The government of India has identified wildlife conservation as one of its key goals

India has a wide variety of flora and fauna and the government has identified conservation of wildlife as one of its key goals. None other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his commitment on many global platforms about promoting environmental and wildlife conservation. He has now assigned a target of conservation and protection of big cat species. This is after achieving the target of doubling the number of tigers ahead of time. The target also includes 50 cheetahs during the next five years. Already, the exercise of inducting eight cheetahs from Namibia is over. It is the first inter-continental large carnivore translocation project. With their arrival, India has become the only country where all five members of the big ‘cat species’ are now present. On the subject, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said – “Decades ago, the age-old link of biodiversity that was broken and became extinct, today we have a chance to reconnect it. Today the cheetah has returned to the soil of India.” Incidentally, the last cheetah in India was found dead in Chhattisgarh in 1947 and was officially declared extinct in 1952. India goes all out to increase wildlife species.

The authorities expect cheetahs to help restore the open forest and grassland ecosystem in India and the program will help in the conservation of biodiversity. Society would reap benefits like improvement of ecosystem processes in the form of water security, carbon absorption and soil moisture conservation. It could also increase livelihood opportunities for the local communities. This could be through eco-development and eco-tourism activities. The arrival of cheetahs has made India the only country that is home to all five members of the ‘big cat’ species – tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard and cheetah. The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 has notified animals like tigers, elephants, rhinoceros, lions, etc. as endangered species. They enjoy the highest degree of protection.

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New nesting sites for crocodiles hasve been found in the Gahirmatha Wildlife Sanctuary. The number this year is 80 compared to last year's 75. These are near the Satabhaya beach. The numbers could be still more because the enumerators could not reach inaccessible regions like creeks and wetlands. The female of the species become violent when they see intruders.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 30 June 2017.

Bhitarkanika is home to 1,682 crocodiles and some of them are albino species. The enumerators were able to confirm sighting 1,671 that live along the water bodies of the sanctuary. Researchers were excited with the discovery of new nesting sites. The crocodile conservation program at Bhitarkanika had begun in 1975. Wildlife workers were ensuring that predators like snakes, jackals and dogs did not devour eggs of crocodiles.


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A 43-member team of wildlife experts from Australia, China, India, Kenya, and the US have predicted that several species of wildlife is under threat of extinction. Their joint study reveals that India tops a list of 24 countries where nearly 40 per cent of large herbivores and carnivores are threatened.
They have called for renewed conservation efforts.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 15 March 2017.

The tiger, elephant and rhinoceros are among India's threatened species while the nilgai, kiang and the leopard are among non-threatened species. As far as China is concerned, its threatened species include the giant panda, Asian elephant and the snow leopard.
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The Renuka Wildlife Sanctuary in Himachal Pradesh (HP) was once famous for its Lion Safari and will now open its doors to a pair of Royal Bengal Tigers from Delhi. It will be through an animal exchange program and the state government will send three leopards in exchange from Shimla, which has 12 leopards at the moment. These animals are found in abundance in the jungles in HP.
There are no lions left in the Renuka Wildlife sanctuary in Sirmour district after the death of the last one two years ago.
This has been reported in thestatesman.com dated 5 February 2017.

In order to accommodate the tigers, special enclosures are to be built. These enclosures must have a deep foundation. These tigers would be kept for captive display in the zoo in the sanctuary. The wildlife wing’s plan on tiger breeding would, however, depend on the pair that is provided to the state.
The Renuka zoo is the first one in HP and, was established in 1957. A pair of Asiatic lions was brought to this zoo from Uttar Pradesh in 1974. Over the years, the lions grew in numbers and at one time, there were more than two dozen. THe sanctuary is spread across 4.028 square kilometres and houses a zoo, which has some leopards, 20 barking deers, 40 Sambars, 20 Indian ducks and three Black Bears and Cheetal.


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A total of 22 greater adjutant storks have been found dead at Deepor Beel Wildlife Sanctuary located 15 km away from the city of Guwahati. This species of birds is listed under Schedule IV of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Details of how these highly endangered birds dies are not established but the ongoing investigation had hinted at poisoning. This is because the carcasses were found at a spot close to the GMC's garbage dump. It is suspected that the birds might have consumed poisonous substances in the garbage.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 3 February 2017.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has taken note of the incident and has directed the state government to file an affidavit within three weeks.
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The days of snake charmers in India are gradually coming to an end - it is no longer a paying proposition because in the village, a snake charmer can earn about 200 rupees (£2) a day which is certainly not enough to support a family.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 27 January 2017.

