Forest Department Needs to Take Strong Measurements to Ensure the Tiger's Safety in Gujarat

Carcass of the tiger that was captured on camera trap in Gujarat's Mahisagar district two weeks ago

In India's Gujarat state, two weeks ago, there was so much excitement amongst the wildlife and conservation society because a tiger was captured on camera trap marking the animal's return to the state after nearly thirty years. But now, that excitement has been short-lived with the news of the tiger found dead in the forest area of Mahisagar district where it was recorded two weeks ago. The animal's decomposed body was discovered near the village of Signali in the district on Tuesday at around 5:00 pm. According to Vadodara chief conservator of forests S.K Shrivastava, the carcass of the tiger was found 12 kilometers away from the place where it was seen the last time on camera last week. Additional chief secretary of forests and environment Rajeev Gupta added that the tiger had died before two or three days and that all four of the animal's legs were in tact. The animal's viscera and other body parts have been given to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) to determine its precise cause of death. Primary reports hinted that one of the tiger's forelegs was missing In response to the tiger's death, a series of massive awareness drives for Gujarat Forest Department officials and local villagers was conducted. Dreading that poachers may be seeing an opportunity to kill the tiger, the department had escalated its communication with villagers and requested them to notify officials if they saw any suspicious person. The villagers were also warned to never reveal the tiger's location to anyone. 

Camera trap footage showing the tiger in Mahisagar district 

It really breaks my heart to see how one day there is so much excitement that an animal like a tiger, which was last seen in Gujarat thirty years ago, show up and then suddenly it is found dead. How did this tiger die and who or what caused its death? These are the questions that need to be answered. I strongly urge the Gujarat Forest Department to make sincere and effective efforts to investigate how did this tiger die and take diligent steps to prevent any other tiger which crosses into Gujarat from ending up this way. In addition, local villagers living in the area should play their part by reporting any suspicious people or activity and never disclose the tiger's location to anyone. However, these awareness drives should not just be limited in Mahisagar district. The forest department should also conduct similar awareness campaigns in other districts in North, Central, and South Gujarat which respectively border Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra. All three of these states are home to some of the most significant and active tiger populations in India and tigers from any of these states could unexpectedly cross into Gujarat like the one seen in Mahisagar district. This is why I firmly believe that it is highly essential to bolster conservation efforts to keep the tiger safe in Gujarat, along with the Asiatic lion and the leopard. All three of these big cats once inhabited Gujarat before the tiger disappeared and it is the job of wildlife and conservation officials and local people to ensure their safety.

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Customs and Border Protection Should Join Forces with Conservation and Environmental Groups in Safeguarding the U.S-Mexico Border

Bootheel region in New Mexico; an important wildlife corridor along the U.S-Mexico border

In the U.S, President Trump recently declared a state of national emergency and called for building a wall along the 2,000-mile stretch of the U.S-Mexico border in an effort to tackle the issues of illegal immigration and drug trafficking. His decision was met with severe criticism from both Republicans and Democrats, who called the move "unconstitutional." The reason is because the wall happens to cut into properties of private landowners living along the border. But it is not just politicians, who have expressed disapproval of the border wall. Environmentalists have also voiced their criticism, arguing that the wall could harm wildlife corridors and the delicate desert terrain. Environmentalists like the Tucson-based Center for Biological Diversity have been filing lawsuits challenging the government's authority to renounce environmental regulations for more than ten years with most of the attempts having failed. But now, the Center has joined forces with two other conservation groups in a new lawsuit against the national emergency. Although Customs and Border Protection (CBP) insisted that it carries out all essential research and surveys to include environmental clearances before starting any construction to avoid any possible impact on sensitive locations, conservationists are still doubtful and frustrated. For example, Kevin Bixby of the Southwest Environmental Center, stated that any big structure that would prevent the movement of wildlife is a wall.

