The Corbett Foundation

2011-12-11T22:01:00.000-08:00

Message from Mr. Dilip Khatau, Chairman of The Corbett Foundation

The Hon'ble Supreme Court of India is hearing a PIL with an appeal to ban all wildlife tourism activities in core areas of the Protected Areas in the State of Madhya Pradesh. While I do support disciplined and controlled tourism, it must be noted that livelihoods of many people living in and around these PAs are dependent on tourism. If tourism activities inside PAs were indeed bad for tiger conservation, then how come tigers are doing well in areas like Corbett, Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Ranthambhore, Bandipur, etc. where wildlife tourism exists. It is also important to note that tigers in Sariska and Panna were exterminated not by tourism but by poachers. The forest departments here failed completely in protecting tigers, and Panna or Sariska were certainly not one of those PAs with high tourism activities.

Our Trustee Nirmal Ghosh has expressed his thoughts on this issue in the below mentioned article...

The 'Tiger Tourism' Question

2011-11-13T20:36:00.000-08:00

The 'Tiger Tourism' Question

By Nirmal Ghosh

With due respect to the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) which I have no doubt works hard to carry out its mandate to protect the tiger, the proposal to ban tourism in 'core areas' of tiger reserves is, to put it bluntly, silly and misguided.

(For background see this article and comment)

The Supreme Court had a hearing on the petition this week, and adjourned its hearing until the first week of December.

First, some disclosure.

- I am a Trustee of The Corbett Foundation, which works with communities on the periphery of Corbett Tiger Reserve. The Foundation is associated with Infinity Resorts, which has a lodge at Dhikuli, Uttarakhand. Infinity Resorts was the first resort to set up in the location, and specializes in ecotourism. I derive no monetary gain whatsoever from my association with the Foundation, which has a long track record of excellent conservation work. I have no stake at all in tourism, beyond being a tourist myself when I visit a tiger reserve anywhere. I have also been a member of the Steering Committee of Project Elephant, and a member of the managing committee of Friends of the Doon which has done excellent work in Rajaji National Park. All this is a matter of public record.

- Furthermore, in 1987 I was appointed member secretary of a ministry of environment committee set up by then-joint secretary (wildlife) Dr. M. K. Ranjitisinh, to study the impact of tourism in national parks and sanctuaries. We studied over 12 areas (including Sariska, Ranthambore, Corbett, Gir, Bandipur and Mudumalai and Nagarahole, and Keoladeo Ghana), and produced reports and recommendations on the management of tourism. The recommendations were essentially geared to limiting tourism, while recognizing that tourism is an important and indispensable tool for promoting awareness of wildlife.

I am NOT a fan of unlimited and unregulated or mismanaged tourism. Personally, I avoid places where tourism runs riot. I believe and have always advocated, that tourism should be strictly managed in a professional manner similar to what takes place in national parks in north America and South Africa - both at sea and on land. Managers should be properly trained and empowered and resourced, to manage tourism. I have argued for a professional cadre of guides and Rangers dedicated to tourism management, empowered and with full and proper authority, at Corbett National Park, both to manage tourism as well as provide professional quality tourism services that enhance the tourism experience.

I also believe tourism in peripheral areas away from core zones should be encouraged to spread the load, and to minimize disturbance in prime wildlife habitats. But I do not see the rationale for banning tourists entirely from inside core areas.

Let us look at the intervening years. Who wiped out tigers from Sariska and Panna? It wasn’t tourists. And remember, Tiger Reserves already have ‘inviolate’ core areas. How come in 2000-01, elephants were poached in Corbett, both outside and inside these ‘inviolate’ core areas?? Where have all the tigers that have been poached been killed? In tourism zones or in already inviolate core areas? Are there GIS maps and data to prove this?

Yes, the proliferation of resorts in places like Ranthambhore, Corbett and Kanha to name just a few, disturb habitat on the fringes of protected areas. There are few controls on sound and light pollution, and waste disposal. But who is responsible for enforcing standards in these areas? Surely, it is local authorities. In a free market people will try and get away with things unless there are rules to limit certain activities â€“ and more importantly enforcement of those rules. If relevant authorities are incapable of enforcing rules, or themselves do not observe rules, what is the answer? When you have a wound on your foot, do you treat the wound or cut off the leg?

The petition wants tourists out and only ‘management interventions’ allowed in core zones.

