Siberian tigers starve to death at Chinese zoo

March 11, 2010

One of the dead tigers in Shenyang

The Year of the Tiger has got off to a tragic start for the endangered big cat in China.

At least 11 Siberian tigers starved to death in a zoo in northeastern China after its owners ran out of money and fed the predators just one or two chicken carcasses a day over the past few weeks.

Six of the tigers died recently on a single day at the privately owned Iceberg Animal Zoo in Shenyang, the Liaoshen Evening News reported.

The animals had been confined in small, wet cages, it said.

It is not the first time the zoo has been in the news for leaving its tigers to go hungry.

Two tigers at the zoo were shot by police in November last year after the hungry animals mauled a zoo worker as he was clearing snow from a path. One newspaper reported at the time that the tigers being starving.

In late 2007, wildlife experts were shocked when four tigers at the zoo killed and devoured another tiger with which they had shared their living quarters for five years.

A zoo official said: “The zoo is in a financial crisis and we haven’t been able to provide the tigers with sufficient food for the last two years. An adult tiger eats about 20lb of meat a day, but the tigers here can barely get a chicken to quench their hunger every one or two days.”

The tragedy comes just days after a wild tiger cub – the first to be seen in China for at least 60 years – was found trapped in a forestry worker’s woodpile in a neighbouring province to the north. The cub was tranquillised and captured but died two days later.

Only about 20 of rare endangered Siberian, or Amur, tigers are believed to survive in the wild along China’s border with Russia. The South China tiger is believed to be close to extinct.

About 5,000 tigers live on farms in northeastern China and in the southwest where they are bred in the hope that a ban on trade in tiger parts may one day be lifted, unleashing demand among Chinese for bones for use in traditional medicine and aphrodisiac tonics.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article7058214.ece

Imported from external blog

Imported from external blog

Relocation cry after tiger cub poisoning

RAKHEE ROY TALUKDAR

Jaipur, March 8: The poisoning of two tiger cubs in Ranthambhore on Sunday has again brought into focus the growing human-animal conflict, with wildlife experts saying the big cat population in the park should either be relocated or provided more space.

Ranthambhore, covering 392 sqkm of dry deciduous forest, has 41 tigers, according to the 2009 census. With the older ones having formed their own territories, the cubs find it difficult to form their prey base in the core area. So they stray out of the park to the peripheral areas, teeming with human population, trying to establish their own boundaries. Chief wildlife warden R.N. Mehrotra said at least four cubs have been wandering for the last four months in the outer areas of Kota-Baran and Bund Baretha in Bharatpur-Dholpur districts.

“It is a scary situation. It is very difficult to track the cubs and bring them back to the park. We are trying our best, but fear that they may also face the same fate as the other two. Or they may get poached. This is happening with overcrowding and we want more space for these tigers,” Mehrotra said.

Two shepherds, Mukesh Gujjar and Ram Khullar Gujjar, have been arrested for the deaths of the cubs. They have confessed to lacing their dead goats with Aldrin — a pesticide — and leaving them, one hanging from a tree, the other under it, to be eaten by the tiger cubs.

The carcasses of the tiger siblings, born to the tigress Chitroli, were found at Talwara village, some 15km from the park, on Sunday. They seem to have vomited — which is usually caused by poisonous substances — and a goat carcass was found nearby.

Mehrotra said: “It seems to be an act of revenge killing. The shepherds say the tigers, more than two years old, have been hounding their goats for quite some time.”

Rajpal Singh, member of the state government’s Empowered Committee for Wildlife and Forests, said: “This is not something new but has been happening with surrounding villagers who are defensive about their domestic animals. When these tigers stray out in the ravines, they find it hard to get food and hence domestic animals become their prey base, which shows the increasing human-animal conflict.”

Wildlife observers said the core area, spread over 274.5 sq km, is too cramped for 41 tigers. As a result, younger ones stray to form their own territories.

The experts said there has been 200 tiger cub births over the past few years in Ranthambhore. In 1973, when Project Tiger began, there were just six to eight big cats in Ranthambhore. Now there are 41. Considering there have been 30 natural deaths, at least 170 of them should remain. “But where are they? Obviously poached,” said Singh.

The tiger is poached for its body parts to cater to an illegal trade.

At least 1.5 lakh tourists visit the park annually, giving the park a business revenue of over Rs 60 crore. The park permits 15 jeeps and 20 canters at a time, accommodating at most 460-475 visitors during one safari period, leading to considerable vehicular pollution. There are more 50 hotels around Ranthambhore.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100309/jsp/nation/story_12195058.jsp

Imported from external blog

Poisoned goats used to kill Ranthambore tigers

TNN, Mar 9, 2010, 06.43am IST

JAIPUR: A day after two tiger cubs were found poisoned to death on the outskirts of Ranthambore National Park, forest officials arrested two persons for killing them. The accused have allegedly confessed to their crime.

