Express News Service
Posted: Sunday , Dec 27, 2009 at 0149 hrs
Vadodara:
A hyena died after it was caught in a trap placed by farmers near Waghodia late on Thursday. Following the incident, Vadodara range forest officials have warned the villagers not to place such traps as action can be taken against them for killing a scheduled animal.
The incident occurred around 9.45 pm in Gugalpur village in Waghodia taluka when some villagers spotted a ‘tiger’-like animal caught in a trap that was laid to prevent pigs from entering farms. But animal activists have alleged that the trap was not for pigs but for the hyena only.
“We got a call from activists of Gujarat Society for Prevention of Cruelty against Animals about a hyena trapped in Gugalpur village. We reached the spot around 11 pm and found that the hyena was badly trapped and villagers had surrounded it out of curiosity. We removed the noose from around the animal’s neck, but it was severely injured by then,” said M H Baria, Range Forest Officer (Vadodara).
Senior forest officials maintained that the hyena died as a lot of people had surrounded it. “The iron noose was fatal in any case. With the people coming near, the hyena struggled to free itself, but the noose only tightened. Eventually, the animal’s throat was slit. When we reached the spot, it had bled profusely. It died by the time we reached the nearest veterinary hospital. A postmortem was conducted and the last rites performed as per rules,” said a senior forest official.
Meanwhile, the animal activists said that action should have been taken against the farmers who had placed the trap.
“The hyena is a Schedule I animal. If the Forest Department does not take action against those who had placed the trap, such incidents would continue to occur,” said Snehal Bhavsar of GSPCA, who had informed the Forest Department about the incident.
Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/hyena-dies-after-falling-into-trap/559535/0
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
In one day, three leopards die in Junagadh
TNN 27 December 2009, 05:03am ISTText Size:|Topics:
AHMEDABAD:
In yet another case of infighting among big cats in Gir, a leopard was killed by a lion on the outskirts of Dalkhaniya village in Gir west recently. Officials said, the reason of the fight could not be ascertained.
In two more unnatural deaths of the spotted beast, a leopard was run over by a train while crossing an unmanned railway crossing near Gadu village in Junagadh district on Saturday.
In another case, a five-year-old female leopard was electrocuted to death in Varsinghar village of Una taluka in Junagadh district on Saturday morning. The animal got the electric shock after coming in contact with a transformer in an unused mine, sources said.
About the fight between a lion and leopard, officials said: "It could be that the lion had made an attempt to scare another big cat away. Instead, this led to a fight between the two," officials said. Range forest officer A D Atara, said pug marks and injuries on the leopard, suggest a lion was the killer.
The incident, however, gave senior forest officials a chance to reiterate their claim that just like leopard and lion cannot stay together, a tiger and lion cannot survive together in Kuno Palpur in Madhya Pradesh.
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/In-one-day-three-leopards-die-in-Junagadh/articleshow/5383240.cms
AHMEDABAD:
In yet another case of infighting among big cats in Gir, a leopard was killed by a lion on the outskirts of Dalkhaniya village in Gir west recently. Officials said, the reason of the fight could not be ascertained.
In two more unnatural deaths of the spotted beast, a leopard was run over by a train while crossing an unmanned railway crossing near Gadu village in Junagadh district on Saturday.
In another case, a five-year-old female leopard was electrocuted to death in Varsinghar village of Una taluka in Junagadh district on Saturday morning. The animal got the electric shock after coming in contact with a transformer in an unused mine, sources said.
About the fight between a lion and leopard, officials said: "It could be that the lion had made an attempt to scare another big cat away. Instead, this led to a fight between the two," officials said. Range forest officer A D Atara, said pug marks and injuries on the leopard, suggest a lion was the killer.
The incident, however, gave senior forest officials a chance to reiterate their claim that just like leopard and lion cannot stay together, a tiger and lion cannot survive together in Kuno Palpur in Madhya Pradesh.
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/In-one-day-three-leopards-die-in-Junagadh/articleshow/5383240.cms
Gir patrol staff to be equipped with GPS units
Shubhlakshmi Shukla
Posted: Monday , Dec 21, 2009 at 0112 hrs
Ahmedabad:
Five hundred field staff manning the Sasan Gir Forest will now have to be on their toes as senior officers of the Forest Department will be monitoring their on-field movements.
This comes after the state Ministry of Forest and Environment finalised the Rs 20 crore project of equipping the field staff with the Global Positioning System (GPS) Hand Held Units (HHU).
With this, the Forest Department will now be equipped to monitor the Asiatic lions on a daily basis by the end of 2010. This will fill up several gaps in the management, they say.
The project is the outcome of recommendations by the task force formed by MOEF on May 25, 2007 following a series of reports of poaching of Asiatic lions.
This system with a Geographical Information System (GIS) control room at the Junagadh forest office will provide a daily account of the surveillance activity and the dispersal of the big cats in the two divisions of Sasan Gir.
Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/gir-patrol-staff-to-be-equipped-with-gps-units/556886/0
Posted: Monday , Dec 21, 2009 at 0112 hrs
Ahmedabad:
Five hundred field staff manning the Sasan Gir Forest will now have to be on their toes as senior officers of the Forest Department will be monitoring their on-field movements.
