Elephants in Alur being relocated. - DH article.

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/382228/operation-underway-capture-23-rogue.html

This is the same place where humans have encroached on the elephant territory and blaming it on the elephants.


The Forest department will start in two weeks one of the biggest operations since 1972 to capture 23 wild elephants which have been wreaking havoc in Alur and Kattepura in Hassan district.

The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF) has granted permission to capture 25 animals. Two of them have already been captured. The previous big effort to capture wild elephants in the country was the Khedda operation in the Kabini backwater in 1972.

The elephants will be captured in the isolated patch of Hemavathi backwater. The operation is also an attempt at mitigating man-elephant conflict in the region and has been recommended by High Court-appointed experts.

The jumbo animals have been frequently raiding human habitats, resulting in several human and elephant deaths. Elephant attacks in the last two years have claimed eight lives in this region. The High Court then directed the department to capture the animals after a task force constituted by it presented a report and recommended against translocation, saying elephants tend to go back their original habitat.

Letter from MOEF

Vinay Luthra, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden (CWW), said the letter from MOEF dated January 16, 2014, arrived on Monday. "We will begin operations within two weeks and preparations have already begun," he said. Seven of the 23 elephants to be captured are calves, he added.

In the letter — Deccan Herald has a copy —  C Murti, Assistant IGP (Project Elephant), said the High Court gave the order to capture the elephants after a task force constituted by it recommended that the jumbo animals be removed from the region.
"The CWW of the State is a competent authority as per Section 11 of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, to take appropriate decision," the order said. Murti cited a letter dated November 25, 2013, in which the State government sought permission to capture the elephants. He directed the government to involve the task force in the operation.

In another letter, addressed to the Principal Secretary of Forest, Ecology and Environment department, the MOEF reminded the government that it had accepted in the High Court the recommendations of the task force. The ministry also cautioned the government against the use of elephants in any commercial activities. "The attention of the State government be drawn to Section 43 of Wildlife Protection Act 1972, which prohibits (the) use of captive elephants for commercial activities," the letter said.

Ten tranquilising guns

Unlike the traditional Khedda operation (where jumbo animals are driven into a stockade), elephants in this operation will be capture by way of tranquilisation. Ten Kumki (captive, trained) elephants and Forest staff of the region will be pressed into service. "We need at least ten tranquilising guns; we have seven now and the remaining will be procured," Luthra added.

Ten crawls (pens to confine the elephants) have been constructed at Sakrebailu near Shimoga, Periyapatna near Mysore, Mathigodu and Dubare elephant camps in Kodagu district. The elephants will be sent to these places after identifying the families. The tuskers will be separated from the herd.

Luthra reassured that everything would be done "in accordance with the law". Two committees have been formed for the purpose. One will be advisory in nature and comprise some members of task force, including the well-known pachydermist, Raman Sukumaran. Another committee will be formed at the field level and Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Project Elephant, will head it, Luthra added. Veterinarians associated with the department will undergo a special training for the operation on January 24.

 

Regards,
Shashi

legend of yana rocks -

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/381712/legend-yana-rocks.html

Yana, a picturesque village in North Karnataka, is home to some beautiful rock formations. Bindu Gopal Rao traces the legends associated with these monoliths.

The 1997 Kannada movie Nammoora Mandara Hoove was a super hit because of its story, music and star cast. However, there was another star of the movie that also became a unique destination. This movie effectively captured and utilised the natural beauty of the forests of Yana and it is widely believed that it was after this film was released that crowds started thronging this small village in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka. 

On a recent visit to North Karnataka, I had a chance to visit this place as part of a long itineracy and naturally jumped at the opportunity. Known for its unusual rock formations, Yana is located in the Sahyadri mountain range of the Western Ghats. This place has two unique rock clusters that have become a huge tourist attraction and a place for trekking since they can be easily approached by a half kilometer small trek. These two rock formations are called the Bhairaveshwara Shikhara (at 390 feet) and the Mohini Shikhara (at 300 feet) and are made up of solid black, crystalline Karst limestone. The two rock monoliths or hillocks, surrounded by thick forests and streams, rise sharply above the surrounding area near the Yana village and are a sight to behold. The black coloured hills form a stunning background against the greenery of the forest. 

