#INFOS : June 13, 2019 (Thursday)
Bermuda land snail: An animal 'back from the dead' Thousands of critically endangered snails have been released into the wild after being rescued from the edge of extinction, with a little help from a British zoo. The greater Bermuda land snail was thought to have disappeared for many years until an empty shell turned up in the territory's capital city, Hamilton. Live snails was then found among litter in a nearby alleyway. Some were flown to Chester Zoo for a unique breeding programme. More than 4,000 snails raised at the zoo have now been taken back to the island and released. Many more captive snails will soon be returned to their homeland to help give the species a new lease of life. Mark Outerbridge, a wildlife ecologist for the Bermuda government, said the snail was a "Lazarus species", which was considered extinct not so long ago. Then, in 2014, a man walked into his office in the capital, Hamilton, holding a fresh snail shell. "It turned out that, yes, this was in fact the greater Bermuda land snail, a species that we thought had gone extinct 40 years earlier," he said. "He came back the next day with a fresh one, a live one in his hand, and that's how I was thrust into this conservation project." A small but thriving population of land snails was discovered behind a restaurant. The gastropods were living among litter - specifically inside thrown-away plastic bags - in a "dank wet alley", surrounded by four-storey buildings. Water dripping from air conditioning units had created an environment where the animals could survive unnoticed. "It turned out that the plastic bags were one of the favourite places for these snails to hang out, because of course it retained the moisture the best - and the snails are very vulnerable to drying out," said Dr Outerbridge. "And when we started picking up these plastic bags and unfolding them - literally they contained hundreds of juveniles and hatchling-sized snails." Some of the hatchlings were taken into captivity for breeding. Their offspring were later sent to Chester Zoo and the Zoological Society of London, where scientists were able to establish colonies. It turns out that the snails are prolific breeders in captivity, with thousands of snails bred in a matter of years. "At the last count we've got somewhere around 13,000 snails - we've probably got more than that, they've had a lot of babies since then," said Amber Flewitt, of Chester Zoo, who cares for the snails. The secret of breeding success, she said, was nice soil and their favourite foods, which include sweet potato and lettuce. Thousands of the Chester Zoo snails have now been sent back to Bermuda for release in nature reserves. The snails are thought to be doing well in their new home. |
#INFO : January 03, 2019 (Thursday)
10.6 tonnes of banned items seized in Chennai during first 2 days of plastic ban The Tamil Nadu government banned single-use plastic from January 1, 2019. Two days after the Tamil Nadu government’s ban on single-use plastics came into force, the Chennai Corporation has seized almost 12.50 metric tonnes of the banned item from across the city. The items were seized after the Corporation officials conducted surprise checks in various localities.The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) had requested the public to deposit items made of single-use plastic in their respective ward offices before December 31, 2018. On December 31, 1.88 metric tonnes of the banned items were brought to the ward offices across the city. As per a press release by the GCC, Teynampet zone collected 580 kgs of banned items followed by Anna Nagar zone, which had 485 kgs of plastic items. The third highest collection was made in the Kodambakkam zone with 186 kgs of banned plastic items. As the order came into force on January 1, 2019, officers from the GCC raided commercial establishments and seized the banned items stacked there. On January 1, GCC seized 662 kgs of banned plastic items from Sholinganallur zone and 563 kgs of plastic items from Ambattur zone. 439 kgs of single-use plastic products were seized from Anna Nagar. The day’s tally stood at 2.25 metric tonne of banned plastic products confiscated from across the city. 2,376 kgs of banned plastic was seized from Valasaravakkam, 859 kgs from Kodambakkam and 761 kgs of banned plastic from Anna Nagar were seized on January 2. The total volume of banned plastic items seized on January 2 stood at 8.35 tonnes, as per GCC’s statement. The government of Tamil Nadu banned the use of plastics on June 5, 2018, on World Environment Day. The ban came on the recommendation made by a Select House Committee, which was given the task of analysing the effect of such ban by former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. Speaking on the floor of the Assembly in June, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said, “This committee had recommended the ban of non-biodegradable and single-use plastic and had also recommended the use of natural environmental-friendly products like banana leaves and lotus leaves. It has also recommended restricting the use of plastic for daily-use products like milk, curd, oil and medicines." © The News Minute |
#INFOS : October 04, 2018 (Friday)
First evidence of fatal infection of white-tailed sea eagles with avian influenza : The most common unnatural causes of death in white-tailed sea eagles are lead poisoning and collisions with trains. During the winter of 2016/2017, however, many white-tailed eagles died in Northern Germany in circumstances unrelated to either cause. Instead, at least 17 white-tailed sea eagles were killed by avian influenza of the highly pathogenic virus subtype H5N8, as a team of scientists from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) and the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute (Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, FLI) demonstrated. Avian influenza may become a new threat for this highly protected wild species. The study was published in the scientific journal Viruses. The avian flu has been a threat to wild birds and poultry for decades. Especially chicken, ducks and geese as well as several species of waterfowl have been shown to be infected with different types of the influenza virus. This lead to epidemic outbreaks, for example in Mexico in 1992, in central Europe in 2006, in the USA in 2015 and in Europe again in 2016/2017. Amongst raptors, peregrine falcons and common buzzards had been previously found to be infected but until now there was no such evidence regarding the largest bird in Europe, the white-tailed sea eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla). The investigation of 17 white-tailed sea eagles collected in the federal states of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxonia during the winter of 2016/17 (14 of them being already dead and another 3 showing symptoms such as being overexcited and finding it difficult to move in a coordinated fashion) now demonstrated that white-tailed sea eagles can be killed by the avian influenza virus. The analysis of the entire genome of the virus isolated from the collected birds revealed that it was not the widespread influenza subtype H5N1 but the subtype H5N8 which was responsible. More precisely, the analysis revealed that it the virus belonged to the clade 2.3.4.4b, considered to be highly aggressive for birds. It causes a lethal inflammation of the brain (polioencephalitis). Lead poisoning could be ruled out as a possible cause of death for the birds, as the analysis of liver and kidney tissue demonstrated. The northern German flat plains and the Baltic Sea coast are the main habitat for white-tailed sea eagles in Germany. Their worldwide distribution ranges from Greenland in the west to Japan in the east. Currently, there are about 750 breeding pairs in Germany. The species had been brought close to extinction during the second half of the 20th century because of excessive hunting and persecution, and the detrimental effects of the insecticide dichlordiphenyltrichlorethan (DDT). Since the 1980s populations are recovering because DDT was prohibited and persecution declined, but threats such as lead-containing ammunition continue to hamper conservation efforts until today. Furthermore, there is the potential threat of infectious diseases. "White-tailed sea eagles feed on carrion, especially during autumn and winter, and fancy waterfowl as part of their diet if available," says Oliver Krone (Leibniz-IZW). "Diseased or handicapped waterfowl are an attractive prey for the eagles. This potentially exposes these birds to a variety of pathogens, including avian influenza viruses." For the scientists several questions remain unanswered and will therefore be the subject of further research. For example, it is still unclear why white-tailed sea eagles apparently showed no infections during the H5N1 epidemic of 2006, yet were highly affected during the winter of 2016/2017. "There might be species-specific differences regarding the susceptibility and vulnerability to highly pathogenic avian influenza infection," Franz Conraths and Martin Beer (FLI) comment. "There is also the possibility that differences in the virulence of virus clades are important. The 2.3.4.4b clade seems to be highly aggressive for many species of birds, much more so than previous clades, which may a reason why even the large eagles are now affected." In addition, it is unclear whether H5N8 2.3.4.4b infections are invariably lethal or whether eagles can overcome the disease and acquire immunity. "The fact that the majority of the 17 eagles were young animals could suggest one of two things: Either young birds were particularly affected because they are generally a vulnerable age class, as is the case with many other infections. Alternatively, there is the possibility that this is evidence for an immunisation process," Krone adds. "If juvenile birds are usually the age class that are infected for the first time and they survive the exposure, then older animals might become 'immunologically experienced' and make them more resilient also towards new varieties of pathogens." For people, influenza type H5N8 seems to be less threatening than H5N1. The latter was responsible for the infection of several hundred people after epidemics amongst birds, because of human to human transmission. "Until now, not a single case of animal-human transmission has been recorded for H5N8," the FLI scientists say. Story Source: Materials provided by Forschungsverbund Berlin Via science daily |
This is collected White-Tailed Sea Eagle showing symptoms of an infection with avian influenza.
Credit: Oliver Krone (Leibniz-IZW) |
A deer gets caught on a suburban camera.
Credit: Arielle Parsons |
#October 02, 2018
More mammals than expected live near people : It's a jungle out there in the suburbs, where many wild mammals are thriving near humans. That's the conclusion of a large-scale study using camera trap images from hundreds of citizen scientists in Washington, D.C., and Raleigh, North Carolina. The study contradicts assumptions that developed areas have fewer mammals and less variety in mammal species, says lead author Arielle Parsons, researcher with the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and Ph.D. student at North Carolina State University. "We found there wasn't a significant difference in mammal populations between the suburban areas and the wild areas in terms of how many species used them and the intensity with which they used those areas, which was very surprising to us," Parsons says. "That would seem to indicate that the impact of suburban areas in particular is less dire for many mammals than we previously thought and that perhaps there is a certain level of adaptation of mammals to humans." Researchers worked with citizen scientists to monitor wildlife with camera traps placed at more than 1,400 locations along a continuum of development based on population density: wild, rural, exurban, suburban or urban sites. Their analysis included areas with large forests, small forest fragments, open areas and residential yards. Backyard wildlife watchers often catch glimpses of what Parsons calls the "usual suspects" that showed up in images from the study: deer, raccoons, gray squirrels, opossums and the occasional fox. But the cameras also captured some surprising species. "Although coyotes seem to prefer rural areas, they seem to be slowly infiltrating more populated regions, and we did detect them in suburban areas in Raleigh and Washington, D.C.," Parsons says. "The really surprising find was bobcats in suburban Durham, North Carolina, and to a lesser extent in Raleigh. "And in Washington, D.C., we actually did have some bears, not in suburban areas, but in the next level up, which is what we call exurban -- between suburban and rural in terms of housing density." Parsons is quick to add that while the study shows the adaptability of some mammal species, there are caveats. "The region we looked at has lost the largest predator species because of human activity and urbanization, which is something we need to remember," she says. "This study shows the importance of conservation of green areas for habitat. We know that there are sensitive mammal species out there, rare species that just wouldn't have the ability to adapt or persist if we took away those protected areas." Outside of the mammal world, research shows less adaptability. "If we talk about plants, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish, many studies have shown that urbanization has very negative impact on abundance and diversity," Parsons says. "Mammals seem to be one of the best at dealing with humans on the landscape, at least when protected from hunting." The research harnesses the power of large-scale citizen science to reveal animals' hidden lives, says co-author Roland Kays, biologist with NC State University and the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences. "People often talk about the animals they see in their back yards, but this is the first time we've had the camera trap's perspective to really compare wild to suburban sites, including the nocturnal animals most people don't see." The study was funded with National Science Foundation grants 1232442 and 1319293. The VR Foundation, U.S. Forest Service, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and Smithsonian Institution also contributed to the work. Story Source: Materials provided by North Carolina State University. Via Science Daily |
#INFOS : June 26, 2018 (Tuesday)
Dyed and sold, these chicks bring in the money They look ever so cute, in pink and yellow and soft blue. Tiny fluffy balls scurrying about in huge baskets... They instantly attract the passerby’s attention. You might think they are some exotic birds, or perhaps you are so used to these sights since your childhood, that you don’t even stop to think twice as the shopkeeper goes about his business. But pause for a moment, and take a closer look. These birds are nothing but dyed chicks. Tiny, newborn chicks. Kids get so attracted to them, that when we were at the shop, while working on this article, we saw quite a few kids cajoling their parents to buy them these, which the shopkeeper was quick to notice and up his sales pitch… “They are so cute, like colourful tiny soft balls. I am so excited to be taking two of them home. I love the yellow and pink-coloured chicks. I can’t wait to play with them in my doll house,” six-year-old Sneha (name changed) who came with her father to this pet shop in CIT Nagar, excitedly told us. It’s a sad world for these chicks, who, the minute they pop out of the eggs, get tossed into a bucket full of colour like salad, thrown up in the air so that the colour spreads evenly all over their little bodies, and flung into another plastic crate. Once this process is done, they are rubbed, either with bare hands or with a towel, all over so that they look like they were born this way. People fancy these coloured chicks so much that they are now available even on various online shopping sites. Even in this day and age, surprisingly, these dyed chicks bring good business to vendors and poultry farms. The dealers aver that this colouring process is practised only on male chicks, as they bring no value addition to their business as female chicks do. These are then sold in the market for a meagre Rs. 2 to Rs. 10 per chick. Darvish Akthar from AMD Farm, Amman Koil, who has been in the poultry business for two decades now, says that prices of the coloured chicks vary depending upon the number of chicks ordered at a time. “If the customer wants coloured chicks in large number, we charge Rs. 7.50 per piece, otherwise it is Rs. 10. We take bulk orders in advance and for that the customer needs to pay additional transport charges because we take the chicks from our farm in Theni. After the advance online payment for the order, they can collect the chicks either from Koyambedu or Mannady the next day, because we only deliver to these two spots. The chicks are brought in private passenger buses between 6.15am and 7am. It’s been three years now that I have been selling coloured chicks and there has never been a loss in the business. Each day, we sell around 500 coloured chicks in Chennai and we also sell Theni, Dindigul and Madurai. We supply them to pet shops, too.” The chicks are mostly sold in six different colours — green, pink, yellow, blue, purple and orange. Darvish assures that it is totally safe for children to play with the coloured chicks because most of the time they don't use any harmful chemical-based colours. “Our customers are mostly children who come along with their parents and buy them,” he adds. Bala, who owns pet shops in Thousands Lights and Menambedu, sources coloured chicks from a farm in Nagercoil. “As soon as these chicks are born, they are coloured and brought to the pet shops. The tinier they are, the cuter they are, and so, the better the business,” says Bala. However, although poultry owners claim the practice is harmless, activists from animal welfare and protection insist that it is not at all right to colour newborn chicks so ruthlessly. C Padmavathy, managing trustee of Animal Welfare and Protection Trust, says, “This is absolute cruelty on the chicks. In the name of business, how can vendors use cheap chemicals to dye them? We don’t know whether these chicks go through burning sensation, or some other reaction after they are dunked in these colours. This could be hazardous for their skin. Moreover, spraying or splashing colours on these chicks can be very stressful for these birds. They are coloured and transformed into some novelty item , almost like a toy that can be discarded once their colourful plumage fades away. Sadly, punishment for cruelty against animals is not stringent, and not implemented well in our country. Earlier, I along with my late husband tried to stop this practice, but we didn’t have enough support from the governing bodies and we couldn’t do much.” In most of the countries, male chicks are considered by-products of poultry farm and often they are crushed to death immediately they are born, and mixed with the feed. But in a developing country like India, male chicks are reared by poor farmers and they are slaughtered for meat after 12 weeks. But so far, no research has been done on how harmful these artificial colours can be on the health of young chicks. Dr J Ramesh, associate professor at College of Poultry Production and Management, Hosur, says, “First of all, they are too young and sensitive, so forget asking how safe these colours are for them! The way colours are rubbed onto their bodies is inhuman. Moreover, all the harmful residues present in the colours can find their way into their blood because their skin is too thin. The kidney will be overworked, trying to discard those residues. Those who colour them do not realise that the colours can also contain heavy metals and once they get into the body, they cannot be flushed out. The coloured feathers fall off as the chicks grow new permanent feathers, but it is harmful for humans to eat the meat of these chicks once they grow up as the residual chemicals of the colour remain in their bodies well after 12 weeks.” © Purnima Sah , Chennai Times, TOI |
#INFO : June 06, 2017 (Tuesday)
Scots ban on wild circus animals 'could close Zoos ::: A ban on using wild animals in travelling circuses could eventually lead to zoos in Scotland being closed down, a circus leader has told MSPs. A bill is being considered to bolster animal protection by barring any use of wild animals in travelling shows. Martin Burton of the Association of Circus Proprietors told MSPs that a law based on the proposed ethical grounds "will eventually close your zoos". A government consultation found widespread support for a formal ban. The Wild Animals in Travelling Circuses (Scotland) Bill would be the first of its kind in the UK, and is aimed at banning the use of non-domesticated animals for either performance or exhibition. Holyrood's environment committee took evidence from a range of animal welfare and circus industry groups. Mr Burton told members that there were no circuses with wild animals which have visited Scotland in recent times. However, he said a lack of clarity in the legislation about what constitutes a travelling circus and the definition of a wild animal, along with the emphasis on ethics, could have far-reaching consequences. He said: "The economic impact on animal displays in shopping centres, on displays at outdoors shows of hawks and wild birds, on reindeer and Santa, and eventually zoos will be massive. "Eventually that is where this will all go, this will eventually close your zoos." He added: "Once you start banning things, particularly on ethical grounds, it is clear that this will spread, because if it's ethically not right to have a wild animal in a circus, then it is ethically not right to have a wild animal appear at a gala or a county show, and it is ethically not right to have a wild animal appear in a shopping centre, and it is ethically not right to have a wild animal appear in a zoo. "It is clear and logical that that is the only way an ethical ban can go. You can't choose your ethics, you're either going to say it is ethical or it is not ethical." Meanwhile, Rona Brown from the Circus Guild of Great Britain said there was no scientific evidence of current welfare issues for wild animals in circuses, with government vets inspecting licensed circuses three times a year. Public supportHowever, members also heard from Dr Dorothy McKeegan, from the Institute of Biodiversity Animal Health and Comparative Medicine at the University of Glasgow, who said the arguments in the bill were valid. She said the use of wild animals in the circus was disrespectful, and that there was a welfare argument as well as an ethical one to be made. Members also heard from representatives of City of Edinburgh and Argyll and Bute councils, who said they did not allow circuses to use their land if they had wild animals. A government consultation in 2014 showed 98% of respondents thought the use of wild animals for performance in travelling circuses should be banned and 96.4% thought the use of wild animals for exhibition (without performing) should be banned. Animal protection organisations such as the Born Free Foundation, Captive Animals' Protection Society and OneKind have also welcomed the move. © BBC |
The bill would make it an offence to use wild animals in travelling circuses
Martin Burton said an "ethical" ban would lead to zoos being shut down
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#Infos : June 06, 2017 (Tuesday)
Adrian Grenier is now a UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador, bringing his passion and voice to better our planet. |
#Info : June 05, 2017 (Monday)
Today at United Nations Headquarters in New York, world leaders, scientists, ocean advocates and more gather to take action to protect, conserve and sustainably use ocean resources that are declining because off human activities. © UNEP |
#INFOS : 08 November , 2016 (Tuesday)
MAN POISONS FOUR DOGS AFTER TIFF WITH NEIGHBOUR ::::
A man poisoned four dogs in Coimbatore on Monday to take revenge against his neighbor over a dispute. Two of the dogs, all mongrels, was looked after by the neighbor R.Kalimuthu,47, a daily wage labourer. Police are on lookout for the accused V.Babu who was seen feeding the dogs by some neighbors.
© The Times of India
MAN POISONS FOUR DOGS AFTER TIFF WITH NEIGHBOUR ::::
A man poisoned four dogs in Coimbatore on Monday to take revenge against his neighbor over a dispute. Two of the dogs, all mongrels, was looked after by the neighbor R.Kalimuthu,47, a daily wage labourer. Police are on lookout for the accused V.Babu who was seen feeding the dogs by some neighbors.
