CAG slams Gujarat govt for going ‘very slow’ on Lion conservation

• Jumana Shah
• Gandhinagar
• March 29, 2018
• UPDATED 00:38 IST
• CAG has come down heavily on Gujarat government over.
• CAG said that increase in lion population exerts pressure on protected areas.
• Protective habitat for lions hasn't increased in proportion with lion populations.

An Asiatic lion in Gir reserve in Gujarat (Photo-Reuters)

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has come down heavily on Gujarat governments most lauded success story of Asiatic Lion conservation in Gir Forests of Saurashtra peninsula.
In its report tabled on the last day in the state Assembly on Wednesday, CAG has pointed out that though the increase in lion population in Gujarat is a success story, the rising population exerts pressure on existing protected areas (PA).
The total population of Asiatic Lions has increased from 359 in 2005 to 523 in 2015, but no new protected habitat for lions has been approved since 2008.

The implementation of modern technology for conservation of Asiatic Lions was very slow. Audit also observed instances of allowing prohibited activities within the protected areas and not ensuring compliance with conditions of PAs, the repot has remarked.
The rapping from CAG comes as a rude shock for the the forest and environment department of the state which has recently been taken to task by Gujarat High Court that took suo motu cognizance of high number of lion deaths in 2016 and 2017.
184 lions died in last two years 32 of these died unnatural deaths which could be caused by getting crushed under railway tracks, or being attacked by humans, electric fencing or falling inside a well without barricade.
The number of lions outside the protected area in 2011 was 108, which increased by 54.6% to 167 in 2015. A proposal submitted in March 2016 for draft Eco Sensitive Zone notification for Gir protected area also says that the latest census should be taken as a warning sign as nearly one-third, 32% of lions have their habitat outside the Gir protected area, which according to CAG 'risks human lives, livestock as well as the safety of lions themselves' CAG says.
Significantly, the number of violent attacks on livestock and humans by lions in 2016 and 2017 were 398 leading to serious questions about man-lion conflict in the entire Saurashtra region. This figure was recently released in the Assembly.
What needs to be noted is that all of these issues are not only understood by forest department but their solutions have also been well laid out for years, but implementation remains a distant dream for reasons that are not exactly fathomable.
As far back as 2005, the Junagadh Chief Conservator of Forest had suggested to declare 30,152 hectares of land in Amreli and Bhavnagar as sanctuary to provide safe corridor for lions moving out of Gir protected area.
As on May 2017, the declaration of this area as protected area is pending despite lapse of more than 11 years, CAG observed.
Following lion poaching cases in 2007, the F&ED had initiated several ambitious projects as it was flooded with fund allocation by then chief minister Narendra Modi. One of the projects was genome mapping and conservation of Asiatic Lions.
It was also suggested to set up a laboratory that wold have facilities for cryopreservation, DNA sequencing, etc. in 2010, F&ED signed an MoU with Gujarat State Bio Technology Mission (GSBTM).
However, the project actually commenced only in May 2014. Within a year of commencement, the MoU with GSBTM was cancelled and entrusted to Gujarat Forestry Research Foundation (GFRF) and renamed Wildlife Genomics Research Project (LEOGEN).
As of July 2017, only two of the six activities have been attempted. Work on diagnostic core was not start3ed , though the incubator for this purpose was purchased in November 2013. Specifications for laboratory were also not prepared.
Despite the fact that GFRF did not have expertise in the field of scientific research on genomics, which was the core requirement of the project, the project was given to it. There was no permanent technical staff in GFRF to run the project.
The director GFRF justified the transfer from GSBTM to GFRF on the grounds that it made collection of samples in the wild life sanctuary easy. But collection of sample was not the objective of the project.
However, Audit also observed that the director for GFRF himself reported to F&Ed in November 2015 that the project had come to a standstill.
Thus the progress of the project was slow despite availability of funds for the reasons stated above, CAG has said.
An expenditure of Rs 25.35 crore was incurred on construction of chain link fencing along railway tracks to stop lions from getting crushed under moving trains. However, lions entered the fenced area on eight occasions, raising doubts over the projects effectiveness.
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/cag-slams-gujarat-govt-for-going-very-slow-on-lion-conservation-1200222-2018-03-29

Families of Gir’s oldest lions battle to save their territory

TNN | Mar 27, 2018, 04:00 IST

Junagadh: Gir forest is witnessing an ugly battle to gain supremacy over a territory that was ruled for long by two famous lion brothers - Ram and Shyam. Ram, the most photographed lion, died in November 2016 while his brother Shyam, who guarded the territory in Dedakdi range later, died a few months later.
Now, their family consisting of two lionesses and seven cubs are struggling to retain the territory in Kerambha-Raidi area. For the last three to four months, the two lionesses are constantly warding off attacks by a rival group of lions from Babra-Vidi range and those from Dhari and Girnar east, who are desperately trying to take over this area by attacking their cubs.

One of the daily encounters was captured by a tourist a few days ago in his mobile. A male lion is seen running away with one of the cubs. The lioness chases the lion to save the cub but in vain. The tourist shot this video after hearing unusual lion roars.