This comes after the state Ministry of Forest and Environment finalised the Rs 20 crore project of equipping the field staff with the Global Positioning System (GPS) Hand Held Units (HHU).
With this, the Forest Department will now be equipped to monitor the Asiatic lions on a daily basis by the end of 2010. This will fill up several gaps in the management, they say.
The project is the outcome of recommendations by the task force formed by MOEF on May 25, 2007 following a series of reports of poaching of Asiatic lions.
This system with a Geographical Information System (GIS) control room at the Junagadh forest office will provide a daily account of the surveillance activity and the dispersal of the big cats in the two divisions of Sasan Gir.
Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/gir-patrol-staff-to-be-equipped-with-gps-units/556886/0
Lioness killed in Gir forest.
Press Trust of India
Posted: Sunday , Dec 20, 2009 at 0229 hrs
Amreli:
The state Forest Department found the carcass of a lioness from the Tulsishyam range in Gir forest in the district, officials said on Saturday. The big cat was killed by a sharp weapon.
The carcass of a seven-year-old lioness was found on Thursday night from the protected forest area. It was then brought to the Forest Department’s Jasadar medical clinic for animals for a postmortem, they said.
As per the postmortem report, the lioness had received several wounds on the left side of her chest by a sharp weapon, the officials added.
The Forest Department has launched an investigation into the suspected poaching incident and Regional Forest Officer B P Ranparia is heading the inquiry.
Department officials said that this is a case of poaching and they will leave no stone unturned to get to the culprits.
Two years ago, nine lions had been killed in separate incidents by a gang of poachers from Madhya Pradesh. The Gir Wildlife Sanctuary is the last abode of the Asiatic lion. A 2005 census had found 259 lions in the sanctuary. The next such census is likely to be conducted in 2010.
Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Lioness-killed-in-Gir-forest/556680
Posted: Sunday , Dec 20, 2009 at 0229 hrs
Amreli:
The state Forest Department found the carcass of a lioness from the Tulsishyam range in Gir forest in the district, officials said on Saturday. The big cat was killed by a sharp weapon.
The carcass of a seven-year-old lioness was found on Thursday night from the protected forest area. It was then brought to the Forest Department’s Jasadar medical clinic for animals for a postmortem, they said.
As per the postmortem report, the lioness had received several wounds on the left side of her chest by a sharp weapon, the officials added.
The Forest Department has launched an investigation into the suspected poaching incident and Regional Forest Officer B P Ranparia is heading the inquiry.
Department officials said that this is a case of poaching and they will leave no stone unturned to get to the culprits.
Two years ago, nine lions had been killed in separate incidents by a gang of poachers from Madhya Pradesh. The Gir Wildlife Sanctuary is the last abode of the Asiatic lion. A 2005 census had found 259 lions in the sanctuary. The next such census is likely to be conducted in 2010.
Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Lioness-killed-in-Gir-forest/556680
Lioness killed in Gir forests.
STAFF WRITER 21:36 HRS IST
Amreli, Dec 19 (PTI) The body of a lioness killed with a sharp edged weapon has been recovered from Tulsishyam range of the Gir forests in the district.
A post-mortem conducted on the body of the seven-year-old lioness, which was found on Thursday night from the protected forest area, revealed that it had received several wounds on the left side of her chest by some sharp edged weapon, Gujarat forest department officials said here today.
An investigation has been launched into the poaching incident, they said, adding no stone will be left unturned to bring the culprits to book.
Two years ago, nine lions were killed in separate incidents by a gang of poachers from Madhya Pradesh.
Gir wildlife sanctuary is the last abode of Asiatic lions, where in a census of 2005, 259 lions were found. The census of lions in Gir is likely to be conducted next year.
Source: http://www.ptinews.com/news/431918_Lioness-killed-in-Gir-forests
Amreli, Dec 19 (PTI) The body of a lioness killed with a sharp edged weapon has been recovered from Tulsishyam range of the Gir forests in the district.
A post-mortem conducted on the body of the seven-year-old lioness, which was found on Thursday night from the protected forest area, revealed that it had received several wounds on the left side of her chest by some sharp edged weapon, Gujarat forest department officials said here today.
An investigation has been launched into the poaching incident, they said, adding no stone will be left unturned to bring the culprits to book.
Two years ago, nine lions were killed in separate incidents by a gang of poachers from Madhya Pradesh.
Gir wildlife sanctuary is the last abode of Asiatic lions, where in a census of 2005, 259 lions were found. The census of lions in Gir is likely to be conducted next year.
Source: http://www.ptinews.com/news/431918_Lioness-killed-in-Gir-forests
Mystery death of lion solved: eyewitness tracked.
Vikram Rautela
Posted: Tuesday , Dec 15, 2009 at 0317 hrs
The death of an adult Asiatic lion, whose body was found under a bridge near Bhelchhar village in the Sasan range of Gir forest earlier last week, is no longer a mystery.
Officers from the Forest Department, who are investigating the case, have finally tracked the eyewitness who had seen the big cat jump off the 25m high bridge around 11.15 pm last Tuesday.
The witness, whose identity is being withheld, is an outsider, and had come to Gir on a tour. He was tracked with the help of an entry – mentioning his name, address and car registration number – logged on the toll plaza register near the bridge.
