9 animals in India every wildlife lover must see!

These animals are mostly spotted in India and you shouldn't miss a chance to see them.

Kriti Saraswat-Satpathy | Published: November 29, 2016 10:16 PM IST

Wildlife enthusiasts love going to different national parks and sanctuaries to spot their favorite animals. India’s rich flora and fauna is reason enough to travel to the country or if you are already here, visit different parks as each one has its own attraction that is rarely found in others. So if you are a wildlife lover, here’s a list of animals that are mostly found in India and rarely in other parts of the world making you want to take a trip for spotting them. ALSO SEE 10 best national parks in India
Asiatic Lion

Listed as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Asiatic Lion is limited in number and found only in Gujarat’s Gir Forest. It is one of the five big cat species found in India and as of 2015, its population was 523 including male, female and cubs. These lions hunt in groups rather than venturing solo and the most striking feature that distinguishes it from the rest is a longitudinal fold of skin running along its belly. Since Gir is their only habitat, the area was declared a sanctuary in 1965 for their conservation and protection.
Golden Jackal
Golden jackal is easy to spot across India, more so in Rajasthan and Kolkata. Its built is slender with a pointed muzzle and short tail. Golden jackal is similar in looks to a grey wolf and is found in several parts of India as well Asia. They often adapt to their surroundings and are able to survive in extreme conditions as well. It mostly feeds on rodents, fruits and can survive without water also. To spot a golden jackal, you can visit Tollygunge Club or Keoladeo National Park.
ALSO SEE 10 endangered animals in India you should see
Tiger
Being our national animal, it is only fitting that you spot one on Indian soil. There are several sanctuaries and national parks in India that are known for their tiger population. Some of them are Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh and Tadoba National Park in Maharashtra. The tiger is known for its natural beauty and India is also home to the royal Bengal tiger which is white in color. Only once you spot one on a jungle safari will you know the true beauty and fear of a tiger.
ALSO SEE 10 best places to spot tigers in India
Stripe-necked mongoose
Found in southern India, stripe-necked mongoose is a small predator that looks harmless but preys on rodents, frogs, crabs and reptiles. It can be distinguished by a black stripe running around its neck giving it the name. You will mostly find them in forested areas or near swamps and rice fields. There are two subspecies of this animal with one having a reddish tint around its fur. To spot them, visit Bandipur National Park in Karnataka.
Snow Leopard
Another endangered species by the IUCN, there are about 4000-8000 snow leopards in the world as per 2016 records. The big cat is an elusive one and extremely difficult to spot as it is mostly found in alpine regions at an altitude of over 3,000m above sea level. They also are white in color with black spots and blend in well with their natural surroundings. They can be found in the Himalayan region in India. You can try your luck spotting it in Ladakh at the Hemis National Park.
ALSO SEE A group of skiers spotted a snow leopard in Gulmarg, watch
Hyena
They may look petite but hyenas are known to scare off even lions. They hunt in a pack and primarily catch their prey with their teeth rather than their claws. Hyenas are nocturnal creatures and you will find them hunting at night or sometimes in the early hours of the day. They eat very quickly and then store food. Little Rann of Kutch in Gujarat is one place to spot hyena and so is Velavadar National Park.
Marsh Crocodile
Found at various spots in the Indian subcontinent, this crocodile is also called mugger crocodile or simply mugger in many regions. It is a medium-sized croc and is mostly found in freshwater lakes, ponds, marshes, swamps and rivers. They attack their prey by pouncing on them when they get a chance as they come to drink water. Because of their dark color, they can camouflage well with the murky water. Marsh crocodiles are found in different parts of India but you can spot them easily in the Chambal River or at Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary in Karnataka.
Jungle Cat
A medium-sized cat found in the Indian subcontinent, jungle cat is also called reed or swamp cat and is usually sandy, reddish-brown in color. They prefer remaining in a solitary environment and mostly come out to mingle during the mating season. Jungle cats are bigger than the usual cats and are known to hunt throughout the day. They live in burrows, grassland thickets and holes and avoid roaming in open areas. These creatures feed on rodents, insects, reptiles, small mammals and birds. In India you can spot them in Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh.
Leopard
The spotted predator is found in several places in India, sometimes even in urban areas causing much havoc and manic to city dwellers. Leopard, one of the most beautiful big cats is a natural predator and loves to chase and attack its prey over long distances. Because the leopard population is on a decline, it is under the vulnerable red list of UCIN currently. This is also because they are illegally hunted, sold and killed. If you want to spot one in India, visit Kabini Forest Reserve.

