WPSI on tigers in Sunderbans

[Guest guest]

Posted with permission from Mrs Belinda Wright of Wildlife Protection

Society of India. Belinda's mother, Anne Wright, was one of the founding

members of WWF India. Been lucky to meet both mother and daughter, very

accomplished individuals both.

 

---------- Forwarded message ----------

Belinda Wright <belinda

Sun, Jul 19, 2009 at 7:40 PM

Tiger found dead in the Sunderbans, other tigers rescued

nathistory-india

 

 

* Dear All,

 

With the unfortunate death of a tigress in the Sundarbans on Friday, I

thought it might be interesting to document some of the tiger-related

incidents in and around the Tiger Reserve since Cyclone Aila hit the region

nine weeks ago.

 

Tiger found dead in the Sundarbans

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A tigress was found dead on Friday, 17 July 2009, at Netidhopani in the

Sundarbans. Due to a state-wide strike, the post mortem was carried out

yesterday (18 July). The Sunderban Tiger Reserve authorities requested Col.

Shakti Banerjee, Honorary Director of WPSI, and a representative of

WWF-India to be present at the post mortem, in accordance with the

guidelines of the National Tiger Conservation Authority. The approximately

12-year-old tigress had no external injuries. It appeared to have succumbed

to an infection, as the veterinary officer found necrotic focci in the heart

and lungs and enlarged other body parts. Interestingly, parts of king corba,

a monocled cobra and a half-digested crab were found in its digestive

system. The exact cause of death will be known after forensic tests have

been completed.

 

This sad news follows four remarkable tiger conservation success stories in

the Sunderbans, since Cyclone Aila devastated the area on 25th May this

year.

 

Tiger rescue operations since Cyclone Aila

 

The day after the cyclone, a tiger that had been swept along by strong

currents took refuge in a house in Jamespur. Since the area was still

chest-high in water, the Forest Department had to cut a hole in the roof of

the house to tranquilise the tiger. It was caged, removed from the village,

checked for any injuries, and released in the jungle the following day.

Three deer were also rescued by the department on the same day. On the night

of 30th June, a young tigress strayed onto an inhabited island at Adivasi

para, on the eastern edge of Sundarban tiger reserve. It was trapped,

tranquilised and released on 3rd July. On the night of 2nd July, another

young tigress entered Lahiripur village on Satjelia island. It was

successfully trapped the next night and released on 5th July, A fourth tiger

strayed into Chargheri village on the night of 6th July, and was trapped the

following night and released. The tiger had some scratch marks on its front

legs, possibly due to a territorial fight. The Forest Department fitted the

last three tigers with ear-tags and micro-chips on their tails, and gave all

the tigers a health check before they were released.

 

Listing these four incidents makes it sound all too easy. But that is far

from the truth. These are delicate operations, not only in the trapping,

tranquilising and handling of the tigers, but also because of other factors

such as crowd control (the capture sites have to be cordoned off with nets,

etc.) and the lack of even basic facilities in the aftermath of the cyclone.

Remarkably, nobody was injured during any of these operations, and in all

four cases the Field Director of the tiger reserve, Mr Subrata Mukerjee, was

present during the tranquilisation and release of the tigers. The last three

tigers were tranquilised by Mr Subrata Palchoudhury of the West Bengal

Forest Department. A WPSI Field Officer was present at two of the rescue

operations.

 

The NGOs and individuals who have been carrying out relief efforts in the

Sundarbans since Cyclone Aila have greatly appreciated the unstinting

efforts of the West Bengal Forest Department. The Sundarban Tiger Reserve

authorities and the Forest Officers of 24 Parganas (S) went into the field

immediately after the cyclone struck, actively assisting the local people at

that terrible time. Fortunately there was little damage to the mangrove

forests, but the Forest Department has been a pillar of strength to both the

wildlife and the local people ever since.

 

With best wishes, Belinda

 

Save a tree - please do not print this email unless you really need to.

==============================================================

Belinda Wright

Executive Director, Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI)

S-25 Panchsheel Park, New Delhi 110017, India

<http://www.wpsi-india.org/>

 

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