In his statement to the investigating team headed by Deputy Forest Conservator (Gir west), Amit Kumar, the witness said that the headlights of a speeding car heading towards the Sasan side on the 20 m long bridge had startled the animal, which was walking towards the opposite (Junagadh) side that night. Feeling threatened, the lion jumped atop a narrow, metre-high parapet on the left side of the bridge, but failed to keep its balance and plunged down.
Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/mystery-death-of-lion-solved-eyewitness-tracked/554293/0
Posted: Tuesday , Dec 15, 2009 at 0317 hrs
The death of an adult Asiatic lion, whose body was found under a bridge near Bhelchhar village in the Sasan range of Gir forest earlier last week, is no longer a mystery.
Officers from the Forest Department, who are investigating the case, have finally tracked the eyewitness who had seen the big cat jump off the 25m high bridge around 11.15 pm last Tuesday.
The witness, whose identity is being withheld, is an outsider, and had come to Gir on a tour. He was tracked with the help of an entry – mentioning his name, address and car registration number – logged on the toll plaza register near the bridge.
In his statement to the investigating team headed by Deputy Forest Conservator (Gir west), Amit Kumar, the witness said that the headlights of a speeding car heading towards the Sasan side on the 20 m long bridge had startled the animal, which was walking towards the opposite (Junagadh) side that night. Feeling threatened, the lion jumped atop a narrow, metre-high parapet on the left side of the bridge, but failed to keep its balance and plunged down.
Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/mystery-death-of-lion-solved-eyewitness-tracked/554293/0
Pride wars — attack of the kings.
REEJA RADHAKRISHNAN
Sheroo meets Leo Kappoorio — a handsome Asiatic lion. But Sheroo learns that life is not all about good looks, for, Leo has his share of problems too.
Last week I ran into this dude from Gir forest I 'd always thought I was the badshah of cool until I met this guy- he's a regular rockstar, long-haired and dashing! An Asiatic Lion, he had a rather fancy name too — Leo Kappoorio (which I suspect is a slightly altered version of what his mother named him).
We got talking and I brought up the recent lion- killing incidents in Chennai's Vandalur zoo. There had been two instances this year where lions have killed another of their species.
What is all this about? Leo shook his handsome head dismissively: “Why fuss so much? These guys actually have it easy in the zoos. The lions that got killed were old, one was thirteen and the other nineteen. In the jungle you are lucky if you live to be ten! ''
Leo then proceeded to tell me about life in the wild. His home is Gir, in Gujarat, the last bastion of the Lion king. Unlike us tigers, these folks don't lead solitary lives. All lion cubs are born in prides, where mommy and her sisters live and hunt together along with their mates. A lion's pride in Gir usually comprises two adult mothers, with their entourage of cubs and of course, the dads.
Family talk
Pride loyalties run deep for the female lions. They are all related – sisters, cousins and daughters. The males are part of the pride until tougher guys break in and throw them out. To gain entry to a pride, they have to impress the ladies and this they do with a huge show of machismo. This can be very bloody, says Leo. The resident males are killed or injured badly that they have no choice but move out.
“We live in dangerous times mate, no one is safe, especially if you are male.” says Leo. Once in, the guys have their pride duties — mostly it's patrolling and marking territory. The females being smaller and faster, actually lead the pack for the kill.
Growing up isn't easy either. Sometimes, male lions taking over a pride kill the cubs and ‘teen' lions. Even otherwise, growing up is tough. Mothers hide new- born cubs under bushes to protect them from predators like hyenas, until they are about two months of age. Cubs are able to run around by the time they are a month old but they don't start eating meat until they are around three months .Then it's school time, learning the ropes to hunt and kill. By the time, a cub is around one, he could join the hunting party. This is also when they actually begin to roar!
Unlike us tigers, these guys hunt in a group. And guess what? Men get the lion's share of the prey!
Leo is two years old and cubs until the age of four usually remain with their pride. But he is wary. “I can see it coming, pal. One of these days, my Pa will get thrown out by a toughie and it's not going to be good for me and my brother. So shortly, I plan to leave this pride along with my brother Simboo. Between us, we should manage to survive on our own. I'll miss my folks but one has to see the writing on the wall, don't you think?”
Did you know?
Asiatic lions were found in the Mediterranean, even Greece and Rome at one time.
There are only over 350 Asiatic lions left in the wild today and all of them live in Gir.
Asiatic lions have smaller, shaggier manes compared to their African cousins and their ears are always seen.
Lions spend most of their time resting, about 20 hours a day!
African lions live in larger prides, four to six female lions and their families.
Source: http://www.hindu.com/yw/2009/12/15/stories/2009121550351100.htm
Sheroo meets Leo Kappoorio — a handsome Asiatic lion. But Sheroo learns that life is not all about good looks, for, Leo has his share of problems too.
Last week I ran into this dude from Gir forest I 'd always thought I was the badshah of cool until I met this guy- he's a regular rockstar, long-haired and dashing! An Asiatic Lion, he had a rather fancy name too — Leo Kappoorio (which I suspect is a slightly altered version of what his mother named him).
We got talking and I brought up the recent lion- killing incidents in Chennai's Vandalur zoo. There had been two instances this year where lions have killed another of their species.