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Published: November 29, 2016 10:16 PM IST | Updated: November 29, 2016 10:16 PM IST
http://www.india.com/travel/articles/9-animals-in-india-every-wildlife-lover-must-see/

Gir village to light up after 69 years

(Representative image)

TNN | Nov 24, 2016, 06.34 AM IST
AHMEDABAD: Sixty-nine years after Independence, residents of Zankhiya village in Gir sanctuary, the last abode of the Asiatic lions, will get electricity connections and basic amenities.
However, this would not have been possible without an order from Gujarat high court (HC), which has directed the authorities to complete all formalities and finish the project in six months so that the villagers can get power supply for residential and agriculture purpose. This could be made possible through 10 years of incessant efforts by the villagers to secure basic amenities for themselves in this forest area. Interestingly, a decade ago, the state government declared that it had achieved 100% electrification in the state under the Jyotirgram Yojna.

Zankhiya, one of the nine villages in forest settlement area in the western region of Gir, tried hard to get power supply . Five villagers moved the HC in 2014. Later, the process for acquiring permissions from concerned authorities was put on a fast track after the HC observed that the progress was at "snail's pace". The standing council of National Board of Wildlife granted permission in March to lay 11KV overhead electric line. The nod was given on the ground that the proposal for electrification was "for a public utility of no impact on the wildlife of the area".

In its permission, the National Board of Wildlife asked the state authorities to ensure that no dama ge sho uld be cau sed to flora and fauna and insu lated cable should be used for transmission line. It also ordered that the labour camp during the project should be kept outside the sanctuary , that fuel and other requirement be met with by purchaser from the market and that the sanctuary must not be burdened.

The Paschim Gujarat Vij Company Ltd told the HC that it had no objection in carrying out the project. After hearing the case, Justice R M Chhayahttp://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Gir-village-to-light-up-after-69-years/articleshow/55591726.cms

Tourism in Gujarat affected badly by cash crunch

Nav Gujarat Samay | Nov 23, 2016, 11.13 PM IST

Highlights
Tourism in Gujarat has been hit badly by demonetisation, as potential visitors are choosing to hold on their cash, industry sources say

• Several tourist attractions, such as the Gir forest, the Small Desert of Kutch, Pavagadh and Dakor have seen a drop in tourist numbers.Asiatic lions in the Gir forest, one of Gujarat's most famous tourist attractions (TOI Photo)
  
• 
  
• AHMEDABAD: Tourism in Gujarat has taken a hit after the currency ban was announced more than two weeks ago, as potential visitors are choosing to hold on to their money during the cash crunch, industry sources say.
  
  For example, tourists have been cancelling advance
  bookings for the Kutch Rann Utsav, an annual festival which this year started on November 1, and will go on till February 20. Other attractions, such as the Polo forest, the Small Desert of Kutch, Pavagadh, and Dakor have also recorded a decrease in tourist numbers.

Even the Gir forest, home of the Asiatic lion, hasn't been spared.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/tourism-in-gujarat-affected-badly-by-cash-crunch/articleshow/55588140.cms

The lions of the Gir

Sunday, November 20, 2016, 09:28

An Asiatic lion, found only in Gir National Forest in India.

A female antelope

The female Asiatic lion, also known as the Indian lion.

