Wolf in the land of Commons

Indian Wolf

Today an elderly man from the Gujjar community died and his communal feast were not just attended by the community people but also the left over puri’s (Kind of fried wheat bread) were eaten by dogs, cows, and wolf. The first Tiger Watch’s Conservation Leadership course participants should remember this interesting sight that happened in Dhunda village.

In his life, the man might have killed several wolves while trying to protect his sheep’s and goats. A researcher present on the sight told Jogi that the wolf might be happy feasting on the death of the man, who killed many of his own. Jogi said it is possible, if he is a mighty researcher like you, who has walked on the line to count wildlife and seen wildlife on camera traps but has no insight on real situations and issues.

So the annoyed researcher asked Jogi, what did this Gujjar do good for the wolf? Jogi simply replied, ‘what do you expect that the Gujjar would take the Mohammed Binzaid Grant grant and start some line transect survey? Perplexed the intellectual asked so ‘what did the Gujjar do good then?’

Jogi said, ‘Gujjar did nothing and that is the big thing, he kept intact the original land as it was. The landscape was not altered by the Gujjar, he kept life simple and did not do much to alter his surrounding areas. Ultimately, if the habitat remains the species would remain my friend. The Gujjars kept the livestock that is all’.

The researcher said, but that is the big problem when the livestock were killed they killed the wolves too.

Jogi asked what is the major food source for the wolf. The researcher said sheep and goat, Jogi said that sometimes their is anger in the individuals and they might kill some animal but that is not the case always. Gujjar is giving them the land – the habitat and the Gujjar's are providing the major source of food for this species in this area.

Jogi asked, ‘now what do you want more out of the Gujjar? He has adopted that lifestyle which automatically been saving the wolf, if there are some instances of conflict those are understandable’. He continued, ‘I think you have understood what I said now there is no much so you can go back to fixing your camera traps and if the wolf is not seen in the camera trap then do the biggest task that you can; making a questionnaire for the Gujjar and ask them about the wolf’

The researcher walked and from behind Jogi screamed, ‘instead of your institute faculty make Baba Phoolia Gujjar your Co-principal investigator, beta you will know more about the wolves than that your statistical & theoretical professors’

Making face the researcher left the place going back to his own world.

Later Phoolia Gujjar and Jogi sat together talking about the wolves and in that discussion; there were some interesting instances and facts, which are below, no will not bore you with technicalities....

an adult wolf watching with glaring eyes

Scientific name is Canis lupus and pallipes is the sub species. There is still a debate that among scientists that the Indian wolves are a separate species.

largest group we have photographed together 3 adults and 4 pups, total 7 wolves...

a tiny pup climbing on a mount of ravines

wolf pup coming out from his temporary den, they have more than one den...

Four wolf pups and a male wolf

dog ancestors showing same traits -a wolf playing with a shoe

Always alert ears

Exotic species Prosopis juliflora provides good shelter specially during the summer

Poo baby : he went shy only once in front of us but we didn't shy away from him and clicked his private movement

they escape from the situation very silently no rush no fear on the face

stallion no no no .....the wolf walk...

a sub adult wolf with lean body but big head.....

water and shelter most important factors for the wolf's survival

Wolf are considered the ancestors of domestic dogs however the sizes matches plus the howling is not as much as the other wolves species and subspecies

salivating in the summer heat, this gives the wolf name liyali

(in Hindi saliva called 'lar')

a pack of three....

hunting in the shadow......

many communication to each other.....

a wolf getting last flavor from the dry goat skull....

While playing they target one member whom all of them playfully attack : four sub adult wolves

Tired sub adult wolves resting back to back against each other

They spend a lot of time in that area where foul smell lies

The smell of a dead toad rubbing on their body

they are active through out the day

they are playful creatures

Three wolves becoming active in the dusk

Feces of the wolf indicating sheep wool

Common land where Gujjar and wolf both live together

Phooliya Gujjar in Banas river

Phooliya Gujjar and his loving Sheep....

Wolf is a problem? usual answer-yes sir they are killing 1 or 2 sheep per year

Gujjari Mai: accepting the loss of sheep by wolves and says even some aggressive Gujjar retaliate some time

The new trend of agriculture in the ravines area

Mining for Delhi and Noida sand demand: Not a big loss for wolves but yes it is a loss for hare and other wolf's prey

a young wolf with uncertain future

so till date wolves and Gujjar's are doing well in the ravines and off terrains but agriculture and mining are the new threats.