© The Times of India
#INFOS : August 02, 2016
LEOPARD DIES AFTER BEING CAUGHT IN WIRED SNARE ::: UDHAGAMANDALAM: A male leopard aged around four years succumbed to its injury, after being caught in a wired-snare at the Gudalur range of forests in the Nilgiris, on Monday. The animal looked very weak and was unable to move, it was found by forest officials during their routine patrol. "The animal looked very weak and could not move. The leopard was tangled in a snare made of barbed wire," said S N Thejasvi, district forest officer, (Gudalur division). He said the animal might have got caught in the trap a few days ago. And its abdomen was severely injured. The animal was tranquilized and brought to a nearby place for treatment. "With the animal being in a weakened condition, we couldn't transfer it to a facility which was far," said Thejasvi. However, the leopard died without responding to treatment at around 6.15pm. |
#INFOS : August 02, 2016
NO ARK FOR KAZIRANGA'S RHINOS, 13 DROWN ::: The floods in Assam have swept away at least 13 of Kaziranga National Park’s iconic rhinos. Kaziranga in Upper Assam has an estimated population of about 2,400 one-horned Great Indian Rhinoceros, but they are threatened by massive flooding in 70 per cent of the 450 sq. km. core area of the park. Most of the rhinos are ‘calves’ in the age group of three months to one year, said Suvasish Das, District Forest Officer in charge of the park. Flood waters have also washed away at least 166 hog deer, while many other animals are recovering in the government rescue and rehabilitation centre. At Kaziranga, at least 10 rhinos were rescued and eight were admitted to the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC), jointly run by the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and the Assam Forest Department (AFD). These rhinos are suffering from pneumonia, Mr. Das said. “But the condition of the calves is improving,” he added. In a silver lining, compared to the 2012 floods, the loss of wildlife in the fast-flowing waters carried by the Brahmaputra is less. Mr. Das argued that it was “absolutely necessary” to have some level of flooding in Kaziranga for the forest to survive. “In a way the flood is a blessing as fresh silt and alluvium deposits increase the productivity of the forest undergrowth,” he said. Some 400 wetlands are also replenished, and water hyacinth and weeds are washed away. The Mobile Veterinary Service (MVS) of CWRC has handled 107 rescue cases in seven days, the WTI said. MVS teams released 62 hog deer out of 92 rescued. They also carried out, along with the AFD, three eastern swamp deer rescues. Two of the deer survived and were brought to the CWRC. |
© WWF
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#SPECIAL : July 31, 2016
Happy #WorldRangerDay.In the last year, 52 park rangers have lost their lives in the line of duty protecting our planet's precious wildlife. On this day, July 31, World Ranger Day, we appreciate all the brave and devoted men and women who worked and are working tirelessly and risk their lives every day to protect wildlife and conserve nature across the world. We honor you this #WorldRangerDay and everyday #WildlifeProtectors deserve our full support. |
#INFOS : July 31, 2016
LITTLE SEEN BEAKED WHALE DEEMED A NEW SPECIES :: 🐋DNA analysis of 178 beaked whale samples has turned up an entirely new species: a black variation in the northern Pacific that is a rare sight even for frequent seafarers. The samples, which included museum specimens as well as the remains of a whale found on an island in the Bering Sea, were examined by an international team of researchers that has reported its findings in the journal Marine Mammal Science. The new whale is colored black and tops out at about 25 feet long, fully grown. It looks a lot like the more common Baird's beaked whale, save for its smaller size and darker color. The elusive cetacean has been out there on the water all along. But sightings of it are rare, and no one had studied it closely enough to see that it was a new species. "Japanese whalers have known about the black form but didn't consider it a separate species," said Erich Hoyt, study co-author and research fellow with Whale and Dolphin Conservation, in a statement. All told, eight examples of the new species were found among the nearly 200 samples studied by the team. "The challenge in documenting the species was simply locating enough specimens to provide convincing evidence," said lead author Phillip Morin, a biologist at the NOAA's Southwest Fisheries Science Center. "Clearly this species is very rare and reminds us how much we have to learn about the ocean and even some of its largest inhabitants," Morin added. |
#RESEARCH : June 06, 2016
BEHIND BUTTERFLY COLOURS ::: A new study reveals that the "cortex" gene is behind the colors and patterns of butterfly wings, as well as the change of British moths to black during the industrial revolution. A team of researchers from various universities has discovered that the gene that allows tropical butterflies to mimic each others' patterning is the same one that pushed British moths to turn black during the industrial revolution. Known as "cortex," the findings from the University of Cambridge and the University of Sheffield suggest that this fast-evolving gene is a key player in determining the colors and patterns on butterfly wings. In a parallel paper from the University of Liverpool, the findings suggest that the cortex gene is also the cause of the peppered moth's change to black during the industrial revolution in an attempt to camouflage itself amongst the dark-colors of the mid-19th century. Taken together, these findings offer insight into the role of genetics in evolution, although the researchers have yet to determine how the cortex gene came to be selected in the determination of wing color and patterning. "What's exciting is that it turns out to be the same gene in both cases," said Chris Jiggins of the University of Cambridge. "For the moths, the dark coloration developed because they were trying to hide, but the butterflies use bright colors to advertise their toxicity to predators. It raises the question that given the diversity in butterflies and moths, and the hundreds of genes involved in making a wing, why is it this one every time?" "It's amazing that the same gene controls such a diversity of different colors and patterns in butterflies and a moth," added Nicola Nadeau of the University of Sheffield. "Our study, together with the findings from the University of Liverpool, shows that the cortex gene is important for color and pattern evolution in this whole group of insects." Over the years, butterfly wing patterns were adapted for various purposes, including wing patterns, thermal regulation and camouflage. Although these patterns have been studied intensely for over a century, the underlying molecular mechanisms behind them are only starting to be understood. "Our results are even more surprising because the cortex gene was previously thought to only be involved in producing egg cells in female insects, and is very similar to a gene that controls cell division in everything from yeast to humans," Nadeau added. The findings were published in the June 1 issue of the journal Nature. |
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#REASEARCH : June 06, 2016
SHARP-EARED PANDAS ::: Giant pandas have better hearing than people, and even polar bears. A recent study published in Global Ecology and Conservation that giant pandas can hear surprisingly high frequencies that go into the ultrasonic range. However why they have this quality is still unknown. |
#INFOS : April 26, 2016
'PEOPLE's ASSEMBLY' TO SAVE PUNE's ENVIRONMENT ::: With Maharashtra facing its gravest water crisis in decades, a group of environmentalists and water conservationists in Pune has decided to revive an age-old tradition to formulate innovative solutions.Two non-governmental organisations — Biospheres and Tellus — with the backing of the Pune Municipal Corporation and the Pune Forest Division, held the first ‘Paryavaran Chavadi’ — an assembly to discuss environmental problems at the Parvati Hills last Friday. A ‘Chavadi,’ a traditional facet of Maharashtra’s rural life, is a place where the village community gathers and public business is transacted. The discussion focussed on tree conservation and steps to deal with the city’s acute water crisis. An eager audience, comprising authorities, environmentalists and activists, with well-known cartoonist Mangesh Tendulkar as chief guest, sat together and attempted to find solutions to Pune’s pressing environmental concerns. “Paryavaran Chavdi is a community initiative which encourages participation from all walks of life. The common man discusses issues with experts, bureaucrats, and various other stakeholders in this environmental symposium. It is a unique democratic space dedicated to the resolution of the city’s environmental and water problems,” said Dr. Sachin Punekar, founder, Biospheres. The watchword is implementation, says ecologist Lokesh Bapat, founder, Tellus. “This initiative aims at bringing the public and administrative spheres under one roof and increasing cohesiveness between the two to solve urgent environmental concerns,” Mr. Bapat said. |
#INFOS : January 29, 2016
MAMMOTH TRAGEDY ::: A 12m (40ft) long Bryde's whale has washed up on Juhu beach in the western Indian city of Mumbai on Thursday night. Assistant conservator of forests Makarand Ghodk told that it is estimated to weigh around 20 tonnes. It was buried near the beach. The Bryde's whale is an endangered species and is found in the Arabian sea. |
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#INFOS : November 16, 2015
Butterfly conservatory thrown open to visitors ::: The lush green tropical butterfly conservatory established at Srirangam by the Forest Department has been thrown open to visitors. Chief Minister Jayalalithaa inaugurated the butterfly conservatory through video conference in Chennai on Friday. Set up on a sprawling area of 25 acres in the reserve forest area in Upper Anicut, the butterfly conservatory housing multiple species of butterflies is sand-witched between the Cauvery and the Coleroon river. Established at a cost of Rs. 8.5 crore, the conservatory aims to foster conservation of butterfly species and educate public regarding the role of butterflies in maintaining ecological balance. It will house 40 species of butterflies including crimson rose, common mormon, lime butterfly, pansy, blue tiger, common jezebel and striped tiger. Forest Department authorities here said the conservatory will be open to visitors from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The conservatory would remain closed on Tuesdays for maintenance. It contains an outdoor conservatory with floral patches, indoor conservatory, a breeding lab, interpretation centre, active and passive humidifiers besides children’s play corner. It aims at conservation of butterfly species and educate public regarding the role of butterflies in maintaining ecological balance. |
#INFOS : November 16, 2015
Soon a trek through the tiger country ::: Trekking in one of the State’s tiger country, the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR) is in the offing. In the past, especially after the death of forest brigand Veerappan, the Sathyamangalam forests, spread over 1411 sq.km, was a hotspot of nature enthusiasts, particularly those working in the area of conservation, for tiger sighting Though it was declared as a wildlife sanctuary initially after tigers reappeared in 2005, it became a tiger reserve in 2013 after their existence was scientifically proved. It was now housing more number of striped big cats in its varied jungles than any other reserve in the State. Constituting nearly 40 per cent of the tiger reserves in the State, the STR now had 54 individual tigers as per the current monitoring, which was almost a double from 28 in 2010. Till now, only conservationists had access to its terrains. The Forest Department had now forwarded a proposal to promote eco-tourism in the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve. “It will be minimal impact trekking programmes in non-core areas of STR involving irulars, ooralis, kurumbas and soligars, the native tribals of the region. The facilities for staying will come up only in non-forest areas,” say sources. The proposal could improve the livelihood of tribals in about 27 tribal settlements. According to sources, there would be a limit on the number of people for such trekking trips. A part of the money generated from such tourism would be provided to the local communities for enabling sustainable livelihood, and the rest would be used for further development of tourist spots without disturbing the natural ecosystem. The trekking would also cover the gorgeous Moyar river that runs through the reserve. The visitors would be accommodated in tents or huts equipped with food and toilet facilities and provided opportunity to mingle with the tribal communities to appreciate their culture, sources said. The maintenance of the facilities would be carried out by the local communities who would undergo training in hospitality services and in working as wildlife and eco-tourist guides. The proposal was awaiting government clearance, the sources said. In neighbouring The Nilgiris district, the department had proposed similar eco-tourism projects at three main locations: Longwood Sholas, Kodanadu View Point, and St. Catherine Waterfall near Kotagiri, under the Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Conservation and Greening Project. |
#INFOS : November 12, 2015
Vedanthangal opens for visitors from today KANCHEEPURAM : The Vedanthangal bird sanctuary will be opened for people from Thursday. According to official sources, the decision to open the sanctuary for public viewing was taken by the Forest Department as there is enough water in the sanctuary to attract birds. Water level at the 30-hectare Vedanthangal tank has risen significantly owing to the heavy rain in and around Madurantakam, which was the result of the deep depression that had formed in the Bay of Bengal. While around 500 migratory birds were sighted at the tank on Monday after the water level increased on Sunday, the number increased to around 2,000 on Tuesday and over 5,500 on Wednesday, according to Forest Ranger S. David Raj. Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Director, Arignar Anna Zoological Park, Vandalur, K.S.S.V.P. Reddy and Wildlife Warden K. Gitanjali visited the bird sanctuary on Wednesday and inspected the facilities made available for visitors during this season. Work aimed at ensuring a good flow of water into the Vedanthangal tank from nearby Valaiyaputhur lake has been carried out by the department. As a result, there is sufficient storage of water at the bird sanctuary, Mr. David Raj said. |
#INFOS : November 08, 2015
For saving Asian vulture from fatal drugs ::: After successfully campaigning for the ban on multi-dose vials of painkiller drug diclofenac in veterinary use, conservationists have stepped up pressure for withdrawing two more drugs, which they say, are fatal for Asian vultures. It was recently that the authorities slapped a ban on the 30 ml multi-dose vials of the drug, which was largely responsible for the decline of the vultures, which used to feed on bovine carcasses. The bird conservationists pointed out that “twenty years ago there were tens of millions of vultures in the Indian subcontinent. They provided a valuable ecosystem service by disposing of millions of tonnes of waste carrion from dead cattle each year. Now they, and the services they provided, are nearly all gone,” according a publication of Saving Asia’s Vultures from Extinction (SAVE), a consortium of eleven organisations. The “three species of Gyps vultures endemic to South and Southeast Asia, oriental white-backed vulture (Gyps bengalensis), long-billed vulture (G. indicus) and slender-billed vulture (G. tenuirostris), are the worst affected and are threatened with global extinction after rapid population declines, which began in the mid-1990s. They are listed by IUCN as Critically Endangered, the highest level of endangerment short of extinction in the wild. The oriental white-backed vulture population in India in 2007 was estimated at one-thousandth of its level in the early 1990s,” the document said. In south India, the vulture populations have been reported from Muthumalai and Sathyamangalam regions of Tamil Nadu, Wayanad of Kerala and Bandipur and Nagarhole of Karnataka, where also the bird numbers are fast dwindling, pointed out C. Sashikumar, a leading ornithologist. Besides other conservation programmes, steps for banning the veterinary use of Ketoprofen and Aceclofenac have to be achieved. The veterinary use of Ketoprofen has already been banned in three districts of Tamil Nadu, he said. It has been pointed out that the veterinary use of diclofenac was the major cause of the decline of vulture population. When vultures which feed on carcass of animals treated with the drug, “severe kidney damage and extensive visceral gout” were observed. The conservation consortium has also suggested monitoring the ban on veterinary diclofenac, surveys on populations of vultures to assess its population trends, testing of vulture-safe veterinary drugs and creation of Vulture Safe Zones. Conservation breeding is another focus point of the campaign. |
#INFOS : October 20, 2015
Bird islands planned on Hussainsagar ::: HYDERABAD : Those small dry land patches in the Hussainsagar lake would soon be converted into a chain of islets, hosting a variety of bird species and offering them facilities to nest, breed and roost. The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) is working on a proposal to develop a group of bird islands in the water body between Sanjeevaiah Park and Jal Vihar. A recent study of the winged creatures around Hussainsagar has shown the presence of 67 different bird species with more expected to migrate here during the winter months. The plan being drawn up looks at developing these inhabitations for birds using the dredged sediments from the lake itself, particularly close to the inlet from Kukatpally nala. “Between Sanjeevaiah Park and Jal Vihar in the lake is the silent zone as it is a bit away from the heavy traffic corridors of Tank Bund and Necklace Road and well suited to develop inhabitation for birds,” said an official. The idea is to use small land patches in these shallow areas and pile up sediment collected from lake bed through dredging. “Heaps of sediments with edges properly contoured will not take much cost or effort. Since the sediment from the lake itself is used, there will be no external material coming in to create the islands,” explained a consultant associated with the project. Appropriate big and small tree plantation will be taken up for nests and also conditions created for birds laying eggs on the ground. Small aquatic plants complete the plantation plan which was being worked out by the HMDA and consultants NJS Co. Officials said some of the islets lands could be developed as small 500 square yards to 600 square yards ones. ***Aesthetics ::: “Hussainsagar benefits every way, as dredging would mean increasing the water holding capacity of the lake, aesthetics created with dots of greenery in the water and also increase the bird presence,” he said. A recent survey of Hussainsagar and green spaces along the shoreline has shown an overall increase in density of bird presence. Officials and consultants associated with the lake development project said no disappearance of bird species has been documented even among the aquatic birds. Black kite, black-crowned heron, common coot and spot-billed duck were found in large numbers while stilt birds were spotted time and again. In the water logging areas near Sanjeevaiah Park, purple swamphen were found. Also spotted were species such as the little egret, kingfishers and greater coucal. “Common coots are seen round-the-year and spot-billed ducks are found in large numbers” said an official. ***Towers proposed::: Bird watching towers have been proposed in quiet spaces along the Hussainsagar shoreline with facilities for enthusiastic bird watchers. As of now, three spots have been identified, one in a secluded groove near PV Ghat and two in the lake shoreline of Sanjeevaiah Park. Circular towers of about 10 feet and more have been planned and these would be set up as temporary pre-fabricated structures. Heaps of sediment with edges properly contoured will not take much cost or effort. Since the sediment from the lake itself will be used, there will be no external material coming in to create the islands. |
#INFOS : September 27, 2015
WATER CONSERVATION AWARENESS PROGRAM ::: Rotaractors from 8 city colleges are conducting 'GLITZZ 2015',to create awareness about water conservation, at Ethiraj College for Women today. Over 2,000 students are expected to participate in events such as dance,mime and fashion show on the theme water conservation.The funds raised through the event will be used to set water conservation facility in a government school, said a press release. |
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#INFOS : September 24, 2015
RESIDENTS PROTEST OVER IMPOUNDING OF CATTLE ::: The Chengalpattu Taluk police on Wednesday impounded cattle that was transported in two goods carriers allegedly in violation of rules. This led to a section of people protesting. They later managed to secure the release of animals with a court order. Police said they received a complaint late on Tuesday night from an animal welfare activist, Karthik of Sriperumpudur, that 41 heads of cattle were being transported in two vehicles from Tiruvannamalai and Thirukovilur to Chennai. Subsequently, the police intercepted the vehicles near Paranur Toll Plaza and brought them to the Chengalpattu Taluk police station. Within hours, a large number of people assembled near the police station and raised slogans against the police for impounding the cattle that was being taken to Chennai ahead of Bakrid. When the police refused to release the cattle, the group squatted at Pulipakkam junction on GST Road. They withdrew their agitation after an hour after policemen and revenue department officials asked them to seek legal remedy. After a petition was filed in a Chengalpattu Court, the animals were handed over to the petitioners in the afternoon based on the Court order, police said. |
#Infos : September 23, 2015
CHIMPANZEE DIES IN VANDALUR ZOO ::: Tun Tun, a 52-year-old female chimpanzee, died in Arignar Anna Zoological Park in Vandalur, Chennai, on Sunday. According to Zoo officials, the animal was not in good health for sometime and during its last days, its food intake reduced drastically. She refused to eat fruits and other feed offered by the animal keeper. Attempts by veterinarians to provide medicines to her also proved futile, they said, adding she even rejected the bananas injected with the medicine. The end came on Sunday night, zoo authorities said. #BroughtFromKolkata The animal was brought from Alipore Zoological Garden, Kolkata, as part of an animal exchange programme in 1998 and it was very active till a few months ago. Zoo officials said that Tun Tun was intelligent, curious and very communicative. The primates are active during the day, searching for food and feed on fruit, seeds, buds, bark, stems and insects. The endangered species have a life span of 35-40 years in natural habitat and live five to eight years more years in captivity. The Zoo now has a pair of Chimpanzees, officials added. |
#INFOS : July 30, 2015
Swiss army makes incusrsion into France for water for cattle ::: PARIS — Swiss army helicopters have crossed the Franco-Swiss border in an unexpected incursion — to help thirsty Swiss cows. The aerial operation to scoop up water caught authorities responsible for Rousses Lake in the Jura mountains by surprise last Thursday. The helicopters also startled swimmers and fishermen enjoying the beaches of the lake in eastern France. Christophe Mathez, deputy mayor of the Les Rousses commune, said officials had "no idea this operation would occur" — and that the Swiss neither requested authorization or nor warned before descending. Swiss media reported that the country's military did ask for permission — but from the French air force, not local authorities or the police. "As soon as they contacted us, we realized there was a communication problem and we immediately stopped," Denis Froidevaux, a Swiss military official, told the Swiss newspaper Le Matin, whose headline Monday read "No, Switzerland is not stealing water from France to save its cows." Mathez said Les Rousses authorities are not "mad at our neighbors," but as of Monday the village was still waiting for clarification. The Swiss army has been pumping water for livestock from its own Neuchatel and Joux lakes since last week, according to a statement from the Swiss Department of Defense. The federal government is bankrolling the operation, expected to continue no longer than August 4, with military aid disaster relief funds. Thirsty cows produce less milk, of particular concern in the mountainous Jura region of France and Switzerland. Dairy farmers there provide milk to producers who make prized cheeses including the French Comte and Morbier varieties as well as the Swiss Tete de Moine. |
#INFOS: July 24, 2015
TAKING PLANTS FOR A WALK ::: CHENNAI: “Walking your plants around the neighbourhood enables them to know their environment, thereby providing them with a sense of knowing, bringing on wellness,” remarked a participant at the rally organised by Exnora Green Pammal at Sankara Nagar Pammal on Thursday. The international day for ‘ Take Your House Plants for a Walk’ was observed by the 400- plus students and members of the residents’ welfare association of Sankara Nagar at Pammal. The idea was to create awareness among the residents to grow plants, talk about plants and bring awareness to the community to grow more trees and plants as a remedial measure to off set the global warming phenomenon. Managing Trustee of Exnora Green Pammal Mangalam Balasubramanian said for those who find this concept a little strange, there are more conservative ways to get involved. |
#INFOS: July 24, 2015
VISHAL TO GO ON HUNGER STRIKE FOR STRAY DOG ::: The actor will go on a hunger strike to raise voice against the killing of stray dogs in Kerala at an event in Valluvar Kottam on Saturday, organised by the People For Cattle India. Street dogs have been a menace in Kerala for the past eight months and the Kerala government has taken strict action against the dogs to protect people from being attacked. Even actor Mohanlal recently expressed his concern for killing of stray dogs. In Chennai, dog lovers from across the city and animal activists will be participating in this day-long hunger strike. "I am participating in the event as a dog lover. I wanted to raise my voice against the cruelty meted out to stray dogs. But since I am also shooting on that day, I will be at the event for a few hours and then go to work. According to me, dogs also co-exist in this society and nobody has the right to kill them. The main slogans of this event will be 'Stop cruelty to animals' and 'stop killing dogs in Kerala'. The next day, I will also be participating in an event in Coimbatore to support cattle welfare." Vishal is very close to his pet dog August, and he often says that he misses his pet while on shooting schedules away from home. He says, "I don't see him as a dog. August is my son and that's how I treat him. I have great love for dogs and their well-being." Mohanlal, who regularly updates his blog on subjects of current relevance, has chosen the stray dog issue this time. The actor has begun by saying that the love and loyalty of dogs to humans go back to the Puranas and that he himself owns four. He has written on his blog: "However, dogs have now turned into Malayalis' nightmare... To the question whether stray dogs should be killed or not, we ourselves should decide whether we should rear them, feeding garbage. We should think more about waste management." The actor's words have given way to different interpretations, while some have taken it that the actor supports the killing of stray dogs, animal welfare activists consider it a misinterpretation. |
#RESEARCH : July 18, 2015