And what are these ‘management interventions’ that will be allowed? If the area is to be inviolate surely these vague ''management interventions'' should also not be allowed? They are not necessary in the first place if the principle is to leave these places ‘inviolate’. This will be a huge source of corruption and malpractice as visits to these so-called ‘inviolate’ areas will be in high demand and VIPs and celebrities will subvert the system â€“ because local officials will be threatened and overridden and won’t be able to say ‘No’ â€“ and get a free run in government jeeps.

Also, how is the fact that there are actually more tigers in areas frequented by tourists than those that are not, to be explained? And what about transparency and accountability in these core zones?

Please see this report on the debacle at Panna. Are tourists responsible for this?

Tourism â€“ whether it is ‘tiger tourism’ or birding â€“ brings in millions of Dollars to local communities across the country. Has the NTCA done any study on the benefits of tourism to local communities? To the drivers, the guides, the suppliers, the staff of tourist establishments and the local travel service entrepreneurs? The NTCA and all conservationists in their right minds know that local communities must support wildlife conservation for any wildlife to survive. We have been advocating this for years, and working hard at it. Tourism is one way to do this.

Besides, most conservationists started out as tourists. It’s not rocket science.

The petition is not backed by sound data, and is a waste of time and resources. The NTCA should instead be looking at ways to fix the problems of the wildlife department and ensure better management and protection of wildlife. Tourists can be a problem, but they are a minor problem and in fact a compelling case can be made that they are an asset. They can be the eyes and ears of a concerned and engaged public which has a stake in the preservation of natural resources and heritage that is the patrimony of all, not a select few.

2011-08-18T00:17:00.000-07:00

ECOTOURISM: A CHALLENGE IN INDIA

Article by: Dilip Khatau, Chairman of The Corbett Foundation

The Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF), Government of India circulated its draft guidelines for 'Ecotourism in Protected Areas'. While in principle it is necessary to have guidelines in place to regulate and mitigate pressures of tourism on all Protected Areas in India, it is important that a more pragmatic and positive approach needs to be adopted by the Government. Being a former member of the National Board for Wildlife and an ardent wildlife conservationist and a wildlife chain resorts operator, I feel there are severe short-comings which I would like to highlight below.

The MoEF's suggestion that 30% 'local conservation cess' be paid by all resorts and commercial properties within a designated zone around a Protected Area (PA) is totally unworkable. The Banerjee Committee Guidelines of the 28th May 2011 suggests Lodges and Camps pay a fee to the host community. However, the MOEF's guidelines have diverted this to a fee for themselves! We feel that instead of a 'local conservation cess', the government should enforce strict guidelines wherein the resorts around the PAs should contribute for the betterment of local communities, environmental awareness and wildlife conservation. They should have a choice of either donating this funds towards the Foundation formed in each tiger reserve and claim 100% tax exemption, OR if they prefer, direct these donations to the villagers at the grassroots level. For e.g. solar energy to provide renewable energy, removing of weeds/invasive species from wild habitats, veterinary care services, compensation for livestock killed by wild predators, recharging ground water by rain-water harvesting, helping villagers in income-generating schemes etc.

The Corbett Foundation (TCF), which was established by me way back in 1994, works with the objective of mitigating man-animal conflict and ensuring that human beings and nature share a harmonious relationship. TCF together with Infinity Resorts (IR) which owns a chain of wildlife resorts in Corbett, Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Kutch and Kaziranga have been doing the above programmes since its inception 20 years ago. Our staff interacts with tourists and educates them about the need and importance of low-impact and responsible tourism. Many tourists also participate in the Foundation's wildlife conservation and environmental awareness initiatives in all our divisions. TCF (Kanha) also operates a Medical & Training Centre in Infinity Resort's property in Kanha that regularly imparts vocational training to the local tribal youth to provide them alternate livelihood opportunities.

