3 rare lions killed in India sanctuary

crvlvr · Mar 6th, 2007, 23:13

NEW DELHI - Poachers killed three highly endangered Asiatic lions in their only remaining sanctuary in western India, removing their claws and bones and raising fears for the future of these rare cats, wildlife officials said Tuesday.

Rangers at the Gir National Park in the state of Gujarat found the mutilated bodies of two lionesses and a cub on Saturday deep within the park, said Bharat Pathak, the park's conservation officer.

Only some 350 of the Asiatic lions that once roamed across much of Asia from Turkey to India still exist, all of them in the Gir park. The killings sparked renewed calls from conservationists to set up an alternate sanctuary.

Full Story from Yahoo

capt_mahajan · Mar 6th, 2007, 23:25

I read this in the newspaper today, but I read wrong.. thought there was only (only?) one.

After months of reading reports of tiger poaching and dwindling numbers, now this. Makes one despair.

ddevadatta · Mar 6th, 2007, 23:42

I have no respect or value for poachers. I can beleive they would kill such rare lions. I wish we had the death penalty for poachers...There is something so offensive by what they do..

PeakXV · Mar 6th, 2007, 23:43

These animals are vitually in a zoo now and their cage is getting smaller as encroachment and population increases.

On top of the rather bleak future - there are citizens who rely on their skin & bones for daily sustenance fuelled by myths in other countries - say it ain't so.

cyberhippie · Mar 6th, 2007, 23:48

Whilst I abhor poachers, this story is a little over the top. Sasan Gir has a very successful breeding/protection program. with a population of over 700 lions!!

Still doesn't make this right but the story is not as bleak as it sounds...thankfully!!

Sama · Mar 7th, 2007, 00:23

"The poachers left the pelts of the lions, taking their claws, bones and skulls — which are highly prized in traditional Chinese medicine — raising fears that a professional gang of poachers was behind the killings...."

it makes me sick. all for man's greed and ego.

PeakXV · Mar 7th, 2007, 00:25

Population encroachment is the biggest threat to wildlife in India - whether it is elephants in Assam, tigers in MP, or perhaps someday soon lions in a Gujurat sanctuary.

cyberhippie · Mar 7th, 2007, 00:31

Yeah that silly Chinese minority and their little weaner's, they REALLY piss me off. Some bush family cashing in the demand I can feel for but this sexual potency thing and animal poaching really gets on my goat!!
Haven't they heard of Viagra!!

julesa · Mar 7th, 2007, 04:46

when i was at Kaziranga our guide told us they shoot poachers who won't surrender when found.

capt_mahajan · Mar 7th, 2007, 07:26

It is easy to blame Chinese demand, Tigers, too, are Chinese demand led victims. Tibet is the first stop; a tiger stripped down is supposed to be worth 50000 usd.

But the poachers and officials , either corrupt, uncaring or inefficient, are Indian.

Its not usually bush families, CH, though many locals/tribals are coerced into this but invariably by big time poachers, operating usually from Delhi.

tanzi22 · Mar 7th, 2007, 12:41

Hi

I have no voice against them, the only thing i can do that, if i caught them i will do the same thing what they have done with lions.

I don't know that how much time we need to understand that we r the gift of nature.

"Then how can we destroy our MOTHER"

Tanmoy Chatterjee

crvlvr · Mar 8th, 2007, 00:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by capt_mahajan

It is easy to blame Chinese demand, Tigers, too, are Chinese demand led victims. Tibet is the first stop; a tiger stripped down is supposed to be worth 50000 usd.

These kinds of profit margins remind me of the drug trade and the war on drugs -- which we lost a long time ago after billions spent. Similarly, it will be impossible for the India govt stop poachers. Anyone who has been to the Indian forests will realize that it is not easy to stay on top of things in there. The only long term solution, IMHO, will be to educate the consumers of these products of the consequences of their actions and hope that the next generation will think differently.

capt_mahajan · Mar 8th, 2007, 07:31

Crvlvr, agree with the comparison to the drug trade. Reminded me of that too.

I remember reading about similar logistical issues as those you mention with tigers in Russia, a handful of people with poor resources covering a large area.

Apparently the Russian target market is again China.