Snakes are revered by Hindus in India and these snake charmers are believed to be followers of Lord Shiva who is portrayed with a king cobra around his neck. Snake charmers used to be a regular fixture at Indian bazaars and festivals and they would often be the main source of medicines in cases of snake bite.
But, the centuries-old tradition is slowly dying out because the authorities want to enforce wildlife protection laws, and after an outright ban on the practice in 1991. Added to that is modernity - the age old tradition is being elbowed out and the saperas do not. Plenty of alternate entertainment options are now available.


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It was the rare sight of a tiger in upper Neora Valley National Park in West Bengal’s Darjeeling district that has brought cheers to conservationists and wildlife enthusiasts because it has happened after 40 years.
A person was driving downhill when he spotted a Royal Bengal tiger between Pedong and Lava and, he quickly snapped a photograph of the elusive predator as not just proof but for the records as well.
This has been reported in thehindu.com dated 20 January 2017.

The Range officer reached the spot where the tiger was spotted and found pugmarks. There was also a half-eaten carcass of a cattle along with tiger scat was found at the spot.
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This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 13 January 2017.

A total of 1,682 crocodiles, including the albino species, were counted. The corresponding figure for last year was 1,671 - the census operation of crocodiles was conducted from January 3 to 8.
Ten crocodiles with whitish patches on their bodies were spotted living along the creeks and the animal's latest census figure reveals an encouraging trend of rise in the number of estuarine crocodiles.
The enumerators have seen three giant male crocodiles measuring more than 20 feet. One of these, a 21ft crocodile, has found a place in the Guinness World Records as the world's largest living crocodile. In addition, 18 large crocodiles measuring between 16 and 18 feet were identified during the annual headcount operation.


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President Barack Obama is usually seen in a suit and tie while giving speeches and meeting fellow world leaders. However, before relinquishing office, he was seen in a totally different environment - he was snorkeling among the wildlife in the waters of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Midway Atoll.
This atoll is halfway between the United States and China and not far from Hawaii - the place where the president grew up.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 11 January 2017.

President Obama had visited the island in September to inspect the clear waters after declaring the expansion of Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument to include Midway. And, while there, he felt an urge to snorkel close to the wildlife and coral.
He confided to a magazine that growing up in Hawaii he 'knows what it’s like to jump into the ocean and understanding what it means when you see a sea turtle in the face of a wave.'
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The population of cheetahs is on the decline and, like many other wildlife species in Africa, conservationists have sounded alarm bells for the cheetah - it is the fastest animal on land. It seems there are an estimated 7,100 of them that remain in the wild across Africa and in a small area of Iran.
Human encroachment has pushed the wide-ranging predator out of 91 percent of its historic habitat. Therefore, the animal should be defined as "endangered" instead of the less serious "vulnerable".
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 27 Decmber 2016.

The decline in population of the cheetah can be attributed to a number of factors like habitat loss, attacks from villagers, loss of antelope and other prey that are killed by people for their meat, an illegal trade in cheetah cubs, the trafficking of cheetah skins and the threat of getting hit by speeding vehicles.
More than half of the world's cheetahs live in southern Africa, including in Namibia and Botswana. These have relatively less human populations. These animals have been virtually wiped out in Asia, except of fewer than 50 in Iran. The cheetah population in Zimbabwe has gone down from an estimated 1,500 in 1999 to between 150 and 170 in 2013-2015 - this is based on a survey conducted between 2013 and 2015.


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This year, there is a sharp decline in the arrival of migratory birds in the Point Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary at Kodiakarai in Nagapattinam district. It usually attract several thousands of migratory birds every year but, this year there is a sharp decline according to a top ornithologist of Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS).
Point Calimere usually receives birds from other countries but, this year, Indian birds are coming in large numbers.
This has been reported in deccanherald.com fated 19 November 2016.

So far, a few thousands of flamingos, shore birds, particularly wader and seagulls have arrived The migratory birds usually start to arrive at the sanctuary during the first half of October this year. Last year the area had received 656 mm rain in October and 660 mm in November. Against this, in the current year, the area has received only 145 mm during October and just 92 mm during the first half of November.
Normally, during the same time last year, nearly 1.5 lakh birds had arrived but,this year, the figure is around 40,000. Certain species like the slender-billed gulls, Ibis, painted storks, spoon-bills and pelicans that fall in the rare worldwide category, could arrive during December because this sanctuary usually serves as a temporary halt location for them as they wing across to other countries like Sri Lanka.


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Good news for lovers of golden eagles - their population in Scotland has increased by 15 per cent over the last decade as per latest figures. Conservationists have welcomed the results of the fourth national golden eagle survey that reveals the population of these bird of prey have increased from 442 in the last survey in 2003 to 508 pairs at present.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 10 November 2016.