Feathered cousin of famous movie star dino unearthed in China ::: Palaeontologists working in China unearthed the fossil remains of the winged dinosaur -- a close cousin of Velociraptor, which was made famous by the Jurassic Park films. Researchers say its wings -- which are very short compared with other dinosaurs in the same family -- consisted of multiple layers of large feathers. They found that the species' feathers were complex structures made up of fine branches stemming from a central shaft. Although larger feathered dinosaurs have been identified before, none have possessed such complex wings made up of quill pen-like feathers, the team says. Scientists have known for some time that many species of dinosaur had feathers, but most of these were covered with simple filaments that looked more like hair than modern bird feathers. This latest discovery suggests that winged dinosaurs with larger and more complex feathers were more diverse than previously thought. The species belonged to a family of feathered carnivores that was widespread during the Cretaceous Period, and lived around 125 million years ago, the team says. The near-complete skeleton of the animal -- which is remarkably well preserved -- was studied by scientists from the University of Edinburgh and the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences. The fossil reveals dense feathers covered the dinosaur's wings and tail. The newly discovered species -- named Zhenyuanlong suni -- grew to more than five feet in length. Despite having bird-like wings, it probably could not fly, at least not using the same type of powerful muscle-driven flight as modern birds, researchers say. It is unclear what function the short wings served. The species may have evolved from ancestors that could fly and used its wings solely for display purposes, in a similar way to how peacocks use their colourful tails, researchers say. The study is published in the journal Scientific Reports. The research was supported by Natural Science Foundation of China, the European Commission, and the US National Science Foundation. Dr Steve Brusatte, of the University of Edinburgh's School of GeoSciences, who co-authored the study, said: "This new dinosaur is one of the closest cousins of Velociraptor, but it looks just like a bird. It's a dinosaur with huge wings made up of quill pen feathers, just like an eagle or a vulture. The movies have it wrong -- this is what Velociraptor would have looked like too." Professor Junchang Lü, of the Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, who led the study, said: "The western part of Liaoning Province in China is one of the most famous places in the world for finding dinosaurs. The first feathered dinosaurs were found here and now our discovery of Zhenyuanlong indicates that there is an even higher diversity of feathered dinosaurs than we thought. It's amazing that new feathered dinosaurs are still being found." Story Source: The above post is reprinted from materials provided byUniversity of Edinburgh. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. Journal Reference:
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#INFOS : July 18, 2015
How birds learn foreign languages??? Biologists have succeeded in teaching wild birds to understand a new language After only two days of training, fairy wrens learnt to flee when they heard an alarm call that was foreign to them, showing that birds can learn to eavesdrop on the calls of other species. The research, led by biologists at The Australian National University (ANU), could be used to help train captive animals to recognise signals of danger before they are released in to the wild. "The first bird we tested lived on the ANU campus near my office. There was general disbelief and excitement when the bird learned the task perfectly," said the leader of the study, Professor Robert Magrath, from the ANU Research School of Biology. "We had been doing experiments on learning using different methods, but until then with little success. So it was exciting to finally crack the practical problems of carrying out this experiment, and get clear results." Many animals get information about danger by eavesdropping on each other, but how they do it has been an ongoing puzzle. "Recognizing other species' calls is a remarkable ability, because there are lots of species in a natural community, and lots of different types of calls. It's like understanding multiple foreign languages," Professor Magrath said. The biologists trained the fairy-wrens by playing unfamiliar sounds to them, while throwing a model glider of a predatory bird, a currawong or a sparrowhawk, over them. After only eight playbacks the birds had learned to flee, while they did not flee when played unfamiliar sounds that had not been paired with the gliders. Story Source: The above post is reprinted from materials provided byAustralian National University. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. Journal Reference:
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#FunInfos : July 17, 2015
Cute 'sea bunnies' become viral sensation in Japan ::: A genus of sea slugs, nudibranchs and shell-less marine gastropods that resembles fluffy rabbits have become an internet sensation in Japan. Native to the Pacific Ocean and found as far north as the cooler waters off Japan, the Jorunna genus of sea creatures have become a hit here since being dubbed "sea bunnies". Some of the sub-species can grow to 8 inches in length, but it is the tiny creatures what appear to have fluffy "coats" and delicate ears that have really triggered the fascination in Japan - a nation notorious for its love of "kawaii", or "cute". Twitter user Iwabuchi expressed the feelings of many Japanese by posting photos of two sea bunnies and the message "Waaaa - velvet sea slug! Cute! I've fallen in love!" Suzuki echoed that attraction by saying "They look like snow rabbits coated in salt and sesame!" Another social media user named Kurishi has gone as far as to set up a web page to show off "a cute collection of sea bunnies". The site has images and video clips of dozens of varieties of sea slug and has been shared nearly 10,000 times. |
#INFOS : June 29, 2015
Over 1,000 acres of forest land de-reserved ::: More often in modern times, growth and development triumph over environment and forests. In Tuticorin, it has taken nearly a century — only the mangroves have escaped. Ninety years after it was declared a Reserve Forest (RF), 457.25 hectares of forest land in Mullakadu RF in Tuticorin forest division have been de-reserved. The area is situated at a distance of six km from the Gulf of Mannar. The de-reservation has been granted based on a report of the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) on the proposal of the Chairman of the Tuticorin Port Trust, which has been in possession of the forest land and managing it since 1918. It was notified in the Gazette on Wednesday. Exactly 21.73 ha of area under mangroves have been excluded by the CEC, forest officials say. The mangrove cover will be transferred to the Forest Department for management and its legal status will continue to be ‘Reserve Forest.’ The main species in the mangroves are Avicennia officinalis and Avicennia marina, mostly found in Korampallam water course, officials say emphasising that this particular water course was like an oasis surrounded by highly developed land and therefore was being protected. During a joint inspection last year, the MoEF officials, State Forest officials and VOC Port Trust officials found that most of the area proposed for de-reservation had already been deforested and put to non-forestry uses. While there are some patches of greenery within the de-reserved area, it mainly of Prosopis . As the area was already under the port management for nearly a century, the forest was irretrievable because hundreds of buildings and structures, including a light house and NLC Tamil Nadu Power Limited’s 2x500 MW thermal power plants have come up, forest officials point out. The SEPC power plant that has been in the pipeline for a decade now would also come up here, officials say. Meanwhile, the Port Trust would have to maintain the 376.43 ha of green cover as ordered by the CEC, they add. Based on the CEC recommendation, the Supreme Court had granted permission for de-reservation in 2014 itself, sources say, adding that the port management had deposited the net present value amount at the minimum prescribed rate of Rs 4.38 lakh/ha within four weeks. Since the non-forestry use of the forest land as well as its transfer to the Port Trust was permitted by the competent authority much earlier than 1980 when the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 came into force, the CEC might have favoured de-reservation, sources in the forest department say. |
#INFOS : June 29, 2015
As wetland runs short of water, birds move on ::: The vast tract of Perumbakkam wetland located near Rajiv Gandhi Salai was once a nesting ground for several migratory birds, including flamingos and pheasant-tailed jacanas. However, during the past two years, birdwatchers have been despairing over the slow disappearance of jacanas from the wetland due to development activity. An under-construction road and other forms of interference had not only robbed the wetland of water but also forced the birds to shift elsewhere, said K.V.R.K. Thirunaranan, founder of The Nature Trust. The volunteers of the trust, who have done a study of the bird population on Sholinganallur-Perumbakkam wetland stretch, point to the big dip in the population of pheasant-tailed jacanas. Mr. Thirunaranan said the migratory birds had shifted from Perumbakkam wetland. While environmentalists blame Perumbakkam village panchayat for sanctioning the road, which is being built after dumping of construction debris in a portion of the wetland, panchayat staff said that they had not given permission for any road. The State in 2014 passed a Government Order to protect Sholinganallur-Perumbakkam wetland from encroachment and development activity and transferred 71.85 hectares to the Forest Department. The wetland belonging to the Forest Department has been now made part of Pallikaranai Marshland. But, Forest officials said they were unable to take possession of the wetland as the revenue staff were yet to survey it for marking boundaries. Revenue officials in Kancheepuram said a survey was conducted even before the wetland was handed over to the Forest Department. “If they send a request for a fresh survey of the land, we would do it and mark the boundaries,” an official said. |
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#SPECIALS : June 21, 2015
This day is observed as "World Daddy's Day". On this special day, lets take a look at our fauna dads who are guiding as teacher, caring and protective as mom, supportive, inculcating leadership qualities, have loving heart, sharing secrets and emotions. There is more in store to describe such special persons, in short, their kids call them "DADDY". So wishing those special super Heroes, HAPPY DADDY's DAY... |
#Infos : June 21, 2015
A feeding session for cows ::: Sixty-one-year-old P.K. Ranganathan has a morning ritual he will never miss. At 8.30 a.m., the resident of Muthu Street at Rajaji Nagar in Villivakkam, goes to a catering centre located at the end of the street to collect vegetable waste. He then mixes the waste with vegetables and fruit peels; and shoves the mixture into an oval-shaped plastic tub, placed at the gate of his house. And it is this tub, that draws Kamatchi, a five-year-old cow, to Ranganathan’s house every day “My day is not complete without feeding Kamatchi,” says Ranganathan who has been living in the locality for more than three decades. Like Kamatchi, other cows have their patrons. “Residents in the street have been feeding these cows for more than eleven months now,” says Ranganathan. The green bins provided by the Chennai Corporation to segregate waste are used by most residents to collect kitchen waste to feed the cows. The practice of feeding the cows was started by Ranganathan, who had cows in his native village. When he started to feed the cows, his neighbours began to adopt this practice. “We only use our kitchen wastes to feed the cows. And, we do it in a collective and organised manner,” says S. Leela, a resident of Villivakkam. The locality has around 100 families living in at least 25 houses. The cows belong to the local Amman temple and are left to graze in the locality. Corporation officials said that on an average, around 50 kg of vegetable and other kitchen wastes are generated from the households in Muthu Street. Most of the kitchen wastes serve as feed for cows. Only a small quantity of wastes is left behind to be cleared by conservancy workers. “The practice of feeding cows is common in villages. With grazing fields hard to find in the city, such a practice by residents should be encouraged. This food is nutritious too,” said an official with the Animal Husbandry Department. |
#FunInfos : June 18, 2015
Jayalalithaa names four tiger cubs at Vandalur Zoo ::: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has named four female white tiger cubs born in a zoo near here as Anitha, Preetha, Suneetha and Sangeetha. The cubs were born to a white tiger, Akanksha, at the Arignar Anna Zoological Park at Vandalur in the neighbouring Kanchipuram district, government said in an official release on Thurdsay. An avid animal lover, Ms. Jayalalithaa in 2013 visited the zoo to review the facilities being provided for both the animals and visitors and christened seven tiger cubs then. In a visit last year, she named five tiger cubs, it said adding the park attracts about 20 lakh visitors annually. |
#INFOS : June 18, 2015
Ramanathapuram gets Genetic Heritage Garden ::: RAMANATHAPURAM : The entertainment-starved people of the district could relax and enjoy their evenings as the much-awaited Genetic Heritage Garden developed with beautiful landscaping at Achadipirambu on the East Coast Road (ECR) near here was thrown open to the public. The ecological garden, developed by the Tamil Nadu Horticulture Development Agency on a 10-acre site at a cost of Rs. 7.28 crore, was inaugurated by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa through videoconferencing on Wednesday. The garden, showcasing the geographical divisions of the State, has been developed with eye-catching thematic elements. The agency had developed the garden, representing ‘Paalai’ (parched wasteland and desert), one of the five landscapes defined in ancient Sangam literature. Developed with beautiful landscaping, the garden promised to provide an ideal space for the people to relax. Though the garden has to reflect the Paalai landscape concept, the agency has added more greenery to attract visitors, officials said. The park is expected to be one among the major tourist attractions in the district as the authorities have decided to allow film and television serial shootings there. The entry fee would be Rs. 15 for adults, Rs. 10 for children and Rs. 2 for schoolchildren, the officials said. Parking fee would be Rs. 15 for two-wheelers, Rs. 40 for Light Motor Vehicles, Rs. 10 for autorickshaws, Rs. 75 for vans and Rs. 100 for buses, they said. Public could use still cameras and video cameras inside the garden after paying Rs. 25 and Rs. 50 respectively, they said, adding professional photographers could take pictures for the visitors after paying Rs. 2,000 per month. For film shooting the rate has been fixed at Rs. 20,000 per day and for TV serials Rs. 10,000 per day, the officials said. The park has a long pathway for visitors to go around. While walking around, they could take rest in aesthetically designed thatched-roof Gazebo huts. The oasis, sand dunes and desert plants like cactus would provide an ideal backdrop. Shady and flowering trees and ornamental plants are added attractions. “We will soon start food courts and make available play materials for children,” the officials added. |
#RESEARCH : June 18, 2015
First sensor of Earth's magnetic field in an animal ::: A team of scientists and engineers at The University of Texas at Austin has identified the first sensor of Earth's magnetic field in an animal, finding in the brain of a tiny worm a big clue to a long-held mystery about how animals' internal compasses work. Animals as diverse as migrating geese, sea turtles and wolves are known to navigate using Earth's magnetic field. But until now, no one has pinpointed quite how they do it. The sensor, found in worms called C. elegans, is a microscopic structure at the end of a neuron that other animals probably share, given similarities in brain structure across species. The sensor looks like a nano-scale TV antenna, and the worms use it to navigate underground. "Chances are that the same molecules will be used by cuter animals like butterflies and birds," said Jon Pierce-Shimomura, assistant professor of neuroscience in the College of Natural Sciences and member of the research team. "This gives us a first foothold in understanding magnetosensation in other animals." The researchers discovered that hungry worms in gelatin-filled tubes tend to move down, a strategy they might use when searching for food. When the researchers brought worms into the lab from other parts of the world, the worms didn't all move down. Depending on where they were from -- Hawaii, England or Australia, for example -- they moved at a precise angle to the magnetic field that would have corresponded to down if they had been back home. For instance, Australian worms moved upward in tubes. The magnetic field's orientation varies from spot to spot on Earth, and each worm's magnetic field sensor system is finely tuned to its local environment, allowing it to tell up from down. The research is published today in the journal eLife. The study's lead author is Andrés Vidal-Gadea, a former postdoctoral researcher in the College of Natural Sciences at UT Austin, now a faculty member at Illinois State University. He noted that C. elegans is just one of myriad species living in the soil, many of which are known to migrate vertically. "I'm fascinated by the prospect that magnetic detection could be widespread across soil dwelling organisms," said Vidal-Gadea. The neuroscientists and engineers, who use C. elegans in their research into Alzheimer's disease and addiction, had previously discovered the worm's ability to sense humidity. That work led them to ask what else the worms might be able to sense, such as magnetic fields. In 2012, scientists from Baylor College of Medicine announced the discovery of brain cells in pigeons that process information about magnetic fields, but they did not discover which part of the body senses the fields. That team and others have proposed a magnetosensor in the birds' inner ear. "It's been a competitive race to find the first magnetosensory neuron," said Pierce-Shimomura. "And we think we've won with worms, which is a big surprise because no one suspected that worms could sense the Earth's magnetic field." The neuron sporting a magnetic field sensor, called an AFD neuron, was already known to sense carbon dioxide levels and temperature. The researchers discovered the worms' magnetosensory abilities by altering the magnetic field around them with a special magnetic coil system and then observing changes in behavior. They also showed that worms which were genetically engineered to have a broken AFD neuron did not orient themselves up and down as do normal worms. Finally, the researchers used a technique called calcium imaging to demonstrate that changes in the magnetic field cause the AFD neuron to activate. Pierce-Shimomura suggested this research might open up the possibility of manipulating magnetic fields to protect agricultural crops from harmful pests.Other members of the research team from the College of Natural Sciences are Joshua Russell, a former graduate student who completed his Ph.D.; Kristi Ward, a former undergraduate; and Celia Beron, a current undergraduate. Research team members from the Cockrell School of Engineering are: Dr. Adela Ben-Yakar, associate professor of mechanical engineering; Navid Ghorashian, a former graduate student who completed his Ph.D.; and Sertan Gokce, a current graduate student. Support for this research came from the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. #StorySource: The above post is reprinted from materials provided by University of Texas at Austin. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. |
#INFOS : June 17, 2015
Tunnelton family loses family pet in fire, Volunteer Fire Department revives another thanks to animal oxygen masks ::: TUNNELTON — A family of five has been left homeless after fire and heavy smoke damaged their Denver area home. Josh and Cindy Bolyard, along with their three children, were not at the home located at 5486 South Preston Highway when the fire broke out Monday morning. The family owns five pets, three dogs and two cats. Firefighters on the scene said the dogs were outside when they arrived. The two cats weren’t as lucky. Tunnelton firefighter Brian Moreland found the first cat, Lexie, in one of the bathrooms. The second cat, Flicka, was found dead in the master bedroom. Firefighters were able to revive Lexie with the use of an oxygen mask specifically used for animals that fits over their muzzles. They also used bottles of water to cool the body temperature of the cat. Tunnelton emergency medical technician and firefighter Jessica Howard said this was the first time she had used the oxygen mask on an animal. “From my understanding, Lexie will be okay, but she was taken from Mountainland Animal Hospital to Cheat Lake Animal Hospital,” Howard said. “She was going to be placed in a hyperbartic chamber to help with her lungs.” Howard said she did not see any burns on Lexie’s body, but the cat was covered in soot and was breathing pretty hard when Moreland brought her out of the home. “Lexie was alert and breathing when she was found,” Howard said. “We were relieved we were able to help. Bonnie Barlow is an animal lover, and her heart, as well as Brian’s, were broken when they were not able to do anything for Flicka.” “I had lost a couple of dogs in a fire,” Moreland shared. “I know the pain this family is feeling.” According to Preston County Office of Emergency Management Assistant Director Justin Wolfe, oxygen masks for animals were given to all county volunteer fire departments in 2005 and 2006. “The animal shelter director at the time had found funding to place one mask in all the fire departments for rescues if needed,” Wolfe said. “I used one years ago on a call I responded to, but haven’t had to use any recently.” Wolfe said it is nice to have the masks, as they fit over the muzzle of the animal in case of an emergency, which gives a better concentration of oxygen to the pet. “Otherwise, we would use a mask for a human and cool the animal down with water, as they had at the scene Monday,” Wolfe said. “I am not aware of any firefighter training specifically to deal with animals at a fire scene, and I think most firefighters use their instincts as their training in dealing with people.” Howard agreed with Wolfe, stating she has taken classes at Preston High and Potomac State College of West Virginia University dealing with animals, but not a veterinarian course. “I would like to get a refresher on checking out animals in a case like this,” Howard said. “Trust me, I don’t want to have to use it because it is difficult, but animal first-aid is always good to know.” Fire departments from Tunnelton, Fellowsville and Kingwood responded to the scene of the house fire, along with the Tunnelton ambulance. Kingwood firefighter Corky Thomas said he believes the fire was electrical in nature, beginning in one room and then spreading smoke to the remainder of the home. “There is nothing suspicious in nature,” Thomas said. “The state fire marshal will be called into investigate and confirm the cause.” Neighbor Alissa Moore said she saw smoke coming from the home around 9:20 a.m. “The family had left a little earlier to run some errands, and when I came downstairs in my home, I saw smoke coming out of the windows, so I called 911,” Moore said. The Bolyards are reportedly staying with family, and the American Red Cross has give the family $750 to help with their expenses at this time. The Preston County Animal Shelter reached out and offered food and/or temporary shelter for the family dogs. |
#INFOS : June 17, 2015
Beaver Dam bars use of kangaroos as service animals ::: BEAVER DAM, Wis. (AP) - Beaver Dam officials have changed the city's rules on service animals after a woman took a baby kangaroo into a McDonald's restaurant. The Beaver Dam Daily Citizen reports the city's Common Council voted 14-0 Monday night to define a service animal as a dog or miniature horse, but not a kangaroo. Police can cite people who try to use other animals. According to police, the woman had the baby kangaroo wrapped in a blanket and tucked in an infant car seat when she took it inside McDonald's in February. The woman has said the kangaroo is a therapy animal to help her cope with emotional distress. City Attorney Maryann Schacht said changes are in reaction to the woman's actions. She says changes comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. |
#INFOS : June 17, 2015
Georgia Flooding: Activists Accuse Police Of Killing Escaped Tbilisi Zoo Animals ::: Animal rights activists in Georgia are seeking answers over the killing of zoo animals that escaped, following heavy floods over the weekend in the capital Tbilisi. The activists launched the attack against police officers after zoo workers complained that some officers took selfies alongside the dead bodies of animals, according to reports on Tuesday. Volunteers and zoo workers accused the special police units of shooting the animals even when they did not pose any harm to humans, the Guardian reported. According to Lasha Chkhartishvili, head of Georgia's Animals Rights Protection Centre, the policemen used "excessive force" against the animals, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported. Tbilisi spokeswoman Mzia Sharashidze told AFP: "It would be good to carry out an investigation." The dead included a white lion cub, named Shumba, one of the popular animals in the zoo. The cub was reportedly known for its friendship with a poodle. The United Nations said Shumba was "shot in the head on sight," AFP reported. While zookeepers confirmed the cub’s death, they were not sure about the cause of its death. It reportedly remains unclear how many of the 300 animals of the zoo were alive. According to BBC, the lower area of the zoo was worst hit by the floods. It housed bears, tigers and lions in special enclosures. According to Sky News, all the missing tigers were found dead. Of the 13 wolves in the zoo, only two survived. "It's a big tragedy for us," Tbilisi Mayor David Narmania told BBC. "We have managed to capture some animals that went loose, and we are continuing the search." Meanwhile, a lion that escaped from the zoo killed a man near the city's central square, AFP reported, citing a spokeswoman for the interior ministry. "Police special forces were deployed and are hunting down the animal," she said. Following the flooding, municipal authorities joined hands with government emergency workers and army recruits to conduct the clean-up operation of the zoo, BBC reported. The floods in Tbilisi caused by torrential downpour reportedly left at least 15 people dead and destroyed the homes of about 40 families. At least 10 people were reported missing. |
#INFOS : June 15, 2015
Georgia floods: 12 dead; zoo animals on the run ::: Lions, tigers and even a hippopotamus escaped from a zoo in the Georgian capital Tbilisi on Sunday, adding to chaos caused by severe flooding that killed at least 12 people, officials said. Police and soldiers were hunting down the animals, recapturing some and shooting others dead, while rescuers airlifted scores of people trapped by the floods. Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili warned Tbilisi residents to stay indoors while the zoo animals were still on the loose, He described the damage to the city’s infrastructure as “substantial” after the River Vere burst its banks following hours of torrential rain. “Our latest estimate is that the death toll is 12,” Tbilisi Mayor David Narmania told journalists. Interior Ministry spokeswoman Nino Giorgobiani told AFP that 24 people were still missing by Sunday evening. Dozens of families have been left without shelter and thousands more without water and electricity, the Mayor’s office said. Several main roads have been wiped out and small houses and cars were swept away by the torrents. In a city cemetery coffins were washed out of the ground. At the Tbilisi Zoo, spokeswoman Mzia Sharashidze told the InterPressNews agency that three bodies were found on the premises of the zoo, two of them zoo employees. Around 20 wolves, eight lions and a number of tigers, jackals and jaguars had been shot dead by Special Forces or were missing, Ms. Sharashidze said. And on Georgian television, a hippo was shown swimming in the flooded Heroes’ Square in downtown Tbilisi as rescuers struggled to capture the animal. The Tbilisi zoo’s director, Zurab Gurielidze, said later that the hippo had been caught and returned to its enclosure. The government set up a hotline for residents to inform the emergency services if they spotted any of the animals. |
