Page 4 - Wildlife

Over 2,500 people died in 5 years in human-elephant conflicts: Govt data

Human-elephant conflicts resulted in 2,853 human deaths during the past five years, with the number of fatalities reaching a five-year high of 628 in 2023, according to government data. Responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh on Thursday said "elephants caused" 587 human deaths in 2019, 471 in 2020, 557 in 2021, 610 in 2022 and 628 in 2023. The data revealed that Odisha recorded 624 such deaths during this period, followed by Jharkhand with 474, West Bengal with 436, Assam with 383, Chhattisgarh with 303, Tamil Nadu with 256, Karnataka with 160 and Kerala with 124. The minister said the management of wildlife habitats was primarily the responsibility of state governments and Union Territory administrations and that the central government provided financial and technical support under the centrally sponsored Project Tiger & Elephant scheme for the protection of animals, their habitats and corridors, addressing ...

280% surge in projects in wildlife sanctuaries, national parks in 2023-24

India saw a massive 280 per cent increase in the number of projects recommended in wildlife sanctuaries and national parks in 2023-24 as compared to 2022-23, according to the data presented in Parliament on Monday. Union Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh also informed the Lok Sabha that a total of 957.25 square kilometers or 95,724.99 hectares of forest area has been diverted for non-forestry use under the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980 over five years starting from April 2019. The minister said that 71 project proposals were approved in national parks and wildlife sanctuaries across the country in 2019-20. The numbers stood at 85 in 2020-21, 154 in 2021-22, 150 in 2022-23, and surged to 421 in 2023-24. Singh also shared that 8,731 requests for forest land diversion were approved between April 1, 2019, and March 31, 2023, amounting to a total of 95,724.99 hectares of forest area being set aside for non-forestry use. Madhya Pradesh saw the highe

Cheetah trackers in Kuno refuse to kill goats over religious beliefs

MP's Kuno National Park, home to 26 Cheetahs, employed around 30 villagers of Sheopur as trackers to monitor the big cats

Priyanka Gandhi urges Centre, U'khand govt to prevent forest fire incidents

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday urged the Centre and the Uttarakhand government to take steps to prevent forest fire incidents and make effective efforts with everyone's cooperation to save the Himalayas. Her remarks came after four forest workers were killed and four others injured while extinguishing a fire at the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary under the Civil Soyam Forest Division in Almora district of Uttarakhand. In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi said, "The news of the death of four employees who went to extinguish the forest fire in Almora, Uttarakhand and many others getting injured is extremely saddening. I pray to God for everyone. I request the state government to provide compensation and assistance at every possible level to the affected families." The forests of Uttarakhand have been burning continuously for the past several months and hundreds of hectares of forest have been destroyed, she noted. There are reports of forest fires in Himachal Pradesh as well, s

World Bee Day 2024: Celebration, history, themes, significance and more

World Bee Day 2024: This day is celebrated every year on May 20 to mark the birth anniversary of Anton Jansa. Check dates, history, significance and more

South Africa wants to preserve its wild animals by eating them more

It's also an opportunity to boost Black ownership of a wildlife-use sector that three decades after the end of apartheid is just 3.5% owned by historically disadvantaged South Africans

World Sparrow Day 2024: Date, History, theme, importance of small birds

World Sparrow Day aims to bring issues to light about the decrease in the sparrow population and the need for their conservation. The day promotes action for safeguarding and conserving sparrows

6 cubs born to cheetah Gamini, not 5, clarifies Minister Bhupender Yadav

African cheetah 'Gamini' has given birth to six cubs at the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh's Sheopur district, and not five as reported previously, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said on Monday. On March 10, Yadav shared the information that the five-year-old South African cheetah gave birth to five cubs at the Kuno National Park (KNP). In a post on his official X account on Monday morning, Yadav said, "Gamini's legacy leaps forward! There is no end to joy: It is not five, but six cubs! A week after the news of five cubs born to Gamini, it is now confirmed that Gamini, the South African cheetah mother, has given birth to six cubs, a record of sorts for a first-time mother." The minister also shared the visuals of cheetah Gamini's six cubs. With this, the cheetah count at the KNP has increased to 27, including 14 cubs. In March last year, cheetah Jwala (Namibian name Siyaya) had given birth to four cubs but only one managed to survive. Jwala gave birth to her seco

Born to be wild

Wildlife conservationist Romulus Whitaker's memoir is a captivating glimpse into his adventurous youth, brimming with a plethora of wild and unbelievable experiences

Cabinet nod to set up International Big Cat Alliance to save tigers

The Union Cabinet Thursday approved the creation of International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) to set up a global network to conserve tigers and other big cats. The India-headquartered alliance was conceived as a multi-country, multi-agency coalition of 96 big cat range countries and others to establish a common platform for conservation. Out of the seven big cats (tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, puma, jaguar and the cheetah), five -- tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard and cheetah -- are found in India. The Cabinet has cleared a one-time budgetary support of Rs 150 crore for the IBCA for a period of five years from 2023-24 to 2027-28. Acknowledging India's leading role in conserving tigers, other big cats and many of its endangered species, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had during his speech on Global Tiger Day, 2019 called for an alliance of global leaders to curb poaching in Asia. The IBCA aims for cooperation among countries for mutual benefit in furthering the conservation ...