According to officials, the two — Ram Khilari Gujjar and Mukesh Gujjar — are residents of nearby Bhowpur village and were arrested on Sunday night.

“The day after Holi, the tigers killed a goat belonging to the accused. This prompted the accused to set up a trap for killing the tigers,” said an official.

“The duo went to a place called Khandar and picked up some Aldrin, a powerful pesticide often used by people to commit suicide. They then coated a goat with the poison and tied it below a tree. Another was hoisted atop the tree after injecting it with the pesticide so that the smell of the cattle spreads and attracts the tigers,” he added.

Eventually, the tigers were drawn towards the goats and both died while feasting on them. However, forest officials are yet to recover the samples of the pesticide and syringes used for the purpose.

“We want to get these samples so that we can produce them as evidences in the court,” the official added.

Meanwhile, the forest department has begun chalking out steps to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. The plans would be submitted before the committee probing the killing of tigers.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Poisoned-goats-used-to-kill-Ranthambore-tigers/articleshow/5661249.cms

Imported from external blog

Locals poison 2 tiger cubs in Ranthambore

Anindo Dey, TNN, Mar 8, 2010, 04.29am IST

JAIPUR: Even as India struggles to keep its tigers alive, in a shocking incident, two 17-month-old cubs were found dead, allegedly poisoned by villagers on the outskirts of Ranthambore Tiger Reserve on Sunday.

Forest officials said it could have been revenge by the villagers, upset over the killing of their livestock by tigers. Officials say that such incidents may happen again, as straying of tigers from the over-populated reserve was expected. The tiger population in Ranthambore reserve has now come down to 39, which has capacity for only 30.

With the death of the cubs, the worst fears over the growing tiger population and their shrinking habitat leading to their killings have come true. According to forest officials, the two cubs had strayed from the park about two months back and were seen roaming in its outskirts ever since.

''It's not a case of poaching as the body parts were intact. It appears to be a case of revenge killing,'' said Rajasthan's chief wildlife warden R N Mehrotra. Local MLA Allauddin Azad has called for an inquiry.
Forest officials said they found carcasses of two goats from the place where the dead cubs were found.
''Prima facie it appears that the tigers ate the goats that were set as bait and got poisoned. The tigers had vomited,'' the official said.

''The tigers have been attacking livestock in villages. But on Sunday, they were poisoned by the villagers near the Talawara village, about 15 km from the park, on the banks of the Banas river,'' the official added. Officials recovered their carcasses and conducted a post mortem. The viscera has been sent for forensic test and the bodies have been burnt.

''The two adult cubs were from the same litter of the Chirolee tigress and were roaming on the outskirts. When their bodies were traced they were together. They seemed to have been lying for two days and had developed maggots. However, their mother is within the park limits and is safe,'' the official added.

''Had we relocated some of the tigers to Sariska, we would not have seen this day. We could have relocated five tigers to Sariska by now and there would have been space for these cubs in Ranthambore,'' said Rajpal Singh, former member of the empowered committee.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Locals-poison-2-tiger-cubs-in-Ranthambore/articleshow/5656064.cms

Imported from external blog

Minnesota tigers get TV time



The Wildcat Sanctuary and two Bengal tigers that reside there will be featured in an upcoming episode of Animal Planet. The tigers, Titan and Lily, were taken from the property of Cynthia Gamble, who was killed four years ago by a third tiger, Tango.

Animal Planet miniseries showcases the deadly risks of keeping exotic pets.

By KEVIN GILES, Star Tribune
Last update: March 5, 2010 - 9:25 PM

Titan and Lilly live behind two tall fences off a gravel road in the woods of Pine County, forgotten for the news they made four years ago.

Soon they'll appear on national television -- on Animal Planet on March 21 -- as symbols of what can go wrong with private ownership of wild animals.

A tiger named Tango killed his owner, Cynthia Gamble, at her Pine County farm in April 2006. Titan and Lilly, who were kept there in separate enclosures, took no part in the attack. But they hit the headlines as icons of tragedy, portrayed as starving and emaciated.

The miniseries examines why people risk their lives to own so-called "exotic" pets that can turn on them in an instant. The three-part airing will show venomous reptiles first, deadly big cats second and chimpanzees third.

"Why are people attracted to something so dangerous?" asked Tammy Thies, director of the Wildcat Sanctuary, the tigers' new home. "We all see the majesty in a wild animal and I think some people take that too far in a personal relationship thinking they're going to get something out of it."

The sanctuary is a private refuge where a black leopard, a jaguar, tigers, lions, cougars, bobcats, lynx and servals live out their years. All of the cats had private owners once. Many of them had become threats to public safety before they arrived at the sanctuary, which is funded with private donations.