Forest officials said this behaviour is natural among lions and term it the battle for dominance on a particular territory wherein they force the lionesses to surrender by killing the cubs. A lion and its pride usually dominates over roughly 4 sq km area.

A local forest officer told TOI, “The tourist heard the roars that sounded like a fight between lion and lioness and his group went in the direction of the sound. The lion had snatched two cubs earlier but one survived and he came to kill that cub. After the death of Ram and Shyam, the lions from other territories often come here and harass the lionesses and cubs.”

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Bhushan Pandya, a wildlife expert, said, “Just like humans, lions too guard their territory and protect their family. When a lion gets injured or dies, the powerful lions of adjoining territory quickly try to capture his pride by first attacking the the cubs as they are a soft target. Until the cubs are alive, lioness don’t surrender. However, once they all die, she starts a new family with the other powerful lion.”

Ram, who died at the age of 15, and Shyam were the only lions to hold their territory for seven years, which is considered a fairly long time. Usually, a lion loses dominance over its territory within three years.

Chief conservator of forest, wildlife circle, A P Singh said, “It is true that a rival group of lions are trying to capture this territory.”

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/rajkot/families-of-girs-oldest-lions-battle-to-save-their-territory/articleshow/63471257.cms

No lion’s share for Gujarat’s pride

Himanshu Kaushik | TNN | Mar 27, 2018, 07:37 IST

AHMEDABAD: Lions have received less than Rs 67,000 per head for their conservation, and that too, only from the state government, while under Centre’s Project Tiger, each tiger has received Rs 13 lakh for conservation efforts. Neither the Centre nor the state government has allocated sufficient funds for lion conservation, even though a 31-member parliamentary committee had in January last year, after visiting Gir Sanctuary, recommended creating a Project Lion in the lines of Project Tiger.
A senior officer said that in the budget for 2018-19 the government has stated “A provision of Rs 4 crore has been made for ‘Project Lion’ a unique project for conservation and development of the lion in Gir and Greater Gir.”

However, apart from this, there has been no allocation in the budget for lion by the Centre or by the state government.

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Officials pointed out that in the assembly the state government had admitted in 2017 that for two years — from Januaary 2015 to Decembler 2016 — the central government did not give any additional grants for the Gir lion project in Gujarat.

Not only this, even the Rs 234 crore long-term lion conservation project was turned down by the Centre. The projects did not have a place in the centrally-sponsored scheme, Centre’s Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats (IDWH).

Earlier, the UPA government had turned down the state government’s Rs 234-crore proposal for long-term lion conservation. After the Gujarat government scaled down its requirements and sent a revised proposal of Rs 150 crore, the NDA government refused to grant any money, citing lack of funds.

Ganpat Vasava, minister tribal development, tourism, forest, women and child welfare, said “We have formed a society for lion conservation and the society spends nearly Rs 60 crore and hence the government is just required to make allocation in the budget according to requirement.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/no-lions-share-for-gujarats-pride/articleshow/63474613.cms

Lost roar: Last home to Asiatic lions, Gujarat reports unnatural death of 184 big cats in 2 years; Court issues notice

Asiatic Lions

PTI Updated: Mar 26, 2018, 05:09 PM IST

Taking a serious note of the death of 184 lions in the state in the last two years, the Gujarat High Court today sought explanations of the Union and the state governments over the disturbing trend.

The court issued notices to the governments, taking suo motu cognisance of the news reports on the government's March 5 disclosure to the state assembly that 184 lions (including lionesses and cubs) died in 2016 and 2017, with 32 of them dying of "unnatural" causes. 

A division bench of Chief Justice R Subhash Reddy and Justice V M Pancholi issued notices to the state government and the Centre, returnable on March 18. 

The court sought to know the reasons behind the high number of deaths and the steps being taken by the authorities concerned to prevent it.
As per the figures given by the Gujarat government to the assembly, 12 lions died of unnatural causes in 2016, and 20 last year. Besides, 92 carnivores died of natural causes in 2016 and 60 last year.
Gujarat incidentally is the only home to lions in Asia. As per the 2015 census, there were 523 felines in the state.
The government had earlier told the assembly that there were four reasons behind the "unnatural" death of lions -- road accidents, railway tracks passing through the forest areas, wells with damaged or no parapets, and electric fences around agricultural lands.
State forest minister Ganpat Vasava had said in the House that the government secured several open wells in the forests with parapets, took measures to fence the railway tracks passing through Amreli district (which has a sizable lion population) and built speed breakers (bumps) on public roads passing through the Gir sanctuary area.

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-lost-roar-last-home-to-asiatic-lions-gujarat-reports-unnatural-death-of-184-big-cats-in-2-years-court-issues-notice-2597938

Take lion deaths seriously: HC to Centre

TNN | Mar 27, 2018, 06:22 ISTAHMEDABAD : The Gujarat high court on Monday sought a reply from the Centre and the state government on the issue of unnatural deaths of Asiatic lions in and around the Gir sanctuary. A bench of Chief Justice R S Reddy and Justice V M Pancholi filed a public interest litigation (PIL) suo motu in response to a letter written to them by Justice A S Dave, who expressed concern over the endangered species by citing news reports on lions’ unnatural deaths as revealed in the state assembly recently. The state government had said that 184 lions had died over the past two years and many deaths were due to unnatural causes.

