Tigers, Leopards Continue to Die In Uttarakhand (CP)

The Himachal Times (New Delhi) , Monday, December 19, 2011
Correspondent : Arun Pratap Shing
19 December 2011

Despite the dwindling number of Tigers the world over, Uttarakhand continues to be rather negligent about the rising number of feline deaths here. Though, Uttarakhand boasts of a bloated forest department which is rather heavy at the top, there does not seem to be any real will in the state to set up infrastructure to prevent the rising feline deaths. Currently, it may be holding the dubious distinction of being the state where the numbers of feline in the wild are not only decreasing.

Vis-ŕ-vis the forests, Uttarakhand has all sorts of peculiarities and problems. The state boasts of having its 63 percent of land under the control of forest department though the actual forest cover is stated to be around 45 percent of the total area, otherwise quite high by Indian standards.

The state also boasts of having four national parks including the world famous Corbett National Park and a huge buffer zone.

Yet the state forest authrities are not able to control the number of deaths dut to poaching and other causes. What is more ironical is the fact that despite a clear threat to the felines from across the China border and the rampant poaching in the forests, the authorities have been highly reluctant to accept this reality. What else could be the reason to aceount for the fact that the state has lost 23 Tigers in the Corbett. National Park and other forests in the last one year alone. In addition, more than 110 Leopards are reported to have lost life in the state this year so far. However, the forest department is yet to take up the poaching with seriousness it deserves.

Yes, off and on, poachers or the carriers of wildlife products are caught with the Leopard skins and other animal products, but it is hardly a deterrent to those in the business of poaching or selling the animal products.

After a series of Tiger cubs that lost lives in the past seven days, yet another Tiger, a 10-year-old male was found dead in daichouri range of the Ramnagar forest division on Saturday. This Tiger, whose mutilated carcass was found yesterday allegedly lost his life in a fight with another male over territory. It seems rather strange but the fact remains that the Forest Department has been attributing far too many deaths of wild animals such as Tigers and Elephants to territorial fights. However, a large pool of blood at the spot, a large number of injuries on the body and a broken right paw indicates that the reality could have been some thing else. The feline might have been beaten to death by unknown persons. If at all the tiger lost his life to fight with another male, why could the forest department not sight the other Tiger who could not have escaped serious injuries? Such stories seriously erode the credibility of the forest department of Uttarakhand.

This Tiger’s death was preceded by the deaths of two Tiger cubs, a male and a female about one-and-a half years old who were found dead in the Kilpura range of Terai east forest division on December 13. The very next day, carcass of a one month cub was also fuond in the Dhela range of the Corbett. Park authorities claim that the cub may have been deserted by its mother. The death of the felines is not restricted to just tigers only in this ‘Tiger friendly’ state. In fact Leopards have lost their lives faster than Tigers in Uttarakhand with over 110 leopards reported killed in the state so far this year. Despite the Central assistance promised to create a Tiger Task Force, the State Forest Department has been unable to constitute it so far. Experts say, that for every case of poaching exposed, at least 10 animals on an average are poached unreported.

 
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