In the opinion of experts, the golden eagle, regarded as national bird of Scotland is recovering to previous historic levels. This is attributed to increased monitoring and satellite tagging of eagles, apart from stronger sanctions against wildlife crime. These are believed to be deterrents against illegal activity, hence helping their population to increase.
Having crossed the 500 pair mark, golden eagles are now designated 'favorable conservation status' in the UK and the Scottish Gamekeepers Association (SGA) was 'delighted' that the golden eagle was now in favorable status. Incidentally, the Cairngorms National Park is now one of the largest concentrations of golden eagles per land area anywhere on the planet.


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Animals are sacrificed to appease the Gods and in UP, as Diwali approaches, the bird markets witness a very seasonal and very brutal trade in owls. This is done by some in the belief that if an owl is sacrificed in a house during Lakshmi puja, the goddess will be forced to "stay" with the family and bring in the riches.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 29 October 2016.

Much of this trade is routed through Agra, as revealed by wildlife activists. In the city, the birds costing upwards of Rs 30,000 each, can even be home delivered. Moreover, for the squeamish, the trader will sacrifice it for the believers.
In the opinion of wildlife activists, Agra is one of the major hubs for this trade and places like Korai-Karavili village, near Fatehpuri Sikri, and Kosi Kalan in Mathura are infamous for it.
These owls are sold at a premium and are brought in only after a specific demand is made. This demand is usually for black magic, or during the Diwali season for sacrifice. The birds are often delivered right to the buyer's doorstep due to which such transactions remains undocumented.


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Conservationists are worried about the fate of wildlife and have warned that nature is facing a global "mass extinction" for the first time ever since the demise of the dinosaurs. It is an alarming situation because figures paint a very grim picture. It seems global wildlife populations are set to fall by more than two thirds on 1970 levels by the end of the decade.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 27 October 2016.

The figures of 14,152 populations of 3,706 species of mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles from around the world shows a 58% fall between 1970 and 2012. There is no indication that the average 2% drop in numbers each year will slow. This is based on a Living Planet report from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL).
The report goes on to caution that by 2020 populations of vertebrate species could have fallen by 67% over a 50-year period unless corrective action is taken on priority to reverse the damaging impacts of human activity. The main reasons for this trend is over-exploitation, loss of habitat, climate change and pollution.
A few examples are - loss of African elephants in Tanzania due to poaching, drop in numbers of maned wolves in Brazil because of grasslands being turned into farmland. Some other species under threat are the orcas or killer whales, leatherback turtles, the European eel and vultures in south-east Asia.


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Human-animal conflict leaves 454 people and 2,261 animals (388 elephants) dead in Odisha

The human-animal conflict in Odisha over the last six years has led to death of 454 people and 2,261 animals - 388 of these were elephants, as revealed by the Forest Department. The major reason for high number of death of elephants are poaching, poisoning, accidents and deliberate electrocution.
As many as 362 persons were killed by elephants in the past six years while 92 were killed by other animals. As to injuries - a total of 157 persons were injured by elephants and 736 by other animals.
This has been reported in thestatesman.com dated 21 October 2016.

Apart from elephants, the human-animal conflict also involved other animals like saltwater crocodiles, sloth bears, wild boars and leopards. In addition, 164 cattle have been killed by elephants, which also damaged 4,405 houses and crops over 69,071 acres.
It seems 28 jumbos were poached by hunters and wildlife smugglers, nine died due to poisoning and 60 in road and train accidents. In addition, electrocution claimed 50 lives during the period.
In order to minimize the human-animal conflict, new forests with plant species that elephants relish are being created and fresh water bodies are also being created while the existing ones are being renovated. On addition, stone walls, trenches and solar-powered wire fencing have been put up in sensitive areas to check the entry of elephants into human habitats.


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According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature's global conference in Honolulu it has been confirmed that the majestic species of Eastern Gorillas (Gorilla beringei) is now facing the risk of disappearing completely - there are hardly 5,000 of them left on Earth. This has been reported in zeenews.india.com dated 7 September 2016.

This is attributed to poaching because, poaching of wildlife is an industry that is growing at a fast pace and is promoting the already flourishing business of illegal wildlife trade. People forget to realize the importance of the existence of our animals and our biodiversity because it is etched in the functioning of the universe. Unfortunately, mankind marred by selfish motives, continues to seek personal benefits, which involves killing wildlife. Consequently, many animals are fast reaching the rungs of extinction and the latest species to fall victim to this are the Eastern Gorillas which are the world's largest gorillas. In addition, four out of six of the Earth's great apes are now critically endangered. These are Western Gorilla, Bornean Orangutan and Sumatran Orangutan. This has been indicated in the updated Red List of the IUCN - this is believed to be the world's most comprehensive inventory of plant and animal species. IUCN goes on to add that chimpanzees and bonobos are now endangered. The dwindling population of Eastern Gorilla is due to war, hunting and loss of land to refugees in the past 20 years have led to a "devastating population decline of more than 70 percent. In fact, one of the two subspecies of Eastern gorilla, known as Grauer's gorilla (G. b. graueri), has drastically declined since 1994 when there were 16,900 individuals, to just 3,800 in 2015.