During the hearing, the judges said that lions’ unnatural deaths is a really serious issue and the governments must not take it lightly. The court said the governments should not treat the PIL as adversarial, for it is aimed to protect a rare species of animals which is found only in Gujarat. The state is proud of this and the government should make all endeavours to protect the animals so that the treasure can be cherished, the court said.

According to the high court’s advocate, Hemang Shah, the PIL has made various prayers in order to avoid unnatural and accidental deaths of lions. The first demand is to close three main roads, passing through the sanctuary, at night. Railway tracks criss-crossing the forests too are a major concern.

The railways’ proposal to erect a grill along the track is not a viable option, for it would only block lions’ natural corridor. Hence there should be a device installed in locomotives to detect the presence of the beasts
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/take-lion-deaths-seriously-hc-to-centre/articleshow/63474298.cms

The lion as tall as a HUMAN: Fossils reveal a terrifying giant big cat that roamed Kenya 200,000 years ago Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-5544261/Lions-tall-HUMANS-roamed-Kenya-200-000-years-ago.html#ixzz5B7Cko12W Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

• Experts found the fossilised remains of a skull at Natodomeri in northwest Kenya
• They believe it was closer in size to cave lion fossils than a modern lion's skull
• It is thought to belong to an extinct species of lion that was substantially larger
• Its size may be thanks to giant plant eating mammals that once roamed Africa

By Tim Collins For Mailonline

Published: 11:32 BST, 26 March 2018 | Updated: 13:20 BST, 26 March 2018 

A gigantic lion that stood as tall as a human has been uncovered for the first time by experts hunting for fossils in Kenya. 

Scientists say the beast is believed to have lived on a diet of giant plant-eating mammals that roamed east Africa around 200,000 years ago.

Researchers say it is most likely from an extinct species that was substantially larger than any modern population or subspecies of lion.

 Scroll down for video

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A gigantic lion that stood as tall as a human has been uncovered for the first time by experts hunting for fossils in Kenya. Skull remains (pictured) hint at a creature much larger than any previously known African lion, living or fossil, which has since gone extinct

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To calculate its size, which was far larger than modern lions, they looked at the remains of the creature's teeth and skull. Male lions are, on average, around 4ft (1.2 metres) in length, but the newly uncovered species was closer to a human's 5.6 ft (1.7 metres) average height

An international team of researchers - including experts from the National Museums of Kenya and the universities of Utah and Arkansas - found the fossil at Natodomeri in northwest Kenya.

To calculate its size, which was far larger than modern lions, they looked at the remains of the creature's teeth and skull.

Male lions are, on average, around 4ft (1.2 metres) in length, but the newly uncovered species was closer to a human's 5.6 ft (1.7 metres) average height.

Writing in a paper published on the finds, its authors said: 'The image of the lion is pervasive in human culture from its earliest preserved expression in Palaeolithic art to more modern cultural references like Disney's the Lion King.  

 

'In the scientific world lions are also a focus for attention. 

'This skull is the first indication of the existence of a population of giant lions in the late Middle and Late Pleistocene of eastern Africa, perhaps occasioned by the presence of greater megafaunal biomass than today.

'The skull is remarkable for its very great size, equivalent to the largest cave lions of Pleistocene Eurasia and much larger than any previously known lion from Africa, living or fossil.'

Modern lions first appeared in south and east Africa, before evolving into two groups. 

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Scientists say the beast is believed to have lived on a diet of giant plant eating mammals that roamed east Africa around 200,000 years ago. This image shows a Right hand side view of an average lion skull

One now lives in eastern and southern Africa, while the other includes lions in west Africa and India.

Diminishing numbers of lions worldwide have become an escalating cause for concern.

However, in recent weeks it was announced that India's endangered lion population, which lives in one single forest, is fighting back from the brink of extinction.

The endangered Asiatic lion - whose numbers plummeted to just 180 individuals in the 1960s - has now increased to more than 600, it was reported on March 6. 

The full findings of the study were published in the Journal of Paleontology. 

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT LIONS?

Modern lions, part of the cat family, first appeared in south and east Africa, before evolving into two groups.  

One now lives in eastern and southern Africa, while the other includes lions in west Africa and India.

Like many other animals, male lions are much larger and heavier than females, with the average weight for a male around 416 lbs (189 kg), while for a female it's 277 lbs (126 kg)

The heaviest male lion recorded was spotted in Kenya and was 600 lbs (272 kg). 

Much smaller in comparison, the heaviest female, found in South Africa, was 335 lbs (152 kg).

That is heavier than the weight of more than 50 female domestic cats put together.

Lions have three types of teeth: Incisors, used for gripping and tearing meat; Canines used to rip skin and tear away meat; Carnassial teeth act like a pair of scissors to cut meat.