A film team came to the Wildcat Sanctuary to document Titan and Lilly in their new habitat. Titan weighs 515 pounds and Lilly, less than 300. Both tigers, at 14, could live many more years.

The sanctuary, which was built in Pine County about the time that Gamble was attacked, now has 115 animals. Employees take great care to prevent escapes and guard against attacks, Thies said.

Animal Planet wanted to do "reenactments," Thies said, including having her pet Titan and Lilly. "I said we don't go in with the tigers," she said. They are powerful enough that a single swat could kill a human being.

"They said it was the first happy filming they did because they had seen all the places that people died."

Animal Planet promotes the miniseries as a window into the kinship people feel with dangerous animals that sometimes kill and maim their owners.

Both of the people featured in the reptile episode are dead -- a man presumed eaten alive by one of his many monitor lizards, and a woman who didn't survive her pet viper's bite.

"Exotic pet ownership is not as rare as one might think, or as wildlife experts would wish," Animal Planet said in promotional literature. "Millions of exotic animals are brought to the United States in any given year. A significant number of these pets have the potential to severely injure or kill their owners, neighbors or family."

Thies said her sanctuary has seen less business lately -- a good development, she said -- because a new law in Minnesota requires registration of exotic animals and has discouraged ownership somewhat.

"The bad news is that we're still allowing people from other states to come here and exhibit their animals," Thies said, warning parents they should guard their children around exotic animals at malls, fairs and other places where they're displayed.

THE WILDCAT SANCTUARY
The private refuge, which depends on donations to operate, has launched its largest-ever fundraising campaign, seeking to raise at least $50,000 by April 30. A foundation has pledged to match that amount, said Tammy Thies, the sanctuary's director. Additional information is available at: www.wildcatsanctuary.org/Programs/match.html

WHEN TO WATCH

March 14: Venomous reptiles

March 21: Big cats

March 28: Chimpanzees

All shows air at 9 p.m.

For further information, go to http://animal.discovery.com/

W3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUycaEacyU" rel="nofollow">http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/tv/86689917.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4OW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUycaEacyU

Imported from external blog

No bombing! Playful Bengal and Siberian tigers leap into swimming pool in games of chase with zoo keepers

By Mail Foreign Service
Last updated at 3:51 PM on 04th March 2010

These tigers look like they're about to make a meal out of a group of unsuspecting swimmers as they leap into the water.

The big cats launch themselves from the poolside and, with enormous paws outstretched, look like they could do some serious damage.

But, despite appearances, these pictures actually show zoo keepers playing with the stripy creatures in the water.

Imported from external blog

UW student group tries to stop tiger show

Posted: Mar 04, 2010 7:28 PM EST

For Information About White Tigers Visit:
http://www.bigcatrescue.org/cats/wild/white_tigers.htm

Imported from external blog

Tiger, lions, baboons rescued after Chilean quake

Posted : Fri, 05 Mar 2010 22:08:07 GMT By : dpa

Iloca, Chile - Ten circus animals - seven lions, a tiger and two baboons - were rescued Friday in the Chilean coastal town of Iloca, which was ravaged by an earthquake and tsunami last week. The animals, belonging to the circus Los Montini, had survived the disaster and were being cared for by their owners since the February 27 earthquake. But severe shortages of food and drinking water in the disaster zone made conditions for the animals precarious.

On Friday, Agriculture Ministry personnel transferred the animals to zoos and other veterinary facilities.

Circus operators vowed to reclaim the animals within two months. Much of the circus' equipment was swept out to sea the tsunami that followed the earthquake.

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/312723,sidebar-tiger-lions-baboons-rescued-after-chilean-quake.html

Imported from external blog

After spate of controversies, tiger census team keep their fingers crossed this time

Shiv Sahay Singh
Posted: Saturday , Mar 06, 2010 at 0205 hrs

Sunderbans Tiger Reserve:

As hundreds of forest officials, volunteers of several wildlife NGOs scour through the mangroves of the Sunderbans looking for the Royal Bengal Tigers as part of a mammoth exercise to count their numbers, there is only one question in the minds of everyone — How many big cats are there in the Sunderbans?

The number is anybody’s guess.

There are several ‘versions’ about the number of tigers present in the largest delta of the country, borne out by past controversies and still fuelling some more.

The last tiger census that was carried out here — and its result published — was in 2004. Then the census had put the number of tigers in the Sunderbans area at a whopping 274.

Two years later, a survey was carried out but its result is the best kept secret.

Sources in the forest department said that there was conflicting figures about the tiger population. While the Wildlife Institute of India (ISI) concluded that there were 150 big cats in the area, the Kolkata-based Indian Statistical Institute painted a gloomy scenario. According to the latter, there were only 69 tigers. Interestingly, both the conclusions were drawn from the same inputs.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/after-spate-of-controversies-tiger-census-team-keep-their-fingers-crossed-this-time/587478/

Imported from external blog