Kaziranga National Park. Assam: a story of cruelty and despair

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Tiger found dead outside Kaziranga

Naresh Mitra, TNN 19 September 2009, 11:14pm IST

 

GUWAHATI: A tiger was found dead outside the Kohra forest range of Kaziranga on

Saturday, sparking suspicions of revenge killing by angry residents

of adjoining villages. With this, the big cat death toll in the national park

rose to three this year.

 

The carcass was spotted beyond the park boundary, near an upcoming resort in the

Mohpara area. The tiger was aged between seven and eight and may have died

around two days ago. Forest officials ruled out a poaching bid, for the corpse

had not been mutilated and no organs were missing. " We found the ninth rib of

the tiger broken and partially calcified. We are waiting for the report on the

exact cause of death, " said Kaziranga divisional forest officer D D Gogoi.

 

Over the past week, tigers have frequently lifted livestock from the villages

outside Kaziranga, with a tiger killing a domestic pig in the park's Sildubi

area on Saturday itself. This has given credence to the perception that the

animal had died in a revenge attack.

 

Forest officials also hinted that it might have been killed by a rhino. In fact,

a few days ago, a big cat had attacked a rhino calf in the Bagmari area of

Kaziranga, they recalled. " Probably, the tiger suffered grievous injuries in the

attack by a rhino while attempting to kill the calf. One of its ribs has been

found broken. But until we get the post-mortem report, it is difficult to say

how it really died, " a forest official said.

 

Veterinarians from the Bokakhat-based Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and

Conservation (CWRC) conducted the post-mortem and collected samples from the

carcass for further tests. " The preliminary findings indicate that the tiger

might have died of infection following the fracture of the ninth rib on the

right side. The infection also spread to the lungs and has showed the

development of emphysema. Emphysema is a chronic respiratory disease caused by

over-inflation of the air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs. It declines lung function

and causes breathlessness, " said CWRC veterinarian Phulmoni Gogoi, who conducted

the post-mortem.

 

In all, 12 tigers have died in Kaziranga since November 2008 something which has

prompted the state government to start the process of setting up tiger

foundations. The aim is to ensure foolproof protection for big cats. Though the

Wildlife Crime Control Bureau did not find direct involvement of poachers in

those tiger deaths, wildlife conservationists warned that it was only a matter

of time tiger poaching becomes a serious issue like the hunting of rhinos.

 

Frequent cases of tigers straying out of the park area to prey on livestock has

not only heightened their

vulnerability as far as revenge killings are concerned, but have also increased

the risk of tiger poaching. Unlike rhinos, it is difficult for poachers to kill

tigers inside Kaziranga as 65 per cent of the 430 sq km area is grassland.

However, wildlife crime experts have said the big cats can easily be targeted

when they stray out into human settlements.

 

Sources said tigers usually land up in poachers' hands once they stray into

human habitation, particularly on the hundreds of big and small islands between

Orang National Park on the northern bank and Kaziranga National Park on the

southern bank of the Brahmaputra. Tigers killed outside the protected area

hardly get noticed or recorded, and their bodies ultimately end up with illegal

traders of wildlife parts, sources added.

 

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Poachers gun down elephant near Kaziranga

Naresh Mitra, TNN 19 September 2009, 11:17pm IST

GUWAHATI: Poachers have gunned down an elephant and chopped off its tusks and

trunk in Assam's Karbi Anglong district on the southern banks of the

Brahmaputra near the Kaziranga National Park.

 

Forest officials found the carcass of the jumbo, with the mark of a bullet wound

on its head, on Saturday. According to sources, the elephant might have been

killed about " two days ago " . A machete, belonging to a particular tribal group,

was found in the area that lies between Panbari Reserve Forest near Kaziranga

and Dalamara forest range in Karbi Anglong. Incidentally, elephants often use

Panbari as a corridor to move between Kaziranga and Karbi Anglong.

 

" The injury marks showed that a rifle was used to kill the jumbo. And, in all

probability, the poachers used the machete to cut off its trunk. They have

killed the elephant in a gruesome manner, " said Garga Mohan Das, project officer

of WWF-India's Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong Landscape Conservation Programme.

 

" This is very very worrying. We fear that the gang of poachers, who killed the

elephant, might also target jumbos in Panbari and its adjoining areas, " he

added.

 

Honourary wildlife warden (Golaghat) Arup Goswami said it would be very

difficult to save the elephants, rhinos and tigers in the area if the government

does not construct a foolproof security network.