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Single lion looking regal standing proudly on a small hill

Lions can open their jaws to up to 11 inches (28 cm) wide, giving them one of the animal kingdom’s biggest bites.

A lion’s paws are similar to a pet cat’s, with five toes on the front paws and four on the back.  

Lions have retractable claws, which can grow up to 1.5 inches (38 mm) in length. A fifth toe on the front paw has what is called a deathclaw, which acts like a thumb for holding down prey when eating.

Lion cubs are born with a greyish woolly coat, with dark spots covering most of the back, legs and face which act as camouflage.

At around 12 to 14 months old, male cubs begin to grow longer hair around their chests and necks. 

This is the beginning of their mane, which will not have grown properly until they reach the age of two. 

Lion cubs are born blind and don’t begin to open their eyes until around three to four days old. 

Their eyes are a blue-grey colour at first and begin to change to an orangey brown by the age of two to three months. 

Lions have scent glands around their chin, lips, cheeks, whiskers, tail and in-between their toes. 

These glands produce an oily substance to keep their fur healthy and waterproof. 

If you ever see a picture of a lion curling up its top lip and pulling a funny face, the chances are it’s using something called its

This is a small area in the roof of the mouth that allows a lion to ‘taste’ smells in the air. 

By showing their teeth and sticking out their tongues, lions are able to catch hold of a smell to work out if it’s coming from something worth eating.

Lions also have good sense of hearing, and can turn their ears in different directions to listen to sounds all around them.They are able to hear their prey from a mile (1.6 km) way.

 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-5544261/Lions-tall-HUMANS-roamed-Kenya-200-000-years-ago.html#ixzz5B7CmvJaI
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Lion deaths: HC takes suo motu cognizance

TNN | Updated: Mar 26, 2018, 07:32 IST

AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat high court has taken suo moto cognizance of the issue of accidental deaths of Asiatic lions in Gir sanctuary.
As many as 184 lions died in Gir Wildlife Sanctuary over the past two years, and a large number of these deaths were unnatural. The court will hear the suo motu public interest litigation on Monday and consider issues of proper construction of wells, removal of electric fencing, closure of roads passing through the sanctury during the night and asking railways to take safety measures.

According to figures tabled by the state government, 365 big cats including lions, lion cubs and leopards have died in the two years that ended December 31, 2017. The government said in a reply to a question in the state assembly last week that the figure included 110 lions, lion cubs and 74 lionesses.

Forest minister Ganpat Vasava said in a reply in the assembly that out of the total 184 lions that died in and around the Gir sanctuary in the last two years, 104 deaths occurred in 2016 and 80 in 2017. As many as 32 of them died of unnatural causes. These include 20 in 2007 and 12 in 2016. The minister admitted that wells without parapet walls often become death traps for the animals which fall inside and drown.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/lion-deaths-hc-takes-suo-motu-cognizance/articleshow/63456361.cms

Leopards near human habitats cause of concern

TNN | Updated: Mar 25, 2018, 10:54 IST
RAJKOT: Rampant leopard attacks on humans are giving people in several villages of Gir and Greater Gir sleepless nights.
Official figures reveal that there was have been 108 incidents of leopard attacks on humans in the last two years (till February 2018) in which nine persons have been killed by the wildcat, while many others have sustained critical injuries. The figures are of Junagadh, Gir-Somnath and Amreli districts.

According to forest department data, there were 64 attacks on humans in 2016-17 in which five people died, while the number in 2017-18 till February was 44 that left four people dead. Last census revealed that there were 1,350 leopards in Gujarat of which around 450-500 were seen in revenue areas close to human population. Wildlife experts say increasing lion population has further led to more leopards being sighted in revenue areas of Gir and surrounding regions.

Wildlife board member Bhushan Pandya says, “Leopard has no competition in jungle except lions and that’s why their population is increasing. Gujarat has the highest population growth of leopards in the country. As it is a protected animal under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, government needs to do a scientific study to curb its population.”

Forest department says migrant labourers sleeping in shanties outside have been the main target of leopards as many of them cook non-veg food there. However, experts don’t fully agree to this.

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A wildlife expert Priyvrat Gadhvi said, “Labourers sleeping outside may be easy targets for leopards. But there is an urgent need to sensitize and educate them about wildcats. I had raised this issue in the last wildlife board meeting.

Forest department captures the attacking leopard, but it’s a headache for officials to house these leopards. For, zoo authorities have no space now and they also don’t want to keep attacker leopards.

Curb the population of leopards...? I am sorry and with due respect, this is the least expected from a State Wildlife Advisory Board member.Jaidev Dhadhal

Chief conservator of forest (CCF), Junagadh circle, S K Mehta admits that increasing population of leopards is also a problem. “Despite awareness programmes, people in villages where leopards are commonly seen, continue to sleep in the open.”

In 2017, leopard had killed at least four kids below the age of eight in these districts.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/rajkot/leopards-near-human-habitats-cause-of-concern/articleshow/63446382.cms

Biodiversity 101: Are Earth’s wild megafauna doomed?

