Tumakuru's Environment & Heritage Issues

As told, with his pictures, by: Mr.TVN Murthy Honorary Wildlife Warden, Tumkur District, Karnataka and Founder Advisor, WANC, Tumkur. Email : tvnmurthy at vsnl dot com ©TVN Murthy (All rights reserved)  ---------------- Dear Friends, It was yet another incident of Sloth bear being trapped by the farmers at Pandithanahalli near Hirehalli of Tumkur Taluk. It is common in Tumkur district for farmers to set up traps to catch wildboars that venture into farm land for food. This was unfortunate for a well built adult male sloth bear on the night of 20 July 2009. It was trying to cross the barbed wire fence of a farm land near TVS Electronics at Pandithanahalli. The trap hooked the front leg of the bear sometime during night and the animal was crying for help after that. ©TVN Murthy (All rights reserved)  Early morning on 21 July, the local forest department officials and WANC took a local veterinary doctor to release the animal. The animal was sedat...

As told, with his pictures, by TVN Murthy Honorary Wildlife Warden, Tumkur District, Karnataka and  Founder Advisor, WANC, Tumkur.  Email: tvnmurthy@vsnl.com Dear Friends, On Feb 20, 2009, I received an unusual call from residents of Devalapura village, near Madhugiri Town, in south-eastern Karnataka, at half past eight and rushed to the spot. I could hear howls of a bear from almost half a KM from where it seemed to be located. On reaching the place, I saw an entire village watching in apprehension a Sloth bear. It was trapped up a Jackfruit tree.  ©TVN Murthy (All rights reserved)  ©TVN Murthy (All rights reserved)  The problem Sloth Bear (Melursus ursinus) is quite common around Madhugiri in Tumkur District. Many villagers encounter this animal in early hours and at dusk. I have heard many reports of attack on human in this area. During the recent by-elections to Madhugiri Assembly constituency, a sloth bear mother wit...

Dear Nature lovers, Below are some images that depict the way the wildlife census at Jayamangali Blackbuck Reserve, Maidenahalli, Madhugiri Taluk was conducted, in February 2009. Mr.TVN Murthy, Honorary Wildlife Warden, Tumkur District and Founder Advisor, WANC welcomed the volunteers . Murthy explained how WANC has made a difference to the area WANC ex-chairman and member Ameen Ahmed spoke about the Conservation Reserve, its history and current status.   The campus at the reserve got a facelift in time for the census, thanks to the enthusiastic RFO of Madhugiri, Mr.Harish.K. The forest Inspection Bungalow was inaugurated just in time and the repainted hoarding can be seen below. WANC had put up hoardings and banners at various locations guiding volunteers to the area. The conservation reserve comes in the jurisdiction of Madhugiri Subdivision as well as Range Much of the area inside the conservation reserve has been planted and gives the look of an artificial forest.  The expansive gr...

Source: The New Indian Express, Bengaluru, 23 Feb, '09 Link:  http://www.expressbuzz.com/ edition/story.aspx?Title=Red+ alert:+Blackbuck+numbers+on+ the+wane&artid=qf6zORGiYXU=& SectionID=Qz/kHVp9tEs=& MainSectionID=Qz/kHVp9tEs=& SEO=blackbucks&SectionName= UOaHCPTTmuP3XGzZRCAUTQ== Red alert: Blackbuck numbers on the wane DAYS NUMBERED? A male blackbuck at the Maidenahalli Conservation Reserve in Bangalore on Sunday. Navya First Published : 23 Feb 2009 03:44:00 AM IST Last Updated : 23 Feb 2009 11:29:34 AM IST BANGALORE: The number of blackbucks in the state is fast dwindling, finds a census conducted in and around Dayamangali Conservation Reserve in Tumkur by the forest department. The census was released in the city on Sunday. The census, conducted in association with NGO Wild Awareness Nature Club (WANC), estimated the population of the endangered species at 458. This is a...

UPDATE ON 17 FEB 2009 Dear Nature lover, We have CLOSED the registration to new participants. If you have already submitted your form, we THANK YOU FOR SHOWING YOUR INTEREST TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CENSUS. THE RESPONSE HAS BEEN OVERWHELMING AND WE HAVE RECEIVED OVER 400 INQUIRIES AGAINST THE AVAILABLE FOOD AND ACCOMMODATION FOR 75 PEOPLE + 15 FOREST STAFF/ VOLUNTEERS. WE ARE CONDUCTING A BLACKBUCK CENSUS AGAIN IN NOVEMBER, AS WELL AS A BIRD SURVEY IN DEVARAYANADURGA FORESTS IN MONSOONS, THIS YEAR. THOSE OF YOU WHO COULD NOT BE ACCOMMODATED THIS TIME WILL BE GIVEN FIRST PREFERENCE THEN. Please click here to see if you were one of the first 100 participants http://maidenahalli.googlepages.com/censuslist Best regards, WANC, Tumkur -- WANC (Wildlife Aware Nature Club) Tumkur, INDIA htpp://wildlifeaware.googlepages.com ----------------------------------------------- UPDATE ON 13 Feb. 2009 A couple of the participants who happen to run an adventure organisation, 'X-Trails' have come fo...

The Tumkur University authorities have again raised their voice to have the University campus inside the jungles of Devarayanadurga. There is a direction by the CEC to the Chief Scretary of Karnataka in its hearing on Application Number 585, Wildlife Aware Nature Club, Tumkur VS State of Karnataka, 20th October 2005 ( Ref: FOREST CASE UPDATE, Issue 17, October 2005 ). It has been clearly said that " there be no construction activity or felling of trees till a decision on this case is taken ". Though the CEC decision refers to the entire 300 acres that was originally occupied by the University, only 225 acres has been vacated. The rest 75 acres has been fenced off and has remained in possession of the University authorities. The University wants to clear fell this 75 acres for non-forest purposes. Of late the Vice Chancellor of the University has been issuing many press statements to this effect. Below is one such statement that appeared in Kannada Prabha, a sister publication...

Dear Friends, A rock python, big by standards of specimens recorded in Tumkur district, was run over on one of the roads inside Devarayanadurga (DD) state forest on 16 Nov 2008. This magnificent specimen measured 8.74 ft and weighed over 6 kilos. It was a really sad day as DD lost one more precious and endangered animal due to increased vehicular traffic and human movement inside the forest. This is the reason why we suggest there should be speed breakers on the roads here. Also there should be checkposts inside the forest to prevent unneccessary movement of vehicles from dusk to dawn. Regards, Mallikarjun (Mallik)