An Elephant mother and calf trapped in a ravine for at least four days in Karbi Anglong, Assam finally got some help last week when Assam Forest officials and WTI team worked hard to rescue the two. While the rescuers were lucky in helping the baby out, the mother could not be saved.
Come Spring…Come Swallows
It was not such a long time ago when the arrival of migratory swallows to Gangtok and other parts of the North-Eastern Indian state of Sikkim heralded the arrival of the spring-summer season. But gradually the number of these visitors began decreasing owing to modernization. One summer when bird-lovers sighted just a handful in their lands they were eager to be more accommodative and bring back these very social birds. The efforts seem to have paid as Sikkim once again is turning to be the summer vacation spot for these fidgety little birds.
Red Alert for Red Sanders, the Rare Red Coloured Timber
A 5 lakh hectares area in Andhra Pradesh, is the only place in the world where one can find the fragrant red-coloured timber known as red sanders. While the tree also called red sandalwood has long been named endangered, illegal felling is making the forest disappear every day.
Bottom Trawling Fishing Method Bulldozing over Marine Life
IUCN recently declared that fishing is one of the biggest threats to marine animals. Not only is the unrestricted fishing in world oceans causing mass populations of fishes to eradicate, it is also indirectly harming the ecosystem and leading many big and small species to death. One of the fishing practices adopted by Indian fisherman called bottom trawling is only making the situation even worse.
Rare Civet finds its way to Jamia Millia Islamia University, Delhi
The educational institute, Jamia Millia Islamia University in Delhi was in news recently for a different reason. A Small Indian Civet, which is very rare in and around Delhi, was found hiding, in a cavity at the IT department of the University and was safely rescued after the university authorities contacted the Wildlife SOS an NGO to rescue the animal. Small Indian Civet is an endangered species.
Jharkhand Zoo Animals Benefit from High Profile Adoptions
What could be common among Punjab National Bank (PNB), Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) and actress Priyanka Chopra? They are all adopting Zoo animals in response to Jharkhand Zoo Authority’s request for sponsoring zoo animals under a novel scheme.
Mining, a death-knell for The Great Indian Bustard
The infamous Bellary region in Karnataka is once again in news, this time not only for illegal plundering of mineral wealth of the state. The repercussion of extensive, destructive mining has resulted in the near extinction of the Great Indian Bustard which were once the pride of Karnataka’s bird life. A major shift in traditional farming practices also have contributed to their dwindling grass land habitat.
Uttarakhand Captures its First Snow Leopard on Camera
The elusive snow leopard was always heard to be roaming around the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve in Uttarakhand. Villagers claimed that had seen the animal. Pugmarks and faeces also gave evidence of its existence but it was only recently that a camera placed in the reserve finally captured an image of the beast and gave definite proof of its existence in the state’s Himalayan ecosystem.
Bear Cubs Get a Second Chance of Life at Assam Rehabilitation Centre
The CWRC (Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation) Transit Home in Kokrajhar became home to two wild Asiatic bear cubs earlier this month when villagers carried them from the forest thinking their mother had abandoned them. The bears will now live in the centre till they are ready to be released again in the wild.
Villagers in Madhya Pradesh save Forest from Lime Kiln Owner
Villagers in a little known village called Bagaspur in Madhya Pradesh were lured by a lime kiln owner with money and developmental promises in their village if they allowed him to open a lime kiln in the area. The villagers realized that it would lead to the destruction of the reserve forest in their land which is home to approximately 13% of the world’s wild tiger population. They angered the owner with an outright No but saved the forest.
Poor Genetic Diversity Spelling Doom for Great Indian Bustards
The Great Indian Bustard is an endangered bird species in India. While the bird is already facing extinction threats owing to habitat loss and urbanization, a recent research has shown that the species has very small population of breeding adult birds, which may make the bird extinct, earlier than expected.