Two villagers and a tiger killed in India in human/tiger conflict

Third tiger killed as tiger summit closes in St Petersburg

November 2010. In a tragic case of Human-tiger conflict in India, two villagers and a tiger have been killed in Assam. The tiger was spotted in a dry river bed, and vets from the Wildlife Trust of India were called, but before they could find the tiger it attacked and killed a local lady. The tiger then took refuge in a village where it was surrounded by an angry crowd. Tragically one of the crowd and the tiger were both killed in the ensuing melee.

In the last fortnight, a tiger has been poached in the Russian Far East and another was found poisoned in north India before this tiger was killed, according to the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).

The latest tiger killed had attacked and killed two people after straying into a village in Assam, India, looking for food. IFAW and its partner Wildlife Trust of India(WTI) attempted to tranquilise the tiger so that it could be moved away from the local village after it had killed a woman. But the tiger was cornered in a house and then shot dead by police as it attacked and killed another person while attempting to escape.

Crowd control issues
"Generally, to control these kinds of situations, managing the crowd is crucial to let the experts carry out their work," said Dr Rathin Barman, Coordinator, WTI, citing examples of two tiger rescue operations involving IFAW-WTI veterinarians. "In March last year, one of our vets deployed to tranquilise a tiger in Jakhalabandha near Kaziranga National Park was accidentally shot and severely injured as the situation turned chaotic; the tiger was killed then too. Alternatively, in another case in April this year when the people were cooperative, we assisted the Forest Department in successful capture of a tiger that had killed two people in Sibsagar; the tiger was radio-collared and subsequently released in Manas National Park and is currently being monitored by our team."

The incidents highlight two of the major threats to tigers including poaching and conflict with people, as governments from tiger range countries meeting in St Petersburg, Russia finalised a new global plan to save the species from extinction.

Tiger populations have plummeted by 97% percent during the past century and as few as 3,000 wild tigers survive in a few scattered pockets of habitat in Asia.

"These tiger deaths highlight how critical it is to translate talk into action," said Fred O'Regan, IFAW President and CEO, who addressed the International Tiger Forum hosted by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. "IFAW is committed to providing enforcement training and capacity building support to range countries dealing with the challenge of protecting tigers and the people living near tiger reserves."

A new global plan of action was adopted at the summit by heads of state and ministers from 13 tiger range countries. It is built on a foundation of national plans outlining tiger conservation activities to contribute to the global goal of doubling the wild tiger population by 2022.

The new global plan of action calls on a consortium of partner organisations, including IFAW, to help tiger range countries build the capacity of people working in the field to combat the threats facing tigers, including poaching and human-tiger conflict. It also sets out collaborative international activities to secure habitat and to end tiger trade.

O'Regan added: "We hope the St Petersburg summit is a turning point for tigers, by mobilising the political will needed to save this charismatic and critically-endangered species. But it's what we do after the meetings to bring the right resources to the people and communities on the front lines of tiger conservation that will make the difference, or not, to the fate of wild tigers."

IFAW has extensive expertise in wildlife enforcement training, capacity building and rescuing wild tigers that have been injured or have come into conflict with communities.

The tiger that killed 2 people in Assam before it was killed, being burned on a funeral pyre. Credit WTI.

Several other tiger relocation efforts have been more successful. Last April, IFAW assisted the Indian Forest Department in capturing a tiger that had killed two people before relocating it to Manas National Park. In 2008, a tiger that had fallen into a well was tranquilised, relocated and released. In 2004, two tiger cubs were captured and relocated after straying into human settlements.


http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/human-tiger-conflict.html

New Nessie visitor centre plans revealed

A new Highland visitor centre worth £2.5m has been made public.


Plans for a new multi-million pound visitor centre on the shores of Loch Ness have been unveiled.


The Jacobite Discovery Project will see the creation of a new harbour and visitor facilities as local firm Jacobite Cruises looks to expand its operations.

It is hoped that it will enhance the tourist experience of Loch Ness, and monster watching, as it is designed to fit in with the Highland landscape.

The £2.5m plans will use water from the loch to heat and cool the building, using eco-friendly energy.

Robin Webster, partner at Cameron Webster who designed the centre said: “There are many eco-friendly features within the development and the location of the Discovery Project lends itself excellently to these. Low energy features are a priority.

“Water from the loch heats and cools the building through a water to air heat pump. This uses less energy and while operated by electricity, has a substantially lower carbon footprint.

“The high level of glazing allows the building to be naturally lit, reducing the need for artificial light, and allows for maximum solar gain on the south side of the building.

“The architectural concept fits very carefully with the landscape and the natural features of the site.”

Rod Michie, Director of The Jacobite Discovery Project said: “We are delighted with the progress of Cameron Webster’s designs and are proud our project will be as environmentally friendly as possible.

“We are looking forward to having brand new facilities where visitors can really make the most of beautiful Loch Ness. We want to create ever lasting memories for customers to take home, whilst still being kind to the environment.”

The Highland Council is expected to consider the Jacobite Discovery Project proposal in the coming weeks.

development plans: New visitor centre on Loch Ness.

Tiny chihuahua set to join Japan police

A chihuahua named Momo (Peach) has passed the exam to become a dog in the police force in western Japan, in what seems to be a first.


The 3kg (6.6lb) dog is set to become part of a search-and-rescue team used for disasters such as earthquakes.

Its small size means it will be able to squeeze into places too narrow for dogs such as German Shepherds.

Chihuahuas, named after a Mexican state, are one of the the smallest breeds of dog.

"It's quite rare for us to have a chihuahua work as a police dog," said a police spokeswoman in Nara, western Japan.

"We would like it to work hard by taking advantage of its small size."

Momo, aged seven, will begin work in January.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11804083

Have You Seen This Missing Unicorn?

Maybe it's the last great unicorn hunt.


New Yorkers have been looking for this beast, a female unicorn with a friendly disposition, since thousands of posters for it sprung up around the city.

There's a phone number to call if you think you've seen it -- (917) 675-4783 -- and audio from some calls, as well as supposed images of unicorn sightings, have been placed on the unicorn's Web site, missingunicorn.com.

The project was started by New York artist Camomile Hixon, who told the Los Angeles Times that she was just trying to make people smile.

"A unicorn is beyond race, beyond religion. I wanted something that could reach anyone at any age. I thought, if I could just make a handful of businessmen on Wall Street think about unicorns, I will be successful," she said.

The city has shut down the project and stopped Hixon from putting up new posters... but they haven't been stopped from selling T-shirts that cost nearly $30 a piece.

That's expensive even in New York... but I'll gladly buy one.

Wait, I think I left my wallet on my unicorn.

Snowboarding penguins showcase extreme off piste abilities

It would seem these penguins have been p-p-picking up some tips from top snowboarder Shaun White going by the way they hit the slopes in these amazing pictures.
With their matching black penguin suits and snazzy yellow bills the bodacious birds appear to be lining up for the latest thrill.

However, these are no ski bums; instead they're off to stock up on food after a mammoth babysitting session.

After fasting for up to 42 days these Macaroni penguins are taking a run down to the Atlantic Ocean on the island of South Georgia in order to fatten up once again.

Macaroni Penguins spend the vast majority of the year at sea, only coming ashore in order to moult or mate.

Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/849056-snowboarding-penguins-showcase-extreme-off-piste-abilities#ixzz16slAdbXn