Born Free Is Saddened To Learn Of The Death Of Xanda, Cecil The Lion's Son

Tragically, Cecil the lion’s son, Xanda, was killed by a trophy hunter outside of Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe. Xanda's death comes almost exactly two years after Cecil's killing by an American trophy hunter, which generated public outrage at the cruelty of the trophy hunting industry.
Prashant K. Khetan, CEO and General Counsel for Born Free USA, says: "The killing of Xanda is a tragedy, simply put. We need no other statistic than that there are now fewer than 20,000 wild lions left in Africa. And, trophy hunting, absurdly called a "sport"—as though it were the same as putting a rubber ball through a basketball hoop—has played a major role in the dwindling of this incredible species. In the U.S., I hope that Congress will see this latest act of atrocity as an indication that the Endangered Species Act (ESA) should not be gutted; rather, we need to reintroduce and pass laws like the CECIL Animal Trophies Act to afford protections to wild animals so that tragedies like the killings of Cecil, and now his son Xanda, do not become a routine and forgotten occurrence."
Born Free USA has long fought to put an end to trophy hunting. We pushed for at-risk species to be listed on the ESA, which, among other things, restricts trophy imports. Thanks to our efforts and those of our partner organizations, West/Central African and Asiatic lions were listed as 'endangered' and East/Southern African lions were listed as 'threatened' in early 2016, making it far more difficult for American hunters to bring lion trophies back to the U.S. Following Cecil's death, we were at the forefront of efforts to develop and promote the Conserving Ecosystems by Ceasing the Importation of Large (CECIL) Animal Trophies Act, which aims to extend import and export prohibitions to sport-hunted species that have been proposed for listing, but are not yet listed under the ESA. We will keep you updated as this story progresses and what you can do to help.

Trending Hairstyles Source : http://www.bornfreeusa.org/news.php?p=6195&more=1

Gir: The charm and the challenge

By Chief of Bureau Rajnish Mishra

image: http://www.uniindia.com/cms/gall_content/2017/7/2017_7$largeimg22_Jul_2017_151145050.jpg

Ahmedabad: Even as the abode of Asiatic lions is still three years away from the next census, the carnivores’ roar is getting louder. Many newer areas in its vicinity known as Greater Gir, which includes parts of Bhavnagar District – have witnessed increased presence.

As per the 2015 Census, Gir had 109 lions and 201 lionesses besides 213 cubs and sub-adults compared to a total 411 in 2010. In the words of the Chief Conservator of Forests (Jun gadh Wildlife Circle), the number was below 200 in the late sixties!

Though there are reports every year of lion deaths owing to varous reasons, it’s heartening that the pecentage declined to 0.7 % from the earlier 4 to 5%. Wells have been a major reason for such fatalities but parapets were constructed around 19,000 such structures.

However, the enhancement in lion population has posed challenges the biggest being a spree of attacks on humans. The animals killed at least five persons and injured a large number in Amreli and Gir Somnath districts within a period of three months last year. In Amreli, the Forest Department had to trap more than a dozen beasts following three incidents in which they also consumed parts of victims’ bodies.

Though the occurrences were puzzling, the official denied speculation that these resulted from dearth of natural food in the jungle.

Another problem is to protect lions from nature’s fury and other dangers. In 2015, the maximum 120 deaths were reported and at least 10 perished owing to extremely heavy rain. Though numerous cubs die every year, which is not uncommon, some are also claimed by road and train mishaps.

Gir is also home to over 300 leopards, the sambar and the chowsingha. It boasts 40-plus species of reptiles and amphibians. ‘Sinh Darshan’ is conducted in open jeeps throughout the year barring the monsoon months.

Read more at http://www.uniindia.com/gir-the-charm-and-the-challenge/cover-story/fullstory/937733.html#uYGZ8XE4KpkAQZrI.99

Leopard injures three of a family

The villagers contacted forest department officials of who rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation, the DCF said, adding that traps have been laid in the area and effort is on to nab the leopard

ahmedabad, Jul 23 Three members of a family were injured after a leopard attacked them at Chakrava village in Khamba taluka of Amreli district in DHARI forest division late last night, a forest department official said.
Dinesh Chauhan, Manga Chauhan and Ajay Chauhan, three brothers, were sleeping in their thatched house in the village when a leopard entered and attacked them, leaving them injured, deputy conservator of forests (Gir East division), T Karuppasami said.
"The leopard entered the house at around 2 am when the three brothers were sleeping and attacked them, leaving them injured," Kuruppasami said.
As they raised alarm, villagers woke up and ran after the leopard, which escaped taking advantage of the darkness, he said.
The villagers contacted forest department officials of who rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation, the DCF said, adding that traps have been laid in the area and effort is on to nab the leopard.
"Meanwhile, the injured were taken to Dhari primary health centre, and from there to Amreli hospital," he said.
The village is located near Gir Wildlife Sanctuary which is also home to lions.

https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/russian-firm-delivers-mi171e-convertible-helicopter-to-pak/1105956?scroll

The problem of diminishing wildlife habitats

Overpopulation of tigers in their reserves, rhinos in Kaziranga and lions in Gir, compounded by the reduction of habitat is alarming

Tigers are very tough to relocate as they cause conflict in the new areas—with tigers in residence and peripheral villages. Photo courtesy: Mithun Hanagund

The biggest threat to wildlife conservation is inadequate habitat. Some people realize this, but it’s not in our face like the photo of a dead rhino bleeding, with its horn chopped off, and hence the major concern is on poaching instead of the larger threat of habitat destruction. More rhinos are born than are killed by poachers.

