Posted by
Susan Sharma
on
November 12, 2006
WWF-INDIIA
and
INDIA INTERNATIONAL CENTRE
Invite you to a special screening of films on
NOVEMBER
18, 2006
LIVING WITH THE PARK – Ranthambore National Park
(English-30 Minutes) 6.30pm
The film is a look at the popular tiger reserve as an integrated universe comprising its animals and people in the adjoining areas.
The forests connects the two and neither one can flourish with the other.
So is the policy of segregating the park as a preserve for animals alienating the people who lived in harmony with the park for decades, helping the Park?
There are no quick answers. The film depicts the main attraction of the park the Bengal Tiger, which is in danger of getting decimated here, as it has already happened in Sariska.
Is it time we looked outside the park for the reasons, at the humanity which is living outside, their lives still connected to the Park – the people who are living with the park? Produced and directed by Dr. Susan Sharma-will be present
to introduce the film and take questions.
WILDERNESS NEPAL
– (English – 30 Minutes) 7.00pm
The film looks at the wilderness of the Himalayan region with special reference to Nepal.
Nepal foresters an incredible variety of eco-systems and is a hotspot of bio-diversity.
Exclusive footage of Indian Rhino and the Asian elephant from the Royal Chitwan National Park, which is guarded by the Royal Nepal Army from rhino poachers.
While depicting the natural beauty of Nepal, the film also projects the “community forests” concept in Nepal which has proved a success in maintaining the wetland area of “twenty thousand lakes” a paradise of bird watchers. Produced and
directed by Dr. Susan Sharma-will be present to introduce the film and take questions.
Venue:
India International Centre, Main Auditorium
40, Max Mueller Marg, New Delhi 110003
________________________________________________________________________________________
For further information please contact: Mr Raj Pal Singh,Network Services and Supporter Relations, World Wide Fund for
Nature-India, Pirojsha Godrej National Conservation Centre, 172 B, Lodi Estate, New Delhi, 110003 = Tel: 41504815-19/41504808 E-mail:
rbakshi@wwfindia.net
WE HAVE THE POWER TO LEAVE OUR CHILDREN A LIVING PLANET
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Posted by
Susan Sharma
on
November 12, 2006
Sariska tiger sanctuary, had lost its entire tiger population to excessive poaching in the area. On October 30, a crucial meeting between the Rajasthan government and the Union ministry of environment and forest in the Capital will give the green signal
for a final plan of action that has been undertaken by the Committee on Forest and Wildlife Management.
The Dehradun-based Wildlife institute of India has submitted a report furnishing details of how relocation should take place in different phases. To begin with the suggestion is to relocate one male and two-to-three female tigers in the sub-adult category
of four-five year old male tigers and slightly younger female tigers.
V B Mathur, Dean of WII, said: "Tigers will be identified through ground-based surveys. To take them to Sariska they will eventually be tranquilised through darts and put into special crates and finally we will have a soft release next to a water body so
that they do not struggle."
Tigers will be also radio-collared and monitored after being released into the forest which will be fenced initially, so that they learn to acclimatize gradually and not wander away. "Sariska already has a natural population of prey like deer and nilgais
and tigers will not have to be fed separately," adds Mathur.
Sariska has the capacity of sustaining 15 tigers to begin with and the committee has recommended guidelines based on the International Union for conservation of Nature and Natural resources to relocate them - from picking up the right wild stock to their
veterinary care.
http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1060403
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Posted by
Susan Sharma
on
November 04, 2006
“The oceans define our planet, and their fate may to a large extent determine our fate, now and in the future.”
The study ’Impact of biodiversity loss on ocean system services’ showed that the loss of one species accelerates the unravelling of the overall ecosystem, while conversely every species recovered adds significantly to its productivity, stability
and ability to withstand stresses.
Data for 2003 shows that 29% of currently fished species were considered “collapsed” –that their catches had declined by 90% or more. This trend is accelerating as per the study.
(Source: The Hindu dated 4 November, 2006)
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Posted by
Susan Sharma
on
November 03, 2006
The visit of a Chinese delegation to Delhi to re-look an MOU signed in 1995
with India, is worrying news for wildlife lovers. Rather than curbing use of tiger parts in medicine,
China has been insisting on going ahead with using farm-bred tiger products for its traditional medicine.
The Principal focus of the MOU is in three areas:
- Vigilance across the borders-instituting a mechanism to curb smuggling of tiger parts
- Capacity building-eg, standardising release of captive bred tigers in the wild.
- Seggregation of farm and wild products
( Source
The Indian Express Nov 3, 2006)
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Posted by
Susan Sharma
on
November 01, 2006
Green Planet Films support environmental education through film, and their newest enterprise is a podcast called GREENSTREAM: a source for eco film news.
