BI-MONTHLY OUTREACH JOURNAL OF NATIONAL TIGER CONSERVATION AUTHORITY GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

st r i pes
Volume 1 Issue 3 Mar-Apr 2010

CHALLENGES

INITIATIVES

STRATEGY

STATUS

CITES

FIRST PERSON

PROJECT TIGER: Amount Released during 2009-10

(As on 31.03.2010; Amount in INR lakhs)
Tiger Reserve State Total Amount Released to Tiger Reserve 94.9100 14.6200 48.8600 165.0000 21.5900 8.0000 1,193.5000 42.1500 103.0500 110.7350 164.1970 128.0870 144.3700 210.8180 151.8000 129.3600 159.9600 280.1800 175.8950 158.3200 145.8400 1,502.3710 155.1850 75.8720 131.8200 5.0000 2,171.0000 127.7300 42.3500 10,560.0000 134.1700 138.4550 51.8540 50.2450 241.7050 38.5800 259.9700 285.9570 128.4800 19751.99 401.01166 20152.99766 17.08000 431.51700 4.50000 0.23500 246.20500 298.78500 17.80000 258.35400 10,694.17000 51.66000 2,171.00000 221.74000 5.64000 373.51700 159.91020 2,582.47620 30.26000 311.42000 6.40360 9.59000 117.13860 657.06200 0.85600 44.80320 8.85600 1,383.50320 7.70000 194.29000 Amount released to State for 2nd All India Tiger Estimation 43.34366 1.23000 Total Amount Released to State during 2009-2010 138.25366 64.71000

Nagarjunsagar Namdhapa Pakke Kaziranga Manas Nameri Valmiki Achanakmar Indravati Udanti-Sitanadi Palamau Bandipur Bhadra Dandeli Anshi Nagarhole Periyar Parambi Kulam Bandhavgarh Kanha Panna Pench Sanjay Dubri Satpura Melghat Pench Tadoba-Andheri Sahyadri Dampa Satkosia Similipal Ranthambhore Sariska KMTR Mudumalai Anamalai Corbett Tiger Buxa Sunderbans I) Dudhwa II) Katerniaghat Total

Andhra Pradesh Arunachal Pradesh Arunachal Pradesh Assam Assam Assam Bihar Chhattisgarh Chhattisgarh Chhattisgarh Jharkhand Karnataka Karnataka Karnataka Karnataka Kerala Kerala M.P M.P M.P M.P M.P M.P Maharashtra Maharashtra Maharashtra Maharashtra Mizoram Orissa Orissa Rajasthan Rajasthan Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu Uttaranchal West Bengal West Bengal U.P U.P

Corrigendum: The error on page 8, Stripes Jan-Feb 2010 issue is regretted. It should read In August 2009 instead of 2000

Volume 1 Issue 3 Mar-Apr 2010

Strategy M-STrIPES Monitoring system for Tigers Pg 8

Challenges The Similipal landscape P14

Initiatives Monitoring Tigers in Kaziranga National Park Pg 16

EDITOR Dr Rajesh Gopal Member Secretary NTCA EDITORIAL CONSULTANT Ananda Banerjee CONTENT COORDINATOR Inder MS Kathuria FEEDBACK Annexe No 5 Bikaner House Shahjahan Road New Delhi stripes.ntca@gmail.com Cover photo Nanak Dhingra

Challenges Nagarjunasag ar Srisailam tiger Pg 4 First Person P K Sen P18

STRIPESmail Responses & comments Pg 17

Status Pannas success story Pg 12

BI-MONTHLY OUTREACH JOURNAL OF NATIONAL TIGER CONSERVATION AUTHORITY GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

st r ipes
n o t e f r o m t h e e d i t o r
iger numbers evince considerable interest and rightfully so. In the recent past, there have been suggestions from several quarters for setting targets to double the tiger number in range countries as a part of the Global Tiger Recovery Programme. Howsoever, convincing and catchy this may appear, the suggestion is unrealistic, fraught with practical field problems which are bound to make this unachievable. India has around 32,000 sq.km. of tiger forests under Project Tiger as core areas. These encompass the six major landscapes within the country having the source populations of tiger. Thanks to Project Tiger, these populations are still viable. The ecologically unsustainable land uses outside such source areas is a major bottleneck for the survival of the spill over tigers from core habitats. Due to this, the man-tiger conflicts are increasing in many tiger districts leading to targeted / non-targeted killing of tigers. Therefore, the need

of the hour is to secure and expand the inviolate space (habitat) for tiger, which can be the best target for the future. As has been our experience since 1972, tiger responds very well to managerial interventions aimed at protection. Given the short gestation of 90 to 100 days, securing and expanding inviolate areas would lead to increase in tiger numbers without mantiger interface complications. The situation in many tiger range countries may not be much different from India. Therefore, an over enthusiastic projection in tiger number without ground truthing for the feasibility of securing inviolate space, would make the 'number centric target' counter productive by fostering more conflicts between the tiger and people. This would go against the cause. If the temptation for numbers cannot be resisted, then at the most, it should be projected as a possible realistic outcome of an attainable target of inviolate space. Dr Rajesh Gopal Member-Secretary, NTCA

