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Originally Posted by Lalvaz Amazing pics Mr.Fazal, and its an eye opener to see the way these forest officials are letting the last few forested areas go to the dogs. The sheer number of cattle in the core area of the forests is a matter of serious concern. |
Mr. Lalvaz,
The sheer number of cattle grazing in this reserve forest is enough to decimate it to a barren land in say about 10 years, then we have cutting trees and clearing forest for fuel and cultivation. The highway which cuts through this forest from
Mannanur to
Nandiyal is a 200 kilometers long strech, yo can see cattle all along this route and then calculate the number of cattle a 100 fold which will be grazing in the buffer and core areas.
As per the Wildlife act 1972, the Chief Wildlife Warden has the authority to control and regulate the number of cattle grazing in a reserve forest or sanctuary.
I do not see control of any kind in all these years, if it is being controlled then our Chief Wildlife Warden
Mr.
Malhotra indeedis very generous officer, as the number of cattle and sheep are increasing by the day.
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Originally Posted by pypkmsrikanth Faizal am sure you are aware of the cattle grazing in the Bandipur WLS, Mudumalai etc. But this takes the cake, especially the ones where grazing cattle are at water holes. Heights of mismanagement. Indravathi, Srisailam/Nagarjuna Sagar should have been the torch bearers of Indian tiger because of the size of the forests without fragmentation for conservation, its a pity that no one knows what's the scene with Indravathi because of supposedly Naxalite influence and Srisailam/Nagarjuna Sagar has gone to dogs because of mis-management.
Am no expert though I have made enough visits to Bandipur, Mudumalai, Wayanad & Nagarhole to have some understanding of the state of the forests, for a seasoned conservationist like you, if you have managed to see only a Deer during all your dawn/dusk drives then the park is in serious trouble.
When was the last time did you see a Big cat Faizal? What worries me is if there is a cattle kill by a tiger, they would ask for a compensation and get the tiger killed after claiming it to be a "Man eater", thats the state of affairs with Wildlife conservation in India. Am sure you would have read about the elephants capture from Maldare forests near Coorg because they were attacking people, conveniently forgetting that we had encroached into their space in the first instance, now they have become rouge elephants.
Sorry for the rant, but your last set of pictures really pains me. |
Mr. Srikanth,
You are right 100% about this one taking the cake, the cattle grazing in
Mudumalai and
Bandipur are miniscule and pale in comparrision to the scale here.
One thing very important to keep in mind is here: Though NSTR is more than 4 times in size than the other mentioned forests. The annual rain fall and soil conditions in Mudumalai and Bandipur makes them look like AMAZON RAIN FOREST in comparrision to Srisailam (NSTR) here the soil quality is very poor and rocky and sparse annual rainfall does not help this decidious forest to regenerate before the next season, and whatever it does manage to is....plundered and grazed upon.
The forest department until 5 years back were under the pretex and had a valid excuse, that the heavy armed naxalite presence in this forest prevented them from carrying on their duties and also that the villagers had their backing and that they would have to face the wrath of naxalites if they stopped cattle or sheep grazing and also clearing the forest for cultivation. their claim was
valid and true, but now there is no naxalite presence in Nallamalla as the A.P. Anti Naxalite force (Grey Hounds) did away with some and drove many to AOB (Andhra Orissa border) or Chattisgarh and other neighbouring states.
Whats the excuse now, Since five years??
I was drooling when I saw the thick and highly dense jungle in Bandipur and Nagarhole and the density of wildlife compared to here makes NSTR look like a small zoo in some district.
A s for your question the last tiger I sighted in the wild was in Nagarhole, 3 years back. Sixteen years of frequent visits to this forest and not one did I see in a forest which has a spread over 3,358 square kilometers, this does not mean there are no tigers here but not as many claimed by the A.P. forest dept. (81 tigers as per the 08-09 census).
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Originally Posted by muralisk I completely understand the level of destruction people are causing to the beautiful nature. My first visit to Srisailam was back in 1989. I have physical photos of that and what we see now is quite different.
It is sad, but also true that in the name of tribal welfare, the corrupt government and forest officials are allowing every one to chop trees and cultivate. Its the same thing that is destroying Araku Valley as well. |
Mr.Muralisk,
Yes in the name of tribal welfare and also this month the A.P. government gave patta (title) certificates to thousands and handed over 20,000 thousand +, acres of forest land, what made them eligible? the tribals had to prove that they lived in the forest from 2005.
Which in other words means 20 thousand plus acres of deforestation by official permission.
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Originally Posted by deky Hi Sir,
Loved the pics, infact I am a fan of your pics already since you started posting ...
BUT...
I dont agree with you here totally. the things have changed in Ranthambore drastically and over the past few years the tiger population has been on an increase. After the Sariska debacle the state govt simply can not let the tigers dissappear from Ranthambore and incur international wrath upon themselves.
Poaching maybe still present but its very less, baiting could be done in one off incidents but not always, tigers are easy to spot in Ranthambore as:-
1. the under growth is very less in the jungle.
2. water holes are limited
3. very dry area
4. few tigers have been radio-coloured so easy to locate them.
Also you are most welcome to visit Ranthambore again now, I would love at accompany you there and hopefully you will change your mind about the tiger reserve
Regards |
Mr. Deky,
Firstly let me start by thanking you for your appreciation of my pics and your kind comments. I will strive to keep up my quality.
You not agreeing with me on Ranthambore: I am extremely happy to know that things have changed there, I hope and pray many more disagree with me on this count in the coming days and years, which means we are suceeding even if it is a little bit and heading in the direction we should never have lost since 1972 when the wildlife act was introduced.
"After the Sariska debacle". I am reffering to before and during the Sariska debacle. which was the most lean period for for the Ranthambore Tiger, check with your sources and correct me again if I am wrong.
Yes! the reasons cited by you are true, thats why the Tiger there is most visible and vulnerable compared to other sanctuaries, but it does not mean that they have managed to cling on and defy human descruction by timely intervention by higher authorities.
My dear friend, you may have an idea how much funds are recived by the respective forest departments through WWF and Tiger Conservation Socities and World Bank. Sariska, the mismanagement there surfaced, there is a same story to tell
in every sanctuary or reserve but many heads will roll and also will stop the millions of dollars.
Never forget me, I am your future guest when I plan to visit Ranthambore. Seriously.
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Originally Posted by MileCruncher I used to be a regular to Sawai Madhopur way back in 2004 when I was selling Swaraj Mazda vehicles to the locals for plying inside the sanctuary. The information quoted below by me is what I had gathered then from the locals.
I used to stay at Jhoomar Baori on top of the hill and during monsoons, had seen a big cat in the evening, strolling on the driveway upto the hotel.
Apart from that, my closest encounter with the tiger has been at Panna when I saw a tigress kiling a chinkara while I was on top on the elephant deep inside the jungle away from the trail. |
MC,
All I can say is,
YOU LUCKY GUY.
No wonder I see that cool attitude transending in you. I have not yet been that blessed to see the predator and its prey's last living moments together.
Guys, Keep it coming, I will do all I can to update you wll with pics. and my unrelenting and unorthodox methods will never stop much to the frustration of the concerned officials here.
Lastly I would like to thank you all for your support and interest in Tiger and wildlife conservation, for
"It is a first step that has led to the greatest journeys".