In the 13 years of her life, Lilly the bear has suffered much. She lost her mother when she was just a cub and was taken by a gang to be part of the dancing bear troupe, ‘madari ka khel’ that was once a popular roadside entertainment in India and still can be seen in many villages and small towns although banned. Almost blind and severely injured, Lilly was finally rescued by Wildlife SOS. She then found her life back thanks to a group of British female vets who treated her eyes and gave her sight back.
Sharks Facing Grave Danger due to Indiscriminate Fishing
In a distressing incident recently, six huge sharks were caught in the fishing net of a trawler, off Mumbai coast. Over fishing of sharks is a matter of grave concern as it disrupts the ecology of oceans and disturbs the marine food chain. Their diminishing population calls for immediate regulatory measures, primarily sustainable fishing.
Vulture Deaths slowing down Post Killer Drug Ban in India
In what seems like good news for the aerial scavengers of India, a recent study has found that post ban of the drug Diclofenac in India, the decline in vulture population has reduced to 60 percent between 2006 and 2008. But to sustain this decline, a regular and concentrated effort to eradicate the use of the killer drug is impertinent.
India’s First Research Centre for Marine Species and Marine National Park to come up in Gujarat
Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) one of India’s biggest corporate led by Mukesh Ambani has tied up with Ministry of Environment and Forest to create a research facility in Gujarat state called “National Centre for Marine Biodiversity’ . This is the first ever research centre to be made in the Public-Private Patrnership (PPP) mode in the country.
Elephants Saved from Being Hit by a Train in Assam
Thanks to the quick thinking action of a patrolling team a herd of 15 elephants was recently saved from a fatal collision with a train in the deepor beel railway stretch near Guwahati in Assam. The patrolling has till date prevented 80 accidents of such kind in the state.
Receding Habitat Threatening India’s National Aquatic Animal: Ganga River Dolphins
Gangetic Dolphins are being driven out of their larger, natural habitat of Brahmaputra River, to that of the river’s tributaries and even facing extinction owing to human interference in the name of activities like sand mining of river beds, fishing and pollution. This has been revealed by an ongoing study initiated jointly by University of Gauhati experts and a marine zoologist from Goa.
Fisherwomen in Orissa to the Rescue of Olive Ridley Turtles
Women Self Help Groups in Orissa have taken upon themselves the task of conserving and caring for Olive Ridley sea turtles found in abundance in coastal Orissa. The fisher women of the state realised how important the turtles’ conservation was for the ecosystem and in turn to their livelihood and have therefore set to save the turtles.
India to Have its Own Red List of Endangered Species
As a move to take protection of animals and plants to the next level the Indian environment ministry has decided to bring out its own red list of endangered species like the one published by IUCN worldwide. The move will hopefully give a more systematic and planned approach to the protection of species in the verge of extinction in India.
Orphaned Tiger Ready to Begin New Life at Bhopal’s Van Vihar
From hand-raised to near-wild habitat, it is a big moment for Vivek-the tiger who was rescued and hand-raised in Assam and is now set to make Bhopal’s Van Vihar National Park his new home.
WWF India Captures Rare Photo of Red Panda
It was a rare feat accomplished for the WWF-India when two photographs of the Red Panda were clicked in its natural habitat by one of the camera traps in Sikkim. The Red Pandas are naturally shy and secretive animals.
Rescuers Save Baby Elephant Trapped in a Ravine
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.