CHALLENGES

NAGARJUNASAGAR-SRISAILAM TIGER RESERVE

Extracts from a rapid appraisal report of conservation status of Nagarjunhasagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve by @ravEen Bharcav, She#aR aptatri and Abay Desai for NTCA

hile Indias Western Ghats have garnered tremendous national and international attention, the same cannot be said of the Eastern Ghats, despite their incredibly rich biodiversity. Nagarjunasagar - Srisailam Tiger Reserve (NSTR) in the Nallamalla Hill Range, an offshoot of the Eastern Ghats, has the potential to be one of Indias finest Tiger Reserves. Freed from 16 years of armed extremist domination, the Reserve is in urgent need of infrastructure, increased staff strength and capacity building. This report is the result of a rapid appraisal carried out from September 9th to 15th 2009 for the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). Area and extent: Encompassing an area of 3,568 sq km spread over five Districts of Andhra Pradesh, NSTR is Indias largest Tiger Reserve. In 2007, an area of 2527 sq km of the TR was notified as Inviolate Area. In addition, a contiguous area of forest of 1140 sq km, called the Gundla Brahmeshwaram Sanctuary (GBM) - to the south of NSTR has been proposed as core/ critical tiger habitat. GBM is entirely devoid of human settlements and is therefore an extremely valuable addition that needs to be notified as a Core/Critical Tiger Habitat at the earliest. Topography and fauna of NSTR:

Hilly terrain cloaked in tropical mixed dry deciduous forest is characteristic of this picturesque Tiger Reserve, which also boasts of plateaus and valleys, gorges and escarpments. The Krishna River runs through the TR for 130 km. The faunal diversity is remarkable to say the least, and includes tiger, leopard, wild dog, striped hyena, Indian wolf, sloth bear, spotted deer and sambar as well as four species of antelope, namely Nilgai, Blackbuck, Chinkara and Chousingha.

Present status of habitat and status of tigers, co-predators and prey: The overall quality of the habitat, particularly in the Core/Critical (inviolate) area appears to be good. Encouraging signs of tigers, leopards and wild dogs were observed. Frequent sightings of prey animals in some parts of the TR indicate the potential for long-term persistence of tigers, and provides ecological justification for investments in the NSTR landscape.

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infrastructure in the Reserve is severely crippled. There are no anti-poaching camps, no firearms, no patrolling vehicles and no wireless network. Lack of staff quarters and monetary incentives are major hurdles in attracting and retaining quality personnel. Members of the AP Govts elite anti-naxal force - Greyhounds - on patrol along the periphery of NSTR. The teams vehicle, as well as NSTR vehicles, were able to move around the reserve without an armed escort. This would not have been possible about 18 months ago due to Naxal presence in the park. A unique feature: We would like to draw special attention to the unique fact that NSTR and GBM are connected to, and contiguous with, a mosaic of Reserve Forests and PAs that extend all the way south to the Sri Venkateshwara National Park in Chitoor District. The combined area of this tract, spanning a length of approximately 350 km from north to south, and comprising over 13,000 sq km of mixed deciduous forest and southern tropical thorn scrub, presents an extraordinary opportunity for conservation. The forests and grasslands here are home to rare and endangered species such as Jerdons courser, Great Indian bustard, Asian elephant and the red sanders tree. The AP Forest Department has already started planning the linking up of these areas, and needs to be supported and encouraged in implementing this plan. NSTR - problems and solutions: The Reserve has several chronic problems, which need to be either resolved or mitigated. Here we present a summary of our findings and recommendations based on our field assessments. CRITICAL CONSERVATION ISSUES: Staff strength & Infrastructure: The Tiger Reserve is grossly understaffed at all levels given its vast extent. Due to the breakdown of administrative machinery during the 16 years of naxal domination, protection Dual responsibility: Officers and staff of NSTR are saddled with numerous territorial duties that take their focus away from the task of managing the Tiger Reserve. Lack of coordination: Several other government departments, including the Integrated Tribal Development Authority (ITDA), appear to be working at crosspurposes with the Forest Department, exacerbating the problems of the Reserve through ad hoc developmental activities that are often incompatible with tiger conservation. Development activities that are poorly planned and/or which do not follow the terms and conditions stipulated are also creating problems in the Reserve. Township: The irrigation township of Sundipenta in the heart of NSTR is expanding at an alarming rate. If left unchecked,

