Health officials investigate a chicken farm in Sekikawa village, northern Japan, after a highly contagious avi... Read More
30 Nov 2016
Highly-contagious bird flu found in Japan, culling start
Health officials investigate a chicken farm in Sekikawa village, northern Japan, after a highly contagious avi... Read More
On World Animal Day, a sad news: Royal Bengal tiger Palash dies
13-year-old Palash died at 3.15am today. (TOI photo) NEW DELHI: Royal Bengal tiger Palash, who had been diagnosed with kidney failure, died in Mumbai's Sanjay Gandhi National Park early on Tuesday. The tiger succumbed to his condition today, which also happens to be the World Animal Day.
"Tiger Palash passed away this morning at 3.15 am. The Royal Bengal Tiger was 13 years old and had renal issues. It had stopped eating since last Wednesday," said Dr Shailesh Pethe, veterinarian at Sanjay Gandhi national park.
Palash's death comes shortly after Ranthambore's legendary tigress 'Machhli' died in August, aged 19.
"Palash had been in a critical condition for a while after he had a fit and the doctors found that his kidneys had stopped working. A blood test was conducted on Wednesday, which revealed that his serum creatinine value shot up to 31 mg, indicating acute renal failure," said Dr Pethe.
His condition deteriorated rapidly over last weekend and he had stopped eating since the past couple of days. He had been drinking only water and passing a lot of urine.
The big cat was brought to the national park from Madhya Pradesh a decade ago when he was about three years old. The average life expectancy of a tiger is about 15 years.
Palash had fathered four tigers - Yash, Anand, Laxmi and Puja.
"Tiger Palash passed away this morning at 3.15 am. The Royal Bengal Tiger was 13 years old and had renal issues. It had stopped eating since last Wednesday," said Dr Shailesh Pethe, veterinarian at Sanjay Gandhi national park.
Palash's death comes shortly after Ranthambore's legendary tigress 'Machhli' died in August, aged 19.
"Palash had been in a critical condition for a while after he had a fit and the doctors found that his kidneys had stopped working. A blood test was conducted on Wednesday, which revealed that his serum creatinine value shot up to 31 mg, indicating acute renal failure," said Dr Pethe.
His condition deteriorated rapidly over last weekend and he had stopped eating since the past couple of days. He had been drinking only water and passing a lot of urine.
The big cat was brought to the national park from Madhya Pradesh a decade ago when he was about three years old. The average life expectancy of a tiger is about 15 years.
Palash had fathered four tigers - Yash, Anand, Laxmi and Puja.
Sharks: Feared predator in need of protection
As top predators in the oceans, sharks play a crucial role in the food chain. JOHANNESBURG: Sharks may elicit less sympathy than elephants or rhinos, but experts say the feared predators are under increasing pressure from unmanaged commercial fishing and desperately in need of further protection.
Unregulated fishing and international trade in shark products for human consumption have led to a precipitous drop in numbers.
An estimated 100 million sharks are killed every year, according to an authoritative 2013 study, an amount that conservationists say threatens the survival of many shark species.
Sharks are slow-growing and slow to reproduce, and the market for their body parts -- especially fins and gill plates -- are driving overfishing.
Shark are also hunted for their meat, skin, liver oil and cartilage, as well as being accidentally caught by industrial "longline" fishing.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) conference, which is under way in Johannesburg, is to vote on whether to increase protection for the silky shark and three species of thresher sharks.
The decision would put them into the CITES "appendix II", which bans all trade in parts, unless under stringent conditions.
"The demand particularly for fins, for meat and gill plates is higher than ever," warned Andy Cornish, an expert on sharks at the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
"Many countries have no management whatsoever for sharks -- anybody can take whatever they want.
"Even in some countries that have regulations, they are not well enforced, and as a result, 25 percent of sharks and rays and their relatives are threatened with extinction."
Fiji, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, which rely on marine life for tourism, are leading proposals to have 13 threatened species of shark and rays given stronger CITES protection.
"Sharks are a vital ecological part of the ocean fabric and rays are keystone species, so we need to protect them," Dan Ashe, director of the US Fish and Wildlife Services, told AFP.
"Silky sharks, thresher sharks and the devil rays are being unsustainably harvested."
Fins are the most valuable part of sharks, with shark fin soup often consumed at prestigious banquets in China, Hong Kong and Singapore.
"Finning" -- slicing off shark fins while they are alive and tossing them back into the water to die -- has been banned by many regional fishing bodies, but still occurs in parts of south-east Asia.
In a high-profile attempt to curb consumption, China recently outlawed fin soup at state functions.
According to the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), sales of shark and ray meat rose 40 percent in the decade to 2011.
"The global trade in shark and ray parts and products is nearing $1 billion in annual value," said Amie Brautigan, WCS's sharks and rays expert.
In 2003, basking sharks and whale sharks were the first sharks put onto appendix II, and following the last CITES meeting in 2013, a total of eight species of sharks and all manta rays were included.
Rallying behind the need for more protection is South African shark attack survivor Achmat Hassiem.
Ten years ago, Hassiem, a lifeguard, lost half his leg when a great white shark attacked him in the sea off Cape Town.
He has since become a Paralympian swimmer -- and an advocate for conservation.
"I think movies that portray sharks as man-eating monsters do a huge disservice to sharks," the 34-year-old told AFP.
"As top predators in the oceans, they play a crucial role in the food chain. Without them, there is an imbalance that funnels right down to the coral."
If the CITES shark proposals are adopted, shark catching countries will be required to regulate fishing and issue export permits to ensure sustainability in the wild.
The conference in Johannesburg, which ends on Wednesday, is sifting through 62 proposals to tighten or loosen trade restrictions on around 500 species.
Unregulated fishing and international trade in shark products for human consumption have led to a precipitous drop in numbers.
An estimated 100 million sharks are killed every year, according to an authoritative 2013 study, an amount that conservationists say threatens the survival of many shark species.
Sharks are slow-growing and slow to reproduce, and the market for their body parts -- especially fins and gill plates -- are driving overfishing.
Shark are also hunted for their meat, skin, liver oil and cartilage, as well as being accidentally caught by industrial "longline" fishing.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) conference, which is under way in Johannesburg, is to vote on whether to increase protection for the silky shark and three species of thresher sharks.
The decision would put them into the CITES "appendix II", which bans all trade in parts, unless under stringent conditions.
"The demand particularly for fins, for meat and gill plates is higher than ever," warned Andy Cornish, an expert on sharks at the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
"Many countries have no management whatsoever for sharks -- anybody can take whatever they want.
"Even in some countries that have regulations, they are not well enforced, and as a result, 25 percent of sharks and rays and their relatives are threatened with extinction."
Fiji, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, which rely on marine life for tourism, are leading proposals to have 13 threatened species of shark and rays given stronger CITES protection.
"Sharks are a vital ecological part of the ocean fabric and rays are keystone species, so we need to protect them," Dan Ashe, director of the US Fish and Wildlife Services, told AFP.
"Silky sharks, thresher sharks and the devil rays are being unsustainably harvested."
Fins are the most valuable part of sharks, with shark fin soup often consumed at prestigious banquets in China, Hong Kong and Singapore.
"Finning" -- slicing off shark fins while they are alive and tossing them back into the water to die -- has been banned by many regional fishing bodies, but still occurs in parts of south-east Asia.
In a high-profile attempt to curb consumption, China recently outlawed fin soup at state functions.
According to the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), sales of shark and ray meat rose 40 percent in the decade to 2011.
"The global trade in shark and ray parts and products is nearing $1 billion in annual value," said Amie Brautigan, WCS's sharks and rays expert.
In 2003, basking sharks and whale sharks were the first sharks put onto appendix II, and following the last CITES meeting in 2013, a total of eight species of sharks and all manta rays were included.
Rallying behind the need for more protection is South African shark attack survivor Achmat Hassiem.
Ten years ago, Hassiem, a lifeguard, lost half his leg when a great white shark attacked him in the sea off Cape Town.
He has since become a Paralympian swimmer -- and an advocate for conservation.
"I think movies that portray sharks as man-eating monsters do a huge disservice to sharks," the 34-year-old told AFP.
"As top predators in the oceans, they play a crucial role in the food chain. Without them, there is an imbalance that funnels right down to the coral."
If the CITES shark proposals are adopted, shark catching countries will be required to regulate fishing and issue export permits to ensure sustainability in the wild.
The conference in Johannesburg, which ends on Wednesday, is sifting through 62 proposals to tighten or loosen trade restrictions on around 500 species.
Hyderabad pup wins PETA's 'Cutest Indian Dog Alive' contest
Voters helped Rosco win PETA’s 2016 Cutest Indian Dog Alive contest. (Image courtesy: PETA) HYDERABAD: After hundreds of votes and careful deliberation by judges from the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, Rosco, whose guardian is Spandana Raj, beat out nine other finalists to win PETA's 5th annual 'Cutest Indian Dog Alive' contest.
The contest was created to show that the kindest thing a prospective guardian can do is to adopt an Indian dog from the streets or an animal shelter, PETA said in a statement.
The second-place winner of the contest is Nekti, whose guardian is Ananya Karmakar of Kolkata, while Petu, whose guardian is Minima Peres from Goa secured the third place.
"Rosco proves that adopting a dog from the streets or an animal shelter can fill your life with a joy and love that words can't express", says PETA CEO Poorva Joshipura.
"I found Rosco tied to a tea stall. [He] came home and has been with us for two years now. Rosco is a happy and loving dog," Spandana said.
PETA urged prospective guardians to adopt an Indian community dog from the streets or an animal shelter, rather than buying puppies from pet shops.
Breeders and pet shops often keep animals in dismal conditions, and because pedigree dogs are bred for certain exaggerated physical traits, such as long ears and drooping backs, many of them suffer from health ailments, including breathing problems, cancer, heart disease, bleeding disorders, skeletal malformations, and eye problems, the statement said.
The contest was created to show that the kindest thing a prospective guardian can do is to adopt an Indian dog from the streets or an animal shelter, PETA said in a statement.
The second-place winner of the contest is Nekti, whose guardian is Ananya Karmakar of Kolkata, while Petu, whose guardian is Minima Peres from Goa secured the third place.
"Rosco proves that adopting a dog from the streets or an animal shelter can fill your life with a joy and love that words can't express", says PETA CEO Poorva Joshipura.