New 18-foot steel fencing replacing old fencing near New Mexico's Santa Teresa Port of Entry

Much of the new wall construction is anticipated along the Rio Grande River in Texas. The CBP stated that it has employed local, state, federal, and non-governmental organizations to "identify and address potential impacts of cultural, historical, and natural resources that may be within planned barrier alignment in the Rio Grande Valley." However, the new border fencing in the valley could cut through significant floodplains. Josiah Heyman, director of the Center for Inter-American Border Studies at University of Texas in El Paso, pointed out that the fence-wall would block the water's movement and thus form a dam. He further added that a border wall built in 2008 in parts of Arizona led to monsoon floodwaters building up behind it and pouring into the city of Nogales in Mexico. This means that something similar could happen on both sides of the U.S-Mexico border in the Rio Grande Valley, especially if a hurricane blows in from the Gulf. According to a newly signed border security bill, some environmental sites in South Texas such as the National Butterfly Garden and Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge were particularly protected. However, it is unclear what might happen to those sites now that national emergency has been declared.

The Mexican wolf is one of many endangered species that lives in the vicinity of the U.S-Mexico border.

I strongly agree that the construction of the wall along the U.S-Mexico border can have serious drawbacks. Not only would this barrier cut into properties of private landowners in the area, but it would impede the movement of wildlife and harm eco-sensitive zones. There is a wide variety of animals that live in the vicinity of the U.S-Mexico border and many of which whose home ranges cover both the countries. These animals include pumas, coyotes, peccaries, and even endangered species like Mexican wolves, ocelots, jaguarundis, and jaguars. While the wall may keep out illegal immigration and prevent drug trafficking, it would hinder the movement of these animals from U.S to Mexico and back. Furthermore, some parts along the border function as crucial wildlife corridors and there are eco-sensitive zones where these animals either live or have been sighted. In addition, the wall can also have a devastating impact on the environment on either side of the border. This was seen in 2008 when monsoon floodwaters built up behind a border wall in Arizona and poured into Nogales in Mexico. It should be strongly noted that a similar incident can happen in other areas along the border, especially where the Rio Grande River and other major bodies of water are located. I firmly believe that Customs and Border Protection should join forces with conservation and enviromental groups and try to come up with an alternative to safeguard the U.S-Mexico border. Instead of simply building a wall along the border, the CBP should help closely monitor eco-sensitive zones and wildlife corridors for any signs of intrusion in the form of drug traffickers and illegal immigrants. I strongly urge the CBP to handle the issue of illegal immigration as humanely as possible because the people involved consist of families fleeing from the violence and bloodshed plaguing their home country(s). Such atrocities could be related to the drug trade, which the U.S has constantly been battling for decades. Drug traffickers, on the other hand, should be dealt with swiftly and severely because they have absolutely no regard for life and would do anything to ensure that their illicit means of making money goes uninterrupted. If that means killing an endangered species like a Mexican wolf or a jaguar, they will do it without hesitation. This is why I strongly urge the CBP and various environmental and conservation groups to join forces together in protecting the U.S-Mexico border to ensure that both people and wildlife are safe from harm.

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Research Essential to Understand and Combat Florida's Red Tide

Dead fish washed up on one of Florida's many Gulf Coast shores affected by the red tide outbreak.

Florida's Gulf Coast beaches had been in the news for well over a year, due to a recent outbreak of red tide caused by an increase in concentration of a microscopic algae known as Karenia brevis. The algae is known to release poisonous chemicals when in high concentrations, which affects both marine life and coastal communities. The outbreak, which began in October 2017, resulted in death of hundreds of fish washing up on beaches of Lee, Manatee, and Sarasota counties, among others. The red tide had also been responsible for deaths of about 150 dolphins, and hundreds of manatees and sea turtles. Florida's coastal communities were also affected by the outbreak. This was seen when the red tide came close to the shores and wave action broke up the Karenia brevis cells, releasing their toxins into the air. The combination of high algae concentrations and onshore wind-blowing led to severe respiratory irritation amongst locals, causing coughing and tears. But lately, in the past few weeks, marine scientists have observed that the red tide is finally vanishing. According to Vincent Lovko, a staff scientist from Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium, there has been a reduction in the number of cell count samples and satellite photos did not show substantial patches of red tide bloom offshore in the Gulf Coast. Although there is some red tide being found in southwest Florida's Ten Thousand Islands area, the algae concentrations are decreasing. The disappearance of the latest red tide bloom is a relief to the Gulf Coast communities, which are now preparing for the spring tourism season.

