Don’t ban tiger safaris, Indian court urged

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/8752784/Dont-ban-tiger-safaris-Indian-court-urged.html

Tigers, which are an endangered species, 'could benefit from tourism’. Oliver Smith reports. 

Authorities in India have been urged to reject a legal challenge that could result in the banning of tiger safaris across the country. 

Travel Operators for Tigers (TOFT), which promotes responsible tourism, has said such a ban would threaten the livelihoods of local people and could even hinder efforts to protect the endangered species. 

Last year the Indian National Tiger Conservation Authority announced that it wanted to phase out safaris in the country’s 37 tiger reserves, and suggested the animals were being “loved to death” by tourists. The idea was abandoned after protests from travellers and tour operators. 

However, the Supreme Court of India is currently considering a public-interest litigation case, which hinges around the interpretation of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. It is argued that the wording of the legislation implies that tourism to all “core” tiger habitats in India should be banned. A verdict is expected in the coming weeks. 

“This is a critical ruling for the future of tiger tourism in India,” said Julian Matthews, chairman of TOFT. “Banning tourism from the core areas of tiger reserves is an irresponsible and unnecessary move that will have many negative consequences. 

“Tourism in tiger reserves provides an income to thousands of people, many of them local to the area of the reserves. Closing tourism in these core areas will cause the number of people visiting these reserves to drop drastically.” 

Mr Matthews suggested that the presence of tourists could help reverse the decline in the number of tigers on the Indian subcontinent, where an estimated 1,400 remain in the wild. He said, however, that a framework of rules to manage safaris was essential. 

“There is evidence to show that well-managed tourism can have a positive impact on tiger populations. It can help foster a love of wildlife in common people; and there are hundreds of examples around the world where tourism has been fundamental to successful conservation efforts.” 

He said that guides and tourists often provided “extra eyes and ears” in the forest, which deterred poachers and strengthened the accountability of the Indian Forest Department, which manages the national forests. 

Mr Matthews cited the disappearance of tigers in two reserves, Sariska and Panna. In both cases the Forest Department denied that the animals were missing from the reserve, and it was the public that raised the alarm. Furthermore, a tigress was killed after being hit by a vehicle at the Bandhavgarh reserve last year. The Forest Department blamed the incident on a tourist vehicle, before evidence emerged that the animal was hit by a vehicle carrying park officers. 

TOFT has previously appealed for the introduction of controls to manage tiger safaris in the region, and the establishment of a new authority composed of ecotourism experts to enforce these rules. Mr Matthews said the legal challenge could “galvanise” the industry into addressing the need for change. 

Justin Francis, managing director of the agency Responsibletravel.com, said a temporary ban on safaris was the only way of protecting tigers in the long term. 

“New lodges are being built in sensitive areas within the reserves, tourist numbers have been allowed to spiral without any real consideration of the impact on tigers, and the story has been one of inexorable decline,” he said. “A short-term ban will allow time to redesign the approach to tiger tourism and re-evaluate the location of lodges so that, in the future, properly regulated and managed tiger tourism can resume.”

PETA fights for bullocks at international oil and gas summit

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/PETA-fights-for-bullocks-at-international-oil-and-gas-summit/articleshow/9926594.cms

MUMBAI: Animal activists have managed to embarrass the head honchos of oil and gas companies for cruelly exploiting bullocks for transportation works in Mumbai, although there is a ban on the use of bullock carts.

At around noon on Thursday, a supporter of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India took the stage at the Oil and Gas Review Summit and International Exhibition at Taj Lands End, Bandra, Mumbai, to urge the audience members specifically, representatives from Indian Oil, Hindustan Petroleumand Bharat Petroleum to replace bullock carts with a humane form of transporting oil. The gutsy activist, Kriti Sachdeva, was dragged out of the conference by the event organisers and escorted out of the hotel.

""Attention, ladies and gentlemen!"" Kriti said as she took the stage. ""Indian Oil, Hindustan Petroleum and Bharat Petroleum support cruelty to bulls. Despite a ban, their oil is transported by more than 500 exploited bulls in Mumbai."" As the protester was escorted out of the room, she chanted, ""Shame on [them] for supporting cruelty to bulls! Shame!"" Kriti also held out a banner that read, "Indian Oil, BP, HP: Stop Supporting Cruelty to Bulls." In response, many members of the audience reportedly cheered her.

Kerosene bullock cart

In 2008, the Ministry of Food and Civil Supplies, Maharashtra, decided to phaseout bullock carts transporting kerosene in Mumbai by 31 March 2009, and a Government of Maharashtra 2006 notification bans the keeping and movement of cattle in Mumbai. Despite this ban, approximately 524 bullocks are still used to transport kerosene from oil ports in Sewri and Wadala to different rationing shops in the city. These animals endure tremendous suffering many bullocks are underweight and ill; are kept in filthy conditions; and are forced to work beyond their physical capabilities, pulling heavy loads in all weather extremes. Many suffer from yoke gall (acute and chronic inflammation caused by pressure from the yoke or harness), maggot-infested wounds, infected sores, acute or chronic arthritis or intestinal problems like diarrhoea and impaction. The animals are rarely, if ever, given veterinary treatment. And because the carts are a traffic hazard, the public is also put at risk.

