Tusker kills pregnant elephant (India)
Pinak Priya Bhattacharya, Times of India
February 1, 2012
Jalpaiguri : A pregnant elephant was gored to death by a tusker at the Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR) forest on Monday night, apparently when it refused to respond to the male's mating call. The carcass was found on Tuesday morning.
Experts say in all likelihood, the two elephants were from different herds, or such an incident would never have taken place. "It is very unlikely for a tusker to attack an elephant of its own herd, especially when it is pregnant. Elephants live in families and have very strong bonds," said V K Sood, conservator of forests, wild life (northern circle).
It's surprising that the elephant was alone when the tusker attacked her, say experts. Elephants, when pregnant, always stay in the herd and so it was not likely that the female was all by herself. "Probably the herd was on the move and it fell behind. That's when the tusker came in," said V Shalimath, deputy field director (west), BTR.
From the signs found at the spot, it is thought that the tusker suddenly approached the female elephant from behind. But being pregnant, she could not run and join its herd that had moved ahead by then. "The elephant was trapped inside a small trench. There are signs of struggle," said Shalimath.
The incident took place at No. 8 compartment of 22 Mile under Rajbhajkhawa west range in BTR. It is believed that when the female elephant refused to accept the tusker's mating call, the infuriated tusker attacked her and kept goring her in the abdomen with its tusks, ultimately killing her. The carcass of the elephant was given to the vulture breeding centre at Rajabhatkhawa after postmortem.
Article at the following link : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata-/Tusker-kills-pregnant-elephant/articleshow/11707403.cms
Five held for trading in ivory (India)
Deccan Chronicle
February 5, 2012
The Bengaluru Rural police have arrested five people, including a Congress leader from Tamil Nadu, on charges of smuggling ivory. Follow a tip-off, the Hebbagodi police confronted the accused near the bus stop and a tusk weighing 9kg was recovered from them.
Police said the main accused Mukunda Swamy is the Congress president of Krishnagiri and has been named as prime accused “We had information about the ivory deal happening on the outskirts of Bengaluru. On Saturday, the accused were trying to sell the ivory, but they were nabbed before that. We are now trying to check the client list and possible buyers,” said an investigating officer.
“Preliminary investigation has revealed that the ivory is old and the animal could have been shot in the forest of Tamil Nadu. Among the accused, three are from Tamil Nadu and two from the city. We suspect a nexus between poachers/wild life smugglers between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu,” said the officer. Elephants are protected under Schedule I of Wild Life Protection Act (WPA) and trading in ivory has been banned all over the world. If the case is proved, it could land the accused in the jail for long term.
Article at the following link : http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/bengaluru/five-held-trading-ivory-994
Elephant herd invades labour colony near Coonoor (India)
Times of India
February 6, 2012
UDHAGAMANDALAM : About six elephants, including a calf, aged around one and half months, invaded a labour colony in Tiger Hill Estate near Coonoor in the Nilgiris on Sunday.
According to R Paulraj, forest range officer, three female elephants and three calves climbed up the Nilgiris hills from the Mettupalayam forest area. "Jack fruit season has started. Attracted by the smell of the fruit elephants are migrating towards the hilly terrain, where the jack fruit plantations are located," he said.
Burliar, which is located between Coonoor and Mettupalayam, is known for its jackfruit plantations. "On their way from Mettupalayam to Burliar the elephants marched towards a labour colony in Tiger Hill Estate, where there are banana plantations," Paulraj said. According to him, elephants love bananas just as much as they love jackfruit, and they eat the banana leaves too.
"The elephants have been roaming in our area since Saturday. They don't disturb us but they wander very close to our houses," said Raja, a resident of the colony. According to him, most of the residents in the colony cultivate banana mainly for its leaves. "Though the elephants do not bother us, we are worried during the night hours," Raja added.
A team of forest officials rushed to the spot to chase the animals away. Kani Mohan, a forester, said, "If we chase them away with fire crackers they may become agitated. Consequently, they may invade the plantations and attack residents". He said that it would be very difficult to chase them away from banana plantations. "They have migrated here in search of fodder, so they have no reason to move," Kani Mohan said.
Forest officials have asked residents to remove the banana plantations so that once the fodder is depleted, the elephants would automatically vacate the area. "We have asked residents to keep salt and tamarind in air-tight containers. Elephants are attracted to the smell of salt and tamarind and if they get a whiff of it they might barge into the house," said a forest official.
The officials waited for a day and then decided to burst crackers on Sunday evening to chase the animals back into the forest.
