Page 2 - Wildlife

Govt making holistic efforts for wildlife sustainability: Scindia

The government is making holistic efforts to ensure wildlife sustainability and protection, with the strategy focussed on four key pillars, including infrastructure, Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Thursday. Briefing reporters here on the Union government's initiatives for wildlife conservation since 2014, Scindia said a 360 degrees approach has been adopted and emphasised the importance of "animal passage plans" along with development. With such plans, the effort is to ensure a safe environment for wildlife animals, the minister said. The strategy for wildlife conservation is focused on four pillars -- population, policy, people and infrastructure, Scindia added. He is in charge of ministries of civil aviation and steel.

Initial batch of 12 cheetahs to be flown in from South Africa in February

An initial batch of 12 cheetahs will be flown in from South Africa in February.

4 indigenous species in India that need conservation efforts in 2023

India has only about 300-900 Gharials, fewer than 1,000 Lesser Floricans, fewer than 250 Great Indian Bustards and only 674 Asiatic Lions

A tall order

Biodiversity targets will be hard to achieve

India's proposal for enhance protection to Leith's softshell turtle adopted

India's proposal for enhancing protection status to Leith's softshell turtle has been adopted at the ongoing world wildlife conference in Panama, the Union Environment Ministry said on Thursday. The country also proposed to give a higher degree of protection to the red-crowned roofed turtle or 'Batagur Kachuga' and received wide support from other parties at the 19th meeting of the Conference of Parties (CoP 19) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) being held in Panama City from November 14 to 25. The transfer of Leith's softshell turtle from CITES Appendix II to Appendix I would ensure that legal international trade in the species does not take place for commercial purposes, the ministry said in a statement. "It would also ensure that international trade in captive-bred specimens only takes place from registered facilities and that higher and more proportionate penalties are provided for illegal trade of the species," it ...

Missing rare white-rumped vulture from Nepal found in Bihar's Darbhanga

A winged visitor, a rare white-rumped vulture, from Nepal which went missing some ten months ago, was found by Bihar's bird ringing station officials at Darbhanga after it went off the radar despite being radio tagged. The bird, belonging to a critically endangered species, was last sighted in the Himalayan nation's Tanahun district, and was found in a weakened condition as it was starving for want of food, according to officials. The white-rumped vulture was listed as a critically-endangered species in 2000 as its population declined rapidly, primarily as a result of feeding on carcasses of animals treated with the veterinary drug diclofenac, Chief Wildlife Warden PK Gupta told PTI. White-rumped vultures, found generally near human habitations, were very common in the Indian subcontinent, besides Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and southern Vietnam. These birds feed mostly on the ground, but roost and nest in trees and cliffs, and spend much of their time soaring on wind current

Vulture population increases in Uttar Pradesh's Amangarh Tiger Reserve

The Amangarh Tiger Reserve (ATR) in Uttar Pradesh has witnessed a rise in the population of vultures.

Tamil Nadu notifies Cauvery South Wildlife Sanctuary as 17th sanctuary

The Tamil Nadu government has notified the Cauvery South Wildlife Sanctuary on 68,640 hectares as the state's 17th wildlife sanctuary, Chief Minister M K Stalin announced on Tuesday. The sanctuary, covering reserve forest areas in Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts, is home to 35 species of mammals, 238 species of birds, Leith's soft shelled turtles, smooth coated otters, marsh crocodile and four horned antelopes, and is a wildlife paradise. Grizzled giant squirrel, four-horned antelope, and Lesser Fish Eagle which are exclusively dependent on the Cauvery river and its riverine forest ecosystem, are also found here. These are also red-listed and in urgent need for focused conservation and protection of their habitat. The sanctuary was notified under Section 26-A of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, today. It will connect Cauvery North Wildlife Sanctuary of Tamil Nadu with the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary in neighbouring Karnataka thereby forming a large, contiguous network of .

Cheetahs flown from Namibia kill first prey in Kuno National Park

Two male cheetahs brought from Namibia to the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh have made their first kill within 24 hours of their release from a quarantine area to a larger acclimatisation enclosure, an official said on Monday. The cheetahs hunted down a cheetal (spotted deer) either on Sunday night or in the wee hours of Monday, Chief Conservator of Forest Uttam Kumar Sharma told PTI. The forest monitoring team got this information on Monday morning, he said. This was the first prey of the felines after their translocation from Namibia to India in mid-September along with six other cheetahs, the official said. The cheetahs - Freddie and Alton - were the first pair to be released into the larger enclosure on Saturday after being quarantined since September 17. The successful first hunt by the cheetahs within 24 hours of moving to the larger enclosure has also allayed the park management's concerns about their prey hunting ability. The cheetahs eat their prey within two hours

1 killed, 6 injured as wild boars go on rampage in Odisha's Ganjam village

A 62-year-old woman was killed and six others were injured when wild boars attacked them in Odisha's Ganjam district on Sunday, police said. The incident happened in Ramapalli village near Kodala in Polasara forest range, they said. People of Ramapalli, Beruabadi and Marudi villages were working in their farmland when they were attacked by the wild boars, said Dilip Kumar Rout, the divisional forest officer (DFO) of Ghumusar South. Bharati Swain succumbed to her injuries while undergoing treatment at the Kodala Community Health Centre, he said. Those injured were later shifted to the MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur. The conditions of two of them are stated to be serious, officials said. "The wild boars, which have strayed into the area, have destroyed crops on acres of land," said Debendra Swain of Ramapalli village. The DFO said 30 forest personnel have been deployed to capture the wild boars.