The Gir Forest in India is home to one of the most successful conservation programmes for lions. Kevin Galea gets up close and personal to some of them.
Conservation areas are bad for the back. The Gir Forest in Gujarat, west India is the last remaining home for Asiatic or Persian lions.  It also has the largest number of marsh crocodiles, leopards and sleeping policemen.
As well as a highly successful breeding programme of potholes, their numbers grow every night.
If you go on an Indian lion safari you will be in for a bumpy ride. The Gir is made up of 400 partially-tarmaced kilometres from Ahmedabad, which one brochure described as “a city flourishing in pollution.”
I decided to forgo some of the unique on-site attractions of the family-friendly Fern Resort in Sasan Gir – ranging from kite flying ( seasonal) to jiggery making, beginners’ kabaddi, lemon and egg racing, kho kho (tag), musical chairs and even ‘make your own lion mask’. Instead, I went on a three-hour, £120 early morning jeep safari to spot a rare gene pool.
“Isn’t he handsome?” said my English-speaking guide Mr Bhikku. “A really good-looking fellow.”
Ten yards away from us, a lion was dozing off his early morning kill and, although we remained upwind, he was audibly suffering from unneutralised stomach acid.
Under a nearby flame tree, a group of lionesses picked at the carcass of their breakfast,  a spotted chical deer.
A crested serpent eagle circled overhead. Vultures queued in the tree tops. A boar scurried into the undergrowth. “We are all vegetarians here,” smiled Mr Bhikku.
“There is no dearth of bush meat for the king of the jungle!”  He tilted his head, giving a textbook wobble. “The shiyals and sharakhs will be close by – those are the jackals and hyenas.”
It was 7am and already 40°C. There were four of us on the dawn tour – an American, a German couple and me. The American couldn’t close his aperture and went on and on about preventing motion blur and how he was on evaluative metre mode in JPG format and trusting to horizontal stabilisation. He thrust his outsize lenses past my nose. He was eager, he said, to add to his on-field wildlife portfolio.
He asked me what I was using. I said “C2H5OH”. To reduce camera shakes I had invested in a tourist alcohol licence. Gujarat is India’s one dry state.
We bumped up and down through the scrub. Every tree root tested the coccyx. Our guide spoke of rock pythons and spectacle cobras.
“Tigers are found across 17 Indian states but lions only in one.  The dry deciduous forests of north-west India, an one hour flight from Mumbai, are the last remaining habitat of the Asiatic or Persian lion. It is the only place in the world where you can see “Leo panticara” in the wild.
We stopped. Bhikku put his finger to his lips and shushed us. “Babbar sher.”

Asiatic savaj lions were removed from the critically-endangered species list in 2005

Another bloated lion panted in front of us.
“Gir forest management has become a model for the study of human-wildlife management,” he whispered.  “We have lady rangers who look after the lions. For some reason, they trust them more than they trust men men. We have just had our lion census. It happens every five years. There are no issues, only good news. The lions are surviving and thriving.”
We moved further into India’s largest tract of semi-arid deciduous forest.
Begun in 1962, the Gir Lion Project is a conservation success story. The first count was undertaken in 1880 by a Colonel Watson. He recorded 12 lions. The first Forest Service tally was in 1963 (285). In 2010, 411 lions or “were recorded (97 males, 162 females and 152 cubs).
The most recent census – the 14th – revealed a 27 per cent increase in lion numbers; 109 males were counted as well as 210 females and 213 cubs.
A lioness sprawled under a carvanda tree. They live separately from males. They can have six litters. Once, the presence of lions was widespread from the Middle-East to Greece and north and east India. However, they died out in Europe some 2,000 years ago. They were hunted to near extinction in India by princes, maharajahs and Brits until the Nawab of Junagadh banned hunting at the end of the 19th century.
There may be now 48 official tiger reserves in India. The tiger, with its 2,000 wild population, might bring in more tourism revenue but the lion, thanks to Indian PM Narendra Modi, has been re-instated as the national animal.  In 2007, Modi, who was born in Gujarat, started a programme to involve more female villages in conservation work.
“Poaching and timber felling is a problem,” explained Bikkhu.
He introduced us to one of the Blue Caps or Behens (sisters).  “They are the famous cat women of Gir!” He laughed.
“We are preserving our heritage,” said Sonal. She was sitting astride her Honda Hero motorbike.  She held a walkie-talkie and she was dressed in khaki. “The lion is the symbol of Indian sovereignty and the four-headed lion is on our bank notes. The Persian lions are the last remaining descendants of the lions of Daniel, Androcles and the Roman gladiators. They are our pride, but Gir also has largest population of leopards in India.”
A sambar raced past. She smiled. “That’s the menu!” A boar  disappeared into the bushes.
Asiatic savaj lions were removed from the critically- endangered species list in 2005.  A breeding centre has been established at Sakkarbaug Zoo in Junadagh.
A lion yawned and stretched in front of us. So did the Germans.  The American kept clicking.
Back at the Fern, I birdwatched from my balcony, ticking off black drongos, tailor birds, sunbirds, green bee-eaters, rose ringed parakeets and  the charming and very helpful  hotel manager, Debasish Muduli. He asked me whether I was enjoying the aviculture.
“They are our most important guests. But the savaj and sinh are the king of the jungle here. Long live the lion king.”
We heard a camera click and looked over at the American’s room.  The manager smiled and handed me a leaflet.
“Photography vantage points within the resort attract a lot of birds and offer complete contentment to the greedy lenses of enthusiastic camera.”
Blurbs never lie. Shooting things is still a popular pastime in India.
The writer flew to India from the UK using Jetairways.com. The closest airports to the Gir are Porbandar and Keshod. He stayed at the Fern Gir Forest Resort (www.ferngirforestresort.com)
www.girnationalpark.in

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20161120/travel/The-lions-of-the-Gir.631528

Over 35 forest officials engaged in lion release operation

Vijaysinh Parmar | TNN | Nov 19, 2016, 04.00 AM ISTDhari (Amreli): The forest department has formed three teams headed by Range Forest officers (RFOs) for round-the-clock monitoring of the 15 lions that were released into the wild on Thursday.