Article at the following link : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/coimbatore/Elephant-herd-invades-labour-colony-near-Coonoor/articleshow/11772315.cms
Toilet paper taking out tiger, elephant habitat, WWF says (Indonesia)
MSNBC
February 9, 2012
Is your toilet paper wiping out forests used by tigers, elephants, orangutans and other wildlife? In a report Wednesday, the World Wildlife Fund alleged that a major paper supplier from Indonesia is clearcutting habitat there and targeted a major U.S. distributor to stop buying from that source. "We found that two brands sold in the United States ― Paseo and Livi ― are made with paper from Asia Pulp & Paper (APP), which is responsible for more forest destruction in Sumatra than any other single company," the World Wildlife Fund report stated. "Paseo is a retail brand of toilet paper, paper towels, napkins and facial tissue, and it is now the fastest growing brand of toilet paper in the United States, according to its marketer."
The distributor, Oasis Brands, didn't responded directly to the accusation, but defended APP while saying it wants to work with grocery chains to set up a system of monitoring the sustainability of its tissue products.
"Everyone wants the reassurance that the products they buy from Indonesia meet internationally recognized certification standards and are not damaging the precious natural resources of that country," Oasis Brands CEO Philip Rundle said in a letter to the industry.
"Continuous, rigorous auditing has proven APP products are made from sustainable sources and meet well-established sustainability standards," he added. "Now we would like the US grocery industry to see the results of such an audit for themselves. We are confident that APP will meet the expectations of US grocers."
WWF questioned Oasis' defense of the pulp and paper producer. "APP's forest management operations in Indonesia are not certified as sustainable by any credible third party, "WWF forest expert Linda Kramme told msnbc.com. "There are responsible pulp and paper companies in the US, in Indonesia, and the world over, which employ people and make a profit - all without destroying rain forests."
Article at the following link : http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/08/10352212-toilet-paper-taking-out-tiger-elephant-habitat-wwf-says
Farmer trampled to death by wild elephants (India)
The Hindu
February 9, 2012
Sixty five-year-old farmer M. Marappan alias Mallan from Pavadaipatti village near Royakottai in Krishnagiri district was trampled to death by a herd of seven elephants in the early hours on Thursday. This was the second death during this calendar. On January 1, C. Salamma (50) was killed by wild elephants when she went to the field in Sigaralapalli village near Shoolagiri.
M. Jayapal, elder son of the deceased and an eyewitness, told The Hindu that the incident took place at around 3.30 a.m. Mr. Jayapal was returned to his residence cum motor shed from his agriculture field after diverting water evenly to the cabbage crop at 2.30 a.m.
An hour after he went to sleep at the terrace, he heard a loud noise and woke up from the terrace and found that a herd of wild elephants were nearing his shed. Though, an elephant was trying to catch him, he escaped by hiding under the parapet wall of the first floor and raised alarm. Hearing the scream, the Marappan came out of the motor room without noticing the elephants in the dark. The elephants roaming nearby attacked him. He was thrown away for some distance by one of the elephant from the herd.
On hearing sound for help, the villagers and the forest officials rushed to the place and chased away the pachyderms inside the Udedurgam Reserve Forests.
Mr. Marappan was rushed to the Government Headquarter’s Hospital and succumbed to his injuries at around 6 a.m. An immediate relief a cheque for an amount of Rs. 25,000 was handed over to Ms. M. Maramma, wife of the deceased by the forest department.
The body of the deceased was handed over to the relatives after the post-mortem at the Government Headquarters’ Hospital in Krishnagiri. Villagers were asked to switch on a light near the vicinity of their agriculture fields or the motor sheds to avoid wild animals nearing the places of lighting. As a precautionary measure, the forest department has issued as many as 60 new power search lights during this fiscal to safeguard from the wild animals through Village Forest Committees. Digging of moats for 59 km is on full swing, of this, the work on 30 km is over, in another fifteen days, work on the rest of the 29 km would be over.
Article at the following link : http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/tamil-nadu/article2875832.ece
Now, track jumbos with GPS system (India)
Darshana Ramdev, Deccan Chronicle
February 10, 2012
Man-elephant conflicts have been a source of worry for a while now, even in Karnataka. However, the GPS tracking system currently being used on elephants promises to ease the situation for troubled villagers and wildlife conservators alike.
“Tracking is usually done through satellites and it is helpful, especially if the animal is deep in the jungle,” said Professor Sukumar, from the centre for Ecological Studies, Indian Institute of Science. “However, the information is stored in the satellite and retrieving it is a time-consuming, energy intensive and expensive procedure.” Which is why the GPS system is catching on so fast. “We can insert a SIM card into the radio collar of the elephant and actually track its position every couple of hours,” said the professor. “The collar will switch on once every two hours and send an SMS with the exact location of the elephant,” added Prof. Sukumar. “The system is cheaper, uses less energy and all we need is an on-ground location that will receive the messages, based on which we will know where the elephant is and in which direction it is moving.” This might mean that the tracking system is dependent on network coverage in an area. However, being a purely practical endeavour, this works just fine.