As for the guidelines which classify all those with a business stake in ecotourism as apathetic to environmental concerns - I totally disagree to this statement! The ecotourism industry is dependent on tourists that come only to see and experience the forests, wildlife and wilderness of the PAs. The hoteliers cannot afford to be apathetic to the environment because if the wildlife, forests and environment are destroyed, it will affect their business negatively. When I founded The Corbett Foundation more than 17 years ago, it was because I felt strongly that the local communities living in the periphery of these Pas need to be involved in the mainstream tourism and should reap the benefits of tourism directly. This, I believed, would ensure a viable business proposition and long-term survival of wildlife a “win-win” solution which has been carried out very successfully in Africa. TCF, through its work in wildlife conservation, environmental awareness, community medical outreach, vocational training, habitat restoration, and sustainable development initiatives has demonstrated a model which can be replicated by other players in the ecotourism industry. But such initiatives must be recognized and encouraged by Government. Ecotourism initiatives abroad are encouraged by incentives like Green Awards. It is high time that Government encourages and institutes national-level awards for ecotourism stakeholders. Government schemes / initiatives must put Ecotourism as one of the areas that the corporate sector can support as part of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) incentives. The corporate sector should receive tax incentives for supporting ecotourism projects.

I would also like to draw your attention to the tourist infrastructure created and managed by Government, either as Forest Department or Tourism Department, inside PAs. The obvious examples are Dhikala Tourism Complex inside Corbett Tiger Reserve, The ITDC Forest Lodge inside the Keoladeo National Park at Bharatpur, RTDC Jhoomar Baori on the edge of Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve, MPTDC Bhageera Loghuts in Kanha Tiger Reserve and the KTDC with Aranya Niwas and The Lake Palace inside Periyar Tiger Reserve. It would be interesting to know how much revenue each of these properties generates for the host park per annum and how much has been ploughed back into the conservation programmes of these parks? In addition, will the government levy Conservation Cess on these properties as well? What about Forest Rest Houses in many PA that are rented out to tourists? Most of these are situated deep inside the core areas. Does the government plan to move these accommodations out of the core areas? The Park Directors are busy running these FRHs instead of using their valuable time for forest and wildlife management! There is hardly any enforcement of strict rules and regulations inside the PAs, as well. A striking example is Jhirna Forest Rest House in Corbett NP that has been converted into a canteen for tourists. It serves snacks in non-biodegradable packaging, there are no sufficient waste bins, and foil and polythene bags are littered everywhere. One can see so many rhesus macaques and common langurs feeding on these leftovers even in Dhikala and Bijrani zones of Corbett NP.

It is a common knowledge that there are many villagers who enter the PAs illegally to cut wood, poach, set up traps for wildlife, cattle graze, collecting minor forest produce, etc even from core areas. The Forest Department personnel should stop these trespassers as they affect the wildlife and their habitat!

The guidelines propose to allow only 10-15% of the area of a PA for tourism. The draft guidelines also say that ecotourism will only be conducted in buffer areas instead of in core zones. As everyone knows, buffer areas in most PAs do not have a high density of wild animals and therefore the possibility of sighting wildlife is less. As the rates for entrance fees are raised yearly, so are the possibilities that many tourists will complain that they have travelled from afar and due to poor animal sightings, this tourist inflow will definitely be affected negatively. This in turn will affect employment, demand and business opportunities to thousands of local community stakeholders.

Another eye sore is that as per the Indian laws, grazing by cattle and collection of minor forest products are allowed in the buffer zones of PAs. One can see huge herds of domestic cattle, buffaloes, goats, etc in buffer zones of many PAs including the high profile Corbett, Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Ranthambhor, etc. that are classified as tiger reserves! I wonder if the Government is proposing that 'eco tourists' be content with seeing thousands of domestic cattle grazing in the tourism zones, when they have travelled so far to come to view Indian wildife? Does the Government have any back up plans to ban cattle grazing and collection of minor forest products by local communities in buffer zones as they compete with herbivores for the same habitat?

There seems to be no coordination and control between the departments within each State and with other States. While MoEF is trying to control tourism in PAs, the Revenue Department is happily allowing the mushrooming of resorts along the fringes of these PAs. With less number of safari vehicles allowed in future, what purpose does it serve to approve business investments in more or excess tourist infrastructure around these PAs? This is a classic example of bad planning, poor management and right hand not knowing what the left hand does!

Finally, I strongly feel that the task of drafting 'ideal' ecotourism guidelines for all PAs in India is impractical and will turn out to be a pursuit in futility. Instead, MoEF should appoint a committee comprising of multi-stakeholders to look at site-specific ecotourism guidelines. For e.g. what may be good in Kanha Tiger Reserve may not be appropriate in Periyar Tiger Reserve. Buffer zones should be utilised for activities like bird watching and nature walks, conducted under strict supervision and only in certain areas. Ultimately, controlled wildlife tourism will discourage poachers and raise awareness that the forest and its resources are sacrosanct! Hopefully, with more funds earmarked for Project tiger in the coming years, the future will look brighter for tigers in India!