Conservation efforts are paying off, with sightings of tigers in most parks having gone up dramatically. The effort on rhino conservation in Kaziranga has been phenomenal. From being practically extinct, we now have over 2,500 rhinos. Normally one should say “Wow”; however, Kaziranga cannot support these growing numbers due to the lack of habitat.
Similarly, a limited habitat with the growing population of tigers is leading to territorial fights, causing more tiger deaths and also increasing man-animal conflict as tigers are forced out of protected areas. Each tiger needs to establish its own territory, and some tigers have been known to migrate over 200km. Wildlife conservation organizations are studying how corridors can be created to link habitats for tigers so that they can establish new territories.
Overpopulation of tigers in tiger reserves, rhinos in Kaziranga and lions in Gir, compounded by the reduction of habitat, especially for rhinos in Kaziranga, is alarming. The silting of grasslands, and woodlands gradually spreading into grasslands, needs to be urgently addressed as grasslands are needed for the rhinos. The practice of jhumming (burning grass to remove small trees, and to provide softer green shoots for rhinos) needs to be supplemented with other solutions.
One answer lies in relocating rhinos from Kaziranga to other areas where they exist or existed earlier, such as Manas, Orang, Jaldapara, Dudhwa etc. Interestingly, rhinos once thrived throughout the Indo-Gangetic plain. They are shown in Indus Valley civilization and Harappan drawings, and there are also references to rhino skins being used for bowstrings by the Moghuls.
Experts have opined that there is a need to initially identify suitable habitats with grasslands and water bodies, and then develop a national plan for the relocation, with an administrative set up and manpower to secure and manage such areas effectively. Subsequently, pilots could be conducted and, based on the learnings, there could be larger relocations. As forests are a state subject, coordination would be important. Fortunately, huge tracts of pristine forests still exist, and these can be converted into national parks.
It is reported that the cost of translocating just one rhino from Kaziranga to Manas, an existing rhino sanctuary, would be approximately Rs8 lakh, and the cost of relocating one tiger is approximately Rs10 lakh. Ongoing organizational, administrative and monitoring costs would be an addition. It is believed that over the next five years, large numbers would need to be relocated. Attempts at relocation have been made and continue, but the numbers required are daunting, as also the funding requirements.
Tigers are very tough to relocate as they cause conflict in the new areas—with tigers in residence and peripheral villages. Rhinos are easier to relocate. However, both are in danger of being poached when left without being monitored. There is a need for all stakeholders to get together to ensure successful relocation.
Karbi Anglong, which borders Kaziranga in Assam and has more than double the area, was declared a protected area in 2000, when authorities realized that animals crossing the road from Kaziranga into Karbi Anlong were no longer protected. The administrative set up for ensuring protection to animals in Karbi Anglong is still wanting, and animals are poached more easily there. Moreover, despite a Supreme Court order instructing the forest department to remove unauthorized construction inside the designated reserve areas, we see only scattered demolitions mainly on the Kaziranga side but very few on the Karbi Anglong side. Fortunately, we have large areas like Karbi Anlong where habitats can be increased with effective administration.
Can roads and rail tracks be realigned to skirt the periphery of parks rather than cutting through them? Where this is not possible, both over and under passes for animals could be constructed to connect the two sides. Internationally it has been seen through camera traps that over a period of time, animals use these passes, thus increasing their habitat and preventing accidents.
The Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, established sanctuaries, national parks, and tiger reserves numbering over 660 till 2015. This Act and Project Tiger have not only benefited tigers but also conserved the biodiversity of the forests and all the species residing in those parks. By creating national reserve forests, we have also protected water bodies and rivers that are part of these areas.
Interventions require proper studies and adequate time for evaluation through pilots, as there could be unintended consequences—e.g. sometimes flyovers on highways have altered the discharge routes for water, resulting in flooding. Ecological processes take centuries to evolve. Numerous “highlands” are being planned to provide animals safety above flood levels in Kaziranga. Though highlands sound logical, some experts question the requirement, as some animals die in the floods but the majority survive because of well-honed natural instincts. There is also a fear that on highlands, animals may remain marooned and not be able to survive till water levels recede.
An example of initiatives without proper studies and research having unintended negative results was the offer by some parks of a bounty of Rs50 for every wild dog killed till the early 1980s. The idea was to preserve prey like spotted deer for tigers. However, this meant there were no wild dogs to force the spotted deer from the open spaces back into the forest, where tigers found it easier to prey on them. Since the bounty was renounced, it has been noticed that spotted deer are now much more evenly spread through the forest. Most parks have an uphill task of addressing threats from weeds which are also affecting habitats—wild rose and water hyacinth in Kaziranga, hedge blossom or besharam as it is locally known in Satpura and lantana in several parks.
The good news is that solutions exist to increase habitat and conserve our wildlife.
Naina Lal Kidwai is chairperson, FICCI Sustainability, Energy and Water Council and Rashid K Kidwai is coordinator, India Sanitation Coalition.

http://www.livemint.com/Opinion/UMZ6vw6B3AzG2lKiG9PWKJ/The-problem-of-diminishing-wildlife-habitats.html

India losing 135 hectares of forests daily, wildlife crisis at hand

Vijay Singh | TNN | Jul 29, 2017, 11:14 PM IST|

(L to R) Prerna Singh Bindra, Dia Mirza and Praveen Pardeshi at the BNHS event on Friday evening.