Tracking an elephant as it is approaching a village, gives enough time to alert the authorities and locals. Prof. Sukumar, however, declined to comment on whether this was going to be used with the Hassan elephant issue, saying that the matter was sub-judice and that he was in no position to speak until the first meeting had been held. This was a matter of concern for the Karnataka Forest Department, he said.
Article at the following link : http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/bengaluru/now-track-jumbos-gps-system-601
Are poachers now targeting elephants? (India)
The Assam Tribune
February 11, 2012
KOHORA : All is not well with the forests of Assam, particularly near the national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. If sources related to wildlife are to be believed, perhaps poachers after rhinos and Royal Bengal tigers, are now diverting their attention to the heritage animal, elephant.
According to the sources the trunk of an elephant, the carcass of which was recovered inside the Panbari Reserve Forest near Kaziranga National Park was missing, which itself points to a case of poaching. Though there were injury marks on the carcass and pug marks near the spot, perhaps after being attacked by big cats afterwards, but the fact of the matter is there was also a sign of injury caused due to some anthropogenic activities followed by disappearance of the trunk, which strongly suggested that the elephant was killed by poachers. Secondly, since a portion of the carcass got decomposed as the carcass was few days old, proper post-mortem could not be done by veterinary doctors, sources added.
Article at the following link : http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/detailsnew.asp?id=feb1112/state05
Tiger skins and elephant tusks seized (Malaysia)
By Isabella Lai, The Star/Asia News Network
February 11, 2012
PETALING JAYA : Tiger skins and elephant ivory tusks were among wildlife parts seized by the Wildlife and Natural Parks Department (Perhilitan) in a successful bust. A team of 12 Perhilitan officers from Kedah raided two houses in Mukim Tokai, Pendang, and Kota Sarang Semut, Kota Setar at around 3.15am yesterday.
The team seized eight tiger skins, nine elephant ivory tusks, 22 plastic bags suspected to be filled with wildlife bones and a tusk suspected to be from a barking deer. "The seized items were taken from an unnumbered house in Lot 30, Kampung Sungai Dedap, Kota Sarang Semut in Kota Setar," Perhilitan said in a statement.
It warned that the act of keeping wildlife parts was illegal and offenders could be prosecuted under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010. "Owning tiger skins, elephant ivory tusks and wildlife bones without a permit is illegal and offenders can be fined up to RM100,000, jailed up to three years or both for each offence," it said.
Perhilitan said a male suspect had been detained and remanded at the Kota Setar police station for further investigation.
Wildlife trade monitoring network Traffic hailed the bust as very significant. "It is shocking to learn he had in his possession all these parts from protected animals. "Further investigation to determine where these items were obtained from and who else was involved is crucial," said Traffic South-East Asia senior programme officer Kanitha Krishnasamy.
She said the arrest of this individual with nine ivory pieces was an excellent opportunity for intelligence-led investigations to crack down on the illegal ivory trade. Malaysia has seized more than six tonnes of ivory worth millions of ringgit in the last seven months, most of which were transshipped.
Article at the following link : http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Crime/Story/A1Story20120211-327221.html
Odisha Elephant Calf Electrocuted (India)
Sujata Mohapatra, India TV News
February 13, 2012
Dhenkanal/Anuppur/Nagaon : With human habitats closing in on the territories of wild animals, clashes between humans and wild animals are now on the increase.
A weeping mother elephant has been guarding her dead calf for more than 24 hours creating an emotional situation near the sugarcane fields of Mahapada village in Dhenkanal district, Odisha, over 100 km from Bhubaneswar.
As usual, a herd of elephants entered the sugarcane fields on Saturday night and returned to the nearby forests before dawn break. But an elephant calf was caught in a live wire and was electrocuted. The female elephant was seen guarding her calf on Sunday morning. The mother elephant is not letting anyone go close to the dead calf. She trumpets loudly and tries to disperse the crowd that tries to go close to her calf.
Forest officials are trying to find a way out of the impasse.
Article at the following link : http://www.indiatvnews.com/news/India/Odisha_Elephant_Calf_Electrocuted_MP_Bear_Burnt_To_Death_Assam-14260.html
Malaysian charged over tiger skins, ivory
MSN News
February 15, 2012
A district court in northern Kedah state, bordering Thailand, charged Malaysian citizen Mohamad Nor Sharmizam Nasir, 29, with possessing eight tiger skins, 22 tiger skulls and other bones, and nine pieces of African ivory.
