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Time of India
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
How is Tamil Nadu Pioneering Tiger Conservation Beyond Reserve Boundaries?
Tamil Nadu's tigers are on the move, and the govt is helping them by pushing boundaries. The state is pushing tiger conservation beyond reserve boundaries. In 2022, the forest department acquired 38.5 acres of private land near Megamalai to create a corridor linking it to the Srivilliputhur-Megamalai Tiger Reserve (SMTR). Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Other strategies include acquiring more land with consent, extending M-Stripe monitoring to spillover and human-inhabited areas, removing invasives, involving local communities, tapping eco-development funds and recruiting more than 1,900 forest staff. In a first for south India, Tamil Nadu's forest department acquired 38.5 acres of patta land within a potential tiger corridor in Megamalai Reserve Forest in Theni district, says Supriya Sahu, additional chief secretary, environment, climate change, and forests. 'It involved acquiring land in a potential tiger corridor within a tiger reserve.' The land, owned by several farmers, was annexed under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition Act, 2013, through private negotiations in 2022 and the process was completed by March 2024 with a sanctioned amount of Rs 2.3cr. 'Such patta lands, from small plots to large estates, are difficult for farmers to manage due to labour shortages, poor access, wildlife threats and encroachment,' says Sahu. 'This landmark acquisition has urged more landowners to come forward. About 60 farmers have come forward to give 848 acres in the Megamalai region. Those are under consideration.' The Megamalai region has a unique land tenure system, says S Anand, field director of SMTR. 'A significant portion of the tiger reserve was once the core of various zamindari systems. About 13,000 acres within the reserve are owned by different people. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Also, some of these remote areas were historically hotspots for ganja cultivation, though this has declined. It makes monitoring complex.' The land acquisition is vital for tiger and elephant migration, says Anand. 'Reducing human presence in these corridors ensures safer wildlife movement. If acquisitions are expedited, more landowners may step forward and this will help build undisturbed habitats and manage the reserve in a more holistic way, from wildlife conservation to water resource protection.' One recent application, he adds, involves more than 270 acres, the largest yet. Rakesh Kumar Dogra, principal chief conservator of forests and chief wildlife warden, calls it 'positive success story', and adds that there are more strategies in place. Wildlife conflicts have reduced due to community support, he says. 'But tiger numbers have slightly increased across reserves and are now spilling into the Nilgiris, Coimbatore and Erode divisions, raising future conflict concerns.' Dogra says that in Tamil Nadu there are no conflicts with tigers but the department is planning strategies beyond designated reserves, including acquiring corridor lands with consent and extending M-Stripe monitoring to spillover and human-adjacent areas. 'Corridors allow sub-adult tigers to find and establish territory within a reserve. Tigers with stronger genes often succeed in displacing older ones or claiming new areas. The displaced older tigers, along with younger ones still searching, use these corridors to move into adjacent forest reserves. In the wild, it's survival of the fittest.' The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) too is focusing on monitoring tigers outside of designated tiger reserves (TOTR), particularly in areas beyond protected zones. 'Strengthening anti-depredation efforts in spillover regions will help prevent conflict and protect tigers outside reserves from poaching. Since Tiger Foundation coverage is limited, eco-tourism funds will support conservation,' say officials. 'We've also extended M-Stripe's digital patrol monitoring beyond tiger reserves.' Patrolling teams now use mobile devices to digitally log their routes and report wildlife kills, ensuring vulnerable zones are covered and data is relayed in real time to control rooms. 'Buffer areas help promote coexistence. Beyond these buffer areas, there are critical tiger corridors that connect different habitats, and their integrity must be maintained. In buffer areas, activities such as tourism and eco-tourism are permissible, along with eco-development. A landscape approach is more important than focusing on a single tiger reserve,' says Dogra. Most tiger-populated areas in Tamil Nadu are already part of reserves, with all five reserve boundaries now digitised. To restore natural vegetation and support prey species, the forest department is now removing invasives such as Lantana, Senna spectabilis, and Prosopis juliflora. 