Experts to conduct surveys on translocating cheetahs to 2 sanctuaries: Min

A team of African and Namibian experts will soon visit the Gandhi Sagar and Nauradehi sanctuaries in Madhya Pradesh to conduct surveys for translocating cheetahs to these places, Union minister Bhupender Yadav has said. The minister for environment, forest and climate change addressed a review meeting of the cheetah project at the Kuno National Park (KNP) in MP's Sheopur district on Monday. Yadav said Kuno will be established as an international tourist destination in the coming five years and the economy of this region will grow to around Rs 1,000 crore, that too without industries. "There are 21 cheetahs in the KNP at present and this area has great potential. Currently, eight cubs are roaming freely with the female cheetah in Kuno," Yadav was quoted as saying in an official release. He said a Cheetah Rehabilitation Centre has been started and it is also the area of biggest success in the world because cheetahs have been rehabilitated here (KNP). "A total of 10 forest areas were

Project Cheetah to protect wild life and promote development: MP CM Yadav

Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav joined Bhupender Yadav, Union minister for environment, forest and climate change, in a review of the project on Monday.

In a first, Alaskapox virus claims life of elderly man in US: 5 points

Alaskapox virus: Also known as AKPV, the virus is transmitted from small mammals and is related to smallpox, cowpox and mpox. Its symptoms include rash, swollen lymph nodes and joint or muscle pain

India home to 718 snow leopards, Ladakh highest with 477: Report

The highest number of snow leopards were recorded in Ladakh (477), followed by Uttarakhand (124), Himachal Pradesh (51), Arunachal Pradesh (36), Sikkim (21), and Jammu and Kashmir (9)

718 snow leopards found in India, more than 50% in Ladakh: MoEFCC Report

Union Minister Bhupender Yadav released the first-ever population assessment of snow leopards in India which are estimated to have a global population of 4,500 to 6,500

Three cubs born to Namibian cheetah at Kuno National Park: Environment min

A Namibian cheetah has given birth to three cubs at the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, weeks after three cubs were born to another feline. Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav shared the news on X, saying, "Kuno's new cubs! Namibian Cheetah named Jwala has given birth to three cubs. This comes just weeks after Namibian Cheetah Aasha gave birth to her cubs." He further said in the post, "Congratulations to all wildlife frontline warriors and wildlife lovers across the country. May Bharat's wildlife thrive." On January 3, Kuno National Park officials reported that Namibian cheetah Aasha had given birth to three cubs. Before this, a cheetah named Siyaya had given birth to four cubs last March. However, only one of them survived. Jwala, Aasha and Siyaya are among the cheetahs translocated to India from Namibia under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Project Cheetah', aimed at re-introducing the only large carnivore species that went extinct in independent India. The first

Wildlife body concludes two-day bird survey at Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve

The data of all the birds was added to the eBird app. The data will analysed to know the population of which species can be increased

Tiger population in U'khand rose by 314% in 16 years: Chief wildlife warden

The tiger population in Uttarakhand has increased at a rate of 314 per cent between 2006 and 2022, officials said on Saturday. Uttarakhand Chief Wildlife Warden Samir Sinha claimed the tiger population density in Uttarakhand is among the highest in the world. The tiger population which stood at 178 in 2006 rose to 560 in 2022, recording a rise of 314 per cent, Sinha said. He said the increase in the population of the wild animal in the state is due to steps taken by the forest department in recent years to improve their habitat conditions. However, a slight increase was recorded in 2023 in the number of people killed and injured in tiger attacks, the warden said. Two persons were killed in tiger attacks in 2021, 16 in 2022 and 17 in 2023, while eight persons were injured by big cats in 2021, 10 in 2022 and nine in 2023, Sinha said. The total number of people killed in encounters with animals such as leopards, elephants and snakes besides tigers was 71 in 2021, 82 in 2022 and 66

Rhinos return to Assam's Laokhowa-Burachapori sanctuaries after 40 years

Rhinos have returned to Laokhowa and Burachapori wildlife sanctuaries of Assam, 40 years after the population of pachyderms in the area was wiped out due to poaching, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. These protected areas had also witnessed human encroachment over the years, which was cleared by the authorities last year, a forest official said. "Happy to share that after 40 years our iconic Rhinos have returned to Laokhowa and Burachapori. They have returned within 1 year of our successful anti-encroachment operation in the region," Sarma wrote on X. A total of 51.7 sq km of forest cover has been retrieved through eviction drives in 2023, he said on Friday. Kaziranga National Park (KNP) Director Sonali Ghosh said two rhinos have been spotted in the Laokhowa-Burachapori wildlife sanctuaries, which are part of 'Greater Kaziranga', after almost a gap of 40 years. She said the Laokhowa-Burachapori forest in Nagaon district had a population of 45-50 rhinos till 1983. "They we

Drones deployed in search for elusive leopard spotted in Delhi's Neb Sarai

A leopard spotted on Friday in south Delhi's Neb Sarai area continues to evade the authorities even as an operation to capture it remains underway with the help of drone surveillance and at least 50 police personnel have been deployed to monitor the situation, officials said. Forest department officials have deployed drones to comb the area, they said. "...there is no lead on the leopard. The two trap cages set up by the forest department are still at their places," a police officer said on Monday. The leopard was spotted near a farmhouse in the Neb Sarai area on the border of Delhi and Haryana on Friday. It has not been seen since then. A police officer said at least 50 staffers of Neb Sarai police station have been deployed round the clock to keep a tab on the situation. They, under the supervision of the SHO, are working with forest department personnel. "We are making announcements at least thrice a day, telling people the do's and don'ts if they see the leopard again," a poli