Flamingos are here!!!!!!!! At Mithi River for the first time!!!

Whether the desilting and deepening of Mithi river by Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has helped humans would be ascertained as the monsoon advances. But the work has definitely helped the winged visitors of the city, the flamingos.
For the first time, a flock of 11 lesser flamingos has camped at Mithi river since last three days. “It is the sign of rejuvenating ecology of the river. Now that the birds have arrived here, we must protect them,” said Avinash Kubal, deputy director of Maharashtra Nature Park and winner of Best Practical Wildlifer award of Wildlife Institute of India. The flock is most likely to stay here as lesser flamingos have become resident to many parts of the region over last few years, Kubal said.
“There are no records of flamingos visiting Mithi river. This is possibly for the first time ever that the birds are camping there,” said Adesh Shivkar, a bird expert.
The desilting and deepening of the river has resulted in increasing the quantity of sea water flowing in during high tide. As a result, many marine plants and algae also entered the river. “The blue-green algae grow in sea is the food of flamingos. Form ecological point of view, it is definitely encouraging development,” Kubal said.
The high level of pollution and degradation of the river had resulted in complete destruction of ecosystem. The situation started to deteriorate when the municipal corporation started dumping solid waste along the banks of the river around three decades back. “Since then, the winged visitors had stopped visiting Mithi river and there are no records of their visit during this period,” Kubal said.
The flock is currently restricted to a small portion behind Maharashtra Nature Park. The area on one side the river being densely populated and heavy development underway on the other, flamingos have no option but to remain in the small portion. “Given the trend in the known flamingo areas like Uran in Navi Mumbai, the flock at Mithi river is at grave risk of being poached.
Not only flamingos, even the lesser whistling ducks and brahmini ducks had also camped at the river for the first time last year, Shivkar said. “These birds are indicators of water pollution and status of ecology. The fact that these birds have started camping at Mithi river, is an indicator of reducing pollution in the river, he said. “This year flamingos camped at Worli village where they were never seen before. This is probably, due to formation of muddy beaches as a result of siltation,” Shivkar said. According to him, the juveniles and weak adults called as non-breeding residents can not fly back and prefer to stay here. “They are in constant search of muddy beaches to feed and camp at,” he said.

Poor Deer!!!!!

The fate of 70-odd spotted deers in captivity since last four decades at Powai garden hangs in balance. Lack of coordination between the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and state forest department officials regarding relocation of the animals has only added to miseries of the animals.
Despite repeated assurances to shift the deers out of the garden, the authorities have failed to do so. “Shifting spotted deers is a tricky business as it is very difficult to tranquilise them. There is very risk of mortality while transporting tranquilised deers over a long distance,” said a senior forest official.
The forest department officials have now decided to shift the deers to Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary that is over 70 km from Powai garden. “Shifting of the spotted deers from Powai garden to Sanjay Gandhi National Park can not be allowed as the SGNP is very unique forest and I am not ready to take any risk about it,” said B Majumdar, PCCF (Wildlife). The animals at Powai garden are not totally fit to be released in SGNP. They might contract diseases among animals there, he said.
Surprisingly, the forest department officials booked an offence against BMC officials in 2006 for illegal detention of wildlife and confiscated 120 kg of shed antlers from the garden. But no further action has been taken in the matter till date. “Ideally, all the deers should have been relocated immediately after the action. It is a serious violation of Wildlife Protection Act,” said Debi Goenka of Conservation Action Trust (CAT).
The BMC has started ambitious Rs 40 Cr renovation project at the garden. Environmentalists feel that due to the renovation project animals will land in serious trouble. “The spotted deers at the garden are in dire state and the situation turns really serious during monsoon every year. They are at the God’s mercy every year as whenever Powai lake overflows, the deers are worst hit,” said Elsie Gabriel, founder president of Young Environmentalist Programme Trust, a Powai based NGO.
“The municipal corporation will pay Rs 9.5 lakh to the forest department for relocation of the animals to Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary. The process of relocation will being once the payment is made and necessary arrangements are made at the sanctuary, that is likely to take three months,” said Madhukar Kamble, chief hydraulic engineer, BMC.
Environmentalists have strongly opposed the decision to relocate the deers to Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary. “We strongly object relocation of the deers at Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary. Given the distance of the sanctuary from Powai garden, it is not a viable idea,” said Sunish Subramanian of Plant and Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), Mumbai. PAWS had repeatedly raised objection over illegal detention of spotted deers at the garden. “The deers should be first placed under rehabilitation and gradually released in forest,” he said. “Shifting spotted deers to Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary will only increase the risk of poaching as the deers in Powai garden are used to human proximity,” said Krishna Tiwari of BNHS.

Tiger is here to stay!!!!! Long live the king!!!!