#INFOS : June 15, 2015
Stress takes a toll on tigers in Sariska ::: HYDERABAD : Study says human disturbance affecting breeding in Reserve. High stress levels in tigers, caused by human activity, have affected their breeding in the Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan, a study says. Tigers were reintroduced in the Sariska and Panna tiger reserves after poaching, habitat loss and prey depletion made them extinct in those protected areas. As part a species recovery programme, tigers were reintroduced between 2008 and 2010 in Sariska and 2009 and 2013 in Panna. While the reintroduced tigers have given birth at regular intervals in Panna, it is not so in Sariska, though the tigers have been mating. This led to a study by scientists from the Laboratory for the Conservation of Endangered Species (LaCONES) of the CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB); the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun; and the Endocrine Research Laboratory, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, University of Pretoria, South Africa. Govindhaswamy Umapathy from LaCONES, in collaboration with Kalyanasundaram Sankar of the WII, studied the stress responses of the reintroduced tigers in relation to human disturbance. They used a non-invasive approach to study stress by monitoring faecal glucocorticoid (fGCM) metabolite concentrations in the tigers over 18 months and collected 120 samples. It was found that 80 per cent of the 881-sq.km Sariska reserve had some kind of disturbance, such as livestock movement, woodcutting and human and vehicular movement, elevating fGCM concentrations in the monitored tigers. Dr. Umapathy says prolonged stress might have affected reproduction. The study recommended regulation of vehicular traffic, shifting of artificial waterholes away from tarred roads and relocation of eight villages from the core area of the reserve. The relocation has been due since 1984. Once that is done, an inviolate area of 300 sq.km will be available for breeding, the study noted. CCMB Director Ch. Mohan Rao says reproductive studies in endangered species are immensely useful in developing breeding protocols and creating stress-free habitats for tigers and other wild animals. |
#INFOS : June 14, 2015
ROBIN SOARS AS BRITAIN'S CHOICE OF NATIONAL BIRD ::: LONDON : Chosen we know not how and why, but most countries have an avian representative that becomes a cultural symbol. Britain woke up to the idea rather late, and all thanks to ornithologist, television presenter and blogger David Lindo. The ubiquitous robin (one hops around outside my window as I write this) emerged rather predictably as the winner in an online vote in which nearly 2,50,000 people voted. The red-chested avian, the bird “whom Man loves best.” according to Wordsworth, was initially part of a group of 10 common British birds selected from a list of 60 in a preliminary vote. The online voting for the bird closed on May 7. The robin soared above other contenders taking 34 per cent of the vote, followed by the barn owl and blackbird at 12 and 11 per cent. Robins sing at all times of the day and nearly all year round, and “despite their cute appearance ... are aggressively territorial and are quick to drive away intruders,” says the entry in the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. In the social media wave created by this bird’s election however can be heard the grumbles of those who think the choice of an aggressive bully who looks good and speaks well sends the wrong message about Britain. Mr. Lindo’s own choice was the blackbird, although the robin is “entwined into our national psyche”. “Despite being a seemingly friendly bird, the robin is hugely territorial and very defensive of its territory and I presume that reflects us as an island nation that we will stand our ground,” he is quoted as saying. His next task is to get the government to formally recognise the little winner as the national bird. |
#INFOS : June 14, 2015
WILDLIFE PATROL WING AT BANDIPUR TIGER RESERVE SOON ::: MYSURU : Growing concern over people feeding animals at Bandipur has forced the authorities to constitute a wildlife patrol wing to curb the menace. H.C. Kantharaj, director, Bandipur Tiger Reserve, told that two vehicles will be deployed on the two highways cutting through the national park. While one vehicle will be dedicated to monitor NH-212 connecting Gundlupet and Wayanad and passing through Bandipur forests, another will monitor NH-67 connecting Gundlupet and Ooty. The authorities plan to take the support of volunteers to start with. “The volunteers will keep a tab on vehicles and will discourage motorists from stopping en route,” Mr. Kantharaj said. In addition, the Forest Department plans to distribute pamphlets to the public at check-posts about the perils of feeding wildlife. It is common to sight people feeding bonnet macaques, wild boars, sambhars and deers. Besides, introducing a diet pattern that is inimical to wildlife may make animals an easy prey for poachers who could lure them with feed. |
#INFOS : June 14, 2015
SIGNBOARDS ON HAZARDS OF PLASTIC IN OOTY ::: COIMBATORE : With the objective of creating awareness among the tourists against the use of plastics in The Nilgiris district, service organisations have donated 14 signboards. The Lions Club International, Lions Club of Nilgiris and the Lions Club of Ootacamund handed over the boards to the Nilgiri Wildlife and Environment Association (NWEA) on Saturday. Former NWEA Secretary and campaign coordinator K. Vijay Krishnaraj said that the boards would be installed at the check posts from Kallar to Katteri to create awareness among the tourists coming to the district. “The NWEA is working jointly with the District Administration, the police and forest departments in the campaign against the use of plastics in Ooty. Our volunteers assist the authorities in conducting checks for plastics at the check posts and also create awareness,” he said. The boards contain messages such as ‘avoid plastics,’ ‘do not litter on the road side’, and ‘grow trees’ besides details on penalty imposed for using plastics that is banned in The Nilgiris district. The association had planned another awareness programme on Sunday at Burliar jointly with the district administration, forest and police departments. |
#INFOS : June 14, 2015
Firefighters, veterinary students team up for large animal rescue training :::h Before Saturday, Kurt Doolady had never placed a halter on a horse. The Boone County Fire Protection District captain has now added that to his set of skills. The Boone County Fire Protection District and the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine teamed up for a large-animal rescue training class that started on Friday and continued Saturday and Sunday at the fire district’s training center, 5225 Roger Wilson Memorial Drive, next to the county sheriff’s department. Doolady said he had an easy time after he understood how the halter went around the horse’s head. “Fortunately, these are very tame horses and very tolerant,” Doolady said. He said he has learned the importance of getting to know the animal and letting the animal get to know him. He also has learned how to recognize signs of stress in large animals. “We look like a predator to them, and they become defensive,” he said. Doolady said at the end of winter, he was on an animal rescue call where two cows had fallen through ice on a pond. One cow was saved, and the other drowned. Rebecca Gimenez, with Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue Inc., was the trainer Saturday. “Horses are rude, and they’ll take advantage of you,” Gimenez told her students. More complicated than the halter was the next exercise — placing a sling around the horses. One horse resisted, causing the students to scatter to the sides of the pen. “A horse that’s really bad would have freaking exploded,” Gimenez said. Gimenez and all her students were wearing helmets, which she encouraged everyone to do at all times while around or riding horses. Katie Duneman, a second-year veterinary student from St. Louis, said it’s good that students and veterinarians worked alongside firefighters at the training session. “We need each other to be able to rescue large animals,” she said. Loren Schultz, a veterinarian and clinical assistant professor in the MU College of Veterinary Medicine, said as a veterinarian, he has the medicine to treat animals, but not other tools needed to help in an emergency. “They have a lot more equipment,” Schultz said of firefighters. He said it would be ideal if veterinarians and veterinary students could work with emergency workers on large animal rescues. “These exercises have been invaluable,” Schultz said. Chuck Leake, a battalion chief with the Boone County Fire Protection District, said the department takes part in four or five large animal rescues a year. He said many times, his men have to stop pet or livestock owners from putting themselves at risk by trying to rescue the animals. “It takes the right type of equipment” to rescue large animals, Leake said. Firefighters also have thermal protective clothing to prevent hypothermia. Gimenez said it’s a challenge instructing people with different skill sets, but all of the participants were doing well. “If they know which skills each other can do, it makes it easier to plug and play,” Gimenez said. |
#INFOS : June 12, 2015
Man lives with skeletons of sister, DOGS ::: A middle-aged man, Partha De, has been living allegedly with the skeletons of his sister and two pet dogs in his house on Robinson Lane in south Kolkata. The skeletons were recovered after his septuagenarian father, Arabinda De, set himself ablaze in the bathroom on Wednesday evening, and the police were called in by their relatives who live next door. During investigations into the suicide, the police stumbled upon the skeletons of Debjani De and the two dogs inside a room. The house, even the bathroom, was filled with music. “Debjani De appears to have died in December and the dogs in August. Her maggot-infested skeleton was found on a bed inside Partha De’s bedroom and the skeletons of the dogs were found near the bed on the floor,” Joint Commissioner of Police, Crime, Kolkata Police, Pallab Kanti Ghosh said on Thursday. “Soon after the death of the dogs, Debjani slipped into depression, started fasting and ultimately died. Partha would give the skeletons food every day. He had sealed off the windows and all other openings inside the room with tape so that the stench could not escape the room.” No complaint or case has been registered and Partha De has been sent to a mental asylum after a thorough investigation, he said. Arabinda De died of burns. The bodies have been sent for post-mortem. Adding to the mystery, Mr. Ghosh said, no kerosene bottle was found inside the house, though Arabinda De set himself ablaze inside the bathroom and the walls were covered in soot. He left behind a suicide note in English. Forensic experts are investigating. “The suicide letter was dated June 8, which means he had been planning the suicide for some time. Partha did not appear to be normal. His room was untidy and he had a dishevelled appearance. The vocals in the music playing in the house belong to an American evangelist. The family seemed to be reclusive and living in a haze of depression. Both siblings were unmarried, and Partha left his job with the Tata Consultancy Services in 2007,” Mr. Ghosh said. |
#INFOS : June 12, 2015
Judge reserves decision in case of Whangarei animal hoarder ::: The fate of dozens of animals owned by a woman with multiple animal welfare convictions remains undecided after a High Court justice reserved his decision until Monday. Ann Power was banned from owning animals for ten years and ordered to surrender those in her care by the District Court last week - a total of 44 dogs, 18 horses, 20 sheep and potentially dozens more being kept at her home in Whangarei. The sentence came after she was successfully prosecuted for the death of her horse Pip in 2013, which Judge Dawson ruled died after a long period of pain and starvation. Power is now appealing that conviction and disputing the cause of death, saying it could have been from old age. Power's lawyer, Dan Gardiner, told the court this morning that she rescued animals who were already in sub-standard condition and it was this that had attracted the attention of the SPCA. He went on to say Power sees herself as having a special relationship with all of her animals - and that their care is her life's work. But the SPCA says Power is a recidivist offender and it has serious concerns about the welfare of the animals that remain in her care. ONE News has worked out she has had at least 139 dogs, 63 cattle, 54 horses, 20 sheep and four llamas subject to removal orders since 1998. |
#THOUGHTS : June 11, 2015
SANCTIONING CRUELTY IN THE NAME OF FAITH ??? In the land of the cobra and the snake-charmer, the cobra finds itself in the middle of an unlikely controversy. Cloaked under the privilege of “religion and culture”, the new draft National Wildlife Policy, framed by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, suggests amending existing laws to allow hunting of animals like cobras. Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar has repeatedly made statements saying wildlife protection laws can be amended to accommodate “religious and cultural practices”. A high-level committee set up to review India’s environment laws, led by former Cabinet Secretary T.S.R. Subramanian, first suggested these amendments, stating they would be harmless to both man and beast. The question is whether endangered and protected species, already illegally poached, should be subjected to further commodification through vague terms like “culture” and “religion”. More problematically, the question is whether decisions that impact ecology and non-human species should be taken on lines that will likely favour one dominant community, or custom, over another. Both problems represent the way certain animals are constructed as familiar to us, even as friendly; even if the animals are, in fact, dangerous, endangered, or hard to procure. At its centre is a person’s perception of the wild animal, however removed from reality. The wild as familiar Hunting of most animals, except notified vermin (like rats), is prohibited in India. This stems from strong conservation and preservation laws in independent India. However, the draft of the new National Wildlife Policy suggests that if cruelty in hunting can be removed, hunting should be allowed. It states: “Traditional practices involving wild animals are prevalent and in almost all cases, there are confrontations between the enforcement authorities and communities on these aspects, [thus] it is desirable to distinguish between “hunting” and specified religious/cultural practices of communities involving wild/ scheduled animals. The regulations for appropriate safeguards and prevention of cruelty can be provided in the Act.” The predecessor of this is the T.S.R. Subramanian Report, which recommends: “India has a varied and glorious cultural tradition; while there are many national festivals, there are also localised festivals which are of great local importance in different States. Nature and animal worship has been part of the national culture. Thus, for example, Nag Panchami in many States is celebrated and snakes worshipped during five days in the Shravan month, as a thousand-year-old tradition. It is to be noted that the snakes are never harmed — indeed they are worshipped during this period. A dispensation in the various Schedules should be permitted to take into account such local practices, and reflect them in their approved schedules, through gazette notification.” Both high-level documents suggest that removing cruelty in the capture or procurement of these animals can not only give the animal respect but also fulfil cultural traditions. For a species like the cobra (or any wild snake), this could not be further from the truth. For Nag Panchami each year, tens of thousands of snakes are captured. Cobras, like many wild snakes, do not take well to capture. They are almost always defanged using stones or hot metallic instruments and their mouths are stitched up. They die deaths that are always painful, and sometimes delayed. The interpretation of certain traditions, however, construe that the captured, livid, hissing cobra wants to be captured or is being adequately respected. In reality, the hunting of snakes (cobras, rat snakes), birds (like owls, parakeets) and other animals always masks the death of many more. For each bird or snake in illegal captivity, there are thousands that died during the capture or transportation. Several animals will not and cannot breed in captivity. To procure them for any cultural custom, their capture from the wild will always be necessary. The Ministry’s moves try to cast an accommodative sheen on custom and culture, but the reality is invariably gruesome. Sacred becoming profane In India, several animals are deemed “holy”. This has led in a major part to unsustainable practices. Wild elephants are captured, beaten and broken, to carry people or stand immobilised for hours on end, adorned with heavy and blinding ornaments. Snakes and conch shells are illegally “harvested” for sale at scandalously greedy rates. For several wild species, their being sacred has actually led to physical profanity. Should the Environment Ministry broaden the cruelty of hunting in the name of faith? And further, is it the job of the Environment Ministry to be the gatekeeper of which customs, religions, and practices to uphold or privilege over another? It was reported recently that eight tribals from Jharkhand’s Khunti district have been languishing in jail for months now, for sacrificing an ox, deemed holy by Hindus. The tribals were unaware of the furore their actions would cause, and their actions were probably inadvertent. However, amending the law as per the above suggestions would mean knowingly allowing sacrifice, harvest and hunting of some animals; and privileging one belief over another. Apart from having social ramifications, it will also strengthen the hands of poachers by becoming, effectively, a smokescreen for poaching itself. Till about 50 years ago, it was considered ‘cultured’ for people to hunt tigers. British and Indian royals and nobles hunted. As with other social evils, hunting too was deemed an anachronism and banned. We will be taking several steps back if we re-allow hunting, whether for ‘religious use’ or otherwise. Ultimately, one hopes culture is something that evolves. The Nyishi tribals of Arunachal Pradesh have learned to embrace artificial fibreglass casques instead of hunting the endangered hornbills for headgear — that is evolution. Similar solutions should be found, instead of targeting the already dwindling wild animal populations. The Environment Ministry needs to show leadership in protecting biodiversity. Towards this end, it should uphold hunting restrictions, instead of considering changes which will be cruel, regressive, and fetishise species. The only right answer is in creating new and evolved cultures. (Neha Sinha is with the Bombay Natural History Society. The views expressed are personal.) |
#INFOS : June 11, 2015
SONGBIRD TURNS VICTIM OF HUNTING ::: MUMBAI : Recent studies by the U.K.’s BirdLife International and its India partner, Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) India, have shown that one of Eurasia’s most abundant bird species, yellow-breasted bunting, has declined by 90%. A research paper recently published in the journal Conservation Biologysuggests that unsustainable rates of hunting, principally in China, have contributed to the catastrophic loss of numbers. Yellow-breasted bunting was once distributed over vast areas of Europe and Asia. In India, it is reported as a winter visitor, mainly in the north-east, in West Bengal, and also in the Terai region of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Here it is found from early October till April, in small to large flocks of up to 200. |
#INFOS : June 11, 2015
INDIA RICHER BY 349 NEW SPECIES ::: KOLKATA : At a time when plants and animals are under threat across the world, nature lovers and conservationists in India have 349 reasons to feel happy. Scientists and taxonomists of the country have discovered 349 new species of flora and fauna in the past one year — 173 species and genera of plants and 176 species of animals. The list of new discoveries by the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) and the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), both headquartered here, were released on the World Environment Day on June 5. “Of the new plants, some of the significant findings include nine new taxa of wild Musa (bananas), four species of black plum (jamun), three species of wild gingibers and 10 species of orchids,” BSI director Paramjit Singh told The Hindu. Biodiversity hotspots According to scientists of the BSI, the Western Ghats accounted for 22 per cent of the new discoveries, while the Eastern Himalayas and the north-eastern States each accounted for 15 per cent of the species found. In Arunachal Pradesh alone, 25 species of seed plants were discovered. At the ZSI, 176 new species were added to the list of animals of India. These include 93 species of insects, seven species of collembolans, 12 species each of arachnidan and crustacean and one species of mollusca. Reptiles too Interestingly, two species of reptiles have also been located for the first time in the country — one in Tamil Nadu and another in Madhya Pradesh. “As in the previous year, insects outnumbered other animal groups this year also. But surprisingly, a large number of amphibians and fish made it to the list with 24 and 23 new species respectively,” ZSI director K. Venkataraman told. While most of the new species of amphibians were discovered from the Western Ghats, majority of fish species were from north-east India. Scientists of both BSI and ZSI agree that the Western Ghats and the northeast are biodiversity hotspots where most new species were found. Apart from the new species, the BSI has also added 105 new records and ZSI 61 ‘new records.’ Animals and plants that are found elsewhere in the world but have been spotted in India for the first time are called ‘new records.’ Last year, 614 new species of plants and animals — 366 plants and 248 animals — were discovered. “It is natural that with every passing year, the number of new discoveries will decrease,” Mr. Venkataraman said. In India, 96,891 species of animals and 47,791 species of plants have been recorded so far. |
Flower : Impatiens paramjitiana
Wild banana species : Musa aurantiaca
Amphibian : Roarchestes flaviocularis
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#INFOS : June 11, 2015
It is re-birth for Nilgiris forest land ::: COIMBATORE : Now that the Madras High Court has retrieved over a thousand acres of forest land in Gudalur region in The Nilgiris – popularly known as Janmam lands - to the government, the focus shifts to clearing of encroachments and restore the native shola forests. While plantations, farm lands and encroachments formed most of the disputed Janmam lands, a significant portion of the original natural forest land also became a victim in one of the longest legal battles lasting decades. “The judgment is a shot in the arm for ecology and conservation and was long overdue considering the importance and the extent of goodness that the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve holds for the entire region,” says K. Mohanraj, wildlife activist. The Janmam lands, especially the virgin shola forests of about 30,000 acres, are an inseparable segment of the Western Ghats, which serve as the “overhead water tank” for millions of people, said D. Venugopal, director, Nilgiri Documentation Centre (NDC). It was Save Nilgiris Campaign (SNC), the predecessor of NDC, which made the first appeal to resolve the Janmam cases in 1987. “There is need in the Nilgiris for protection and preservation of native shola forests, which are now found in remnants that can provide crystal clear, unpolluted, perennial water supply,” said an official of the Central Soil and Water Conservation Research and Training Institute. Enhancing area under tea in the Nilgiris where soil erosion had reached critical stage would be suicidal, he adds. The major encroachers, according to forest officials, were three major plantation companies. Of the 80,000 acres of Janmam land in Gudalur region, 20,000 to 30,000 acres were leased out to large plantation companies several decades ago and of them nearly 50 per cent of land was developed for plantation, say forest officials. The SNC had contended that increasing production should not be at the cost of virgin forests in the Nilgiris, which had declined to 20 per cent of its original area. A further degradation of 30,000 acres would be suicidal. The Geological Survey of India in a thorough study of the Nilgiris’ ecology after the disastrous 1978 floods stated “in the interest of slope stability and hence in the interest of the district, further conversion of forests into plantations, governmental, quasi-governmental or private, should be barred forthwith by the government.” “As conservationists, we request the government to use this opportunity to retrieve the encroached land from encroachers,” says Vijay Krishnaraj, executive committee member, Niligiris Wildlife and Environment Association. “With the Janmam lands dispute resolved, the government should focus on the development of Gudalur taluk, which is a challenge and an opportunity,” says Mr. Venugopal. Forest managers and environmentalists say though the Madras High Court ruling was applicable only in respect of a portion of Janmam lands around 1,400-odd acres, it is likely to have a direct and immediate impact on 20,000 acres facing the same legal status. However, they say this is likely to set the trend in respect of the other petitions pending before the tribunal at Ooty and also the appeals at other levels of judiciary. |
#INFOS : June 11, 2015
SAFE takes a stand against animal shipment ::: This morning a ship containing 50,000 live sheep and 3000 live cattle will depart from Timaru, bound for Mexico. The shipment's the largest ever of live animals to leave New Zealand, and animal welfare watchdog SAFE say it's appalled. The Ministry for Primary Industries says the animals are for breeding purposes only, after a recent drought in Mexico. But SAFE says the shipment's been shrouded in secrecy we shouldn't allow such large numbers of stock to be transported in this way, as many will die on the journey. SAFE head of campaigns Mandy Carter joined Paul Henry this morning. "It is absolutely ridiculous. What is one vet supposed to do when things go wrong with 50,000 animals? It's crazy. "Disease can spread quickly on big ships like this and it's happened in the past. It's horrendous to send animals knowingly that so many of them would die. It’s not right." |
#INFOS : June 11, 2015
