Page 7 - Wildlife

Royal Bengal tigress gives birth to 2 cubs in Delhi zoo after 18 years

A Royal Bengal tigress has delivered cubs at the National Zoological Park in New Delhi after a long gap of 18 years.The Royal Bengal Tigress called Siddhi delivered five cubs -- two alive and three stillborn -- on May 4."At present both cubs are attended by the mother and completely dependent on the mother for feed and are doing well. The mother tigress and her cubs are being kept under the surveillance of CCTV Cameras and regularly monitored by the zoo staff," an official release by the Union forest ministry said Monday.National Zoological Park in New Delhi has four adult Royal Bengal Tigers in its collection and the names of these tigers are Karan, Siddhi, Aditi and Barkha.National Zoological Park (Delhi Zoo) has been housing tigers since its inauguration in 1959. On May 14, 1969, the first pair of lion was also received from Junagadh Zoo in exchange for one pair of tiger cubs.From the time of the tiger's acquisition, Delhi Zoo has maintained its population for conservation, ...

Wildfires in Australia likely contributed to unusual La Nina event

Researchers have found that the catastrophic Australian wildfires in 2019-2020 contributed to ocean cooling thousands of miles away, ultimately nudging the Tropical Pacific into a rare multi-year La Nina event that dissipated only recently. The research, led by National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), US, is published in the journal Science Advances. Because the emergence of La Nina can often be predicted months in advance, it's an important phenomenon for seasonal climate forecasts. "Many people quickly forgot about the Australian fires, especially as the COVID pandemic exploded, but the Earth system has a long memory, and the impacts of the fires lingered for years," said NCAR scientist John Fasullo, lead author of the study. While not uncommon, a La Nina occurrence for three consecutive winters is rare. The recent run of La Ninas, beginning in the winter of 2020-21 and continuing through last winter, is only the third string of three in the historical record, which dates

Lions can be brought to Kuno once cheetahs stabilise: Wildlife expert

Lions can also be introduced into the Kuno National Park once the cheetahs brought from Namibia and South Africa stabilise and breed in their new home, renowned wildlife expert and nature conservationist Divyabhanusinh says. Divyabhanusinh, who is also a member of the government's Cheetah Task Force for the animal's reintroduction, tells this in the updated version of his seminal book "The End of a Trail: The Cheetah in India", published in 1995. The new book, titled "The Story of India's cheetahs", aims to arouse interest in the animal and its protection at a time when a cheetah reintroduction programme is underway in India. The introduction of Asiatic lions into Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh has been a highly debated topic. The Asiatic lion, found only in India, is currently restricted to the Gir National Park in Gujarat. In the early 1990s, the Indian government proposed the translocation of some lions from Gir to KNP, as a backup in case of a natural calamity or ...

SC modifies 2022 order, removes ban on development activities around ESZs

The apex court's decision was announced after a three-judge bench, headed by Justice BR Gavai, revised their previous ruling

African Cheetah Uday died of cardiac arrest, others at KNP being monitored

The cause of six-year-old African cheetah Uday's death was heart failure, Madhya Pradesh Forest Department sources said on Monday.

Cheetah deaths: MP forest dept asks Centre for 'alternative site'

The Madhya Pradesh forest department has asked the Centre for an "alternate" site for cheetahs currently introduced at the Kuno National Park, which has seen the death of two felines in less than a month, with officials citing lack of logistical support and space. A senior state forest official on condition of anonymity said they do not have enough logistical support for the upkeep for the cheetahs, brought in two batches of 8 and 12 felines from Namibia and South Africa respectively since September last year. "We need nine staffers to keep an eye on one cheetah round-the-clock. We don't have enough hands," the official told PTI on condition of anonymity. Asked about the space shortage, the official said it was secondary and added that not just space, we need a lot of logistics. Notably, before the cheetahs were imported, some experts had raised doubt over the space shortage likely to affect the cheetah reintroduction project at the Kuno National Park (KNP), which has a core area o

India's cheetah reintroduction plan ignored spatial ecology: Scientists

The introduction of African cheetahs to India was planned without considering their spatial ecology, according to researchers who warn that the released animals may come into conflict with people in the neighbouring villages. Spatial ecology addresses the fundamental effects of space on the movement of individual species and on the stability of multispecies communities. A total of 20 cheetahs from Namibia and South Africa were introduced to Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh since last year to establish a free-ranging populationfor the first time since their extinction in India 70 years ago. Scientists of the Cheetah Research Project of Leibniz-IZW in Namibia argue that in southern Africa, cheetahs live in a stable socio-spatial system with widely spread territories and densities of less than one individual per 100 square kilometres (km). The plan for cheetahs in Kuno National Park assumes that the high prey density will sustain high cheetah densities, even though there is no ...

Online guide launched to help cities reduce light pollution on wildlife

A new online guide was launched on Wednesday to help cities around the world reduce the impacts of light pollution on wildlife

Climate change threatens survival of tigers in Sunderbans: Conservationists

Climate change is increasing the intensity of forest fires, reducing vegetation and degrading natural habitats, forcing the wildlife to move out and come into conflict with humans, conservationists said on Friday. In its latest all-India tiger estimation report, released recently by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) highlighted the "silent and surmounting" threats of climate change-related impacts on habitats and the loss of the quality of forests over time. It added that climate change threatens the survival of tigers in the Sunderbans and is one of the major challenges facing the wildlife in the Western Ghats. While the big cat population in the Sunderbans is steady, it has come down substantially in the Western Ghats where 824 tigers were recorded in 2022 against 981 in 2018. Mohammad Sajid Sultan, the NTCA's assistant inspector general of forests, said the wildlife is being affected by climate change with new pests and diseases ...