"We have formed three teams involving 15 staffs to monitor their movements. We hope that all lions will settle down in their natural habitat soon," said Dr T Karuppasamy, deputy conservator of forests, Gir East division (Dhari).

"A veterinary doctor has checked all the lions before their release into the wild. Our staff have worked round-the-clock in past six months to ensure that the pride of lions settles in the wild again," said Karuppasamy.
The entire release operation was carried out under guidance of chief conservator of forests, wildlife division, Junagadh, A P Singh and with support of R R Nala, DCF, Sasan Gir and Pradeep Singh, (DCF, Gir-west.

"Atleast 35 members of forest department were engaged in the release operation since last 10 days. This included gathering the lions, caging them doing health check-ups and transporting them to the location of release. Each process require meticulous planning and execution." said a forest official.

Latest Comment

well done goodyash

These lions were caged following increase in human-wildlife conflict around Gir forests, the last abode of majestic Asiatic lions. The lions were spreading and venturing closer to human habitats.

According to last census of Asiatic lions, there were 523 lions in and around Gir Forests and spread over four districts including Junagadh, Gir-Somnath, Amreli and Bhavnagar.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/rajkot/Over-35-forest-officials-engaged-in-lion-release-operation/articleshow/55503396.cms

Gir's Maulana, Big B's co-star in Gujarat ad, dead

AHMEDABAD: Maulana, the iconic Asiatic lion of Gir, who was among eight lions featured in the advertisement 'Khushboo Gujarat Ki', died on Wednesday. Megastar Amitabh Bachchan, after seeing Maulana in 2010, wrote on his blog: "LION!! And no, not just one, many!"

Bachhan then described the scene, "They are just coming in numbers..3, 4 its 7 of them, led by the male lion, two females and cubs! They calmly come up to the water and start drinking. The older male leaves the hole and sits down by the side, the others still moving about the water..."

Announcing the death of the majestic lion on Thursday, chief conservator of forest, A P Singh, said, "The lion, which frequented the tourism zone, was named Maulana because of his looks. He was around 16 years old and under treatment for the last 10 days." Singh said that for the past couple of years, Maulana lived without his pride, and was one of the oldest surviving lions along with Ram, another old male. Ram, too, was 16 when he died earlier this month. Usually, a lion loses h is 'lordship' of a territory in about three years, but Maulana and his brother Tapu could not be dislodged for several years. The two reigned over a group of 39 lionesses and cubs.

Stay updated on the go with Times of India News App. Click here to download it for your device.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Girs-Maulana-Big-Bs-co-star-in-Guj-ad-dead/articleshow/55486917.cms

Lions’ abode gets eco zone cover

Himanshu Kaushik | TNN | Nov 15, 2016, 04.00 AM IST

Ahmedabad: The ministry of environment, forest and climate change has notified an area up to a maximum radius of 17.9 km from the current boundary of Asiatic lion sanctuaries in Gujarat as Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ).

Sources in the department said that the ESZ has been notified in consultation with the Gujarat forest department, and it will ease the movement of lions along the natural corridor.

In view of the sensitive nature of the movement of Asiatic lions, the Gujarat forest department decided to have the maximum - 17.9 km radius from sanctuary boundary as ESZ.

"17.9 kilometres from the boundary of the Mitiyala Wildlife Sanctuary, 16.3 km from the boundary of the Gir Wildlife Sanctuary and up to 14.98 km from the Paniya Wildlife Sanctuary of Gujarat, has been notified as Eco-Sensitive Zone," states the notification.