IMHO, education didn't stop the cheetah, and may not stop the tiger, unless law enforcement tightens. Though it is heartening to hear news from Africa, where in some cases elephant conservation has been too successful... there are now so many elephants here that the balance is being adversely affected.
Whatever, it does show that things can be done.

Indira Gandhi, despite all her other faults, was a tigress (!) on this issue. She did do a lot, and for sometime results weren't bad.

Nick-H · Mar 8th, 2007, 10:15

It's good to know that Indira Gandhi wasn't all bad! I must find out about that period in Indian history. (perhaps I should say, I must find out about Indian history, period!)

The poachers go for trees too. As all you guys who have ever been ushered into a gift shop by your driver know, sandalwood is worth a not-so-small fortune.

Their audacity knows no bounds: one night they sut and removed a tree from Guindy park ---in the middle of Chennai!

jennyandernie · Mar 8th, 2007, 22:52

A few years back I watched a program on TV about tiger poachers; they were rubber tappers in Malay who had been made redundant. They snared a young tiger and shot it with a home made gun. The tiger skin ended up in West Germany and of course the middle men made most of the profit. Now I deplore poaching as much as the next man but the point these men made was that being made redundant they could not feed their families; there being no state benefits for them as there are in the west.

I think it is easy for people like me to sit back watching TV living a comfortable and secure life in the west and condem such things as poaching; but I have to think about what I would do if faced with the grinding poverty some people have to endure. If my children had been hungry and a means of feeding them would have been poaching then that is what I would have done.

When we critisise farmers for killing elephants for trampling their crops or tigers for killing their stock we must remember that they are trying to protect their only income and ruined crops could mean starvation for their families.

As a last thought I like to think of the outcry if we tried to reintroduce some of our extinct "dangerous" animals back into the UK. Would the farmers be prepared to lose some of their livestock to the predation of wolves? Would people be sympathetic to the animals if some kids out picking berries were killed by an aggressive bear ?

Ernie

Mar 6th, 2007, 23:13	#1
crvlvr Guru Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Hollywood Posts: 4,475	3 rare lions killed in India sanctuary NEW DELHI - Poachers killed three highly endangered Asiatic lions in their only remaining sanctuary in western India, removing their claws and bones and raising fears for the future of these rare cats, wildlife officials said Tuesday. Rangers at the Gir National Park in the state of Gujarat found the mutilated bodies of two lionesses and a cub on Saturday deep within the park, said Bharat Pathak, the park's conservation officer. Only some 350 of the Asiatic lions that once roamed across much of Asia from Turkey to India still exist, all of them in the Gir park. The killings sparked renewed calls from conservationists to set up an alternate sanctuary. Full Story from Yahoo

Mar 6th, 2007, 23:42	#3
ddevadatta Finger Licking Good Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 907	Bastards I have no respect or value for poachers. I can beleive they would kill such rare lions. I wish we had the death penalty for poachers...There is something so offensive by what they do.. __________________ Ayurvedic cure for an Indian headache

Mar 6th, 2007, 23:43	#4
PeakXV Naan.tering Nabob Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Abode of Glooscap Posts: 4,208	These animals are vitually in a zoo now and their cage is getting smaller as encroachment and population increases. On top of the rather bleak future - there are citizens who rely on their skin & bones for daily sustenance fuelled by myths in other countries - say it ain't so. __________________ We shall not cease from exploration and at the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started ...and know the place for the first time. T.S. Eliot Don't go to India ~ Pre-trip Warnings & Misconceptions?

Mar 7th, 2007, 00:23	#6
Sama a pain in the asana Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: the India inside my heart Posts: 5,354	"The poachers left the pelts of the lions, taking their claws, bones and skulls — which are highly prized in traditional Chinese medicine — raising fears that a professional gang of poachers was behind the killings...." it makes me sick. all for man's greed and ego. __________________ *My India, 2005-2008* BE THE REVOLUTION

Mar 7th, 2007, 12:41	#11
tanzi22 Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Kolkata Posts: 1	I must shoot them Hi I have no voice against them, the only thing i can do that, if i caught them i will do the same thing what they have done with lions. I don't know that how much time we need to understand that we r the gift of nature. "Then how can we destroy our MOTHER" Tanmoy Chatterjee

Mar 6th, 2007, 23:25	#2
capt_mahajan (in charge of navel affairs) Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: India Posts: 10,134	I read this in the newspaper today, but I read wrong.. thought there was only (only?) one. After months of reading reports of tiger poaching and dwindling numbers, now this. Makes one despair.