History speaks

The cave temple below the Bhairaveshwara Shikhara is famous since it has a self manifested linga and water drips from the roof over it, adding to the sanctity of the place. Naturally, this place becomes crowded during the annual festivities of Maha Shivaratri. Trekking to the black rock formations through the hilly forest of Sahyadri is something adrenalin junkies will enjoy. However, the stretch can be quite deserted, so it is advised to travel in groups. A variety of endangered species of birds and butterflies in this biodiversity hotspot makes it a boon for photographers as well. Closer to this place is the Vibhooti waterfalls, which makes for a beautiful sight as well. Again one can trek to the falls, so make sure you have comfortable shoes.

Legend has it that this place has a link with the life of the demon king Bhasmasura who with austere penance obtained a boon from Shiva. The boon was that whenever Bhasmasura placed his hand on anyone's head, the person would be burned and reduced to bhasma or ashes. The king was obviously elated when he was granted the boon and wanted to test it immediately on Shiva. It is said that he chased Shiva who was unnerved, and sought the help of Lord Vishnu, who then transformed himself into beautiful damsel named Mohini to entice Bhasmasura. Infatuated with Mohini's beauty, the demon king agreed to her challenge for a dance competition. It was during the dance competition, that Mohini cleverly performed a pose with her hand over head. Without realizing the impact of this act, the demon king also placed his hand over his head and perished by the fire of his own hands. It is believed that the fire that emanated during this act was so intense that the limestone formations in the Yana area were blackened. According to devotees, the loose black soil or ash seen around the two large rock formations in the area are caused because of Bhasmasura's ashes.

 

Regards,
Shashi

falling forts of gulbarga - article in DH

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/381693/where-falling-forts-whisper-history.html

Forts speak history. No wonder, they have always fascinated historians, research scholars, archaeologists, conservationists and tourists alike. The undivided district of Gulbarga, including Yadgir, which was once the cradle of two mighty dynasties — the Rashtrakutas in the 9th century and the Bahmans in the 14th century — and which has seen the rule of a number of dynasties, right from the Mauryas of 300 BC to the Nizams till 1948, naturally boasts of many forts.

A number of forts in the district were built from 2nd century BC to 18th century AD. Though some individuals have recorded the details of some forts in their writings, none have attempted to do a systematic study of all the important forts of the district, numbering about 50, and record it for posterity. At a time when most of the forts are on the brink of extinction due to the onslaught of weather and increased human intervention, it is important to study them and record their details. Human intervention has proved to be destructive for the existence of forts as the materials available in them, including huge slabs, pillars etc are being taken away by people for their own use. Even in the 600-year-old famous Gulbarga fort, which has been declared a national monument by the Archaeological Survey of India, human habitation still persists. One can imagine the state of unprotected forts then.

A study undertaken by the history professor of Gulbarga Government College, Shambhuling S Wani, on 'Defence Architecture of Forts of Undivided Gulbarga District', is the sole study and reference material available for any kind of research with regard to forts in Gulbarga district. The work involving an extensive field study of defence architecture of 39 important forts has come out with certain interesting revelations. The oldest fort is at Sannati in Chittapur taluk, on the banks of River Bhima. Built during the Shatavahana period in 2nd century BC, this ancient fort, constructed with bricks, has seven gates. Excavations have unearthed a ranamandala and remains of watch towers. The kind of features seen in the Sannati Fort are also noticed in the forts constructed in the latter period. Another ancient fort is in Sagar village of Shahapur taluk, stated to have been constructed by Sagar Chakravarti, an emperor of Sagar kingdom, and is in complete ruins.

