Animal Attack Pictures: Wild Leopard mauls six in Siliguri

In a horrifying moment, a fully grown leopard pounced on a forest guard in Siliguri

An unidentified forest guard aims his rifle as he is attacked by a wild leopard (Panthera pardus) at Prakash Nagar village near Salugara on the outskirts of Siliguri on July 19, 2011. Six people were mauled by the leopard after the feline strayed into the village area before it was caught by forestry department officials. Forest officials made several attempt to tranquilised the full grown leopard that was wandering through a part of the densely populated city when curious crowds startled the animal, a wildlife official said.

 

AFP PHOTO/Diptendu DUTTA

Another Bear Attack @Sikkim construction site

NAMCHI, November 26: A 19-year-old man working at the construction site at Rabong Buddha Park was mauled by the Himalayan Black Bear this afternoon, grievously injuring him.
John Rai, a resident from Mirik who sustained injuries on his left calf and wounds all over his body was referred to STNM Hospital, Gangtok.
This was the first bear attack in the sub-division even as the locals alerted of the sightings of two bears recently.
A team of forest officials consisting of DFO (Wildlife), Passang Dorjee Bhutia, ACF (Wildlife) Madan K Koirala, BO (Territorial), Anup Bhaniya, BO (Wildlife) Suman Basnet, BO (Wildlife) Dorjee Ongmu Bhutia surveyed the area but could not trace the animal.
Prior to the attack, forest officials had been surveying the area following reports of the wild animal eating at least five pigs from Borong-Ralong area, said forest officials. It may be mentioned here that a forest officials had last year tranquilised a black bear at the same locality.
Even at the time of filing this report, the forest officials along with members from eco development committee, joint forest management committee, Panchayats and locals have been coming through the locality. Cages have also been put at certain places around Rabong, forest officials said over the phone.

Bear Combing operation in Parakha

GANGTOK, November 21: The State forest department yesterday conducted a full combing operation in Parakha area of East Sikkim where bear menace had been reported recently.
A forest team consisting of wildlife and territorial staff led by DFO (Wildlife, East) Karma Legshey and ACF (Territorial, Pakyong) Rajini Bhandari along with Tekabong outpost police combed the entire area of Tekabong Parakha GPU where the bear had been sighted.
The team found signs of bear presence during the combing operation conducted in the area. The bear had also damaged some crops like squash and ginger of three local farmers - Mahananda Kharel, Suresh Gurung and Kush Narayan Sharma.
The forest team conducted an on-the-spot assessment of the damage and assured compensation to the farmers during a sensitization meeting conducted for the villagers and Panchayat members.

Fresh sighting of bears at Gangtok

Fresh sighting of bear at Tathangchen prompts forest dept to set up a trap

GANGTOK, November 18: State forest department is maintaining strict vigil in bear wandering suspected areas even as fresh sightings continue to come from various parts of East Sikkim.
Today, bear sightings were reported from three areas of East Sikkim-Rumtek, Ban Jhakri falls and Tathangchen area of Gangtok.
The forest department received information of bear sighting from Tathangchen area, the same area where a juvenile bear had mauled a grass cutter on November 15.
A forest team led by DFO (Wildlife, East) Karma Legshey along with a team of Gangtok Sadar police rushed to the spot and immediately launched preventive measures. A cage has also been set up in the area in order to trap the sighted bear. Two armed forest guards are presently maintaining vigil on the trap.

Bear sightings were also reported from Rumtek area which was responded by the forest department. Jigmee Bhutia (Range Officer, Fhambongla wildlife sanctuary, east range) along with local territorial staff conducted enquiries at the spot but the bear was not seen again. The locals have been sensitized about the preventive bears by the forest team.
The third sighting was reported from Ban Jhakri falls where a territorial team from Gangtok range was dispatched. However, the bear could not be traced.
The forest department is planning to set up early morning hours patrolling in the area between 4 am to 6 am to trace the elusive bear.
Meanwhile, the cub which had separated from the mother bear at Rakdong Tintek yesterday has gone back to the forest areas. However, the forest personnel are still maintaining vigil in the area.

Operation Clear Bear in Gangtok

GANGTOK, November 17: A nightlong combing operation was conducted by forest department along with Himalayan Zoological Park (HZP) staff and Gangtok police to clear the wooded areas between Kazi road and Tibet road from the menace of transgressing bears, one of which had mauled a grass cutter yesterday at Upper Tathangchen.
A forest department team consisting of DFO (Wildlife, East) Karma Legshey, and Range Officer (Territorial, Gangtok) James Lepcha, Sadar police team led by SI KL Denzongpa and HZP staff led by deputy director Dr Madhan Shankar jointly combed the areas yesterday night which continued till the early morning hours.
The combing-cum-push back operation was done in a coordinated manner and the area which has human habitats has been freed from the bear menace, it is informed. Three bears, one mother and two cubs, had been sighted in the area.
Meanwhile, a cub apparently abandoned by the mother bear has spotted at Rakdong Tintek area. The cub and the mother bear had been spotted by the locals.
The forest team led by Range Officer (Phabongla wildlife sanctuary)
ST Bhutia reached the spot along with the HZP deputy director DrShankar reached the spot and cordoned the area.