After the Wildlife Institute of India released the report on tiger population in the country, a can of worms was opened and the biggest conservation success story was turned into the biggest failure overnight.
However, the central and state governments immediately jumped into action and took corrective measures to ensure safety of the big cat. As a result many tiger reserves in the country have shown encouraging results, Ranthambhore being one of them having increased the tiger population to 41 from 22. Belinda Wright, executive director of Wildlife Protection Society of India feel that given the efforts of central as well as state governments, the big cat has a bright future in the country.
Q. Would the nation see tigers after 50 years from now?
A. “Let me put it like this. 50 years ago, when I was five years old, we never saw as many tigers as people see today. The big cat survived tremendous pressure it was reeling under five decades ago. It has an ability to bounce back and overcome disasters.” The tiger will stay here. “I am optimistic about it.”
Q. How poachers manage to kill the tiger and transport the body out of the country right under the nose of government?
A. It is not that the government or the forest departments were not warned. NGOs and environmentalists persistently highlighted the organised tiger poaching syndicate. However, the policy makers continued to deny the facts until we came to know that tigers have been wiped out from Sariska in 2003. General public or the NGOs have access to some part of tiger reserves. But it is not the case with poachers. They can penetrate to any part of the reserve. They are much more sophisticated than the forest department officials.
Q. What should the government do to protect the national animal?
A. The only best way is to keep poachers away from tigers. The turn around at Ranthambhore is the result of dedicated and whole hearted efforts. The park administration there has been successful in driving poachers away. The result is visible now. Despite adverse conditions tiger reserves like Nagarhole in Karnataka, Ranthambhore in Rajasthan and Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra are doing well and the big cat is in safe hands here.
Q. What attracts the poachers to this magnificent animal?
A. Money offcourse. Huge money is involved in tiger trade with demand for its parts from all over the world especially China. Tiger is worth far more when dead than when alive. Villagers are used for much larger networks of organised wildlife criminals. Field investigators working for the WPSI have uncovered an incredible degree of sophistication among hardcore wildlife criminals. Large sums of money have been recovered from arrested criminals, along with mobile phones and modern firearms.
Q. What is your opinion about the demand of Chinese government to allow trade in tiger parts?
A. The world must oppose it strongly. It will pose even more threat to the wild cat. They claim to have around 5000 tigers in breeding farms across China. But the demand is so high that poachers will target tigers in India.
Q. Would the fund of Rs 50 crore earmarked by Finance Minister for tiger protection be any help?
A. Yes definitely. Though meagre, but we must feel happy that for the first time after independence, tiger had a mention in budget speech of finance minister.
Q. Can Sariska revive?
A. Yes. Tiger has tremendous ability to overcome all odds and given enough protection, Sariska can regain the lost glory.
Q. What is the destination of tiger parts?
A. Tiger parts are destined solely for foreign countries – largely China. Skins are in demand for coat trimmings, while bones and other parts are used in traditional medicines in different parts of the world. The demand has led wildlife criminals in India to collaborate closely with their counterparts in neighbouring countries like Nepal and Tibet.

After over a decade since I first went to forest, unlike others, tiger sighting is the last thing on my agenda. But the situation is different when someone who has never seen a tiger despite regularly visiting forest and that too during season, is with you and having ‘assured’ tiger sighting.
I have done this many times earlier. But last time I visited Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, the things were different. Taking a friend along is definitely different than taking a senior journalist, my guru to show tigers. Especially when he is a known personality when it comes to report on wildlife and forest. Despite regularly visiting forest, he had hardly seen tigers.
So this time when I went on vacation, we decided to go to Tadoba. Before starting from Nagpur I assured him tiger sighting. An army of tourist guides, forest guards and other department officials informed me that a tigress with four cubs was being regularly seen at a waterhole in the area called Shivanzari.
Right from the moment we entered the forest, he started asking for tiger. Every couple of kilometre, he would ask, “Where is the tiger, what happened?” and I kept on assuring him, with fingers crossed off course! that he will get to see a tiger.
My friends in the forest informed me that a tigress with two cubs was seen near water hole number 7. I went straight to the spot and strategically parked the vehicle so that we didn’t miss her even if she comes there from any direction. After waiting for around 15 minutes, I jumped with joy when tiger call from a peacock and sambar came. Both calling simultaneously means the tigress has to be there. Now it was just a matter of her coming out in open. Everyone in the car was on the edge of seat. They started getting depressed with each passing moment and I started getting restless as pressure kept on mounting. At last the patience paid and the tigress came out of the bamboo shrubs. Waiting for a moment to judge people there, the tigress signalled her cubs who promptly joined her. And they went to the water hole. I was the most relieved person on this planate as the tigress was sitting there with her two cubs. I had kept my word to show him tiger. While at the water hole, I was informed that a tigress with four cubs was seen at Shivanjhari. And everyone including the guru wanted to see the tigress with four cubs seen at a place named Shivanjhari. “Isn’t he asking for too much now?” I thought.