MUMBAI: On the eve of Global Tiger Day, the Bombay Natural History Society held a thought provoking event in the city to discuss the wildlife crisis at hand, as the country continues of loose forest land for further development and expansion of human habitation. Worldwide, it is already a known fact that earth is on the verge of 'sixth mass extinction' as we are losing 1000 to 10,000 species annually due to human activities.

"If we were to put a price tag on India's entire natural forest resources, then it comes to Rs 6 lakh crore. Yet, our country is losing 135 hectares of forest land every day for various developmental and other purposes. So we cannot afford to be complacent now to these facts and dare to hope and plan properly for the conservation of wildlife and forests,'' said author and former member of National Board for Wildlife, Prerna Singh Bindra.

She was joined in a panel discussion on the topic by the additional chief secretary to Chief Minister's Office, Praveen Pardeshi, and actor Dia Mirza. Bindra has authored the new book, The Vanishing, which delves on the wildlife situation in India. It's not just in forests, but common species like sparrows and fireflies too seem to dwindling in our backyards.
It is shocking that currently there are only three great Indian bustards left in Maharashtra, pointed Bindra.

"I have often wondered why it is so difficult for people to understand the interdependence between ecology and economy. The fragile link between our human wellbeing and the wellbeing of our shared planet with eco-systems that cradle our life is vital,'' said Dia Mirza, who is also actively involved towards the cause of saving India's Asiatic elephants.
Mirza also remarked that it is a near "miracle'' that around 22 leopards live within the big metropolis of Mumbai at the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, which makes it among the highest density of leopards in the country.

IAS officer Praveen Pardeshi noted: "It's been observed that wildlife including tigers and leopards tend to survive and thrive better within forest sanctuaries like SGNP. For example, the Tadoba tiger reserve in Maharashtra is barely one-fifth the size of neighbouring Gadchiroli core forest area. However, there are more tiger numbers in Tadoba, and barely any in Gadchiroli. This is something we must all think about why this is so.''

Pardeshi also stressed that there has to be a healthy balance between wildlife protection and necessary development so that there is proper application of mind to serve the purpose.

''India is a great conservation success story, and has done a remarkable job of saving tigers, with over 60% of the world's wild tigers, even as we are the second most populous country in the world. We also have with the largest number of Asiatic elephants, the only population of the Asiatic lion and is refuge to species like gharial, Ganges dolphins, lesser floricans which exist only in small numbers elsewhere. This has been possible because of strong protectionists laws, political will as the strong cultural connect we have with nature," said Bindra, while talking of the positive aspects. At the same time, she cautioned that how India's rapid growth is ravaging our environment, forests and wildlife. "Which is why we must all have that audacity to hope, so that what we have now is not lost in near future,'' she said.

The Vanishing takes an unflinching look at the unacknowledged crisis that India's wildlife faces, bringing to fore the ecocide that the country's growth story is leaving in its wake — laying to waste its forests, endangering its wildlife, even tigers whose increasing numbers shield the real story of how development projects are tearing their habitat to shreds. It tells us why extinction matters, linking the fate of wildlife to ours.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/india-losing-135-hectares-of-forests-daily-wildlife-crisis-at-hand/articleshow/59825939.cms

Wildlife photographer bitten by selfie bug, gets seriously bitten by a Wolf while trying to take a selfie with the animal

29, Jul 2017 By RT

Gir Forest National Park. A wildlife photographer got seriously bitten by a Wolf while trying to take a selfie with the animal. The incident happened in the morning hours, when the selfie loving photographer got close to the animal trying to take a selfie, it is learnt by Faking News.

“I don’t know what kind of a photographer this guy is. He was going from enclosure to enclosure, taking selfie with birds, rodents and monkeys. Everything was OK until he got closure to a wolf, against the advice of fellow travellers. The animal was not aggressive until the flash. The light from the camera must have irritated the wolf. Before the guy looked down on the phone to check the quality of the newly taken selfie, the animal attacked,” an observer to the incident told Faking News.

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“People go to monuments and take selfies; visit restaurants and take selfies; In buses, trains, malls, movie theatres and just about everywhere else take selfies. But, a wildlife photographer taking selfie with animals is something extraordinary. Even the regular tourists were taking photos of the birds and animals and not selfies with them. The wolf had bitten on his shoulders and also on the selfie arm,” he further commented on the general behaviour of selfie lovers and how it worked against this photographer, in this incident.

I am not a crazy guy as most of the people who carry a mobile phone with 4 cameras. As a wildlife photographer, I used to just take photographs of wildlife and never a selfie. Only recently, I have seen some people having a wilder life, more wild than the jungles, taking selfies  and looking unbearably wild in the photos. The bug got into me and I started this new thing,” the photographer admitted on his weird behaviour to Faking News.

Prior to leaving the hospital, our reporter politely obliged to a selfie taken with the heavily bandaged photographer.

http://www.fakingnews.firstpost.com/society/wildlife-photographer-bitten-selfie-bug-gets-seriously-bitten-wolf-trying-take-selfie-animal-22290

Lie-in with the lions Spend a night feeling like the king of the jungle in a cabin next to prowling lions at London Zoo

Sleep yards away from the lions in en-suite cabins inside London Zoo's Land of the Lions experience

By Peter Nuttall

15th July 2017, 8:20 pm

Updated: 23rd July 2017, 9:37 pm

IN the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps tonight. But in this case, I wasn’t in the jungle.

I was spending the night in a wooden cabin in the middle of London Zoo. The lions were just a few yards away, but neither were they sleeping.