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an estimated 1500 carpenters involved in making these items outside NSTR. These goods are apparently sold in the open at an annual fair in Tartur Village, where people from Karnataka and Maharashtra, as well as locals, visit to buy them. There are said to be several hardened gangs and cartels involved in this trade, which the management is hard-pressed to counter effectively. In addition, fuel wood collection and lopping of trees to provide fodder for cattle and goats is exerting a huge pressure on the trees. Poaching: Poaching of prey species and small game remains a un-quantified threat; targeted poaching for tigers has also been recorded in the past. Illegal fishing, estimated to be around 2400 plus tons annually, is also threatening the aquatic species, which include many endemic fishes, otters and Marsh Crocodile. Conflict: Human wildlife conflict is prevalent in and around the reserve and this could result in increased animosity towards conservation, and in retaliatory killing of wildlife. HIGH PRIORITY RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff strength: State Government must urgently increase officer and staff strength and initiate capacity building to establish a credible and effective protection mechanism. Dual responsibility: State Government must unburden the Field Director and Divisional Forest Officers of NSTR from all Territorial Division duties so that they may focus their energies exclusively on managing the Tiger Reserve. Ideally, key NSTR officers presently leading the recovery process must be

The sprawling landscape. Over 200 Chenchu have been employed as Tiger Trackers and Protection Watchers, but their wages have not been paid for over ten months due to bureaucratic delays. its cancerous growth could pose a big threat to the Reserve in the future. Already, the biotic pressures exerted by the combined population of Sundipenta and the temple town of Srisailam (about 25,000) are said to be considerable. Encroachments: Encroachments in the Nagarjunasagar Division (northeast extreme of NSTR) have severely fragmented the habitat, which is already fragmented by the presence of the Nagarjunasagar reservoir. Encroachments are also present elsewhere. Some illegal settlements by fishermen along the Srisailam Reservoir bring disturbance and anthropogenic pressures to undisturbed areas of NSTR. Pilgrimage: Several lakh pilgrims visit the Shiva Temple at Srisailam as well as several other smaller temples and shrines in the Reserve every year. While a large number of vehicles ply on the highway through the forest posing a risk to wildlife, an even larger number of people choose to walk up to the temples through the forest, causing disturbance to wildlife and posing a major fire hazard during the dry season. Cattle: A large resident cattle population (reportedly 50,000 100,000) in and around NSTR and the influx of migratory cattle on a massive scale (reportedly 300,000 +) from June to October and again in the dry season is a major problem. Competition for scarce resources (water and fodder), threat of disease, disturbance to large areas of NSTR and potential for retaliatory killing of cattle-lifters are the major problems posed by these cattle. Timber smuggling: The park management estimates that approximately 2100 plus cubic metre of timber is extracted illegally for house construction and manufacture of agricultural implements annually. There are

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retained for at least two more years to ensure consolidation of gains achieved and continuity. Protection Force: In lieu of the proposed armed Special Tiger Protection Force, the sensitization/utilization of the elite Greyhounds (Police) force under an appropriate coordination protocol - or joint command - should be carefully considered. Infrastructure: NTCA must immediately provide adequate funding for creating/rebuilding protection infrastructure, including staff quarters,

dawn for all vehicular traffic. Relocation: State Government / NTCA must fast-track the process of relocation of around 1100 families living within the core/critical tiger habitat with necessary funding, including the 16 crore rupees already deposited by user agencies. Coordination: State Government must ensure primacy of Forest Department amongst government agencies operating in the NSTR landscape to ensure proper management. Conservation of Tiger Habitat must be made the main administrative objective. Township: State Government must identify and shift all unnecessary infrastructure and human artifacts out of Sundipenta Irrigation Township, which is situated on Reserved Forest land. Tiger Conservation Plan: NTCA must critically evaluate the new Tiger Conservation Plan by referring it to an independent panel of ecologists /conservationists to determine ecologically prudent short /medium/long-term management objectives. Science: AP Forest department must establish a rigorous sampling based monitoring program for estimating tiger, copredators and prey populations within the notified core/critical habitat by a competent independent institution, with participation of appropriately trained NGOs/amateur naturalists. Alternatives: Alternate materials for agricultural implements and house construction material for local people should be found and encouraged so as to minimize timber removal from the forest. Alternate sources of energy for cooking and other needs need to be explored and encouraged to minimize dependence on fuel wood from forests. Income generation: The State Government must encourage education, alternate sources of income and livelihoods, income enhancing mechanisms, etc. for the local populace so as to minimize peoples dependence on forests. Such dependence is severely eroding the landscapes ability to provide key ecosystem services like water catchment and climate moderation, which are critical to people locally and regionally.

A very recent photo of a tiger in NSTR by A.K.Naik, FD of Nagarjunsagar Srisailam TR, permanent anti-poaching camps, appropriate patrolling vehicles and a wireless network. Nodal authority: State Government must empower the Chief Wildlife Warden as the senior-most nodal officer to interface with the NTCA, in order to streamline the administration of the TR. Notification: State Government must immediately complete the process of notification of the 1140 sq km GBM Sanctuary as a Core/Critical tiger habitat, as agreed before the NBWL. Road diversion: The GunturKurnool State Highway that now divides NSTR and GBM Sanctuary and runs through the forest for 30 km is a horrendous death trap for animals, resulting in hundreds of roadkills every year. An excellent alternative highway already exists between Kunta and Kurnool via Giddalur that involves an additional distance of a mere 25 km. The State Government must take steps to immediately divert all heavy vehicles through this alternative highway. Further the State Highway through the forest must be closed between dusk and