Friday March 23, 2018
09:35 AM GMT+8
This picture taken on March 10, 2018, shows an Asiatic lion ‘Amber’ walking in his open enclosure at Kamla Nehru Zoological Garden in Ahmedabad. — AFP picPARIS, March 23 — Pop quiz: How many species of big, land-dwelling animals are there in the world?
Count all the different kinds of big cats, bears, wolves, wild dogs and other carnivores weighing at least 15 kilos. Add large herbivores — 100 kilos or more — such as bison, zebra and deer, along with rhinos, elephants, large apes, giraffes, hippos, wild pigs, tapirs...
What’s the final tally?
The answer, based on this widely used definition of terrestrial megafauna, is 101.
That modest number is sure to shrink to double digits, and could continue to diminish at an alarming rate, biologists warn.
Three fifths of these iconic creatures are already listed as threatened with extinction by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which tracks the survival status of Earth’s animals and plants on its Red List.
More than a dozen are in the wildlife equivalent of intensive care, tagged as “critically endangered” or “extinct in the wild”. 
“Conservation scientists will soon be busy writing obituaries for species and subspecies of megafauna as they vanish from the planet,” said Bill Ripple, a professor at Oregon State University, and lead author of an appeal published in December — entitled “World Scientists’  Warning to Humanity: A Second Notice” — signed by more than 15,000 of his colleagues.
Just this week, the last male northern white rhino, a genetically distinct subspecies, died at age 45 in a Kenyan zoo. When the rhino, named Sudan, was born, there were at least 700 of its kind still roaming the wild.
Conservation biologists, once circumspect, no longer mince words.
Silent savannah syndrome
The Saharan Addax antelope is “doomed to extinction”. The Eastern Gorilla, also hunted for meat, is “only one step away from going extinct”, as are the startlingly gentle and intelligent orangutans of Borneo and Sumatra.
Charismatic species still numerous enough to attract millions of tourists to Africa each year are also in sharp decline.
Over the course of the last century, lions, rhino and cheetah populations have collapsed by more than 90 percent; once common giraffes — newly classified as “vulnerable” to extinction — are down by 40 per cent in just three decades; polar bears are forecast to lose a third of their numbers by mid-century.
“We are facing the very real possibility of seeing these titans of nature go extinct in the wild in our lifetime, on our watch,” said IUCN Director General Inger Andersen.
The broader context is not encouraging.
Scientists agree that Earth has entered a so-called “mass extinction event” in which species of all sizes and shapes are disappearing at 100 times the normal rate.
The last mass die-off — the fifth in half-a-billion years — was 65 million years ago, when an asteroid collision wiped out non-avian dinosaurs.
Many forces are pushing megafauna — especially vulnerable to such pressures — towards the edge, including habitat loss, poaching, conflict over livestock, and — in the case of polar bears — climate change.
But the common denominator behind all this is a single cause: humanity’s inexorable expansion.
“The primary threat to wildlife in Africa is that we are eating it to death,” said Paul Funston, senior lion programme director for Panthera, a global wild cat conservation organisation.
Time for triage
In some areas, this has led to what conservationists call the “silent savannah syndrome”, he added.
“There are many protected areas that look absolutely intact — the woodlands, the birds, the bees are all there,” Funston told AFP. “But the big mammals are gone, and that’s because they have been eaten.”
Africa’s population, he noted, is projected to quadruple from one to four billion by 2100.
Conservationists are, by necessity, optimists — if they didn’t see a silver lining, all their efforts would seem pointless.
In certain regions, they have in fact helped species claw back from the brink.
But they must also be realists, said Michael Knight, head of the IUCN’s African Rhino Specialist Group, and a scientist at the Centre for African Conservation Ecology in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
“Africa is no longer the pipedream people imagine of open landscapes with wild animals running all over,” he said in an interview. “We are going to have to face the reality that certain areas are not going to be complete ecosystems.”
Fifty years down the road, he added, “the challenges are going to be ten — maybe 50 — times harder”.
For Funston, the key is strategic investment in national parks — studies have shown a direct correlation between dollars-per-square-kilometre invested, and the survival rate of protected species.
“We are almost ready for triage,” he said. “For lions, it’s done — we have identified 14 key landscapes where conservation money and attention should be spent.”
“This applies to all megafauna,” he added. “We urgently need to get away from our single-species approach to megafauna.” — AFP
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/features/article/biodiversity-101-are-earths-wild-megafauna-doomed

Byculla zoo to get a lion all the way from Junagarh

Other animals expected to be brought in as the phase 2 revamp of the zoo are tiger, lion, swamp deer, nilgai, barking deer and sambar deer

Other animals expected to be brought in as the phase 2 revamp of the zoo are tiger, lion, swamp deer, nilgai, barking deer and sambar deer

Byculla

 https://www.mumbailive.com/en/civic/asiatic-lions-from-gujarat-will-came-at-rani-baug-zoo-21792

Sudan the last male white rhino has died, but you can still see these endangered species in and around Surrey

You're unlikely to see these endangered animals in the wild anymore, but you can see them all right here in the south-east

By

Christopher McKeon

• 13:55, 20 MAR 2018
  Sudan, the world's last male northern white rhino, died on Monday (March 19) after months of ill-health.
  The death of the 45-year-old rhino, who had to be protected from poachers by his own personal bodyguards, leaves just two members of the subspecies alive in the world - his daughter and granddaughter.
  But if you want to see some endangered species before they disappear, you don't need to go all the way to Sudan's home in central Kenya.
  There are plenty of places in and around Surrey where you can see rare animals.
  

