुज रहा था, यह देख कर किसान रमेश काना पहेल तो डर गया और फिर बहोत देर के बाद वन विभाग को इस घटना की जानकारी दी मगर जब तक वन विभाग की रेस्क्यू टीम ने वहा पहोचे उनसे पहेले ही तेंदुवे ने दम तोड़ दिया था,
क्लच वायर के फंदे में फसे तेंदुवे को तडपता हुवा देख कर आस पास के खेतो के कई किसान और कई लोग जमा हो गए थे मगर कोई तेंदुवे के पास जाकर बचा नहीं सकता था घंटो तक तेंदुवा तडपता रहा और जीवन के लिए जुजता रहा मगर आख़िरकार वन विभाग की रेस्क्यू टीम आये उस से पहेले कई सो लोगो के सामने ही तेंदुवे ने तडपते तडपते दम तोड़ दिया. वन विभाग के मुताबिक तेंदुवा मादा थी और उनकी उम्र करीब 4 साल की थी क्लच वायरो की जाल में रात से ही फस जाने के कारन करीब दस से बारह घंटे तक फसे रहेने के कारन ही तेंदुवे की मौत हो गई थी, वन विभाग के अमरेली डिविसन के नायब वन संरक्षक जे. के. मकवाना ने बताया की वाइल्ड लाइफ प्रोटेक्सन एक्ट के अनुसार किसान के खिलाफ तेंदुवे की हत्या का मामला दर्ज कर के किसान रमेश काना दोलासिया को गिरफ्तार कर लिया है. तेंदुवा सिलियुल वन की पेरिस्ट में समविस्त है और अति संकटग्रस्त प्रजातियो में से एक है. इस लिए वन विभाग ने किसान को तेंदुवे की हत्या करने जुर्म में गिरफ्तार कर के आज कोर्ट में पेश कर के रिमांड की मांग की है,
भारत सरकार और गुजरात सरकार द्वारा तेंदुवे के संरक्षण के लिए कई प्रोग्राम चलाये जा रहे है और गुजरात का वन विभाग एशियाई शेर और तेंदुवे बचाने की जद्दोजहद के कारन ही गुजरात में तेंदुवे की आबादी बढ़ी है उसमे भी गिर जंगल और आसपास के इस इलाके में तेंदुवे की संख्या भी काफी बढ़ी है. राजुला, सवार कुण्डला और जाफराबाद तहेसिल में तन्दुवे की संख्या बड़ी मात्र बढ़ने के कारन आयेदिन तेंदुवे खेतो और गावो में शिकार की तलाश में आ जाते है और कभी कभा इस तरह की मानव भूल तेंदुवे और शेर जेइसे प्राणियों के लिए मौत का फंदा बनजाता है.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

India House opens in Budapest Zoo

India House opens in Budapest Zoo
By: MTI
2011-07-14 07:42

Endangered Asiatic or Indian lions, striped hyaenas, plum-headed parakeets and many other species are awaiting visitors at the India House, which opened in the Budapest Zoo on Wednesday.

Zoo-goers can also learn about the impact of Indian lions on cultural history and other interesting aspects of the fauna of the sub-continent.

The facility was inaugurated by Indian Ambassador to Budapest Gauri Shankar Gupta and Deputy Foreign State Secretary Janos Hovari.

Director-General Miklos Persanyi said that the zoo keeps about 150 Indian animal species. Only a few hundred Indian lions live in the north-western state of Gujarat in India, he added.

Hovari said at the event that the house will strengthen ties between Hungary and India. "The mystical and inscrutable India" has been attracting Hungarians for two centuries, including such famous people as linguist and explorer Sandor Csoma Korosi, Asia-expert Aurel Stein and orientalist Ervin Baktay, he added.


http://www.caboodle.hu/nc/news/news_archive/single_page/article/11/india_house/?cHash=7ccb50174f