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STRATEGY

M-STrIPES
MONITORING SYSTEM FOR TIGERS - INTENSIVE PROTECTION AND ECOLOGICAL STATUS
Field Protocols & Customized Software for Analysis, Mapping & Inference National Tiger Conservation Authority - Wildlife Institute of India - Zoological Society of London
n Assist in effective patrolling and protection n Evaluate status and trends of carnivores and ungulates at regular intervals n Monitor habitat change n Evaluate human pressures n Generate reports to provide quantitative information for management effectiveness assessment and decision making

AIMS

n Provide user friendly Field Protocols (inc training and material, data quality control), Data Storage and Report Generating Tool n Administered and maintained at protected areas, landscapes, States and NTCA n Captures detailed information on population status and trends, animal mortality, illegal activity, human pressures, patrol effort, habitat status for monitoring and guidng management n Provides a comprehensive GIS and statistical tool for processing and reporting information needed for conservation and management purposes

SYSTEM FEATURES

FIELD PROTOCOLS & EQUIPMENT

n

Phase I Data collection Carnivore Sign Survey Ungulate Line Transect Human Pressure Assessment on Plots on Transects Ungulate Dung on Plots on Transects Habitat Status on Plots on Transects

MICHAEL VICKERS

n Fixed Location PIPs (track plots) for Tigers (min. 5 in each beat monitored once a week) n GPS Units (or PDAs) and Data Collection Forms n Training of Tiger Reserve Staff in Data Collection and Software Entry

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AN ENTITY RELATIONSHIP DIAGRAM

SPATIAL MAPPING AND TRENDS OF ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES

HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLE

HUMAN DISTURBANCE IN CORBETT TIGER RESERVE

HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLE

SPECIES DISTRIBUTION, STATUS & TRENDS

HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLE

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TIGER SIGN ENCOUNTERS

(BEATS OF CORBETT TIGER RESERVE 2006)
HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLE

TIGER SIGN ENCOUNTERS

(BEATS OF CORBETT TIGER RESERVE 2009)
HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLE

SYSTEM PROCESS
n n n n n

Computes adequacy of sampling effort and advises to sample more if required statistical power is not achieved Conduct Spatially Paired Statistical Comparisons Conduct Trend Analysis (Regression) Interpret Results at Appropriate Spatial Scales (Beat, range, 10x10 km Grid, Circle and State) both Statistically and Biologically Output User Friendly Results as Maps and Tables

APPLICATIONS
n n n n n n n n

Monitoring population status, trends, and spatial occupancy Mapping of illegal activities and their trends Guiding Park Management for patrolling - spatially and in intensity Mapping and trend analysis of human impacts Understanding interrelations between above parameters Export of data for in-depth analysis in desired format Entry, Analysis, Interpretation, and use of Phase I data at field level Ready reports at desired spatial & temporal scales and for evaluating management effectiveness and guiding decision and policy making

TABLES FOR CARNIVORE OCCUPANCY ESTIMATES

TABLES FOR CHANGES IN CARNIVORE OCCUPANCY

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INDIA leads Range States to Agreement with the European Community on Tiger Conservation at CITES

oming into the 15th Conference of the Parties to CITIES, Sweden, on behalf of the European Community, had submitted a proposal for the revision of Resolution Conf. 12.5 on the conservation and trade in Tigers. Considering the vigorous objections raised by some range States to the proposal, the United Kingdom, on behalf of the European Community, entered into negotiations with the range States in an attempt to acheive consensus on the revision. While India was in agreement with the spirit of the most of the recommendations made by the European Community, it had some concerns regarding the proposal. In particular, it shared Chinas reservations about a specificreference to compliance measures being incorporated in the resolution and the onerousreporting requirements that the proposal sought to impose on the range states, especially considering the fact that many range stateswere not able to comply with even the current reporting requirements. India however was extremely

[keen] that the language regarding operations breeding tigers on a commercial scale, taken from Decision 14.69 from the 14th Conference of the Parties, be retained, either through incorporation in the Resolution, or through the continuation of Decision 14.69. China objected to this on the grounds that it was outside the scope of the Convention, despite the fact that the 14th Conference of the Parties had voted this through with a comfortable majority. After prolonged deliberation and dialogue between India, China, the United Kingdom, the CITES Secretariat and the other range States, a consensus position was eventually acheived. Based on this consensus, a revised proposal was put forward by the United Kingdom, on behalf of the European Community, and this proposal was adopted unanimously by the Conference of the Parties without any objections. The salient features of this consensus position are that: - Decision 14.69 dealing with operations breeding tigers on a commercial scale will be retained

as it is. - the specific reference to compliance measures will not be incorporated in the resolution -the reporting requirements have been reworded so as to take into account range States concerns. - A new paragraph encouraging Parties to provide financial and technical assistance to range States has been incorporated in the Resolution. this position ensures that the hard fought victories from the 14th conference of the Parties have not been lost, strengthens the enforcement related aspects of the Resolution and takes range States concerns into account. As such, it seems to be a win win situation for all. Additionally, the United States proposed the adoption of a decision, directing the Standing Committee to update the information contained in the new Annexes I-III of the Resolution, and report back to the 16th Conference of the Parties, as it was out of date. The conference adopted this decision unanimously as well.

