"Tigers Death - Kazaringa"

Nine big cats have died at Assam's Kaziranga National Park in the past three months, but wildlife authorities in the state say the tigers were not victims of poachers.

The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment and Forests, had warned about poachers on the prowl and asked for strict vigil to ensure tigers are not hunted down.

"There have been intelligence inputs that tiger killers are on the prowl," the NTCA said.

Assam wildlife authorities confirmed the tiger deaths, although they rejected NTCA's fears that the fatalities were due to poaching.

"Of the nine tiger deaths at Kaziranga, not a single big cat was killed by poachers. Three died of old age, one each died in cases of infighting, poisoning by local villagers, fights with buffaloes, besides three decomposed bodies found," said Assam's Chief Wildlife Warden M.C. Malakar.

"If it would have been a case of poaching, the hunters would have taken the skin and other organs. But in all the nine deaths, the body parts of the tigers were intact," he said.

The 430 sq km park, 220 km east of Assam's main city Guwahati, is home to the single largest population of the one-horned rhinoceros.

As per the 2006 census figures, some 1,855 of the world's estimated 2,700 such herbivorous beasts lumber around the wilds of Kaziranga.

Apart from being a World Heritage Site, Kaziranga is also a tiger reserve under the Project Tiger scheme.

According to a 2000 census, Kaziranga was home to about 86 Royal Bengal tigers. The Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India (WII)'s 2008 country-wide status of tigers pegged the figure in Assam at 70.

"We strongly believe the number of tigers at Kaziranga has increased from the last count in 2000," the wildlife warden said.

At present only 1,400 tigers are left in the country, according to a recent census conducted by WII, which has led to concern among wildlife conservation groups and the government.

"Breaking The Fall - Conserving Openbill Storks In Arrearjhar, Assam"

As the monsoon ends, the few hundred Openbill stork nests on the canopy of the sal trees of Arrearjhar area near Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam come alive with new hatchlings. However, the change in the rain pattern and extremities of weather recorded last year deceived the birds into laying their eggs at a wrong time resulting in the hatchlings emerging under unfavourable conditions, drastically increasing their mortality.

Following a heavy downpour on October 7 last year, more than 50 dead chicks and some damaged eggs were reported. The predominant reason for the death of chicks was the fall and the resultant trauma. Lack of care for the injured chicks, predation by stray dogs and opportunistic hunting were other reasons. Listed under schedule IV of the Wildlife Protection Act (1972), Openbill storks are commonly found in Assam but this incident of mass mortality threatened the local population of Arrearjhar, prompting the forest department and the local villagers to undertake urgent steps for its protection. To prevent any further incidence of mortality of the chicks due to the fall, immediate intervention was required.

Sonali Ghosh, DFO Social Forestry and Wildlife Division, Kokrajhar, proposed a Rapid Action Project (RAP) to the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), which was immediately approved because of its urgency. Two chicks Lone and Don (as named by the local villagers) were thus rescued and later rehabilitated under this RAP.

The RAP aimed at a holistic approach towards the protection of the Openbill stork population. Twelve safety nets were placed in two layers below 21 nesting trees to catch the falling birds. Lone and Don were rescued by these nets on 22 and 18 October respectively. A rearing centre was constructed out of local materials like bamboo and mats to harbour them until they were ready for release. A water trough with small quantities of live fish placed at regular intervals permitted the birds to independently and instinctively hunt for food. Regular monitoring was conducted by bird experts to keep a track on the progress of the birds’ efforts to fly.

Conservation awareness programmes to sensitise the local villagers on related issues were also organised. Their attention was also drawn by their direct or indirect participation in the rehabilitation by way of providing local material for the preparation of nets and the construction of the rescue centre.

The project was implemented by Arrearjhar Joint Forest Management Committee (JFMC) with technical support from Dr Hiloljyoti Singha, who had conducted a similar rehabilitation programme on greater adjutant storks in Nagaon district in Assam. Before the soft release of the birds began on December 9 at Dheer Beel, a foraging ground for open bill storks, Dr Singha, assisted by Dr Prabhat Basumatary of WTI ringed the birds for later identification and post-release monitoring.

Lone and Don during the release made unsuccessful attempts to fly long-distance, and so, had to be returned to the rearing centre, even as the wild birds approached them, as if to welcome them. Back in the centre, their roof covering was removed. For sometime after that, they continued to socialise with the wild population during the day while returning to the security of the centre at night before giving in to their inherent wild instincts and returning to the wild permanently.

Conservationists believe that unless absolutely required, conservation experiments should be carried out on species of lesser conservation value before being tried on the endangered species. Regardless, the proven effectiveness of this low-cost method to provide emergency relief will continue to make its impact in securing the Openbill stork population of Arrearjhar, as the team of well-prepared implementers stay in wait confidently for the next nesting season.