He was arrested early Friday in a raid on his house where the animal parts were seized, said Shahruddin Othman, an official with the state's wildlife department.
The penalty in Malaysia for possessing the parts of protected wildlife such as tigers is up to five years in jail and a fine of up to 500,000 ringgit ($160,000). Shahruddin said investigations were still underway as to the provenance of the animal parts and who else might have been involved. He said the parts were likely destined for Malaysia and other neighbouring countries, adding the ivory had been formed into key chains.
Activists say the smuggling of endangered wildlife throughout Southeast Asia is extensive, with some animal parts still used in traditional medicines.
Steve Galster, director of the Freeland Foundation, a Bangkok-based group combating wildlife and human trafficking, commended Malaysian authorities on what he called "an important case".
Last month, Malaysia seized elephant tusks worth 2.4 million ringgit ($760,000) from South Africa.
Conservation groups say Malaysia has become a key trans-shipment point for smuggled animal goods such as ivory, although the South African tusks were believed destined for Malaysia itself.
Malaysian authorities made four large ivory seizures of an unprecedented total of some six tonnes in 2011, according to wildlife trade monitoring group TRAFFIC. Such goods are typically destined for China and Thailand.
Article at the following link : http://news.malaysia.msn.com/regional/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5887312
Suspected elephant killers caught (Thailand)
February 19, 2012
ALLEGED HUNTERS SAY THEY SOLD ANIMAL PARTS FOR 90,000 BAHT
Two men arrested for killing a wild elephant in Phetchaburi's Kaeng Krachan district told police their gang earned 90,000 baht for the sale of the dead jumbo's tusks and penis.
Lukkaeo Chan-uppatham, 28, from Phetchaburi and Chan Kuapu, 28, a resident of Ratchaburi's Suan Phueng district, were arrested on Friday. Yesterday they were brought to a police press conference.
Seized from the two suspects were an AK-47 rifle, a magazine with 157 rounds of ammunition, a carbine, a magazine with 32 rounds of ammunition, a shotgun and two mobile phones.
National police chief Pol Gen Priewpan Damapong said the arrests followed the discovery of the carcass of a wild elephant at Yangnamkad Nua-Yangnamkad Tai forest reserve in tambon Pateng of Kaeng Krachan district early last month. The dead elephant, believed to be a male around 10 years old, had been shot in the head. Its tusks, trunk and penis had been removed.
The two suspects and another gang member, identified as Somporn Jorkai, who is still at large, were involved in the killing of the elephant, said deputy national police chief Pansiri Prapawat. Police are preparing to seek court approval for the arrest of Withoon Ruangvoraset, a Ratchaburi resident. Evidence showed he drove a black Honda CRV to buy the dead elephant's penis from the gang. Mr Chan confessed he and Mr Somporn had been led into the forest by a Karen man named Lukkaeo to hunt wild elephants.
His gang later spotted one of the animals. Mr Somporn shot the jumbo in the head with an AK-47 rifle, said Mr Chan. Mr Chan said he used his carbine to fire another shot at the animal, which fled to the jungle. The gang followed traces of the wounded elephant's blood. They found it dead two days later. His gang then removed the elephant's tusks, trunk and penis before taking them to tambon Huay Satyai of Prachuap Khiri Khan's Hua Hin district for sale, where they earned 90,000 baht. Mr Chan told police he received 22,000 baht, while Mr Lukkaeo picked up 15,000 baht. Mr Somporn allegedly took the rest of the money.
After the killing, they had gone into hiding in the jungle.
Mr Chan and Mr Lukkaeo recently came out from hiding to visit their families, which is when the police apprehended them. Pol Col Voradet Suankhlai, chief of Kaeng Krachan police, said the gang sold the tusks for 20,000 baht a kilo, while the elephant's trunk and its penis were priced at 2,000 baht a kilo.
Kaeng Krachan National Park chief Chaiwat Limlikit-auksorn yesterday said he believed the two suspects were members of the same gang that last month shot and killed five wild elephants. The carcasses of the five jumbos were allegedly burned later by five members of his staff. The elephants' carcassses were found in Kaeng Krachan National Park. Police have laid charges against five park staff, including the park's assistant chief Suriyon Pothibandit.
Article at the following link : http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/crimes/280512/suspected-elephant-killers-caught
Elephants fighting back in southern Vietnam
Thanh Nien News
February 24, 2012
A herd of wild elephants have been ravaging farmers’ fields in the southern province of Dong Nai for a week-and-a-half, according to local forest management authorities.