The fort at Malkhed in Sedam taluk is one of the most important ones. Situated on the banks of River Kagna in erstwhile Manyakheta, it was built by the mighty 9th century Rashtrakutas who ruled for about 200 years. It is a 'Jaladurga', being surrounded by water on three sides, and a hillock on one side.

Among the medieval forts, the Gulbarga fort is most prominent. It was originally built by Raja Gulchand and later expanded and strengthened by Bahmani rulers who shifted their capital from Daulatabad to Kalburgi (Gulbarga) around 1350. Bahmans were the main rivals of Vijayanagar kings and therefore adopted all the security aspects in Gulbarga fort. Constructed in a 3 km area, it is surrounded by double walls. The external wall is short while the internal wall is high and is surrounded by a moat of considerable depth. Inside the fort is the famous Great Mosque, built on the lines of the one in Cardona, Spain. This fort has 15 watch towers, a ranamandal and a ground to train war elephants.In 1421, the Bahman capital was shifted to Ferozabad, about 25 km south of Gulbarga.

 Since Ferozabad was on the banks of River Bhimna, Sultan Feroz Shah thought it fit to construct a strong fort there. However, the capital was soon shifted to Bidar. The same king built a palace for his beloved Farida Begum at nearby Parvatagiri, which later came to be known as Farahatabad. For the safety of his Begum and the town, he constructed a fort around the town.

The fort at Shahapur is the biggest fort of all. From Mohammed Bin Tuqhlaq to Aurangzeb, all the rulers altered this fort according to their needs. The speciality of the fort is that despite being at a very high altitude, on the hills, it has water storage in the middle of huge rocks and boulders. The nearby fort at Yadgir, also on a hill, is said to have been constructed by the Chalukyas. 

The Gosal dynasty of Nayaks who founded the Surapur principality constructed their first fort at Waganageri and when the capital was shifted to Surapur, the Nayaks constructed a huge fort there.

 

Regards,
Shashi

Elephants in Nagarahole - DH article

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/381695/a-life-wilderness.html

Elephant menace has made life miserable for the tribal communities residing on the periphery of Nagarahole National Park. Their relocation plans have also hit a dead-end due to the apathetic attitude of the authorities. Only a proactive approach can rebuild the ruined lives of these tribals, writes Rajesh Shrivana.

Theirs is certainly a cry in the wilderness. The tribals residing on the fringes of Nagarahole National Park in Virajpet taluk of Kodagu district live in perpetual fear of wild elephants. 

"Our life is worse than that of wild animals. We are compelled to spend days and nights in the fear of attack by wild animals. They raid our farmland, destroy crops and even take our life. The authorities concerned are deaf to our pleas for rehabilitation," P S Motaiah, a leader of tribals, said. Given the plight of tribal families, there appears to be truth in the exasperation of Motaiah. 

Tribal communities such as Yaravas and Jenu Kurubas have been living for generations together in hamlets (haadi) such as Chenihadlu, Jangaladi and Ayirsuli in the Anechowkuru forest range of Virajpet taluk. A tar road demarcates the boundaries of the Nagarahole Park and the tribal hamlets. With no secure borders, wild elephants easily stray into human habitats by merely crossing the road. According to tribals, jumbos rule the roost here for several months in a year. The menace is more during the jackfruit season.

Residents here have to be on guard, always. They think twice before venturing out to answer the call of nature in the night. They have to be all eyes and ears; watch and hear for the movement of wild elephants before stepping out even into their backyards. The elephant herds go on a rampage once they enter the human habitat. They raid farmlands, trample banana plants, swallow cucumber and other vegetables grown in the backyard, and barge into cattle sheds too. Residents are compelled to witness this destruction, fearfully, from inside their ramshackle houses.

Livelihood at stake

The tribals, once upon a time, used to reap a rich harvest of paddy on the forest land. They grew ragi, jowar and vegetables abundantly. But, with the jumbos creating havoc, they have stopped their agricultural activities in the last decade. The fertile farmland is now covered with weeds and grass which are also not spared by invading elephants. The tribals now work as coolies in the neighbouring coffee plantations to eke out a livelihood. 