The team took steps to ensure that the cub is left alone and there should be no human contact. Reinforcements were sent from the Forest head office to assist the team who combed the area to find the mother bear.
A newly developed cage was also sent to spot to capture the mother bear but the bear has not been traced yet. The cub has been apparently abandoned by the mother bear, it is informed and it is expected that cub could be rescued and taken to HZP if the mother bear is not traced soon

Three goats killed by bears near Pakyong

PAKYONG, November 17: A pair of Himalayan Black Bear has been suspected to be roaming around Thekabung jungle, above Parakha BAC office, about 12 kilometres away from here.
The villagers suspect that the bears have eaten three goats, which were left in the jungle for grazing recently. These goats, the villagers said had gone missing from where they were left for grazing.
The State Forest officials and staff members of the sub-division have been in the look out of the black bears for the past two days. However, the departmental team is yet to trace the elusive animal.
Speaking to this correspondent, BK Dhamala, Range Officer, Pakyong sub-division said, the fresh waste (toilet) of bear has been sighted at Thekabung jungle this morning through which they guess that an adult animal and a cub might be there.
“Due to dense bushes and trees, we were unable to locate as where the bear was hiding,” the RO said adding that the search is still on. He further said that the bear might have eaten the three goats that went missing for the past three days.
“We have informed to the department but still no one has come to the place for tracing and capturing the bear,” Mr. Dhamala said.
On the other hand, local people fear that the animal may enter the village and cause damage.

Gangtokians appealed not to go for morning-evening walks

GANGTOK, November 17: The periphery areas of Gangtok town, especially the wooded spots, have come under the siege of Himalayan black bears leading to an exasperated wildlife authority to appeal the Gangtokians to abort their morning and evening walks for time being even as a 38 year person is battling for his life after an encounter with a juvenile bear today morning near West Point school, Upper Thanthangchen.
This is the second encounter in Gangtok in a span of 12 days after the horrific incident of November 3 where three forest officials were mauled by foraging bear at Upper Sichey.
In between, bears have been flirting round the edges of urban Gangtok right from the top, Bulbuley running past the defence set up by the forest authorities and local administration.
One such bear, a juvenile bear freshly separated from the mother bear, managed to drift right into a small wooded area near West Point School and few meters away from Tashiling secretariat.
Unfortunately, local person Bimal Gurung was collecting fodder for cattle in the area when he ran into the lurking bear who was rummaging in the bushes for food.
In the ensuing tussle, Gurung sustained deep injuries in his head, right hand and chest portion. He is the tenth person to be attacked by bears in Sikkim in the past one month.
After the brief encounter, the bear slipped away into the bushes while the victim was immediately rushed to SNTM hospital here from where he was referred to Central Referral Hospital in Tadong in serious condition.
State forest secretary ST Lachungpa visited the victim at the hospital and provided a financial assistance for Rs. 5000 for the medical treatment of the injured Gurung.
A team from Himalayan Zoological Park (HZP) led by deputy director Dr Madan Shankar, senior wildlife authorities CCF (Wildlife)
HP Pradhan and DFO (Wildlife, East) Karma Legshey and police personnel from Sadar police station combed the area for hours to trace the bear.
“We combed the area and tried to flush out the bear using firecrackers but the bear could not be traced and most probably the animal must be moved to another location,” said Dr. Shankar. He said that the zoo staff had come prepared with a cage and a tranquilizer team to capture the bear.
Meanwhile, three bears – one adult and two cubs- were sighted at nearby Kopibari, Syari at the same time. The zoo staff and wildlife authorities rushed to spot but the bears had disappeared. The bears are said to be still in the vicinity.
The HZP official said that zoo staff has their hands full since November 9 after a bear migrated into the forest areas of the park. We have been responding to the bear sightings and at the same time, we have to take care of the animals in the park also, he said.
According to Dr. Shankar, use of camera traps would be very useful to track the movement of the wandering bears in suspected areas.
Today’s incident takes the number of bear transgressions into human habitats to more than 20 in different parts of the State.
Out of these transgressions, around eight have turned into encounters with humans leading to injuries to ten persons. Forest authorities and people are perplexed by the rash of bear transgressions in the State since the second week of October and have now cautioned the general public living in and around the wooded areas of the capital.
“The bears usually move around in dawn and dusk hours and we appeal the people to refrain from going out for the morning or evening walks for some days,” said CCF HP Pradhan who expressed his apprehensions that the bear threat will last for some more days.
The parents have been appealed to ensure that their children return back to their homes early.
The forest department has already submitted a report to the State Government seeking funds of Rs. 60 lakhs to beef up its resources and infrastructure to combat the bears.
What is driving these bears out of the forest areas and into the urban areas, questioned the people living in the periphery areas of the main town who are now living under a constant fear of the drifting bears.
While the food issue has been projected as the main reason for the migration of the bears, the proliferation of bear transgressions into human habitat areas have become a matter of serious study for the wildlife authorities and other key agencies.
It is claimed that there has been a decrease in the production wild fruits which were a staple diet for the bears in the high altitude areas. This factor coupled with the increasing numbers of other wild animals like wild boars have compelled the bears to come down to lower areas.
The migration of bears is a natural phenomenon but this year, there has a prolific movement of the bears in and around human habitats, Mr. Pradhan said. He pointed out that such sightings are being regularly reported from all parts of the State.
There has been a sighting at Makha recently and at Parakha in East Sikkim today, said the CCF.
“We are continuing our combing operations in the suspected areas,” Mr. Pradhan said, adding that department and the forest personnel have been fully mobilized to limit the damages and push back the wandering bears.