What is all this about? Leo shook his handsome head dismissively: “Why fuss so much? These guys actually have it easy in the zoos. The lions that got killed were old, one was thirteen and the other nineteen. In the jungle you are lucky if you live to be ten! ''
Leo then proceeded to tell me about life in the wild. His home is Gir, in Gujarat, the last bastion of the Lion king. Unlike us tigers, these folks don't lead solitary lives. All lion cubs are born in prides, where mommy and her sisters live and hunt together along with their mates. A lion's pride in Gir usually comprises two adult mothers, with their entourage of cubs and of course, the dads.
Family talk
Pride loyalties run deep for the female lions. They are all related – sisters, cousins and daughters. The males are part of the pride until tougher guys break in and throw them out. To gain entry to a pride, they have to impress the ladies and this they do with a huge show of machismo. This can be very bloody, says Leo. The resident males are killed or injured badly that they have no choice but move out.
“We live in dangerous times mate, no one is safe, especially if you are male.” says Leo. Once in, the guys have their pride duties — mostly it's patrolling and marking territory. The females being smaller and faster, actually lead the pack for the kill.
Growing up isn't easy either. Sometimes, male lions taking over a pride kill the cubs and ‘teen' lions. Even otherwise, growing up is tough. Mothers hide new- born cubs under bushes to protect them from predators like hyenas, until they are about two months of age. Cubs are able to run around by the time they are a month old but they don't start eating meat until they are around three months .Then it's school time, learning the ropes to hunt and kill. By the time, a cub is around one, he could join the hunting party. This is also when they actually begin to roar!
Unlike us tigers, these guys hunt in a group. And guess what? Men get the lion's share of the prey!
Leo is two years old and cubs until the age of four usually remain with their pride. But he is wary. “I can see it coming, pal. One of these days, my Pa will get thrown out by a toughie and it's not going to be good for me and my brother. So shortly, I plan to leave this pride along with my brother Simboo. Between us, we should manage to survive on our own. I'll miss my folks but one has to see the writing on the wall, don't you think?”
Did you know?
Asiatic lions were found in the Mediterranean, even Greece and Rome at one time.
There are only over 350 Asiatic lions left in the wild today and all of them live in Gir.
Asiatic lions have smaller, shaggier manes compared to their African cousins and their ears are always seen.
Lions spend most of their time resting, about 20 hours a day!
African lions live in larger prides, four to six female lions and their families.
Source: http://www.hindu.com/yw/2009/12/15/stories/2009121550351100.htm
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Thoroughfare through Gir turns fatal for wildlife.
Hiral Dave
Posted: Thursday , Dec 10, 2009 at 0407 hrs Rajkot:
As many as 20 animals killed between Junagadh, Sasan in the last one year
Even as mystery shrouds the death of an Asiatic lion that fell off a bridge in Sasan Gir on Monday night, as many as 20 wild animals have been reported killed in road accidents in the Gir Wildlife Sanctuary over the last one year. The state highway and other roads passing through the sanctuary have proved fatal for wildlife.
Forest Department sources said that as many as 20 animals including a leopard, three deer and a fox, have been killed on the highway between Junagadh and Sasan and, six other highways running through the sanctuary. In the last three months, seven deer, three on the Sasan-Talala road and four on the Mendrda-Sasan road have been killed. The number of wild animals killed since 2004-05 was nearly 60, they said.
Though incidents of wild animals getting killed in the sanctuary has been increasing, the fact remains that the Forest Department lacks facilities like ambulance or rescue vans to treat the injured animals. They have to be taken to the headquarters of respective ranges like Gir east and Gir west for treatment.
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The number of accidents has also gone up due to the increasing presence of tourists and vehicles (both two and four wheelers) on the highway, said Forest Department sources.
“In recent times, Sasan and Gir Wildlife Sanctuary have been attracting more tourists, which has led to an increase in traffic on the state highway as well as internal roads. Tourist vehicles often ply at high speeds. Besides, the number of two and four wheelers is also constantly going up in the rural areas surrounding the Gir Wildlife Sanctuary,” said a senior forest officer on condition of anonymity.
The Jamwada-Kankai, Jamwada-Banej, Junagadh Talala, Haripur-Hirenwel, Jasadhar Timberwa and Dhari-Una roads, in particular, have turned fatal for wildlife.
These single lane kaccha roads run through the heart of the sanctuary. Following the poaching of nine lions in 2006, these roads have been shut down for movement after sunset, and the state highways like Junagadh-Sasan and Sasan-Bhal remain open for 24 hours. Conservator of Forest M M Sharma was unavailable for comments.
Deputy Conservator of Forest, Gir West, Amit Kumar, said: “These accidents are happening only because these roads pass through this area.”
Deputy Forest Officer Gir East, Sandeep Kumar said: “The Forest Department cannot stop vehicles from plying at high speeds. A couple of these are state highways, but there is no mechanism to punish the drivers for driving at high speeds.”
Mystery death of lion: malafide intention not ruled out
RAJKOT: Foresters have not ruled out a malafide interest behind the mysterious death of an Asiatic lion, which fell off a bridge over the Hiren river on the Sasan-Bhal road in the Gir Wildlife Sanctuary on Monday.
According to the postmortem report, the lion died of head injury, but little is known why it jumped off the bridge. The only plausible reason being that it was startled by a four-wheeler.