Israel must minimize suffering of livestock animals ::: Agriculture minister's declaration about 'zero tolerance for animal abuse' and surprise inspections of abattoirs are a step in the right direction. The Agriculture Ministry closed the Dabbah slaughterhouse in Deir al-Assad on Thursday in the wake of allegations of violations of the law against cruelty to animals. On Sunday the facility, in which some 120,000 animals are slaughtered annually, was reopened after required repairs were carried out over the weekend. An investigative report shown on Israel Channel 2 on Sunday night showed, among other things, systematic mistreatment of animals that included footage of workers beating, kicking and using electric shocks. Lambs were dragged by the leg, head or tail, and video showed some animals that were still breathing after their throats had been slit. After obtaining new findings, in addition to the television footage, the Agriculture Ministry on Monday ordered the slaughterhouse to close again, this time indefinitely. In its response to the allegations, the slaughterhouse denounced the animal abuse as immoral. One wonders how this can be reconciled with the fact that according to the Agriculture Ministry’s announcement the facility’s owners and managers do not see to it that the supervisory measures required by law are installed and that accurate reports are submitted to the ministry. Still, better late than never. Israel’s largest abattoir, whose products can be found in many households, also bears a moral responsibility, in part on account of its size. It must prove that it means what it says and act as required by law. The Agriculture Ministry’s prompt action and Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel’s firm response are encouraging. It’s bad enough that human beings raise animals — usually in appalling conditions — merely to provide food for themselves. It is unacceptable that the animals should be subjected to unnecessary suffering. In general, the only solution to the recurring problem of animal abuse is except strict supervision and firm enforcement. In the past three years alone, three cases of brutality to animals were exposed — in Tnuva’s Adom Adom slaughterhouse, in Zoglowek’s slaughterhouse and in the Nordia chick hatchery. In this light, Ariel’s declaration about “zero tolerance for animal abuse” and the conduct of surprise inspections of similar businesses are commendable. That’s the job of the executive branch. The lenient punishment imposed on facilities that abuse animals (a 15,000-shekel fine to the Nordia hatchery, for example) and the delay in filing charges in the other incidents mentioned here demonstrate that there is room for improvement in these areas as well. The term used in this context by Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi David Lau, “humane slaughter,” has raised a public debate over whether this is an oxymoron. However, the general consensus is that we must make an effort — and make sure that employees in the meat industry do as well — to minimize the suffering of livestock animals, who are destined for a gruesome fate in any case. |
#Research : June 10, 2015
NEW HARVARD STUDY PROVES WHY BEES ARE ALL DISAPPEARING ::: The human race is really starting to feel the consequences of their actions. One area we are waking up to is the massive amount of pesticides we spray (especially in North America) on our food that has not only been linked to human disease, but a massive die off in the global bee population within the past few years. A new study out of Harvard University, published in the June edition of the Bulletin of Insectology puts the nail in the coffin, neonicotinoids are killing bees at an exponential rate, they are the direct cause of the phenomenon labeled as colony collapse disorder (CCD). Neonicotinoid’s are the world’s most widely used insecticides. “The results from this study not only replicate findings from the previous study, but also reinforce the conclusion that the sublethal exposure to neonicotinoids is likely the main culprit for the occurrence of CCD.” For this study, researchers examined 18 bee colonies at three different apiaries in central Massachusetts over the course of a year. Four colonies at each apiary were regularly treated with realistic doses of neonicotinoid pesticides, while a total of six hives were left untreated. Of the 12 hives treated with the pesticides, six were completely wiped out. Neonicotinoids insecticides, persist in “extremely high levels” in planter exhaust material produced during the planting of crops treated with these insecticides. This runs contrary to industry claims that the chemicals biodegrade and are not a threat. These pesticide components are found in soil, they are also found in fields where the chemicals are not even sprayed. Bees also actively transfer contaminated pollen from primarily pesticide treated corn crops and bring it back to their hives. Furthermore, bees transfer these pesticides to other plants and crops that are not treated with the chemicals, which goes to show just how persistent these chemicals truly are in the environment. There has been an enormous amount of research which shows that our current regulations which protect the creatures that pollinate much of our food is extremely inadequate. It’s been published in a number of peer-reviewed journals showing how widely used pesticides have a very damaging effect on bees. A paper published in the journal Nature discusses how bees are twice as likely to die when exposed to pesticides; two-thirds of the bees are lost when exposed compared to a third when not exposed. The exposed bees are also half as successful in gathering food. Scientists from the US Department of Agriculture as well as the University of Maryland published a study that linked chemicals, including fungicides, to the large scale die-off of bees that has recently plagued the planet. In the United Stats alone, the honey bee population declined by approximately 30 percent, with some beekeepers reporting losses up to 90 and 100 percent. More than 100 US crops rely on honey bees to pollinate them. The study determined that fields ranging from Maine to Delaware contained nine different agricultural chemicals. These included fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides. In some cases they even recorded samples of 21 different agricultural chemicals. Europe also recently recorded the largest bee loss in their history. Not only have these pesticides been linked to various health ailments, they are killing bees all over the world. It’s not just bees, the disappearance of Monarch Butterflies has also been linked to Monsanto’s roundup herbicide. It’s time we completely ban something that has absolutely no reason to exist, we can do better than this. As we continue to take actions like this we continue to see that how we are currently doing things simply cannot be sustained. This type of issue does not just reflect how we treat nature but also reflects how we operate as a whole. If money wasn’t so important, we wouldn’t be finding unnatural ways to do everything on this planet. If we weren’t so concerned with maintaining an economy, issues such as these wouldn’t affect us. This is all a perfect lesson for us to ask “what the heck are we doing to our planet?” We are at a point where our very survival is now threatened because we are fighting so hard to maintain a system we all don’t like anyway. “If the bee disappeared off the face of the earth, man would only have four years left to live.” – Albert Einstein |
INFOS : June 10, 2015
DOZENS OF ANIMALS FEARED DEAD IN LONGVIEW ANIMAL HOSPITAL FIRE ::: LONGVIEW, TX -Dozens of animals at a Longview animal hospital are feared dead, and the hospital heavily damaged during a fire Tuesday night. According to Fire Marshall Johnny Zackary, crews were first called at 10:25 p.m. of a fire at Kimbrough Animal Hospital located in the 1600 block of Judson Road. Zackary says the building was heavily involved when crews arrived. Firefighters began containing the blaze from the front of the building, and began rescuing animals from the back of the hospital. Zackary says crews were only able to rescue eight of the dogs inside; two were treated, but the other six did not survive. The two surviving animals were taken to another animal hospital in the area. Officials say as many as 30 animals could have been inside at the time of the fire. Zackary says while crews were fighting the fire, the roof of the building began to collapse. Everyone inside were pulled out in time due to evacuation call out. "Unfortunate fire. Longview Fire Department hearts go out to pet families and Dr. Kimbrough and his staff. This was a tough one for all of us," Zackary says. There's no word on what may have caused the fire. |
#INFOS : June 07,2015
LIVESTOCK INSURANCE MITIGATES FARMER'S LOSS ::: KARUR : A farmer in Karur is perhaps the first beneficiary in the State to receive insurance compensation for the loss of milch animal under the State government Livestock Insurance Scheme. The ‘Scheme for Protection of Farmers’ Livelihood through Livestock Insurance’ was launched in 16 districts including Karur, Perambalur, Kancheepuram, Theni and Tirupur in 2014-15. A sum of Rs.12 crore was allotted. As per the scheme, the Tamil Nadu Livestock Development Agency (TNLDA), the implementing agency, would contribute 50 per cent of premium. Cattle in the age group of two and a half to 8 years can be insured under the scheme. M. Rajendran (55) of Chinna Ayyampatti near Aravakuruchi, who was among the early birds of the scheme, insured his buffalo for Rs.30,000. Out of Rs.1,012 towards premium, he paid Rs.506 and the TNLDA the rest. His buffalo died a few months ago after it was affected by acute tympanitis (a stomach ailment) . He approached the insurance company for compensation with necessary certificates. He received a cheque to the tune of Rs.30,000 as compensation on Friday. “Timely advice on insurance by officials and subsidy on premium has helped me to absorb the loss at least to an extent,” Mr. Rajendran told. Collector S. Jayandhi said the release of compensation would motivate more livestock owners to insure their milch animals. Efforts were being taken to spread awareness on milch animals insurance in villages. M. Ramanathan, Joint Director of Animal Husbandry, Karur, said Mr. Rajendran was the first beneficiary of the scheme. More than 2,000 milch animals in the district were now covered and the number is expected to double in the current fiscal. |
#INFOS : June 07, 2015
FLOWER FESTIVAL AT YERCAUD ::: SALEM : The floral replica of India Gate and rhinoceros, vegetable and fruit carvings of birds and animals and flowers grown in Shevaroyan Hills were the main attractions at the 40th Flower Festival that began at Anna Park in Yercaud on Saturday. Inaugurated by District Collector K. Maharabushanam in the presence of Superintendent of Police G. Subbulakshmi, Yercaud MLA P. Saroja and other officials, the two-day festival organised by Horticulture Department was a visual treat to the tourists who thronged from nearby districts and other States. About one tonne of vegetables and fruits have been used at the welcome gallery of the park and over 50 varieties of cut flowers were on display. The replica of India Gate made using 18,000 roses, rhinoceros – 12,000 roses and white crane – 8,000 roses were the cynosure of all eyes. The 150-kg dragon made of vegetables, 100-kg crocodile made of bitter gourd and eight-ft-high parrot made of grass were the other attractions. Visitors can also buy plant saplings from the stall organised by the Tamil Nadu Horticulture Development Agency. Preparations for the festival lasted till 11 a.m. on Saturday after which the tourists were allowed inside the park.Special buses Special buses from Salem and other places helped tourists reach the destination easily. The police patrolled the 22 km Ghat Road from the foothills of Yercaud. The tourists were disappointed as there was no boat race and other events that were usually organised during the festival. The organisers had also failed to provide protected drinking water and quality food atop the hills that caused inconvenience to the tourists. |
#Spls : June 06, 2015
PM Narendra Modi planted a sapling at National Martyrs' Memorial, in Savar, Dhaka, earlier this morning. |
#INFOS : June 06, 2015
CHENNAI CELEBRATES ENVIRONMENT DAY ::: CHENNAI : Every year, on June 5, World Environment Day is observed. This year, the United Nations’ theme for the day was “Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care.” Several organisations in the city conducted various events to emphasise the importance of the environment. The SBIOA Educational Trust conducted an awareness rally with students from S.B.O.A. School and Junior College, Kendriya Vidyalaya No. 2, Madambakkam, Sivanthi Mat. Hr. Sec. School, Ramapuram, St. Raphel’s Girls Hr. Sec. School, Santhome, Sree Shanthi Anand Vidyalaya, Thirumudivakkam, Billroth College of Nursing, Maduravoyal and staff of Standard Chartered Bank. Seesha (Samiti for Education Environment Social and Health Action) also conducted an awareness rally on Marina Beach. At the Sevalaya Charitable Trust, the students planted saplings in and around the school, and also had a rally in Kasuva village. Free saplings were given to residents in a programme organised by K K Nagar Exnora Innovators Club and 11th Sector Civic Exnora. Over 100 people participated in an awareness walk conducted by People Awareness Association from Chromepet to Pallavaram Peria Eri. To encourage people to stop using plastic, the NGO Pasumai Thayagam conducted an awareness programme. Encouraging homeowners to maintain green spaces, segregate garbage and reduce carbon footprint, real estate developer Casa Grande Pvt Ltd launched “Casa Grande Green Drive”. Ola cabs has launched a campaign for people to plant saplings through their app using the coupon code ‘GOGREEN’ and recharge for Rs. 100 per sapling. At the Vivanta by Taj – Connemara, regular customers who choose to stay at one of their five environmentally friendly ‘Earth Rooms’ will get an additional 15 per cent Taj Inner Circle points. Paperman has launched the Chennai Recycle League, where people can support various NGOs by recycling their paper, glass, plastic, metal and electronic waste. Visit : www.chennairecycleleague.com. |
#Spl : June 05, 2015
World Environment Day 2015: PM Modi plants Kadam tree sapling ::: New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday planted a Kadam tree at 7RCR(his residence) on the occasion of World Environment Day(WED) to create awareness for environment. Speaking on the occasion, Prime Minister exhorted each family to plant trees in the coming monsoon season, and to take pride in the number of trees planted by the family, just the same way as they take pride in worldly possessions. He further said that living in harmony with nature is the only way to avoid a catastrophic situation on Mother Earth. Prime Minister also placed a traditional earthen-pot (matka) along with the sapling, which is a traditional way of conserving water, and ensuring that the sapling has regular water supply. Planting the Kadamb sapling, the Prime Minister recalled the poem of Subhadra Kumari Chauhan, on the subject: यह कदंब का पेड़ अगर माँ होता यमुना तीरे। मैं भी उस पर बैठ कन्हैया बनता धीरे-धीरे।। Union Minister for Environment and Forests Prakash Javadekar was present on the occasion. The World Environment Day is celebrated every year on June 05 throughout the world with different themes. It is celebrated across the globe to create awareness about the importance of protecting planet Earth and mother nature. |
#INFOS : June 05. 2015
World Environment Day 2015: We are running out of water! Leonardo da Vinci truly claimed that 'water is the driving force of all nature'. It's needless to reiterate the above statement as we all know the significance of this precious resource! However, the supplies are running dry and throats remain thirsty as water shortages are hotfooting to give rise to the next great global crisis. World heading towards acute water shortage: An element which constitutes 70% of our planet is at risk and we, the humans, are to be blamed for that. You might think that the element which covers 70% of earth, might be in plenty, but unfortunately, only 3% of the world’s water is fresh water. Freshwater - that we drink, bathe in, irrigate our farm fields with - is incredibly rare. A report by United Nations World Water Assessment Program indicates that at current usage rates, the world will have 40% less fresh water than it needs in 15 years. Increased urbanisation and uncontrolled population growth are the major factors contributing to water shortage and crisis. Scientific, technological and medical developments have led to a surge in world population. The global population is expected to grow to 9.1 billion people by 2050, up from the current 7.2 billion and with that, water demand will grow at a drastic rate. The growing population leads to over-exploitation of this essential resource-water, which has led to an unbalanced ecosystem. It has been recently established that we utilize 50% more than what our planet is able to provide, and that by 2030, even two planets will not be enough to provide us with the required resources. Agriculture uses 70% of the world’s accessible freshwater, but most of it gets wasted due to leaky irrigation systems and inefficient application methods. This wasteful use of water is drying out rivers, lakes and underground aquifers. Meanwhile, climate change is altering patterns of weather and water around the world, causing shortages and droughts in some areas and floods in others. This acute crisis has led to disappearance of wetlands and destruction of ecosystems leading to ecological catastrophes. Only we are responsible for our planet and its quality, and it's upto us to generate maximum efforts to leave a viable planet for the generations to come. The test that we face now is how to effectively conserve, manage, and distribute the water we have. Even small adjustments can have a big impact, when it comes to conserving water. The important thing is to change people's attitudes and habits towards the impending issue and to remember that every drop counts! |
#INFOS : June 05, 2015
Animal carcass thrown into Johor exco member’s home ::: JOHOR BARU: Police have begun their investigations after a plastic bag believed to contain part of an animal carcass was thrown into the home of a Johor exco member. Johor Education, Information, Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives exco Md Jais Sarday was not at home when the incident happened at about 2am, Thursday. "I was in Johor Baru when I got a call from the police in the morning saying that there was a plastic package at my house porch in Kluang. At that time there was nobody at home. "Someone had seen the package and alerted the police," he said, adding that he did not want to speculate but would leave it to the authorities to handle. Johor Police Chief Senior Deputy Comm Datuk Rusdi Ahmad confirmed that that the case was being investigated. He said that the meat and the skin had been sent for testing. Those with information are urged to contact the police hotline at 07-2212999. |
Md Jais Sarday
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#INFOS : June 05, 2015
HALF OF MAMMALS FACE HABITATA LOSS : ZSI ::: KOLKATA : In a unique initiative, the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has published a book containing a consolidated documentation and listing of all the scheduled or protected species of mammals found in India. “It is important to note that India is home to 428 species of mammals out of which more than 60 per cent — about 251 species — are under protected or Scheduled categories of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 “ Gaurav Sharma, scientist of ZSI, and one of the authors of the publication told. The book, An Identification Manual for Scheduled Mammals of India, provides detailed information on scheduled mammals, their status as per IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red list of Threatened Species. Mr. Sharma also added that the 428 species of mammals in India contribute to about 8 per cent of the total mammal species found in the World. “About 50 per cent of mammalian fauna of India have shrunk in their distributional range due to various anthropogenic pressures,” he said. Already four mammal species — Cheetah, Banteng, Sumatran Rhinoceros and Javan Rhinoceros — are extinct in India. The publication assumed greater significance particularly in view of the fact that the country was celebrating World Environment Day on June 5, Director of ZSI K. Ventakaraman told, emphasising that except a few flagship species there was very little known about many mammals. Out of the 251 Schedule mammals species listed under the India Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and documented in the publication, about 180 fall under the “lesser-known” category, and very little information is available about their habitat, behaviour, and population. Around 78 species of mammals are included in Schedule I of Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, implying that highest priority is placed on the conservation of these animals in the country. While the Schedule I mammals constitute well known species like tiger, elephant and Indian rhinoceros, “lesser known” species such as clouded leopard, snow leopard, gaur, desert cat, Niligiri tahr, swamp deer, sloth bear and Tibetan, sand fox are also included in the list. The book also lists the mammals that fall in the “Critically Endangered” category of the IUCN. These animals are: pygmy hog, Malabar civet, large rock rat and kondana rat. As per the IUCN status 29 mammals (such as, Chinese Pangolin, fishing cat, Gangetic dolphin, golden langur, hispid hare etc.) in the country come under the “endangered” category. |
1. Banteng
2. SAND FOX
3. HISPID
4. CHINESE PANGOLIN
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#INFOS : June 05, 2015
‘Dubai a thriving hub of red sanders smuggling’ CHITTOOR : Dubai is emerging as the hitherto unknown hub of red sanders smuggling network, as investigators here continue to probe deeper into a phenomenon that has ravaged the Seshachalam forests unhindered for decades. The Chinese detainees, who have been grilled by the Task Force police who are cracking down on red sanders trade, have told their interlocutors that many of the truckloads of the contraband wood find their way to Dubai, mainly by sea. Chittoor SP Ghattamaneni Srinivas said sea routes were an important piece of the jigsaw they had been trying to piece together ever since the crackdown began in April. Speaking, the officer said going by detained Chinese smuggler Chen Yi Fian, Dubai is a thriving hub of red sanders smuggling. “He [Chen] told us that during his visits to Dubai and Hong Kong, he noticed 800 tonnes of logs. That’s a huge amount. Even if that’s an exaggeration, there is a possibility of dumps with up to 300 tonnes in Dubai.” So far, red sanders detectives have unearthed several inter-State operations, including one that operates across Bhutan border. |
#INFOS : June 05, 2015
FRAGILE ECOSYSTEM TIPPING OVER ::: BENGALURU : More than one-third of the forests in the Western Ghats region, which form the ecological backbone of Karnataka and for most of South India, is highly vulnerable, says a study, which warns of dire consequences owing to overuse and over-exploitation of the lush ecosystem. For perhaps the first time, researchers from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc.) mapped the entire stretch of the Western Ghats in Karnataka that spans 44,900 sq km to find out the “vulnerability” of the forest chain. The results show a distressing trend. Overall, 34 per cent of the forests were found to be highly vulnerable. Of this, nearly half of dry deciduous forests (found on the Eastern-sloped) and two-thirds of “plantations”, which are done by the Forest Department to reclaim degraded stretches, were found to be highly vulnerable. “In layman’s term, vulnerability is part of the forest that is in danger. By showing the areas that are vulnerable, forest policy can be tweaked to focus on these areas,” said Jagamohan Sharma, Chief Conservator of Forests, Water Resources Department, the author of the paper. Areas such as Shivamogga, Chikkamagalur, Kodagu and fringes of Mysuru district see high human activity, lower rainfall that stunts the forest’s ability to regenerate, and highly fragmented forests make the region prone to degradation. |
#INFOS : June 04, 2015
SUBSIDISED FODDER SALE LAUNCHED ::: CHENNAI : Sale of dry fodder at subsidised rates for 2015-16 was launched by Animal Husbandry Minister T.K.M. Chinnaiyya on Wednesday. The government has ordered the sale of dry fodder at subsidised rates to farmers as part of drought relief measures. Farmers can purchase a kilogram of hay at Rs. 2. Farmers can purchase three kg of fodder per cattle head for a week. A farmer can buy a maximum of 105 kg a week for five head of cattle for two months. According to officials, Rs. five lakh per godown has been allocated for procuring fodder from farmers in Kancheepuram district. In 2014-15, 1.44 lakh kg of fodder was procured and distributed to 545 beneficiaries from the district. Kancheepuram Collector, V.K. Shanmugam, Animal Husbandry Joint Director, V. Panneerselvam, and Tambaram RDO, D. Farida Bhanu were present at the function in Chitlapakkam. |
#INFOS : June 03, 2015
Judge orders $50K bond for man accused of muzzling dog with tape NORTH CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) -The 41-year-old man accused of taping a 15-month-old dog's muzzle shut last week was issued a $50,000 bond Tuesday morning, and told he must surrender another dog at his home. William Leonard Dodson was arrested Monday night in the abuse case of Caitlyn, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier mix who was found last week with electrical tape wrapped around her muzzle, according to North Charleston Police spokesman Spencer Pryor. Dodson, who has been charged with animal cruelty, was issued a $50,000 surety bond Tuesday by Magistrate Priscilla Baldwin. He also must surrender a second dog he has at his residence, Baldwin ordered. Court documents allege Dodson purchased the dog, which was known as "Diamond" at the time, for $20 on May 25. A witness who said she sold him the dog told investigators Dodson approached the woman who sold him the dog and said he had taped the dog's face with electrical tape because she would not stop barking. The witness said Dodson was laughing about the claim, court documents state. Dodson also reportedly told the witness he had chained the dog in his front yard but that the dog had broken free and escaped, the affidavit states. The dog was found the following day, Wednesday morning, on someone's doorstep with electrical tape wrapped around her muzzle. A medical report from Veterinary Emergency Care described the dog's muzzle as "markedly swollen with evidence of tape around its muzzle," and its tongue as "significantly swollen, significantly bruised, discolored (dark purple) and oozing blood," court documents state. The person who brought Caitlyn to the Charleston Animal Society said the dog was well-known in the Chicora Cherokee neighborhood and is regarded as friendly, but was not believed to have an owner, officials say. "We are supportive of the NCPD's investigation and hope justice will be served in this case," said CAS Director of Community Engagement Kay Hyman. "We are eager for whomever committed this crime to be held accountable and punished to the fullest extent of the law, which continues to be one of the nation's weakest." When Caitlyn was first brought in to the Charleston Animal Society, the organization's Senior Director of Veterinary Care, Dr. Lucy Fuller, said a large portion of her tongue might have to be removed because it had become trapped between her teeth and lost blood flow."She may be severely disfigured, or the large amount of dead tissue may cause life-threatening complications," Fuller said. However, over the weekend, Caitlyn has been receiving hyperbaric and cold laser treatment to save damaged tissue in her mouth and has been showing signs of progress. Veterinarians at a specialty care center in Mount Pleasant say they are waiting to see how much she can heal on her own before making a decision on surgery. Dr. Henry Bianucci, who is treating the dog, said Caitlyn is continuing to recover but has a way to go. Bianucci said on Tuesday that Caitlyn is responding well to treatment for pain, and will need reconstructive surgery on one side of her face. He said he is hopeful that she will eventually be placed with a foster family. Hyman says more than 50 people have already expressed interest in adopting Caitlyn when she is released, but says anyone can contact the Charleston Animal Society to have their name added to the list. Anyone who wants to donate can visit Toby's Fund on the Charleston Animal Society's web page. Aldwin Roman, an investigator for CAS, said it's the worst cases of animal cruelty he's ever seen. "Her life is not going to be easy even if she completely recovers," Roman said."[Caitlyn] is going to be permanently disfigured and permanently disabled for the rest of her life. She's healing but the damage is done." An animal cruelty conviction is a felony, carrying a five year penalty or $5,000 fine. At the time of his arrest, Dodson was serving probation for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. |
Caitlyn wearing protective googles on Tuesday as she went laser treatment around her mount.