2011-03-07T04:00:00.000-08:00

The year 2011 has begun rather grimly for the national animal of India.

Fateh Singh Rathore, who spent his lifetime in protecting the tigers of Ranthambhor, passed away recently. With him, India has lost one of the most dedicated and passionate tiger conservationist. His work in Ranthambhor is commendable and although he won’t be around, the work he started will continue through Tiger Watch, the organisation he founded. The Corbett Foundation extends its condolences to Fatehji's family.

Fourteen tigers have died so far in India; the last one being on February 19, 2011. Among these mortalities, four tigers have died from the Corbett landscape. One of them was a fine 10-year old male who was believed to be the ‘man-eater’ responsible for the recent human deaths in Corbett. While it is agreeable that the Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR) authorities and the State Government had to take action to prevent any further attacks on people of Corbett, couldn’t they have tranquilised the tiger instead of shooting it at close quarters? With every tiger being important, such knee-jerk reactions should be avoided in future and the decisions must be taken in the interest of the animal and the people. It is unfortunate that all this had to happen when the Government of Uttarakhand is celebrating the Platinum Jubilee Year of Corbett National Park. The Corbett Foundation sympathises with the grieving families of the victims and have given them token compensation. I hope that the tiger killed was indeed responsible for the attacks on people and that there are no further attacks.

In March 2011, tiger experts from all around the world would be visiting CTR. The delegation will be discussing various aspects of tiger conservation in Corbett landscapes through field visits, workshops and interaction with the locals. I hope this visit makes a positive impact on the conservation efforts taken in the Corbett landscape.

The Corbett Foundation has completed its relief work subsequent to the devastating floods in 2010. As part of the Platinum Jubilee celebration of CTR, our Awareness team will take 75 school groups on a guided visit to Corbett Tiger Reserve. The Kutch Ecological Research Centre has taken up a rain water harvesting project in Kutch that will ensure clean and sufficient drinking water for people and animals of Jatavandh village. Our divisions in Kanha and Bandhavgarh have initiated the much-needed health awareness programme among the tribals and other local populations. Shortly, five more villages in Kanha and Bandhavgarh will be provided with Solar Lanterns and other renewable energy alternatives thus making their dependency on the forest to bare minimum. Many more such grassroots and meaningful projects are planned by the Foundation in 2011 in partnership with like-minded corporate groups. I appeal to the corporate world to extend their kind support to the Foundation in achieving the harmony between nature and people.

NDTV video on Tiger Fest

2010-07-25T22:58:00.000-07:00

NDTV video of the 'Tiger Fest' organised by The Corbett Foundation in association with Sanctuary Kids for Tigers in April 2010....

Mr. Dilip Khatau's meeting with Mr. Raila Odinga, Hon. Prime Minister of Kenya

2010-07-01T23:25:00.000-07:00

Mr. Dilip Khatau, Chairman of The Corbett Foundation along with Mr. Raila Odinga, Hon. Prime Minister of Kenya. Also seen in the picture are Mr. Khatau's sons, Haren and Gautam.

2010-07-01T23:23:00.000-07:00

Mr. Dilip D. Khatau, Chairman and Mrs. Rina D. Khatau, Co-Chair of The Corbett Foundation paid their respect at the grave of late Jim Corbett, renowned hunter-cum-conservationist, after whom Foundation is named.

Big cat spotted in Buxa reserve

2010-04-01T00:10:00.000-07:00

Big cat spotted in Buxa reserve

Senior Forest Officials Call It A ‘Momentous Event’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Kolkata: A tiger encounter was the last thing on his mind as beat officer Manindra Chandra Sarkar ambled down a narrow jungle path searching for scat in the Chuniajhora beat of Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR) on March 24.

A short, sharp noise alerted him and, as he took cover behind a bush, a Bengal tiger emerged from a clearing with a deer carcass dangling from its jaws. The nervous guard managed to reach out for his camera and click a few snaps before scurrying back to safety. The sighting, which is extremely rare in the north Bengal forest, made conservationists and forest officials heave a sigh of relief. They pointed out that it was a momentous event as a tiger had never been photographed in the Buxa reserve.