50 years of Project Tiger: India earns its stripes by restoring the roar

Nation does not believe in conflict between ecology & economy: PM in Mysuru

Chhattisgarh sees tiger numbers tumble, despite spending Rs 5 cr per month

In 2014, there were 46 tigers in the state, but in the census of 2018, the number came down to 19

SC rejects WB govt plea against HC order protecting Soumendu Adhikari

The Supreme Court has dismissed a plea of the West Bengal government challenging a Calcutta High Court order which protected Soumendu Adhikari, brother of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, from arrest in a corruption case, saying the petition did not warrant interference now as the charge sheet has been filed. Soumendu, also a BJP leader, was protected by the Calcutta High Court against any probable coercive action by the West Bengal police on January 31, 2023 in a case of alleged misappropriation of funds while allotting 14 shops at the Rangamati Cremation Ground at Contai in Purba Medinipur. The case relates to the period when he was the chairperson of Contai municipal body. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chanrachud and Justice J B Pardiwala took note of the fact that now the charge sheet has been filed and a local court has taken cognisance of it. The court said, hence, there was no need to adjudicate the plea of the state government challenging the high court order. In pursuan

Delhi govt to train people interested in wildlife conservation for free

The Delhi government, starting this year, will provide free training to people interested in forest and wildlife conservation, officials said on Thursday. A Forest and Wildlife department official said the goal of the programme is to share knowledge with the general public to boost conservation efforts in the national capital. The department has set up a four-member training cell while a website is being created. A third party from reputable institutions will be engaged to conduct the training. "To start with, we are inviting applications for those interested in understanding the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act and its application from everyone be it students, professionals," the official said. The programme will be very flexible, the official said, adding as an example that one can even ask for training on seeking permission for cutting and pruning trees. In due course, the training will cover all forest and biodiversity laws and conservation activities. "Involving the general .

Days after cheetah's death, Kuno National Park reports birth of four cubs

Aim now is to ensure cubs survive; on cheetah death, ministry officials say 50% mortality was expected

Namibian cheetah Sasha dies of kidney ailment, first detected in January

According to the report, Sasha was spotted lying lazily in her big enclosure on January 23, after which the three doctors team had shifted her for treatment at a quarantine 'Boma'

Special parks for Swamp deer, Sarus crane must be developed: CM Adityanath

Emphasising on the protection of wildlife, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said that special parks should be developed for Swamp deers and Sarus cranes in the dense forests of Uttar Pradesh. Swamp deer, also known as Barasingha, is the state animal of the state and Sarus crane is the state bird. Addressing an event organised by the Forest Department here, Adityanath said, The department should work with a positive spirit to develop the forests in the form of eco-tourism. Cleanliness of the water bodies present in the forests and plantation campaigns on their banks should be promoted on a large scale. Departments which cause maximum damage to the environment and natural resources must be identified, he said and asked the officials to work out a way to utilise the CSR funds of these units for environmental protection. "We have to create new wetlands around Ganga and Yamuna. Forests have to be developed in the form of ecotourism. Special parks should be developed amid forests

PM Modi to launch mega event on April 9 to mark 50 years of Project Tiger

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch a three-day mega event on April 9 in Mysuru in Karnataka to mark the completion of 50 years of Project Tiger and showcase India's tiger conservation success globally, officials said on Friday. The prime minister will also release the latest tiger census data, the government's vision for tiger conservation during 'Amrit Kaal' and a commemorative coin, said S P Yadav, member secretary, National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). India launched Project Tiger on April 1, 1973 to promote tiger conservation. Initially, it covered nine tiger reserves spread over 18,278 sq km. At present, India has 53 tiger reserves covering more than 75,000 sq km (approximately 2.4 per cent of the country's geographical area) of tiger habitat. With a current population of about 3,000 tigers, India is home to more than 70 per cent of the global wild tiger population and their number is increasing at six per cent per annum. The tiger reserves are repositories for

Centre releases guidelines for human-wildlife conflict mitigation

The 10 species-specific guidelines include, guidelines for mitigating human-elephant, -gaur, -leopard, -snake, -crocodile, -rhesus macaque, -wild pig, -bear, -blue bull and -blackbuck conflict

New wildlife corridor to come up after reintroduction of tigers in MNP

Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Friday said a new wildlife corridor will form between Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan after three tigers are released in Madhav National Park (MNP) in MP's Shivpuri district on Friday. Three tigers will be released on March 10 (in enclosures) at MNP where the deafening roar of the big cats fell silent 27 years ago," he told reporters here. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan along with Scindia and state forest minister Vijay Shah will release a tiger captured on the premises of an institute in Bhopal and two tigresses into enclosures in a bid to revive the big cat population in MNP. Shivpuri borders Sheopur district which houses the Kuno National Park, the new home of 20 cheetahs brought from Namibia and South Africa. With the reintroduction of three tigers, a wildlife corridor linking MNP, Kuno National Park, Panna Tiger Reserve (all in MP) and Ranthambore Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan will come up, Scindia said. Prime Minister .

As their population explodes, Colombia plans to fly hippos to India, Mexico

Colombia is planning to fly dozens of its "cocaine hippos" -- the descendents of late drug trafficker Pablo Escobars private menagerie