Wolf survey- 2011 volunteers- Trishant Simlai, Pooja Rathore, Nikhil, Rohit Jha, Rohit Charkravarti, Nimesh Ved, Parveen Shaikh, Ashish Nerlekar, Keyur Kulkarni and Aristo Mendis are trying to study the wolf trail hope they succeed and help conserve the common land where wolf and Gujjars can live together in harmony.

Wildlife Legal Procedure workshop -2011

Organized By: Project Tiger, Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve,

Forest Department, Rajasthan.

Co-organized by : Tiger Watch

Ranthambhore has been always seen as the conservation temple, from time to time the forest department has joined hands with experts from various fields to work out fresh training models and refresh existing system to educate forest staff to protect wildlife of the region.

One such interesting step was the Wildlife Legal Procedure Workshop held on 21^st December at Ranthambhore. The objective of the workshop was to get on a single platform members from the legal fraternity be - public prosecutor fighting for the forest department, crime advocate fighting in favor of the lawbreakers and the judge besides other dignitaries.

The target audiences for this workshop were the forest officials (forest guards, foresters and rangers) who might be working hard to protect the forest but have not been sensitized enough on all the nitty gritties of managing the legal aspects once the criminal is arrested. Sometimes these people working for the forest become victim of the lawbreakers accusing them for unnecessary arrests. The workshop was carefully designed keeping in mind all the varied issues a forest official should look into before, in course of and after an arrest.

When Tiger Watch initiated the plan to conduct the workshop DFO Ranthambhore core – Mr YK Sahu stepped into action mentioning that it was the need of the hour and such an initiative would encourage all his staff to be more aware and enthusiastic about legal procedures which they need to follow in the day to day operations.

Mr. Sahu designed the workshop and emphasized that the speakers should be from the field. He emphasized that the talks should cover legal procedures involved with varied forest issues encountered by his team. Adv. Ms. Padmini Rathore and forester Mr. Omprkash Shaikywar designed the course material for sharing amongst the participants while Fateh public School provided the venue. Total 44 forest guards, forester and range officer have been participated in the workshop.

All the forest officials took immense interest in the workshop.

Workshop Session

1. 1. Mr. YK Sahu, DFO: The start of this session was though a welcome and introductory note by DFO Ranthambhore core – Mr YK Sahu. In his note he emphasized that all those present should carefully understand the new amendments to the laws as also the gaps the department personnel unfortunately leave while doing the paper work for the cases. He also encouraged Tiger Watch to organize such awareness sessions and finally thanked all the present honorable speakers who graced the occasion open heartedly for the open sessions of discussions which would help them to open their apprehensions and mental blocks.

DFO-Core Mr. Y K Sahu designed and organized the workshop

2. 2.. Hon. Mr. Ashok Kumar Agrawal, Chief Judicial Magistrate: key note speaker Mr. Agrawal spoke about the importance of protocols before and after an arrest and making of critical notes during the time of arrest. He also mentioned that any case should have proper paper work from the side of the department.

Chief judicial Magistrate Mr. Ashok Kumar Agrawal lighting the lamp

Mr. Asrar Ahmed, public prosecutor – Sawai Madhopur spoke about the important points while making case diary and charge sheets. He mentioned that issues like making of area maps and taking signature of the eye witnesses at time of arrests would be of great help in keeping confusions away. A case diary is accessed by the judges and should ideally contain details of all the relevant events in the case.

Public prosecutor Asrar Ahmed

4. Mr. Giriraj Tehria, Senior criminal Advocate: This session was one of the most interesting of all where spoke about how ambiguities in various procedures makes the case of the opponents stronger and the governments weaker. He also explained that there any many hearing when no one from the forest department comes for the hearing, which is equally important because of the opposition is not present the judge would only know one side of the story. Mr Tehria said that he too gets hurt when he hears of an animal poached or a tree being cut in the forest but this is his profession and he is supposed to defend his clients as much as a doctor defends his patients. He also mentioned that all the cases should have proper documents attached and more than anything else he emphasized that that department should have photographs of the events during the time of arrest especially when they are planned arrests an official can have a camera to take photographs which would lead to a very strong evidence in front of the judge and court.