The ESZ has been created along the river flowing in the area. In the case of Nalsarovar and other sanctuaries the department had fixed an ESZ ranging from 2 km to 10 km. But in case of Gir Sanctuary, the area has been extended to a maximum of 17.9 km.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Lions-abode-gets-eco-zone-cover/articleshow/55423437.cms

Popular TV show revealing private lives of animals at Chester Zoo set to return

Published date: 09 November 2016 |

Published by: Steve Creswell

A POPULAR TV show that reveals the private lives of weird and wonderful animals at Chester Zoo will hit screens for a second series this month.
At the start of 2016, more than four million viewers per episode tuned in to series one of The Secret Life of the Zoo.
Now, the groundbreaking Channel 4 documentary series is back, putting more cameras in more places the public never gets to see at Britain’s most popular wildlife attraction.
From the difficult birth of a baby zebra, to elephant mating, to moving a giant python, the series will tell the stories of extraordinary rites of passage in the lives of some of Chester’s 20,000 animals, many of which are rare and endangered.
Using a micro-rig to capture animal behaviour at eye level, the series takes us closer to these creatures than ever before.
And Chester’s keepers and animal care staff will reveal their close relationships with animals they have cared for over many years.
The Secret Life of The Zoo starts on Thursday, November 17, at 8pm.
A spokesman for the show said: “Many of the animals in the zoo are threatened with extinction.
“We’ll see how some of the rarest animals in the world, from Eastern black rhino to Sumatran tigers, are helped to breed. And we’ll also see how babirusa give birth, sloths form pair bonds, Asiatic lions mate, and orangutans protect their territory.
“The first episode of the new series sees Florence and Nadine, two of Chester’s Grevy’s zebras, both about to give birth. But fixing a due date is almost impossible, and so the keepers are keeping a close eye on both.
“Other animals are struggling to produce offspring. Iblis is an Asiatic lion, one of the rarest animals in the world. His partner of five years, Kumari, seems to be losing interest in him.
“Keepers can find nothing physically wrong with the pair, so decide to put Iblis on a programme of tearing animal carcasses from trees in order to get him into shape. But will it be enough to impress Kumari?
“Meanwhile warthog dad Magnum is feeling the pressure of parenting. Two of his older children, Dobby and Neville, are becoming increasingly hard to control. Magnum must impose order on his family again – if he can.
“And a new arrival to the zoo, Rico, a two-toed sloth, is finding it hard to attract the interest of female sloth Tina.”

http://www.newsnorthwales.co.uk/news/168899/popular-tv-show-revealing-private-lives-of-animals-at-chester-zoo-set-to-return.aspx

Intense patrolling around Gir reduces conflicts in festival

TNN | Nov 9, 2016, 04.00 AM ISTDhari: The forest department carried intensive patrolling during the Diwali festival period from October 26 to November 5 around the Gir Wildlife Sanctuary to prevent illegal lion shows and unscrupulous entry into the forest by locals and outsiders.

Forest officers said that the efforts paid off as there were no major conflicts involving humans and wildlife during this period which generally witnesses heavy influx of people who try to see lions in whatever way they can.

The members of patrolling teams included trackers and chief conservator of forests (Junagadh Wildlife division) too.

Around 10 offences were registered in Gir West and Gir East division and Rs 80,000 was collected as fine from the offenders.

"We caught people who came from Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Mumbai and other places while they were trying to enter the Gir forests to see lions. We caught them in various forest ranges including Talala," said Pradeep Singh, deputy conservator of forests, Gir (West) division.

"We have observed that people from outside the Gir visit nearby villages to see lions with the help of locals and they try to enter the forests or go close to lions. Therefore, we embarked on massive patrolling where all our staff would go around villages and sensitive locations till 4am. As patrolling spread, it helped us control the menace," said Ram Ratan Nala, deputy conservator of forests of the wildlife division at Sasan-Gir.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/rajkot/Intense-patrolling-around-Gir-reduces-conflicts-in-festival/articleshow/55320140.cms

Chester Zoo reveals more about series two of The Secret Life of the Zoo

Popular Channel 4 documentary series returns with groundbreaking footage of rare animals
ByChester Chronicle 15:30, 8 NOV 2016 Updated13:52, 8 NOV 2016

Series two of the Channel 4 documentary series, The Secret Life of The Zoo, begins on Thursday, November 17 at 8pm

More details have been revealed by Chester Zoo about the second series of The Secret Life of the Zoo which gets under way next week.
At the start of 2016, more than 4m viewers per episode tuned in to series one. Now, this groundbreaking Channel 4 documentary series is back, putting more cameras in more places the public never gets to see at Britain’s most popular wildlife attraction.
From the difficult birth of a baby zebra, to elephant mating, to moving a giant python, the series will tell the stories of extraordinary rites of passage in the lives of some of Chester’s 20,000 animals, many of which are rare and endangered.