"I found Rosco tied to a tea stall. [He] came home and has been with us for two years now. Rosco is a happy and loving dog," Spandana said.
PETA urged prospective guardians to adopt an Indian community dog from the streets or an animal shelter, rather than buying puppies from pet shops.
Breeders and pet shops often keep animals in dismal conditions, and because pedigree dogs are bred for certain exaggerated physical traits, such as long ears and drooping backs, many of them suffer from health ailments, including breathing problems, cancer, heart disease, bleeding disorders, skeletal malformations, and eye problems, the statement said.
Giant dinosaur footprint discovered in Mongolia desert
Representative image TOKYO: One of the biggest dinosaur footprints ever recorded has been unearthed in the Gobi Desert, researchers said on Friday, offering a fresh clue about the giant creatures that roamed the earth millions of years ago.
A joint Mongolian-Japanese expedition found the giant print, which measures 106 centimetres (42 inches) long and 77 centimetres wide.
One of several footprints discovered in the vast Mongolian desert, the huge fossil was discovered last month in a geologic layer formed between 70 million and 90 million years ago, researchers said.
It was naturally cast, as sand flowed into dents that had been left by the creature stomping on the once muddy ground.
The footprint is believed to have belonged to Titanosaur, a long-necked dinosaur, and could have been more than 30 metres long and 20 metres tall, according researchers.
"This is a very rare discovery as it's a well-preserved fossil footprint that is more than a metre long with imprints of its claws," said a statement issued by Okayama University of Science.
The Japanese university has been involved in the study with the Mongolian Academy of Science.
A joint Mongolian-Japanese expedition found the giant print, which measures 106 centimetres (42 inches) long and 77 centimetres wide.
One of several footprints discovered in the vast Mongolian desert, the huge fossil was discovered last month in a geologic layer formed between 70 million and 90 million years ago, researchers said.
It was naturally cast, as sand flowed into dents that had been left by the creature stomping on the once muddy ground.
The footprint is believed to have belonged to Titanosaur, a long-necked dinosaur, and could have been more than 30 metres long and 20 metres tall, according researchers.
"This is a very rare discovery as it's a well-preserved fossil footprint that is more than a metre long with imprints of its claws," said a statement issued by Okayama University of Science.
The Japanese university has been involved in the study with the Mongolian Academy of Science.
Ant species ready to take over world, suggests new study
Lepisiota dispatching Pheidole ant. (Pic courtesy: D Magdalena Sorger)
29 Nov 2016
10 facts you should know about factory-farmed chickens
Industrial meat chicken farming is one of the biggest causes of __animal suffering globally. Yet most people have no idea about the suffering these intelligent, sensitive animals endure
Global chicken consumption is growing each year, so to keep up with demand, and so companies farming chickens for meat have significantly sped up the growing process.
However, in many cases the welfare of chickens is completely disregarded, leaving them to suffer miserably throughout their short lives.
Did you know?
- Around 60 billion chickens are reared for meat each year. 40 billion of these are raised in huge, crowded sheds, or cramped cages. They are kept in dismal conditions and suffer painful heart, skin, lung and bone problems and stress.
- Chicken is one of the world’s most popular meats. Between 1996-2016, demand for chicken meat grew almost 40% in the European Union, 89% in China and 183% in India.
- A factory-farmed chicken lives an average of 42 days. In the wild, chickens can live for several years.
- Many factory-grown chickens gain more than 50g in weight every day. However, their immune systems, organs and legs cannot keep up, so they suffer a range of physical problems as a result.
- Meat chickens are still babies when they’re slaughtered. Due to increased growth rate and shortened life span, chickens bred for meat may look fully-grown despite still being young.
- Only specific breeds of chicken are bred for meat. They’re genetically selected for their ability to reach ‘slaughter weight’” as fast as possible.
- Around 2,000 meat chickens are slaughtered every second around the world.
- Many meat chickens live in a space smaller than an A4 piece of paper. By the time they’re ready for slaughter, there’s barely space for them to move.
- Chickens love ‘dust-bathing’. They dig shallow holes to jump in, then cover themselves in dry dust and dirt. It’s an important natural behaviour, keeps feathers in good condition, and removes parasites. Factory-grown chickens are commonly prevented from dust-bathing and carrying out other important behaviours, such as pecking, scratching and perching.
- 71% of people never when ask where the chicken is from when buying it at a fast-food outlet. This insight came from our recent survey of 12,000 people.
Steve McIvor, our CEO, said: "This conveyor belt of rapidly-grown chickens comes at a price. Behind the world’s favourite meat is an unacceptable cost of suffering that is increasing as the global demand for chicken grows."
Progress of egg-laying hen welfare must be replicated
In recent years, more consumers have demanded higher welfare egg products. In response, several food companies, including Nestle and McDonald’s, have pledged to go cage-free for egg laying hens.
Unfortunately, however, the plight of meat chickens remains hidden. Most people don’t know about the endless suffering a meat chicken endures before it becomes meat on a plate.
Sign our petition to KFC
Join us in challenging KFC, one of the world’s largest fast-food retailers, to improve the welfare of billions of chickens in its supply chain.
We’re urging KFC to:
- Use chicken breeds that grow at a slower, more natural rate
- Allow more living space for chickens
- Provide more things for chickens to engage with and explore, such as perches and hay bales
- Introduce natural light in chicken sheds
Add your name to our KFC petition now.
"This conveyor belt of rapidly-grown chickens comes at a price. Behind the world’s favourite meat is an unacceptable cost of suffering that is increasing as the global demand for chicken grows."
Categories:
Animals in farming
Factory farming
We’re urgently petitioning Brazil senators not to legalise animal cruelty
Tomorrow, Wednesday November 30, senators in Brazil will vote to allow some forms of __animal abuse in the name of culture, including cruel ‘Vaquejada’ sport
Currently, the Brazilian Constitution forbids all practices that subject animals to cruelty.
However, if voted in, the constitutional amendment (PEC 50) will open exceptions to practices registered as an ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage’ in Brazil. This would include both rodeos and ‘Vaquejadas’, which cause tremendous suffering to the animals involved.
Please sign our urgent petition now to demand PEC 50 is not passed, and animals are not subjected to cruelty in the name of culture.
A brutal sport
Similar to bullfighting in Spain, Vaquejada is considered a cultural tradition, and is also inherently cruel.
Bulls are chased by men on horses, brutally pulled by their tails until they fall to the ground, subjecting the horses to stress and bulls to severe physical abuse. Bulls’ tails have several nerve endings, so pulling them causes extreme pain.
Some bulls even have their tails completely ripped off during Vaquejada.
Rosangela Ribeiro, our veterinary programmes manager in Brazil says: “Supporting the brutal torment of animals for entertainment deeply tarnishes the __animal protection legislations we currently have in Brazil.
“Vaquejada is cruel and outdated and has no place in modern society; culture should stop where cruelty starts.”
Cruelty, not culture
Authors of the Constitutional amendment proposal claim that the Vaquejadas are an important tradition. However, the severe animal cruelty involved in sports such as Vaquejada is not justifiable by the idea of tradition.
If the amendment is approved, cruel activities involving animals will be carried without restraints. It could also be used to validate other activities that threaten the welfare of animals.
Sign the petition now to help stop the constitutional amendment, and please share it with your friends and family before senators in Brazil vote on Wednesday, November 30.
"Vaquejada is cruel and outdated and has no place in modern society; culture should stop where cruelty starts."
Categories:
Animals in entertainment
28 Nov 2016
We’re working to save 70,000 animals after Hurricane Otto in Costa Rica
Our disaster response team deployed to heavily affected regions on Friday (November 25), the day after the hurricane struck. We are providing emergency feed and veterinary care for cattle, pigs, dogs and cats
People and animals, especially in farmland areas, are reeling from the rain, floods, wind and mudslides caused by Hurricane Otto, which hit the Central American country on Thursday November 24.
During this initial response, we’re assisting 1,500 cattle, 300 pigs, 900 dogs and 200 cats in the heavily affected Upala and Bagaces regions. We also set up a mobile clinic over the weekend to help wounded and hungry animals.
Families in the path of Hurricane Otto depend on livestock for subsistence, and many also keep pets, so it was important we reached affected animals as soon as possible.
"Animals are a critical source of livelihood. The loss of animals has a significant social and economic impact on people, especially on those with lower resources and in rural areas," said Juan Carlos Murillo, our disaster response manager.
Working to protect 70,000 animals
The hurricane put animals at risk of trauma, injuries and drowning. Survivors are vulnerable to disease, parasites and bacterial infections.
We are coordinating with the National Emergency Commission, the __animal Health Services (SENASA) and other expert organisations to provide further assistance to animals and their families over the next few days. We aim to reach 70,000 animals there.
As well as Costa Rican animals, we’re also speaking with contacts in Nicaragua and Panama to monitor the needs of their animals that may also be affected by Hurricane Otto.
Find out more about the work we do to protect animals from natural disasters.
"Animals are a critical source of livelihood. The loss of animals has a significant social and economic impact on people, especially on those with lower resources and in rural areas."
Categories:
Animals in disasters
Why animals matter in a disaster
Disaster response team
Key case studies
25 Nov 2016
Dairy animal welfare needs to be improved by the Indian Government
We’re urging the Indian Government to improve the lives of millions of dairy cows and buffalo, after our latest opinion poll revealed overwhelming support for better dairy welfare standards
Almost 90% of the 3,000 people we recently surveyed in India said the cruel treatment of animals in local dairies is unacceptable. This fascinating insight shows the strong public support for better protection of dairy animals across India.
With almost 300 million dairy cows and buffalo, India is by far the largest dairy producer in the world. Improving welfare standards there would improve the lives of countless animals.
Suffering and deprivation in illegal dairies
Almost half of respondents were unaware that millions of animals are kept in illegal, unregulated dairies in Indian cities and suburbs. The animals suffer in barren and unsanitary conditions, often tied up their whole lives, and deprived of basic needs such as access to clean water and food.
The survey also revealed:
- almost 90% of people surveyed strongly agreed that dairies should be closed if they don’t consider the welfare needs of dairy animals
- almost 87% think the government should intervene, and enforce better welfare standards and practices
- nearly 90% are more likely to buy products from companies that source from dairies adopting better __animal welfare practices
- three out of four who regularly buy dairy brands, would be willing to pay 5-10% more for products that come from dairies offering better __animal welfare.