Adv. Giriraj Tehria, senior criminal advocate

5. Dr. Bhagwan Singh Rathore, ACF: a much respected forest officials who did his LLB and later masters in law further completing his doctorate in law staying with in the forest services spoke at length about the wildlife protection act.

DCF Mr. Bhagwan Singh Nathawat delivered a very informative talk on Wildlife protection act

6. Advocvate Ms Padmini Rathore: who was coordinating on the dais gave a briefing session of all the speakers and also took a test of the attendees.

Adv. Ms. Padmini Rathore took a test of the workshop participates

Later ACF Mr. Sudarshan Sharma distributed certificates to participants and finally to conclude the session RFO, Mr Dinesh Gupta thanked all the people present – the team members who attended the session the speakers for their valuable time for his coordination and support in the Mr Sahu who full heartedly supported the program.

ACF Mr. Sudarshan Sharma distributing certificates to participates

ACF, Mr. Sudarshan Sharma distributing certificates

participants and faculty of the workshop

all pics by : Mr. Hans Dalal

Refinishing the Relocation

Now the Villagers of Padra have no reason to sing ‘why this kollavari di?’ link below (Kollavari means ‘why did you do this to me?’) because they have now been given fair chance to live life just like the rest of their villager men and women, who were relocated in 2007.

If this village, which is located in the core of Ranthambhore forest, is moved out the forest department would be able to make space for 4-5 tigers in a secure protected zone otherwise these tigers would be forced to stray out to look for their territory.

These 23 families stayed back because they could not settle with the land they were offered, they were left with dented infrastructure as the rest villagers were gone besides these the remaining families were hindering the tigers from flourishing in the area.

Village Padra - A hurdle now in process of getting cleared for the inviolate landscape

The Chief Secretary of Rajasthan - the top most bureaucrat of the state, arrived in Jogi Mahal a few days ago and organized a meeting with all the concerned department officials. Instead of setting up just a meeting, the man of action set a morning aside to visit the villages himself along with the team consisting of the HoF, CWLW, DM, SP, CF, DFO, ACF, RO’s, AD and other officials to handover the cheques to the villagers.

A discussion of all local officers, senior officials and villagers

Mr S Ahmed sitting for further discussions with the villagers

Mr S. Ahmed discussing possibilities of better prospects after the villagers settle in the new land

DFO Mr YK Sahoo with HoF singing the cheques for distribution

This time the district of Sawai Madhopur has been blessed with genuine officers not one or two but most of the team members are proactive. With all the personal interactions, I have had with them the commissioner is a learned and strategic person; while the SP – an academician from Cambridge is a calm and controlled person.

The CF and DFO are not just managing regular duty but are actually following the wall construction around the park, but also rigorous monitoring of the tigress with cubs and legitimately concerned about their safety as some of them are living at the edge of the park and are in danger of villagers anger.

The three musketeers - CF Mr Gupta, SP Mr Bhomia and Collector Mr Kushwaha

Calling the water works engineers to make arrangements for boring water in the relocation site

Women looking forward to a better future for their children waiting outside the park

Mr S Ahmed calling amma to remove pardah and look at future - the elderly lady blessed him for the gift given by the government at the last stages of her life

A close up view of Village Padra inside the Ranthambhore national park

Padra village from inside

Chottu Gurjar - was attacked by a tiger few years ago bears the marks on his face and heart but today is happy to move out of the forest

Laughing laddoo.. but everybody else smiling too!

The team combined has covered most aspects of this village relocation. There is an important message which would pass on to the remaining villagers who are waiting to see if this village would move or now and once it does happen the rest would be motivated to follow. There are three more villages left to be moved outside the park 12 villages were relocated by late Shri Fateh Singh Rathore.

Tigress T11 with one of her three cubs - she lives in the same area; a few years ago the same tigress had lost her cubs to poisoning by villagers from the area

Jogi watching over the relocation process

Jogi is hopeful about the process of relocation rolling which would benefit the tiger and the locals both alike... one man has set an example and we hope remaining three villages will be relocated too...

So now no more Kollavadi di !!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YR12Z8f1Dh8&feature=player_embedded