Sunday, March 30, 2014

Photos: Adorable baby animals from around the world

A polar bear cub plays at the Toronto Zoo, February 6, 2014 in Toronto, Ontario.
Collared mangabey monkey Sina holds her offspring on February 25, 2014 at the zoo in Berlin, Germany.
A rescued four-week-old Florida panther kitten is being held for neonatal care and rearing at the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa, Florida, February 20, 2014.
A five-month-old still nameless bear explores its enclosure on February 12, 2014 at the zoo in Duisburg, Germany.
Gray langur mother Sally plays with her baby in their enclosure in Berlin’s Zoo on February 21, 2014 in Berlin, Germany. Gray langurs live in a community in which a single male lives together with several females and their offspring.
Newly born lambs play on a meadow in Aukrug-Homfeld, northern Germany, February 25, 2014.
Asiatic lion Shiva, the mother of the three cubs, is pictured through a window as she looks out over her domain in the Besancon Zoo in eastern France, February 27, 2014.
August, a female Angolan Colobus monkey, holds her newborn offspring on February 4, 2014 in Tampa, Florida. Colobus monkeys share the responsibility of caring for the young with other females in the group.
White lioness Azira stands in her cage with her three one-week-old white cubs in a private zoo in Borysew, Poland, February 4, 2014.
A calf from a herd of beef cattle drinks water from a bucket at a ranch on the outskirts of Delano, in California’s Central Valley, February 3, 2014.
Three black bear cubs being cared for by Oregon Zoo staff are seen in the zoo in Portland, Oregon, February 25, 2014.
A newly born bonobo chimpanzee rests on his mother Muhdeblu’s belly in their enclosure at the zoo in Wuppertal, Germany, February 26, 2014. The baby bonobo was born on February 6, 2014 and is the first offspring for his mother.
White Bengal tigress Indira lies down with one of her cubs at the zoo of Cali, Colombia, February 6, 2014. The three cubs were born on November 30, 2013.
Six-month-old giant panda cub Long Long eats bamboo in an enclosure in Chimelong Safari Park in Guangzhou, February 16, 2014. Giant pandas are among the world’s most endangered animals.
A one-year-old albino alligator is pictured at Paris, France’s aquarium on February 12, 2014. This animal is the result of a captive breeding program aiming at protecting endangered species
Gray langur mother Sally holds her baby in their enclosure in Berlin’s Zoo on February 21, 2014 in Berlin, Germany. Gray langurs live in a community in which a single male lives together with several females and their offspring.
Three cubs from white Bengal tigress Indira (not in frame) at the zoo of Cali, Colombia, February 6, 2014. The three cubs were born on November 30, 2013.
Ten-day-old male baby orangutan Dana is cradled by his mother Dina at the Taman Safari Indonesia Zoo in Pasuruan town in Indonesia’s eastern Java island, February 24, 2014.
A five-month-old still nameless bear explores its enclosure on February 12, 2014 at the zoo in Duisburg, Germany.
Young Rothschild giraffe Jamal runs at the zoo in Leipzig, Germany, February 21, 2014. The giraffe bull, born on January 18, 2014, was baptized Jamal, meaning “beauty.”
A two-month-old black panther cub looks on during a presentation in a zoo in St. Petersburg, Russia, February 5, 2014.
Bonobo chimpanzee mother Muhdeblu comforts her newborn baby at the Zoo in Wuppertal, Germany, February 26, 2014. The yet unnamed female baby was born on February 6, 2014.
Asiatic lion Shiva, the mother of the three cubs, is pictured through a window as she looks out over her domain in the Besancon Zoo in eastern France, February 27, 2014.
A polar bear cub plays at the Toronto Zoo, February 6, 2014 in Toronto, Ontario.
A three-week-old elephant is pictured in Ostrava’s Zoo, North Moravia, Czech Republic, February 26, 2014. The elephant is fed artificial milk.
Collared mangabey monkey Sina holds her offspring on February 25, 2014 at the zoo in Berlin, Germany.
White Bengal tigress Indira lies down with one of her cubs at the zoo of Cali, Colombia, February 6, 2014. The three cubs were born on November 30, 2013.
Sumatra orangutan Matra breastfeeds her one-week-old baby in the enclosure at the zoo Hellabrunn in Munich, Germany, February 7, 2014. The little Orangutan baby was born in the zoo on January 31, 2014.
Two of three black bear cubs being cared for by Oregon Zoo staff are seen at the zoo in Portland, Oregon, February 25, 2014.
A Prim’Holstein calf licks a kitten’s ear in a stable in Erbree, France, February 18, 2014.
White lioness Azira lies in her cage with two of her three one-week-old white cubs in a private zoo in Borysew, Poland, February 4, 2014.
Collared mangabey monkey Sina (R) holds her offspring next to another female, Gina, on February 25, 2014 at the zoo in Berlin, Germany.
Six-month-old giant panda cub Long Long plays in an enclosure in Chimelong Safari Park in Guangzhou, China, February 16, 2014. Giant pandas are among the world’s most endangered animals.
The three unnamed cubs of Asiatic lion Shiva walk in the Besancon Zoo in eastern France, February 27, 2014.
Staff members hold a mother blotched blue-tongue lizard (C) and its seven babies during their first-time display at the Wild Life Sydney Zoo on February 18, 2014 in Sydney, Australia.
Baby gorilla Yengo begins to explore his enclosure at the zoo in Leipzig, Germany, February 26, 2014. The baby gorilla was born on December 2, 2013.
A five-month-old still nameless bear explores its enclosure with its mother Huanca on February 12, 2014 at the zoo in Duisburg, Germany.
Two-month-old black panther cubs look to media during their presentation in a zoo in St. Petersburg, Russia, February 5, 2014.
An infant monkey looks from its mother’s lap as Hindu devotees feed monkeys at the Khandagiri cave, outskirts of Bhubaneswar, India, February 4, 2014. The devotees believe that feeding monkeys brings them the blessings of the Hindu god, Lord Hanuman.
Six-week-old zebra Davu runs next to his mother Nele in their enclosure in the zoo in Hanover, Germany, February 21, 2014.