Urging the Indian Government to protect dairy animals
It’s India’s National Milk Day tomorrow, November 26, and the survey results have prompted us, on, to call on the Government to demand better welfare for dairy animals.
Without intervention, millions more dairy animals will be kept in cramped indoor conditions, denied their basic freedoms.
Dairy animals, like all animals, have the right to be free from suffering.
Gajender Sharma, our country director in India, says:
"It’s unacceptable that animals are living in appalling conditions, where their basic needs are not met. These results show that people want better welfare for our dairy cattle, and it matters to them where their milk comes from."
In 2014 we introduced the first National Dairy Code of Practice for the Management of Dairy Animals in India, which offers guidance on humane and sustainable practices in Indian dairies.
Maj. Gen. (Dr.) R. M. Kharb, chairman, animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) says:
"AWBI strongly supports the adoption of better welfare practices for dairy animals in India. Implementing guidelines from the National Code of Practice, developed by the National Dairy Research Institute, in partnership with World Animal Protection, will help dairy animals live happier, healthier and more productive lives."
The Code must be implemented and enforced as soon as possible. The survey results, as well as advice from the Animal Welfare Board of India, only reinforce its urgent need.
Learn more about how we’re improving the lives of billions of farm animals.
"These results show that people want better welfare for our dairy cattle, and it matters to them where their milk comes from." - Gajender Sharma, our country director in India
Categories:
Animals in farming
Our lobbying for animals pays off, as UN recognises their importance in natural disaster risk reduction
A new UN agreement on disaster risk reduction gives animals increased prominence, and recognises them as integral to people’s livelihoods
We have been lobbying the United Nations (UN) for three years, and had a breakthrough recently when Member States agreed to measure the impact of disasters on animals.
The measurement of impact on animals in natural disasters will now be part of the monitoring and evaluation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030).
One billion people rely on animals
Over one billion of the world’s poorest people rely on animals for food, transport and their livelihoods. Governments will now include animals in disaster risk reduction strategies, disaster management planning and thus, reduce suffering and saving livelihoods.
Countries have struggled to estimate how disasters affect animals. Decision-makers will now have more accurate and regular data on the impact of disasters on animals. They will be able to better reduce the risks animals are exposed to, and help communities prepare and get back on their feet more quickly.
A welcome step forward
Gerardo Huertas, our director of disaster management, said: “While saving human life in disaster must be the priority, the animals that people depend on for their livelihoods should come a close second. We’ve been fighting for many years to get animals included so this is a welcome step forward.
“This decision will help show the benefits of __animal protection in hard figures… By agreeing that __animal impacts must be accounted for, the world takes a step closer to full recognition that animals are a critical source of livelihoods and that the loss of animals has a significant social and economic impact on people.
“This will guide the disaster risk reduction policy and action in every single country in the world going forward and is a big step in protecting animals in disasters.”
Learn more about the work we do protect animals from natural disasters.
“While saving human life in disaster must be the priority, the animals that people depend on for their livelihoods should come a close second.” - Gerardo Huertas, our director of disaster management
24 Nov 2016
Lenient poacher punishments undermine efforts to protect tigers
Our new report warns short prison sentences and small fines may not stop determined tiger poachers in Indonesia killing these beautiful, endangered animals
The report, ‘Examining the shifting patterns of poaching from a long-term law enforcement intervention in Sumatra’, is the result of a study we funded. The study was carried out by Fauna & Flora International’s Indonesia Programme, Indonesia Kerinci Seblat NP Management Authority, and University of Oxford’s Wildlife Conservation and Research Unit (WildCRU).
The report is based on tiger patrol records from Kerinci Seblat National Park, Indonesia, between 2005-2014 and was published this week in the scientific journal ‘Biological Conservation’. It finds that efforts to protect tigers at the park were highly effective, but are undermined by lenient punishment for poachers.
"Tigers are in trouble. After being trapped and terrified in a poacher’s snare, they are cruelly slaughtered for their skins, claws and bones. Rangers work around the clock to protect these beautiful big cats, but their hard work needs to be supported by jail time and fines that will make poachers think twice before setting their snares." – Dr Neil D’Cruze, our head of wildlife research and policy, and contributing author.
We supported this research to help create a world where tigers can live safely in the wild. We also want to help end the unacceptable, horrific suffering tigers endure when they’re trapped in poachers’ snares and then killed for their body parts.
National Park patrols alone are not enough
During the decade studied, there were a total of 757 anti-poaching patrollers on foot, 3,713-patrol team days, and 13,947 km was walked. The teams detected and destroyed 231 tiger snares in the National Park, and led 24 enforcement operations that resulted in the arrest of 40 tiger poachers and traders.
90% of individuals arrested for tiger poaching in Kerinci Seblat were prosecuted.
But despite the Tiger Protection and Conservation Units’ thorough work, poachers are receiving average prison sentences of just one year, and fines of around 107 USD once caught.
Poaching is a devastating threat to tigers
There are only around 3,500 of these endangered animals left in the wild, and poaching is one of their biggest threats.
Deforestation, encroachment of habitat and poaching (for their skins, bones, teeth and claws) have devastated tiger populations across Asia, but countries with these big cats are working to increase their numbers.
Working to protect tigers in tourism
We’re working to protect tigers and other wild animals from the tourist entertainment industry.
More than 558,000 supporters helped us successfully urge TripAdvisor to end ticket sales to wildlife tourist entertainment venues, including attractions that offer cruel tiger selfies.
"Rangers work around the clock to protect these beautiful big cats, but their hard work needs to be supported by jail time and fines that will make poachers think twice before setting their snares."
Categories:
Animals in the wild
Wildlife Trade collection
Animals in entertainment
The illegal trade of elephants at cattle fair must end
We have urged the Chief Minister of Bihar, India, to stop the illegal trade of elephants at the Sonepur fair
Every November on Kartik Poornima (full moon day), the world-famous Sonepur fair, which is known as the biggest cattle fair in Asia, takes place in Bihar, India.
Last year around 14 elephants were displayed at the event. Sadly, these majestic animals experience tremendous suffering when they are displayed, due to wounds caused by travelling to the fair in cramped conditions, as well as being beaten with bull hooks and sharpened bamboo sticks during a training process called ‘the crush’. Constant public probing also adds to their distress. These animals are often caught from the wild before being subjected to ‘the crush’, which breaks them into human submission. There are reports that these elephants have been bought by traders in Kerala, Nepal and Rajasthan.
The elephant is listed in the schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act of India, 1972 and is also revered in Indian culture. We have written to the Chief Minister of Bihar to take whatever possible action to ensure that the illegal trade of elephants that takes place in the Sonepur fair is stopped.
Wildlife belongs in the wild. Learn more about our Wildlife Not Entertainers campaign. #NotEntertainers
These animals are often caught from the wild before being subjected to ‘the crush’, which breaks them into human submission
Jia Jia, world's oldest-ever panda in captivity, dies at 38
Jia Jia looks on during her 37th birthday. (AFP file photo)
Barring China, other member countries of CITES unanimous on curbing tiger farming for trade
DEHRADUN: At the 17th Conference of the Parties (CoP) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) which concluded recently at Johnesburg, the member countries India, Nepal, the USA, European Union and Lao' People's Democratic Republic overruled a proposal from China to do away with the decision to end tiger farming. China was alone in opposing the decision, which states that "tigers should not be bred for trade in their parts and derivatives."
Avinash Basker, senior member of the WPSI said "The fact that there was no support for the Chinese proposal is a really encouraging sign. It shows that almost all parties are convinced that the breeding of tigers for their parts and derivatives is a serious conservation threat to __wild tigers."
According to sources, there are fewer than 4,000 __wild tigers remaining, with populations functionally extinct in some range states. The conservation of wild tigers requires action to end all trade in tiger parts and derivatives, and reduce and eventually eliminate demand for these products. Trade in parts and derivatives of captive bred tigers continues to be a threat, perpetuating the desirability of tiger products and stimulating poaching of wild tigers and other Asian big cats. Undeniably, wild tigers are doing best in range States where they are not considered a commodity and where they are not bred for trade in their parts and derivatives.
The delegation from Lao PDR elaborated on their government's intention to work with technical experts to phase out tiger farms. Lao PDR is the first of the tiger-farming countries to declare their intention to finally implement the decision to stop tiger breeding for trade.
Tito Joseph, program manager of Wildlife Protection Society of India said, "Lao PDR is home to transnational organized criminal networks that are exploiting weak legislation and enforcement. A significant investment of political and financial commitment to root out corruption and complacency is essential to turn words in to action."
He said, a number of decisions were taken at CITES conference that will review the efforts to improve legislation and enforcement. They will also put facilities that keep and breed tigers and other Asian big cats for commercial purposes under greater scrutiny.
There was support in principle for a proposal from India which encourages countries that make seizures of tiger skins to share photos of these with range states, to facilitate investigations into the origin of the skins.
Avinash Basker, senior member of the WPSI said "The fact that there was no support for the Chinese proposal is a really encouraging sign. It shows that almost all parties are convinced that the breeding of tigers for their parts and derivatives is a serious conservation threat to __wild tigers."
According to sources, there are fewer than 4,000 __wild tigers remaining, with populations functionally extinct in some range states. The conservation of wild tigers requires action to end all trade in tiger parts and derivatives, and reduce and eventually eliminate demand for these products. Trade in parts and derivatives of captive bred tigers continues to be a threat, perpetuating the desirability of tiger products and stimulating poaching of wild tigers and other Asian big cats. Undeniably, wild tigers are doing best in range States where they are not considered a commodity and where they are not bred for trade in their parts and derivatives.
The delegation from Lao PDR elaborated on their government's intention to work with technical experts to phase out tiger farms. Lao PDR is the first of the tiger-farming countries to declare their intention to finally implement the decision to stop tiger breeding for trade.
Tito Joseph, program manager of Wildlife Protection Society of India said, "Lao PDR is home to transnational organized criminal networks that are exploiting weak legislation and enforcement. A significant investment of political and financial commitment to root out corruption and complacency is essential to turn words in to action."