 

" Most of the animals are killed in transit between Kaziranga and Karbi

Anglong.We aren't worried about the security of animals living in the protected

areas like Kaziranga. Our concern is what happens to them once they go out of

such areas. In fact, the poachers lie in wait for animals moving out of

Kaziranga, " he added.

 

Though elephants are frequently injured during conflicts with human beings in

Golaghat and adjoining Karbi Anglong, forest officials said poaching of jumbos

is a rare incidence. The last time an elephant was killed by poachers in the

Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong landscape was around two years ago.

 

In fact, Golaghat and the adjoining areas of Karbi Anglong have emerged as one

of the most intense man-elephant conflict zones. People often use firearms to

chase away herds of wild pachyderms, increasing the risk of them succumbing to

bullet wounds.

 

Till recent years, elephants used to pass through the Panbari Reserve Forest in

Golaghat to Karbi Anglong and Nagaland without any disturbance. But the

situation is no more the same. The entire route, which traditionally covered

areas like Panjir Pahar, Kakokchang, Deothar, and up to Nambor-Garampani and

Lengrapahar, is in a shambles owing to endless encroachment and relentless

deforestation.

 

In last five years, the Panbari Reserve Forest has seen stone excavation and

tree-felling at a hectic pace.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Mob revenge kills third Kaziranga tiger this year

 

Animals Straying Into Adjoining Villages Easy Prey, Foresters Worried

 

Naresh Mitra | TNN

 

Guwahati: A tiger was found dead outside the Kohra forest range of Kaziranga on

Saturday. Foresters suspected a revenge killing by angry residents of villages

that border the national park. It was the third tiger to die in Kaziranga this

year.

The carcass was spotted beyond the park boundary, near an upcoming resort in the

Mohpara area. The tiger was between seven and eight years old and may have died

a couple of days ago.

Foresters ruled out the poaching angle , pointing to the fact that the tigers

body wasnt mutilated and no organs were missing. We found the ninth rib of the

tiger broken and partially calcified . We are waiting for a report on the exact

cause of death, said Kaziranga divisional forest officer D D Gogoi.

Over the past week, tigers in Kaziranga have frequently lifted livestock from

neighbouring villages. On Saturday , a pig reportedly fell prey to one of the

big cats in the parks Sildubi area. The incident lent credence to the belief

that the tiger death in Kohra was the result of a revenge attack.

But some forest officials said the tiger could have also been killed by a rhino.

A few days ago, a tiger had attacked a rhino calf in the Bagmari area of

Kaziranga. Probably, the tiger suffered grievous injuries in the attack by a

rhino while attempting to kill the calf. One of its ribs was found broken. But

until we get the post-mortem report, its difficult to say how it died, an

officer said.

Veterinarians from the Bokakhatbased Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and

Conservation (CWRC) conducted the post-mortem and collected samples for further

tests. Preliminary findings indicate the tiger might have died of infection

following the fracture of the ninth rib on the right side. The infection also

spread to the lungs and caused emphysema a chronic respiratory disease due to

over-inflation of alveoli in the lungs. It declines lung function and causes

breathlessness, said CWRC veterinarian Phulmoni Gogoi, who conducted the

post-mortem .

Twelve tigers have died in Kaziranga since November 2008, a trend that has

prompted the state government to start setting up tiger foundations to ensure

their foolproof protection . Though the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau did not

find a direct involvement of poachers in those tiger deaths, conservationists

warned it was a matter of time before poaching became a huge threat in these

parts.

Frequent cases of tigers straying out of the park to prey on livestock have

increased their vulnerability, both in the face of angry villagers and poachers

.. Unlike rhinos, it is difficult for poachers to kill tigers inside Kaziranga as

65% of the 430 sq km area is grassland . But the cats can be targeted when they

stray out into human settlements.

 

 

Tusker shot, trunk chopped

 

Naresh Mitra | TNN

 

Guwahati: Poachers have gunned down an elephant and chopped off its tusks and

trunk in Assams Karbi Anglong district on the southern banks of the Brahmaputra

near the Kaziranga National Park.

Forest officials found the carcass of the jumbo, with a bullet wound on its

head, on Saturday. They said the elephant might have died a couple of days ago.

A machete, the kind used by tribal groups, was found in the area that lies

between Panbari Reserve Forest near Kaziranga and Dalamara forest range in Karbi

Anglong . Elephants often use Panbari as a corridor to move between Kaziranga

and Karbi Anglong.