Caitlyn receiving treatment.
Hyperbaric chamber that is being used to accelerate Caitlyn's healing.
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Anne Power
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#INFOS : June 03, 2015
AUCKLAND WOMAN BANNED FROM OWNING ANIMALS ::: An Auckland woman has been ordered to hand over all her animals to SPCA and banned from owning animals for 10 years after being found guilty of recklessly ill-treating a horse leading to his death. Anne Power was sentenced in the Auckland District Court following the case involving a horse that was found dead, with his body in a severely emaciated state. She has been ordered to forfeit all her animals to SPCA Auckland, disqualified from owning or exercising control over animals for 10 years, pay reparation of $4710.05 and pay legal costs of $1512 to SPCA Auckland. In sentencing Judge Nevin Dawson noted that Power was fully aware of her obligations towards the care of the horse and demonstrated an abuse of the role she had in caring for the animal which amounted to ‘wilful blindness.’ The judge noted that in his view the degree of suffering was ‘sickening.’ This brings to close a case that began when an SPCA Inspector visited an 11 acre property in Riverhead on 11 September 2013 following a complaint. The Inspector found a dead horse, a 32-year-old gelding named Pip, which belonged to Power. The Court found that Power recklessly ill-treated Pip with the result that he slowly starved to death and would have been in severe pain for months prior to his death. After hearing evidence from a number of experts, the Court noted that any reasonable horse owner would have done more to check and monitor Pip’s condition on a regular basis, and had this happened, it would have been apparent that urgent veterinary attention was required. |
#INFOS : June 03, 2015
Live baiting backlash: greyhound trainers face animal cruelty charges ::: GREYHOUND trainers who used live animals to train their dogs face jail and life bans from the sport as two major inquiries are launched into the barbaric practice. The future of Australia’s $315 million greyhound racing industry is “at risk” with 70 people across three states implicated in the scandal. The Racing Integrity Commissioner and Victoria’s chief vet announced on Tuesday they would each probe incidents of live baiting using piglets, rabbits and possums. There were also calls for the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission to look into allegations that senior figures in Greyhound Racing Victoria did not investigate the cruelty. Police and the RSPCA raided a training facility at Tooradin last week and shut it down. The where the alleged cruelty occurred is run by prominent trainer Stuart Mills. Horrifying footage of live animals used as bait and then mauled to death by greyhounds was obtained by welfare group Animals Australia and broadcast by ABC’s Four Corners. The scandal has implicated 70 people in Victoria, NSW and Queensland, with 24 trainers and staff suspended, including 10 in Victoria. Cranbourne Greyhound Racing Club president Neville King was suspended and stood down from his position. Darren McDonald, twice named Australia’s greyhound trainer of the year, and Paul Anderton, a trainer and former steward, have also been implicated. Two greyhounds trained by Mr McDonald will still race in Ballarat on Wednesday after he transferred their ownership on Saturday to Joanne Gane, believed to be his wife. He was allegedly caught on camera carrying a piglet in a sack into the Tooradin track where dogs then mauled the animal. Racing Minister Martin Pakula said live baiting was “shocking, disgusting and completely unacceptable” and had to be stamped out immediately. He announced $3 million to boost inspections which was matched by Greyhound Racing Victoria. This includes new surveillance technology, four welfare compliance officers, a new investigator and a dedicated steward for Victoria’s 15 private trial tracks. But RSPCA chief Dr Liz Walker said: “I am absolutely concerned that an industry that has failed in its self regulation has now got $6 million to try again.” She said the greyhound industry was “totally compromised” by their failure to discover what she described as Victoria’s worst case of animal cruelty. “There’s clearly been a high level of awareness at the upper echelons of this industry and they haven’t been coming clean,” Dr Walker said. “The end point is to cause terror and pain to an animal so it squeals, so it incites another animal. I just think that’s breathtakingly horrendous.” Some trainers caught in the footage appeared to enjoy using live baits for their dogs, which Dr Walker said was “absolutely chilling”. She called on the State Government to significantly boost the RSPCA’s funding to investigate and prosecute the case and demanded independent regulation after the industry’s “abject failure” to stop live baiting. Greyhound Australasia’s chief executive Scott Parker said the sport’s future was at risk. “The footage did allegedly show people that know the rules, they know the law and they’ve risked not only their own reputation, their own livelihood, but the reputation and livelihoods of 30,000 others and that’s completely unacceptable,” Mr Parker said. Greyhound Racing Victoria chairman Peter Caillard said: “This is devastating for the greyhound racing industry because it’s simply disgusting conduct ... something absolutely abhorrent.” Federal independent politician Andrew Wilkie called for greyhound racing to be suspended nationally on Tuesday night and said the “so-called sport should be banned outright”. Races will continue on Wednesday in Ballarat where two of Mr McDonald’s dogs will run. Racing Integrity Commissioner Sal Perna said suspensions issued to trainers had been ineffective. “They can move a dog over to someone else. They’re not working and they need to be addressed,” Mr Perna said. Mr Perna said he was only aware of live baiting at Tooradin and “my guess is that it is isolated but I really don’t know”. Mr Pakula would not express his full confidence in Greyhound Racing Victoria. He said he was “pleased with the way they have responded” but “there are questions about why these matters weren’t picked up earlier”. The industry’s awards night this Friday was cancelled while the industry banned the use of carcasses in training. |
The greyhound industry has been rocked by the live baiting scandal.
Trainer and former greyhound racing steward Paul Anderton has been stood down in relation to the live baiting investigation.
Picture: Nicole Garmston Greyhounds at the property where the Tooradin trial track is owned and operated by Stuart Mills.
Picture: Nicole Garmston |
#RESEARCH : June 03, 2015
SCIENTISTS DOCUMENT 'VIRGIN BIRTHS' OF AN ENDANGERED SAWFISH IN FLORIDA ::: Phenomenon seen in wild vertebrate species for first time Scientists have documented in Florida a series of “virgin births,” reproduction without mating, in a critically endangered sawfish species pushed to the brink of extinction by over-fishing and habitat destruction. The scientists said on Monday it marks the first time the phenomenon called parthenogenesis has been seen in a vertebrate in the wild. Some females may be resorting to asexual reproduction because smalltooth sawfish numbers are so low that mating opportunities may not exist, they said. “There have been a number of cases in reptiles, birds and sharks of ‘virgin birth’ in captivity,” Stony Brook University marine biologist Andrew Fields said. “This raises many questions about how common this mode of reproduction is in the wild.” In parthenogenesis, a female’s egg cell can develop into a baby without being fertilized by a male’s sperm cell. In making an egg cell, a precursor cell divides into four cells. The one that eventually becomes the egg cell retains key cellular structures and the gel-like cytoplasm. The other three hold extra genetic material. In parthenogenesis, one of those cells essentially acts as a sperm cell and fuses with the egg. This “fertilized” egg possesses about half the mother’s genetic diversity, a trait allowing parthenogenesis to be detected through genetic testing. Smalltooth sawfish are born and live for about three years in southwest Florida estuaries before moving into ocean coastal habitats. The researchers were investigating sawfish inbreeding when they discovered seven, all healthy, born via parthenogenesis, about 3 percent of those examined. “It really surprised us,” said Kevin Feldheim, manager of the Pritzker Laboratory for Molecular Systematics and Evolution at Chicago’s Field Museum. “It is possible that numbers are so low that females have a hard time finding mates. In such a situation, parthenogenesis can be used as a last-ditch effort for a female to pass on her genes.” Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission fish biologist Gregg Poulakis said the sawfish came from the Peace and Caloosahatchee rivers, which feed the Charlotte Harbor estuary system. Sawfish, a type of ray, have a flattened shark-shaped body and a long, flat snout with pairs of teeth on the side used to find, stun and kill prey. They grow up to 18 feet long. Their population collapse follows habitat loss and “unintentional” over-fishing, being caught in nets targeting other species. They received U.S. federal endangered species protection in 2003. |
#INFOS : June 03, 2015
PEDAL POWER TO THE FORE ON ENVIRONMENTAL DAY ::: 600 professionals to cycle to work in Mumbai with a message Nearly 600 professionals here will cycle to office on June 5, World Environment Day. The “Cycle2Work” (C2W) project is in an attempt to spread awareness of the environment and the need for a better public transport system. More individuals and corporate offices here are participating in the fourth year of the project. Carbon footprint “This initiative urges one to look beyond the health and environmental benefits and take this ride to reduce the carbon footprint, making our city a better place to walk, bike, live and breathe,” Firoza Suresh, founder of C2W, says. This is merely the start of what the organisers hope will be a long-term cycling boom. The C2W initially began as a one-day affair to create awareness of cycling and environment. “Now it is a movement. Apart from individuals, we appeal to as many corporate offices as possible to come forward and join in,” Ms. Suresh says. The organisers make it a point to hold this programme on a weekday and not on a Sunday. The cyclists will start from seven pre-designated points and will converge at the suburban Bandra Kurla Complex, from where everyone will head to their respective offices. Several environmental activists, while applauding the initiative, says government bodies must change their approach towards the public transport system and travelling modes such as cycling. “We are spending thousands of crores on flyovers and coastal roads, just to benefit 10 per cent of the population which uses cars. However, no serious planning is done to promote the public transport system, which is used by the rest of the population,” says Ashok Datar, chairman, Mumbai Environment Social Network. Part of life Such initiatives are important but invisible. “It is now the right time to make them visible,” he says. Rishi Aggrawal, environmental activist, says that internationally, the importance of cycling is increasing rapidly. “It is no more at a representational level, but has become a regular part of lives. It is now our time to think on those lines,” he said. |
#INFOS : June 03, 2015
PLASTIC BAGS REMOVED FROM FOREST AREAS IN OOTY ::: COIMBATORE : The last two months were the peak tourism season for the Nilgiris district. Over nine lakh tourists visited the recently-concluded summer festival which comprised a range of shows starting from fruits and vegetables to the flower show. However, the large inflow of tourists also had a negative effect as they have left behind a huge pile of garbage that is proving deadly for the wildlife. A sambhar deer and an Indian gaur were found dead recently with the post-mortem examinations revealing polythene bags in their stomachs. Plastic covers were also discovered in elephant dung in The Nilgiris. With the objective of tackling this, the Forest Department joined hands with the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) to begin a two-day cleaning-up operation on Tuesday. Around 100 persons took part in the campaign, taken up on a 15 kilometre-stretch –Thalaikundha-Pykara Road and Thalaikundha-Kallatti Road. They picked up the garbage on both sides of the roads, which adjoin the forests. S. Kavitha, Project Director of DRDA, says 25 labourers were brought in under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. The campaign focussed on Thalaikundha, which is the junction of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu and is surrounded by tourism hotspots. The grasslands in the area are now filled with garbage. “The plastic obtained from this drive would be used to lay roads. The bottles and paper cups would be sold off,” she added. C. Badrasamy, District Forest Officer, The Nilgiris South Division, said that the Forest Department pressed around 30 of its staff along with 20 Toda businessmen who are in the Eco-Tourism Committees besides labourers hired by the local bodies. |
#INFOS : June 02, 2015
Rescuers Save Ducklings by Playing Recording of Mother's Quack ::: LONDON: Two little ducklings were rescued from a drain in the UK by quick-thinking firefighters who coaxed them to safety with an iPad recording of their mother's quack. The birds, which were only a few days old, fell down a manhole in Burton Bradstock in West Dorset. They were discovered when holidaymakers heard the mother duck quaking near the manhole cover. They realised there was a faint squeaking sound coming from the drain below, Metro newspaper reported. "We went out to investigate and saw the mother with eight ducklings which were only a few days old. The mother wouldn't leave the area. We heard a squeaking noise coming from a nearby drain cover and it became apparent a duckling was trapped in the storm drain," Mark Hyde, a holidaymaker said. When rescuers removed the manhole cover, they discovered the ducklings had waddled further into the drain. Using an iPad, they recorded the sound of the mother duck's quack and lowered the tablet so that it could be heard by the baby ducks. Thinking their mother was calling for them, they waddled back towards the manhole cover where they were scooped up in a plastic colander and badminton racquet. |
#INFOS : June 02, 2015
OPINIONS ON PLASTIC WASTE MANAGEMENT INVITED ::: Following the Madras high court order, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board has invited public opinions on the effective implementation of the Plastic waste (Management & Handling) Rules, 2011. A release said public can send their feedback to A.Thangapandian, joint chief environmental engineer, TNPCB, 76, Mount Salai, Guindy, Chennai 32 on or before June 5. |
#INFOS : June 02, 2015
Activists protesting UW animal lab come down from excavator SEATTLE (AP) - The University of Washington says two animal rights activists who climbed to the top of an excavator at a construction site to protest the building of an animal research facility have come down with assistance from the Seattle Fire Department. University spokeswoman Susan Gregg said Monday evening that the two were being booked into the King County Jail. They climbed onto the excavator Monday morning, unfurling a banner that read, "You will not build this lab." A news release from the activists says the facility will increase the number of animals the university can use and kill in research. In a statement, the university said it "understands that the protesters do not want us to build the facility, and we know they hold this view passionately. However, this building is needed and construction will proceed." Most people involved in the protests are not students, and No New Animal Lab is a campaign, rather than a specific group, said organizer Amanda Schemkes in an earlier story.
Arkans said he understands people feel passionate about the issue of animal testing. But “at some point, you have to test what you’re doing on a complex organism,” he said. “We have a whole lot of people doing good work to further human health,” Arkans said. |
#INFOS : June 01, 2015
1,570 birds perish in heavy rain ::: As many as 13 species of birds were found dead in a Ballari village. A large number of birds perished in heavy pre-monsoon rain, accompanied by hailstones, which lashed Krishnapur village, 27 km from Hagaribommanahalli, on Friday night. As many as 13 species of birds, including the Plum-headed Parakeet, the Cattle Egret, the Pond Heron, the Grey Heron, crows, the Common Myna, the Coppersmith Barbet, the Rose-ringed Parakeet and the Small Pratincole, were found killed. These birds, which depended on horticultural crops in the vicinity, roosted on coconut trees in the surrounding areas. According to Vijaykumar Itagi, a bird watcher from Hagaribommanahalli, who rushed to the spot on getting information, 1,570 birds were found dead within a 200-metre radius. “I found that, birds that roosted on coconut trees were killed after being hit by hailstones. No such casualty has occurred near the Peepal tree, which provided adequate protection and shelter to the birds. I also noticed that the casualty among the Rose-ringed Parakeet was high,” he told . He said that some schoolchildren took care of some birds that had suffered injuries and broken wings, by administering first aid. Mr. Itagi said that he would be visiting the area again and also the backwaters of the Tungabhadra to find out whether there were more such casualties. |
#INFOS : June 01, 2015
WATER COLOUR TURNS RED IN OOTY CHECK DAM::: COIMBATORE : With the colour of water in a check dam in the Nilgiris district turning red, government officials inspected it on Sunday and found that it occurred because of pollen emitted by a weed, but concluded that it was a seasonal phenomenon. Nilgiris Collector P. Sankar said that a team of officials from the Departments of Health, Forest and Revenue besides the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board inspected the check dam, near TR Bazaar, on Sunday. Water from the check dam was used neither for irrigation nor for drinking. It was used by the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) for the Glenmorgan dam to generate hydro-electric power. C. Badrasamy, District Forest Officer Nilgiris South Division, said the weed that emitted the pollen usually settled in the riverbed, which was usually dry during summer. Due to unseasonal showers this year, the check dam was filled with water and the pollen had given a red hue to the water surface. “All the fish and the aquatic vegetation in the check dam appear healthy and cattle were drinking water,” he said. A TNPCB official said that no industry was located within the five kilometre radius of the check dam, ruling out the possibility of effluents mixing in water. The source points were also investigated and no toxic impurities were detected. Water samples had been taken and would be tested at the TNPCB’s Advanced Environmental Laboratory in Coimbatore. |
#INFOS : June 01, 2015
PREVENTING BIRD HITS, 'THE NATURAL WAY' ::: COIMBATORE : Airport Authority of India (AAI) are taking steps to discourage birds’ concentration near Coimbatore International Airport (CIA) that recorded 21 bird hits in 2014. It is learnt that over 75 per cent bird hits here are during landings and take off of flights. An official from CIA was among the representatives of AAI across the country who participated in a conference on hazard to aviation by wildlife that was organised at Mumbai International Airport Limited last week to discuss the impact of birds and animals on airport operations. At the conference, ornithologists suggested measures to avoid bird hits in Coimbatore. AAI authorities here have written to the Forest Department to relocate close to 60 peacocks in and around the airport. A senior official said that the national bird that does not fly too high has become victim of bird hits and also affected flights due to their movement in the airport. CIA officials said that lapwings, kites and bats (rarely) also caused bird hits. The airport authorities have also started growing grasses up to nearly six inches height. “It is because birds rushed to the ground when they spotted insects in short grass, resulting in bird hits. Growing grass a little longer is to avoid visibility of these insects from the bird’s sight,” CIA Director D. Prakash Reddy told. The Airport Director also said that they would soon bring ornithologists to the airport to study the movement of birds, their nesting and to suggest long-term solutions. “We will study the outcome of the newly adopted methods after three months.” The CIA officials have also asked private companies to demonstrate the use of modern gadgets such as flock-away, sure-shot guns and terror eye to scare away birds. If found useful, these gadgets would be procured in about six months – in addition to existing methods such as using zon guns and bursting of fireworks to scare birds. |
#ADOPTION : May 31, 2015
Lucas County Dogs for Adoption:
Dogs remain available at the Lucas County Canine Care & Control Office, 410 South Erie St., Toledo. For information, call 419-213-2800.
For a complete list of available dogs, go to lucascountydogs.petfinder.com. A $100 adoption fee includes spay-neuter, a heartworm check, microchip ID, vaccinations, and a behavioral evaluation.
Lucas County Dogs for Adoption:
Dogs remain available at the Lucas County Canine Care & Control Office, 410 South Erie St., Toledo. For information, call 419-213-2800.
For a complete list of available dogs, go to lucascountydogs.petfinder.com. A $100 adoption fee includes spay-neuter, a heartworm check, microchip ID, vaccinations, and a behavioral evaluation.