Quarantine clearance received for 8 cheetahs in Kuno National Park

After getting clearance from the concerned ministry, two male cheetahs were released in a acclimatisation enclosure of Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh's Sheopur district on Saturday

69% decline in wildlife populations worldwide since 1970: WWF report

Wildlife populations monitored across the globe have declined by a massive 69 per cent between 1970 and 2018, according to the WWF's Living Planet Report (LPR) 2022. Featuring almost 32,000 populations of 5,230 species, the Living Planet Index (LPI) provided in the report shows it is within tropical regions that monitored vertebrate wildlife populations are plummeting at a staggering rate. "Latin America and the Caribbean regions have seen the largest decline of monitored wildlife populations globally -- an average decline of 94 per cent during the period," the report said. Wildlife populations have dipped by 66 per cent in Africa and 55 per cent in Asia Pacific. Freshwater populations have declined by 83 per cent on average compared to other species groups, according to the report. The IUCN Red List shows cycads are the most threatened species, while corals are declining the fastest, followed by amphibians. Habitat loss and barriers to migration routes are responsible for about h

Six-month wait for public to see the wild cats: Project Cheetah Head

In a Q&A, S P Yadav says there have been concerns about the reintroduction project in terms of the ecological adaptation of the felines and co-habitation with other species

Statsguru: Why is the cheetah reintroduction in India a challenge?

Attempts at sustainable fishing practices which incorporate fisherman's wishes are said to be one way to address the issue

Police complaint against Sadhguru, Assam CM over Kaziranga jeep safari

A police complaint was lodged on Sunday against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, spiritual leader Sadhguru and others for allegedly violating wildlife protection laws during their jeep safari after dusk in the Kaziranga Nation Park the previous day. The complaint was filed at the Bokakhat Police Station in Golaghat district by people living in villages on the fringe of the national park, a senior officer said. "We have started an enquiry into the issue. As the KNP falls under the forest department, we have asked for a status report on the allegations from the divisional forest officer of the park," he said. When contacted, an official at the KNP, who wished not to be named, expressed his difficulties to comment on the matter at this stage. "People have a right to make an allegation, and based on it, an enquiry will be conducted. But before the matter is looked into, we cannot make any comment on it," he said. On the allegation of violation of wildlife protection laws, the

Task force to decide when people can see cheetahs in Kuno, says PM Modi

PM Modi also said that climate change is a major threat to marine ecosystems and that the litter on beaches is disturbing.

Experts closely monitor cheetahs in new environment at Kuno National Park

As the eight cheetahs brought from Namibia are trying to acclimatise to the new environment in Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park, experts are monitoring them from a hole in a loft near their quarantine enclosures to ensure least human intervention, a forest official said. All the cheetahs - five female and three male and aged between 30 to 66 months - are in good health and under the constant monitoring of experts, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Prakash Kumar Verma told PTI on Tuesday. The eight felines - named Freddy, Alton, Savannah, Sasha, Obaan, Asha, Cibili and Saisa - are staying in six quarantine enclosures and will remain there for a month, he said. The KNP, spread over an area of 750 sq km, is situated on the northern side of Vindhyachal mountains. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday released these cheetahs brought from Namibia, 8,000 km away from their native place, into quarantine enclosures at the KNP in Sheopur district as part of a project to revive the ...

Rearing cheetahs: Kuno project requires careful handling

Dedicated follow-up is needed to ensure the Kuno ecosystem finds a new balance where these beauties can thrive

8 Cheetahs from Namibia set to arrive in Gwalior after 10-hour flight

The animals will be transported in wooden crates aboard a Boeing 747 aircraft, which sports the 'Siberian Tiger' theme livery

Cheetahs at KNP: Villagers fear land acquisition, human-animal conflict

Amid the excitement over the arrival of Cheetahs in the Kuno National Park, villagers in the surrounding areas of Madhya Pradesh's Sheopur district have a variety of concerns including the fear of land acquisition and the fear of the big cat itself. Some people are, however, optimistic that once the KNP becomes famous for its new entrants, increased tourist footfall will create jobs. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday morning released eight cheetahs brought from Namibia into a quarantine enclosure at the KNP as part of a project to revive the population of the animal which became extinct in India in 1952. "What will happen to my small food outlet when remaining four-five villages are shifted for the park? We are already affected financially because of the relocation of 25 villages for the Kuno Park over the last 15 years," said Radheshyam Yadav, a vendor selling snacks and tea on Sheopur-Shivpuri road, speaking to PTI. His shop is at Sesaipura, 15 km from the KNP. Ramkumar