“The sighting happened after a considerably long period. Even though pugmarks are seen and roars heard occasionally, the big cat has not been seen here for quite some time. So, this is extremely encouraging and we are sure there are several more tigers in the adjoining beats. Also, this is probably the first time that a Buxa tiger has been photographed in the forest,” said Subhankar Sengupta, deputy field director, BTR.

The park is estimated to have a dozen tigers and it is believed that they keep crossing over to the extension of the forest in Bhutan, which has made sightings rare.

On March 24, guards were collecting scat and other evidence for the tiger census, which is currently under way. Beat officer Sarkar was leading the group and had moved ahead.

While scanning a pugmark impression pad that had been laid in the Chuniajhora beat, he heard an animal crossing the road. Soon, he discovered a carcass of a cow lying nearby. Moving still closer, he suddenly confronted a tiger, which had been lurking near the kill. Sarkar stayed calm, reached out for his camera and clicked from barely 50 yards before the big cat disappeared.

He rushed back and informed the range officer who, in turn, passed on the news to Sengupta. Forest guards rushed to the spot and found pugmarks around the kill. “I instructed my guards and officers to run a thorough check of the area, which revealed several pugmarks on the impression pad. From its size, it appears that the tiger was either a female or a sub-adult male. The quality of the photographs was, however, not satisfactory. We are studying them for more clues,” said Sengupta. The deputy conservator had clicked a tiger at the Mahananda sanctuary in 1999.

Principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) S B Mondol said Buxa could have 12-15 tigers. “There was never a doubt that the forest had tigers. The only worry was that sightings had become rare. So, this is very reassuring,” said Mondol.

Under the 2004 census, Buxa had 27 tigers. The number might have been incorrect due to the dated census methods, he said. “The new method, a combination of scat analysis and pugmarks, is far more accurate. The actual number is likely to be around 15,” added Mondol.

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Client.asp?Daily=TOIKM&showST=true&login=default&pub=TOI&Enter=true&Skin=TOINEW&GZ=T

The Corbett Foundation donates Solar-powered Lantersn for Rakhi village in Bandhavgarh, MP.

2010-03-26T03:01:00.001-07:00

Solar Lanterns for Rakhi village in Bandhavgarh...
The Corbett Foundation funded 60 Solar-powered Lanterns to the villagers of Rakhi situated at the outskirts of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh. The project has been implemented in association with TERI and is a part of Light a Billion Lives campaign. The vil...lage has no electricity supply. The solar-powered lanterns would substantially bring down the use of fossil fuels and firewood for lighting purpose. The Corbett Foundation would like to partner with corporates and NGOs to take this initiative to other villages in MP and other parts of India as well.

Interview of Mr. Dilip Khatau, Chairman & Mrs. Rina Khatau, Co-Chair of The Corbett Foundation by Channel News Asia

2010-03-08T20:18:00.000-08:00

Interview of Mr. Dilip Khatau, Chairman & Mrs. Rina Khatau, Co-Chair of The Corbett Foundation by Channel News Asia, Singapore on tiger conservation.

The Corbett Foundation's project supported by National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, US

2010-03-08T20:09:00.000-08:00

Read here about The Corbett Foundation's project supported by National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, US.

‘Everyone has a responsibility to save the environment’

2010-02-04T22:49:00.000-08:00

(Article that appeared in the Economic Times, dated February 01, 2010)