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  Chessington Zoo

  

  An Asiatic lion - only a few hundred remain in the wild (Image: Victoria Jones/PA Wire)

  Chessington Zoo has more than 1,000 animals, including some extremely rare species.
  One of these is the Asiatic lion. Smaller than African lions, they used to be found across Asia, from Turkey to eastern India.
  However, they were hunted to near-extinction and now only a few hundred remain in the wild , in the Gir Forest in western India.
  

  

  A Sumatran tiger (Image: Handout)

  Another endangered Asian animal you can see at Chessington is the Sumatran tiger from Indonesia.
  Fewer than 400 remain in the wild and the species is listed as "critically endangered". Chessington's breeding programme plays an important role in their conservation.
  From Africa, there is a group of western lowland gorillas, another "critically endangered" species whose numbers have fallen by 90% in the last 10 years due to poaching and disease.
  

  Read More

  • This is when Chessington World of Adventures Resort fully reopens and what's new for 2018
  Finally, Sudan's cousins, the southern white rhino, also have an enclosure at the zoo.
  Once thought extinct, a small group was discovered in 1895 in the Kwazulu-Natal area of South Africa and, after more than a century of protection, the subspecies is now 20,000 strong.
  

  Howletts Wild Animal Park

  Only a short drive from Surrey, Howletts wildlife park near Canterbury has a host of endangered animals, including Sumatran tigers and around 28 western lowland gorillas.
  The park also boasts four eastern black rhinos, another "critically endangered" species with fewer than 1,000 left worldwide, and a herd of African elephants.
  With 13 elephants, it is the largest herd in the UK.
  

  

  This quizzical chap is a black and white ruffled lemur, a critically endangered species (Image: Mirrorpix)

  Other endangered species at Howletts include the white-naped mangabey, one of the 25 most endangered primates in the world, the Sulawesi macaque, the northern Chinese leopard and four black and white ruffled lemurs.
  There is also a group of seven eastern bongo, a relative of the antelope of which only 100 are left in the wild.
  

  Port Lympne Wildlife Park

  

  Port Lympne celebrated the birth of a black rhino calf in January 2018 (Image: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire)

  A similar distance from Surrey, in Ashford, Kent, is another wildlife park with a host of endangered animals.
  Port Lympne has its own group of western lowland gorillas, eastern bongos and eastern black rhinos.
  Other endangered species at the park include the Malayan tapir, the painted dog and the exotically named mishmi takin, a large goat-antelope found mainly in south-eastern Tibet of which there are fewer than 3,500 in the wild.
  

  

  Barbary lions have been extinct in the wild since the 1940s (Image: Thomas Frey/dpa via AP)

  However, two of the most-endangered animals at the park are probably the Siberian tiger, with a worldwide population of around 540, and the Barbary lion, which has been extinct in the wild since the 1940s.
  Only around 100 Barbary lions remain in the wild, and Port Lympne's are descended from lions held in the King of Moroccos private menagerie.
  https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/whats-on/family-kids-news/sudan-last-male-white-rhino-14434233

Wildlife for sale

Although Pakistan is a signatory to several major conventions barring trade in endangered species, the sale of wildlife and products derived from these species is rife across the country. This has been found in a new study conducted by WWF with support from USAID. The study covers 23 cities across Pakistan and finds that Karachi, with 42 shops has the highest concentration of outlets selling wildlife products whereas the illegal practice is most widespread in Punjab where such shops were found in 13 cities. Most shops sell products derived from endangered wildlife. These products, used as aphrodisiac in traditional medicine and in herbal pain relief remedies, are extracted from a variety of animals including the Asian black bear, the Asiatic lion and the tiger – which is now ranked as among the species closest to extinction in the world. Apparently, these are obtained online, from circuses and from local wildlife department and the locations vary from Ghotki to Murree.
The pelt of endangered animals including the African lion and the leopard are also reported to be available in markets at high prices. Most of the animal products are derived from mammals or birds, and include extracts from many exotic species. The notion that animal fat or other animal parts can cure various conditions is widespread in the country as is the case in other Asian countries. The survey makes it apparent that a large number of middlemen are engaged in providing the animals to shops based in cities; it is also reported that staff from provincial wildlife departments are involved in this rather lucrative business. The conditions in which the animals available for sale are kept have also been noted by the survey team. We know that there is little awareness in the country about the need to protect endangered species or guard the welfare of animals. The illegal hunting of various species is an example of this – the biggest being the endangered Houbara bustard. Superstition about the medicinal qualities of animal derivatives mainly drives this trade forward. The existence of shops such as those noted by the survey is known to many in the country. To stop the trade, aside from a crackdown on the business itself, the creation of awareness is needed so that we can fulfill our international responsibility and also protect wildlife in our own country.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/294089-wildlife-for-sale