In the last two years, two tribals have lost their lives in the jumbo attack. Recently, a resident of Gonigadde hamlet was grievously injured by the pachyderms. Gonigadde residents have lost their houses and are living in bamboo thickets or on trees. Children fear going to school while elders dread going to the nearby town to purchase items of daily necessity. It's a Herculean task to save their lives from the herd of wild elephants which appear suddenly on the road. Without any doubt, the jumbo menace has thrown the life of tribals out of gear.

Legal hurdles

All the hamlets here come under the limits of Project Tiger of Nagarahole National Park. Laws governing wildlife habitats come in the way of taking up development activities in the area. Because of this, the tribals are deprived of basic facilities such as water, house, hospital and toilets. They have realised they cannot sustain themselves if they continue to reside here. A majority of them are now seeking rehabilitation. 

Going nowhere

However, their relocation plan seems to have hit a dead-end with the authorities sitting pretty on their demands. They have been demanding the formation of new Forest Right Committees, recognising the rights of tribals under Forest Rights Act, 2006 and issue of title deeds to tribals and traditional forest dwellers. As many as 130 houses have been constructed at the Hebballa Rehabilitation Centre in Hunsur taluk. The residents have been demanding basic facilities at the Centre so that they can relocate there.

 Unfortunately, all these pleas have remained unattended to even as the hapless tribals continue to submit memorandums to each and every authority concerned, year after year.

"Without recognising our rights under the Forest Act, 2006, we cannot stake claim on our farmland and fix a value for it. We filed an application seeking to set this process in motion, way back in 2009. Ponnampet taluk social welfare officer has been designated as the secretary for a divisional-level committee for recognising forest rights. But, things stand still even after four years. Moreover, our applications are now missing," said P S Puttaswamy, a tribal leader.

There has been an increase in the number of wild animals in the Nagarahole Park, making life miserable for people living on the fringes. Under the voluntary relocation and rehabilitation scheme funded by the Union government, the relocating tribal families get a house, farmland and cash. Locals find the offer attractive, but only if implemented. A proactive and humane approach by the authorities concerned could ameliorate the plight of tribals.

 

Regards,
Shashi

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Job ID SWG-0622065 Job type Full-time Regular Work country India Position type Professional Work city Bangalore Posted 27-Nov-2013 Travel No travel Business group IBM Software Group Job category Consultant Business unit Commerce Job role Application Consultant HR contact Prashant Devanapally Job role skillset General Department Rapid Solution Center (RSC) Workplace Traditional Office (IBM building) Hiring manager Pallavi Nagaraj Band 06 to 06 Commissionable/ Sales-Incentive jobs only No

Job description

IBM offers a comprehensive portfolio of Smarter Commerce solutions to help companies redefine commerce in the age of the customer. About Sterling Order Management Sterling Order Management helps your company deliver a superior customer experience by executing and coordinating order fulfillment processes across your extended supply chain network. Based on the Sterling Order Management platform, your company can allow customers to seamlessly order from anywhere, fulfill from anywhere and return to anywhere. GENERAL SUMMARY: Provides functional / technical expertise on a consulting engagement. Responsible for designing a solution to implement the supply chain software products with the help of a solution architect. During system build, this position is responsible for participating with a team in the coding and unit testing any customizations and integrations required on a Java/J2EE platform. Responsible for the delivery of the designs as well as the quality of the delivery. ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS: • Learns the Supply Chain Application product suite to become an expert of the functionality and technology and a confident implementer of custom components and extensions to the product • Creates a solution design from requirements specified by customers at customer sites • Creates prototypes, integrating systems, engineering software to a detailed design specification, while participating in a multidisciplinary team environment • Designs and tests application processing logic, extensibility, user interface, and integrations • Estimates accurately the effort to write code to a specification • Configures the product to implement the solution designed • Debugs and troubleshoots product configuration and / or customizations • Provides input to project status reporting efforts • Acts as a functional / technical resource to the project team on the overall solution testing efforts including unit tests, system tests, and stress tests REQUIRED SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES: Rigorous academic and industry background in Java programming (Servlets, JSP, JDBC, Swing). Possess excellent problem solving and team player skills. Possesses functional domain knowledge of Supply Chain Management solutions and implementation in a Consulting capacity. Excellent communication and presentation skills. Excellent aptitude, pro-activeness and teaming skills. Possesses a good command of functional expertise, software engineering skills, Java technologies, RDBMS, algorithms, and Object Oriented Design and Programming. Exercises good communication skills and customer interaction skills MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Education: BE / BTech or equivalent combination of education and related experience. Experience: 1 – 2 year experience in an engineering environment including experience working with SQL on Oracle and SQL Server databases, experience with application development and system architecture and/or experience with Unix/Windows 2000, Java, XML; Oracle/DB2; applications servers such as WebLogic, WebSphere DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS: Knowledge of software engineering methodologies would be an advantage

