The high-tension transmission line project in South Kodagu district in Karnataka continues to be surrounded by controversy as wildlife experts unanimously voice their opinions against the project. The proposed 400 kV high-tension line will pass through forests and coffee estates in the Kodagu district, which has been identified by the UNESCO as a sensitive bio-diversity […]
Wild Elephants from Odisha make Chhatisgarh their New Home
MIGRATION: In what seems to be a first in the state, 30 elephants from various reserves in neighboring state – Odisha – have been living in the core zones of the Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary, 100 km from Raipur, in Chhattisgarh for the last two weeks. Judging by the length of their stay and the number […]
7 Hour long Rescue Operation Helps Save Elephant Mom and Calf from Water Tank
SAVED: A wild elephant and her calf that fell into a water tank in the army cantonment area of Narangi in Assam were rescued after a 7 hour operation on April 6th. At about 2.30 pm the staff of 14 Field Ammunition Depot in the cantonment noticed the elephants had fallen in the static water tank […]
Veerappan’s Ghost Surfaces: New Gang Duplicates Method to Retrieve Elephant Tusks
POACHING: Almost a decade after he was gunned down by Special Task Forces, the ghost of dreaded forest brigand – Veerappan – seems to have resurfaced in the forests bordering Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. A series of elephant-killings has led forest officials to suspect that an organized gang of poachers is operating in the area. […]
Train Stops to Rescue Baby Elephant that Fell into a Ditch (Photos)
RESCUED: It could have been a really sticky situation for one baby elephant when it slipped into a ditch and got stuck in it, in Assam, India. But thanks to a train full of passengers passing bye, the calf was rescued and re-united with its herd. When a herd of elephants was passing a railway […]
Elephants Console each other in Times of Distress
BREAKTHROUGH: Consoling words or a gentle touch of a friendly hand are sometimes all that is needed to lift your mood at times when you feel sad or distressed. But new evidence finds that using physical touches and vocalizations is not a human behavior alone but elephants too are able to console each other in […]
Supreme Court Plays Traffic Cop: Trains to Slow Down in Forest Areas
CONSERVATION ACTION: Indian elephants may finally breathe easy while crossing railway tracks. Considering the high figures of wildlife death due to locomotive accidents, the Supreme Court of India has ordered the railway ministry to instruct engineers to slow down all trains while passing through dense forests. The news comes as a relief to wildlife enthusiast […]
Accidents and Electrocution Kill 28 Elephants, 3 Tigers and 1 Rhino in 2013
India’s Environment and Forest Minister Jayanti Natarajan has informed that this year, 28 elephants, 3 tigers and 1 rhino have died due to road, rail accidents and electrocution across all states in the country. This number does not take into account the deaths of these animals in the hands of poachers. As on December 3rd […]
Humans are Not Smarter than Animals
VIEWPOINT: There are tiny little insects called the Rhinoceros beetle that can lift 285 times their bodyweight. Humans can manage 1.7 times their bodyweight only. The starfish can regenerate their entire body from a cut off limb. Humans of course, can only regenerate a broken toe nail perhaps. Elephants can keep track of up to […]
Twin Tragedy for Elephants in Bengal
These are trying times for elephants of West Bengal. Two members of the species lost their lives in two separate incidents last month. While one jumbo became victim of a poaching incident, a train accident led to the loss of another’s life. Victim of Poaching As the outcome of a gruesome poaching incident, the carcass […]
A Tiger’s Growl to keep Elephants Away
CONSERVATION ACTION: Wild elephants are usually not a tiger’s prey. But the calves are still threatened by the wild cat and to keep a herd safe, the jumbos need to stay alert. Now researchers believe they can utilise the keen predator sensing skills of elephants to avoid crop raiding and other elephant-human conflict. A study […]