Everybody say 'roar'! Mother lion and her cubs pose for a family purr-trait Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5499083/Mother-lion-cubs-pose-family-purr-trait.html#ixzz5B7A5ofhv Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

• Photographer Ahir Deepak Vadher captured the playful group in November  
• He spotted them at the Junagadh Gir Forest, in the Gujarat state of India
• The 28-year-old was going into a field when he saw five lions along the lane

By Khaleda Rahman For Mailonline

Published: 10:19 BST, 14 March 2018 | Updated: 10:41 BST, 14 March 2018 

These adorable cubs proved they know how to work the camera - and lined up alongside their mother for a cute family photo.

Photographer Ahir Deepak Vadher captured the playful group at the Junagadh Gir Forest, in the Gujarat state of India, in November last year.

The 28-year-old said he had been heading out into the field when he saw five lions making their way along the lane.

'After playing around with each other, a lion came and sat next to me and his mother sat behind him,' he said.

'Then, naturally, two other cubs were behind their mother and I didn't want to lose this opportunity.' 

Photographer Ahir Deepak Vadher captured the playful group at the Junagadh Gir Forest, in the Gujarat state of India, in November last year

 

The 28-year-old said he had been heading out into the field when he saw five lions making their way along the lane

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5499083/Mother-lion-cubs-pose-family-purr-trait.html#ixzz5B7ADPxjI
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Lions pose for adorable family paw-trait

View photos
The lions knew how to work the camera (Caters)

An adorable family of lions got together for a group photo.

The four cubs certainly know how to work the camera as they get in position and pose for a family photo.

The fascinating shot was snapped by photographer, Ahir Deepak Vadher, 28, who was at the Junagadh Gir Forest, in the Gujarat state of India.

View photos

The photographer couldn’t believe his luck (Caters)

Ahir, who captured the group of playful cats in November last year, said: ’I was going heading out into the field when I saw five lions making their way along the lane.

‘After playing around with each other, a lion came and seat next to me and his mother sat behind him.

‘Then, naturally, two other cubs were behind their mother and I do not want to lose this opportunity.’ https://uk.news.yahoo.com/lions-pose-adorable-family-paw-trait-212256466.html

Steering panel holds first meeting

Himanshu Kaushik | tnn | Updated: Mar 14, 2018, 06:57 IST

AHMEDABAD: A meeting of the steering committee formed for translocating lions from Gir Forest in Gujarat to Kuno Palpur in Madhya Pradesh was held in Delhi on Tuesday. The committee directed the Madhya Pradesh forest department to form a panel similar to the one in Gujarat. The steering committee has asked the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) to appoint its representative in both the committees.
In 2013, the apex court had ordered the translocation of lions from Gir to Kuno Palpur. The steering committee comprises six members and the additional director general of forests (of the ministry of environment, forest and climate change) is the chairman. The others members include a scientist, the representative of the WII, principal chief conservators of forests from Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, and the director of wildlife preservation from the ministry.

On Tuesday, the first meeting of the steering committee was held. Since the ministry has not appointed scientists for the translocation mission, the meeting was adjourned with directions to Madhya Pradesh to form the committee and to the WII to appoint its representatives to both the committees. A source in the committee said: “Madhya Pradesh was to form the committee, but instead of appointing the members, the Madhya Pradesh forest department sent a report asking the steering committee to form the Madhya Pradesh coordination committee.”
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/steering-panel-holds-first-meeting/articleshow/63291796.cms

Illegal trade in wildlife rife across Pakistan, says study

Faiza IlyasUpdated March 12, 2018

 

KARACHI: A recent study, compiled through undercover surveys of 55 markets in 23 cities across Pakistan, has revealed that a majority of species/animal derivatives on sale at these markets are listed within the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Red List of threatened species.

The study found that Karachi hosted the highest number of markets and shops dealing in illegal wildlife followed by Peshawar. Consumption of dried meat of the Indian cobra and sand lizard is recorded to be widespread in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.

Titled An assessment of the scale of illegal wildlife trade in Pakistan, the study was conducted by the World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan (WWF-P) and authored by Dr Uzma Khan and Hamera Aisha.

‘Karachi has highest number of markets and shops dealing in illegal wildlife followed by Peshawar’

Part of a project supported by USAID, the study aimed at assessing the scale of illegal wildlife trade in Pakistan and looked into the effectiveness of the existing wildlife regulations.

The study covered a total of 288 shops and street vendors in 55 markets dealing in wildlife and their derivatives. These markets were located in Karachi, Thatta, Kashmore, Ghotki, Sukkur, Nagar­parkar, Lahore, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Gujran­wala, Mianwali, Murree, Multan, Abbottabad, Chitral, Mardan, Man­sehra, Peshawar, Gilgit, Muzaffar­­­abad, Gawadar and Jiwani.

All surveyed markets and shops were found to be involved in illegal wildlife trade. The study didn’t cover legal pet trade.