Bear mauls again in Gangtok

Gangtok, Nov. 15: A Himalayan black bear pounced on and mauled a grass cutter near the state secretariat here this morning, barely two weeks after three senior forest officials were injured in a similar attack in a residential area of the town.

Around 10.30am, 38-year-old Bimal Gurung was working on a green patch between Palace Ridge Park and the Tashiling state secretariat when the bear came up from behind him. It pounced on him, its force pushing him to the ground. It is not clear how Gurung, who is hardly able to speak, fended off the bear or why the animal left him.

On a weekday, the area on the outskirts and on a higher level than Gangtok, is fairly crowded with people queuing up to the secretariat which houses the various departments of the government.

Chutim Dorjee Lepcha, the person in whose house Gurung worked, said he heard shouts for help and rushed out. “I saw Bimal bleeding and barely able to walk up the slope towards the road. He managed to tell me that a bear had pounced on him while he was cutting grass. The animal was nowhere to be seen,” he said.

Gurung was rushed to Sir Thutob Namgyal Memorial Hospital where doctors, who attended on him, said his right arm was fractured and he suffered severe injuries on the head, chest and face.

Later, he was shifted to Central Referral Hospital at Tadong.

Forest secretary S.T. Lachungpa visited the injured man at STNM Hospital and handed him Rs 5,000 as initial payment for his treatment.

“I held a meeting with senior forest officials after the incident and it was decided that seven to eight spots in the state capital which is contiguous to forested land would be manned constantly to prevent incidents like this one. We appeal to the people to be very cautious in the morning and at nightfall when bears are mostly active, looking for food,” Lachungpa said. He added that Himalayan black bears were known to attack humans without provocation.

The bear was still at large till late this evening. A team from Himalayan Zoological Park led by deputy director Madan Shankar, senior wildlife officials and local police combed the area. The forest department also received reports today that an adult bear, most probably a female, and two cubs were sighted in Shyari, another locality in the capital.

“We combed the area around the secretariat and tried to flush out the bear using firecrackers but it could not be traced and most probably the animal must have moved to another location,” Shankar said.

Today’s incident takes the number of bear transgressions into human habitation in the state to more than 20 in the past one month, forest sources said.

The department has chalked out a plan that would entail a cost of Rs 60 lakh for better arms, darts, ambulances and other material to tackle the bear menace. However, the report is yet to be submitted.

The last sighting of the animal was on Thursday when three bears, which swam across the Teesta river at the reservoir site at Dikchu in East Sikkim, killed a goat. Forest officials said the increase in the population of bears and other wild animals in the forest areas have led to food competition forcing the animals to migrate into human settlements.

Himalayan Black Bear killed in fierce infighting in West

GEYZING, November 12: A Himalayan black bear was killed during a fierce infighting among three bears at Dokeythang reserve forest near Geyzing in West Sikkim yesterday night.
The carcass was spotted by the villagers today morning who informed the forest authorities.
It is informed that the three bears had been roaming around the forest areas in and around Geyzing, the district headquarters of West Sikkim. The forest authorities said that the bears attacked each other yesterday night leading to the death one bear.
The locals of Dokathang said that they heard the roars of the bears yesterday night. They ventured out in the morning to ascertain the incident when they spotted two bears guarding the carcass.
Some parts of the carcass like had been eaten up most probably the other two bears themselves, it is informed. The incident took place where a person had been mauled recently.
The fighting could have taken over territory or over a female bear.
The forest personnel of Geyzing recovered the body and took it to a vet for autopsy where it was confirmed that some parts of the carcass had been eaten up.
Later the carcass was cremated at the forest colony, Geyzing in presence of the local people and sub-divisional authorities.
Bears have been sighted at least a dozen times in West Sikkim in the past one month. Similar sightings have taken place in other three districts of Sikkim.
Nine persons have already been mauled by the bear in West, North and East districts of Sikkim during these sightings the bears have started transgressing into human habitats.