Required Bachelor's Degree At least 1 year experience in Java, J2EE,XML At least 1 year experience in SQL/DB English: Fluent

Preferred Master's Degree in Engineering At least 2 years experience in Java, J2EE,XML At least 2 years experience in SQL/DB

IBM is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

Nagaland falcon hunters killed upto 150,000  in 2012 and sold it for 10 rupees.

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/379162/nagalands-falcon-hunters-take-conservation.html

Nagaland's falcon hunters take to conservation

Neha Sinha, Jan 7, 2014, International New York Times

The hunting culture manifests itself everywhere in the state, especially in homes

In the fall of 2012, the people in the northeastern state of Nagaland, which is known for its hunting traditions, killed about 150,000 federally protected Amur falcons, the highest number recorded in India, as the birds made their annual flight from Siberia at the end of October to stay in the Doyang reservoir for the month of November on their way to southern Africa.

Villagers caught the falcons in the reservoir by tacking fishing nets between trees, then breaking their wings and stringing them together while the birds were still alive and shrieking. Because so many were caught, the birds were sold for as little as Rs 10. A year later, the number of Amur falcons killed in Nagaland: zero, after state officials and non-profit organisations like the Bombay Natural History Society began a yearlong campaign to educate locals on the necessity of protecting these Russian falcons. As a conservationist, I was part of the Bombay Natural History Society's efforts to raise global awareness of the Amur falcons' plight in Nagaland.

In a state with nearly no conservation history and an enduring hunting ethic, our task was enormous. Killing falcons, which are protected under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act of1972, is illegal. In fact, killing any wild animal, except for those considered vermin or causing harm to humans, can lead to imprisonment and fines, but most Nagas illegally hunt –birds and animals every season and have gained a reputation as being willing to eat anything that moves.

The hunting culture manifests itself everywhere in Nagaland, especially in homes, where photos of family members holding up an illegally hunted wild animal are prominently displayed. In one living room in Pangti, a picture of Pangti's last wild tiger, cornered and shot, with its lips pulled back over its teeth, is framed in golden colours. Most houses have porches and patios decorated with antlers, graying animal skulls and bone —some old, some new, and all procured from outlawed hunting expeditions.

We wanted to work with the community near the Doyang reservoir to value the bird as a free-flying raptor, and not just a commodity. Education became the chief strategy employed by the Nagaland Wildlife and Biodiversity Conservation Trust, supported by the Bombay Natural History Society. The organisations started eco-clubs in schools to teach children the value of conservation, who in turn asked their parents to stop hunting. The groups also enlisted the support of local Baptist church leaders, who delivered sermons that urged Nagas to refrain from hunting birds of prey.

Our efforts were bolstered by the state's sustained political will for wildlife conservation. After the nonprofit Conservation India released a video in November 2012 documenting the slaughter of the falcons, the state government received letters from environmental activists around the world decrying the killings, and the central government also asked Nagaland for a report on what it was doing to address the issue.