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The surroundings recreate a village in India’s Gir Forest National Park, home to the only remaining wild population of Asiatic lions

I was with my wife Lizzy and two girls Alice, seven, and Harriet, five. Apart from a dozen other guests and a few security guards, we were the only humans there.
But you couldn’t say we were short of company.
Nearby were 17,000 exotic beasts including tigers, gorillas, penguins. And nearest of all were four Asiatic lions. Settling down for a night’s kip, we could hear them roaring.
Add in a few squawks from nearby tropical birds, howling langur monkeys and bedtime became positively surreal.
We were guests at the Gir Lion Lodge, one of nine delightful but simple cabins inside the zoo’s Land Of The Lions experience.

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We were guests at the Gir Lion Lodge, one of nine delightful but simple cabins inside the zoo’s Land Of The Lions experience

The lodges feature an en suite, double bed and foldout bed for the kids, with a private veranda.
They opened last year and help fund the zoo’s wildlife work around the world. The surroundings recreate a village in India’s Gir Forest National Park, home to the only remaining wild population of Asiatic lions.
There, with the zoo’s help, their numbers have increased from near-extinction at the turn of the century to about 500 today.
We wandered among replica street food stalls, sari shops, a temple clearing, rickshaws, Bollywood posters, vintage barber’s shop and even a dusty railway station.
But the mane attraction is the zoo’s four Asiatic lions who live in an enclosure cleverly built around the village.

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The lodges, which opened last year, feature an en suite, double bed and foldout bed for the kids, with a private veranda.

Through a perspex screen we watched a male named Bhanu saunter over to a drinking trough.
Elsewhere in the undergrowth we could spot his three female companions: Sisters Heidi, Indi and Rubi. The lions have 2,500 square metres to roam about in and their low, rumbling roar can be heard up to 5km away.
After the zoo closed we were given a series of private tours by the keepers, who showed us how they feed animals from pygmy hippos to anteaters and warthogs.
Feeding follows an “enrichment process”, where the animals are made to find their food in their enclosure in a way that imitates their actions in the wild.
The kids had great fun hiding food for the anteaters to snuffle out.

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After our torchlight tour, we were given night-vision goggles to look for the lions

Between tours we had a delicious buffet lunch in the terrace restaurant while the kids designed T-shirts with animal pics.
The next day we visited the zoo kitchens, where everything is delivered fresh from Covent Garden.
And the kids got to pose with the hippos’ massive toothbrushes — like something you would sweep a patio with.
For a one-night break, we were overloaded with memorable moments but one in particular stands out.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/travel/4026239/spend-a-night-feeling-like-the-king-of-the-jungle-in-a-cabin-next-to-prowling-lions-at-london-zoo/

No respite from rain in Amreli, Jamnagar

TNN | Jul 18, 2017, 11:19 AM ISTRAJKOT: Heavy rains continued to pound several parts of Saurashtra on Monday with Babra town of Amreli getting the highest 108mm since 6am.

Amreli, Kutch, Jamnagar and Valsad districts received more than 60mm rainfall. However, no untoward incident was reported from any of these districts.

Besides Babra, Vapi town was lashed by 93mm rains followed by Kaprada 82mm, Dhrol 78mm, Jodiya 74mm, Gandevi 63mm, Chikhli 70mm and Lathi in Amreli that got 67mm, according to state flood control room sources.

The Amreli-Palitana state highway was blocked after a causeway on Gagadiya river near Nana Liliya overflowed due to incessant rains. In Babra, the rivulets were overflowing and rain waters gushed into several houses in the town.
Also, an Asiatic lion was seeing feasting on an ox that got stuck on Dhari-Tulsishyam highway that resulted in sudden swelling of Vekrala river near Sarasiya village. It was a sight to behold as commuters stopped their vehicles before the forest department staffers reached the spot and shifted the carcass to the jungle area.


The rescue operation launched by National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to trace four persons, who were swept away in Alia Bada village near Jamnagar, was suspended due to dark. The four were in the car when they got stranded in the flood waters and swept away.

In Jambuda village of Jamnagar, nearly 200 goats were found dead after flood waters receded.

Late in the evening, heavy rains also lashed Surendranagar, Vadhwan, Limbdi as well as Adipur in Kutch. Gandhidham and other parts of Kutch also received significant rainfall.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/rajkot/babra-gets-108mm-in-six-hours/articleshow/59638344.cms

ZSI and IUCN comes together for tiger conservation in Nandhaur Wildlife Sanctuary

Seema Sharma | TNN | Jul 20, 2017, 10:23 PM ISTDEHRADUN: Following their successful collaboration on a project aimed at conservation of lions at the Gir Forest National Park in Gujarat, the Zoological Society of London (ZSI) and International union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) are coming together for the second time in another venture aimed at protection of tigers in the Nandhaur Wildlife Sanctuary (NWLS) in Kumaon. The project, with a total estimated funding of six million euros (Rs 45 crore), will be undertaken with the assistance of Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and the Uttarakhand forest department. It will attempt measures at tiger protection, monitoring, habitat improvement and capacity building.

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According to last year’s data, the tiger population of NWLS was recorded at 25. Spread over an area of 270 square kilometer, the NWLS was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 2012. It is also part of the Terai Arc landscape, which extends from Himachal Pradesh to Nepal, and has a high density of tigers.