But foresters have not ruled out a malafide intention to chase or tease the big cat.
“A malafide interest cannot be ruled out. We have not been able to trace down any vehicle” said Amit Kumar, adding that the postmortem report has revealed that the animal was not hit by any vehicle.
Kumar added: “We believe that an approaching vehicle from the right side of the bridge might have provoked the lion, which was coming from the left side, to jump off the bridge. Pug marks have been found till the middle of the bridge and are missing after that. Only a vehicle could have provoked it to jump.”
The Gir Wildlife Sanctuary is spread over 1,412 sq km area and is the only abode of the Asiatic lion. The last census put the lion population at 370.
Meanwhile, a bandh was observed in Sasan town on Wednesday demanding fair investigation into the matter. Former sarpanch Bharat Lakani said the bandh was also supported by the tourist vehicles association and hotel owners’ association.
Sasan residents also organised a prayer meeting at Sinh Sadan at 11 am on Wednesday.
Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/thoroughfare-through-gir-turns-fatal-for-wildlife/552347/0
Posted: Thursday , Dec 10, 2009 at 0407 hrs Rajkot:
As many as 20 animals killed between Junagadh, Sasan in the last one year
Even as mystery shrouds the death of an Asiatic lion that fell off a bridge in Sasan Gir on Monday night, as many as 20 wild animals have been reported killed in road accidents in the Gir Wildlife Sanctuary over the last one year. The state highway and other roads passing through the sanctuary have proved fatal for wildlife.
Forest Department sources said that as many as 20 animals including a leopard, three deer and a fox, have been killed on the highway between Junagadh and Sasan and, six other highways running through the sanctuary. In the last three months, seven deer, three on the Sasan-Talala road and four on the Mendrda-Sasan road have been killed. The number of wild animals killed since 2004-05 was nearly 60, they said.
Though incidents of wild animals getting killed in the sanctuary has been increasing, the fact remains that the Forest Department lacks facilities like ambulance or rescue vans to treat the injured animals. They have to be taken to the headquarters of respective ranges like Gir east and Gir west for treatment.
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The number of accidents has also gone up due to the increasing presence of tourists and vehicles (both two and four wheelers) on the highway, said Forest Department sources.
“In recent times, Sasan and Gir Wildlife Sanctuary have been attracting more tourists, which has led to an increase in traffic on the state highway as well as internal roads. Tourist vehicles often ply at high speeds. Besides, the number of two and four wheelers is also constantly going up in the rural areas surrounding the Gir Wildlife Sanctuary,” said a senior forest officer on condition of anonymity.
The Jamwada-Kankai, Jamwada-Banej, Junagadh Talala, Haripur-Hirenwel, Jasadhar Timberwa and Dhari-Una roads, in particular, have turned fatal for wildlife.
These single lane kaccha roads run through the heart of the sanctuary. Following the poaching of nine lions in 2006, these roads have been shut down for movement after sunset, and the state highways like Junagadh-Sasan and Sasan-Bhal remain open for 24 hours. Conservator of Forest M M Sharma was unavailable for comments.
Deputy Conservator of Forest, Gir West, Amit Kumar, said: “These accidents are happening only because these roads pass through this area.”
Deputy Forest Officer Gir East, Sandeep Kumar said: “The Forest Department cannot stop vehicles from plying at high speeds. A couple of these are state highways, but there is no mechanism to punish the drivers for driving at high speeds.”
Mystery death of lion: malafide intention not ruled out
RAJKOT: Foresters have not ruled out a malafide interest behind the mysterious death of an Asiatic lion, which fell off a bridge over the Hiren river on the Sasan-Bhal road in the Gir Wildlife Sanctuary on Monday.
According to the postmortem report, the lion died of head injury, but little is known why it jumped off the bridge. The only plausible reason being that it was startled by a four-wheeler.
But foresters have not ruled out a malafide intention to chase or tease the big cat.
“A malafide interest cannot be ruled out. We have not been able to trace down any vehicle” said Amit Kumar, adding that the postmortem report has revealed that the animal was not hit by any vehicle.
Kumar added: “We believe that an approaching vehicle from the right side of the bridge might have provoked the lion, which was coming from the left side, to jump off the bridge. Pug marks have been found till the middle of the bridge and are missing after that. Only a vehicle could have provoked it to jump.”
The Gir Wildlife Sanctuary is spread over 1,412 sq km area and is the only abode of the Asiatic lion. The last census put the lion population at 370.
Meanwhile, a bandh was observed in Sasan town on Wednesday demanding fair investigation into the matter. Former sarpanch Bharat Lakani said the bandh was also supported by the tourist vehicles association and hotel owners’ association.
Sasan residents also organised a prayer meeting at Sinh Sadan at 11 am on Wednesday.
Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/thoroughfare-through-gir-turns-fatal-for-wildlife/552347/0
Sasan town observes bandh in protest against lion's death.
PTI 9 December 2009, 07:39pm IST
RAJKOT (Guj): Sasan town in Junagadh district, famous for Gir Wildlife Sanctuary, on Wednesday observed a half day bandh to protest against forest deparment's failure of saving a lion which died after falling down from a bridge.
Entire village remained closed for half-day even auto rickshaw and ferry service operators also extended their support by joining in the bandh which was called by local residents in protest against the forest department, sources said.