http://www.windsorstar.com/technology/Photos+Adorable+baby+animals+from+around+world/9574510/story.html

French zoo debuts rare lion cubs.

To see video click below link;
French zoo debuts rare lion cubs.

Sunday, March 2, 2014

Poachers blamed for killing Gir lion cub.

AHMEDABAD: A 5-month-old lion cub was killed for its nails and bones by poachers on the outskirts of Gir Wildlife Sanctuary near Liliya in Amreli district, forest wardens said.

The mutilated carcass was found with its feet and bones missing. Forest officials suspect poachers cut the feet after trapping and killing the animal.

In 2007, eight lions were killed in the sanctuary and in far-flung areas near Palitana by poachers from Madhya Pradesh. The same year, feet and bones of eight lions were found missing. "In this case too, only the skull and some small bones were still intact," said an official of the team of trackers which visited the spot. Lion bones are often used as a substitute for tiger bones in traditional medicines.

Late on Friday night, villagers called up the forest department about the legless carcass of a cub. When the officials reached Chandgadh village they found that the cub's body had been eaten by other animals.

"The carcass was in such a bad condition that it was not possible to ascertain the time of death. It has been sent to the forensic laboratory and a team has also been sent to inspect the spot," said C N Pandey, principal chief conservator of forests.

Pandey said since the legs are missing, poaching cannot be ruled out. Hence, senior forest officials along with the chief conservator of forest ( wildlife crime) have been asked to investigate the case. As the incident has occurred in a revenue area, social forestry officials have also been involved in the investigations.

Saturday, March 1, 2014

Death of Gir lions in train accidents a cause for concern.

A lion rests in the Gir sanctuary.
APA lion rests in the Gir sanctuary.


Darshan Desai

Forest official recommends their translocation to Madhya Pradesh

The death of four Gir sanctuary lions in the past 30 days, after coming under the wheels of goods trains, has raised concerns in the sole abode of the Asiatic lion. A lion was run over by a container train near Bhambhar village in Amreli on Saturday last. In another incident, a speeding goods train mowed down two lionesses, less than 40 km from the sanctuary, on the Surendranagar-Pipavav port rail line in Amreli on January 22.
Officials say the rise in the number of such unnatural deaths since the 1990s is a cause for concern. According to the 2010 Census, the lion population was 411. It is now estimated to be over 500.
The 2010 Census estimated that the lions were spread across a 10,000 sq. km area. Now, they occupy double the territory. Thus space is limited for them. “Since their population has increased considerably, lions now step out into non-forest areas and become victims of accidents,” senior forest official A.K. Sharma told The Hindu.
Asked if there was a solution, Mr. Sharma said, “Their translocation to Madhya Pradesh is the only way out.”
However, exercising this option has become a political issue with Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi being referred to as the “Lion of Gujarat.”
Mr. Sharma said the time had come for the State to take up the cause of wildlife conservation.
“If some lions are translocated, their deaths can be prevented.”
State Forest Department officials said railway drivers and guards would be sensitised to the threat posed to lions when trains pass through sensitive areas near the sanctuary.
A series of meetings on conserving lions were held between the railways and forest officials on Tuesday and Wednesday, they said.
The department has decided to deploy a beat guard every 3,500 metres along the Pipavav-Dhasa railway line.