Chief wildlife warden DVS Khati said, “A meeting was recently held in London between ZSI and IUCN officials and WII and state forest department staff. ZSI and IUCN, which has been working on projects related to tiger conservation in Nepal, were keen to work in Nandhaur sanctuary too, which shares the Terai landscape with neighbouring Nepal.”

“Nandhaur has shown significant increase in tiger numbers but it has not been included in the Project Tiger venture. The National Tiger Conservation Authority’s proposal to the state government to declare it as a tiger reserve has also not been approved for the past two years,” added Khati.

Director of NWLS Chander Shekhar Sanwal said, “Nandhaur is rich in flora and fauna. It also has a healthy elephant population and is part of the Shivalik Elephant Reserve. But we lack manpower and other resources to ensure protection of wildlife and oversee management of the part. Through this project, we will hopefully be able to give enhanced protection to the tigers and other wild species.”

Meanwhile, dean of WII, G S Rawat, said, “We will help ZSI and IUCN in all aspects of the project. We will train our forest staff to conduct tiger monitoring too. Veterinarians will also be employed.”
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/dehradun/zsi-and-iucn-comes-together-for-tiger-conservation-in-nandhaur-wildlife-sanctuary/articleshow/59688106.cms

Lion Cub Saved From 80-feet Deep Well After 6 Hours Rescue Operation in Gujarat’s Gir Somnath! Watch Video

A man is first seen coming out of the well followed by the baby lion that was tied in a harness.

By Aishwarya Krishnan | Published: July 10, 2017 6:12 PM IST

A two-year-old lion cub was rescued from a well in Gir Somnath. A video shows the baby lion being pulled out of the 80-feet deep well after a strenuous operation of 6 hours. The video shows people in the vicinity standing around and watching the entire rescue operation. A man is first seen coming out of the well followed by the baby lion that was tied in a harness. The baby lion was caught inside the well and struggling for help for a very long time before the authorities and people could pull it out of the farm well. The video shows farmers and authorities celebrating on finally getting the lion cub out of the well.

The lion cub was locked inside a cage after rescuing and looked extremely terrified at the entire incident. A man was first entered into the well to tie the baby lion in the harness and help it come out of the well. The forest officials rescued the lion cub after various struggles, and the two-year-old baby was safely removed out of the deep well in Somnath area of Gir, Gujarat. The video clearly shows the struggles of the forest authority to help the two-year-old lion cub.

This is not the first time that such an incident has occurred in the Gir area. A similar incident occurred last week when a baby lion who was hardly 2-years-old was found trapped in a 50-feet deep well. While the rescue operation in the previous case was comparatively faster and finished in two hours, the baby cub in this 90-feet-deep well was much more difficult to take out. The rescue operation left the forest authorities a little tormented, but after a lot of hard work, they finally took the cub out safely.

http://www.india.com/buzz/lion-cub-saved-from-80-feet-deep-well-after-6-hours-rescue-operation-in-gujarats-gir-somnath-watch-video-2309127/

Raje names three Asiatic Cubs as Tara , Tripur and Tejas

Tabeenah Anjum, DH News Service, Jaipur, Jul 10 2017, 21:08 IST

The Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica), also known as the Indian lion and Persian lion, is a lion subspecies that lives as a single population in Gujarat, India. It is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List because of its small population size. DH image

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The three cubs littered by Asiatic lioness at Nahargarh Biological Park named Tejika on May 19 have been named by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje herself.

In a tweet from her official account, Raje introduced the new members of the Nahargarh Biological Park with a photograph and caption. She tweeted, "Tara, Tripur & Tejas - Meet the most adorable new members of the #Nahargarh Biological Park family". Out of the three, Tara is a female cub, whereas Tripur and Tejas are Male cubs.

In a first time in three decades a lioness has given birth in Jaipur. In January 2016, Tejika (female) and Siddhartha (male), Asiatic Lion couple were shifted from Gir Forest National Park from Gujarat to Jaipur. Forest Department is also planning to shift Asiatic lions fromJodhpur’s Machia Biological Park to the Nahargarh Biological Park in Jaipur. Lion pair, named Shravan and Tithi, be shifted to Jaipur and colonised with another pair of Asiatic lions at the Nahargarh Biological Park.

The Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica), also known as the Indian lion and Persian lion, is a lion subspecies that lives as a single population in Gujarat, India. It is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List because of its small population size.

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/621993/raje-names-three-asiatic-cubs.html

Lion breeding halted at SGNP as Maha, Guj bargain

• DNAIndia
• Mumbai
• Mon,10 Jul 2017
  

  

  Summary: Currently, SGNP houses three Asiatic lions, of which Jespa and Gopa are siblings, while the third, Ravindra, is now old. The last pair of lions at SGNP were brought in 2009 from Bannerghatta National Park and the last cubs to be born were in 2012. Gujarat zoo authorities have responded but they want not one, but two pairs of cats and also want the exchange approved by the Gujarat state government. We wrote to the Sakkarbaug Zoo in February requesting for one pair in return for one pair of rusty-spotted cats," said a senior park official. Meanwhile, officials also hinted that they will be requesting State Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar to use his connections.
  
  
  Currently, SGNP houses three Asiatic lions, of which Jespa and Gopa are siblings, while the third, Ravindra, is now old Even as forest officials at Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) try to strike a 'good bargain' with officials from Sakkarbaug Zoo at Junagadh, Gujarat, for a pair of lions, it seems that it will end up requiring political intervention from Maharashtra. Currently, SGNP houses three Asiatic lions, of which Jespa and Gopa are siblings, while the third, Ravindra, is now old. "We have just two males and one female. Since they are related, it will lead to inbreeding producing weaker cubs with a genetic disorder.
  
