Dandeli-Anshi is the fourth tiger reserve of Karnataka state,located in Uttara Kannada district.It got Tiger Reserve status in January 2007.It is spread over 1365 Sq.Km which includes Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary and Anshi National Park and has satisfactory remarks about tiger density.It is also a home for endangered Hornbill species and rare black panthers.
Prime Intention of the Blog
"People without children would face a hopeless future; a country without trees and wildlife is almost as helpless".
I still remember my childhood days when I used to visit Dandeli a place where even my father started his professional career and also where my most of the relatives were staying.Even though I never brought up in Dandeli no one could stop me to go there since it was just two hours journey from my native. And during every visit I used to get the scoldings from my father and relatives since I used to spend most of the time in forests than in house.So as I grown up my visit to Dandeli became very less except twice or thrice in a year since I became busy with studies but always I had in my mind that I should contribute something to these magnificent forests which inspired me a lot to fall in love with the Conservation.So it is just an attempt from my side to create awareness to save these magnificent animals and landscapes they exist in.If this blog contributes in a small way to achieve this goal I will be the most happiest person in this world.
This blog mainly focuses towards conservation activities in and around Dandeli-Anshi Tiger Reserve.This blog doesn't provide any information regarding tourism and its related activities in and around Dandeli-Anshi Tiger Reserve.
Hunting stories are still alive in the memories of many villagers in the Dandeli wildlife reserve areas. Listening to Hambir Derekar of Daria is a revelation.
“During the British Raj my grandfather had shot dead two tigers and a leopard. My father was also a great hunter,” says Hambir. During 1970 and 80s, there were many mining companies in this area, destroying most of the forest and wildlife of Joida taluk.
Come to Joida, one of the most backward taluks of Karnataka, with 80 per cent of forest cover. Out of 120 villages, many lack basic development. Man-animal conflict is a everyday scene here. The forest resources of Joida comes under the jurisdiction of Dandeli (wildlife), Haliyal and Karwar divisions. Derekar family of Daria was famous till the last decade when it was the biggest tribal joint family of the district. Hambir Derekar has toured most of the taluk during his employment in mines during the 70s and 80s. Today, though, his sons are working towards restoring forest cover in the region.
Meanwhile, the forest department’s street play awareness programmes for the conservation of wildlife has evoked good response. Many tribal villagers now understand the need for the conservation of wildlife.
The awareness programme undertaken by the Dandeli-Anshi wildlife division through the Sahyadri Parisara Sangha has made villagers think of the what, how and why of wildlife conservation. Narasimha Chapkhanda who leads a group of artistes also works for Wildlife Conservation Society. Thanks to the then DFO of Dandeli wildlife Manoj Kumar, who understood the impact of street plays, such awareness programmes have become regular affairs.
Many tourists visit the Dandeli wildlife sanctuary every year. It is important that they all join hands for conservation of wildlife.
It is important to understand the forest communities and their needs. They have to be given responsibilities for conserving wildlife.
Anti-poaching camps have been set up by the Forest Department in the border areas where hunting was rampant. It is vital for locals to extend their co-operation to the department to check poaching.
An edited version of this article can be read from the link below:
Dandeli Wildlife Division Officials have arrested two poachers for killing a pangolin at Ambika Nagar in Kulgi Wildlife Range. Please find the attachment below for more details:
According to the officials of Wild Life Division of the Forest Department, the tiger population in Dandeli-Anshi Tiger Reserve (DATR), in Uttara Kannada district is increasing. In 1997 (according to tiger census), there were 13 tigers- 11 in Dandeli Wild Life Sanctuary and 2 in Anshi National Park. In 2010 census, 33 tigers were recorded in Khanapur-Sharavathi belt of Western Ghat Ranges.
This year, the tiger population has increased to 39 in this belt. However, wildlife activists contradicted the statement. The census is carried out on the basis of pug-marks, tiger calls, scat and litters left by the tigers. The actual sighting of the tiger is rarely done. Under these circumstances, error in estimating the tiger population is bound to occur, they opined. They pointed out that large area of DATR consists of evergreen and semi evergreen forests, which tigers dislike. According to a wildlife activist, the number of tigers may not exceed 15 in the belt. Officials asserted that steps are being taken to improve grassland and provide other facilities like water sources in DATR.
DATR covers nearly 600 Sq Km of Dandeli Wild Life Reserve and 399.89 Sq Km of Anshi National Park. However, there are as many as 52 villages consisting of 4,725 families in core/critical area of DATR. The problem of rehabilitation of these families is a menace to the department. As pointed out by DCF of Dandeli Wild Life Division, Sunil Panwar, no one can evict these families. The forest department is taking steps to vacate these families by offering Rs 10 lakh per family, and through educating them.
