Rantalodhi villagers, who were till now reluctant to move out of Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR), have finally agreed for relocation to a place of their choice. Sarpanch Kailash Kumre claimed that the gram panchayat will pass a resolution, declaring
their consent for rehabilitation under government's scheme, in the meeting scheduled on November 11.

Earlier, the forest department had offered a site near Rajoli village in Mul range, but villagers rejected it. Later, forest department overruled their demand for a site near Belgahata on Sindewahi road as it falls in the tiger corridor. Following this,
the rehabilitation was put on the back burner despite the department facing pressure from the high court.

Read more at

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Rantalodhi-in-Tadoba-ready-for-rehabilitation/articleshow/25340296.cms

60 days, 1200 kms, a group of 45-odd participants will walk and cycle the distance from the dense forests of Tadoba Wildlife Sanctuary in Vidarbha all the way to Mumbai. The aim is to increase awareness of the Royal Bengal Tiger.

Led by Thane-based avid trekker Sunil Joshi, the walk will start from December 14 to Febuary 10 and pass by 14 wildlife sanctuaries.

Joshi conceptualized this idea of "Tiger cyclo-walk'' about two years following his own experience. In 1985, he was a part of the "walk Norway'' programme that involved traversing 2,560 km from North Cape (Northern tip) to Lindesnes (Southern tip) aimed
at creating awareness about re-forestation.

"Such a concept of walking long distances for a cause is quite prevalent in western countries. Two decades ago, trekking groups could walk from Thane to Borivali through forest area. Now with humans encroaching on forest land, leopards entering settlements
have become common. No one treks on this route anymore, '' Joshi said. "We therefore, need to spread awareness of protecting our jungles and also balance the ecology. Protecting our wilderness will in turn, protect the tiger and other species,'' Joshi, who
makes a living of manufacturing mountaineering gear from his passion in adventure activities, said

Read more at

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Cyclo-walk-for-tiger-conservation/articleshow/25357266.cms

For the first time in the country, a non-endangered animal, the sambar, is being shifted and reintroduced to ensure that they procreate at a fast rate and provide prey base to tigers.

So far, only tigers (Sariska), bisons (Bandhavgarh) and rhinos (Manas in Assam) had been reintroduced. Maharashtra becomes the first to do so for sambars.

The Pench Tiger Reserve is set to reintroduce sambars, animals listed under Schedule III of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, in the Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary, 180km from here and located in Yavatmal district.

There are about 5-8 tigers, including cubs in the sanctuary. Studies conducted show that sambars are the favoured prey of tigers. The existing prey base in Tipeshwar is very poor when compared to the number of tigers.

The herbivores will be shifted from Bor Sanctuary and Pench, which is 100km and 250km, respectively, from Tipeshwar. The state government has given a green signal to reintroduce the species, which has vanished from the sanctuary in the 1990s.

Read more at

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/In-a-first-sambars-to-be-shifted-and-reintroduced/articleshow/25349756.cms