He said, a number of decisions were taken at CITES conference that will review the efforts to improve legislation and enforcement. They will also put facilities that keep and breed tigers and other Asian big cats for commercial purposes under greater scrutiny.
There was support in principle for a proposal from India which encourages countries that make seizures of tiger skins to share photos of these with range states, to facilitate investigations into the origin of the skins.
'Many more' corals die in Great Barrier Reef bleaching
An undated handout photo received from the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Stu... Read More
Poaching alert: 76 tigers dead this year
Highlights
- As many as 76 tiger deaths have been reported in the country from January to October this year
- Madhya Pradesh tops the list, accounting for nearly a third of all mortalities
- Karnataka, which boasts the highest tiger population among states, was in second spot with 13 deaths
23 Nov 2016
Need a mass movement to conserve forest, says environment minister Anil Madhav Dave
Union Environment minister Anil Madhav Dave (File photo)
World's oldest giant panda, 38, dies at Hong Kong theme park
World's oldest giant panda - Jia Jia (Reuters File Photo)
29 tigers killed in poaching this year, says govt
Highlights
- Twenty-nine tigers have died in poaching activities this year, the govt said on Tuesday.
- Till November 16 this year, 29 tigers have died due to poaching & 32 due to natural causes.
- Last year, 14 tigers had died due to poaching while 38 due to natural causes.
21 Nov 2016
One lakh ducks to be culled in Kerala, says Kerala animal husbandry minister K Raju
(Representative image)
19 Nov 2016
18 Nov 2016
Large scale conversion of forest land weakening monsoon: Study
Representative image. MUMBAI: Monsoon has weakened in the North-Eastern and North-Central India due to large-scale conversion of forest land to crop land, according to a study by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay.
The study undertaken by the IIT's Interdisciplinary Programme in Climate Studies warned that the condition would become "more critical" if deforestation continues at the present rate.
"Changes and variability of Indian monsoon are traditionally linked to large-scale atmospheric and oceanic circulations. Their association with local factors, such as, the recent changes of land use land cover (LULC) are largely overlooked," an official statement said.
Satellite data revealed large-scale changes of LULC in India, specifically in terms of the conversion of forest land to crop land.
Large-scale deforestation has been observed in India when the LULC map derived from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectro-Radiometer (MODIS) for 2000s is compared with that derived from Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) for 1980s.
The changes are visible in terms of significant decrease in the leaf area index, a term used to measure the green cover, it said.
A regional simulation of Indian south-west monsoon with two different LULC of 1980s and 2000s, keeping all the large-scale circulation same, reveals statistically significant reduction in monsoon rainfall over North-Central and North Eastern India with the changes in forest cover.
Large-scale conversion of forest land to crop land resulted in conversion of deep-rooted vegetation to shallow-rooted vegetation that further reduces evapo-transpiration (ET), a local moisture source to precipitation, it said.
"The precipitation that is being generated from local evapo-transpiration is known as recycled precipitation," it added.
Work on the impact of large-scale LULC has significant implication in terms of generating rainfall projections for future to be used for climate change adaptation. Climate models are mostly forced with increasing Green House Gas emissions, largely ignoring the future possible changes in LULC.
Recent studies show drying of Indian sub-continent due to warming of Western Indian Ocean. This condition would become more critical if deforestation continues at the present rate, the study noted.
"This needs to be seriously considered in the development of national policy of regional climate change mitigation," it said.
The study undertaken by the IIT's Interdisciplinary Programme in Climate Studies warned that the condition would become "more critical" if deforestation continues at the present rate.
"Changes and variability of Indian monsoon are traditionally linked to large-scale atmospheric and oceanic circulations. Their association with local factors, such as, the recent changes of land use land cover (LULC) are largely overlooked," an official statement said.
Satellite data revealed large-scale changes of LULC in India, specifically in terms of the conversion of forest land to crop land.
Large-scale deforestation has been observed in India when the LULC map derived from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectro-Radiometer (MODIS) for 2000s is compared with that derived from Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) for 1980s.
The changes are visible in terms of significant decrease in the leaf area index, a term used to measure the green cover, it said.
A regional simulation of Indian south-west monsoon with two different LULC of 1980s and 2000s, keeping all the large-scale circulation same, reveals statistically significant reduction in monsoon rainfall over North-Central and North Eastern India with the changes in forest cover.
Large-scale conversion of forest land to crop land resulted in conversion of deep-rooted vegetation to shallow-rooted vegetation that further reduces evapo-transpiration (ET), a local moisture source to precipitation, it said.
"The precipitation that is being generated from local evapo-transpiration is known as recycled precipitation," it added.
Work on the impact of large-scale LULC has significant implication in terms of generating rainfall projections for future to be used for climate change adaptation. Climate models are mostly forced with increasing Green House Gas emissions, largely ignoring the future possible changes in LULC.
Recent studies show drying of Indian sub-continent due to warming of Western Indian Ocean. This condition would become more critical if deforestation continues at the present rate, the study noted.
"This needs to be seriously considered in the development of national policy of regional climate change mitigation," it said.
Rare endangered primate spotted in Vietnam
The Delacour's langur, black and white with a full face of whiskers, is indigenous to Vietnam. (Image courtesy: Flickr) HANOI: A new group of critically endangered primates has been spotted in Vietnam, raising hopes the rare creatures may not be wiped out in the next decade as scientists had feared.
The Delacour's langur, black and white with a full face of whiskers, is indigenous to Vietnam, but their numbers have dwindled in recent years because of poaching and mining activity in the country's northern forests.
A team of scientists from Fauna and Flora International spotted a group of about 40 of the primates, mostly juveniles and infants, bringing their total population to less than 250.
"It's great news for this particular species because had we not found this new population, they were in grave danger of being wiped out within a decade," spokeswoman for FFI in Vietnam, Akofa Wallace, told AFP on Tuesday.
"The fact that they are breeding is brilliant news," she added.
FFI did not say where scientists spotted the langurs, whose habitat is threatened by mining activity in the area, including charcoal production.
They are also targeted by poachers who hunt them for meat, with their bones used for traditional medicine and their pelts for decoration.
The primate was discovered in northern Vietnam in the 1930s by French scientist Jean Theodore Delacour, and are only found in Vietnam.
FFI country director Benjamin Rawson said urgent interventions were needed to protect the species, which numbered about 300 in the early 1990s.
"We continue to work alongside officials and local communities to ensure the Delacour's langur doesn't become this century's first primate extinction," Rawson said in a statement.
The rare animals are protected under Vietnam's conservation laws, but critics say the legislation is not effectively enforced and poaching of rare or endangered species continues unchecked.
Vietnam is home to some of world's most endangered species, including the mountainous antelope Saola, the Red River giant soft-shell turtle and the Tonkin snub-nosed monkey.
The Delacour's langur, black and white with a full face of whiskers, is indigenous to Vietnam, but their numbers have dwindled in recent years because of poaching and mining activity in the country's northern forests.
A team of scientists from Fauna and Flora International spotted a group of about 40 of the primates, mostly juveniles and infants, bringing their total population to less than 250.
"It's great news for this particular species because had we not found this new population, they were in grave danger of being wiped out within a decade," spokeswoman for FFI in Vietnam, Akofa Wallace, told AFP on Tuesday.
"The fact that they are breeding is brilliant news," she added.
FFI did not say where scientists spotted the langurs, whose habitat is threatened by mining activity in the area, including charcoal production.
They are also targeted by poachers who hunt them for meat, with their bones used for traditional medicine and their pelts for decoration.
The primate was discovered in northern Vietnam in the 1930s by French scientist Jean Theodore Delacour, and are only found in Vietnam.
FFI country director Benjamin Rawson said urgent interventions were needed to protect the species, which numbered about 300 in the early 1990s.
"We continue to work alongside officials and local communities to ensure the Delacour's langur doesn't become this century's first primate extinction," Rawson said in a statement.
The rare animals are protected under Vietnam's conservation laws, but critics say the legislation is not effectively enforced and poaching of rare or endangered species continues unchecked.
Vietnam is home to some of world's most endangered species, including the mountainous antelope Saola, the Red River giant soft-shell turtle and the Tonkin snub-nosed monkey.
Centre proposes stricter laws to stop wildlife trade
NEW DELHI: Seeking to provide more teeth to the existing wildlife protection law, the Centre is looking for an option to introduce clauses of stricter punishment and to change the law to bring it in sync with international conventions which target the trade in endangered species.
One of the proposals is to increase the penalties from existing Rs 500-Rs 25,000 to Rs 5,000-Rs 50 lakh for different violations under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and making provisions for imposing a separate penalty for offences related to hunting in tiger reserves. Though the environment ministry has not yet prepared any new formal draft of such changes, officials had discussion on the issue within the ministry keeping in mind the earlier draft that was prepared three years ago.
"The idea behind such discussions is to arrive at a decision for making the existing law much more stringent so that it can act as an effective deterrent to poachers and traders of parts of __wild animals", said an official. He said India was a party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of __wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and it was obligatory for the country to bring in necessary legislative changes to facilitate implementation of the provisions of the Convention.
The discussions on the issue were also held within the ministry as part of the country's preparedness for the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the CITES which will be held in Johannesburg next month.
Besides introducing the stricter punishment for different offences under the wildlife law, the proposals are also meant for introducing provisions for grant of permit for scientific research, allowing certain activities like grazing, movement of livestock and bonafide use of drinking and household water by local communities in wildlife areas and protection of hunting rights of Scheduled Tribe in the Union Territory of Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
The amendment, if any, in the existing law will also be meant for prohibition on use of animal traps (except under certain circumstances). It will also make provisions relating to the CITES so as to control illegal international trade in wildlife.
"Most of these proposals were, in fact, part of the earlier amendment Bill that was drafted during the UPA period in 2013. Idea is to fine-tune such provisions through consultations, incorporating suggestions of stakeholders including wildlife conservationists in the amended law", said the official.
One of the proposals is to increase the penalties from existing Rs 500-Rs 25,000 to Rs 5,000-Rs 50 lakh for different violations under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and making provisions for imposing a separate penalty for offences related to hunting in tiger reserves. Though the environment ministry has not yet prepared any new formal draft of such changes, officials had discussion on the issue within the ministry keeping in mind the earlier draft that was prepared three years ago.
