Revision as of 20:06, 6 August 2016

2015: canine diseases, 17,000 dogs in buffer zone

The Times of India Jan 01 2016

The 17000 dogs in Corbett can pass diseases to tigers and leopards

The thriving big cat population at the Jim Cor bett National Park might be a showpiece for successful con servation, but the famous wildlife sanctuary's tigers and leopards might be at risk from canine diseases from 17,000 odd dogs living in villages in the 5km buffer zone.

A first-of-its-kind survey of wildlife habitats in India conducted by Humane Society International, India, a leading animal rights group, found most of the dogs were unvacci nated and are possible prey for felines who spill out of the core areas of the sanctuary .

Though dogs are not natu ral diet for tigers, the interface with areas populated by humans makes them vulnerable.However, dogs are a prey for the leopards who often raid villages and isolated dwellings looking for an easy meal. The survey makes a case for immediate vaccination of around 13,000 dogs which might infect the big cats with diseases that are not found in the wild. The survey of dog population is considered the best means of determining the vaccination gap and prevent canine diseases from transferring to felines.

Amit Chaudhari, who led the team in conducting the survey around the Jim Corbett National Park in October, told TOI that vaccinations are a preventive action.

“The majority of dogs in the buffer zone are owned by the villagers. There are many instances wherein the dogs are snatched away by the big cats. Largely unaware of these infections and the vaccinations for them, the villagers have not given jabs to these dogs,“ Chaudhari said. Research shows tigers and leopards in such sanctuaries are at risk from canine diseases like rabies, parvo and distemper, all viruses that can be transferred from canine to feline. Vaccination is also important to protect humans and prevent reprisals against the canines.There have been instances where people killed dogs around Ranthambore national park in Rajasthan, fearing spread of diseases in the area.

The HSI is currently preparing a proposal for the NTCA on how to take the project to the next phase of vaccination by running a pilot project that can be then extended to other national parks. “The vaccination drive will not on ly create a healthy habitat for the wildlife but also for the humans inhabiting these areas, making it a first of its kind project in India“, said the HSI while disclosing basic details of the survey .

Rahul Sehgal, director of HSI, Asia, said, “This survey is the first step towards the `Free Roaming Dog Population Program' that will help in further protecting the dogs and the wildlife habitat. After the survey , we now wish to vaccinate the dogs and identify if any are already infected.“

Water requirement

Ferried by tankers in summer

The Times of India, Jun 06 2016

Vineet Upadhyay  According to estimates, almost 1.5 lakh litres of water is being procured every day to fill up more than 100 water holes in the park. “Although procuring water has been a regular practice more or less every summer, this year, the dry spell was too long. Hence, our requirement is huge and we have had to get additional water for the animals,“ park director Sameer Sinha told TOI.

The exercise started in April with the onset of summer but as temperatures have risen, the quantum of water being bought has also gone up. According to officials, every day , 35-40 tankers arrive at the park, each carrying 4,000 litres of water. This is then filled in the water holes either manually or with pump sets.

“This is serious. The soaring temperatures have resulted in a situation where we have had to increasingly depend on supplied water to meet the requirements of the animals,“ said Saket Badola, deputy director of the park.