They also submitted a memorandum to the forest department and demanded that strict action be taken against the responsible forest officials whose alleged carelessness caused a lion's death, they said.
An eight-year-lion died yesterday after falling off a 15 meter birdge constructed on a Hiran river.
The villagers in the memorandum also sought that lion show being organised by the forest department for tourist should be cancelled to save life of lions.
However, deputy conservator of forest, Amit Kumar could not be contacted to highlight the cause of the lion's death but sources from the forest department did not rule out possibility that the lion might have been hit by a moving vehicle.
Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Sasan-town-observes-bandh-in-protest-against-lions-death/articleshow/5319608.cms
RAJKOT (Guj): Sasan town in Junagadh district, famous for Gir Wildlife Sanctuary, on Wednesday observed a half day bandh to protest against forest deparment's failure of saving a lion which died after falling down from a bridge.
Entire village remained closed for half-day even auto rickshaw and ferry service operators also extended their support by joining in the bandh which was called by local residents in protest against the forest department, sources said.
They also submitted a memorandum to the forest department and demanded that strict action be taken against the responsible forest officials whose alleged carelessness caused a lion's death, they said.
An eight-year-lion died yesterday after falling off a 15 meter birdge constructed on a Hiran river.
The villagers in the memorandum also sought that lion show being organised by the forest department for tourist should be cancelled to save life of lions.
However, deputy conservator of forest, Amit Kumar could not be contacted to highlight the cause of the lion's death but sources from the forest department did not rule out possibility that the lion might have been hit by a moving vehicle.
Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Sasan-town-observes-bandh-in-protest-against-lions-death/articleshow/5319608.cms
Tracking the lion.
Himanshu Kaushik, TNN 30 November 2009, 05:53am IST
AHMEDABAD: The straying out of Asiatic lions from the protected Gir forest has amazed wildlife enthusiasts and worried Gujarat forest officials.
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The beast which was earlier confined to the area in and around Sasan and Dhari in Junagadh, is now being spotted in Bhavnagar and other parts of Amreli district.
The forest department, in a bid to secure the area where the lions have moved out, has asked Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) to study the dispersal rate of the lions in the state. It plans to protect the area and the corridor from where the lions are moving out of the sanctuary.
Officials said that there were reports of lions making several areas outside Gir as their permanent home away from Gir sanctuary. In a recent meeting with WTI and Wildlife Institute of India (WII), it was decided that the WTI would carry out a detailed study on the movement of the lions outside the sanctuary.
Fores officials have found 14 lions in Ranigala village of Bhavnagar district. This was probably the biggest pride spotted in recent times. Earlier, there were scattered reports of lions moving in the district. However, spotting groups above 10 are now becoming a routine in Bhavnagar and Amreli districts.
Interestingly, lions are not only moving away from Sasan but seem to be regaining their lost territory. Lions in the past were found upto Gondal in Rajkot and in Bhavnagar and Porbandar. Officials said that as on date, one can see lions along the coastal belt from Porbandar to Bhavnagar.
Officials further said the WTI would give a perfect route plan from where these lions have been moving out and the areas where their concentration has been noticed. With lion census slated next year, this would also help the department in the exercise.
Foresters said that the carrying capacity of Gir was around 275-280 lions and hence, over 100 lions have moved out of the sanctuary in want of food. He said the places where these lions are spotted had lion presence in the mid 1900s.
A senior forest official said, "Gir's carrying capacity is just 250 lions and as of today, there are over 370 lions in the sanctuary. The lions are moving out because of want of food and terrotorial fights."
He said that getting prey in the sanctuary was difficult than getting a catch outside. Once the animal gets used to easy killing, it will not move back to the sanctuary. Even if they are caught and released into forest, they will stray out again and come close to human habitat, he pointed out.
Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Tracking-the-lion/articleshow/5282417.cms
AHMEDABAD: The straying out of Asiatic lions from the protected Gir forest has amazed wildlife enthusiasts and worried Gujarat forest officials.
Twitter Facebook Share
Email Print Save Comment
The beast which was earlier confined to the area in and around Sasan and Dhari in Junagadh, is now being spotted in Bhavnagar and other parts of Amreli district.
The forest department, in a bid to secure the area where the lions have moved out, has asked Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) to study the dispersal rate of the lions in the state. It plans to protect the area and the corridor from where the lions are moving out of the sanctuary.
Officials said that there were reports of lions making several areas outside Gir as their permanent home away from Gir sanctuary. In a recent meeting with WTI and Wildlife Institute of India (WII), it was decided that the WTI would carry out a detailed study on the movement of the lions outside the sanctuary.
Fores officials have found 14 lions in Ranigala village of Bhavnagar district. This was probably the biggest pride spotted in recent times. Earlier, there were scattered reports of lions moving in the district. However, spotting groups above 10 are now becoming a routine in Bhavnagar and Amreli districts.
Interestingly, lions are not only moving away from Sasan but seem to be regaining their lost territory. Lions in the past were found upto Gondal in Rajkot and in Bhavnagar and Porbandar. Officials said that as on date, one can see lions along the coastal belt from Porbandar to Bhavnagar.
Officials further said the WTI would give a perfect route plan from where these lions have been moving out and the areas where their concentration has been noticed. With lion census slated next year, this would also help the department in the exercise.