State forest department officers began patrolling the area near the Doyang reservoir in October and emphasized that villagers who captured falcons would be fined. The forest department also dedicated two officers to Amur falcon conservation and initiated monitoring of the birds through satellite tagging. Three falcons, caught and tagged from the reservoir in November, have been christened Naga, Wokha and Pangti, named after their state, district and village respectively.

In 2012, Naga, Wokha and Pangti would not have lived long enough for their annual flight to Africa. The tagged falcons stand for a certain kind of ownership of science over wildlife. They are also a symbol of India's legal commitments under the Convention on Migratory Species to giving safe passage to migrating birds and animals.

Identifying biodiversity

If you ask ornithologists, they will say migrating falcons are international citizens, belonging to Russia and India and Africa. This is distinctly different from how Naga villagers have traditionally perceived the falcons, and indeed, other wildlife. During a visit to Doyang reservoir on a sunny Sunday this past November, the chief minister, Neiphiu Rio, made a sentimental appeal to villagers. Accompanied by high-ranking officials from the departments of animal husbandry, forests and parliamentary affairs, who were holding binoculars and photographing the birds, Rio called the falcons Nagaland's "esteemed guests" who needed to be shown "Naga hospitality."

"We have been known for hunting. You have made us infamous for it," he said, grimacing, referring to environmentalists. "Now you should also know us for doing something good. We will be known for something more than hunters." Long accustomed to hunting, and seeing the potential to make a relatively easy seasonal harvest and sale, villagers had turned to trapping falcons.

Their other sources of income had run into problems after the Doyang dam, a huge structure generating 75 megawatts of electricity, was commissioned in 2000. In a wet, mountainous state like Nagaland, it is not irrigation but flat land that is most coveted by farmers. The Doyang reservoir came up in some of the flattest areas in Doyang, submerging cultivable fields.

Attracted by the new body of water and the sugar cane and wild bananas that were growing on the banks of the reservoir, wild elephants trampled over several crops, say villagers. Suffering losses, villagers decided to capture Amur falcons, which were now congregating in dizzying numbers over the reservoir, for their livelihood.

Villagers have argued that if they are not allowed to hunt wild birds and animals, then they need to be provided an alternative way to generate seasonal income. "Laws are made; they are then forgotten," said Jami. "Give me a reason to not hunt that is of use to me."

In return for abstaining from hunting, some villagers want the broken road connecting Doyang to the rest of the Nagaland to be repaired. Others want help with employment. Of the 250-odd fishermen in Pangti village, all have attended school. Five have graduated high school but are unemployed.

"We need a viable exchange of knowledge," said Bano Haralu, the managing trustee of the Nagaland Wildlife and Biodiversity Conservation Trust. "Instead of giving capital or resources, we think giving villagers skill training is a good idea."

As part of its first efforts to train villagers in eco-tourism and revaluing wildlife, the Nagaland Wildlife and Biodiversity Conservation Trust is teaching children from the villages of Doyang, Asha, Pangti and Sungro how to use binoculars, identify local biodiversity and trace bird migrations. Children in particular have shown that they are willing to rethink the hunting culture they have inherited.

Though hunting is part of the Nagaland culture, it is not necessarily a tradition that defines the community, said Subhadra Channa, an anthropologist who teaches at Delhi University. Though our efforts to change the hunting habits in Nagaland were successful this past fall, engagement with the people needs to continue. It is the human problems that need to be attended to in order to save the falcons.

"The church has called for an end to hunting, because falcons are guests from God," said Mhonimo Kyong, a Pangti village elder. "But if alternative arrangements are not done, people will hunt again, as they always have."

 

Regards,
Shashi

Jumbo dies with firecracker in mouth !