An edited version of this article can be read from the below link:
Industrial pollution from a paper manufacturing factory in one of India’s most precious biodiversity hotspots is wreaking havoc on the local ecology, driving up the population of wild crocodiles in the area while simultaneously destroying the creatures’ habitat and food supply.
The Kalinadi, a river that flows through the thick wet evergreen rainforests in the Western Ghats on India’s West coast, has become a receptacle of untreated effluents from the West Coast Paper Mills, attracting unnaturally high numbers of marsh crocodiles in a five kilometre stretch of river along the source of toxic industrial discharge.
Although the forestry department has failed to conduct a regular census of crocodiles in Dandeli, Sunil Pawar, the deputy conservator of forests in the Dandeli Anshi Tiger Reserve, estimates that at least 40- 60 crocodiles live in a stretch of river where hitherto there had been no more than 15.
"The presence of so many crocodiles in a relatively small stretch of the river is a bio indicator of the river’s pollution," T.V. Ramachandra, a limnologist, or fresh water scientist at the Centre for Ecological Sciences at the renowned Indian Institute of Science (IIS) in Bangalore, added.
While the scavenger reptiles appear to be thriving for the time being, the untreated industrial pollutants will soon poison the surrounding area, making it virtually uninhabitable for crocodiles and other wildlife.
"Crocodiles need an undisturbed, unpolluted aquatic habitat filled with plenty of prey including insects, fish, frogs, birds, rodents, reptiles and larger animals, most of which will either be killed or driven away by the poison," Rom Whitaker, India’s premier herpetologist at the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust, told IPS.
K.L. Chandak, executive director of West Coast Paper Mills, defended the company’s actions, claiming, "We have adapted our paper manufacturing technology to substantially decrease effluents flowing into the river."
"This new treatment plant complies with standards stipulated by both the Central (federal) Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB)," he added.
But in sharp contradiction to this declaration, Manoharan, technical officer of the CPCB in Bangalore, told IPS, "The CPCB’s Environmental Surveillance Scheme stipulates random (industrial) testing for every quarter in each state; we have not conducted a study of the Kalinadi pollution in the last three to five years."
Indeed, investigations undertaken by IPS found pollutants including calcium, magnesium, sodium, chloride, nitrate, sulphate and very high levels of biological oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) in the river, causing water pollution that endangers the entire food chain.
"Pollution of any water body is as bad for crocodiles as it is for aquatic flora and fauna and is ultimately highly detrimental to their long-term survival," Whitaker told IPS.
Imbalance of either numbers or habitat can also have deleterious effects on the sex ratio of these endangered reptiles.
Widespread pollution, rampant mismanagement
The West Coast Paper Mills is an example of India’s controversial industrial development model, which has long advocated anthropocentric approaches to development such as slashing forests, endangering wildlife and exhausting natural resources in the name of ‘employment opportunities’ for humans.
Deciduous and wet evergreen rainforests such as those in Dandeli were lacerated in the 1950s and 1960s to create Bamboo plantations for pulpwood, the raw material used for paper manufacturing. Now, although industries like the West Coast Paper Mills have shifted their reliance from bamboo to eucalyptus, they continue to occupy and pollute huge swathes of nature in order to remain close to freshwater supplies.
Meanwhile, not a single state official has come forward to clamp down on the ecocide unfolding across one of India’s few remaining biodiversity hotspots.
Despite ample evidence to the contrary, IPS obtained official documents claiming, "KSPCB’s biannual 2011 report states that effluent discharge has decreased; the BOD and COD indicators are showing a decrease thanks to improved methods of production and waste treatment."
The KSPCB has also approved the industry’s proposal to manufacture precipitated calcium chloride (PCC), which involves satellite tracking of pollution. This new system effectively renders field inspections by the pollution control board obsolete, allowing the state to abdicate all regulatory responsibilities.
Ramachandra dismissed the report, stressing, "The values expressed by the KSPCB neither reflect the conditions on the ground nor do they compare to our own standards. This is a report worthy of rejection."
The Kalinadi also winds its way through a recently declared tiger reserve, meriting the highest level of administrative protection but despite powerful laws like the 1986 Environmental Protection Act and the 1980 Forest Conservation Act, authorities have not relocated this toxic industry.
The rainforest is home to a huge array of wildlife including black panthers – endemic to the region – tigers, leopards, wild dogs, bear, pangolins, bats, Langur monkeys, the giant Malabar squirrel, jackals, gaur (Indian bison), a variety of deer, over 200 varieties of endemic birds, butterflies, scores of insects species, reptiles such as the king cobra, python, pit viper and monitor lizard, freshwater terrapins in the river, and further downstream, estuarine dolphins and fresh water otters as well as a vibrant and diverse community of fish – all of which are now under threat.
The paper industry has also put human communities at risk: people in Dandeli rely on the river for their most basic sanitary and nutritious needs and will be hard pressed to find alternative sources of fresh water if the river becomes too polluted for their daily use.