With its diverse ecosystems and extremely rich biodiversity, India ranks among the 15 top biodiversity-rich countries of the world. However, with the rise in population, there are relentless pressures on governments and industries to convert forest lands, mangroves, grasslands and other wilderness areas for agriculture, industries, power and irrigation projects, housing and urban development. The quest for uncontrolled and unsustainable development has taken a heavy toll on India's natural treasures. Coming from one of the oldest business families of India, I have realised that any commercial activity has a carbon footprint. While this is inevitable, it is certainly not impossible to reduce its overall impact on the environment by direct or indirect mitigation methods. The burning of fossil fuels to generate energy is one of the major factors contributing to global warming. Although essential, we must also try our best to substitute our energy requirements with other renewable energy options such as solar, wind, hydro and geothermal sources which are less polluting. Waste is another by-product of any business venture. Total solid waste generated in India annually is around 50 million tons. It is everyone's moral responsibility to reduce the per capita waste generation substantially by opting for less consumption and using environment-friendly waste disposal options. 'Reduce, reuse and recycle waste' should be an important part of any big or small business venture. In my opinion, large players in the corporate sector can play a crucial role in the restoration of degraded habitats and preservation of natural ecosystems. Nothing can sequester carbon dioxide as well as a protected forest does. Natural ecosystems provide us with valuable services like fresh air, food, water, medicines, carbon sequestration, climate regulation, recreation, ecotourism, etc. Thus, the value of a standing forest is much more than that its one-time use as a raw material for fossil fuel generation or timber. In India, where large tracts of fallow land are left unutilised, it is essential to adopt such areas for restoration and make them available for local biodiversity. Responsible wildlife tourism is a promising industry in India, generating huge foreign exchange. Villagers living around areas like Corbett, Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Kaziranga and other tiger reserves of India have benefited from eco-tourism activities. While there is a necessity for developing countries to modernise and improve their economies, we also need to live in harmony with our natural environment. This can only be achieved by exercising creativity, applying knowledge and widespread participation. Every individual should be made aware of her or his duties and responsibilities towards the environment. This is where NGOs such as The Corbett Foundation which I founded, continue to play an important role. The Corbett Foundation was established in 1994 and today it runs programmes to help the rural populace in more than 200 villages around Corbett, Bandhavgarh and Kutch. Conservation can only be achieved by involving the local stakeholders, providing them with employment opportunities and motivating them to lead a sustainable lifestyle with nature.

Dilip D. Khatau
Chairman
The Corbett Foundation

2010-02-01T21:20:00.001-08:00

WORLD WETLANDS DAY

February 02nd, every year, is observed as the World Wetlands Day. On this day, let us all remember all those small and big water bodies (marshes, lakes, rivers, ponds, oceans, deltas) that we all have seen, enjoyed, appreciated and ALSO abused directly or indirectly by throwing trash, letting off untreated sewage & effluents, hacking precious mangroves, actively helping in erosion of banks by illegal sand mining, adding to heavy metal pollution by immersing lakhs of idols to satisfy our religious sentiments, illegally drawing of water for agriculture, letting off unburnt corpses in the sacred Ganges and, last but not the least, destroying catchment forests that harvest and nurture the freshwater wetlands that provide us with drinking water.

Wetlands are precious ecosystems. Please do YOUR bit to preserve these breeding grounds for scores of species and play vital role in water storage, groundwater recharge, protection from storms, flood mitigation, shoreline stabilization, erosion control and retention of nutrients.

Save our WETLANDS!

Another tiger dead in Corbett Tiger Reserve

2010-01-13T23:24:00.000-08:00

One more tiger has been reported dead from the core area (Gojera nullah, Kanda beat, Dhikala range) of Corbett Tiger Reserve on January 12, 2010. It was a 5-6 yr old male in its prime. Senior forest department officials have said that the cause of death can be ascertained accurately only after the post-mortem report. However, as the circumstances around pointed to, the death could be due to poisoning. It seems the tiger had fed on a dead cow, the carcass of which could have been poisoned. The matter is being further investigated by the forest department.Four tigers (3 males & 1 female) dead in a span of one month in Corbett Tiger Reserve, supposed to be one of the best managed tiger reserves of the country. Though the female and one male died due to old age and infighting, respectively, the cause of death of two other males is yet to be ascertained, and is suspected to be not natural. Not just in Corbett, but tigers have died in mysterious conditions in other well-known tiger reserves in Indial in recent past. Tigers do occasionally stray out of the protected forests to fringe areas that are not notified sanctuaries, national parks or tiger reserves. We don't even know the status of those tigers that have strayed out to such areas. Shrinking habitats, dwindling prey base and ever-increasing cattle populations in and around forests, bring tigers in confrontation with people. Between 2005 and 2008, at least 20 tigers have been poisoned to death and 10 died in accidents in India. In 2009, 66 tiger deaths have been officially reported.

With only 1400-odd tigers remaining in the wild as per the Government of India estimates in 2008, do you think that tigers are really safe in India?

Bird Count by TCF

2010-01-11T23:51:00.000-08:00

The Corbett Foundation (TCF) regularly conducts bird counts at Tumeria, haripura and baur reservoirs near Corbett. Last week, during one such bird count, TCF team recorded 61 sp in Tumeria, 54 sp in Haripura and 28 sp in Baur. The migratory waterfowls have arrived in large numbers. The most commonly seen species includ...ed Red-crested, Common, Tufted & Ferruginous Pochards, Ruddy Shelduck, Bar-headed & Greylag Geese, Northen Pintail, Eurasian Wigeon, Northern Shoveller, Spot-bill Duck, Wooly-necked Stork, Black Ibis, Coot, Pallas' & Black-headed Gulls, River Tern and Little Cormorant, among others.