16 Bear sightings, nine injured in bear spate in Sikkim so far

Trap set up at Bulbuley to capture elusive Himalayan Black Bear
GANGTOK, November 11: Debate on forest resource conservation have been renewed with increasing conflicts between man and animals in Sikkim with nine persons injured by Himalayan black bears in various parts of the State.
At least sixteen sightings of bears have taken place in the past one month in all the four districts of the State and six of such sightings have turned into an ugly confrontation that led to mauling of nine persons including three foresters by the bears.
The most horrific mauling took place at Upper Sichey here on November 3 where three senior forest officials were seriously injured by a 90 kg adult bear.
A dozen instances of bear sightings and confrontations have been reported from West district alone, it is informed.
The first incident was reported from Tofung reserved forest, Upper Rimbi in West Sikkim where 50 year old Kuber Singh Subba was attacked by a bear. He was admitted to Geyzing hospital for treatment under the care of the doctors and wildlife staff.
The next incident took place on October 21 where Tek Nath Sharma (42) came under a bear attack at Sangku Dentam under Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary. He suffered head and body injuries and is presently treatment at Geyzing.
Eight days later, it was the turn of 54 year old Lal Man Rai to come under the bear attack at Meli Khechoepalri. He also landed up at SNTM hospital.
Rai was soon joined by Nima Sherpa (52) at the STNM hospital following a bear attack at a private holding in Dokathang, Tikjhuk near Geyzing on November 3.
A bear was also sighted at near Geyzing, Yuksom and Dupidara, Tashiding in a private holding where livestock were attacked. Three bears were also sighted at Tharpu on November 6 and the animals were driven back into the forest areas by the forest personnel.
One report of bear sighting had come from Lower Namling busty, Ralang on October 24. The bear is reported to have killed a livestock.
The forest department has provided financial assistance and necessary support to the injured persons, said CCF (wildlife) HP Pradhan to Sikkim Express. He said that a control room has been set up to launch immediate measures whenever reports of bear sightings come.
“All wildlife and territorial officials along with front line staff are geared up to handle any situation”, said Pradhan. He also acknowledged the support provided by police, local people and Panchayats.
The bear trend drifted towards East Sikkim with a vengeance mauling three forest officials at Sateybazaar, Upper Sichey on November 3 before the animal was captured with tranquilizers and released in Kupup forest area the next day.
A lady also came under a bear attack at Raffong khola, Malling area on November 8. She is presently admitted at Mangan district hospital with injuries.
Another wild bear is presently romping around bushes of Himalayan Zoological Park, Bulbuley here since Monday morning. The forest and police authorities are taking great precaution and measures to ensure that the bear does not spill over into the human habitats at Chandmari.
As reported, the forest and police staff yesterday evening tried to push back the elusive wild animal towards to the deeper forest covers. The zoo has also been shut down till the bear threat is addressed.
ACF Ashoke Pradhan who has been since yesterday morning camped at the spot to handle the situation along with Gangtok Sadar police said that the bear is still elusive. “But we have found all the signs that the bear is in this area,” he said.
The wildlife authorities have decided not to use tranquilizers to capture the bear. “We have instead set up a trap in a cage at the spot frequently visited by the bear,” said Pradhan. “The trail leading to the cage has been littered with food items in order to lure the bear into the trap.”
“All our staff and police personnel have stood their positions since yesterday in order to prevent the transgression of the bear into human habitats,” said the ACF. He expressed his hopes that bear will be captured soon and then dispatched to higher altitude areas.
A bear is said to have also been sighted at Lower Tintek, Marchak yesterday morning but could not be located afterwards by a team of forest and police staff from Mangan. However, the people have been appealed to remain alert when they venture into forest areas to collect cattle fodder.
Meanwhile, the forest department has reiterated its appeal to the people not to retaliate or take any independent action or approach the wild animal in the event the bear is sighted in and around human habitations. The people have been appealed not to fuel or heed any rumours which may create panic in the area.
The department has already released the appeals in the local dailies requesting the people not to dispose garbage especially rice beer wastage in and around human habitations. The department has attributed collection of edible wild items from the forest areas for the increase in man-animal conflicts.