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STATUS

Panna's Success Story

PANNA TIGER RESERVE)

Pannas new generation above. Facing page inset is the male tiger

First mile stone of success in Tiger Reintroduction programme By R.Sreenivasa Murthy (CHIEF CONSERVATOR OF FORESTS AND FIELD DIRECTOR,

P
12 |

anna Tiger Reserve has achieved its first mile stone of success in Tiger Reintroduction programme. Tiger Reintroduction programme of Panna Tiger Reserve was initiated in March 2009 with reintroduction of two females from Bandhavgargh and Kanha Tiger Reserves. Females' settlement in Panna National Park was not that arduous. A male

tiger was brought from Pench Tiger Reserve (Madhya Pradesh) in the month of November 2009. But the tiger reintroduction programme hit a major road block when this male tiger after staying inside the park for around 10 days moved out of the park in the contiguous forests of Chattarpur, Damoh and Sagar districts. It travelled in southern direction for most of the time and traversed around 400km. Tracking of this

male tiger in new terrain was a herculean task (where the GPS radio collar fitted to the tiger malfunctioned). A contingent of more than 70 people led by Field Director camped outside the park and finally with the help of expert veterinarians from Wildlife Institute of India, brought him back on 26th December 2009. During this travelogue the male tiger crossed human habitations, highways and railway lines

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effortlessly without being seen for most of the time. Out side the park, protection of the tiger was a major issue. But the team's efforts and a bit of luck helped. This straying out by male tiger is attributed to 'homing' instinct of wild animals and this is the first time this theory was experienced in the case of a tiger. Mean while all the three reintroduced tigers are monitored and given security on 24x7basis. It was in the first week of April 2010 that based on the restricted movement pattern and behavior of the tigress brought from Bandhavgargh, first signs of she getting pregnant was noticed by the management and the location of this tigress was isolated from

disturbance due to tourism etc., Based on our observation and daily monitoring records it can be said with certainty that this tigress delivered on 15/16th of April 2010. But this news got

confirmed on 7.5.10 when she shifted the cubs for the first time. Initially only 3 cubs could be counted due to the bushy nature of the site. But latter verifications yielded four cubs. Thus with the arrival of four cubs Panna Tiger Reserve has touched its first milestone of success in Tiger Reintroduction Programme. As on date all the cubs and the tigress are doing fine. Tiger Reintroduction Programme at Panna Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh Forest Department is technically supported by Wildlife Institute of India, Dehra Dun and WWF-India, New Delhi and financed by National Tiger Conservation Authority, New Delhi.

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CHALLENGES
Extracts from a rapid field assessment of conservation status of Similipal Tiger Reserve by Bivash Pandav, Suresh Kumar Mishra, S. P. Yadav and M. D. Madhusudan
committee was set up by the National Tiger Conservation Authority on 14th July 2009 to visit Similipal Tiger Reserve and undertake: (1) An appraisal of the damage to infrastructure/habitat due to leftwing extremism; (2) Assessment of present status of tiger, co predators and prey animals, and protection efforts; and (3) Provide suggestions for restoring the area and eliciting local support to strengthen protection. Accordingly, the committee undertook a field visit between 1st and 8th August 2009 togather first hand information for an appraisal. During the visit, the committee met a wide range of people including field protection staff, senior officials of Similipal TR and the Orissa Forest Department, senior officials of the civil administration, local villagers and civil society organizations. The committee solicited their views, as appropriate, on the status of the reserve, the threats it faces, and its management challenges. The committee also visited several sites in the core and buffer zones of Similipal TR, which had recently witnessed attacks by left wing extremists. Recent efforts to assess the status of tigers and their prey in the reserve were also reviewed. The committee found: 1. extensive damage to vital park

Similipal

The

landscape

Log house at Jenabil Range before (top) and after (bottom) the extremist attacks.
management infrastructure including range and beat offices, forest antipoaching camps, communication networks, and also, to the morale of park staff. As an inevitable consequence, reserve protection has slackened and threats from poaching and