"The idea behind such discussions is to arrive at a decision for making the existing law much more stringent so that it can act as an effective deterrent to poachers and traders of parts of __wild animals", said an official. He said India was a party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of __wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and it was obligatory for the country to bring in necessary legislative changes to facilitate implementation of the provisions of the Convention.
The discussions on the issue were also held within the ministry as part of the country's preparedness for the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the CITES which will be held in Johannesburg next month.
Besides introducing the stricter punishment for different offences under the wildlife law, the proposals are also meant for introducing provisions for grant of permit for scientific research, allowing certain activities like grazing, movement of livestock and bonafide use of drinking and household water by local communities in wildlife areas and protection of hunting rights of Scheduled Tribe in the Union Territory of Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
The amendment, if any, in the existing law will also be meant for prohibition on use of animal traps (except under certain circumstances). It will also make provisions relating to the CITES so as to control illegal international trade in wildlife.
"Most of these proposals were, in fact, part of the earlier amendment Bill that was drafted during the UPA period in 2013. Idea is to fine-tune such provisions through consultations, incorporating suggestions of stakeholders including wildlife conservationists in the amended law", said the official.
17 Nov 2016
Wildlife department catches crocodile from pond in J&K's Kathua district
(Representative image) JAMMU: A 6-feet-long crocodile was on Monday caught by a team of Wildlife department from a pond in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district.
The department was informed about the presence of some creature in a pond close to Sarora hamlet in Gagwal belt of Kathua district, a police officer said, adding the crocodile was on Monday recovered from the pond.
This is the first time that a crocodile has been found in the district, he said.
The department was informed about the presence of some creature in a pond close to Sarora hamlet in Gagwal belt of Kathua district, a police officer said, adding the crocodile was on Monday recovered from the pond.
This is the first time that a crocodile has been found in the district, he said.
Indonesia seizes hundreds of frozen pangolins
Some of the 657 dead and frozen pangolins displayed by Indonesian police in Surabaya, East Java (Photo: AFP) SURABAYA: Indonesian authorities have seized more than 650 critically endangered pangolins found hidden in freezers and arrested a man for allegedly breaking wildlife protection laws, police said on Friday.
Police discovered the pangolins, known as "scaly anteaters", when they raided a house in Jombang district on the main island of Java after local residents became suspicious about the large number of freezers in the property.
A total of 657 pangolins, which are consumed as a luxury dish in China and used in traditional medicine, were found wrapped in plastic and stored in five large freezers, East Java province police spokesman Raden Prabowo Argo Yuwono told AFP.
The house owner, a 55-year-old man whose identity was not disclosed, was arrested and has been named a suspect, a step in the Indonesian legal system meaning that authorities believe they have enough evidence to consider filing charges.
He could face five years in prison and a fine of 100 million rupiah ($7,500) for breaking wildlife protection laws.
"The suspect insisted the Pangolins were not his, a friend asked him to store the animals because he has freezers," Yuwono said, adding the friend named by the suspect was also being sought.
The suspect, who was arrested during the police raid on August 15, insisted he had not sold any of the pangolins and refused to tell police where they were to be sent, the spokesman said.
Pangolins are sought after in China and other parts of Asia for their meat, skin and scales. The meat is considered a delicacy, while the skin and scales are used in traditional medicine and to make fashion items such as make boots and shoes.
Protection group the International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies the pangolin species found in Indonesia as critically endangered.
Police discovered the pangolins, known as "scaly anteaters", when they raided a house in Jombang district on the main island of Java after local residents became suspicious about the large number of freezers in the property.
A total of 657 pangolins, which are consumed as a luxury dish in China and used in traditional medicine, were found wrapped in plastic and stored in five large freezers, East Java province police spokesman Raden Prabowo Argo Yuwono told AFP.
The house owner, a 55-year-old man whose identity was not disclosed, was arrested and has been named a suspect, a step in the Indonesian legal system meaning that authorities believe they have enough evidence to consider filing charges.
He could face five years in prison and a fine of 100 million rupiah ($7,500) for breaking wildlife protection laws.
"The suspect insisted the Pangolins were not his, a friend asked him to store the animals because he has freezers," Yuwono said, adding the friend named by the suspect was also being sought.
The suspect, who was arrested during the police raid on August 15, insisted he had not sold any of the pangolins and refused to tell police where they were to be sent, the spokesman said.
Pangolins are sought after in China and other parts of Asia for their meat, skin and scales. The meat is considered a delicacy, while the skin and scales are used in traditional medicine and to make fashion items such as make boots and shoes.
Protection group the International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies the pangolin species found in Indonesia as critically endangered.
10 birds die in Deer Park, anti-virus operation ordered
A Zoo staff member covers his face while spraying chemicals to prevent the Bird Flu (H5N1 avian influenza viru... Read More
16 Nov 2016
Lightning strike kills more than 300 reindeer in Norway
STOCKHOLM: More than 300 __wild reindeer have been killed by lighting in central Norway in what wildlife officials are calling an unusually large natural disaster.
The Norwegian Environment Agency has released eerie images showing a jumble of reindeer carcasses scattered across a small area on the Hardangervidda mountain plateau. The agency says 323 animals were killed, including 70 calves, in the lightning storm on Friday.
Agency spokesperson Kjartan Knutsen told the AP it's not uncommon for reindeer or other wildlife to be killed by lightning strikes, "but we have not heard about such numbers before."
He said reindeer tend to stay very close to each other in bad weather, which could explain how so many were killed at once.
Thousands of reindeer migrate across the barren Hardanangervidda plateau as the seasons change.
The Norwegian Environment Agency has released eerie images showing a jumble of reindeer carcasses scattered across a small area on the Hardangervidda mountain plateau. The agency says 323 animals were killed, including 70 calves, in the lightning storm on Friday.
Agency spokesperson Kjartan Knutsen told the AP it's not uncommon for reindeer or other wildlife to be killed by lightning strikes, "but we have not heard about such numbers before."
He said reindeer tend to stay very close to each other in bad weather, which could explain how so many were killed at once.
Thousands of reindeer migrate across the barren Hardanangervidda plateau as the seasons change.
Four of six great apes species face extinction
The largest living primate, Eastern Gorilla, found in the mountains of Congo is now officially declared as Critically Endangered according to the latest update of The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ released today at the IUCN World Conservation Congress taking place in Hawaii. Eastern Gorillas have suffered a devastating population decline of more than 70% in 20 years. Its population is now estimated to be fewer than 5,000.
Four of the six great apes - Eastern Gorilla, Western Gorilla, Bornean Orangutan and Sumatran Orangutan - are now listed as Critically Endangered, that is, they are only one step away from going extinct. The remaining two - Chimpanzee and Bonobo - also under considerable threat of extinction and are listed as Endangered.
"To see the Eastern gorilla - one of our closest cousins - slide towards extinction is truly distressing," says Inger Andersen, IUCN Director General. "We live in a time of tremendous change and each IUCN Red List update makes us realize just how quickly the global extinction crisis is escalating. Conservation action does work and we have increasing evidence of it. It is our responsibility to enhance our efforts to turn the tide and protect the future of our planet."
This latest IUCN Red List update also reports the decline of the Plains Zebra due to illegal hunting, and the growing extinction threat to Hawaiian plants posed by invasive species. Thirty eight of the 415 endemic Hawaiian plant species assessed for this update are listed as Extinct and four other species have been listed as Extinct in the Wild, meaning they only occur in cultivation.
The IUCN Red List now includes 82,954 species of which 23,928 are threatened with extinction.
The Eastern Gorilla (Gorilla beringei) is made up of two subspecies. Grauer's Gorilla (G. b. graueri), one subspecies of Eastern Gorilla - has lost 77% of its population since 1994, declining from 16,900 individuals to just 3,800 in 2015. Killing or capture of great apes is illegal; yet hunting represents the greatest threat to Grauer's Gorillas. The second subspecies of Eastern Gorilla - the Mountain Gorilla (G. b. beringei) -is faring better and has increased in number to around 880 individuals.
The once widespread and abundant Plains Zebra (Equus quagga) has moved from Least Concern to Near Threatened. The population has reduced by 24% in the past 14 years from around 660,000 to a current estimate of just over 500,000 animals. Three species of antelope found in Africa - Bay Duiker (Cephalophus dorsalis), White-bellied Duiker (Cephalophus leucogaster) and Yellow-backed Duiker (Cephalophus silvicultor) - have moved from Least Concern to Near Threatened.
"Illegal hunting and habitat loss are still major threats driving many mammal species towards extinction," says Carlo Rondinini, Coordinator of the mammal assessment at Sapienza University of Rome "We have now reassessed nearly half of all mammals. While there are some successes to celebrate, this new data must act as a beacon to guide the conservation of those species which continue to be under threat."
This update of The IUCN Red List also brings some good news and shows that conservation action is delivering positive results.
Previously listed as Endangered, The Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is now listed as Vulnerable, as its population has grown due to effective forest protection and reforestation. The improved status confirms that the Chinese government's efforts to conserve this species are effective.
Similarly, the Tibetan Antelope (Pantholops hodgsonii) has moved from Endangered to Near Threatened. The population underwent a severe decline from around one million to an estimated 65,000-72,500 in the 1980s and early 1990s. This was the result of commercial poaching for the valuable underfur - shahtoosh - which is used to make shawls. It takes 3-5 hides to make a single shawl, and as the wool cannot be sheared or combed, the animals are killed. Rigorous protection has been enforced since then, and the population is currently likely to be between 100,000 and 150,000.
Other conservation successes include the Greater Stick-nest Rat (Leporillus conditor) and the Bridled Nailtail Wallaby (Onychogalea fraenata), both endemic to Australia.
Four of the six great apes - Eastern Gorilla, Western Gorilla, Bornean Orangutan and Sumatran Orangutan - are now listed as Critically Endangered, that is, they are only one step away from going extinct. The remaining two - Chimpanzee and Bonobo - also under considerable threat of extinction and are listed as Endangered.
"To see the Eastern gorilla - one of our closest cousins - slide towards extinction is truly distressing," says Inger Andersen, IUCN Director General. "We live in a time of tremendous change and each IUCN Red List update makes us realize just how quickly the global extinction crisis is escalating. Conservation action does work and we have increasing evidence of it. It is our responsibility to enhance our efforts to turn the tide and protect the future of our planet."