Operation Bear to Safeguard Gangtokians

Operation launched to prevent bear from transgressing into Chandmari

Gangtok, November11: Even as people across the State are reeling under a series of bear attacks especially with the November 3 incident at Upper Sichey, another large Himalayan Black bear was sighted at Bulbuley forest cover very close to Chandmari population yesterday night.
The bear was sighted at night near the Himalayan Zoological Park periphery and was again spotted by a lady in the morning. The bear was rambling along the bushes near the zoo fence at the zoo gate with only the road separating the animal from wandering into the human settlement at Chandmari.
The bear is said to be larger than that which appeared at Upper Sichey. The bear at Upper Sichey was an adult one, weighed approximately 90 kgs and was of a height of 3.5 ft.
A team of forest officials and forest guards reached Bulbuley along with a team of Gangtok police. The area was cordoned by forest and police personnel. Forest guards were stationed in key points of the zoo and the approach roads while the local people were appealed to remain calm.
SP (East) Dr MS Tuli and Gangtok Sadar police station in-charge PI Tshering Sherpa also reached the spot to assist the forest team.
ACF Ashoke Pradhan and RO D Pradhan told media that pug marks of the bear were found in the area during the search operation.
A strategy was charted to tackle the situation and emphasis was laid on chasing the bear to the higher regions from the zoo area and not to allow the animal to cross the road and stray into the human settlements.
The bear being a nocturnal animal moves around in the night hours which the forest officials decided was the most appropriate time to chase the bear upwards. The operation was launched by the forest and police personnel in the late evening hours of Monday.
ACF Pradhan said that forest and police staff has been deployed in key areas to prevent the bear from crossing down the road while another team of forest and police personnel will be trying to chase the bear to higher locales away from the human habitats.
A clearer picture will be available only tomorrow, said Pradhan.
The Bulbuley bear is the fourth bear that had transgressed into human settlements and come in very close contact with humans, sometimes with tragic results.
At least five people have already been mauled by the stray bears in East, North and West districts of Sikkim.
Various statements have been coming up for such incidents. It is opined that with the winter setting in, bears are beefing up its food intake as the animals will soon hibernate. The bears have wandered into the human settlements in search of food, it is explained.
It is also argued that the food items of bears in the wild have dried up due to low production and also due to humans taking away wild fruits and berries for consumption and selling.
The State forest department has pointed out increase in wild animal population in the forest and wildlife protected areas, congenial conditions for breeding and shelter for wild animals, collection of edible fruit, flowers, young and tenders bamboo shoots and other non-timber forest produce from the forest by humans and change in agriculture practices in rural areas like conversion of agriculture fields into cardamom plantations as the attributing factors for increase in man-animal conflicts.
The department has appealed the people not to retaliate or take any independent action or approach the wild animal if the animal is sighted in and around human habitations. Do not fuel or heed any rumours which may create panic among the people, said the department.
The people have also been appealed not to dispose garbage especially rice beer wastage in and around human habitats.
Meanwhile, it has also appeared that the forest department is insufficiently prepared if a wild animal like bear has to be captured from non-forest areas. The department is said to have only limited resources for such scenarios.
The department has only one vet team trained to wild dart animals that have transgressed into urban areas. The team is further handicapped with insufficient equipment and only two guns to fire the tranquilizer darts.
With bears running amock in three districts, the team has been running around these areas compromising the safety of other forest personnel in areas where they cannot reach in time.
For instance, the vet and tranquilizer team could be here in Bulbuley as it had rushed to Mangan where a woman had been mauled by a bear yesterday. Before this, the team was in West Sikkim where another bear mauling had occurred.

Workshop on Project Snow Leopard in Sikkim

GANGTOK, November 6: The first stakeholders’ workshop on Project Snow Leopard (PSL) for North Sikkim was conducted at the Forest Conference Hall on October 31 by State Forest, Environment and Wildlife Management Department jointly with The Mountain Institute-India (TMI-India) and Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF), Mysore under CEPF small grants project.
The workshop was chaired by the Chief Wildlife Warden cum Additional PCCF, NT Bhutia IFS along with other senior officials including Jt. Director Khangchendzonga National Park. Other participants included Chewang (Lachung Pipon), Tshering Dorjee and Norgay Lachungpa, Yaver Lachenpa, Gyambo, Lachen Dzumsa, members of Lachen Tourism Development Committee, Dr. Thinley Bhutia representing State Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services Department Dr. Yash Veer Bhatnagar, Senior Scientist, NCF, Dr. Ghanashyam Sharma, Programme Manager, TMI-India and his team, informs a press release.
Welcoming all the participants, C. Lachungpa, IFS CCF Territorial and Land Use talked about the importance of Snow Leopard conservation. He said that mountain people have strong cultural attachment with the mountain and its wildlife. “This platform is important for all of us to build up a strong effort towards conservation of Snow Leopard in Sikkim which is as charismatic for the mountains as the tiger in the forests,” he said.
Dr. Yash Veer Bhatnagar, Senior Scientist with Nature Conservation Foundation and member of the National Steering Committee for PSL, a flagship programme of the Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India also gave an overview of the PSL. Informing that the project is unique in the country and being implemented in five Himalayan range states of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarkhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, Mr. Bhatnagar said PSL aims to provide the necessary framework and support to strengthen overall wildlife conservation using innovative programmes fully involving the local communities who share the snow leopard's home.
Speaking about local initiatives, the Chief Wildlife Warden said that the department has identified five potential landscapes spread over West, North and East Sikkim including West and North KNP, Lhonak Valley, Tso Lhamo-Lashar-Yumesamdong complex and Tembawa-Jelep La. State level Society, Landscape level implantation committee and Village level wildlife conservation committee are now under formation involving the participation of all levels of people including security forces. He mentioned that the department needed the support of all stakeholders and the value of flagship species like Snow Leopard and Yak whose natural home is the high altitude wilderness area of Sikkim.
Usha Lachungpa, Senior Research Officer on her part gave a presentation on the key issues pertaining to wildlife conservation in the high altitudes of Sikkim. She defined the current potential landscape for snow leopard conservation and presented the lists of stakeholders representing the state, landscape and village level committees, mentioning that all important stakeholders like the military/paramilitary, government departments, tourism industry, Dzumsa of Lachen and Lachung, and NGOs most of whom have expressed their keen interest to support the project.
Dr. Ghanashyam Sharma, Programme Manager of TMI-India presented the key findings of the collaborative TMI-I - NCF - Forest Department project. He also spoke about the value of rotational grazing practiced in the high altitudes of North Sikkim.
The last session included a fruitful discussion where Chewang, Pipon Lachung agreed to extend all necessary support of the Dzumsa. He stated that the key persons whose livelihoods are directly linked to the alpine area such as yak herders need to be involved. Representatives of Lachen Dzumsa agreed to discuss these issues with Lachen Dzumsa.
Dr. Thinlay from AHLF&VS department also spoke about ongoing SARAH project to control stray dogs in Sikkim which would have direct impact towards snow leopard and wildlife conservation in general.
While summarizing the workshop, Dr. Bhatnagar further said this is a great beginning. Sikkim has the potential to develop a model PSL programme for the country due to its relatively small size, strong local institutions, and responsive government, he added.