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Range office at Chahala which was blown up and burnt down during the extremist attacks.(top) and (bottom) Destroyed staff facility in Joranda
smuggling have grown stronger, but there are sincere efforts by the reserve management to re-establish presence and control on the ground. 2. reliable reports on recent presence and activity of tigers both in the core and buffer zones of the reserve, and signs of large mammalian prey, but no quantitative tiger or prey population assessments were possible. There are strong indications that the status of the wild dog is extremely precarious in Similipal TR, and may even be locally extirpated. 3. serious challenges faced by the reserve in managing its relationships with local communities along its fringes as well as inside the reserve itself. The reserve and civil administration need dedicated professional/technical support immediately to engage seriously with local communities in and around the park, and particularly, to complete the long pending process of resettling four villages from the core zone. 4. Several issues pertaining to staffing policies and human resource management practices of the tiger reserve and state forest department. While seeming like small and routine issues, they have the potential to seriously hamper effective management of the reserve. Based on its extensive learnings, the committee recommends that: 1. with transitional support from a larger, competent paramilitary force, the NTCA must help Similipal secure its park staff, rebuild its damaged infrastructure, and strengthen measures against poaching and timber smuggling. This deployment must take a few serious caveats into account, and be in consonance with larger state and central policies of dealing with left wing extremism. 2. alongside measures such as the deployment of a transitional paramilitary force, serious affirmative steps must be taken, based on a sound understanding of the local sociocultural contexts, to regain support of local communities. The very constructive attitude of both the civil and forest administration in this regard must be strongly backed by the NTCA. 3. The parks current system of monitoring tiger pugmarks on pugmark impression pads, while remaining an important tool for local monitoring of tiger distribution and activity, cannot provide reliable population estimates. Well designed photographic capture recapture surveys should be the method of choice to estimate tiger numbers. However, a very sincere outreach effort is necessary, mainly on the part of NTCA to help states transition from pugmarkbased censuses to camera trapping sample surveys, and this must be carried out as a genuine partnership between agencies providing technical expertise and park managements. 4. a serious knowledge based effort, with professional support from technically competent agencies, must be commenced through the assistance of NTCA to help understand local communities in and around Similipal. This understanding should guide the identification of candidate villages for relocation and for locally appropriate strategies to alleviate resourceconflicts between people and the reserve. Such an agency is crucial in facilitating greater coordination between the forest and civil administrations to make voluntary relocations fair and speedy. 5. the range of administrative and human resources management related issues pertaining to Similipal Tiger Reserve, and State Forest Department must be decisively resolved, if necessary, by soliciting help from the highest levels of state and central administration.

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INITIATIVES

A JOINT INITIATIVE OF ASSAM FOREST DEPARTMENT AND AARANYAK WITH TEHNICAL SUPPORT FROM WII.

MONITORING TIGERS IN KAZIRANGA NATIONAL PARK

he overall goal of this project is Long term conservation of source population of tigers in the Kaziranga National Park through intensive monitoring and ensuring habitat connectivity to nearby tiger inhabiting areas. The study was spread over 50 days during January-March 2009 and camera trapping was carried out at 50 trap locations in two blocks in the park. For data analysis the survey duration was divided into 25 sampling occasions. The total sampling effort realized was 1250 trap-days. The effort yielded 249 photographs (of both flanks taken by two facing cameras) out of which 242 were used for analysis (cubs below one year of age and poor quality photographs were discarded). Individual tigers have their unique pattern and are easily identified by comparing the stripe pattern (Karanth and Nichols, 2002). Based on the unique stripe pattern 38 individual tigers were identified in the sampled area. The 38 individuals included 20 females, 15 males and 3 individual of unknown sex. This is the second study to address the population of tigers and prey animals and their ecology in the Kaziranga National Park. Karanth and Nichols (1998) estimated the density of tigers in the park as 16.8 tigers / 100 Km2 that is considered one of the highest in the world. Considering the high density of tigers, human-tiger conflict on the fringe areas of the park may go up and suggest that the management take necessary steps to minimize such conflicts.

Excerpts from a report prepared by M Firoz Ahmed, Jimmy Borah, Chatrapati Das, Ajit Basumatary, R. N. Sarma, D. D. Gogoi, S. N. Buragohain, N. K. Vasu, B. K. Talukdar, Y. V. Jhala and Q. Qureshi
NANAK DHINGRA

Comparison of tiger Density amongst different tiger habitats in India and Nepal
Tiger Habitats Kaziranga Corbett Kaziranga Bandipur Nagarhole Kanha Ranthambhore Chitwan Pench-MR Panna Melghat Rajaji Pench-MP Bhadra Tadoba Country India India India India India India India Nepal India India India India India India India Tiger Density/ 100 km2 32.64 19.6 16.76 11.97 11.92 11.70 11.46 8.70 7.29 6.94 6.67 5.12 4.94 3.42 3.27 Data Source Present study Jhala et al., 2008 Karanth et al., 2004 Karanth et al., 2004 Karanth et al., 2004 Karanth et al., 2004 Karanth et al., 2004 Sunquist, 1981 Karanth et al., 2004 Karanth et al., 2004 Karanth et al., 2004 Harihar et al., 2008 Karanth et al., 2004 Karanth et al., 2004 Karanth et al., 2004