#INFOS : May 31, 2015
In this club, you really do take your dog to work ::: LILLINGTON : It takes a bit of concentration to focus on what Julio Hernandez is saying with all the barking going on in the background. Welcome to a late Tuesday afternoon at the new Sandhills Working Dog Club, where in between all the strains of "Woof! Woof! Woof!'' adorable puppies become intelligent competitors. Hernandez, a dog lover since he was a toddler, is the training director for the new Sandhills Working Dog Club, a sport dog club that trains dogs to become nationally recognized protectors. Hernandez and his wife Aleashia are hands-on instructors, working alongside whoever shows up. Julio Hernandez's German Shepherds - 8 month-old Beast and 2-year-old Zinga - participate along with Aleishia's 5-month-old Tazzy. "We call her Snazzy Tazzy,'' Julio Hernandez said. Hernandez, an Army veteran, says the sport of protection training, or IPO, is made up of three phases that require acumen on the part of the dogs and just as much on the part of their handlers. "Not all dogs can perform the tasks asked of them,'' he said, "however anyone can attend and benefit.'' The requirements to participate are minimal. Sessions take place on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings. "Anybody's welcome as long as they are willing to put the time in,'' Hernandez said. "And they should definitely wear running shoes and be ready to be outdoors.'' The sport of training dogs to be protectors originated in Germany with German Shepherds in the 1900s. Schutzhund, as it was called then, has since evolved to include other breeds, but the rigid requirements still come in three phases: tracking, obedience and protection. Mastery of all three phases can take years to achieve. "As you go up in numbers it gets more difficult,'' Hernandez said. "It's sort of like martial arts for dogs.'' Hernandez says that even young puppies can show signs of potential. "It's important to start them as puppies,'' he said. "The higher prey drives they have, the better.'' Prey drives? "You know, if the animals starts chasing a rag or a ball early, that's a good sign,'' he said. So if you have a furry youngster who already has chased after your good shoes and torn them up, hey, look on the bright side. Maybe that's actually a good thing. Put on your running shoes and call Hernandez at 336-480-8379 or email him at [email protected] for information on joining the club. Or just show up with your pooch and be ready for a workout. And also a little noise. |
#INFOS : May 31, 2015
Horse Celebration is everything equine in Fairbanks ::: FAIRBANKS : Horse lovers of all ages gathered at the Tanana Valley State Fairgrounds on Saturday afternoon for the second annual Horse Celebration. The Interior Horse Council, an organization which seeks to promote equine-related education and training, hosted the event. Attractions included a horse parade, food booths, vendors and a variety of horse demonstrations such as mounted shooters, barrel racing, jumping, driving and pole bending. By far the most popular event of the day were the free pony rides. A line formed quickly as eager children anxiously waited their turn on one of the three patient horses placidly walking in circles. Children had to be at least 3 years old to ride, a fact that didn’t sit well for horse-crazy 2-year-old Emma Lynn Sampson. The blonde girl clung to her father Brad’s head as he carried her around on his shoulders, trying to distance her from the sight of her older brother proudly parading around the arena. “I ride the horse! I go, Daddy,” Emma Lynn said, pointing at Ciel, a glossy, black and white Barock Pinto prancing smartly as he pulled a trap around the demonstration arena. “My brother has horses, and she’s been on a horse since she was one. It’s become an addiction,” her father said as Emma Lynn kicked her tiny pink and brown John Deere cowboy boots in frustration. Event organizers said they had more vendors this year but a smaller turnout from the public and horse owners alike. “In Alaska, particularly in Fairbanks, our horses don’t get used much during the winter. The people that want to come, sometimes their horses just aren’t ready,” IHC President Gabby Larry said. Larry said she hopes to start training her horse and others for a new event for next year’s Horse Celebration. “I’m working on horse soccer. I’ve got the ball, and I’ve got my horse. Starting on Monday, I’m going to bring the ball over and anybody that’s hanging out with us can try it,” Larry said. IHC members usually meet and ride at the fairgrounds on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Larry said. Anyone wanting to ride with them there can do so as long as they sign up to be an IHC member and their horse has the proper health certifications, Larry said. “We have a good time, it’s very well maintained and taken care of. We have all of the jumps and trail course stuff and they can come in and practice their riding skills. And we’re going to have the horse soccer,” Larry said. The IHC facility at the fairgrounds include two new arenas and a new announcer’s booth, and is separated from the main fairgrounds more than it used to be. “It’s kind of like a safety partition. We can handle our horses better. It worked out really well and we’re really happy with the results. It’s all thanks to a lot of in-kind donations and hard work,” Larry said. |
#SPECIAL :
Terminally ill dog taken on bucket list trip of lifetime ::: A terminally ill dog is living out his last days in style by travelling around the US with his owners for a bucket list trip. Thomas Neil Rodriguez, a DJ from New York City, adopted Poh, a 15-year-old Labrador, from a dog shelter in 1999 when he was only an eight-week-old pup. Poh was diagnosed with cancer and other health problems in February. Deciding to make the most of their time together, on March 6 Mr Rodriguez and his fiancée Goumada decided to hit the road, setting up an Instagram page to document the trip. The couple and their beloved pooch visited 35 cities coast-to-coast over the next seven weeks, travelling over 20,000 kilometres. On the way to California, Poh made stops in North Carolina, Texas, Oregon, Arizona and more, posing in front of many well-known landmarks in the United States. "I initially wanted to get him to the Pacific Ocean," Mr Rodriguez said. "I have always wanted him to swim." "He loved it, it was so healing for him. It was like he was five years younger. He was walking with a lot of energy. "We even stopped by (Breaking Bad character) Walter White's house in New Mexico. "There was some dog parks to go to. It was a little bit for him, a little bit for me." Despite being back home in New York City for a pit-stop, Mr Rodriguez said "the adventure hasn't stopped yet", soon planning to take Poh down to Miami. "It's been about three months since we found out that he was sick and he's still with me, still alive and still has high spirits," Mr Rodriguez said. He said Poh's Instagram page, which has amassed over 10,000 followers, has struck a chord with many dog lovers. "Poh is my home, my child. (Many owners) wish they could do stuff like this with their dog and spend these moments, but sometimes life gets in the way," Mr Rodriguez said. "I am super blessed that I have actually gotten to do this. "People think I take care of Poh, but Poh takes care of me." |
#INFOS : May 31, 2015
Tasmanian devil declared animal emblem ::: TASMANIA : The Tasmanian devil has been officially declared the state's animal emblem. Environment Minister Matthew Groom said the devil was recognised across the world as uniquely Tasmanian. He said choosing it as the state emblem would help raise awareness about devil facial tumour disease, a fatal condition characterised by the appearance of obvious facial cancers. The decision brings Tasmania, which had been without an official animal emblem, in line with the rest of Australia. |
#INFOS : May 30, 2015
Animal shelter offers $1,000 reward over dog who had his muzzle taped shut::: A US animal rights organisation is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for binding shut the muzzle of a stray dog with electrical tape. The dog, a 15-month old Staffordshire terrier mix named Caitlyn, was found by a local in Charleston in South Carolina. Her muzzle had been taped shut with black electrical tape so tightly that her tongue was stuck between her teeth. She may have remained in that state for as long as 48 hours. When doctors removed the tape her muzzle swelled up to twice its normal size. “A large part of her tongue may need to be removed surgically if the tissue dies from the lack of blood flow. She may be severely disfigured, or the large amount of dead tissue may cause life-threatening complications,” Dr Lucy Fuller from the Charleston Animal Society was reported in US media as saying. The person who found her took her to the Charleston Animal Society, which is offering the reward. If the individual responsible for taping Caitlyn's muzzle shut could face up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine. |
#INFOS : May 29, 2015
HEAT WAVE KILLING FLYING FOXES ::: As the temperatures soar, they are being found dead beneath the trees where they nest this hot season. The unprecedented heat this summer has proved a bane to the flying foxes (pteropus scapulatus), whose population is already dwindling. They mainly inhabit temperate and sub-tropical coastal areas — often close to water sources — and, being unable to withstand the blistering sun, are falling prey to it. With the largest body size of all bats, they have grey heads resembling foxes. As the temperatures soar, they are being found dead beneath the trees where they nest this hot season, causing concern to bird watchers and environmentalists. According to animal lover Mahesh Kumar Vemulapally, they are already on the verge of extinction. They need to be preserved as they are very useful to man, by preying on small harmful insects and helping natural afforestation by pollinating seeds. Mr. Vemulapally says they need to be protected in the summer with the help of the fire department. In certain countries, the governments help endangered wildlife by creating a congenial atmosphere. The Fire Service can spray water on trees where flying foxes nest, he suggests. These bats have dark-coloured fur on their body and legs down to the toes. They have large eyes that give them well-developed vision so that they can clearly see at night. They have also an excellent sense of smell to locate food. C. Srinivasulu, an expert member of the Biodiversity Board and Assistant Professor of Zoology in Osmania University, says that the population of flying foxes is coming down badly and this summer has been particularly cruel to them. According to him, they play a major role in the regeneration of native hardwood forests and rainforests by pollinating as they feed and disperse seeds as they move throughout the forest. Since they are mainly fruit eaters, they cause harm to the orchards and farms. However, they are useful in the upkeep of environment, says Sadia, head, Department of Zoology, Women’s College, Nizamabad. |
#INFOS : May 29, 2015
NEW SPECIES OF FROG, FISH FPOND IN WESTERN GHATS ::: The discoveries point to the need for conservation in the region, say researchers. The intricate ecosystem of the Western Ghats has seen the discovery of a new fish species and three types of tadpoles as reported in scientific journals over the past fortnight. The discoveries, say the researchers, point to the rich fauna and the need for conservation measures in the region. Researchers from Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) came across a new fish species, Pethiastriata, along the streams of the Tunga in the Kudremukh National Park. V.M. Atkore, lead author of the study which was published in the journal Copeia , confirmed the discovery of the endemic species from two streams, the Mudba and the Turad, of the Tunga. Pethiastriata is described as a small fish, with a length of around 4 cm. The male is reddish in colour and the female, greyish. The species thrive in shallow pools of gently flowing water and are found in small groups of around four. The fish differ from existing species on seven characteristics, including dark outer edges of scales that give them a distinct striped pattern, said Mr. Atkore. Tadpoles In the Journal of Natural History , a group of scientists from ATREE, Gubbi Labs and Manipal University, reported finding three species of tadpoles for the first time in the narrow streams of the Sharavati. They belong to the species of Nyctibatrachus (meaning ‘night frog’) — N. kumbara (‘potter frog’), N. kempholeyensis (named after the Kempuhole stream) and N. jog (named after the waterfall) — which was discovered recently. “The adults were reported, but the tadpoles were not seen as it is very difficult to spot them. Studying them will give an idea of their habitat requirement. It is clear that if water in the streams drop, the frog species will be wiped out,” said K.V. Gururaja from Gubbi Labs. Conservation H. Priti from ATREE, who is the lead author of the study, said tadpole habitats were disappearing as streams were being diverted for irrigation. Similarly, Mr. Atkore said the region had “great potential” for discovery of many new species of fish. “We should protect these biodiverse areas from any kind of damage. Otherwise, we will lose many endemic species,” he said. |
The Nyctibatrachus kumbara was found in the streams of the Sharavati.
Pethiastriata- Fish
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#INFOS : May 29, 2015
Beloved S.F. Zoo polar bear Piké dies at 32 A San Francisco Zoo favorite, Piké the polar bear, died Thursday(May 28, 2015) after suffering complications related to old age, officials said. She was 32. Piké, pronounced Peeka, was a lifetime resident of the zoo, born there on Nov. 25, 1982, and hand-reared by staff when her mother was unable to care for her. She loved to swim, catch fish and nap atop snow brought into her enclosure, ignoring zookeepers as they tried to lure her inside for the night. She had a lot of personality, said Dr. Graham Crawford, chief of veterinary services. “She was very interactive. She liked people going by,” he said. Piké was one of two polar bears at the zoo. The other, Uulu, is the oldest polar bear in the country at age 34. The average life span of a polar bear is about 24. In her old age, Piké suffered the same kinds of geriatric health issues faced by humans: arthritis, digestive problems and mobility impairment. “When catching live carp in her large pool became too difficult, she was given a smaller fish tub so that she could still enjoy the act of fishing,” zoo staffers said in a statement. But ultimately, old age had taken its toll and the not-unexpected decision was made to euthanize her, Crawford said. “It’s still a hard decision and a hard loss when it comes,” he said. “It’s sad. You just counted on her. She’s been there longer than I’ve been there. “She’ll be missed.” With Piké gone and Uulu even older, the zoo could, for the first time in decades, find itself without any polar bears. Crawford said polar bears are hard to come by, and it’s unclear whether the zoo will get another, at least in the near future. For now, they’re mourning the one they had for 32 years. “Piké was a great bear, and I feel honored to have been able to care for her over the years,” she said. “Her longevity and quality of life was a reflection of the thoughtful and diligent care she received from zoo staff.” Honoring Piké The San Francisco Zoo made a donation to Polar Bear International in Piké’s name. Those wishing to honor her may make donations by e-mailing Katharine Morris at[email protected] or calling (415) 753-7173. |
#INFOS : May 29,2015
Govt panel raps scientist for rubbishing animal vaccine, calls for tough action
NEW DELHI : A government-appointed panel has severely castigated a senior scientist who had claimed that the vaccines being produced to control foot-and-mouth disease in animals were substandard and ineffective.
The committee, headed by Gaya Prasad, an additional director general in the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), has described the claims of Bhoj Raj Singh as “fraudulent” and recommended that he be “put to task in order to prevent such highly irresponsible acts in future”.
Six months ago, Singh, then serving as acting director of a premier animal health institute in Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh, had self-published a paper on a website claiming that the vaccines being used to prevent the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease were of doubtful quality.
Bhoj Raj Singh, now with his parent organisation, Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) in Bareily, had conducted random tests on a batch of vaccines from Hyderabad-based public-sector India Immunologicals Limited (IIL) and two other private companies. He then claimed that the vaccines had failed all tests. He had even questioned the credibility of the testing facilities at the Bangalore campus of IVRI, his own organisation. The Bangalore campus is responsible for testing the vaccines and giving quality certificates.
The findings rattled the government enough to appoint a three-member committee to inquire into Singh’s claims. The committee investigated the entire matter and submitted a report that completely rubbished Singh’s claims. It said that Singh had conducted the tests “in secrecy with a doubtful motive”, and made “fraudulent” claims.
The report further claims that the tests that Singh had conducted were not the ones prescribed for the vaccines, and that they were carried out by inexperienced workers, and data of the tests was not properly maintained.
It adds that Singh had not been authorised by the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairies and Fisheries (DADF), the relevant department under the Agriculture Ministry, or anyone else to carry out these tests.
“The fraudulent report (Singh’s claims) based on scientifically and technically unsound data has also cast aspersions on reputed Indian Veterinary Research Institute (the Bangalore campus of which is entrusted with routinely testing these vaccines),” the report says.
The committee has said that in its own tests during the investigations the vaccines had passed all the laid down criteria.
“The committee feels very strongly that the competent authority should take cognizance of unauthorised and unfounded report released by Dr Bhoj Raj Singh…The committee is of the firm view that such unfounded report has tarnished the image of the scientific community and the country as a whole,” the committee’s report said.
Neither Gaya Prasad nor Bhoj Raj Singh agreed to speak on this issue, referring it instead to their respective reports
Singh, who deposed before the committee, has come out with a counter the committee’s report in which he has questioned the independence of the committee members. He has also raised questions over the tests conducted by the committee, saying the companies in question had been informed about the tests in advance. It has been a couple of months since Prasad’s committee submitted its report. The Animal Husbandry department is still contemplating the next course of action. Meanwhile, Indian Immunologicals Limited has filed a Rs 100 crore defamation case against Singh. The case is yet to be heard.
Govt panel raps scientist for rubbishing animal vaccine, calls for tough action
NEW DELHI : A government-appointed panel has severely castigated a senior scientist who had claimed that the vaccines being produced to control foot-and-mouth disease in animals were substandard and ineffective.
The committee, headed by Gaya Prasad, an additional director general in the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), has described the claims of Bhoj Raj Singh as “fraudulent” and recommended that he be “put to task in order to prevent such highly irresponsible acts in future”.
Six months ago, Singh, then serving as acting director of a premier animal health institute in Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh, had self-published a paper on a website claiming that the vaccines being used to prevent the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease were of doubtful quality.
Bhoj Raj Singh, now with his parent organisation, Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) in Bareily, had conducted random tests on a batch of vaccines from Hyderabad-based public-sector India Immunologicals Limited (IIL) and two other private companies. He then claimed that the vaccines had failed all tests. He had even questioned the credibility of the testing facilities at the Bangalore campus of IVRI, his own organisation. The Bangalore campus is responsible for testing the vaccines and giving quality certificates.
The findings rattled the government enough to appoint a three-member committee to inquire into Singh’s claims. The committee investigated the entire matter and submitted a report that completely rubbished Singh’s claims. It said that Singh had conducted the tests “in secrecy with a doubtful motive”, and made “fraudulent” claims.
The report further claims that the tests that Singh had conducted were not the ones prescribed for the vaccines, and that they were carried out by inexperienced workers, and data of the tests was not properly maintained.
It adds that Singh had not been authorised by the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairies and Fisheries (DADF), the relevant department under the Agriculture Ministry, or anyone else to carry out these tests.
“The fraudulent report (Singh’s claims) based on scientifically and technically unsound data has also cast aspersions on reputed Indian Veterinary Research Institute (the Bangalore campus of which is entrusted with routinely testing these vaccines),” the report says.
The committee has said that in its own tests during the investigations the vaccines had passed all the laid down criteria.
“The committee feels very strongly that the competent authority should take cognizance of unauthorised and unfounded report released by Dr Bhoj Raj Singh…The committee is of the firm view that such unfounded report has tarnished the image of the scientific community and the country as a whole,” the committee’s report said.
Neither Gaya Prasad nor Bhoj Raj Singh agreed to speak on this issue, referring it instead to their respective reports
Singh, who deposed before the committee, has come out with a counter the committee’s report in which he has questioned the independence of the committee members. He has also raised questions over the tests conducted by the committee, saying the companies in question had been informed about the tests in advance. It has been a couple of months since Prasad’s committee submitted its report. The Animal Husbandry department is still contemplating the next course of action. Meanwhile, Indian Immunologicals Limited has filed a Rs 100 crore defamation case against Singh. The case is yet to be heard.
#INFOS : May 29, 2015
CHANCHAL's PLIGHT : SHOULD SHE LIVE OR DIE IN PEACE ??? DEHRADUN: Authorities at the Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR) are battling a unique dilemma—whether they should approve the mercy killing of Chanchal, a 60-year-old female elephant who is writhing in pain after being brutally injured, or to let her suffer till nature takes its course. The last time such a case came up before forest officials was in 2007 when an elephant was similarly severely injured and could not walk. Even though officials decided to put it out in order to ease its suffering, the animal died of its own before the mercy killing could be executed. In Chanchal's case, the decision is quite tough especially since the elephant has been a part of the forest reserve for a long time and is believed to be quite popular with tourists. "Till a few days back, she was giving rides to tourists in the Dhakrani zone, the most frequented area of the reserve," a forest official told.Almost ten days back, though, the elephant sustained severe injuries on her hip and foot following a fight with another elephant. "Although she managed to limp around for the first three days, her condition worsened and she has not been able to move in the last one week," the official said. Her condition has since rapidly deteriorated and she now sits under a tin shed writhing in pain as flies hover over her maggot-infested wounds. Saddened at her plight, some of the CTR staff have approached officials saying that the option of mercy killing be explored for her. Acknowledging this, DVS Khati, chief wildlife warden, told- "I've been getting requests that the elephant at Corbett be awarded mercy killing. However, we will examine her condition in detail and won't rush into taking a decision. Instead, we will prefer to wait for her to respond to treatment." Satish Upadhyaya, wildlife warden of CTR, however, said that the animal's chances of survival were bleak. "Sadly, this is one of the rare instances when the option of mercy killing is being explored. Aged elephants become weak and die a natural death. But Chanchal is still quite young and her health is worsening. That's why, this option is being considered. " |
#INFOS : May 29, 2015
INDIANS JOIN HANDS TO MARCH AGAINST ANIMAL ABUSE :::
CHENNAI: On May 31, for the first time, a unique march will be conducted in cities across India. Organized by the volunteer group India Against Speciesism, 'India Marches for Animal Liberation' aims to sensitize people to the fact that animals are individuals like us who deserve freedom, not commodification.
"As of now, the march will be conducted in 17 cities (and counting), including Chennai," says Pulkit Parikh, software engineer and volunteer with the national volunteer network. In Chennai, the march will be held between 5pm and 6.30pm. It will start from 5th Avenue, Besant Nagar and end at 6th Avenue.
The aim of the march is three-fold. "We are trying to sensitize people to a basic fact -- animals are individuals like us who deserve freedom, not commodification. And, when we consume animal-based products or services, we rob of them of their deeply cherished freedom," says Parikh, who is based in Hyderabad.
India Against Speciesism brings together animals lovers across the country. "We are all working professionals who are not affiliated to any organization," says Parikh. "There were a lot of us involved in animal welfare activities - giving talks, conducting local level marches to create awareness about various forms of animal exploitation that happen due to choices we make with relation to food, clothing, entertainment."
So, once they began planning this march, they also decided to launch the network officially. "The primary goal of this march is to urge people to make choices that do not cause the suffering or killing of innocent animals," says Parikh. But, we also want it to be the beginning of a sustained effort called India Against Speciesism, through which awareness activities such as talks and screenings will be conducted in public places across many cities."
INDIANS JOIN HANDS TO MARCH AGAINST ANIMAL ABUSE :::
CHENNAI: On May 31, for the first time, a unique march will be conducted in cities across India. Organized by the volunteer group India Against Speciesism, 'India Marches for Animal Liberation' aims to sensitize people to the fact that animals are individuals like us who deserve freedom, not commodification.
"As of now, the march will be conducted in 17 cities (and counting), including Chennai," says Pulkit Parikh, software engineer and volunteer with the national volunteer network. In Chennai, the march will be held between 5pm and 6.30pm. It will start from 5th Avenue, Besant Nagar and end at 6th Avenue.