After night at zoo, Gangtok bear goes back to wild

Gangtok, Nov. 5: The Himalayan black bear that mauled two forest officers yesterday was released in the wild after spending a night at a zoo.

The animal had ambled into Setey Bazar near Gangtok early yesterday and was caught after a hide-and-seek played out for over six hours. During the confrontation, two forest officers were clawed while the third was injured when he fell while fleeing and the bear was taken to Himalayan Zoological Park in Bulbuley, 5km from here, after it was darted.

This morning, it was sent to the reserve forest at Kupup close to the Memencho lake, about 70km from here, to be released. Kupup in East Sikkim is close to the Chinese border and Nathu-la. Sources at the Bulbuley zoo said the bear had fully recovered from the effects of the tranquilliser and had been fed meat.

Chief wildlife warden N.T. Bhutia said the animal had started for the wild in a truck at 8am. “The decision (to release it) was taken since there was not enough area in the zoo to house the bear and we feared that there would be infighting in the single enclosure where a male and a female bear are presently kept,” Bhutia said. He was present yesterday when the bear was darted very close to the administrative complex of East Sikkim.

Nearly eight darts were fired. The joint director of the state forest department, J.B. Subba, divisional forest officer (territorial) East Sikkim, B.B. Gurung and the medical assistant of the Bulbuley zoo, Sonam Tshering Lepcha, were injured when they approached the bear, which they thought had fallen asleep. But proving them wrong, the animal came after them and Subba was the first person to be attacked. A witness had said Subba could have been killed had not a police sub-inspector hurled stones at the bear to distract it. But the flailing claws caught Subba on the face and Gurung on the left leg and thigh. Lepcha dislocated his arm when he fell while fleeing.

Subba and Gurung were flown by a helicopter to a nursing home in Siliguri at 3.30pm yesterday.

Senior forest officials said the bear might have come in search of food from the nearby Rateychu reserve forest. The Himalayan black bear is listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act and is among the most endangered species.

Himalayan Black Bear captured @Gangtok after mauling three forest personnel

photo :SikkimExpress
GANGTOK, November 3: An unruly mob, ineffective tranquilizers and unimaginative containment measures severely handicapped the brave forest and police officials in a near disastrous mission to capture a wandering Himalayan Black Bear at Upper Sichey near East District Administrative complex today that took a senior forest official and a DFO to the brink of death before a heroic cop firmly stood his ground to save the day.
Forest joint director JB Subba, DFO (East) BB Gurung and Himalayan Zoological Park medic assistant Sonam Tshering Lepcha sustained deep injuries during the mauling by the rampaging fully grown bear at the bamboo thicket above the road near the administrative complex.