This latest IUCN Red List update also reports the decline of the Plains Zebra due to illegal hunting, and the growing extinction threat to Hawaiian plants posed by invasive species. Thirty eight of the 415 endemic Hawaiian plant species assessed for this update are listed as Extinct and four other species have been listed as Extinct in the Wild, meaning they only occur in cultivation.
The IUCN Red List now includes 82,954 species of which 23,928 are threatened with extinction.
The Eastern Gorilla (Gorilla beringei) is made up of two subspecies. Grauer's Gorilla (G. b. graueri), one subspecies of Eastern Gorilla - has lost 77% of its population since 1994, declining from 16,900 individuals to just 3,800 in 2015. Killing or capture of great apes is illegal; yet hunting represents the greatest threat to Grauer's Gorillas. The second subspecies of Eastern Gorilla - the Mountain Gorilla (G. b. beringei) -is faring better and has increased in number to around 880 individuals.
The once widespread and abundant Plains Zebra (Equus quagga) has moved from Least Concern to Near Threatened. The population has reduced by 24% in the past 14 years from around 660,000 to a current estimate of just over 500,000 animals. Three species of antelope found in Africa - Bay Duiker (Cephalophus dorsalis), White-bellied Duiker (Cephalophus leucogaster) and Yellow-backed Duiker (Cephalophus silvicultor) - have moved from Least Concern to Near Threatened.
"Illegal hunting and habitat loss are still major threats driving many mammal species towards extinction," says Carlo Rondinini, Coordinator of the mammal assessment at Sapienza University of Rome "We have now reassessed nearly half of all mammals. While there are some successes to celebrate, this new data must act as a beacon to guide the conservation of those species which continue to be under threat."
This update of The IUCN Red List also brings some good news and shows that conservation action is delivering positive results.
Previously listed as Endangered, The Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is now listed as Vulnerable, as its population has grown due to effective forest protection and reforestation. The improved status confirms that the Chinese government's efforts to conserve this species are effective.
Similarly, the Tibetan Antelope (Pantholops hodgsonii) has moved from Endangered to Near Threatened. The population underwent a severe decline from around one million to an estimated 65,000-72,500 in the 1980s and early 1990s. This was the result of commercial poaching for the valuable underfur - shahtoosh - which is used to make shawls. It takes 3-5 hides to make a single shawl, and as the wool cannot be sheared or combed, the animals are killed. Rigorous protection has been enforced since then, and the population is currently likely to be between 100,000 and 150,000.
Other conservation successes include the Greater Stick-nest Rat (Leporillus conditor) and the Bridled Nailtail Wallaby (Onychogalea fraenata), both endemic to Australia.
Environment related crimes down 11% in 2015: NCRB
Highlights
- Environment related crimes in the country came down by over 11% last year compared to 2014
- The number of green crimes in 2015 came down to 5,156 from 5,835 in 2014
- No decline in states like Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Assam
Representative image. NEW DELHI: Environment related crimes in the country came down by over 11% last year compared to 2014 but there was no decline in states like Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Assam where the number of such violations increased over the past year.
According to data released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) on Tuesday, the number of green crimes in 2015 came down to 5,156 from 5,835 in 2014. Rajasthan contributed in large measure to the decrease with the number of green violations coming down substantially from 2,927 in 2014 to 2,074 last year. However, despite the improvement, the state still reported the highest number of such violations in the country.
In contrast, the number of green crimes in Uttar Pradesh increased from 1,597 in 2014 to 1,779 last year.
Rajasthan and UP together accounted for nearly 74% of green crimes in the country last year.
Analysis of the NCRB data showed that nearly 77% of the crimes were related to violations of the Indian Forest Act where the offenders were booked for illegally cutting trees in forest areas, encroaching upon forest land and moving forest produce without required permission.
This is only the second time when the NCRB has come out with data on green crimes. The first such figures were released last year, giving details of violations in 2014.
The number of green crimes also increased in Jharkhand from 148 in 2014 to 233 last year. Similarly, it increased in Assam from 83 to 105 and in Uttarakhand from 40 to 55.
The number of people arrested for green crimes is also quite high. Of the 8,034 people arrested (8,011 men and 23 women), 6,335 were put behind bars for violating the Indian Forest Act. Though the NCRB report was silent on the status of those arrested, it is believed that most of them got bail.
Nearly 66% of those arrested were from Uttar Pradesh (2,966) and Rajasthan (2,361). Andhra Pradesh was third in terms of people arrested (1,095), followed by Karnataka (321), Maharashtra (244) and Himachal Pradesh (224).
The green laws under which violators are booked include Indian Forest Act, 1927; Wildlife Protection Act, 1972; Environment (Protection) Act, 1986; Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
According to data released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) on Tuesday, the number of green crimes in 2015 came down to 5,156 from 5,835 in 2014. Rajasthan contributed in large measure to the decrease with the number of green violations coming down substantially from 2,927 in 2014 to 2,074 last year. However, despite the improvement, the state still reported the highest number of such violations in the country.
In contrast, the number of green crimes in Uttar Pradesh increased from 1,597 in 2014 to 1,779 last year.
Rajasthan and UP together accounted for nearly 74% of green crimes in the country last year.
Analysis of the NCRB data showed that nearly 77% of the crimes were related to violations of the Indian Forest Act where the offenders were booked for illegally cutting trees in forest areas, encroaching upon forest land and moving forest produce without required permission.
This is only the second time when the NCRB has come out with data on green crimes. The first such figures were released last year, giving details of violations in 2014.
The number of green crimes also increased in Jharkhand from 148 in 2014 to 233 last year. Similarly, it increased in Assam from 83 to 105 and in Uttarakhand from 40 to 55.
The number of people arrested for green crimes is also quite high. Of the 8,034 people arrested (8,011 men and 23 women), 6,335 were put behind bars for violating the Indian Forest Act. Though the NCRB report was silent on the status of those arrested, it is believed that most of them got bail.
Nearly 66% of those arrested were from Uttar Pradesh (2,966) and Rajasthan (2,361). Andhra Pradesh was third in terms of people arrested (1,095), followed by Karnataka (321), Maharashtra (244) and Himachal Pradesh (224).
The green laws under which violators are booked include Indian Forest Act, 1927; Wildlife Protection Act, 1972; Environment (Protection) Act, 1986; Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
Giant panda is no longer endangered, experts say
(AFP file photo) BEIJING: The giant panda, one of the symbols of China, is off the endangered list thanks to aggressive conservation efforts.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature said in a report released Sunday that the panda is now classified as ``vulnerable'' instead of ``endangered,'' reflecting its growing numbers in the __wild in southern China. It said the __wild panda population jumped to 1,864 in 2014 from 1,596 in 2014, the result of work by Chinese agencies to enforce poaching bans and expand forest reserves.
For decades, the black-and-white bear has been a symbol of China and the global conservation movement. International groups and the Chinese government have worked to save wild pandas and breed them at enormous cost, attracting criticism that money could be better spent saving other animals facing extinction.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature said in a report released Sunday that the panda is now classified as ``vulnerable'' instead of ``endangered,'' reflecting its growing numbers in the __wild in southern China. It said the __wild panda population jumped to 1,864 in 2014 from 1,596 in 2014, the result of work by Chinese agencies to enforce poaching bans and expand forest reserves.
For decades, the black-and-white bear has been a symbol of China and the global conservation movement. International groups and the Chinese government have worked to save wild pandas and breed them at enormous cost, attracting criticism that money could be better spent saving other animals facing extinction.
India records highest number of tiger seizure: Report
Highlights
- According to a report by wildlife trade monitor, India has recorded the highest number of seizure of tigers and parts among all 13 tiger range countries
- The report said India has observed a rapid decrease in number of seizures reported since 2010.
- The highest number of seizures was recorded in 2009 & the lowest in 2013.
15 Nov 2016
Dead beached whale found to have skull fractures
A veterinarian taking a photo of pieces removed from the carcass of a male blue whale that washed ashore at Th... Read More
Our responsible dog ownership education programme to be adopted by Romanian schools
Following a successful pilot in 23 Romanian schools, our education programme to reduce cruelty to dogs will now be rolled out to schools across the country
‘Let’s learn about animals’ has been developed to teach young people about responsible dog ownership.
It is set to make a real difference to the lives of thousands of dogs by tackling unnecessary cruelty, and aiming to reduce pet abandonment in the long term through educating future generations.
Combatting cruelty through education
Thousands of dogs are cruelly killed each year in Romania. Around the world, authorities often cull dogs in attempts to reduce the number of stray dogs, or to end the threat of rabies.
A stray dog sits near a woman on a street in Romania
Our experts have trained teachers, local authority representatives and non-government workers to roll out the programme across the country.
The proactive education programme will improve knowledge, influence perceptions and change people’s attitudes towards dogs where conflict exists.
Our second big success for Romania’s dogs
It is also thanks to our supporters that the pilot has been such a success.
This year, more than 60,622 supporters signed our petition to the Mayor of Constanța, Romania, urging him to end the city’s cruel ‘catch and kill’ policy for stray dogs.
After we handed over the petition in September, the Mayor’s team promised to introduce a humane dog population management policy. This included the implementation of the ‘Let’s learn about animals’ programme. We look forward to seeing it in action in Constanța, as well as other Romanian cities taking part.
Find out more about our work protecting dogs around the world.
The proactive education programme will improve knowledge, influence perceptions and change people’s attitudes towards dogs where conflict exists.
Categories:
Animals in communities
Working with strays a humane alternative
Ending Inhumane Culling
Responsible pet ownership
13 Nov 2016
'Living fossil' crabs mysteriously dying in Japan
Technician Tom Bentz prepares a group of horseshoe crabs for bleeding at a lab in Chincoteague Island. (AP file photo) TOKYO: Hundreds of horseshoe crabs — known as "living fossils" as they are among the earth's oldest creatures — have washed ashore dead in southern Japan, confounding experts who study the alien-like sidewalkers.
Horseshoe crabs, known for their blue blood, are a regular summer visitor to tidal flats in south and western Japan including one near Kitakyushu city where they lay their eggs.
Some invariably die in the process, but this year a local conservation group noticed that the number of the precious marine arthropods that perished was unusually high, a local official told AFP today.
"The conservation group spotted about five to 10 remains every day during the egg-laying period, so they started to tally them," said Kitakyushu city official Kenji Sato.