  We wrote to the Sakkarbaug Zoo in February requesting for one pair in return for one pair of rusty-spotted cats," said a senior park official. Gujarat zoo authorities have responded but they want not one, but two pairs of cats and also want the exchange approved by the Gujarat state government. "Giving them two pairs will leave no female with us, affecting our own breeding programme," said another senior SGNP official, adding that the Sakkarbaug Zoo officials were known to be bullies as they knew their lions were in great demand across India, being pure bred. Maintaining that they were still in talks with their counterparts in Gujarat, Dr Shailesh Pethe, Veterinary Officer for SGNP said that a new pair of lions at SGNP will not only boost current numbers but also chances of mating and healthy cubs will go up. "We have replied to their proposal saying we can only consider one pair of rusty-spotted cats and will wait for their reply now," he said. Meanwhile, officials also hinted that they will be requesting State Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar to use his connections.
  
  Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-lion-breeding-halted-at-sgnp-as-maha-guj-bargain-2496867

Goral, the unsung hero of Chhatbir

Vikram Jit Singh | TNN | Jul 10, 2017, 01.43 PM IST

A goral with a fawn at Chhatbir zoo

CHHATBIR ZOO: The Himalayan Grey goral is not an iconic species at the zoo, such as the tiger or lion, but this goat-antelope of the Himalayas is really an unsung hero because it commands an excellent exchange value. Chhatbir has procured rare exhibits such as the White tiger, Asiatic lion, Hamadryas baboon, Fallow deer etc from zoos across India by palming off 10 goral pairs.

The goral has lent Chhatbir distinction as a certified captive breeding and exchange centre for zoos across India. "The Central Zoo Authority (CZA) does not allow transfer of gorals to zoos in the plains directly from centres in the Himalayas. This is because the species is from the high altitudes. However, since Chhatbir zoo has successfully bred the goral and they are acclimatised to the plains, the CZA allows transfer of gorals to zoos all over India only from Chhatbir. Gorals from Chhatbir have been supplied to zoos such as those at Bannerghatta, Nandankanan, Mysore, Chennai and Surat. Ever since Chhatbir secured the first pair of gorals from the Himalayan Nature Park, Kufri, in November 2004, the zoo has bred 40 gorals with a 5 per cent mortality. At present, Chhatbir has 14 gorals in its enclosure," Chhatbir field director Neeraj Gupta told TOI.

The secret of the goral's breeding success at Chhatbir lies in the "plain and simple" enclosure of 300 square yards incorporating four isolation wards. "When the first pair came to Chhatbir in 2004, it escaped because we had a wall made of boulders and the gorals just simply got footholds in the niches and disappeared into the zoo's jungles. They can climb steep cliff faces, so the zoo's wall was no challenge," said Harpal Singh, the zoo's block officer, who also handles the education outreach programme.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/goral-the-unsung-hero-of-chhatbir/articleshow/59525591.cms

Overhead power line kills one satellite tagged Great Indian Bustard

Himanshu Kaushik | TNN | Jul 10, 2017, 09.01 PM IST

AHMEDABAD: Though the state government's records say that the last time a great Indian bustard (GIB) was electrocuted was in 2014, satellite tagging of two juvenile great Indian bustards tell a different story. One of the two tagged birds died on Monday afternoon, after it flew into one of the several Gujarat Energy Transmission Corporation Limited high-tension power lines passing through the area.

Confirming the death, Yadvendradev Jhala, researcher and scientist of animal ecology and conservation biology at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), said that the bird was satellite tagged in May and died within 60 days after it collided with a high-tension power line.

Jhala said such GIB mortality is much higher than what is reported. He said the bird that died was an active juvenile and was moving all over the area, while the other tagged bird is a relatively stationary one, at the Naliya grassland. "The second one, a male, is probably with its mother and is yet to become independent."

Jhala said that the bird that died today was an active one and had flown from Naliya to Jhakhau and its presence had been recorded at the airbase at Naliya. The bird had even been spotted in the Lala area, where it died on Monday.

The bird was navigating through four high tensions lines, collided with one of them and died.

"This incident reiterates the stand of WII and the wildlife experts, that the Gujarat forest department needs to find a solution to these high-tension lines in the area, or the GIB, which is classified as critically endangered will go extinct in Gujarat," said Jhala.

In 2011, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) had raised a red flag and classified the GIB as a critically endangered species. IUCN has since then released three more reports, one of which was released in 2015. The status of the GIB has remained the same.

The IUCN red list also noted that "infrastructure developments (roads, electricity network and wind turbines) known to have a negative effect on the species should be curtailed within a 2-km radius of core breeding areas or be replaced by bustard-friendly alternatives.

The state government's recent decision to allow 16 more 11kV overhead power lines had set alarm bells ringing among wildlife lovers and environment activists. Devesh Gadhavi, a member of IUCN and the local Corbett Foundation, had in May written to the chief minister requesting that bird diverters be installed on the power lines and that all power lines in this area should be underground in the future.