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

जूनागढ़ में कुवे में गिरे तेंदुवे को आखिरकार बचालिया

जूनागढ़ में कुवे में गिरे तेंदुवे को आखिरकार बचालिया

जूनागढ़ दी. 13 जून 2011, हनीफ खोखर,
आज एक और कुवे में गिरे तेंदुवे को
बचालिया गया है, जी गुजरात के जूनागढ़ के गिरनार सेंचुरी से करीब एक खेत के कुवे में एक मादा तेंदुवा गिर गई थी, प्रभातपुर गाव की एक खेत के कुवे में रात के समय ये तेंदुवा गिरा था, फिर वन विभाग की सक्करबाग रेस्क्यू टीम को बुलाया गया, कुवा गाहेरा था और पानी से भरा था अगर तेंदुवे को बेहोशी का इंजेक्सन दिया गया तो तेंदुवे की जान जा सकती थी इस लिए बिना टेंगुलाइज किये तेंदुवे को कुवे से सही सलामत बहार निकलने का फैसला लिया गया, सक्करबाग की रेस्क्यू टीम के लिए ये काम एक चुनोती थी मगर पांच घंटो की मुशक्कत के बाद तेंदुवे को सही सलामत जिन्दा बहार निकला लिया गया और फिर उसे गिरनार के जंगल में आजाद छोड़ दिया गया है.
देखिये इस कुवे को, साठ फिट गहेरे इस कुवे में एक तेंदुवा गिर गया है, रात के समय शिकार की तलाश में घूमता हुवा तेंदुवा इस गहेरे कुवे में गिर गया और जब प्रभात पुर गाव के किसान अपने खेत में पंहुचा और कुवे में जांक के देखा तो एक तेंदुवा करीब कुवे के अन्दर पम्प के मचान के सहारे जिन्दा बचा हुवा था, फ़ौरन किसान ने वन विभाग को इत्तला दी और वन विभाग की रेस्क्यू टीम
पहोच गई, पहेले तो रेस्क्यू टीम ने कुवे का जायजा लिया क्यों के साठ फिट गहेरे इस कुवे में बीस फुट तक पानी भरा हुवा था इस लिए तेंदुवे को बेहोशी का इंजेक्सन देना खतरों से खली नहीं था,
इस लिए बिना टेंगुलाइज तेंदुवे को कुवे से बहार निकलने का फैसला लय गया और फिर सुरु हुवा ओप्रेसन रेस्क्यू. वन विभाग के रेंज फोरेस्टर दीपक पंड्या ने बताया की इस तेंदुवे को पहेले इस तेंदुवे को सक्करबाग़ जू की अनिमल अस्पताल में ले जाया जायेगा, वहा तेंदुवे की पूरी जाँच होगी और उनके बाद आज ही फिर से गिरनार सेंचुरी में छोड़ दिया जायेगा,

रेस्क्यू टीम ने पहेले तो एक मुर्गी मंगवाई और पिंजड़े से मुर्गी को बाँधा गया और फिर चार रस्सी का सहारा लेकर पिंजड़े को कुवे में उतरा गया तेंदुवा जहा पर बता था उस मचान के बरोबर सामने ही पिंजड़े को रखा गया और फिर पिंजड़े का दरवाजा खोला गया, मगर तेंदुवा भी होशियार था वोह ऐसे नहीं मानने वाला था, मगर थोड़ी देर के बाद पिंजड़े के अन्दर बंधी मुर्गी को पकड़ने के लिए धीरे धीरे तेंदुवा पिंजड़े में घुसा और फिर योजना के मुताबिक पिंजड़े का दरवाजा बंध करदिया गया मगर फिर एक समस्या थी पिंजड़े के दरवाजे का ताला अगर नहीं लगाया गया तो तेंदुवा छलांग लगाकर कुवेमे गिर सकता था या बहार निकते समय भी पिंजड़ा खोल कर भाग सकता था, इस लिए रेस्क्यू टीम का एक जवान हिम्मत जुटाकर कुवे में उतरा मगर कुवे में इन्सान को देखकर तेंदुवे ने भी पिंजड़े में हड़कं मचा दिया था मगर रेस्क्यू टी के जवान ताला बांध करने में कामियाब हो गया और पिंजड़े के दरवाजे को ताला लगा दिया और फिर धीरे धीरे पिंजड़ा बहार निकला गया और तेंदुवे को सीधा सक्करबाग़ लेजाया गया वहा तेंदुवे की मेडिकल जाँच होगी और फिर शाम को इस तेंदुवे को गिरनार के जंगल में आजाद छोड़ दिया गया

Monday, April 18, 2011

Did ‘oral orders’ drive range forest officer to his death?

DNA / Jumana Shah / Sunday, April 17, 2011 10:15 IST

The freak suicide of Yadvendrasinh Chauhan has exposed the deep-rooted rot of corruption in government systems in general and in the prestigious Gujarat Ecological Education and Research (GEER) Foundation in particular.

The story so far has been that Chauhan, a DFO in GEER had demanded reimbursements for work he'd done for the organisation.

Officials at GEER, he claimed in his suicide note, had demanded bribe to release the money legitimately due to him. An FIR has been filed in Adalaj police station against director Bharat Pathak and two other officials.

The amount in question is to the tune of Rs10 lakh, of which Rs7 lakh had been paid to him over the past one year and the remaining Rs 3lakh was due. The question that arises is why there was such a hullabaloo over Chauhan's claim for work that was officially assigned to him?

Because, parts of the tasks assigned to him were done 'orally'.For a senior officer to 'give oral orders' refers to assigning important tasks to subordinates without a written sanction.This is an unaccepted practice in government departments, but, as this case has exposed, often used by senior officers.

In fact, highly placed sources confide that lately this practice has been rampant in the department. Most importantly, these 'irregularities' have been pointed out to all the officials in the forest and environment department and the chief secretary by the Gujarat Forest Services association on several occasions.