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Wild animal attacks killed 166 persons in India in last three years

In the last three years, a total of 166 Death of humans by attacks of wild animals have been reported. Out of these, as many as 133 were from attacks by elephants. A total of 24 deaths were reported due to attack by elephants and nine due to other animals from April 2015 to September 2015.
This information has been furnished by Comptroller and Auditor General of India report on Economic Sector for the year ended March 2015.
The report has mentioned that '... In recent years, unrestricted biotic influences in wildlife habitats had created disastrous consequences on human life due to attack by wild animals...'
This has been reported in thehindu.com dated 4 September 2016.

The CAG has also noted that the consolidated details of cases of human injury, damage to property and crops, death of livestock based on their occurrences were not maintained. However, the data is based on compensation payments made to victims, the details of loss of life and property which was available.
The report added that the remaining deaths were attributed to animals like tiger, leopard, wild boar, wild gaur etc - this loss during 2012-15 had increased from 5 to 15.


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Patrol increased after death of a rare species of owl in Santa Fe

The burrowing owl is a rare species and is in the list of protected species. Hence, the death of one of these birds in the Caja del Rio area near Santa Fe has forced the authorities to put more officers on patrol. The bird was apparently killed.
This has been reported in foxnews.com dated 11 July 2016.

Such a killing is rare, and the incident is being taken seriously because the species is among those protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. People in the region care for wildlife here. Killing the protected owl could lead to six months in prison and a $500 fine.
As per available evidence the owl was killed by a gunshot. A bird watcher had photographed two burrowing owls on June 27, and three days later one of them was missing. It was found nearby. One of its leg was missing and the wings were spread as if it had been flying when it was struck. X-rays showed shrapnel in the bird's left wing and shoulder blade.
Incidentally, burrowing owls usually stay close to the ground and make use of tunnels left behind by prairie dogs for homes and to lay eggs.


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Death of 39 elephants in a year in Odisha is a matter of concern

The death of 39 elephants in a year in Odisha is a matter of concern for the wildlife wing of the forest department and they appear to have no clue as to how the deaths occurred even though months have passed after discovering the carcasses.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 21 June 2016.

These 39 elephants had died within a span of 14 months between April 2015 and June 12, 2016 and six of these came to the notice of the department after a month and three after four months. It seems a total of 91 elephants had died in the past 14 months, and 39 of the carcasses were decomposed. These are findings of a survey conducted by Wildlife Society of Odisha (WSO) which is an NGO working for conservation of wildlife.
As per the 2015 elephant census, the jumbo population in the state had increased up by 24, but the number of reported deaths since then must have brought down their numbers. The census had pegged the number of female elephants at 1096 and tusker at 341 besides 490 adult elephants.
The usual practice is for local villagers to inform the forest officials about the deaths of the animals. On June 12, the wildlife wing had reported death of three elephants - it had been attributed to lightning strikes. In case of fully decomposed carcasses, it is difficult to ascertain the cause.


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On the trail of the four horned antelope or chousingha

The elusive chousingha or four-horned antelope is listed as vulnerable and they have been sighted in the forests of Saranda in West Singhbhum district. A four-member team of wildlife experts from Tamil Nadu who have been studying for a month now the fauna flourish in the forests once dominated by Maoists have, apparently, chanced upon excreta of what they believe is of the chousingha. It was seen in Hatichowk in the Baraiburu jungles of Gua range in Saranda two days ago.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 13 June 2016.

The state forest department had commissioned the survey by eco group Green Future Foundation. This was done after a herd was sighted earlier this year. The study group has now been asked to set up camera traps for further authentication. The experts were expected to submit their report by November so that conservation plans for the vulnerable species could be drawn up.
Incidentally, the chousingha is a small antelope primarily found in India and Nepal. It has four horns, which distinguishes it from most other bovids (cloven-hoofed animals). It is a diurnal animal which means they are active mainly during the day. They are solitary by nature but may form loose groups of three to five, with one or more adults, sometimes accompanied by juveniles. These elusive animals feed on grass, herbs, shrubs, foliage, flowers and fruits and needs to drink water frequently. Hence, they stay near sources of water.


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