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STRIPESmail
I am very grateful to receive the journal and elated to be in your mailing list. Being from Nagpur, (which I believe is the heartland of the most important tiger belt in the world) I can vouch for every word written about Pench and Tadoba. Just like the tigernet website, this journal also comes across as an honest tool which has not used politically correct diplomatic language but taken the bull by its horns. Tiger has a fighting chance and I wish all the best to NTCA. Sir, my home in Nagpur is just 30 Km away from Bor sanctuary which is estimated to have about 5 tigers and it always brings me a smile to know that!! Vedang V. Bakshi Mumbai Please communicate my deep appreciation to the authorities concerned for bringing out such a wonderfully documented magazine. Arin Ghosh Former Director, Project Tiger Thanks for sending this wonderful newsletter. Asad R. Rahmani Director, BNHS-India Thank you for the excellent issue of STRIPES ! It is very informative and I really enjoyed reading it. With best wishes Belinda Wright Executive Director, Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) Please keep me in the mailing list of this excellent journal. Please also let me have the plan allocations for each tiger reserve for 09-10 and if already allocated that or proposed for 10-11 A.K.Mukerji Former DGF The STRIPES product is quite fascinating, specially once you get beyond the photographs. I found the piece on the NCTA initiatives over the last three years the most fascinating piece as well as the back cover. It confirms what you were telling me...NCTA has initiated a lot of relevant things that will begin to show results soon. The more promising ones of the NCTA initiatives to me were: The anti poaching activities, inclduing the STPF. Enhanced Village rehab package. Scientific methodology for population and prey estimation. The notification of core tiger habitats for 30K sq Kms. The pursuit of illegal trade via CITES, at least once with China, Nepal and Russia. The creation of a wild life crime data base with TRAFFIC. I would love to learn more about the tri-partite MOU system with States Nepal India MOU; Protocol with China; reports due 20 Oct 2009 from TRCs re CITES 14.69 and 14.65; andwhat are the specifics of the second issue re infrastructure (out of the four listed). I was also fascinated by the back cover, which provides a much needed and rounded off answer to Why tiger. Looking forward, I am wondering about the merits of undertaking a task to better quantify the back cover page; and strengthening the efffort to report in STRIPES these major initiatives and identfying states/reserves achieveing real results. I do believe that telling the full India stroy - including progress on these initiatives and plans to deal with the four issues, will be a valuable additon to the global knowledge exchange that has been triggered by GTI, and in which GTF could be a potential partner. With best wishes. Anand seth World Bank

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FIRST PERSON
It's almost 45 years I have been dealing with issues related to tigers and yet my knowledge is only peripheral. Such is the complexity of the issue. So I think that awareness, education and science are the most important tools to manage tigers. A charismatic animal, the tiger has inspired many individuals and organisations to do their bit. Governments have spent large sums of money. NGOs have mobilised national and international funds and have highlighted the issue globally. But it is a great challenge to save the tiger in India, a country of 1.2 billion people and over 700 million cattle. About 70 per cent of India's population is till earning less than one US dollar a day and therefore depend heavily on the natural resources available in the forests. A section of people strongly believes that humans and tigers can co-exist. In the very recent past, it has been scientifically proved that tigers move away from human habitations. A solitary, elusive animal, the tiger requires sufficient space to breed and survive. So while there are commendable efforts to spread awareness through publications, films and photography, to collate information regarding tiger mortality, to carry out seizures and anti-poaching operations or utilising the best scientific inputs regarding tiger biology or habitat, the basic question still remains: Are we really saving the tiger? Very few look at the role of the forest staff. Till a decade ago, foresters were blamed for all debacles happening in the forests. Few of us tried to categorically emphasize that with 40 per cent vacancy in the frontline staff, an illequipped and over-worked force cannot tackle the free loot of forest resources.

tigers?
Who saves
NANAK DHINGRA

At the forefront of the battle, the ground staff needs all the support says P K Sen

According to one estimate, Rs 40,000 crore worth of forest produce (including minerals) are extracted from India's forests annually. Around 50 frontline staff are seriously assaulted or killed in protecting the wilderness. But how many of us try to raise our voice to highlight the plight of the forest guard? They need immediate and sufficient logistical support. I never faced any challenge from any naxal group. Even today, forest personnel enter naxal-affected areas from Dantewada to Palamu. Senior forest officials do not require protection to move inside forests while even a district-level police or administrative officer is escorted by security vehicles on our highways. It is my considered opinion that failure on the part of administration to handle development activities and stop corruption has led to the present crisis. It cannot be blamed on foresters who only try to safeguard the country's natural heritage against severe odds. We need to change our mindset. There is no shortcut in

conservation and let me prescribe an outline of a strategy for securing the future of the tiger. Dedicate two per cent of the country's land mass for the tiger and make this area inviolate. Emphasize education, awareness and science for better field results Recruit youth to fill frontline staff vacancies with a 10 per cent reserve strength for illness/leave/emergency etc. Appoint dedicated senior officers as range officers and above. Constitute awards/rewards to inspire field staff. Ensure specialized training of field staff in information gathering, anti-poaching and legal matters. Limit the field staff's daily shift to eight hours and give them legal protection. Create family station for frontline staff with education, health and other basic facilities. Author was Director, Project Tiger, during 1996-2001 and Chief Wildlife Warden Bihar from 1994 to October 1996