And it all happened because of around seven tranquilizers which had been rifled into the bear in regular intervals refused to sober down the bear with generous contribution of noise from the crowd which had gathered in large numbers to watch the tamasha seriously jeopardizing the containment measures that had been carefully put into place by forest and police officials with great risk to limb and life.
It is a miracle that there were no casualties not from the claws of the bear but from the stampede of the crowd on three occasions.
The whole incident began early morning when Mrs Pema Zangpo Gurung spotted the animal at around 7 am in her small field at Sateybari, Upper Sichey. It was her husband who recognized the animal as a bear and he immediately alerted the local police and forest staff.
The bear had strayed into the suburb during the night hours in search of food and apparently camped at the field.
Once informed, the local police and forest staff reached the spot led by Chief Wildlife Warden NT Bhutia and CCF (Wildlife) HP Pradhan. The area was cordoned off and a trap was laid even as the bear lay hidden in the field.
At around 10:30, the first tranquilizer was pumped into the bear through a draft fired from a rifle. By then, the whole area was surrounded by curious onlookers whose numbers grew in strength despite repeated requests them to vacate the area.
At 11: 12 am, two tranquilizers were shot into the bear from the rooftop of a nearby building.
Instead of having a debilitating effect, the shots seemed to have injected a fresh bout of energy into the bear that jumped out of the field with a roar, bypassed the trap and somehow managed to reach to the upper road and wilted away into the bamboo thicket even as the crowds went helter-skelter with terror.
By this time, additional forces from the Sadar police station led by PI Tshering Sherpa and more forest officials arrived at the scene where the bear was cornered.
SP (East) Dr MS Tuli was also present at the spot to supervise the capture mission.
Despite poor visibility, two more tranquilizers from the rifle and one from a pistol seemed to have shown its desired effect on the bear. Close observations gave a false sense of security to the people and the authorities leading to the signal given for the cage to be hauled up to the spot.
Then at 12:30, disaster struck as the bear roared back to life and in lightening speed jumped on those nearby.
Joint director JB Subba was the first victim as the bear mauled him and took him down rolling. DFO (Territorial, East) BB Gurung tried to come to the rescue and a chunk of meat from his left thigh was clawed out when the bear lashed on him.
Himalayan Zoological Park medic assistant Sonam Tshering Lepcha dislocated his left arm when pulled down by the bear. All happened in seconds and if the mauling was allowed to prolong a few seconds more, then there would have been causalities.
Fortunately, Sadar Police station SI Sameer Pradhan displayed great courage as he stood his ground and counterattacked the bear with whatever he could lay his hands on. His courage caused the bear to flee in the opposite direction giving enough time for those being mauled to scamper to safety.
Blood tearing down his face, Subba was immediately rushed to the STNM hospital followed by the other two victims.
The horrific incident shook all with questions abounding over the effectiveness of the tranquilizers. A couple of more tranquilizers were shot into the bear that finally slumbered into a state of unconsciousness even as a standing order to terminate the bear had been issued by the Chief Wildlife Warden.
The bear was hauled into the cage and into the forest vehicle at 1:20 am ending a six hour long standoff. The bear was whisked away to the Himalayan Zoological Park where it will put under observation for some time, forest officials said.
The bear could have probably slipped into the urban areas in search of food from the nearby Rateychu Reserve Forest, it is suspected.
Despite the threat posed by the huge bear to the human lives, the forest and police officials took great precaution and risked their lives to safely capture the Himalayan Black Bear, a highly endangered wildlife species listed in the Schedule I of the Protection of Wildlife Act.
Meanwhile, the injured Subba has been airlifted to Siliguri for further medical treatment while the DFO and the medic assistant are being treated here in Gangtok.
At the same time, questions have crept over the reasons for the increasing wanderings of wild animals into human habitats. The Upper Sichey bear is reported to have been wandering in and around the area up to Arithang for the past one week. The animal was in search of food and as forest officials point out, the increasing loss of their food items from the jungles have forced these animals to come into conflict with humans.
Recently, a bear had jumped on a group of farmers and clawed away a chunk of meat from the leg of a 42 year headmaster at Sangshu, Dentam in West Sikkim yesterday.

Bear on the prowl, Wildlife dept doesn’t see!

Gangtok,October22: T N Sharma (42), Headmaster of Chaagay Primary School of West Sikkim was injured in his right leg by a black beer on Wednesday at Sankhu Busty, Dentam, while he was working in the field with other people. Mr. Sharma is now in STNM hospital under treatment.
The beer had came in that area earlier also and local public informed the forest department and its wild life branch 9 days before the incident. K.D Rai of forest department visited the spot but did not believe that beer was there and the department did not take any step, informed Madu Sudan Sharma on Thursday from the victim’s bedside in the hospital. Till now the beer has damaged cereals and struck goat, hen and other things of local people, he added

Free passes for students to visit Gangtok Zoological Park

Gangtok,September25: Sikkim Forests & Wildlife department has informed all schools in the State that the Himalayan Zoological Park, Bulbulay is celebrating Wildlife Week from 2nd to 8th October 2009. On this auspicious occasion, the students in their uniforms escorted by school prefects/teachers will be given Free Passes to visit the Zoological Park at Bulbulay, Gangtok. An exhibition of Red Panda (State Animals)photos will be arranged in the Panda Park during the week-long festival. The initiative is being taken to raise awareness, educate people of all ages, with children prioritized of course, the importance of wildlife and the need of every citizen to contribute to insure that all species of wild animals and plants continue to survive in the wild. During the week-long festival, the students will be guided by the Zoo staff. School authorities are requested to send the students for learning more about the wild animals in the Zoological Park at Bulbulay,Gangtok.