Highlights: A flock of 9 Sarus Cranes seen feeding in a field off Tumeria, a 6-ft long Rock Python in Tumeria and a mixed flock of vultures (Cinerious, Griffon, Long-billed and White-backed Vultures) in the buffer area of Corbett on the way to Tumeria.

Tiger death in Corbett Tiger Reserve on January 05, 2010

2010-01-05T23:11:00.001-08:00

A 3-yr old male tiger was found dead on January 05, 2010 in Dhikala chaud (grassland) of Corbett Tiger Reserve. The post-mortem was conducted by forest department vets in presence of the Director and the Deputy Director of Corbett Tiger Reserve, The Corbett Foundation personnel and media. The tiger had died due to a fi...ght with another tiger. Injury marks were visible around the neck and breast region of the carcass. The puncture marks made by the canines of another tiger were also visible on the lungs and heart of the victim. All body parts and internal organs were intact. The carcass was burnt after the post-mortem.

2009-12-30T03:26:00.000-08:00

Message from Mr. Dilip D. Khatau, Chairman, The Corbett Foundation

Corbett- the name itself brings back memories of my childhood when as a young boy sitting quietly on a machan with my father, I eagerly awaited the sound of drums which would mean that the hakka had started. The next half-an-hour would tell what the jungle held. May be a sambar, may be a tiger, may be nothing! But just the anticipation, the excitement of getting a fleeting glimpse of any animal was enough to make my hair stand on end.

In my case, the seeds of interest were sown early and the love for the wild flourished as the years went by. During my teens, having read all that Jim Corbett or Kenneth Anderson had to say about the jungles of India, I spent every holiday visiting the various forested areas of India. There were very few sanctuaries in those days and hunting was a very popular sport. Gradually, I got interested in shooting and learnt jungle lore from Jamshed, the shikari who showed me my first tiger on foot; Deva, a tribal who taught me the art of snaring small game; Kuvera, the tracker from whom I learnt to skin an animal and many more - M.V. Bobjee, Jimmy Wankaner, R.K. Parlakimidi - all great hunters at that time, were my mentors and I owe them a lot for not only the knowledge they passed on but also for the days spent in their company in the jungles.

The passion for the outdoors and nature grew to an extent that I started avoiding going back to the city. Finally, it was in the summer of 1960 that with my two closest friends, Sam and Bhupi, I came to Corbett for the first time.

It was love at first sight. The old forest bungalow at Dhikala, on the banks of the Ramganga, was delightfully deserted. We stayed for a week and met no other visitors. We did not see a tiger, but that did not matter. The forests were beautiful and tranquil. Out of all the jungles I had been to, Corbett with its chaurs, streams, riverine forests, sal trees and greenery was nature at its best! The vivid memories of those youthful carefree days will always remain.

I spent almost twenty years abroad in Africa and Southeast Asia, taking every opportunity to see wildlife and nature reserves in those places. On my return to India, I found a lot had changed. Gone were the forests I once roamed and with that were gone the animals I loved. Only small pockets of forests called reserves, sanctuaries and national parks. Project Tiger had been launched when everyone realized the state of wildlife had deteriorated all over India. Indiscriminate felling of trees and cutting of forests had left no sanctuary for the animals. Conflict between man and animal had increased and of course, the animal had lost out on all counts. Human population had exploded!

I came back to Corbett in 1985. Much had changed but the jungles seemed preserved. A dam had been built in Kalagarh, many known areas were underwater, but the charm was still there. I again did not see a tiger but there were many more elephants around Dhikala, Bijrani, Malani and other places. Shooting blocks which were familiar to me were now included in the area of the Corbett National Park. The thick cover and abundance of the game convinced me that this was still an ideal tiger country
.

By now I was completely converted into a conservationist, specially after seeing the success of game parks in Africa. I had given up shooting and the youthful desire had now to be put to an end. I had to put my knowledge and experience of nature, wildlife and forests to better use for posterity. What little was left had to be conserved and thus was the Corbett Foundation born.

Dilip D. Khatau