PETA recently filed a case asking the Bombay High Court to direct the Ministry and Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited to immediately enforce the ban.

Odisha coast no longer safe for oceanic creatures

The ocean covers twice the landmass what our planet earth holds. But the activities of man are increasing so fast that the whole earth and the ocean are poisoned. With increasing pollution, the latter seems to have turned into a death trap for every living creature, including man.

India has world’s seventh largest coastline which measures over 7,500 km. Nine States and two Union Territories lie along the coastline. One-fifth of the population of the country lives in coastal areas. Odisha is bounded by the Bay of Bengal. When the western coast of India is narrow with several havens and creaks, the eastern coast is wider with deltas of several large medium rivers. The eastern coast is more cyclone- prone than the western coast. Hence, Odisha is more prone to cyclone because it covers 480 km of coastline with ecosystems which is thoroughly under depredatory activities of man for various reasons. About per cent 70 to 75 per cent of the total biodiversities of oceanic lives are confined to the estuaries of this region.

Now, thirteen new ports are going to be established along the sea-shore in addition to the existing ports of Paradip, Gopalpur and Dhamra, which are to function very close to different river mouths, where mangrove forests are present. Mangrove swamps are known as Mangal. The Mangals protect the landmass from erratic actions of the ocean. In spite of all these known facts, we take for granted the ocean as bottomless dustbin, where untreated sewages are discharged, including industrial pollutants, oil, plastics and silt.

 Burning of dead body at Ganga river

For example, 4,000 to 5,000 dead bodies are cremated every day in the different Ghats (banks) of river Ganga. Most of the dead bodies are chemically treated to avoid decomposition. Generally, the riverbanks and sea or bay shores are used as cremation yards. The biodiversities of the ocean, rivers and estuaries are at a stake because of serious pollution. Instead of being sweet homes, they have now turned graveyards for the marine lives.

There are a few cetaceous animals that live within the sea. Cetaceous means oceanic mammals. They are whales, dolphins and dugongs. All the three sea animals are found in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. Two giant marine animals found in the ocean are shark fish and whale. The blue whale is the largest animal in the earth that now lives in the ocean. It reaches 30 m (98 ft) in length and over 170 tones in weight. The shark can go up to 16 m (52.5 ft). Whale is twice as big the dinosaurs but it feeds on smallest creatures. Shark lives on planktons spread over ocean, lake and river. During 2007, a huge skeleton of a shark was recovered from the Astarang coast in Puri district. The reason of death is not yet known. Probably, this was the first time such a huge skeleton was found so far in the Odisha coast. The death of dolphins is very usual in our case. The dugongs have vanished from the Chilika lagoon, which once was their homeland. This species is no longer noticed in the Odisha coast.

The shark is hunted mainly for extraction of oil from its liver.  It has wide commercial market for preparation of medicines. This species feed upon planktons, which is a wandering drifted organism. So, it is easy to hunt this fish for commercial gain. The skeleton found from Astarang-shore has been now kept in the National Historical Museum in Bhubaneswar without proper protection measures.

It is high time the Odisha Government prepared plans to ensure that its long seacoast remains pollution-free and the oceanic animals live safely.

The writer is a former senior forest officer and an environmentalist

The ocean covers twice the landmass what our planet earth holds. But the activities of man are increasing so fast that the whole earth and the ocean are poisoned. With increasing pollution, the latter seems to have turned into a death trap for every living creature, including man.
India has world’s seventh largest coastline which measures

Eknath Khadse seeks govt help for ailing animal rights activist

Leader of the opposition in the state legislative assembly, Eknath Khadse, on Tuesday demanded that the state government intervene to ensure that proper medical care is provided to the famous animal rights activist, Lila Parulekar, who is bedridden and living in dire, unhygienic conditions.

Parulekar, 75, a full-time director in a leading Pune-based Marathi daily, is the daughter of the legendary newspaper founder, Nanasaheb Parulekar.

The senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, who visited the ailing Parulekar at her Queen’s Garden bungalow on Sunday, told DNA the private security guards prevented him from entering the premises despite informing them about his position. 

He said that after some arguments, the guards allowed him to enter the bungalow and visit the lady in their presence. According to Khadse, Parulekar was bedridden with little medical attention and the conditions in which she was living were “horrific”. 

 Lila Parulekar

“Parulekar told me that she has not given any instructions about not allowing people to meet her,” Khadse said. 

Parulekar told him that her property should be organised under one trust and revenue from it be provided for welfare of animals. The state government should ensure that Parulekar’s wish is granted, Khadse demanded. 

At a press conference on Tuesday, honorary animal welfare officer of the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), Manoj Oswal, alleged that Parulekar is a victim of land sharks as she owns considerable property in Pune and Mahabaleshwar, besides personal funds.

