People and Wildlife project

[Guest guest]

*Dear Azam and AAPN colleagues,*

* There is no

doubt that humans and animals are increasingly coming into conflict not only

in India but all over the world. The People and Wildlife Initiative in UK is

a project that has jointly been undertaken by the Born Free Foundation and

the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit of Oxford University to facilitate

humane solutions to these problems. *

*The websites are the following:*

 

*http://www.peopleandwildlife.org.uk/*<http://www.peopleandwildlife.org.uk/>

**

* " A partnership between the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU)

and Born Free Foundation, seeking to resolve conflicts between the needs of

people and those of wildlife, and develop long-term, humane solutions. " *

**

**

*Wildlife Conservation Research Unit of Oxford University:*

 

*http://www.wildcru.org/* <http://www.wildcru.org/>

**

*The mission of the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (known as the

WildCRU) is to achieve practical solutions to conservation problems. We do

this through original scientific research of the highest calibre. Vitally,

we also train committed conservation scientists to conduct research, and to

put scientific knowledge into practice. We participate in the implementation

of many conservation projects and embrace the need to educate and involve a

wider public to achieve lasting solutions.

 

Since 1986 WildCRU has grown to become renowned worldwide. Our success is

reflected in a range of achievements but most importantly, our work has made

a difference. It has and will continue to help to solve problems for the

benefit of wildlife, the environment and mankind. *

 

*Today, we are sited at **Tubney

House*<http://www.wildcru.org/aboutus/tubney/tubneyintro.htm>

*, but remain part of **Oxford University's Zoology

Department*<http://www.zoo.ox.ac.uk/newsite/top.htm>

*, with close college links to Lady Margaret Hall and to the University's

Field Centre at Wytham.*

 

*The Born Free Foundation **www.bornfree.org.uk*<http://www.bornfree.org.uk>

 

* Some time ago, IRNA(Islamic Republic News Agency), the official news

agency of Iran, did a comprehensive story on man elephant conflict in Assam:

I have attached it for your interest.*

 

* I did watch the NDTV programme: it was enlightening.*

 

* Best wishes,*

 

**

 

* *

http://www.irna.ir/en/news/view/menu-239/0609221160202730.htm

Human-elephant conflict reaches alarming proportions in India's N-E

Guwahati <http://www.irna.ir/en/news/menu-239/key-883/>,

India<http://www.irna.ir/en/news/menu-239/key-5816/>, Sept 22,

IRNA

 

India

<http://www.irna.ir/en/news/menu-239/key-5816/>-Northeast<http://www.irna.ir/en/\

news/menu-239/key-17555/>

- Elephant Conflict <http://www.irna.ir/en/news/menu-239/key-73491/>

Wildlife authorities in India's northeastern state of Assam Friday sounded

an alert saying human- elephant conflict has reached alarming proportions

with the pachyderms straying into towns and cities looking for food.

 

" The battle between humans and elephants is very serious with the beasts

killing people and destroying properties and the locals attacking the

pachyderms and causing heavy casualties " , Assam's chief wildlife warden M.C.

Malakar said.

 

A report by the wildlife department said wild Asiatic elephants have killed

239 people in Assam since 2001, while 265 elephants have died during the

period, many of them victims of retaliation by angry humans.

 

" The high number of casualties in the continuing man-elephant conflict in

Assam is a matter of serious concern with pachyderm herds now reportedly

straying out of their habitats to human settlement areas looking for

fodder " , Malakar said.

 

Some 17 people have been trampled to death by elephant herds in separate

incidents this year, while 18 elephants were killed by irate villagers, the

report said.

 

A pair of wild elephants last weekend damaged a portion of an Indian Air

Force base in northern Assam's Sonitpur district.

 

" The elephants had come down from the jungles looking for food and got

themselves in the heart of the city " , police official A. Bora said.

 

Wildlife officials are holding an emergency meeting Monday at the famed

Kaziranga National Park in eastern Assam to devise new strategies to reduce

the man-elephant conflict.

 

Satellite imagery shows that between 1996 and 2000 villagers encroached some

280,000 hectares (691,880 acres) of thick forests in Assam.

 

Villagers in the past drive away marauding herds by beating drums or

bursting firecrackers. Now they poison the animals with man- elephant

conflict on the rise.

 

" We have found that some elephants were brought down with poisoned- tipped

arrows " , the wildlife warden said.

 

The last elephant census carried out by wildlife authorities in 1999

recorded 5,400 elephants in Assam, more than half of India's count of

10,000.

 

 

On 12/22/06, azam24x7 <azam24x7 wrote:

>

> NDTV: Does the man-animal relationship have to be one of conflict?

>

> Watch this video discussion on NDTV which was aired couple of days

> back.

>

> The panelists include:

>

> 1. Mr. A.N. Prasad, Director Project Elephant, India.

> 2. Mr.Sen, Former Director, Project Tiger

> 3. Mr. Ritwick Dutta, Environment and Wildlife Lawyer

>

> The only sad part is that you have to to watch the video on

> the website.

>

> This is the link: http://www.ndtv.com/ndtvvideo/default.asp?id=10107

>

> Azam Siddiqui

>

>

>