'We hope to eliminate Senna from forests by Oct,' says Dogra, adding that efforts outside forests will involve local communities to reduce human-animal conflict. Lantana is being repurposed into marketable products. 'But restoration is a long-term process. The department has also recruited 1,947 people ranging from forest watchers to foresters.' July 29, International Tiger Day Core to corridor *Tamil Nadu is home to 331 tigers *An adult tiger needs at least 50 large kills (sambar or gaur) in a year *The core area of a tiger reserve is always inviolate *The buffer zone is critical to the core area *Tiger corridors are critical in connecting different habitats for the exchange of genes Tiger count Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve: 5 Anaimalai Tiger Reserve: 16 Mudumalai Tiger Reserve: 165 Srivilliputhur-Megamalai Tiger Reserve: 33 Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve: 112 Nepal tried a safe zone too Extending tiger habitats will increase human-tiger encounters and territorial fights in the short term, says K Ramesh, scientist at the Wildlife Institute of India. 'Long term, a shift from reserve-based to landscape-level conservation is essential. We see more conflict in India because we have 70% of the global population of tigers, and the largest population in the Nilgiris-Eastern Ghats complex.' He adds that Nepal faced similar issues and used social forestry to reconnect fragmented habitats. 'It was successful to some extent. But with increasing tiger populations, the big cats are seen at higher altitudes, in the Himalayas too.'
The Hindu
3 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
World Mangrove Day: Tamil Nadu's renewed efforts add nearly 3,000 hectares of mangroves in three years
On the eve of World Mangrove Day, observed annually on July 26, Environment and Climate Change Minister Thangam Thennarasu planted mangrove saplings at the Adyar estuary in Chennai. Since 2022, Tamil Nadu has planted and restored over 2,900 hectares of mangroves across nine coastal districts to reduce the impact of cyclones, tidal surges, and erosion, and support biodiversity and local livelihoods. As the State's 1,076-kilometre coastline, which spans 14 districts, is increasingly vulnerable to climate-related risks, the Tamil Nadu government has taken renewed efforts in restoration. According to Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary, Departments of Environment, Climate Change and Forests, in February 2023, the Department launched a three-year mangrove restoration scheme with an allocation of ₹25 crore, focusing on both planting new mangroves and rehabilitating degraded areas. The programme, which is expected to run until 2026, targets ten districts and covers both forest and revenue lands with potential for mangrove growth. As per official data, during the first year of the scheme, 2022–23, 1,181.4 hectares were planted, with significant work in Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, and Thoothukudi. At the same time, 200 hectares of degraded mangroves were restored, particularly in Thiruvarur. In the following year, 720 hectares of new plantations were added, along with the restoration of 732 hectares. In 2024–25, an additional 275 hectares were planted, with more expected by the end of the year. Ms. Sahu said that the planting efforts have used several techniques, including linear planting of propagules, intertidal nursery cultivation, and modified fish-bone planting patterns to maximise seedling survival. Special focus has been given to reintroducing rare species like Sonneratia apetala, Xylocarpus granatum, and Kandelia candel, which had largely disappeared from the region. Alongside mangroves, bio-shield plantations using trees such as casuarina, palmyrah, and cashew have been introduced to protect against wind and wave action. The mangrove plantation efforts were undertaken as part of Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Conservation and Greening Project for Climate Change Response (TBGPCCR), the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA), the Chennai River Restoration Trust (CRRT), and other centrally sponsored schemes. However, challenges remain, particularly in districts like Chengalpattu and Pudukkottai, where plantation activity has been limited due to ecological or hydrological factors.