The injury marks suggest a rifle was used to kill the jumbo. And, in all

probability, poachers used the machete to cut off its trunk. They have killed

the elephant in a gruesome manner, said Garga Mohan Das, project officer of

WWF-Indias Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong Landscape Conservation Programme.

This is extremely worrying. We fear the gang of poachers, who killed the

elephant, might also target jumbos in Panbari and its adjoining areas, he said.

Honourary wildlife warden (Golaghat) Arup Goswami said it will be very difficult

to save elephants, rhinos and tigers in the area if the government does not put

in place a foolproof security mechanism. Most of the animals are killed in

transit between Kaziranga and Karbi Anglong . We arent worried about the

security of animals living in protected areas inside Kaziranga . We are

concerned about animals straying out of protected areas. In fact, poachers lie

in wait for animals moving out of Kaziranga, he added.

Golaghat and the adjoining areas of Karbi Anglong have emerged as one of the

most intense man-elephant conflict zones. People often use firearms to chase

away herds of wild pachyderms, increasing the risk of them being hit by a stray

bullet or two.

 

Rhino hunted in black day for Assam reserve

 

Guwahati: A one-horned rhino was killed by poachers in Kaziranga on Saturday,

making it a black day in the history of the park when it lost three members of

three protected species in India.

The body of the rhino, with its horn chopped off, was found at Burapahar forest

range. Forest officials said the rhino was shot in the evening near the range

office. The poachers, in all likelihood, took the Burapahar-Karbi Anglong jungle

route to escape. Principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife) Suresh Chand

said: The death of three big mammals is indeed a bad day for Kaziranga. It is

very unfortunate. We are taking some serious action. But right now, we cant

disclose anything.

The chief conservator of forest, D M Singh, has rushed to Kaziranga. Top

officials were said to be in a huddle, but there was no word on whether a drive

against poachers was being planned or security was being beefed up across the

forest ranges. TNN

 

 

 

Rhino hunters get guided tour for Rs 9K

 

Naresh Mitra | TNN

 

 

He never thought a guided tour of rhino dens could bring the fast bucks. After

all, Balak Sing Teron doesnt come across Rs 9,000 everyday. And that too for

chaperoning some triggerhappy sharpshooters to the one-horned wonders of

Kaziranga National Park five times. The armed men managed to gun down rhinos

twice. But then, ensuring the animals safety wasnt part of the deal for Balak.

But the youth from Nutun Danga village of Nagaon is now a reformed man. After

much persuasion by forest department officials and fellow villagers, he

surrendered last year and has stopped helping poachers since.

But there are other villagers who can fall to the lure of easy money. Hamlets

around the Burapahar range of Kaziranga are notorious for rhino poaching. Forest

officials say poverty is one of the major reasons why villagers are agreeing to

help poachers. A forest official said: The sharpshooters are not locals. People

from adjoining villages of Kaziranga hardly kill rhinos.

Balak said he had met three Paite hunters from Manipurs Churachandpur district

in 2007. They told me they wanted to hunt a rhino, and asked for help. They

offered me Rs 500 as advance, and promised more once the mission was

accomplished, he said. After five attempts, the hunters successfully shot down

rhinos twice in 2007. I was then paid a total of Rs 9,000 for helping them as a

guide. The Kaziranga National Park has 2,048 onehorned rhinos at present.

With Rs 9,000, I fed my elderly father and mother for the entire year. But now I

have realized it is better to do some other job to run the family than earn

money through illegal means, was his candid assertion.

In recent times, poachers as well as villagers who had connived with them to

kill rhinos have surrendered. Along with Balak, 19-yearold Rajen Kiling Songsing

Teron, another guide , also surrendered. We have asked villagers no to allow

anybody to help poachers. We have also successfully tightened our grasp around

Burapahar , a forest official said.

 

THE ONE-HORN

PROBLEM

 

* 4 rhinos have been killed by poachers in Kaziranga this year * 11 attempts

have been foiled by guards at the national park between January and August * 4

hunters sneaked into the park in July to kill rhinos. But they didnt have a

guide and were captured * 2048 is the number of one-horned rhinos in Kaziranga

at present * Rs 500 paid as advance to guide by poachers

 

 

 

 

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Thank you for your compassion !

With best regards,

Debasis Chakrabarti

Compassionate Crusaders Trust

http://www.animalcrusaders.org