The main power line passing through the area has 13 cables, which is a virtual death trap for the birds, said a senior officer. The government had in March allocated another 3,700 hectares of land, in addition to the 200 hectares of the GIB sanctuary. The government has also decided to set up its own breeding centre at Naliya. The decision was taken after the Rajasthan government refused to provide Gujarat eggs for breeding. The government in the 2017-18 budget allocated Rs 118 crore for conservation of the great Indian bustard, the Asiatic wild ass and the Asiatic lion.|
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/overhead-power-line-kills-one-satellite-tagged-great-indian-bustard/articleshow/59531663.cms

Lion Queens of Gir are the Tuesday Inspiration We Need

July 11, 2017

By Shruti Sunderraman

Screenshot from YouTube

It must be a cold, cold world where people don’t cry at Mufasa’s death in the Disney movie, The Lion King. That was my first encounter with a lion, nay animal death. In 2005, the Asiatic lion was officially declared an endangered species in Gujarat’s Gir National Park. But conservation efforts and the declaration of Gir as protected land raised the lion population above 500. A humungous amount of credit goes to the Gir forest guards, many of whom are women.

In a charming photo essay for The Week, Aayush Goel details the lives of the female guards of Gir National Park. According to the essay, the guards tend to pregnant lionesses, nourish cubs, rescue leopards and above all placate angry humans (read : nearby villagers). Fondly called the “lion queens”, these women chose to head to the forests instead of taking up desk jobs when the Narendra Modi government announced a 33 per cent reservation for women in wildlife rescue jobs.

Apart from passion for their work and a love for the jungle, these women have found better financial stability for their families. One of the rescuers, Rozeena, brought herself out of poverty after being recruited into the brigade. The essay also details the support their families give them and it an endearing story to behold.

While the idea of roaming in forests and walking with the wild might sound daunting to most, these women believe they lead ordinary lives, perhaps with better job satisfaction. They insist that they face the same challenges as every woman; work-life balance, managing children (one of the rescuers is 3 months pregnant), except, their idea of children include all the animal cubs they take care of.

The female guard brigade has the complete support of the forest department. R R Nala, deputy conservator of Gir National Park, says, “They shatter all stereotypical notions about women. They work shoulder-to-shoulder with men to preserve this jungle.The brigade is an asset to our department.”
http://theladiesfinger.com/lion-queen-gir/

Lion walks out of its enclosure at Rajkot zoo

Sources said that Harivash, the three-year-old male lion escaped from its enclosure located in the heart of the park at around 8:30 am. Located on the eastern outskirts of the city, Pradyuman Park is one of the best zoos in the state and is also a breeding centre of captive Asiatic lions. 

By: Express News Service | Rajkot | Updated: July 12, 2017 6:18 pm

 A sub-adult lion sneaked out of its enclosure at Rajkot Zoological Park popularly known as Pradyuman Park on Wednesday morning. However, its keeper managed to shoe the big cat back into its enclosure within a few minutes even as zoo authorities termed it “a very minor incident” before the public visiting hours.
Sources said that Harivash, the three-year-old male lion escaped from its enclosure located in the heart of the park at around 8:30 am. “Caretaker apparently forgot to lock the door of animal retiring room on the edge of the enclosure after offering breakfast to lions. Minutes later, a lion pushed open the door of the retiring room and walked out of the enclosure. Within minutes, the caretakers came to know about it. Since Harivansh was borne in the enclosure and had some rapport with its caretaker, it responded to calls and walked back into the enclosure via the retiring room,” said a source in the zoo.
Located on the eastern outskirts of the city, Pradyuman Park is one of the best zoos in the state and is also a breeding centre of captive Asiatic lions. The popular park is managed and maintained by Rajkot Municipal Corporation.

Rajkot municipal commissioner Banchhanidhi Pani termed it a very minor incident. “The enclosure has a three-layered security cordon. But the lion managed to walk on the backside of the enclosure. It was brought inside the enclosure soon. It is a very minor incident which took place during non-visiting hours. However, we have taken it very seriously and we shall inquire into it,” Pani told The Indian Express.
The opens to visitors at 9 am. Since the incident took place before the visiting hours, sources said there were no general public inside the zoo at the time of the incident and sources said the zoo staff could handle the situation well.
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/lion-walks-out-of-its-enclosure-at-rajkot-zoo-4747588/

Mysore Zoo turns 125; plans celebration throughout the year

July 6, 2017 CTBUREAU_NAV 83 Views 0 Comments 125 years celebration, Mysore Zoo

Prime News, Karnataka, Mysuru, July 6: – The Mysore Zoo which attracts a significant number of tourist turns 125 years in 2017 and planned a number of activities for the celebration.
After a decade the then Maharaja of Mysore Chamaraja Wadiyar ascended the throne, he opened the “Palace Zoo” in an 11-acre area as a private facility near Chamundi Hills in 1892.  In 1909, the Palace Zoo was renamed as Sri Chamarajendra  Zoological Gardens.

The Mysore Zoo has been rated as the best Zoo in India receiving over three million visitors for the last two years; the Zoo introduced several tourist friendly facilities like online ticketing, food court, baby care units, Reverse Osmosis plants, restrooms.
The Mysore Zoo started on a 10-acre spread, is now spread over 78 acres, the Zoo is home to the breeding of few unique animal and bird species.
According to Kamala first executive director of the Mysore Zoological Garden said, the Mysore Zoo completed 125 years since its launch early this year.
The Mysore Zoo started celebration to mark 125th anniversary this year.  The arrival of Shaurya, a pure Asiatic lion, from Gujarat’s Gir forest marked the informal beginning of the celebration as the zoo authorities have planned to get more animals in exchange for breeding.
Apart from the celebration with the adoption of more animals, the zoo has planned to redesign its web page, the main entrance of the Zoo and to bring out a short film in Kannada and English about the zoo’s history. “The Zoo authority lined up celebrations throughout the year but is waiting for a nod from the Zoo Authority of Karnataka”.
The Mysore Zoo also running animal adoption schemes where an individual or a corporate or a company can adopt their choice of animal for a period they wish by paying prescribed fee. The Zoo collected a considerable amount of revenue through animal adoption.
-(NAV, Inputs; Agencies)
 http://citytoday.news/mysore-zoo-turns-125-plans-celebration-throughout-the-year/

Karnataka: Tyavarekoppa to get two lions from Bannerghatta

Bangalore Mirror Bureau | Updated: Jul 8, 2017, 04.00 AM ISTIf all goes as per plan, within the next one month, the Tyavarekoppa lion safari will have two more lions in addition to the existing two. Speaking to Bangalore Mirror, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) MC Cheluvaraj said currently there are only two lions in the safari and the male is old.