The elephants have eaten up fields of corn, sweet potatoes, cassava and sugarcane in Hamlet 2 near the Vinh Cuu Nature Reserve in Phu Ly Commune, Vinh Cuu District.
The elephants usually show up at midnight and stay until the following morning, the residents said, adding they may have been unable to find food in the forests during the dry season.
Dang Van Nhon, chief of Hamlet 2, said he had sought permission from district government to establish a quick-reaction team to instruct residents on how to avoid the elephants and to protect the animals from being killed by terrified residents.
The elephants are living in a protected forest of around 30,000 hectares in Dong Nai, stretching from Cat Tien National Park to the Vinh Cuu Nature Reserve. At least nine elephants have died in Dong Nai forests since 2009. Local authorities, however, have not made any official announcements about the exact reasons for the deaths.
According to conservation experts, a shrinking habitat and scarce food resources for elephants have led to conflicts between humans and elephants.
The Dong Nai Forest Management Department said there are only around 15 wild elephants left in the province.
Experts have warned that the wild elephant herd in Dong Nai may become extinct in the near future.
Article at the following link : http://www.thanhniennews.com/index/pages/20120223-elephants-fighting-back-in-vietnam.aspx
Electric fencing to be installed to ward off elephants (Vietnam)
Saigon Go Daily
February 25, 2012
A 30 km solar electric fencing system will be installed along the forest in the southern province of Dong Nai this year, to minimise conflict between elephants at the Natural and Cultural Reserve Park and villagers living in close proximity.
The Reserve’s director said that the fencing, the first of its kind in the country, is expected to protect the living habitat of both the people and the dwindling elephant numbers. The solar fence has been utilised in many countries, including India and Cambodia, with much success.
Authorities have assured that the fencing system would be completely safe. It will control the animals via sharp, but safe shocks, sufficiently memorable to prevent repeat action.
As many as 1,500 ‘danger' signs will be installed along the fence, which will include eight gates for forest rangers and people to pass through.
The province currently has more than ten elephants, including male, female and calves, living in an area of about 30,000ha of forest protected by reserve staff.
In recent years, farmers in some communes nearby said the elephants continually destroyed their sugarcane, mango and cashew fields, amounting to much financial loss.
They now totally agree with the building of the fence as it will deter the elephants that trample cultivated crops in search of food. Farmers believe the solar fence will sufficiently hinder the entry of the wild herd.
During the last three years, the province has given nearly VND4 billion in compensations to farmers. Since 2009, nine elephants have died in the reserve and the the nearby protective forest area, eight without a clear reason while one was shot dead.
Article at the following link : http://www.saigon-gpdaily.com.vn/Travel/2012/2/99985/
Three more deaths further endanger elephants (Malaysia)
Sarawak Daily News
February 28, 2012
KUANTAN : Three deaths in a year may seem an insignificant figure but not so for the endangered elephants of Pahang which number about only 190 in the wild.
Although admitting that three was a low figure, Pahang state Department Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) director Khairiah Mohd Shariff emphasised that the situation must be addressed to prevent more such occurrences. “Elephants face grave threats when they forage for food in human settlements. “The animals have no choice really because their habitats have been encroached upon for development,” he told Bernama here yesterday. This has led to human-elephant conflicts involving villagers and large plantations, he said.
Furthermore, food poisoned by pesticide and collapsing in hard to access places after being shot also caused the elephants to die before they could be saved, he added.
Last year alone, claims of crops being damaged by wild elephants ran into almost RM1 million, he noted. He explained that Perhilitan tried to attend to all reports received.
Despite that, there were complaints claiming the department was not acting on such reports, he observed. “We follow up on each report but most of them are received late and it makes our work hard as elephants are quick to move from place to place,” he explained. Khairiah further informed that since 1974 to date, more than 250 elephants have been translocated to more suitable habitats. “For instance, last year we managed to translocate 10 elephants compared to four in 2010 and three in 2009,” he said. “We spent more than RM100,000 in the process,” he added.
Article at the following link : http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/02/28/three-more-deaths-further-endanger-elephants/
Elephants kill one in Assam (India)
IBN Live
February 29, 2012
Guwahati : A person was killed and another critically injured after they were attacked by a herd of elephants in Karbi Anglong district of Assam today, official sources said.
A group of PWD labourers, engaged in road construction work, were attacked by the elephants in Dalmara area of the district. The elephants injured two persons who were rushed to the hospital, but one succumbed to his injuries. The other injured was stated to be in a critical condition, the sources said.
Article at the following link : http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/elephants-kill-one-in-assam/969196.html
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