Meanwhile, the growing population of wild crocodiles has added another layer of danger to the locals’ already hazardous lives.
"Misguided youngsters seeking thrills have fallen to the depths of the river where hungry crocodiles hunt them," Kanak Bhat, a senior reporter who has covered the Dandeli for over four decades, told IPS.
If this threat continues, villagers with no alternative will end up massacring the endangered creatures.
Furthermore, when cattle fall into the river and are devoured by crocodiles, farmers get no compensation from the forest department.
On top of all of this, air pollution has kept ecotourists at bay, stripping scores of people who rely on the tourism industry for employment of a steady income.
By breeding in the pollution, crocodiles have effectively exposed not only the toxic pollutants in the environment but also the deadly cocktail of corrupt politics, ineffective state bureaucracy and industrialism, for which India’s wildlife is paying the price.
A male elephant aged around 35-40 years has been electrocuted in an agriculture field near Hudsa village in Joyda taluq,situated along the periphery of Dandeli-Anshi Tiger Reserve.It has been said that the elephant died when it tried to enter into the field by breaking the fence.According to the villagers the death is due to the negligence of HESCOM officials and staff since the electric wires were fell down on several places including the spot where elephant died.Even the forest department officials were blaming the HESCOM people' negligence which has ended in a tragedy.It is important to notice that this is the fifth elephant death in this area in a span of 13 years.Already the elephant population is very less in this region compared to Bandipur,Nagarhole etc ( less than 60) and such types of incidents are extremely vulnerable to their population in this region.
Please find the attachments below for more details:
A notification under Section 26 A (b) of Wildlife (Protection) Act (1972) makes the 19,042.58 hectare forests of Khanapur taluk in Belgaum district as Bhimgad sanctuary. During the final notification, the area has been increased from 13,167.18 to 19,042.58 hectare keeping in view the rich biodiversity and eco-morphological importance of the area.
It is very important to notice that Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary is contiguous to Dandeli-Anshi Tiger Reserve in Karnataka,proposed Mhadei Tiger Reserve,Netravali,Bondla,Bhagwan Mahavir, Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuaries,Mollem National Park in Goa and Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. Hence we can call it as a big boost to tiger conservation since it provides a big corridor for the wild animals' movement.
The critically endangered Wroughton’s free-tailed bats breed at the Barapede caves of Bhimgad.
Girish Hosur, Deputy Conservator of Forests who was behind this idea of a sanctuary said now it gives leagal protection to the entire area.
The Bhimgad area has a rich fauna with tigers, leopards, Indian Gaur, wild dogs, bears, sambars, barking deers, Four Horned Anletopel and other mammals and also has a good reptile and bird population too. The King Cobra is a prominent species of snake there.
After this notification the collection of forest produce, grazing, human disturbances are not allowed in the area spread on 19,042.50 hectares.
Its a great boon for nature lovers now that this area will be properly protected and the endangered species will have their own land to breed.
In a shocking incident Dandeli Wildlife Division officials have arrested two persons named Pandurang Lokappa Mirashi and Narayan Bhujangarao Mutgekar who had allegedly shot dead a Sambar near Powerhouse road in Ambikanagar forest of Kulgi Wildlife Range.The named accusers were working in Karnataka Power Corporation and are kept in Judicial custody.Two more accusers are absconding and they will also be caught very soon, said Dr.Sunil Panwar,DCF Dandeli Wildlife Division and Mr.U D Naik,ACF Dandeli Wildlife Sub division while speaking to the media.Kulgi RFO Mr.Ullannavar, Forest guards C R Naik,A Y Kambale,Driver Santosh Shet were involved in the operation.
Please find the attachments below for more details.
The man-elephant conflict is not new to Haliyaland Joida taluks in Uttara Kannada district. The Forest Department is planning to implement a Sahyadri Elephant Project to avoid the man-animal conflict. The scientifically prepared project is expected to control elephant menace in the villages.
B. Mallesh, Assistant Conservator of Forest, Haliyal, said that efforts were on to convince the people of the villages not to grow sugarcane.
There were about 95 elephants in Haliyal and Dandeli reserve forest areas. Compared to the elephants in other parts of the State, these were sober, he said. Once, the Sahyadri Elephant Project comes into effect, the Centre would provide funds. Many pro-people programmes could be formulated for the protection of elephants, he said. The Forest Department had been planning on solar fencing and anti-elephant trenches in the borders of the forests.
Mr. Mallesh said special programmes would be taken up under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. People would be trained to repulse the elephants without harming them.
The compensation for the death of people, and the crops destroyed had been increased. The awareness among people about the protection of the elephants had increased, he said. People of the district as well as elephant lovers were eagerly waiting for the implementation of this project, he said.