The aim of the march is three-fold. "We are trying to sensitize people to a basic fact -- animals are individuals like us who deserve freedom, not commodification. And, when we consume animal-based products or services, we rob of them of their deeply cherished freedom," says Parikh, who is based in Hyderabad.
India Against Speciesism brings together animals lovers across the country. "We are all working professionals who are not affiliated to any organization," says Parikh. "There were a lot of us involved in animal welfare activities - giving talks, conducting local level marches to create awareness about various forms of animal exploitation that happen due to choices we make with relation to food, clothing, entertainment."
So, once they began planning this march, they also decided to launch the network officially. "The primary goal of this march is to urge people to make choices that do not cause the suffering or killing of innocent animals," says Parikh. But, we also want it to be the beginning of a sustained effort called India Against Speciesism, through which awareness activities such as talks and screenings will be conducted in public places across many cities."
#INFOS : May 29, 2015
Dog clears rubbish from polluted Brazilian river ::: BRAZIL : A dog in Brazil has been dubbed an eco-warrior after it was filmed it clearing rubbish from a heavily polluted river. Spotted on Thursday, the dog jumps into Sao Paulo's Tiete River and returns to the shore with a plastic water bottle. It then jumps back in, swims out and returns with another empty plastic bottle. The Tiete River is one of the world's most polluted waterways. In 2010, the Sao Paulo stretch of the river was the source of a toxic foam outbreak. In October 1990, the governor of Sao Paulo pressured government agencies to launch a program to assist in the recuperation of the river. However, in 25 years, little has actually been done to stem the river’s degradation. |
#INFOS : May 28, 2015
CYCLIST RESCUES CALF FROM TRAFFIC MADNESS ::: CHENNAI : Citizens find it chaotic on their way to office or heading home. Smoke, dust and the never-ending trail of MTC buses are part of this daily peak-hour ordeal. The situation on the Poonamallee High Road near Koyambedu bus terminus was just as bad on a Thursday evening, the victim was an innocent buffalo calf. A herd of buffaloes had blocked and the motorists honked and made their way across the herd, separating , rather cruelly, a calf from the group. Panicked, the animal was struck amid the roar of engines as the herd, which had moved ahead, halted and looked back helplessly at he little calf. Even as the calf mooed for help, the traffic showed no signs easing. However, the calf was rescued by a cyclist who stopped by seeing the innocent calf, shepherded it across the road and united the calf with the herd. |
# INFOS : May 27, 2015
Hyderabad bird flu is replica of Chhattisgarh outbreak HYDERABAD : Was April’s avian influenza outbreak Hyderabad’s first encounter with the deadly virus? Analysis of the virus found in the city suggests that it could have around for at least two years, long before it hit headlines. Earlier this month, the High Security Animal Diseases Lab in Bhopal, which detected H5N1 at a farm in Thorrur village of Rangareddy district last month, sequenced the genome of the virus it detected and found it to be a perfect match to the virus that caused an outbreak in Chhattisgarh nearly two years ago. However, the virus did not prove a match to sub-types of the H5N1 strain which caused outbreaks in Kerala, Karnataka and Chandigarh last year. “Our analysis of the Hyderabad virus showed a match with the virus that infected birds in Durg and Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh. But it was unlike the virus found in other parts of the country,” said Dr. K.K. Kulkarni, director of the lab, adding that the virus could have been in the city longer than earlier thought. The Chhattisgarh connection has raised questions if the virus could have made its way to Hyderabad from the neighbouring State to rear its head last month or if it has been around for a while and infected birds in other States. Bigger producer Dr. Kulkarni did not rule out the second possibility, given that Telangana was the bigger producer and that poultry was routinely sold to Chhattisgarh. Not a mutated form He, however, added that the virus could not have arrived in the city from Kerala and Karnataka after infecting birds there last year, as its sequencing shows it was not a mutated form of the strain found in the two States. But, Telangana Poultry Breeders Association maintained that the virus has indeed been hopping from State to State and reared its head recently. |
#INFOS : May 27, 2015
ANTHRAX SCARE NEAR HASANUR ::: ERODE : Even as the carcass of a 20-year-old male elephant that died of anthrax at Neerodai near Hasanur in the Sathyamangalam forest has been safely disposed, the Animal Husbandry Department is vaccinating cattle in the eight km radius as a precaution. Precaution The elephant that had died two days ago was buried on Monday in a 15-feet pit and the surface was burnt as a precaution to prevent spread of the disease to other animals. Alongside burning the surface of the spot of burial, a team also dug out half feet of the spot where the elephant was found dead, and sprinkled a mixture of turmeric and calcium, Hasanur Range Officer S. Palanisamy said. Second incident This is the second incident of elephant death due to anthrax. Last December, an adult elephant had died due to anthrax in Bhavani Sagar range. Anthrax, explained Forest officials, is caused by exposure to spores of the bacteria Bacillus Anthracis that gets entrenched in host body and produce lethal poison. In the case of the elephant, the spores that had already been formed by the bacteria in a dormant phase had germinated and multiplied due to the heat condition. Starting Tuesday, the Animal Husbandry Department started vaccinating cattle and livestock in villages in eight km. radius to prevent infection as spores could spread through the air. “We have advised cattle-rearers in villages in the surroundings through the Village Forest Committees not to graze their animals for at least a month in the surroundings of the sterilised area. Vaccination camps Vaccination camps would be conducted at the villages by joint teams of Forest and Animal Husbandry department employees over the next three days,” District Forest Officer of Hasanur Division C.H. Padma said. |
#INFOS : May 25, 2015
Climate engineering may save coral reefs, study shows ::: Geoengineering of the climate may be the only way to save coral reefs from mass bleaching, according to new research. Coral reefs are considered one of the most vulnerable ecosystems to future climate change due to rising sea surface temperatures and ocean acidification, which is caused by higher atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide. Mass coral bleaching, which can lead to coral mortality, is predicted to occur far more frequently over the coming decades, due to the stress exerted by higher seawater temperatures. Scientists believe that, even under the most ambitious future CO2 reduction scenarios, widespread and severe coral bleaching and degradation will occur by the middle of this century. The collaborative new research, which includes authors from the Carnegie Institution for Science, the University of Exeter, the Met Office Hadley Centre and the University of Queensland, suggest that a geoengineering technique called Solar Radiation Management (SRM) reduces the risk of global severe bleaching. The SRM method involves injecting gas into the stratosphere, forming microscopic particles which reflect some of the sun's energy and so help limit rising sea surface temperatures. The study compared a hypothetical SRM geoengineering scenario to the most aggressive future CO2 reduction strategy considered by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and found that coral reefs fared much better under geoengineering despite increasing ocean acidification. The pioneering international study is published in leading scientific journal, Nature Climate Change. Lead author Dr Lester Kwiatkowski of the Carnegie Institution for Science said "Our work highlights the sort of climate scenarios that now need to be considered if the protection of coral reefs is a priority." Dr Paul Halloran, from the Geography department of the University of Exeter added: "The study shows that the benefit of SRM over a conventional CO2 reduction scenario is dependent on the sensitivity of future thermal bleaching thresholds to changes in seawater acidity. This emphasises the need to better characterise how warming and ocean acidification may interact to influence coral bleaching over the 21st century." Professor Peter Cox, co-author of the research and from the University of Exeter said: "Coral reefs face a dire situation regardless of how intensively society decarbonises the economy. In reality there is no direct choice between conventional mitigation and climate engineering but this study shows that we need to either accept that the loss of a large percentage of the world's reefs is inevitable or start thinking beyond conventional mitigation of CO2 emissions." This work shows the very different impacts on coral bleaching of different measures to tackle climate change. These different techniques will also have different effects on other impacts such as regional crop growth or water availability. Source: The above story is based on materials provided by University of Exeter. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. |
#INFOS : May 22, 2015
SC: Ranthambore tiger T-24 to remain in Udaipur NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday said Ranthambore Tiger T-24, who was shifted to Udaipur zoo after he killed a forest guard, will remain in confinement till the Rajasthan High Court decides on the controversy over the relocation which has been challenged by environmentalists. A bench of Justices A K Sikri and U U Lalit ordered that status quo should be maintained till the HC passes order on the issue arising out of relocation of the 9-year-old tiger, popularly known as 'Ustaad'. The court asked the HC to hear the case expeditiously. On May 8, Ustaad had killed the guard near the entrance of the park and the forest department thereafter shifted him to Udaipur zoo. The forest department said the tiger was shifted as he had killed four human being so far. |
# INFOS : May 20, 2015
THE FADING BARK ::: SAIDAPET : Animal Welfare Board Of India (AWBI) has recommended closure of 35-year-old Dog Breeding Unit (DBU). A letter from the AWBI has requested the clinician of the unit to implement the suggestions and recommendations made by the Inspection Team. The Animal Husbandry Department has asked AIWB to reconsider and allow the functioning of DBU launched in 1980 to preserve and promote local breeds, including RAJAPALAYAM, CHIPPIPARAI and COMBAI. The breeding of Combai was already stopped because of the breed's aggressive nature and the return of puppies by those who bought them from the unit. Subsequently the unit started breeding foreign breeds such as LABRADOR, DOBERMAN, DALMATIAN and ROTTWEILER. The fact is that the recommendations of AIBA was against selling native breeds known for their aggressiveness at a time when breed-specific legislation in towns and countries around the world are banning such breeds. “With stray dogs already crowding Tamil Nadu’s streets, it is irresponsible for a government-sponsored facility to produce sick, potentially inbred animals to be sold to any person willing to buy them, without any sort of background checks,” said Manilal Valliyate, People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India Director of Veterinary Affairs. The inspection team had found prevalence of health problems particularly skin diseases and high mortality rate due to inbreeding depression, prevalence of pressure sores and ectoparasites, continuous confinement, lack of opportunity for socialisation and adequate exercise. The DBU was charged with non-compliance of important terms and conditions set by AWBI while registering dogs. Another charge against the DBU was the absence of a breeding policy and Standard Operating Procedure to prevent indiscriminate breeding, in-breeding depression and to serve the original objective of conservation and promotion of native breed. A doctor working for the Animal Husbandry Department denied the practice of inbreeding. “When we sell all the puppies, where comes the question of in-breeding,” he asked. Asked about the aggressiveness of local breeds, he said every dog had a special trait and requirement and one could not expect a Rajapalayam to behave like a Labrador. The AWBI also has strongly recommended against breeding of common foreign breeds such as Doberman, Dalmatian, Rottweiler and Labrador as they required no conservation. |
Rajapalayam
Chippiparai
Combai
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# INFOS : May 17, 2015
BABY CROCODILE RESCUED ::: ERODE : A 2-month old baby crocodile was rescued from Bhavanisagar forest range in Erode on Sunday (17.05.2015). A group of AIADMK functionaries, including the Erode district panchayat Chairman, Mr.S.R.Selvam, Bhavanisagar union president, K.Palanisamy and panchayat union officials were on their way to Nandhipuram village found four baby crocodiles floating in a stagnant water near Gejalatty electricity sub-station. Initially the crocodiles were thought to be monitor lizards. Mr.S.R.Selvam said that they tried to catch all four but was able to catch only one as the other three crawled away into roadside bushes. The forest range officer, A.Sivasubramaniam released the baby into the Mayaru river on sunday evening. "We initiated a search for the other three crocodile babies. But due to heavy downpour we were unable to do a thorough search. We will catchthe other crocodiles on Monday." the FRO said. |
# INFOS : May 17, 2015
A SPECIAL GIFT FROM MONGOLIAN PM ::: ULAANBAATAR : The Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi received a special gift from his Mongolian counterpart, Chimed Saikhanbileg at the Mini Naadam sporting festival on Sunday (17.05.2015). The brown horse named KANTHAKA was gifted to PM Modi. PM Modi, who was attired in traditional Mongolian costume, topped with a sola hat, posed smilingly with the horse, with the Mongolian premier next to him at the Chingisiin Khuree Camp, 25 km from capital Ulaanbaatar. TWEETS ::: + "With Kanthaka, a gift from Mongolia" - Mr. Modi + "A special gift for a special visitor !" - External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson : Vikas Swarup |
# INFOS : May 17, 2015
'PROOF' OF HARASSMENT OF ELEPHANT AT THRISSUR POORAM ::: "Closed-circuit cameras captured the photos of the elephant limping during the parade." THRISSUR :The Thrissur-based Heritage Animal Task Force has alleged harassment of an elephant during the Thrissur Pooram. It has alleged that the elephant which had a problem on one of its legs was paraded for the pooram. V.K. Venkitachalam, secretary of the task force, has alleged that the elephant was limping throughout the parade. “Closed-circuit cameras captured the photos of the elephant limping during the parade,” he has said. According to the task force, the explanation given by the Town East police for queries under the Right To Information (RTI) Act about the elephant parade was not satisfactory. The sub-inspector of the East police station had replied that the elephants were paraded according to the guidelines of the Animal Welfare Board and the police had not observed any violation of the rules. The task force has sent a petition, including photos of alleged harassment against the elephant during the Pooram to the Director General of Police and the Chief Conservator of Forest, Wildlife. According to a recent Supreme Court order, harassment of elephants during festival would invite punishment for contempt of court. One of the photos alleging harassment of an elephant during the Thrissur Pooram that have been submitted to authorities by the Heritage Animal Task Force. |
# INFOS : May 15, 2015
Manipur’s Ngapang revealed to world as new catfish species Scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have discovered a new species of catfish, Glyptothorax senapatiensis, in the Chindwin river drainage in Senapati district of Manipur. The people of the region have been having the six-cm-long freshwater fish as food for long, calling it Ngapang. “It is a small but edible fish with high nutritional value and a lot of oil content,” ZSI scientist Laishram Kosygin told. The fish has a thoracic adhesive apparatus that helps it cling on to the rocky riverbed in mountains against strong currents. All Glyptothorax-genus fish have this characteristic. Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters, an international journal published from Germany, recorded the new species in March, with Mr. Kosygin, Nongthombam Premananda and Bano Saidullah authoring the paper. Scientists say the Northeast has a rich aquatic biodiversity, with 361 of the 816 fish species found in India present there. Several important species of catfish, a diverse group of ray-finned fish with prominent barbells resembling cat whiskers, are found there. Manipur has a high diversity of aquatic fauna because of the two important river drainage systems. “The western half is fed by the Barak-Brahmaputra drainage and the eastern and central valleys are crisscrossed by the Chindwin river drainage, and these account for the variety in the aquatic fauna,” Mr. Kosygin said. |
# INFOS : May 6, 2015
DOLPHINS HAVE SOCIAL NETWORKS TOO ! Just like humans, dolphins form highly complex and dynamic networks of friends, preferring to mingle with some fellow dolphins while avoiding others, scientists say. Researchers studied interactions between bottlenose dolphins in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), a 251-km long estuary located on Florida’s east coast. They found that individual dolphins exhibited human-like preference and avoidance behaviour - they have dolphins they like and associate with and ones they avoid. In the study, scientists at Harbour Branch Oceanographic Institute (HBOI) at Florida Atlantic University learned about the association patterns as well as movement behaviour and habitat preferences of some 200 individual dolphins through intensive photo-ID surveys conducted along the IRL, which were carried out over a six- and-a-half year period. In a paper published in the journal Marine Mammal Science, researchers said that individual dolphins exhibited both preference and avoidance behaviour. The study also found that IRL dolphins clustered into groups of associated animals, or ‘communities’, that tended to occupy discrete core areas along the north-south axis of the lagoon system. “One of the more unique aspects of our study was the discovery that the physical dimensions of the habitat, the long, narrow lagoon system itself, influenced the spatial and temporal dynamics of dolphin association patterns,” said Elizabeth Murdoch Titcomb, research biologist at HBOI. “For example, communities that occupy the narrowest stretches of the Indian River Lagoon have the most compact social networks, similar to humans who live in small towns and have fewer people with whom to interact,” Titcomb said. |
#EXTRA : April 01, 2015
JUNGLE STORY ::: National award winning wildlife film maker, Subbiah Nalla Muthu believes that there are stories hidden in the jungle that miss the human eye. And he has taken it upon himself to tell people those stories. His protagonists are animals and their conflicts and survival struggles form the main narrative of his works. “And why not,” asks Subbiah. “Animals too have emotions. Their lives are as dramatic as ours.” Subbiah’s award winning wildlife documentary, Life Force- India’s Western Ghats bagged the 62nd Rajat Kamal award for the best exploratory film. It tracks eight endangered species including the Lion-tailed macaque, Great Indian Hornbill, Slender Loris and Purple Frog. The visual language and story-telling part fascinate him more than the science and facts, says Subbiah. “I am basically a film maker. Even though my work involves strong research and consultation with scholars, all the facts are presented like a story. My film will be solely my interpretation of what I see through my camera.” But, the stories were tough to track. Life Force cost them several sleepless nights. It took 21 days to capture the Purple Frog, which comes out from under the ground, only for a few days to mate. And, the Great Indian Hornbill obliged them with her presence after a 40 days’ wait! “We had to setup make shift machaans at 200 feet to capture the bird. We trekked, braved leeches and incessant rains through out the shoot. There were days when we shot nothing. But that’s how the jungle works. It has its own time and pace,” says Subbiah. The film was shot in 18 months in different spots including Valparai, Athirapally and Silent Valley. “We wanted to give a wet, lush look to the frames. So we shot the film mostly during the monsoon season. The Western Ghats is rich in wildlife stories. It is unfortunate that it is not given the due attention internationally,” says the 51-year-old filmmaker. Subbiah’s career began at the film division of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). His photos, capturing the flight of flamingos and pelicans, were used for rocket design. After quitting ISRO, he freelanced for National Geographic, Discovery and BBC World. This is Subbiah’s third National Award. His film on a family of tigers called Tiger Dynasty won him the national awards for Best Cinematography and Best Environment Film in 2012. The film was about a tigress who was trans-located from Ranthambhore to Sariska Tiger Reserve. In fact, his fascination for the big cat is well known. He has been following tiger families for the past one decade. His Tiger’s Revenge was aired on National Geographic channel during the Big Cat Week. For his next project, he is shooting four generations of a tiger family. The heroine is Machili, a fiercely independent tigress. “There is a lot of drama in Machili’s life. She has to fight with other tigers for her territory, fend for herself and protect her cubs. After spending time observing her, I realised even tigers have family values and sentiments. It is unfortunate that we see them as just ferocious predators.” His films’ aim is to make people relate to these species emotionally, says Subbiah. “Cinema is for the masses. It has to be both entertaining and informative. That’s why I believe in the power of storytelling. It urges the audience to empathise with the animals and treat them with respect.” |
#Infos : March 31, 2015
THREE HELD FOR KILLING TIGER CUB IN MP ::: BHOPAL: A day after a male tiger cub was killed by poachers inside the farm owned by deputy speaker of Madhya Pradesh Assembly Rajendra Singh, state forest officials have arrested three people including farm's caretaker Kundan Sahu. Two others were identified as Baiga tribal -- Ram Prasad Baiga and Jamuna Baiga. Forest officials have recovered two more deadly GI-wire traps from the farm during search. According to state's chief wildlife warden Narendra Kumar the accused have confessed laying trap was laid by them, but for poaching wild boars and other herbivores wild animals. Spread over 50 acres Singh's farmhouse house is located in buffer zone of Bandhavgarh National Tiger Reserve in Umaria district. He had held industry portfolio in the Digvijaya Singh-led Congress government. The carcass of the cub, aged less than one year, was found inside the farm, its neck trapped in a snare made of GI wire. It probably died more than 30 hours before the carcass was found. Its mother and another sibling were lured back to the park by forest guards. Sahu was taken into custody from his house in Baansa after a Preliminary Offence Report was registered. A sniffer dog squad that was called for investigation reached Sahu's house, less than a kilometer from where the carcass was recovered on Sunday, said sources. Singh who initially feigned ignorance on involvement of his caretaker Kundan Sahu told that he would cooperate in with the investigators and has no objections if government wants to acquire his farm. He said the land was bought three decades ago. "We were not using it even for even agriculture activity. I have only been there for 2-3 times in past 20 years and," Rajendra Singh told . Singh said it was Sahoo Sahu who used to inform forest officials about any tiger movements in the locality. "Government should conduct a thorough enquiry into the issue" he added. |
#Infos : March 25, 2015
Elderly Dogs Receive Treatment at Pet Care Facility.
Elderly Dogs Receive Treatment at Pet Care Facility.
#Extra : January 14, 2015
ONE WITH NATURE ::: Spot a spotted owlet or a booted eagle. Watch a king cobra silently stalk and attack some unsuspecting prey. Sleep under the stars, with nothing but tarpaulin between you and the sky. Two workshops will be conducted in the city, between January 14 and 18 — one a bird count and the other a snake film festival. The birding session, which will be held between January 14 and 16, will be conducted in and around Vallam forest, Kolavai lake and Vedanthangal bird sanctuary. And if feathers and flight isn’t your thing, you can watch a marathon snake movie session in the wilderness of the Karadi Malai Camp with renowned herpetologist Romulus Whitaker. Details: 7373418669 |
#Infos : January 12, 2015
THIRD RHINO KILLED IN KAZIRANGA NATIONAL PARK IN 11DAYS INTO 2015 ::: GUWAHATI: The New Year started on a bad note as poachers continued to kill rhinos despite the government's "zero tolerance" stance on poaching in the state. In the latest incident, poachers killed the third rhino in 11 days at Kaziranga National Park, a world heritage site about 250 km from here, on Sunday even as forest officials engaged the poachers in a gun battle. A gang of poachers armed with automatic rifles killed the rhino at Burapahar forest range of the park. Though the forest guards challenged the poachers by firing at them, they managed to kill the rhino, chop off its horn and flee from the scene. "We tried our best to prevent the poachers from killing the rhino. But unfortunately, couldn't succeed," a senior park official said. — withRhinoceros. |