“We are getting a pair of adult lions from the Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP). The matter is being taken up with the authorities. It has been approved by the Karnataka Zoo Authority and it is in the process of getting approval from the Central Zoo Authority in New Delhi,” Cheluvaraj said.

While this is expected to happen in the next 30 days, the department is also considering getting two more Asiatic lions from Gir. However, this may take time as the process is in its initial stage. A team may have to visit Gir and request for translocation of two Asiatic lions.

“Once we get approval from Gir, the department will have to write to the State Chief Wildlife Warden. The process is lengthy and laborious as the lions are being brought from the wild,” he said.

In the past, he said, there were about six lions in Tyavarekoppa. A few years ago, due to age and certain abnormalities, we lost four.

According to sources, there are currently only two lions, 14-year-old Arya and 5-year-old Manya, and interestingly they are father and daughter.

http://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/news/state/karnataka-tyavarekoppa-to-get-two-lions-from-bannerghatta/articleshow/59493754.cms

Lioness rescued from well in Gir-Somnath village near Rajkot

• TOI
• Rajkot
• Sat,08 Jul 2017
• 

Summary: RAJKOT: A two-year-old lioness was rescued from a farm well at Amrapur village of Sutrapada Taluka in Gir Somnath district on Wednesday morning.According to forest officials, the lioness might have fallen into the well, which is over 50-feet deep, in the night. In the morning, villagers heard some sound and found the lioness inside the well and informed the forest department.What followed was a two-hour-long operation to rescue the lioness that had gone in a state of shock. After the rescue, the lioness was sent to the Sasan-Gir Animal Care Centre for treatment for any injuries that it might have suffered due to the fall.Forest officials said that the lioness will be kept under observation at the animal care centre for a couple of days, before it is released into the wild.

RAJKOT: A two-year-old lioness was rescued from a farm well at Amrapur village of Sutrapada Taluka in Gir Somnath district on Wednesday morning.According to forest officials, the lioness might have fallen into the well, which is over 50-feet deep, in the night. In the morning, villagers heard some sound and found the lioness inside the well and informed the forest department.What followed was a two-hour-long operation to rescue the lioness that had gone in a state of shock. After the rescue, the lioness was sent to the Sasan-Gir Animal Care Centre for treatment for any injuries that it might have suffered due to the fall.Forest officials said that the lioness will be kept under observation at the animal care centre for a couple of days, before it is released into the wild..

. . .

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/rajkot/lioness-rescued-from-well-in-gir-somnath-village-near-rajkot/articleshow/59504945.cms

Committee orders revocation of Talala forester’s suspension

Bharwad was booked by the Talala police for robbery, illegal confinement, criminal intimidation and voluntarily causing hurt along with Talala range forest officer P T Kaneriya and two other employees of Talala range. 

By: Express News Service | Rajkot | Published:July 3, 2017 5:55 am

A COMMITTEE OF of the state forest department has ordered revocation of the suspension of Manu Bharwad, forester of Talala range in Gir (west) forest division who was suspended early last month after he allegedly confined a man and robbed him of Rs 50,000. Bharwad was booked by the Talala police for robbery, illegal confinement, criminal intimidation and voluntarily causing hurt along with Talala range forest officer P T Kaneriya and two other employees of Talala range.
The action was taken on the complaint of Hasmukh Patel, a resident of Hadmatiya village of the Talala taluk. He had alleged that the accused harassed his younger brother Bharat Patel after booking him for entering protected forest area without permission on June 12, because of which Bharat tried to commit suicide. Hours after they were booked, Kaneriya and Bharwad were suspended for indefinite period and were transferred with immediate effect by Chief Conservator of Forests (wildlife) of Junagadh circle.
However, a three-member internal committee of the forest department took cognisance of Bharwad’s suspension, a Class-III officer, and ordered CCF to revoke Bharwad’s suspension. A member of the committee told The Indian Express on the condition of anonymity: “The committee examined records and concluded that the accused who had been arrested forest officers for allegedly entering forest area illegally was neither tortured nor harassed. The forest officers had taken him to a doctor who certified that he was physically fit. We also took into account the fact that the forest officers followed due procedure in arrested later releasing the accused. Therefore, the committee formed an opinion that Bharwad’s suspension was not maintainable.”

The committee included additional principal chief conservator of forests (administration), deputy secretary (inquiry) of state forest department and a forest officer of the Gir (west) division. Kaneriya, a Class-II officer, has moved the Gujarat High Court seeking anticipatory bail in the case. Forest officers said that the decision on his suspension can only be taken at a higher level of the government. Circle police inspector of Talala, AB Nagori has not made any arrests in the case.

http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ahmedabad/committee-orders-revocation-of-talala-foresters-suspension-4732609/