An edited version of this article can be read from the link below:
Animals in the state’s wildlife sanctuaries and national parks will now have more space to themselves as the National Wildlife Board (NWB) has given clearance for expansion of land around protected areas of five wildlife sanctuaries and two national parks in the state by another three lakh hectares.
An official source from NWB said, “According to the proposal sent by the state forest department, we have granted clearance for an additional three lakh hectares of land to around five major wildlife sanctuaries and two national parks in Karnataka. With this, the total notified protected areas in the state is now 9.5 lakh hectares from the existing 6.5 lakh hectares.”Thus, the total land actually covered by forests is 33,238.47 sq km, constituting about 17.33 per cent of the total geographical area of the state.The protected area around two national parks Bannerghatta National Park, Kudremukh National Park and five wildlife sanctuaries — Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary, Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary, Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary, Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary and Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary — has been granted clearance for expansion.About the advantages of land expansion around protected areas, an official from the state forest department told Express, “Villages around these protected areas will not be disturbed. The area to be expanded lies within the forest area and added to the protected area, providing more space for wild animals.”“In order to improve corridor connectivity and increase conservation of wildlife, we had sent the proposal to NWB a couple of months ago. Increase in the protected areas will help animals, especially elephants and leopards. In addition, this will also help the forest department curb man-animal conflict, a problem the forest department has been grappling with,” he said.However, with apprehensions that the villagers’ land may be affected, initially local residents around these national parks and wildlife sanctuaries had raised.
Nurturing local community who care for tigers has been one of the main strategies pursued by Karnataka Forest Department. Keeping this in mind, Wildlife Division, Dandeli is celebrating Wildlife Week every year to create awareness about the nature and wildlife among the local people who play a key role in wildlife conservation. As a part of this, 57th Wildlife Week Celebration, 2011(1-7 October) was organized at Nature Interpretation Camp, Kulgi for the school children, villagers living in and around Dandeli forests..The event was organised by Sahyadri Wildlife and Forest Conservation Trust(SWIFT) volunteers and members, lead by Mr.Narasimha Chapkhand in association with Wildlife Division,Dandeli.
The event was inaugurated by CCF Mr.Premkumar.Chief Guest was Mr.Balachandra Hegde and DCF Mr.Sunil Panwar were present in the occasion.I am very happy that i could able to participate actively in all the events as a volunteer.Some of the Resource persons were invited are, Mr.C R Naik,Mr.Shridhar Desai,Mr.Jayanand Derekar etc.Community awareness programs like slide shows, nature interpretation activities, snake and honey-bee awareness programs etc. were done during the event.Nearly 300 Students from 6 schools,1 college,villagers around DATR were actively participated in the event.
Key Outcomes.
•An average 10 activities on nature and wildlife conservation conducted during the program.
• All the trained students and teachers are motivated to conduct the nature related activities effectively in schools.
•The event has created its impact motivating other schools to take part in this event in future days.
•All the schools have shown a positive response to reach out community through community interaction programs to sensitize on nature and conservation.
• All students and teachers were motivated to carry out a scientific approach towards snakes and bees by showing slide shows and practical examples by which they could able to remove all the super specious beliefs from their mind.
Some of the glimpses of the event are,
Welcome Speech by
Mr. Narasimha Chapkhand
Inauguration by CCF Mr.Premkumar
Speech by Mr.Balachandra Hegde
Local people giving their opinions
Speech by CCF Mr.Premkumar
Speech by DCF Mr. Sunil Panwar
Ayurvedic Expert Mr.Shridhar Desai interacting with students
Resource person Mr. Jayanand Derekar interacting with students
A vote of Respect to Local People
Honey-bee awareness to students by Mr.Narasimha Chapkhand
Students carrying the honey-bees
with no fear.
Nature awareness games to students
Nature awareness games to students
Snake awareness by Forest Guard Mr.C R Naik
Students carrying snake with no fear
Students making Elephant Structures on “World Elephant Day”
Slide shows and videos on wildlife conservation
Students’ interaction with wild animals
Students at Insects’ Museum
Forest staff explaining the importance of Wildlife Conservation
Those seven days of Wildlife Week in Dandeli-Anshi Tiger Reserve were really memorable in my life.One side Sahyadri Parisara Sangha along with Dandeli Wildlife Division was trying their best to convince the children and villagers about the importance of wildlife conservation,impacts of poaching on Eco-system etc and we were actually seeing the outcome in just few days.But on the other hand some miscreants have been arrested by the forest department for poaching a Monitor Lizard during this happy moments.This was the most sad news for us since it has happened during the Wildlife Week Celebration that too at a few distance from Kulgi Nature Camp where the function was arranged.My concern was,atleast by looking at these events, these poachers could have stopped poaching completely and would have joined their hands with the department in wildlife conservation. But,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
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