Florence the zebra (Photo: Steve Rawlins)

Using a micro-rig to capture animal behaviour at eye level, the series takes us closer to these creatures than ever before.
And Chester’s keepers and animal care staff will reveal their close relationships with animals they have cared for over many years.
Many of the animals in the zoo are threatened with extinction.
We’ll see how some of the rarest animals in the world, from Eastern black rhino to Sumatran tigers, are helped to breed. And we’ll also see how babirusa give birth, sloths form pair bonds, Asiatic lions mate, and orangutans protect their territory.

Tina the sloth

The first episode of the new series sees Florence and Nadine, two of Chester’s Grevy’s zebras, both about to give birth.
But fixing a due date is almost impossible, and so the keepers are keeping a close eye on both.
Other animals are struggling to produce offspring.
Iblis is an Asiatic lion, one of the rarest animals in the world. His partner of five years, Kumari, seems to be losing interest in him.

Iblis the lion (Photo: Steve Rawlins)

Keepers can find nothing physically wrong with the pair, so decide to put Iblis on a programme of tearing animal carcasses from trees in order to get him into shape. But will it be enough to impress Kumari?
Meanwhile warthog dad Magnum is feeling the pressure of parenting.
Two of his older children, Dobby and Neville, are becoming increasingly hard to control. Magnum must impose order on his family again – if he can.

Magnum the warthog (Photo: Steve Rawlins)
And a new arrival to the zoo, Rico, a two-toed sloth, is finding it hard to attract the interest of female sloth Tina.
The Secret Life of The Zoo starts on Thursday, November 17, at 8pm on Channel 4.

http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/chester-zoo-reveals-more-series-12144154

Mobiles of trackers, drivers banned inside Gir sanctuary

Vijaysinh Parmar | TNN | Nov 8, 2016, 04.00 AM IST

Sasan (Gir): The forest department has banned the use of mobile phones for guides, trackers and safari drivers on the eight tourists routes in the Gir Wildlife Sanctuary to control the unregulated movements of the vehicles that often disturbed the Asiatic lions in their natural habitat.

Besides managing the tourists in the sanctuary, the decision is also aimed at breaking the flourishing nexus between some trackers and a few Gypsy drivers that used to result in large number of vehicles crowding at the same spot where lions were seen in good numbers.

"No guides, trackers and gypsy drivers are allowed to take mobile phones with them when they enter the sanctuary with tourists. The objective is to manage the tourists' zones in a way that they don't disturb lions in their natural habitats. We have received good response from this new initiative,'' said Ram Ratan Nala, deputy conservator of forests, wildlife division, Sasan-Gir.

Officials said that there were several instances when guides would contact trackers to know the location of lions in tourists' zone and several Gypsys would gather at one spot. This would naturally disturb the lions as they were surrounded by so many vehicles and chances of human-lion conflict would be more.

The sanctuary is witnessing an unprecedented influx of tourists. In just seven days from October 30 to November 6, 50,368 tourists visited the Devaliya Interpretation Zone while 6,835 visited the sanctuary. The department is issuing 90 permits daily to visit the sanctuary. There are 20 trackers inside tourists' zone and eight tourist routes in the sanctuary.

"All 150 Gypsy vehicles are now enabled with Global Positioning System (GPS) and it provides real-time monitoring of vehicles and its speed. The mobile ban will only strengthen our vigilance. We have ensured that no vehicle should run on more than 20 km per hour and they do not assemble in large numbers at one spot'' Nala added.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/rajkot/Mobiles-of-trackers-drivers-banned-inside-Gir-sanctuary/articleshow/55297164.cms

Vandalur zoo looks to cover new ground

Hindu
Chennai
Sun,06 Nov 2016

Summary: The zoo currently houses six species of deer including the spotted deer, barking deer, sambar, swamp and sangai deer. Keeping them protectedThe zoo has set a new record of breeding lion-tailed maxaques (LTM). Chennai has the distinction of having the first zoo in India in 1855. The wolves of VandalurThe Udaipur zoo had sent two wolves in exchange of the white tiger. The new sprawling zoo on Vandalur-Kelambakkam Road was inaugurated by then Chief Minister M.G.

The Arignar Anna Zoological Park has been the frontrunner in the conservation of endangered species. Chennai has the distinction of having the first zoo in India in 1855. This was functioning near Moore Market Complex before it had to be shifted to the present location in 1979, when the state government had to hand over the land to the railways for expansion works. The new sprawling zoo on Vandalur-Kelambakkam Road was inaugurated by then Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran.