Students urged to protect wildlife in Sikkim

GANGTOK, Oct. 16: The World Wide Fund today organised a daylong awareness camp for students in association with the state forest department. The programme, aimed at protecting wildlife and discouraging poaching, was held at Palzor Namgyal Girls Senior Secondary School here. Named Kids for Tiger, the awareness camp was a part of Complan Sanctuary Tiger programme. "Animal grazing in the state has been banned in reserve forest areas. Only fodder collection is allowed on sustainable basis," said Mr Karma Legshay Dhondup, divisional forest officer, wildlife. "In case anyone tries to flout the order, they would be fined by the forest department under the Wildlife Protection Act," he added. The programme was held to educate the students about wildlife and to ensure that the next generation gears up to save wildlife, forest and natural resources. Dr Dipankar Ghose, programme coordinator of WWF, India, spoke about conservation of wildlife. He announced that the WWF would conduct red panda census in Sikkim soon. Several pictures on killing of animals by poachers were shown through presentation by the organisers. "To aware the rural people, the state government recently launched "Smriti Van" programme in all the," said a senior forest official. There are eight sanctuaries in Sikkim, including Rhododendron Sanctuary at Lachung in North Sikkim and Kanchanzonga National Park which covers the area of 1,784 sq km from West to North Sikkim. Animals, including red pandas, Himalayan black bear, Tragopan pheasant, Kaleej pheasant and butterflies are found in all state sanctuaries.The state government, meanwhile, is planning to organise similar awareness programmes in all the schools to boost preservation of wildlife.

Wild Animals at the click of a button

Siliguri, Aug. 16: Snow leopards and red pandas can soon be viewed at the click of a button.
The antics of animals at the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park will be available on film.
The authorities of the Darjeeling zoo are making a documentary to capture the scenes that normally elude the eye of the visitor.
“The film primarily deals with two aspects,” A.K. Jha, the zoo director, said. “First, it will show the behaviour of animals outside the scheduled display time. While some animals are nocturnal, others like the red panda are active only in the evenings and early mornings, remaining sluggish during the visiting hours. The documentary will also show the young ones of animals that are being captive-bred under various conservation schemes. These parts of the zoo are not open to the public.”
Second, the film will highlight the relationship of zoo employees with animals and the ways in which it serves the community, Jha said. This will include stories of how a zookeeper once lost his hand while feeding a bear and the care with which the animals are tranquilised, operated upon and treated for ailments, he added.
“Our zoo is one of the best in the country and we would like to show visitors all that goes into maintaining a zoo of such importance,” the director said. “It is the only zoo in the world to breed the Tibetan wolf in captivity and the first in South Asia to breed the snow leopard and the Siberian tiger.”
Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, situated at 2133.5m, is internationally recognised for its conservation breeding programmes for the red panda, the snow leopard and the Tibetan wolf. Seven more animals, including Himalayan tahr, blue sheep and salamander, are slated to be included in programme soon.
“We have taken shots of the food and care given to the animals,” said filmmaker Suryakamal Banik. “I have tried to capture the animals at play and their relationship with the zookeepers.”
However, it is the romance of snow leopards Nita and Karan that would steal the show, Banik said.
“The male leopard tries hard to woo the female. The latter pretends to ignore it at first but finally gives in to persuasion,” he added.
According to Jha, the film would be shown in an auditorium that will be constructed within the zoo premises.

WILDLIFE CRIME CONTROL BUREAU

In keeping with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's instructions to recruit frontline staff in sanctuaries and tiger reserves on a priority basis, the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) Monday decided to set up full-time posts across the country and spell out their jurisdiction.A regional deputy director would look after the running of the regional office of the Crime Control Bureau at Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, till a full time officer is appointed, a ministry of environment and forests statement said.Out of the six posts of assistant directors, three will be posted at sub-regional offices and three will be posted at headquarters. Regional Offices at Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai will have two officials each and New Delhi and Jabalpur, one each. Three sub-regional offices as well as five border stations will have one inspector and one person respectively while the headquarter will have two inspectors. The jurisdiction of regional offices has also been defined. The WCCB regional office in Mumbai will look after Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli. The Delhi office will cover Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Delhi. The regional office in Kolkata will cover Bihar, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura and West Bengal while the Chennai office will be in charge of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry. These offices will assist and advise customs authorities in the inspection of consignments of flora and fauna as per the provisions of Wildlife (Protection) Act, CITES and Exim Policy. They will also collect and collate intelligence related to organised wildlife crime activities and disseminate them to states and other enforcement agencies for immediate action