The Hindu
4 days ago
- The Hindu
Coimbatore Forest Division starts using live wire detectors to trace illegal fencing, animal traps
The Coimbatore Forest Division has got a shot in the arm in its drive against illegal electric fencing and live wire traps with live wire detectors received from the WWF-India. Now, field staff in the division can inspect electric fences and live wire traps themselves. So far, the Department has been conducting joint inspections in coordination with the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation (TNPDCL) once in every 15 days to identify illegal electric fences, sagging power lines and live wire traps, which pose threats to wild animals as well as humans. Sources said that WWF-India gave 11 live wire detectors to the Forest Department in April this year in Coimbatore, in the presence of Supriya Sahu, Secretary of Environment, Climate Change and Forests Department, and top officials. N. Jayaraj, District Forest Officer, Coimbatore, said two live wire detectors allotted to the Coimbatore division were being used for inspections. 'The device helps the staff detect live wires from a safe distance during patrols and during the joint inspectors with TNPDCL. It can also be used to check electric fences, whether they are having AC or DC power supply,' he said. Upon noticing live wire traps or AC-powered electric fences during routine patrols, the Department will alert the TNPDCL to initiate further actions. Electric fences are largely being used to prevent wild elephants from entering farm lands and other properties in villages that share boundaries with forests. Use of live wire traps to poach animals like wild boar and deer had also been reported in the division in the past. As per the Tamil Nadu Power Fences (Registration and Regulation) Rules 2023, AC power should not be connected directly to the fencing cables as getting in contact with them can be fatal to humans and animals. The rule states that battery-powered energiser of the prescribed standards, which generates DC power, should be the power source.
New Indian Express
7 days ago
- General
- New Indian Express
TN to set up centre for conservation of hornbill
CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government has approved the establishment of a centre of excellence for hornbill conservation at the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR), Coimbatore. The decision follows a proposal by the principal chief conservator of forests and chief wildlife warden. A sum of Rs 1 crore from the Endangered Species Conservation Corpus Fund has been allocated to support this initiative in the Western Ghats, a region home for four hornbill species, including the Great Hornbill, Malabar Grey Hornbill, Malabar Pied Hornbill, and Indian Grey Hornbill. The centre will conduct research, restore habitats, and engage communities to address threats like habitat loss and climate change. It will monitor hornbill populations and their habitat use, using methods like distance sampling and GPS telemetry to track seasonal movements. Studies on foraging and nesting ecology will inform restoration efforts, said Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary, Environment, Forests and Climate Change Department, in a G.O. issued on Monday. The centre will also map food and nest trees to identify areas for conservation and restoration. It will establish a nursery for native species like Ficus and Syzygium to restore degraded forests and install artificial nest boxes to support breeding.
The Hindu
21-07-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Tamil Nadu to set up hornbill conservation centre at Anamalai Tiger Reserve
The Tamil Nadu government has announced the establishment of India's first Centre of Excellence for Hornbill Conservation at the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) in Coimbatore district. An official release said hornbills, often known as 'farmers of the forest', play a crucial ecological role as seed dispersers, helping regenerate native forests. However, these keystone species are increasingly threatened by deforestation, habitat fragmentation, and the impacts of climate change. Hence, the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Forests has sanctioned ₹1 crore under the Endangered Species Conservation Corpus Fund to establish the Centre. The Centre will focus on four hornbill species found in the Western Ghats — the Great Hornbill, Malabar Grey Hornbill, Malabar Pied Hornbill, and Indian Grey Hornbill. Activities will include habitat mapping, nest monitoring, scientific research, climate impact assessments, and restoration of degraded forest areas by planting native trees such as fig and canarium that support hornbill populations. The G.O. issued by Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary, Departments of Environment, Climate Change, and Forests, said that Anamalai Tiger Reserve was selected for its ecological richness, existing conservation infrastructure, and for its track record in protecting endangered species including tigers, elephants, lion-tailed macaques, and other endemic wildlife. The initiative also places a strong emphasis on community participation. Local residents will be involved in conservation efforts through nest adoption programmes, scholarships for students, and sustainable livelihoods such as seed collection. Additionally, the project will offer capacity-building programmes for forest staff and host awareness activities including field visits for school children and community outreach. The Tamil Nadu Forest Department will collaborate with leading national and international organisations, including the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Nature Conservation Foundation, Wildlife Institute of India, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Hornbill Specialist Group. In addition to ATR, similar hornbill conservation activities will be undertaken in other landscapes such as the Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR), Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR), and parts of Kanyakumari district. These efforts will include habitat mapping, geotagging of trees, phenological studies, and community-based conservation initiatives.