"In total the number of dead horseshoe crabs reached about 500," Sato said.
The Asahi Shimbun daily reported that the amount of dead crabs was eight times higher than normal.
Sato said that local officials have sought guidance from experts but that so far a consensus on what caused the unusually high number of deaths this year has proved elusive.
A number of academics, however, point to "oxygen shortage due to higher sea water temperature, or parasite infestation or a disease peculiar to horseshoe crabs" as a possible cause, he added.
Japan's environment ministry designates the helmet-like crabs as an "endangered species" as its population has declined sharply due to coastal habitat destruction in tandem with Japan's economic development.
But there is no legal obligation to take concrete measures to protect the species, an environment ministry official said.
The horseshoe crab — "kabutogani" in Japanese, meaning literally "warrior helmet crab" has survived for 200 million years.
Enthusiasts established the Japan Horseshoe Crab Association in 1978, which counted up the dead creatures this summer, according to local officials.
"The biology of the horseshoe crab is still a mystery and we don't know much about it," Sato said.
Horseshoe crabs, known for their blue blood, are a regular summer visitor to tidal flats in south and western Japan including one near Kitakyushu city where they lay their eggs.
Some invariably die in the process, but this year a local conservation group noticed that the number of the precious marine arthropods that perished was unusually high, a local official told AFP today.
"The conservation group spotted about five to 10 remains every day during the egg-laying period, so they started to tally them," said Kitakyushu city official Kenji Sato.
"In total the number of dead horseshoe crabs reached about 500," Sato said.
The Asahi Shimbun daily reported that the amount of dead crabs was eight times higher than normal.
Sato said that local officials have sought guidance from experts but that so far a consensus on what caused the unusually high number of deaths this year has proved elusive.
A number of academics, however, point to "oxygen shortage due to higher sea water temperature, or parasite infestation or a disease peculiar to horseshoe crabs" as a possible cause, he added.
Japan's environment ministry designates the helmet-like crabs as an "endangered species" as its population has declined sharply due to coastal habitat destruction in tandem with Japan's economic development.
But there is no legal obligation to take concrete measures to protect the species, an environment ministry official said.
The horseshoe crab — "kabutogani" in Japanese, meaning literally "warrior helmet crab" has survived for 200 million years.
Enthusiasts established the Japan Horseshoe Crab Association in 1978, which counted up the dead creatures this summer, according to local officials.
"The biology of the horseshoe crab is still a mystery and we don't know much about it," Sato said.
International rally for stricter laws against animal cruelty
NEW DELHI: An international rally will be organised in 70 cities across the world, including 50 in India, on Sunday to express solidarity against growing cases of animal cruelty in the country and to put pressure on the government to enact strict laws on the issue.
"An international rally urging the Indian government to enact powerful laws against animal cruelty will take place on September 18 in 70 cities around the world, including 50 in India, ten in the US and five in Australia.
"Organiser of the rally, India Unites for Animals (IUFA), expects thousands of people in India and abroad to march in solidarity against the growing cases of extreme animal abuse in the country," a Humane Society International-India statement said.
The organisation said the past year has seen some of the most heinous acts of animal cruelty in India -- from physical assault on a police horse, Shaktiman, to stabbing of dogs to death and setting puppies ablaze.
HSI India along with IUFA has been urging the government to replace the weak existing Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 with the much-delayed new animal welfare bill.
"It gives us immense hope to see people taking up the issue of animal cruelty with seriousness and urgency. Nevertheless, the incidents of animal abuse have continued to increase because the law has failed to punish the culprits adequately and deter others," N G Jayasimha, Managing Director of HSI India, said, urging the government to guarantee stronger laws for protection of animals.
Each horrific case highlighted the inability of the current law to protect animals, the statement said.
HSI India in partnership with People for Animals has launched the #NoMore50 campaign that calls for higher penalties for animal cruelty, from the inadequate maximum penalty of Rs 50 which is at present in place.
"An international rally urging the Indian government to enact powerful laws against animal cruelty will take place on September 18 in 70 cities around the world, including 50 in India, ten in the US and five in Australia.
"Organiser of the rally, India Unites for Animals (IUFA), expects thousands of people in India and abroad to march in solidarity against the growing cases of extreme animal abuse in the country," a Humane Society International-India statement said.
The organisation said the past year has seen some of the most heinous acts of animal cruelty in India -- from physical assault on a police horse, Shaktiman, to stabbing of dogs to death and setting puppies ablaze.
HSI India along with IUFA has been urging the government to replace the weak existing Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 with the much-delayed new animal welfare bill.
"It gives us immense hope to see people taking up the issue of animal cruelty with seriousness and urgency. Nevertheless, the incidents of animal abuse have continued to increase because the law has failed to punish the culprits adequately and deter others," N G Jayasimha, Managing Director of HSI India, said, urging the government to guarantee stronger laws for protection of animals.
Each horrific case highlighted the inability of the current law to protect animals, the statement said.
HSI India in partnership with People for Animals has launched the #NoMore50 campaign that calls for higher penalties for animal cruelty, from the inadequate maximum penalty of Rs 50 which is at present in place.
Bangladesh zoo throws wedding for lions with meat cake
CHITTAGONG, BANGLADESH: Bangladesh zoo keepers have thrown two lions a wedding party that included a heart-shaped meat cake in the hope of drawing much-needed visitors and encouraging the animals to mate.
Some 400 guests attended the reception laden with balloons on Wednesday for long-time resident and lioness Nova and newcomer Nabha at the Chittagong zoo in the country's south.
"This is an unusual function no doubt. And we made an effort to give a festive look to this zoo with colourful decorations to welcome the union of the lion and lioness," government administrator of Chittagong district Mesbah Uddin told AFP.
"We brought the lion named Badsha, renamed Nabha, from the Rangpur zoo to stay here with the lioness Nova for the purpose of breeding," Uddin said.
A pre-wedding party was also held for school children that included a small concert, deputy zoo curator Monjur Morshed said.
But the highlight of the festivities was a 10-kilogramme (22-pound) cake for the couple. The cake was made mainly of meat that included beef, chicken, eggs and fried liver, he said.
Nova was born in Chittagong zoo some 11 years ago and has been living without a male partner for most of that time, until Badsha arrived two weeks ago.
The lions would remain in separate but adjacent cages for another three days to give them time to get used to one another, Morshed said.
Some 400 guests attended the reception laden with balloons on Wednesday for long-time resident and lioness Nova and newcomer Nabha at the Chittagong zoo in the country's south.
"This is an unusual function no doubt. And we made an effort to give a festive look to this zoo with colourful decorations to welcome the union of the lion and lioness," government administrator of Chittagong district Mesbah Uddin told AFP.
"We brought the lion named Badsha, renamed Nabha, from the Rangpur zoo to stay here with the lioness Nova for the purpose of breeding," Uddin said.
A pre-wedding party was also held for school children that included a small concert, deputy zoo curator Monjur Morshed said.
But the highlight of the festivities was a 10-kilogramme (22-pound) cake for the couple. The cake was made mainly of meat that included beef, chicken, eggs and fried liver, he said.
Nova was born in Chittagong zoo some 11 years ago and has been living without a male partner for most of that time, until Badsha arrived two weeks ago.
The lions would remain in separate but adjacent cages for another three days to give them time to get used to one another, Morshed said.
11 Nov 2016
10 Nov 2016
Giant dinosaur footprint discovered in Mongolia desert
Representative image TOKYO: One of the biggest dinosaur footprints ever recorded has been unearthed in the Gobi Desert, researchers said on Friday, offering a fresh clue about the giant creatures that roamed the earth millions of years ago.
A joint Mongolian-Japanese expedition found the giant print, which measures 106 centimetres (42 inches) long and 77 centimetres wide.
One of several footprints discovered in the vast Mongolian desert, the huge fossil was discovered last month in a geologic layer formed between 70 million and 90 million years ago, researchers said.
It was naturally cast, as sand flowed into dents that had been left by the creature stomping on the once muddy ground.
The footprint is believed to have belonged to Titanosaur, a long-necked dinosaur, and could have been more than 30 metres long and 20 metres tall, according researchers.
"This is a very rare discovery as it's a well-preserved fossil footprint that is more than a metre long with imprints of its claws," said a statement issued by Okayama University of Science.
The Japanese university has been involved in the study with the Mongolian Academy of Science.
A joint Mongolian-Japanese expedition found the giant print, which measures 106 centimetres (42 inches) long and 77 centimetres wide.
One of several footprints discovered in the vast Mongolian desert, the huge fossil was discovered last month in a geologic layer formed between 70 million and 90 million years ago, researchers said.
It was naturally cast, as sand flowed into dents that had been left by the creature stomping on the once muddy ground.
The footprint is believed to have belonged to Titanosaur, a long-necked dinosaur, and could have been more than 30 metres long and 20 metres tall, according researchers.
"This is a very rare discovery as it's a well-preserved fossil footprint that is more than a metre long with imprints of its claws," said a statement issued by Okayama University of Science.
The Japanese university has been involved in the study with the Mongolian Academy of Science.
New species of pika found in Sikkim
File photo of Pika (Via AP) NEW DELHI: A new species of a small mammal in the rabbit family has been discovered in the higher altitudes of the Himalayas in Sikkim, a study has claimed, saying it is an important part of the ecosystem.
Identified as 'Ochotona sikimaria' -- the new pika species was discovered by the study based on genetic data and skull measurements. The study has been published in the journal 'Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution'.
These members of the rabbit family look like tailless rats and have been in the news in North America for their sensitivity to impacts of climate change, like increasing temperature, which has caused several of the populations in pika series go extinct.
Nishma Dahal, the first author of the paper, started by collecting pika pellets to get its DNA and identify the species. On comparing the DNA sequences from the pellets with that of all known pika species in the world, she saw that these were quite different.
To prove that this is indeed a new species, she had to compare the Sikkim pika to its close relatives. It took two years for collaborations with researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zoological Museum of Moscow and Stanford University to get detailed data on these possible sister species.
"Pikas are among the most fascinating mammalian species. Unlike other mammalian species inhabiting such harsh environments, pikas do not hibernate. They prepare for winter by collecting and storing hay piles for their winter food.
"We must investigate their vulnerability to increasing global temperature. To do so we must better understand their ecology and population dynamics. Such information is lacking for Asia pikas," Dahal said.