Mar 6th, 2007, 23:48	#5
cyberhippie Account Closed by User's Request Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: the Netherlands Posts: 6,012	Whilst I abhor poachers, this story is a little over the top. Sasan Gir has a very successful breeding/protection program. with a population of over 700 lions!! Still doesn't make this right but the story is not as bleak as it sounds...thankfully!!

Mar 7th, 2007, 00:25	#7
PeakXV Naan.tering Nabob Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Abode of Glooscap Posts: 4,208	Population encroachment is the biggest threat to wildlife in India - whether it is elephants in Assam, tigers in MP, or perhaps someday soon lions in a Gujurat sanctuary.

Mar 7th, 2007, 00:31	#8
cyberhippie Account Closed by User's Request Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: the Netherlands Posts: 6,012	Yeah that silly Chinese minority and their little weaner's, they REALLY piss me off. Some bush family cashing in the demand I can feel for but this sexual potency thing and animal poaching really gets on my goat!! Haven't they heard of Viagra!!

Mar 7th, 2007, 04:46	#9
julesa Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: melbourne australia Posts: 291	when i was at Kaziranga our guide told us they shoot poachers who won't surrender when found.

Mar 7th, 2007, 07:26	#10
capt_mahajan (in charge of navel affairs) Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: India Posts: 10,134	It is easy to blame Chinese demand, Tigers, too, are Chinese demand led victims. Tibet is the first stop; a tiger stripped down is supposed to be worth 50000 usd. But the poachers and officials , either corrupt, uncaring or inefficient, are Indian. Its not usually bush families, CH, though many locals/tribals are coerced into this but invariably by big time poachers, operating usually from Delhi.

Mar 8th, 2007, 07:31	#13
capt_mahajan (in charge of navel affairs) Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: India Posts: 10,134	Crvlvr, agree with the comparison to the drug trade. Reminded me of that too. I remember reading about similar logistical issues as those you mention with tigers in Russia, a handful of people with poor resources covering a large area. Apparently the Russian target market is again China. IMHO, education didn't stop the cheetah, and may not stop the tiger, unless law enforcement tightens. Though it is heartening to hear news from Africa, where in some cases elephant conservation has been too successful... there are now so many elephants here that the balance is being adversely affected. Whatever, it does show that things can be done. Indira Gandhi, despite all her other faults, was a tigress (!) on this issue. She did do a lot, and for sometime results weren't bad.

Mar 8th, 2007, 10:15	#14
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 26,960	It's good to know that Indira Gandhi wasn't all bad! I must find out about that period in Indian history. (perhaps I should say, I must find out about Indian history, period!) The poachers go for trees too. As all you guys who have ever been ushered into a gift shop by your driver know, sandalwood is worth a not-so-small fortune. Their audacity knows no bounds: one night they sut and removed a tree from Guindy park ---in the middle of Chennai! __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

Mar 8th, 2007, 22:52	#15
jennyandernie Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Suffolk, UK Posts: 32	A few years back I watched a program on TV about tiger poachers; they were rubber tappers in Malay who had been made redundant. They snared a young tiger and shot it with a home made gun. The tiger skin ended up in West Germany and of course the middle men made most of the profit. Now I deplore poaching as much as the next man but the point these men made was that being made redundant they could not feed their families; there being no state benefits for them as there are in the west. I think it is easy for people like me to sit back watching TV living a comfortable and secure life in the west and condem such things as poaching; but I have to think about what I would do if faced with the grinding poverty some people have to endure. If my children had been hungry and a means of feeding them would have been poaching then that is what I would have done. When we critisise farmers for killing elephants for trampling their crops or tigers for killing their stock we must remember that they are trying to protect their only income and ruined crops could mean starvation for their families. As a last thought I like to think of the outcry if we tried to reintroduce some of our extinct "dangerous" animals back into the UK. Would the farmers be prepared to lose some of their livestock to the predation of wolves? Would people be sympathetic to the animals if some kids out picking berries were killed by an aggressive bear ? Ernie __________________ We have posted our photos on our website at http://www.jennyandernie.co.uk/India/India%2001.htm

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