Foresters said that the carrying capacity of Gir was around 275-280 lions and hence, over 100 lions have moved out of the sanctuary in want of food. He said the places where these lions are spotted had lion presence in the mid 1900s.
A senior forest official said, "Gir's carrying capacity is just 250 lions and as of today, there are over 370 lions in the sanctuary. The lions are moving out because of want of food and terrotorial fights."
He said that getting prey in the sanctuary was difficult than getting a catch outside. Once the animal gets used to easy killing, it will not move back to the sanctuary. Even if they are caught and released into forest, they will stray out again and come close to human habitat, he pointed out.
Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Tracking-the-lion/articleshow/5282417.cms
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Asiatic Lions in GIR Sanctuary.
Rajya Sabha
There are no reports about the number of Asiatic Lions in Gir Sanctuary has decreased over the years.On the contrary the number of Asiatic Lions in Gir Sanctuary has increased over the years.The Government of Gujarat has launched several steps including establishing and conserving appropriate habitats including Barda Wildlife Sanctuary located in Porbandar and Jamnagar Districts for supporting lion population.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Environment and Forests (independent charge) Shri Jairam Ramesh in a written reply to a question by Sh. Mahmood A. Madani and Sh. Santosh Bagrodia in Rajya Sabha today.
KP
Source: http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=54761
There are no reports about the number of Asiatic Lions in Gir Sanctuary has decreased over the years.On the contrary the number of Asiatic Lions in Gir Sanctuary has increased over the years.The Government of Gujarat has launched several steps including establishing and conserving appropriate habitats including Barda Wildlife Sanctuary located in Porbandar and Jamnagar Districts for supporting lion population.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Environment and Forests (independent charge) Shri Jairam Ramesh in a written reply to a question by Sh. Mahmood A. Madani and Sh. Santosh Bagrodia in Rajya Sabha today.
KP
Source: http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=54761
Tracking the lion.
Himanshu Kaushik, TNN 30 November 2009, 05:53am IST
AHMEDABAD: The straying out of Asiatic lions from the protected Gir forest has amazed wildlife enthusiasts and worried Gujarat forest officials.
The beast which was earlier confined to the area in and around Sasan and Dhari in Junagadh, is now being spotted in Bhavnagar and other parts of Amreli district.
The forest department, in a bid to secure the area where the lions have moved out, has asked Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) to study the dispersal rate of the lions in the state. It plans to protect the area and the corridor from where the lions are moving out of the sanctuary.
Officials said that there were reports of lions making several areas outside Gir as their permanent home away from Gir sanctuary. In a recent meeting with WTI and Wildlife Institute of India (WII), it was decided that the WTI would carry out a detailed study on the movement of the lions outside the sanctuary.
Fores officials have found 14 lions in Ranigala village of Bhavnagar district. This was probably the biggest pride spotted in recent times. Earlier, there were scattered reports of lions moving in the district. However, spotting groups above 10 are now becoming a routine in Bhavnagar and Amreli districts.
Interestingly, lions are not only moving away from Sasan but seem to be regaining their lost territory. Lions in the past were found upto Gondal in Rajkot and in Bhavnagar and Porbandar. Officials said that as on date, one can see lions along the coastal belt from Porbandar to Bhavnagar.
Officials further said the WTI would give a perfect route plan from where these lions have been moving out and the areas where their concentration has been noticed. With lion census slated next year, this would also help the department in the exercise.
Foresters said that the carrying capacity of Gir was around 275-280 lions and hence, over 100 lions have moved out of the sanctuary in want of food. He said the places where these lions are spotted had lion presence in the mid 1900s.
A senior forest official said, "Gir's carrying capacity is just 250 lions and as of today, there are over 370 lions in the sanctuary. The lions are moving out because of want of food and terrotorial fights."
He said that getting prey in the sanctuary was difficult than getting a catch outside. Once the animal gets used to easy killing, it will not move back to the sanctuary. Even if they are caught and released into forest, they will stray out again and come close to human habitat, he pointed out.
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Tracking-the-lion/articleshow/5282417.cms
AHMEDABAD: The straying out of Asiatic lions from the protected Gir forest has amazed wildlife enthusiasts and worried Gujarat forest officials.
The beast which was earlier confined to the area in and around Sasan and Dhari in Junagadh, is now being spotted in Bhavnagar and other parts of Amreli district.
The forest department, in a bid to secure the area where the lions have moved out, has asked Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) to study the dispersal rate of the lions in the state. It plans to protect the area and the corridor from where the lions are moving out of the sanctuary.
Officials said that there were reports of lions making several areas outside Gir as their permanent home away from Gir sanctuary. In a recent meeting with WTI and Wildlife Institute of India (WII), it was decided that the WTI would carry out a detailed study on the movement of the lions outside the sanctuary.
Fores officials have found 14 lions in Ranigala village of Bhavnagar district. This was probably the biggest pride spotted in recent times. Earlier, there were scattered reports of lions moving in the district. However, spotting groups above 10 are now becoming a routine in Bhavnagar and Amreli districts.
Interestingly, lions are not only moving away from Sasan but seem to be regaining their lost territory. Lions in the past were found upto Gondal in Rajkot and in Bhavnagar and Porbandar. Officials said that as on date, one can see lions along the coastal belt from Porbandar to Bhavnagar.
