Latest news with #SPrabhakaran
Time of India
3 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Maggot-infested tigress rescued near Bandipur
1 2 Mysuru: A maggot-infested tigress, writhing in pain in a field in Kundakere village near Bandipur Tiger Reserve, was rescued and shifted to Chamundi Rehabilitation Centre in Mysuru on Friday. The tigress has been kept under observation, and its condition appears to be critical. Villagers tipped off the presence of the big cat near their village to foresters early in the day. It was struggling to move because of the injury and had also grown weak due to starvation. It was then tranquilised and rescued. Bandipur director S Prabhakaran said the tigress is around 11-years-old and has suffered wounds due to infighting. It strayed out of the Kundakere Forest Range and reached the village. Following complaints from villagers about the presence of another big cat, a combing operation with tamed elephants has been launched, the director said, adding that cattle have killed by the big cats earlier in the village. Zoo authorities said the big cat is recuperating from the tranquiliser dart and is under observation. It has been put on fluids. There are maggot wounds all over its body, and it is being treated. An officer said the tigress is aged and starved after it was forced out of the forest, maybe three to four days earlier. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Happy Independence Day wishes , messages , and quotes !
Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
Man who survived jumbo encounter fined Rs 25K
Mysuru: The forest department imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on Basavaraj, a resident of Nanjangud, who tried to take photo of a wild elephant in Bandipur Tiger Reserve (BTR) and was attacked by it. Basavaraj released a video requesting people not to get down in the forest areas to click photos. S Prabhakaran, director of Bandipur Tiger Reserve, said patrolling was intensified along the interstate national highway after the incident to ensure that passengers do not get down from their vehicles during their journey through the forest. "At the checkposts, our staff are advising passengers not to get down from the vehicles," he said. Don't get down from vehicles: Basavaraj Meanwhile, Basavaraj, who was attacked by the elephant on Sunday evening, but survived by a whisker, released a minute-long video requesting people to stop getting down in the forest areas. He said that he got down on Sunday evening to take a selfie. He requested the passengers not to get down from the vehicles to attend nature's call or for any other reasons. He also appealed to the public against offering food to any wild animals. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
New Indian Express
6 days ago
- New Indian Express
Bandipur jumbo attack: Criminal cases will be filed against violators
BENGALURU: Forest officials have decided to file criminal cases against people violating rules under the Wildlife Protection Act and not just limit themselves to imposing fines in view of a tusker attacking a man, who was taking a selfie, in Bandipur Tiger Reserve (BTR) on Sunday. A video of the incident, which went viral, led to debates on various platforms of social media. While some wildlife enthusiasts alleged that 'incompetence' and 'crowd mismanagement' by forest officials led to the incident, others stated that lack of awareness among tourists was the reason for it. Around 5.30 pm on Sunday, a vehicle stopped on NH 212 (also known as NH 766), the road through BTR connecting Tamil Nadu and Mysuru, and the man came out of it to take a selfie with the tusker. The tusker, which was on the other side of the road, got agitated by shrill horns and the presence of people there and attacked the man. 'We have obtained the have learnt that the man is safe and did not sustain injuries,' Deputy Conservator of Forests of BTR S Prabhakaran said. Ravishankar SS, Conservator of Forests, Mysuru Circle, said forest staff reached the spot within five minutes. By then, the man had escaped. Getting off vehicles in reserved forests is a violation of forest rules, and a fine alone is not sufficient, he said. 'We have sought the government's permission to file criminal cases under various Sections of the Wildlife Protection Act against the violators. Despite several speed trackers on the highway and the presence of forest personnel at the entry and exit gates, people violate rules. Cameras installed along the highway have been damaged by animals. New cameras will be installed soon,' an official said. Meanwhile, Forest Minister Eshwar B Khandre said directives have been issued to the forest department to deploy vehicles for patrolling on roads passing through forests and take strict action against those violating the rules. Man arrested The injured man, Basavaraj, 50, was arrested from his home in Nanjangud at 4 pm on Monday. He was penalised and also made to record his statement before the forest officials admitting that he got off the vehicle to take a selfie. In the video that has now gone viral, Basavaraj appealed to people not to step out of their vehicles inside forests and requested them to follow all rules. Basavaraj said that he had visited Bandipur to go to a temple and, while returning, decided to take a selfie with the tusker in the backdrop. Fearing being caught, he had switched off his mobile phone.
New Indian Express
07-05-2025
- New Indian Express
Weekend workshops in Bandipur shift focus from tiger chase to forest awareness
BENGALURU: The forest department is working on steps to improve safari tourism in Karnataka. It is now organising workshops on weekends for tourists at Bandipur Tiger Reserve (BTR) to create awareness and sensitise people on man-animal conflicts. The workshop has gained popularity not just among Karnataka tourists, but also those from other states. Tourists are now demanding similar workshops in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha and Gujarat, forest officials said. 'People usually visit forests to see a tiger. But that is not all that a forest offers. We started weekend workshops to make tourists understand forests better. During the sessions organised by the department's naturalists, tourists learn from ants to elephants, trees, plant species, insects and even minor forest produce. The workshop's aim is to create awareness on biodiversity and ecology,' BTR Director S Prabhakaran told TNIE. The department has so far conducted workshops for 24 batches, where people as young as eight to a group of retired government officials have attended them. Tourists are not just from Bengaluru, but from across India, including Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and West Bengal. The workshops are held in Kannada and English. 'People come here during weekends for three days and two nights, and after safari, there is nothing much to do. We thought of utilising this time to create awareness and sensitise people. The workshop is now a success. We are working on adding more features to it. The aim is to make people appreciate wildlife and to empower them to reduce conflicts in their own way,' said a senior forest official. The workshop is being conducted only in Bandipur now, but gradually it will be extended to all tiger reserves in the state so that more people are sensitised, he added. He said they had tried multiple ways to shift the focus from tiger tourism, but saw little success. 'But workshops seem to be working. Former forest official and well-known environmental expert KM Chinnappa used to hold similar training for some people. We adopted the same idea,' he added.
