Why only tigers even birds which form part of the wild life ecosystem seems to be as important as other wild animals for the forest department officials.

Fifty direct sightings reported during the recent census
increasing tribe? The sighting of cubs with mother in various forests during this time, according to the officials, indicates the presence of breeding tigers.

With more than 50 direct sightings reported in the Karnataka tiger reserves and wildlife sanctuaries during the National Tiger Census, 2013, the Forest department believes that the population of big cats is on the rise in the State due to successful conservation measures.

As many as 371 tigers have died in the country in the past five years — 119 of which were victims of poaching, a report published on the National Tiger Conservation Authority’s (NTCA) website state

'Huli,' developed by Forest department helps consolidation of data

The Karnataka government will implement the second phase of the Karnataka Sustainable Forest Management and Biodiversity Conservation Project, aimed at expanding forests, over the next eight years.

The project will involve a cost of Rs 1899.72 crore. It will be implemented with an aid of Rs 1701.98 crore from the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA), with the state government contributing the remaining share.

The move will prevent people from encroaching the forest land

One more wildlife sanctuary will dot Karnataka which already has 22 wildlife sanctuaries. The State government has officially declared a part of the Kollegala Range Forest as Male Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary. Off the 1,224 sqkm of the Range forest, 906.18 sqkm (90,618.75 hectares) has been declared as sanctuary.

As part of conservation efforts, Tamil Nadu government on Thursday proposed to create four wildlife sanctuaries in addition to the existing 10.

Task forces formed to curtail illegal activities in jungles, especially at night

The State Forest department aims to curb forest fires, encroachment of forest land, poaching of animals and smuggling of wood from the jungles with ‘Operation Kalabhairava’. Personnel associated with the operation will keep a close vigil over the illegal activities occurring in the forest. Presently, the department is taking the help of the members of the forest committees and the environment committees towards controlling illegal activities inside the forest.

Forest officers in the district are all set to participate in the three-day synchronised elephant census that will begin across six states on Tuesday.

Chamarajanagar district has the distinction of having the highest density of elephant population in the State. Bandipur National Park, Biligiriranganathaswamy Tiger Reserve Forest, Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary and Kollegal Forest Division are other important habitats for elephants in the State. More than 600 enumerators, including forest watchers, students of forestry colleges, volunteers and representatives of NGOs working in the field of wildlife will take part in the census in the district’s forest region.

The State government has dropped a proposal to expand the Bhadra Tiger Reserve as well as include Kudremukh National Park under Project Tiger after local people opposed it, Law Minister Suresh Kumar told the Assembly on Thursday.

Replying to the issue raised by Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah, the minister said the government shelved the plan in the interest of tribals and other forest dwellers.