High return crime

Illegal trade of wildlife species was predominantly recorded in bigger metropolises such as Lahore and Karachi, where the demand for exotic pets was found higher than other cities.

In Karachi, 12 markets and 42 shops were identified dealing in illegal wildlife, whereas, in Peshawar seven markets and 33 shops were recorded to be involved in this illegal trade.

The survey teams did not find any wildlife markets in Islamabad, Gwadar, Jiwani, Murree or Nagarparkar districts.

The teams recorded 55 wildlife species on sale in markets surveyed across the country, of which 40 per cent comprised mammals, 39pc birds, 19pc reptiles, while the remaining 2pc belonged to the invertebrates (Arachnida) category.

Mammal species recorded during the course of the survey included the leopard cat, Indian palm civet, Pallas cat, chinkara, hog deer, grey langur, Asiatic jackal, Indian pangolin, rhesus monkey etc. Whereas, the common leopard and Himalayan black bear cubs were also available for sale within a time period of 14 days upon an advance payment of 50pc.

A number of bird species caught in the wild were observed in markets. But, (for the purpose of this study) only protected species and those high in trade demand were recorded.

“In Lahore, Karachi, Abbottabad and Mansehra shops were observed to have catalogues with pictures of animals and their price tags. Whereas, in the province of Sindh and Punjab it was also observed that shopkeepers kept short video clips of captured animals in their mobile phones for customers.

“In Lahore’s Tolington Market, researchers were escorted by shop owners to a small, dingy shop where animals were kept in small cages and in a deplorable state of neglect,” it says.

Wildlife derivatives

The survey team recorded the use of derivatives of 12 mammals, five reptiles and one bird and invertebrate species as the key ingredient in traditional medicines available with street vendors and local herbalists.

These medicines are commonly sold as ointments and are believed to have aphrodisiac properties and to provide relief in joint and muscular pain.

Traditional medicines containing pelican fat were recorded in Sukkur, Ghotki, Kashmore and parts of Balochistan where local herbalists converted it into oil to treat several diseases, including fever and muscular pain.

The forms in which animal derivatives were sold include oils, which contained fat or bile extracts, meat (both fresh and dried) and bones. Fat extracts of the Indian spiny tailed lizard, Asiatic black bear, Asiatic lion and tiger were commonly found in traditional medicines.

Survey teams found the meat of Indian pangolins, Indian crested porcupines and freshwater turtles on sale in several cities. This meat was meant to be used in traditional medicine or smuggled to East Asian countries.

Markets in Sindh, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were found selling wildlife pelts and fur.

“Specifically, the cities of Karachi, Sukkur, Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan and Lahore had widespread pelt and fur trade.

Pelts of the common leopard, African lion (exotic species), Indian palm civet, jungle cat, and leopard cat were available at high prices in markets where local herbalists were mostly found,” the study says.

According to 50pc of respondents, the study says, wildlife derivatives were sourced in the wild through traders in Karachi and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. A total of 30pc claimed to have bought animals through salesmen.

Online illegal trade

“Around 10 per cent of herbalists confirmed getting animal fat and other derivatives from the staff of provincial wildlife departments. Whereas, remnants of circus animals and smuggled animal products together add up to five per cent of animal derivatives found in markets,” it says.

The study also points out that that neither the wildlife nor the police department was found to have any monitoring facility in these markets.

The study found that illegal wildlife trade conducted through websites extended to a large range of cities and provinces.

Punjab had the largest share of trade with 13 cities involved, mainly in Lahore and Rawalpindi. Sindh had the second largest proportion of online trade, predominantly in Karachi.

“All corners of Pakistan are involved in illegal wildlife trade as traders selling items exist in all provinces. Traders in Balochistan advertised their wares in five different cities. The Azad Jammu and Kashmir had traders located in three cities and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had vendors in three cities. Gilgit-Baltistan also had a trader in Hunza,” the study says.

Published in Dawn, March 12th, 2018

https://www.dawn.com/news/1394654

Over 57 hectares of Gir Sanctuary encroached upon: Guj Govt

Press Trust of India  |  Gandhinagar  Last Updated at March 12, 2018 20:15 IST

Over 57 hectares of forest area inside Gujarat's Gir Wildlife Sanctuary is under encroachment, the state government informed the Legislative Assembly today.
While responding to a written query raised by Congress MLA Mohanlal Vala during the Question Hour, state Forest Minister Ganpat Vasava said that a total of 57.53 hectares of land inside the Gir Sanctuary was under encroachment.

Vasava informed that there was no encroachment in the Gir National Park situated inside the sanctuary.
Out of the 57.53 hectares under encroachment, 56.17 hectares was being used for farming by locals while 1.36 hectares had religious structures on them, Vasava's written reply stated.
He informed the House that while some land had been encroached long back, others were illegally occupied after 1987-88.
He said that the state had taken various steps to clear the encroachments but several occupants had filed court cases against such government action.
As per the Census of 2015, there are 523 lions in and around the Gir Sanctuary, the last abode of Asiatic lion.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/over-57-hectares-of-gir-sanctuary-encroached-upon-guj-govt-118031201063_1.html