By 1982, the first enclosures were readied, and seven sambars, five macaw parrots and one African grey parrot and animals such as zebra, hippo and blackbuck were transported from the old Corporation Zoo. All the animals and birds – 155 in number – were also shifted to the present location. A zoo official said, “Our first task was to enrich the animal collection of the zoo and the highest priority was given to acquisition of glamorous exotic animals from different parts of the globe. Breeding of the rare and endangered species of wild animals, like Shangai (Thamin deer), Swamp deer, Lion-tailed Macaque, Nilgiri Langur, Indian Gaur, Wild Dog, Indian Tiger and the Asiatic Lion, was successful.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/vandalur-zoo-looks-to-cover-new-ground/article9310774.ece

Animal lovers launch online campaign to free caged Gir lion

Updated: Nov 03, 2016 12:22 IST

Hiral Dave
Hindustan Times

Wildlife enthusiasts in Gujarat have launched an online petition demanding that a Gir lion, caged since last year for wounding a woman who later died of heart attack, be freed. “This handsome young Asiatic Lion from Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary is behind bars in Sakkerbaug zoo, Junagadh, for no fault of his since December 2015 and for being a wild (aggressive) lion in natural course...,” the petition, meant for the state’s principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife), states.
“Please show your concern and ask the government of Gujarat to release this young handsome male lion to his original habitat, where two of his brothers are waiting for him,” adds the petition.
Jaidev Dhadhal, who initiated the campaign, says the lion belonging to a three-member pride is being held in custody for no reason.
He says the lion acted in self-defence after Hansa Dhamecha, a woman of Samapara village near Junagadh, got too close to it. Dhamecha sustained bruises and forest officials admit she later died of shock.
Forest officials say the lion could be a threat to humans if left free. “After Dhamecha was attacked by the lion, the victim died of heart attack. The lion did not prey on her, but the attack caused bruises and bites, which means the lion has tasted human blood. It will be too risky to release this lion into wild,” conservator of forest (Junagadh Division) SK Mehta told HT.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/animal-lovers-launch-online-campaign-to-free-caged-gir-lion/story-I5P5OK5jlXZMde0rxu1jqO.html

Lion, leopard genes decoded

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | U SUDHAKAR REDDY

Published Nov 2, 2016, 6:48 am IST

 Genetic scientists working at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology’s Laboratory for Conservation of Endangered Species have decoded the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of the Asiatic Lion and Indian Clouded Leopard.

Updated Nov 2, 2016, 7:01 am IST

Data will help experts preserve, protect animals.

Hyderabad: Genetic scientists working at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology’s Laboratory for Conservation of Endangered Species have decoded the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of the Asiatic Lion and Indian Clouded Leopard. They published their research in ‘Taylor and Francis Online Journal’. The purpose of genome sequencing is to help conservation of the dwindling species and to know more about how they evolved. For example, it will help to find out why the Asiatic Lion (Panthera leo persica) differs from other big cats, and its propensity to live in a pride. The complete mitochondrial genome sequencing of the Asiatic Lion was done by Dr Ajay Guar, Wajeeda Tabasum, Sreenivas Ara, Niraj Rai, and Kumarasamy Thangaraj.
The Asiatic Lion is classified as a member the Pantherinae sub family that includes six big cats - tiger, lion, jaguar, leopard, snow leopard and clouded leopard. “Asiatic lions are the top carnivores and possess a prominent position atop the food chain in their only remaining natural habitat, in the Gir Forest of Gujarat in India, thus the reduction in their population size would lead to an ecological imbalance. The blood sample used for DNA extraction and analysis was from a male Asiatic lion named Siddharath with the Nehru Zoological Park in Hyderabad. In this study, the complete mitochondrial genome of the Asiatic Lion was sequenced and characterised,” the researchers wrote.

Dr Ajay Gaur Wajeeda Tabasum, Ara Sreenivas, Kesav Kumar Bheemavarapu, and Tirupathi Rao Golla worked on the genome sequencing of the Indian Clouded Leopard. Dr Ajay Gaur said, “The overall estimated population of the Clouded Leopard is less than 10,000 mature individuals in the wild with a declining quality of habitat and exploitation. The blood sample used for DNA extraction and analysis was collected from a female Clouded Leopard named Rehana from Sepahijala Zoological Park in Agartala.”

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/science/science/021116/lion-leopard-genes-decoded.html

Famous Indian lion Ram dies of old age in Gir forest

1 November 2016
From the section India

Image caption Forest officials described Ram as "beautiful" and "flamboyant"

One of India's oldest and most popular lions in the wild has died from old age, forest officials told the BBC.

