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English daily published in Bengaluru & Doha
Rope wire to replace iron railing to check man-animal conflict in Bandipur villages
To check man-animal conflict in Bandipur Tiger Reserve area the forest department is contemplating constructing rope wire fencing instead of using rail tracks, said Forest Minister Umesh Katti.
Speaking to reporters after visiting Bandipur National Park, he said complaints of man-animal conflict and the menace of wild animals were pouring in from villages adjacent to the Tiger Reserve. This issue had been discussed in the State Legislature too. The border of the tiger reserve was around 600 km of which railway tracks had been put up in around 180 km. The cost of constructing one km of railway track is around Rs 1.5 crore and on top of it, the iron railings are not available. In view of the prevailing situation, the department is planning to install rope wire fencing which would cost around Rs 50 lakh per km.
He said Karnataka stands second in tiger conservation. In all, there are 6800 elephants and 560 tigers. Steps have been taken for the protection of flora and fauna because of which wild animals and the rich forest wealth are safe.
Katti said Male Mahadeshwara Sanctuary will be soon declared a Tiger Protected area. In fact, it came up for discussion in the recent state Cabinet meeting but the subject was put off for want of more information.
Later, Katti visited Srirampura Elephant Camp and spent some time seeing training processes. He collected information about elephants in the camp, food and training procedures from officials and the staff. In all, there are 21 pachyderms and he fed them tender coconut and jaggery.
Katti said there was a great demand for female elephants and taking care of elephants is very expensive. The forest department can give additional female elephants to neighbouring states in case of demand.
Already, this issue had been discussed with the Union Forest and Environment Minister, he added.
The recent tiger census has estimated around 563 tigers in Karnataka and the State may emerge as number one in the country in having the maximum number of big cats, revealed Forest Minister Umesh Katti. “There is a small gap between the first and the second state in tiger population. Karnataka stands at second place now”, he told reporters in Chamarajanagar.
Unable to face the scorching heat after the onset of summer, a python came out of its hideout and took shelter in the sugarcane field near Maddur village of Chamarajanagar district on Saturday.
Wild animals came out of the forest during the summer in search of water and foliage. Serpents emerging from their pits is quite common to escape from the severe heat and farmers too do not get scared. However, Shivaraj, a farmer of Maddur village in Yalandur taluk, was shocked to see the big python in his sugarcane field. Later, it was rescued by Snake Mahesh and villagers who let it go into the wild.
Domesticated dogs saved a farmer when he was attacked by a leopard at Yennekoppa village in Sorana taluk of Shivamogga district on Saturday.
According to information reaching here, the injured has been identified as Bangarappa Giddathimmanna, 60 years, of Yennekoppa Gollarathanda. The incident occurred while he was busy in agricultural activities in his field situated adjacent to a forest. A leopard came from behind and pounced on him. When he cried for help, domesticated dogs came to his rescue and attacked the big cat which took to its heels.
A tusker which had given sleepless nights to hundreds of villagers in Chikmagalur taluk for the last many months,was finally nabbed on Saturday.
It was caught with the help of two Dasara Elephants, Arjuna and Bhima, and with a supporting staff of over 60 who visited several villages in search of the marauding tusker which had gained notoriety for killing a couple of people and damaging crops worth several lakhs of rupees all these days.
The nabbed jumbo was left free in Bandipur forests. The tusker har created terror in the surrounding places of Hampapura, Beekanahalli and Churchegudda villages in the last four months. The farmers were scared to set out of their houses after sunset. The workers were refusing to work in fields fearing attack by the pac
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