"Wildlife/ Birding Itinerary"

Assam wildlife/ birding itinerary is a very talked about topic with tourists and sightseers alike. The gateway to the mystic northeastern frontiers abounds in dense forests, wildlife sanctuaries and national parks. Quite naturally, these wildlife tours are a rage with tourists.

Assam wildlife's claims to fame lie in the two legendary UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Kaziranga National Park and the Manas National Park. Kaziranga is the natural habitat of the near extinction Great Indian one horned rhino. Manas National Park, on the other hand is a picturesque reserve lying a the junction of the jungle-clad Himalayan foothills and the Manas River is one of the nine elite Tiger Reserve Projects in the country that are committed to protecting the endangered national animal, the Royal Bengal Tiger.

Apart from these celebrated sanctuaries, there are several other national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in Assam that are idyllic zones of beauty and quietude. Nameri and Orang (Rajiv Gandhi) National Park are a natural paradise that house a plethora of wild animals that include tigers, leopard cats, jungle cats, elephants, sloth bears, Indian bison, swamp deer, sambhars, hog deer, hog badgers, capped langurs, hollock gibbons, pythons, pigs, jackals, and porcupines.

Apart from the animals, Assam's prized possessions are the exotic species of birds that are housed in the following sanctuaries:

* Panidihing Bird Sanctuary, Sibsagar
* Deeporbeel Bird Sanctuary, Guwahati
* Bordoibam bilmukh bird sanctuary, lakhimpur, Dhemaji

These sanctuaries contain a wonderful collection of exotic birds that mostly include domestic as well as migratory birds like kingfishers, fishing eagles, adjutant storks and ducks to name a few.

The state's tourism and forestry department have also introduced several; comprehensive packages and sightseeing tours that fall under the Assam Wildlife/ Birding Itinerary. These tours, although have a hectic itinerary are very much in vogue with nature lovers and birdwatchers for the wonderful world of natural delights.

"Kaziranga Could Face Elimination From New 7 Wonders Of Nature Race"

Three Indian nominees, including the famed Kaziranga National Park, could face elimination on technical grounds from the list of more than 260 destinations around the world vying for the distinction of becoming one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature.

Among the 261 nominees from across the world competing for one of the coveted New 7 Wonders of Nature are the Kaziranga National Park in Assam, the Ganga river, and the Sundarbans delta, the largest mangrove forest in the world.

This nominee (Kaziranga National Park) is not yet officially supported. Without an official supporting committee (OSC), a nominee cannot participate in the next stages of the New 7 Wonders of Nature campaign,' said a posting on the official website of the New 7 Wonders of Nature.

The same is the case with the Sunderbans, while the applicant for the formation of an OSC for the Ganga does not fulfil all the New 7 Wonders of Nature requirements.

According to norms set up by the New 7 Wonders of Nature for the second phase of voting, the nominees should have an OSC that is authorized by a legitimate national, regional, or local government, with responsibility for the nominee location. In cases of most of the nominees of other countries, the local government or organisations recommended by the government acted as their OSC.

It is a shame that even after Kaziranga was listed among the 261 nominees for the 7 Wonders of Nature, our state government or wildlife conservation groups failed to take any initiative to fulfil the technical formalities,' Shankar Prasad Rai, president of the influential All Assam Students' Union (AASU), told IANS.

Assam wildlife authorities were simply unaware about the procedures and feigned ignorance about the rules.

If such a formality was required we would do it,' a senior Assam wildlife official said in response to a query by IANS.

The Assam government has put out newspaper advertisements seeking people's support to vote online to help Kaziranga get into the top seven wonders of nature, although they were not aware of the technical requirements for the nominee to be in the race.

And if the formalities are not completed, then Kaziranga, along with the Ganga and the Sunderbans, would be eliminated on technical grounds July 7 when voting closes for the second phase. The next short list, comprising 77 contenders, will face an expert panel July 7, who will cut the list down to 21 by July 29.

The Assam government should depute some officials to complete the formalities immediately and then think of the next stage on how best to create awareness for people to vote online,' Bibhav Kumar Talukdar, secretary general of Aaranayak, a noted wildlife conservation group working in Kaziranga, said.

The international public will vote to determine the top seven wonders from the list of 21 finalists, which will be announced in the middle of 2011.

We shall do everything possible to create awareness and we hope people of Assam and the world would vote for Kaziranga,' Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said.

The campaign, led by Swiss adventurer Bernard Weber, aims to promote cultural diversity by supporting, preserving, and restoring monuments and natural sites.

And if Kaziranga gets eliminated, the onus would squarely fall on the Assam government and the wildlife NGOs for failing to take any initiative,' the AASU president said.