Talk:Conservation in Bhopal

Tiger Crisis
Madhya Pradesh has been called The Tiger State as this Central Indian State had the largest tiger population in the world. Today the state is confronted with the biggest tiger crisis.

The tiger habitat is getting destroyed by massive biotic pressure caused by rapidly increasing population, encroachment, poaching, reckless grazing, illegal mining, unhindered minor forest produce and firewood collection, poor enforcement and lack of accountability.

Tiger continues to remain CREW's main concern when we are confronted with the question of the protection and conservation of wildlife and ecological balance in the country in general and Madhya Pradesh in particular. Unfortunately the circumstances on the ground indicate that the powers that be only pay lip service and exhibit superficial concern for the basic issues involved; whereas they remain mainly interested in deriving benefits, both financial as well as political by ensuring populist activities to continue even in the core forest areas. Unless ecological balance is ensured on a long-range basis, no living species, including the human beings, may be able to survive. One is vitally concerned about the survival of Tiger as the most important of the wildlife species in its natural ecologically balanced surroundings. The tiger will be safe in the wild only when there is prey-base. This would in turn depend on the survival of the flora, i.e., grasses, fruit bearing trees, herbs, shrubs, and the water bodies along with other factors linked with the habitat. All this would form a perfect ecological system, leading to better climate and rainfall by protecting the green cover, reducing soil erosion, recharging the ground water, ensuring perennial flow in rivers and nullifying other factors that pollute the environment. Consequently the phenomenon of Global warming would get arrested, the ozone layer would he protected, there would he less harmful radiation and the Earth would become a better place for the coming generations.

Our forests have been shrinking at an alarming pace.The human pressure on forests is immense due to rapidly increasing population and the situation gets further aggravated by the unhindered destruction of green cover by the timber mafia, encroachers as well as large-scale mining activity, grazing and the minor forest produce and firewood collection exercise.

The basic issue confronting us today is to halt the rate of destruction and disintegration of habitat, green cover, and ecological systems. The biggest problem is linked with firewood and timber requirements of the ever-increasing human population from an ever-dwindling forest. Today the magnificent tiger occupies a precarious and vulnerable position in the biotic pyramid. It is a symbol of the delicate symbiotic relationship between different parts of the ecosystem. The tiger population and its well being can be seen as the most important indicator of the health of the ecosystem and a measure of our success as stewards of earth and nature. National Parks and Sanctuaries play a crucial role in preserving the biotic pyramid.

The Protected Areas are threatened from all sides as the buffer zones have almost disappeared. The situation inside the National Parks and Tiger Reserves is also grim. We all know how all the Tigers in the Panna National Park have died within a short span of time. In the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, where a tigress that had just given birth to three cubs was killed by a recklessly driven vehicle said to be carrying a Minister's son and few foreign tourists.

What should not be lost track of by any one is the importance of each and every link in the vital ecological chain because once the chain gets broken, it is bound to trigger grave after effects.

It would take us towards our goal if this debate could help in igniting the right action on the part of those who have been engaged and given the responsibility of saving the Tiger. Much of the fudging that went on during the course of the Tiger census over the years was exposed when cameras were used against the pug mark method. Arriving at an estimated tiger population in 2005, the wildlife authorities had gone overboard in suggesting that there were over 35 tigers in the Panna Tiger Reserve.

Moreover, if we refuse to address the issue of population, the provisions of the Forest Rights Act would have to be implemented perpetually. More and more encroachments would be legalised and this would further destroy whatever little has been left of our forests.

a CREW assessment
Central Indian Highlands Wildlife Film Festival 2012
 * Panna Tigers Are No More — Preceding unsigned comment added by Eles2011 (talk • contribs) 16:52, 3 January 2012 (UTC)