With podcasts representing one of the fastest growing trends in online media, they hope that GREENSTREAM will keep you tuned into the latest happenings in the world of environmental films. These films are a powerful educational tool to use for yourself or
share them with others.
They also hope this podcast will help attract more people to support the growing environmental movement by learning about issues covered in these niche documentaries and taking action. Each podcast will include an interview with a special guest, a featured
DVD, film festival updates, and the latest eco film news.
http://greenplanetfilmspodcast.org/
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Posted by
Susan Sharma
on
November 01, 2006
The Indian Coast Guard plays an important role in catching poachers who trade in ocean wealth; turtles, crocodiles, dolpins to name a few.
Recently, the Indian Coast Guards nabbed poachers allegedly of Burmese origin, from Tuft Island, part of Andaman Nicobar islands. Marine wealth of these remote islands are known to attract poachers from neighbouring countries. The operation that was launched
on October 23, 2006, sighted the poaching trawler and obtained the surrender of poachers, dealing in sea cucumber, several fish species and crocodiles.
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Posted by
Susan Sharma
on
October 30, 2006
This village has no electricity, no transport or even the basic medical facilities.
“People here either depend on wood smuggling or prawn seed collection for livelihood.
The first encroaches into tiger territory, while the second completely disrupts the ecological balance of the area, because the salinity of the waters is affected due to excessive prawn seed poaching” says Kakoli Banejee, assistant coordinator of the
Sunderbans landscaping project, WWF.
WWF have also provided the village with tillers, solar-powered spice grinding machines,
deep tube wells and medicinal plant gardens for sustenance.
Children have formed nature clubs and teach the parents the importance of saving the tiger.
There are countless villages close to national parks, who need these facilities for creating an alternative income source far from exploiting the forests.
A case in pont would be Kailashpuri, near Ranthambore National Park.
Our short film “Living With the Park” gives voice to the problems faced by displaced villages.
You can read a synopsis of the film at http://www.wildscapes.net/cd_synopsis.aspx
( Details of Chhoto Mollakhali from
India Today dated 6 November 2006)
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Posted by
Susan Sharma
on
October 24, 2006
Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) is developing a network of wildlife rehabilitators working in India who would like to rehabilitate distressed wildlife through Emergency Relief Network (ERN).
ERN is an association of team of people whose expertise on the skill of rehabilitation can be utilised to reach out to rehabilitators in different parts of the country.
WTI have created a online community / group in which the rehabilitators can send in information and interact with each other. If selected as a member, your name will be included in the group list to get updates on ERN news.
This team of trained rehabilitators, of people and organizations, can exchange, share and contribute their knowledge and professional skills to save wildlife for the cause of conservation.
If interested in joining the network, write to Dr. Prajna Paramita Panda, for a registration form. Dr. Panda can be contacted at
wren@wti.org.in
or at the postal address mentioned below
Wildlife Trust of India
ER Network
C/o Dr. Prajna Paramita Panda
A-220, New Friends Colony,
New Delhi - 110025
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Posted by
Susan Sharma
on
October 23, 2006
Two Indian films have made it to top awards at the prestigious "Wildscreen" Film Festival at Bristol, U.K.
These are
NEWS AWARD
Last Dance of the Sarus
Global Broadcast News Pat. Ltd (India)
WILDSCREENS AWARD TO PROMOTE FILMMAKERS FROM DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
Cherub of the Mist
Bedi Films (India)
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Posted by
Susan Sharma
on
October 20, 2006
A workshop on `Rising stakes of local community in conservation of forests and wildlife: Institutionalisation of eco-tourism involving local communities' was organised by the Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and sponsored
by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests at the Periyar Tiger Reserve in Thekkady.
Senior IFS officers noted that though a few States had come out with their own policies on eco-tourism, a national level policy was necessary to address the ecological needs of the forest and environment, create people's involvement giving due regard to
their ethnicity and culture so that they feel involved, promoted and empowered. Such a policy would ensure that eco tourism programmes were not hijacked by vested interests.
The forests of the country were burdened with biotic pressure coming from the traditional dependency of the local communities. The traditional type of forest management deprived the local people of any significant stake and role in the protection of the
forests. Eco tourism, being a non-consumptive use of the forests, was emerging as an important alternative to strengthen the stakes of local communities for the protection of forests and wildlife.
The officers wanted eco tourism programmes to find a place in forest management and working plan provisions. The thumb rules for an eco tourism programme should be minimum investment on infrastructure, maximum benefit to the local communities, a link between
the programme and the local communities and respect to local culture and traditions.
It was recommended that in ecologically sensitive areas, the principle of high value, high adventure and low volume tourism should be followed.Local communities should have a major role in the implementation of any eco-tourism project. Draft recommendations
for a national policy for the implementation of eco-tourism programmes in forest, wildlife and other natural eco-system areas in the country were adopted
Sorce: http://www.hindu.com/2006/10/04/stories/2006100409910400.htm
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