Alleged that there was a conspiracy to get all her assets transferred, Oswal said he was also targeted for trying to help her and a case of trespassing was filed against him when he took her to a hospital for treatment. 

According to Oswal, about 200 dogs, mostly sick, are roaming around in Parulekar’s bungalow. No care is being taken to ensure cleanliness, he said. 

“Lila is seriously ill and her immunity is very low. Even a strong and healthy man can get sick in such an environment,” he said. 

Along with Oswal, city builder Ravindra Barhate demanded that Parulekar be immediately shifted to a hospital for good medical attention. “Her well-wishers and friends should be allowed to meet her. An inquiry should be conducted by the criminal investigation department about the false complaints filed against Oswal and others,” he demanded. 

When a group of journalists visited Parulekar’s bungalow, they were prevented by the security guards from meeting her. An animal welfare activist from Panchgani, Pranoti Vyas, who accompanied the group, was allowed to enter the premises and speak to Parulekar. 

According to Vyas, Parulekar said she was living in fear as the people around her were not taking care of her and were not allowing her to speak to outsiders. Vyas said she found Parulekar’s bed had not been cleaned for days together.

Kashmir border fence affecting wildlife

Jammu, Sep 1 (IANS) Landmines have killed and maimed many wild animals straying into the barbed wire corridor marking India’s Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir.

The barbed wire fencing is around 500 metres to two kilometres inside, depending on the topography of the territory India controls, and mines have been laid along it to deter infiltration.

Started in 1990 and completed in 2004, it runs from flat plains through thickly forested mountains to high passes.

The Indian Army might be right to claim that infiltration of militants is down to negligible because of it, but the wildlife department insists the fence is having an ‘adverse affect’ on the animals close to it.

‘The fence has blocked the corridor of animals in the areas and restricted their free movement to and fro,’ a wildlife department official said.

Some of the animals affected are monkeys – including rare Rhesus and langur – black bear, leopard, musk deer, pigs, samba and many species of reptiles. ‘Many ground nesting birds have also come under the impact,’ he said.

‘It has also fragmented the habitat of wildlife here,’ he added. Animals that had gone over to the Pakistan side when the fence was being erected have remained there and vice-versa.

‘Many of them got killed or maimed in blasts,’ the official said while regretting that the department could not put a number to it. ‘However, going by the cases reported, it is a fairly large number.’

He spoke about a deer with a lost hind leg: ‘With the help of the Army, we got an artificial leg fitted and left it loose in the forest.’

Has this brought any behavioral change in the animals? ‘Changed behavior changes take time to study but the increasing frequency of animals damaging crops and man-animal conflict can be attributed to this.’

The black bear is known to go into hibernation for six months from November. ‘But these days we have sighted them in January and February,’ the official said. ‘It means that they feel lost in new habitats and are not finding their places of hibernation.’

A senior Army officer said: ‘We try to drive them away whenever we notice. Moreover, when an animal steps on a landmine, the explosion makes others cautious. Yet incidents keep happening.’

PETA wants elephants in Mumbai zoo to be freed

MUMBAI: Following years of publicising the plight of elephants kept chained, who suffer physically and psychologically in zoos, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India has confirmed that the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) has relocated 18 elephants from zoos throughout India to spacious sanctuaries where they will be able to roam, receive professional care and enjoy the company of other elephants.

The move was in keeping with the CZA's 2009 order banning the use of elephants in zoos. However, some zoos are attempting to circumvent this directive by asking to be exempt from relocating elephants, including the Zoo in Byculla, Mumbai, where an elephant frustrated by captivity killed a man last year. In the lead up to the Ganesh festival, PETA is urging CZA to ignore pressure from zoos reluctant to release elephants.

At present, there are two female elephants kept at Mumbai zoo. CZA cited major concerns about the living conditions of elephants kept in zoos, including the lack of adequate space to permit free movement and the stress from being chained for long hours. The CZA also expressed concern over the serious threat to which visitors are exposed when elephants are kept in captivity.

"Thanks to the CZA's action, life has improved tremendously for the elephants who have been moved from the cramped confines of a zoo to the large natural spaces where they now reside", says PETA India Director of Veterinary Affairs Dr Manilal Valliyate. ""Now we are urging the CZA to give elephants the gift of freedom this Ganesh Chaturthi by keeping their commitment to move every remaining elephant still held captive in Indian zoos to forest areas where they can live out their lives in peace."

PETA investigators found that elephants held captive in zoos across India are commonly chained and driven insane by their confinement. They also found appalling neglect, decrepit facilities and animal suffering on a massive scale. Every facility was seriously deficient in food, drinking water, housing, veterinary care, environmental enrichment, safety and security.

PETA has also set its sights on temples and circuses both of which are notorious for their abuse of elephants. After being kept chained by all four legs inside a shed for nearly nine years at the Arulmigu Mariamman Temple in Samayapuram, a 23-year-old elephant named Mariappan was permanently relocated to his birthplace, the Animalai Tiger Reserve, where he got to see his mother for the first time in 17 years.