Officials further said the WTI would give a perfect route plan from where these lions have been moving out and the areas where their concentration has been noticed. With lion census slated next year, this would also help the department in the exercise.
Foresters said that the carrying capacity of Gir was around 275-280 lions and hence, over 100 lions have moved out of the sanctuary in want of food. He said the places where these lions are spotted had lion presence in the mid 1900s.
A senior forest official said, "Gir's carrying capacity is just 250 lions and as of today, there are over 370 lions in the sanctuary. The lions are moving out because of want of food and terrotorial fights."
He said that getting prey in the sanctuary was difficult than getting a catch outside. Once the animal gets used to easy killing, it will not move back to the sanctuary. Even if they are caught and released into forest, they will stray out again and come close to human habitat, he pointed out.
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Tracking-the-lion/articleshow/5282417.cms
IBM to help create 'Little Africa' in Gujarat.
Nayan Dave, TNN 10 November 2009, 06:31am IST
AHMEDABAD: In a bid to provide employment to youth of the African-origin Sidi community settled in Saurashtra, Gujarat government has planned to create a ‘Little Africa’ on the fringes of Gir forest by developing a theme-based resort.
The resort to be developed on 25 acres of land would be promoted by global giant IBM. The tribal development department of the state government has entered into a tie-up with IBM India for the project.
“The Rs 10-crore project, excluding the cost of land, would be fully funded by the Gujarat government. IBM will provide expertise to select a private partner to run the resort. It will also provide consultancy to market this ‘Little Africa’ across the world to lure maximum tourists,” said Per Yorgansen, project manager, IBM Denmark, who is in Ahmedabad for IBM’s Corporate Service Corps (CSC) program.
Pallavi Shukla, senior consultant to the state government for the project, said that development work would start
by March 2010 and the resort would be functional in three years.
“Around 200 Sidi youth will get direct employment. Besides, there would be plenty of indirect employment opportunities as a ‘gram haat’ to display Sidi handicraft will be set up. Every evening there would be cultural events featuring Sidi ‘Dhamal’ dance troupe, which is very popular,” said Shukla.
The resort would be a replica of a typical Sidi village. Even interiors of all the 30 rooms would have an African touch. A museum would display various facets of Sidi life in and around Gir, especially their interface with the Asiatic Lions.
The Sidi community came to India from East Africa as slaves around 500 years ago. Their population is currently 10,000 in Gujarat, concentrated mainly on the periphery of the Gir forest in Junagadh district.
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/IBM-to-help-create-Little-Africa-in-Gujarat/articleshow/5214160.cms
AHMEDABAD: In a bid to provide employment to youth of the African-origin Sidi community settled in Saurashtra, Gujarat government has planned to create a ‘Little Africa’ on the fringes of Gir forest by developing a theme-based resort.
The resort to be developed on 25 acres of land would be promoted by global giant IBM. The tribal development department of the state government has entered into a tie-up with IBM India for the project.
“The Rs 10-crore project, excluding the cost of land, would be fully funded by the Gujarat government. IBM will provide expertise to select a private partner to run the resort. It will also provide consultancy to market this ‘Little Africa’ across the world to lure maximum tourists,” said Per Yorgansen, project manager, IBM Denmark, who is in Ahmedabad for IBM’s Corporate Service Corps (CSC) program.
Pallavi Shukla, senior consultant to the state government for the project, said that development work would start
by March 2010 and the resort would be functional in three years.
“Around 200 Sidi youth will get direct employment. Besides, there would be plenty of indirect employment opportunities as a ‘gram haat’ to display Sidi handicraft will be set up. Every evening there would be cultural events featuring Sidi ‘Dhamal’ dance troupe, which is very popular,” said Shukla.
The resort would be a replica of a typical Sidi village. Even interiors of all the 30 rooms would have an African touch. A museum would display various facets of Sidi life in and around Gir, especially their interface with the Asiatic Lions.
The Sidi community came to India from East Africa as slaves around 500 years ago. Their population is currently 10,000 in Gujarat, concentrated mainly on the periphery of the Gir forest in Junagadh district.
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/IBM-to-help-create-Little-Africa-in-Gujarat/articleshow/5214160.cms
Microchips to be implanted on Gir lions.
Manas Dasgupta
GANDHINAGAR: The Gujarat government has decided to install microchips under the skin of the lions in the Gir Forest National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary, the only abode of the Asiatic lions, to track their movements.
The decision was taken following a series of lion killings, both natural and accidental, an official spokesperson said on Wednesday.
The spokesperson said a control tower would also be set up in the sanctuary with global positioning system. The State has sanctioned Rs.40 crore for the project.
Source: http://www.hindu.com/2009/11/05/stories/2009110558510100.htm
GANDHINAGAR: The Gujarat government has decided to install microchips under the skin of the lions in the Gir Forest National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary, the only abode of the Asiatic lions, to track their movements.
The decision was taken following a series of lion killings, both natural and accidental, an official spokesperson said on Wednesday.
The spokesperson said a control tower would also be set up in the sanctuary with global positioning system. The State has sanctioned Rs.40 crore for the project.
Source: http://www.hindu.com/2009/11/05/stories/2009110558510100.htm
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