A sign at Siesta Beach warning beachgoers not to swim in waters affected by the red tide.

I'm also relieved that the red tide outbreak is coming to an end. But what really struck me about this news is that the red tide is nothing new in Florida. The origin of the red tide in Florida dates back to the time of Spanish conquistadors, who witnessed this algal bloom while exploring the Sunshine State. In addition to this latest red tide bloom, other such outbreaks included one in 2005 and 2006 which prevailed for seventeen long months. Another bloom occurred in 2012 and 2013 which killed hundreds of manatees and other marine life. Although the red tide is part of Florida's natural history, I firmly believe that a great deal of research is required to understand the red tide in depth. This is highly essential because coastal communities living in the vicinity of the sites where such outbreaks occur are at risk of respiratory irritation which could be fatal to people if they are exposed too much to the toxins from the algae cells. In addition, fish, dolphins, manatees, and other marine life are also at risk of getting killed by the toxins. This is why it is highly crucial to study the red tide in order to understand what causes it to occur and what can be done to prevent both coastal communities and wildlife from falling victim to it.

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Tiger Returns to Gujarat!

Tiger captured by camera trap installed by Gujarat Forest Department

When most people think of big cats in India's Gujarat state, the first thing that comes to their mind is the Asiatic lion. It is true that Gujarat was and still is the last refuge of the lion after it disappeared from central and western India. In Gujarat, the lion shares its home range with its smaller cousin the leopard whose range extends to nearly every corner of the state. But what most people don't know is that Gujarat was once home to one of India's most iconic animals: the tiger. In decades past, tigers once ranged throughout Gujarat's northern, central, and southern regions that border the states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra where their numbers are currently abundant. However, years of human encroachment in the form of habitat destruction and poaching pushed the tiger to the brink of extinction. The last tiger sighting in Gujarat was believed to have been in 1989. Since then, no tiger had been sighted in the state; let alone questionable reports of the animal's presence in central Gujarat's Mahisagar district. But now, after nearly 30 years, the Gujarat Forest Department has officially confirmed that the tiger has returned to the state. This was seen from camera trap footage showing a tiger prowling in a jungle area in Mahisagar district. The confirmation of tiger's presence in Gujarat came when a schoolteacher claimed he saw the animal in the area few days ago. Following his claims, forest department officials installed several camera traps in the area and attempted to track down the tiger. Eventually, the big cat was captured by one of the camera traps at night thus confirming its presence. According to Gujarat Forest Minister Ganpat Vasava, the tiger appeared to be around eight years of age and may have come from one of the neighboring states.

Another camera trap footage of the tiger 

I can never think of anything more exciting and astonishing than this news. The tiger, which was never seen in Gujarat for almost thirty years, has recently been sighted in the state. This is truly tremendous news for wildlife experts and conservationists because here you have an animal that once roamed the forests of northern, central, and southern Gujarat decades ago before disappearing due to the pressure of human encroachment. But now, thanks to serious conservation efforts in India over the years, the tiger has made a successful comeback to its former home range in Gujarat. Earlier, the lion made a comeback due to conservation efforts dating back to the early 20th century and is now numbering around 650 animals that are continuously moving outside Gir Forest and into areas where they once disappeared. The leopard, on the other hand, was and still is found in almost every part of Gujarat because of its adaptability and protection by the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. With the recent return of the tiger, I think it is safe to say that Gujarat has become a home to all three of India's big cats. I firmly believe that the confirmation about the tiger's presence in Gujarat should be seen as a sign to bolster conservation efforts to protect the forest habitats where there is substantial evidence of the big cat's presence. This includes identifying specific areas occupied by the tiger and declaring them as protected areas. Furthermore, there should be emphasis on tracking the tiger's movement and setting up camera traps in areas bordering the Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra to check for any wild animals crossing into Gujarat. The tiger, like the lion, is the top predator in Gujarat and its presence in the state would help significantly in maintaining ecological balance in the forests where it once roamed.

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