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DIVYA KHANDAL

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Mar-Apr 2010

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Ownership Statement FORM IV 1. Place of publication Annexe No. 5, Bikaner House, Shahjahan Road, New Delhi 110011 2. Periodicity of its publication - Bi-monthly 3. Printers Name - Inder Mohan Singh Kathuria Nationality - Indian Address - C 30, Defence Colony, New Delhi - 110024 4. Publishers Name - Inder Mohan Singh Kathuria Nationality - Indian Address - C 30, Defence Colony, New Delhi - 110024 5. Editors Name - Dr. Rajesh Gopal, Member-Secretary, NTCA Nationality - Indian Address - D-I/13 Bharti Nagar, New Delhi - 110003 6. Names and addresses of individuals who own the newspaper. NTCA (National Tiger Conservation Authority) Ministry of Environment and Forest Annexe No. 5, Bikaner House, Shahjahan Road, New Delhi - 110011 I, Inder Mohan Singh Kathuria, hereby declare that the particulars given above are true to the best of my knowledge and belief. Date April 30, 2010 Signature of Publisher Sd-

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DIVYA KHANDAL

LIST OF CORE AND BUFFER AREAS OF TIGER RESERVES IN INDIA, notified under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, as amended in 2006 (as on 06.04.2010)
Sl. No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Year of creation 1973-74 1973-74 1973-74 1973-74 1973-74 1973-74 1973-74 1973-74 1973-74 1978-79 1978-79 1982-83 1982-83 1982-83 1982-83 1987-88 Name of Tiger Reserve Bandipur Corbett Kanha Manas Melghat Palamau Ranthambore Similipal Sunderbans Periyar Sariska Buxa Indravati Nagarjunsagar Namdapha Dudhwa (DNP 490.29 + Kishanpur WLS 203.4) Katerniaghat-(extension) Kalakad-Mundanthurai Valmiki (Not received) Pench Tadoba-Andheri Bandhavgarh Panna Dampa Bhadra Pench Pakke Nameri Satpura Anamalai Udanti-Sita Nadi Satkosia Kaziranga Achanakmar Dandeli-Anshi Sanjay-Dubri Mudumalai Nagarahole Parambikulam Sahyadri (including Chandoli NP : 317.67 and Koyna WLS : 423.55) = 741.22 Total Area) State Area of the core /critical tiger habitat (In Sq. Kms.) 872.24 821.99 917.43 840.04 1500.49 414.08 1113.364 1194.75 1699.62 881 681.1124 390.5813 1258.37 2527 1807.82 693.70 Area of the buffer /peripheral (In Sq. Kms.) 118.27* 466.32 NA 2310.88 NA NA NA 1555.25 885.27 NA NA 367.3225 1540.70 NA NA NA Total area

Karnataka Uttarakhand Madhya Pradesh Assam Maharashtra Jharkhand Rajasthan Orissa West Bengal Kerala Rajasthan West Bengal Chhattisgarh Andhra Pradesh Arunachal Pradesh Uttar Pradesh

990.51 1288.31 917.43 3150.92 1500.49 414.08 1113.364 2750.00 3470.27 881 681.1124 757.9038 2799.07 2527 1807.82 693.70

17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39

1999-2000 1988-89 1989-90 1992-93 1993-94 1993-94 1994-95 1994-95 1998-99 1998-99 1999-2000 1999-2000 1999-2000 2008-2009 2008-2009 2008-2009 2008-2009 2008-2009 2008-2009 2008-2009 2008-2009 2008-2009 2008-2009 2009-10

Tamil Nadu Bihar Madhya Pradesh Maharashtra Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh Mizoram Karnataka Maharashtra Arunachal Pradesh Assam Madhya Pradesh Tamil Nadu Chattisgarh Orissa Assam Chattisgarh Karnataka Madhya Pradesh Tamil Nadu Karnataka Kerala Maharashtra

400.09 895 840* 411.33 625.82 716.903 576.13 500 492.46 257.26 683.45 200 1339.264 958 851.09 523.61 625.58 626.195 814.884 831.25* 321 643.35 390.89 741.22

NA NA NA NA 1101.7711 NA NA NA NA NA NA 144 NA NA 991.45 453.25* 548 287.822 NA NA NA NA 252.772 NA

400.09 895 840* 411.33 1727.5911 716.903 576.13 500 492.46 257.26 683.45 344 1339.264 958 1842.54 976.86 1173.58 914.017 814.884 831.25* 321 643.35 643.662 741.22

TOTAL 32878.36 * Not yet notified. NA - Notification Awaited # Total core area notified (32878.36 - 840 - 831.25 = 31207.11 sq.km.) # Total buffer area notified (11029.0781 - 118.27 - 453.25 = 10457.5581 sq.km.)

11029.0781

44786.82

DELENG/2009/30636

STRIPES | BI-MONTHLY OUTREACH JOURNAL OF NATIONAL TIGER CONSERVATION AUTHORITY, A STATUTORY BODY UNDER MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS, GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
VOLUME ONE FOR FREE DISTRIBUTION ISSUE THREE

Published and printed by Inder Mohan Singh Kathuria on behalf of National Tiger Conservation Authority. Published at Annexe No 5, Bikaner House, Shahjahan Road, New Delhi - 110011 and printed at Astha Packaging, 122 DSISC Sheds, Okhla Phase I, New Delhi - 110020

THE NEW HOT SHOT PHOTOGRAPHER!

A male tiger in the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve checks out one of the cameras used for this years census work. PHOTOS BY RUPA MUKHERJEE