Central Indian Highlands Wildlife Film Festival 2012
Bhopal, capital of Central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, is going to host the Central Indian Highlands Wildlife Film Festival 2012 in two section beginning this month end. The concluding part of the festival, which would include the panorama section and the Award Function will be held in the last week of February this year. The wildlife film festival devoted to "The Tiger Habitat" as the main theme acquires special significance as it would specially showcase the central Indian landscape which happens to be one of the best tiger habitats in the world. The film festival is being organised by CREW, a society registered in 1997, in association with the wildlife wing of Madhya Pradesh Forest Department, Sanctuary Asia, CMS Environment, National Institute of Technical Teachers' Training, Bhopal and Regional Museum of Natural History The Central Indian Highlands Wildlife Film Festival 2012 being organized by CREW [Crusade for Revival of Environment and Wildlife] will combine adventure with an amazing film experience for individuals, teams representing academic institutions, the whole family, or a group of friends. There will be a special 3-day workshop on January 27, 28 and 29, 2012. It will offer the chance to aspriring wildlife film makers the chance to learn the art of documentary filmmaking amid the breathtaking wildlife in the lap of the Satpura Tiger Reserve. CIHWFF has been planned in a manner that it would be one of the most cherished and remembered media events devoted to conservation and wildlife in this part of the world in 2012. The festival will have two sections: 1. Panorama of professionally produced films on wildlife 2. Competitive section devoted to students and youth. CIHWFF secretariat will provide B-rolls and arrange a field visit to the Satpura Tiger Reserve in collaboration with the wildlife wing of the State Forest Department. After an initial screening process by a panel of professional filmmakers, a selection of the best films will be screened before the Jury in Bhopal between 17 and 23 February, 2012. The winners will be announced at the closing ceremony with prizes.

Short Film Contest Wanted your best short film with a message for wildlife conservation (maximum length 4 minutes). Photo Contest Wanted your best still photograph depicting nature and wildlife. Short films can be filmed in any medium – including mobile phone, camcorder or digital camera. Deadline to enter: February 15, 2012.

Open to all ages (teenagers and beyond). Cash prizes: Short film First Prize: 18 years and over First Prize: 13-17 years Still photograph First Prize: 18 years and over First Prize: 13-17 years Official Contest Rules & Regulations Contest runs from January 15, 2012 to February 15, 2012. All short film entries, originally produced for this contest, could either be posted on a video sharing website or sent directly to: CREW [Crusade for Revival of Environment and Wildlife] House No. 8, Sector E-3 Arera Colony BHOPAL 462016 When posting a short film entry on a video sharing website, details including link, name, and address should be sent by email to crewfortigers@gmail.com. The photo contest entries should be sent by email to crewfortigers@gmail.com. The contest is open to Indian citizens. Decisions of the contest judges are final - no substitutions will be available. All winners will be contacted via email and prizes will be awarded in the order they appear above.

Central Indian Highlands Wildlife Film Festival — Preceding unsigned comment added by Eles2011 (talk • contribs) 16:45, 3 January 2012 (UTC)

Bhopal Birds
BhopalBirds is a group of birding enthusiasts in the city of Bhopal, MP, India. Through the BhopalBirds forum, we plan to share our birding experiences, discuss news and developments, help answer each other's queries, coordinate bird watching trips and generally share information about birds and birding. BhopalBirds has been visualized as a non-hierarchical, non-profit group where birding gets priority. Structurally therefore, BhopalBirds has no organizational hierarchy. Everybody is a birder.

We plan to keep in touch on email and meet occasionally for birding i.e. if some of us plan to go out for birding, we can inform the group and others, if inclined, can join it at a prefixed place and time.

Objectives

To use birding as a tool for conservation. To create awareness about environment and the eco system. To collect data that would help in creating a checklist of Avian Fauna of Bhopal. To sensitize people about birds, animals, plants and other components of nature. By Parag Bakshi (parag[at]bhopalbirds.com)

Bhopalbirds — Preceding unsigned comment added by Eles2011 (talk • contribs) 16:52, 3 January 2012 (UTC)