Ram was found dead on Saturday, officials at the Gir sanctuary in western Gujarat state said. He was thought to be about 15 years old.
Forest officials described him as "beautiful" and "flamboyant" and said Ram was their "most photographed lion".
Gir sanctuary is home to more than 500 lions and is the only habitat of Asiatic lions in the world.
Ram and his brother Shyam were a famous pair of lions that ruled over Gir forest in recent years.
"We carried out a post mortem on him to ascertain the cause of death. He died from natural causes. He was cremated in the presence of government and local village officials." deputy conservator of forests Ram Ratan Nala told the BBC.

Image copyright Amrish Bhatt

Image caption Together with Shyam (in the photo above), Ram ruled over Gir forest for years

Mr Nala said Ram was loved in the neighbourhood and many forest staff in the area fasted for a day to mourn his death.
"Ram along with his brother Shyam ruled over Gir for many years and the two fathered many cubs over the years," Sandeep Kumar, who was Mr Nala's predecessor, told the BBC.
"At one point, the duo had about two dozen cubs in their pride," he said.
The forest staff named the lions Ram and Shyam which are popular Indian names and also the name of a hit Bollywood film.

Image copyright Sandeep Kumar

Image caption These cubs were born in Ram and Shyam's pride last year

Unlike tigers who do not share their territories with other males, lions generally form a coalition with another male member of their family and the two protect their territory together, Mr Kumar explained.
"But every kingdom must come to an end. With Ram now dead and Shyam getting on in years, it will get very difficult for Shyam to protect their territory and the area is likely to be taken over by other younger males soon," he added.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-37832475

Big cat enthusiasts warned over 'lion selfies' after claims 'dangerous' photos taken after dark are a growing trend

By Aimee Brannen For Mail Online

Published: 23:41 GMT, 31 October 2016 | Updated: 23:41 GMT, 31 October 2016

Lion lovers have been sent another warning over the dangers of taking selfies with big cats after a reported surge in people seeking out night-time photo opportunities.

The Gujarat forest department has spoken out on the issue after claims of a growing trend in after dark 'lion selfies' - in which people pose perilously close to the creatures - despite the practice being banned.

While forest guards patrol large swathes of the endangered Asiatic lions' habitat 24 hours a day, they don't have as much control if a lion strays onto a main road or into a village on the hunt for food, and locals alert tourists.

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There has been an increase in the number of people posing for 'selfies' with Asiatic lions in the background, despite a warning that such moves are banned

Forest minister Ganpat Vasava told the Times of India: "Illegal shows or taking selfies in the night close to the big cat is impossible. Our department staff are on an alert and they are moving in the night to curb such activities. However, if a lion enters a village and kills a domestic animal, locals call in tourists."

The newspaper claimed that a bodybuilder from Vadodara had recently taken numerous photos and videos late at night with lions on a road, before posting them on Facebook.

In June this year, the Gujarat forest department issued an earlier warning over the growing number of wildlife lovers taking photos with lions in the background to post on social media.

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Cricketer Ravindra Jadeja found himself in hot water after posing for photos with lions in the background earlier this year and was fined 20,000 rupees

It followed a spate of attacks in which villagers were killed or injured by the cats.

But just days later, Indian cricketer Ravindra Jadeja posted photos on social media showing him and his wife in front of a pride of lions during a safari in Gir forest.

An investigation was ordered and, in August, he was fined 20,000 rupees (£245) for taking the images.

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There is no suggestion that this woman is doing anything wrong, but a growing number of photos showing wildlife lovers posing in front of the big cats have swept social media

"We had instituted a probe and called Jadeja for a statement," AP Singh, chief forest conservator in Gujarat state, told AFP at the time. 

"But since he was not available, his father-in-law Hardevsinh Solanki gave a written statement on his behalf and paid the fine of 20,000 rupees." 

In one of the photos on Instagram, the all-rounder is seen smiling and pointing at a pride of big cats resting behind him with a caption "family photo, having good time in Sasan (Gir)".

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Gir wildlife sanctuary is a popular big cat safari destination and the only place where Asiatic lions remain in the wild

Another is a selfie of Jadeja and his wife as a lion looks on in the background. 

Gir wildlife sanctuary is a popular big cat safari destination and the only place where Asiatic lions remain in the wild.

Asiatic lions, slightly smaller than their African cousins and with a fold of skin along their bellies, have been increasing in numbers in Gir, with 523 recorded in the latest census.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/indianews/article-3891606/Big-cat-enthusiasts-warned-lion-selfies-claims-dangerous-photos-taken-dark-growing-trend.html#ixzz4RTFxtItc
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