   
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/379208/bomb-went-off-jumbo039s-mouth.html

Bomb that went off in jumbo's mouth may have killed it: Vet

Poornima Nataraj , Bangalore, Jan 7, 2014, DHNS:

Mystery shrouds the death of a 15-year-old female elephant on December 30, 2013, while being driven away by the Forest department staff after a herd strayed into the human habitats of Nugu and surrounding villages in H D Kote taluk in Mysore district.

Preliminary post mortem reports have found that the elephant had suffered a severe injury in the mouth cavity, had wounds on the lips with puss formation and was infested with maggots.

According to Dr Nagaraj, the wildlife veterinarian who conducted the post mortem, the injury could be due to a blast caused by a country-made bomb.

"Some villagers, in their attempt to hunt wild boars, use low-intensity grenades and cover them with meat which lures the animals to swallow them. These bombs explode inside the mouth of the animals, causing injuries to them. We are suspecting that a similar explosive was kept inside a ragi ball which the elephant may have accidentally swallowed," he said.

Nagaraj said the injury due to the blast may have occurred a month ago, leading to sufferings for the elephant. During the post mortem, undigested food was found which indicates that the injuries had resulted in infections. Due to the injuries, the animal also had trouble eating, which made it starve and lose immunity. The elephant also had gunshot wounds on its body. Visceral samples of the elephant have been collected for sending them to the Forensic Science Laboratory in Bangalore, he said.

According to H C Kantaraju, Conservator of Forests, Bandipur, this was a case where the elephant was injured by a country-made bomb. Ideally, it should not be used even for wild boars, but there have been such incidents.

"We are conducting programmes under the eco-development committee, educating villagers not to hunt down wild animals and not to light fire inside the forest. A case has been booked," he said.

A forest official said that since the animal died under mysterious circumstances, a complaint had been lodged at the Saragur police station. In September 2007, a couple of elephants had died after swallowing explosives hidden in ragi balls in areas around the Bandipur National Park and at different locations on the Karnataka-Kerala forest reserve areas.

 

Regards,
Shashi

Jumbos in/around Bangalore in Nelamangala Adrangi forests

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Jumbo size entertainment for Tumkur Road travellers

Bangalore, Jan 2, 2014, DHNS :

Tough time to keep onlookers at bay as five tuskers cool off in lake

Many travellers on Tumkur Road had a pleasant surprise as they had a wonderful sight of five juvenile tuskers basking in the sun, playing in Hanumanthapura Lake at Dobbspet and amongst themselves all through Thursday.

For many passersby, while this was the first time they saw wild elephants around 50 km from Bangalore City, for dwellers of Tumkur, Nelamangala, Shivagange and surrounding areas, this is a common sight.

The Forest department officials said that this is the eighth time in the last four months that a herd of elephants, mostly juvenile tuskers, has been sighted near urban spaces. The elephants have shown little interest to go back to the Adrangi forest.

The Adrangi and Nelamangala forest belt is a flat land spread across 300 sq km. The patch has a lot of plantations and houses around 15 leopards. The Hemavati lake in Tumkur is swelling and all the other lakes too are full.

Farmers are growing the favourite crops of elephants. So, the jumbos are venturing out of their travel path from Bannerghatta to Savandurga to Nelamangala, Tumkur and back.
According to K B Manjunath, deputy conservator of forests, Bangalore Rural division, "This is a herd of nine elephants.

While driving them into the forests in the earlier operations, one tusker has moved towards Gubbi. Three are in the forest, but their location is unknown. A search for them is on by one team.  The remaining five have been camping in the lake since Wednesday night. This herd comprises of juvenile males."  

The Forest department officials were struggling to keep people from venturing too close to the elephants. They point out that the operations to drive jumbos back into the forest get hampered due to human presence, as this confuses and panics them.

Vinay Luthra, principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife), told Deccan Herald, "Elephants are not coming into human habitation, rather people are moving into their hereditary migratory lands by converting swallows, gomala land and areas abutting forests for agricultural and other purposes. This is creating problems.

All we can do is keep people at bay and drive the elephants back into the forest each time they venture out."

 

Regards,
Shashi