But absolutely no action has been taken. Shocked by the death of Chauhan, his former colleagues and peers in the services believe that he has been a victim not of the greed of one or two officers, who allegedly demanded bribe from him, but of a deep decay of massive corruption in the system which is being conveniently ignored by the government.

Significantly, GEER Foundation is headed by the chief minister directly and all communication in this matter has been marked to him. But, sources claim there never has been any response from the CMO to letters shot by the association over corruption charges.

“The CM office on the other hand has received international awards for prompt response to any communication with them,” they put rather acidically.

The copy of one such letter written in early 2009, in possession of DNA, clearly states that this practice of giving oral orders was being followed and tasks and expenses out of the purview of the organisation was being undertaken.

The letter states that officers would refuse to sign documents when approached for official sanction. Additional principal chief conservator of forest CN Pandey held the post of director at GEER for a-not-very-common seven long years between 2004 and 2010.

"Senior officers orally give instructions to execute an ambitious project. This is typically done to put showcase projects, like the butterfly park in this case, on the fast track, to impress the powers that be. The responsibility for theproject is with the lower rung officials but the power to sanction the money continues with top bosses," said a reliable source, refusing to be identified for fear of backlash. Not deciding the contours of the project at the outset itself leads to submission of exaggerated claims by executing teams. "For example, work worth Rs1 lakh would be claimed as Rs10 lakh. As there was no sanction to begin with, documents would be forged to clear these claims.Irregularities galore. This is a very very common practice in the entire forest department," said a forester, underlining 'very' several times over.

"Mind you, this is all tax-payers' money," he smiles. In Chauhan's case, this is clearly what has happened. "Because he was under pressure to execute an ambitious project, though orally assigned to him, he perhaps went as far as to pour money from his own pocket to finish it. He was assured by his seniors that the money will be 'adjusted' and granted to him. But that didn't happen and there was a change of guard. The new officials were in the process of 'regularising' the processes, when Chauhan lost patience and committed suicide," he elaborated.

Former director of GEER foundation CN Pandey, however, said he was not aware of the letters written by GFS association and refused to be quoted on the issue.

Chauhan's case, another source adds, is merely the tip of the iceberg. The question is why has the government not taken action to control the rot in the system?"Prosecuting one or two officials is not going to help. No one man is responsible for 'abetting' Chauhan's suicide. It is the corrupt system that has claimed his life," says the veteran officer with firm conviction.

Minister of state for environment and forest Mangubhai Patel refused to comment on the allegations of corruption in GEER or any action to be taken for internal irregularities. He dismissed the question by saying, "I am in Navsari right now and I don't know anything about it (the allegations of corruption). I am aware that an RFO has committed suicide and police are doing their job. I have nothing to add," he said.

URL of the article: http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_did-oral-orders-drive-range-forest-officer-to-his-death_1532777-all
Permission to reprint or copy this article or photo must be obtained from www.3dsyndication.com

Friday, April 15, 2011

Kumble's no cub in wildlife conservation

Kumble's no cub in wildlife conservation
TNN, Apr 11, 2011, 10.45pm IST

MYSORE: Former cricketer and State Board for Wildlife vice-chairman Anil Kumble has proved that hes no cub when it comes to wildlife conservation. He got 119-year-old Mysore Zoo two Asiatic lions from Gujarat which were put up for public view on Monday. With this, Mysore Zoo has become the third in the country to house Asiatic lions after Delhi and Hyderabad.

Anil Kumble had struck a deal with Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi. This is the first time Gujarat, the habitat for Asiatic lions, has sent the big cat outside its state in the past 10 years.

Kumble inaugurated the lions enclosure after a pooja and christened the duo as Shankara and Gowri. And adopted Shankara in his childrens name at Rs 1 lakh for one year. The certificate was in the name of his children Aaruni, Mayas and Svasti. Kumble also extended the adoption of Giraffe calf Lakshmi by a year by paying Rs 40,000.

Talking to reporters, Kumble said the efforts are on to provide world-class facilities at the zoo. He also promised to rope in more cricketers for conservation of wild animals through the adoption scheme. Zaheer and Srinath have supported the cause, he added.

Mysore Zoo did not have Asiatic lions for 21 years after a pair of them had died. The Asiatic lion is smaller in size compared to African lion, which is regarded as a hybrid breed. Three hybrid lions were relocated to Shimoga Zoo to facilitate housing of Asiatic lions. The lions were quarantined for four weeks before put on public view. With this, the number of lions in the Mysore zoo has now gone up to four and the total number of species is 165.

Zebra from South Africa

Mysore Zoo is likely to get zebras from South Africa and birds from Germany. Talks are under way to exchange animals from the zoos of Hyderabad, Zoo Authority of Karnataka chairman M Nanjundaswamy told reporters.

Four cheetahs

Four cheetahs, which came from a Germany zoo in March, are yet to recover from jet lag. They will be shifted to enclosures in 10 days, said zoo executive director K B Markandaiah.