The new species appears limited to Sikkim. The National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) team searched for Sikkim pika in other Himalayan regions including Arunachal Pradesh, Central Nepal (Annapurna and Langtang), Ladakh and Spiti without success.
Surveys in Bhutan, neighbouring regions of eastern Nepal and China are pending and will require international collaboration.
Apart from genetic data, the study also included morphological and ecological data of this species. With its sisters as earlier, this pika was thought to be a subspecies of the Moupin pika.
The new NCBS research reveals that while it looks similar, it is actually very distinct from the Moupin pika from genetic and ecological perspective. Such discordance between genetics and morphology has never been reported in pikas.
"Pikas are ecosystem engineers, and we must understand more about them so we can effectively protect them in the future" said Uma Ramakrishnan, whose laboratory at NCBS led the study.
Identified as 'Ochotona sikimaria' -- the new pika species was discovered by the study based on genetic data and skull measurements. The study has been published in the journal 'Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution'.
These members of the rabbit family look like tailless rats and have been in the news in North America for their sensitivity to impacts of climate change, like increasing temperature, which has caused several of the populations in pika series go extinct.
Nishma Dahal, the first author of the paper, started by collecting pika pellets to get its DNA and identify the species. On comparing the DNA sequences from the pellets with that of all known pika species in the world, she saw that these were quite different.
To prove that this is indeed a new species, she had to compare the Sikkim pika to its close relatives. It took two years for collaborations with researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zoological Museum of Moscow and Stanford University to get detailed data on these possible sister species.
"Pikas are among the most fascinating mammalian species. Unlike other mammalian species inhabiting such harsh environments, pikas do not hibernate. They prepare for winter by collecting and storing hay piles for their winter food.
"We must investigate their vulnerability to increasing global temperature. To do so we must better understand their ecology and population dynamics. Such information is lacking for Asia pikas," Dahal said.
The new species appears limited to Sikkim. The National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) team searched for Sikkim pika in other Himalayan regions including Arunachal Pradesh, Central Nepal (Annapurna and Langtang), Ladakh and Spiti without success.
Surveys in Bhutan, neighbouring regions of eastern Nepal and China are pending and will require international collaboration.
Apart from genetic data, the study also included morphological and ecological data of this species. With its sisters as earlier, this pika was thought to be a subspecies of the Moupin pika.
The new NCBS research reveals that while it looks similar, it is actually very distinct from the Moupin pika from genetic and ecological perspective. Such discordance between genetics and morphology has never been reported in pikas.
"Pikas are ecosystem engineers, and we must understand more about them so we can effectively protect them in the future" said Uma Ramakrishnan, whose laboratory at NCBS led the study.
Hyderabad pup wins PETA's 'Cutest Indian Dog Alive' contest
Voters helped Rosco win PETA’s 2016 Cutest Indian Dog Alive contest. (Image courtesy: PETA) HYDERABAD: After hundreds of votes and careful deliberation by judges from the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, Rosco, whose guardian is Spandana Raj, beat out nine other finalists to win PETA's 5th annual 'Cutest Indian Dog Alive' contest.
The contest was created to show that the kindest thing a prospective guardian can do is to adopt an Indian dog from the streets or an animal shelter, PETA said in a statement.
The second-place winner of the contest is Nekti, whose guardian is Ananya Karmakar of Kolkata, while Petu, whose guardian is Minima Peres from Goa secured the third place.
"Rosco proves that adopting a dog from the streets or an animal shelter can fill your life with a joy and love that words can't express", says PETA CEO Poorva Joshipura.
"I found Rosco tied to a tea stall. [He] came home and has been with us for two years now. Rosco is a happy and loving dog," Spandana said.
PETA urged prospective guardians to adopt an Indian community dog from the streets or an animal shelter, rather than buying puppies from pet shops.
Breeders and pet shops often keep animals in dismal conditions, and because pedigree dogs are bred for certain exaggerated physical traits, such as long ears and drooping backs, many of them suffer from health ailments, including breathing problems, cancer, heart disease, bleeding disorders, skeletal malformations, and eye problems, the statement said.
The contest was created to show that the kindest thing a prospective guardian can do is to adopt an Indian dog from the streets or an animal shelter, PETA said in a statement.
The second-place winner of the contest is Nekti, whose guardian is Ananya Karmakar of Kolkata, while Petu, whose guardian is Minima Peres from Goa secured the third place.
"Rosco proves that adopting a dog from the streets or an animal shelter can fill your life with a joy and love that words can't express", says PETA CEO Poorva Joshipura.
"I found Rosco tied to a tea stall. [He] came home and has been with us for two years now. Rosco is a happy and loving dog," Spandana said.
PETA urged prospective guardians to adopt an Indian community dog from the streets or an animal shelter, rather than buying puppies from pet shops.
Breeders and pet shops often keep animals in dismal conditions, and because pedigree dogs are bred for certain exaggerated physical traits, such as long ears and drooping backs, many of them suffer from health ailments, including breathing problems, cancer, heart disease, bleeding disorders, skeletal malformations, and eye problems, the statement said.
Scientists discover largest dinosaur in Brazil
(Representative photo) BRASILIA: Brazilian scientists have announced the discovery of the largest dinosaurs ever found in the country, an animal that was 25 meters long.
The dinosaur, named "Austroposeidon magnificus," belonged to the group of titanosaurs, which were herbivorous dinosaurs with a well-developed body, a long neck and tail and a relatively small skull, according to scientists at Rio de Janeiro's Earth Sciences Museum, Xinhua news agency reported.
It is believed that these dinosaurs lived during the Cretaceous Period (145-66 million years ago) in regions that are currently part of South America, Africa, Antarctica and Oceania.
Fossilized vertebrae of the dinosaur was found in the 1950s by Brazilian paleontologist Llewellyn Ivor Price, who died in 1980 without being acknowledged for this discovery.
Since then, the fossil had been analyzed and studied until the discovery was finally announced on Wednesday.
The dinosaur, named "Austroposeidon magnificus," belonged to the group of titanosaurs, which were herbivorous dinosaurs with a well-developed body, a long neck and tail and a relatively small skull, according to scientists at Rio de Janeiro's Earth Sciences Museum, Xinhua news agency reported.
It is believed that these dinosaurs lived during the Cretaceous Period (145-66 million years ago) in regions that are currently part of South America, Africa, Antarctica and Oceania.
Fossilized vertebrae of the dinosaur was found in the 1950s by Brazilian paleontologist Llewellyn Ivor Price, who died in 1980 without being acknowledged for this discovery.
Since then, the fossil had been analyzed and studied until the discovery was finally announced on Wednesday.
'Many more' corals die in Great Barrier Reef bleaching
An undated handout photo received from the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Stu... Read More
Sharks: Feared predator in need of protection
As top predators in the oceans, sharks play a crucial role in the food chain. JOHANNESBURG: Sharks may elicit less sympathy than elephants or rhinos, but experts say the feared predators are under increasing pressure from unmanaged commercial fishing and desperately in need of further protection.
Unregulated fishing and international trade in shark products for human consumption have led to a precipitous drop in numbers.
An estimated 100 million sharks are killed every year, according to an authoritative 2013 study, an amount that conservationists say threatens the survival of many shark species.
Sharks are slow-growing and slow to reproduce, and the market for their body parts -- especially fins and gill plates -- are driving overfishing.
Shark are also hunted for their meat, skin, liver oil and cartilage, as well as being accidentally caught by industrial "longline" fishing.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) conference, which is under way in Johannesburg, is to vote on whether to increase protection for the silky shark and three species of thresher sharks.
The decision would put them into the CITES "appendix II", which bans all trade in parts, unless under stringent conditions.
"The demand particularly for fins, for meat and gill plates is higher than ever," warned Andy Cornish, an expert on sharks at the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
"Many countries have no management whatsoever for sharks -- anybody can take whatever they want.
"Even in some countries that have regulations, they are not well enforced, and as a result, 25 percent of sharks and rays and their relatives are threatened with extinction."
Fiji, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, which rely on marine life for tourism, are leading proposals to have 13 threatened species of shark and rays given stronger CITES protection.
"Sharks are a vital ecological part of the ocean fabric and rays are keystone species, so we need to protect them," Dan Ashe, director of the US Fish and Wildlife Services, told AFP.
"Silky sharks, thresher sharks and the devil rays are being unsustainably harvested."
Fins are the most valuable part of sharks, with shark fin soup often consumed at prestigious banquets in China, Hong Kong and Singapore.
"Finning" -- slicing off shark fins while they are alive and tossing them back into the water to die -- has been banned by many regional fishing bodies, but still occurs in parts of south-east Asia.
In a high-profile attempt to curb consumption, China recently outlawed fin soup at state functions.
According to the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), sales of shark and ray meat rose 40 percent in the decade to 2011.
"The global trade in shark and ray parts and products is nearing $1 billion in annual value," said Amie Brautigan, WCS's sharks and rays expert.
In 2003, basking sharks and whale sharks were the first sharks put onto appendix II, and following the last CITES meeting in 2013, a total of eight species of sharks and all manta rays were included.
Rallying behind the need for more protection is South African shark attack survivor Achmat Hassiem.
Ten years ago, Hassiem, a lifeguard, lost half his leg when a great white shark attacked him in the sea off Cape Town.
He has since become a Paralympian swimmer -- and an advocate for conservation.
"I think movies that portray sharks as man-eating monsters do a huge disservice to sharks," the 34-year-old told AFP.
"As top predators in the oceans, they play a crucial role in the food chain. Without them, there is an imbalance that funnels right down to the coral."
If the CITES shark proposals are adopted, shark catching countries will be required to regulate fishing and issue export permits to ensure sustainability in the wild.
The conference in Johannesburg, which ends on Wednesday, is sifting through 62 proposals to tighten or loosen trade restrictions on around 500 species.
Unregulated fishing and international trade in shark products for human consumption have led to a precipitous drop in numbers.
An estimated 100 million sharks are killed every year, according to an authoritative 2013 study, an amount that conservationists say threatens the survival of many shark species.
Sharks are slow-growing and slow to reproduce, and the market for their body parts -- especially fins and gill plates -- are driving overfishing.
Shark are also hunted for their meat, skin, liver oil and cartilage, as well as being accidentally caught by industrial "longline" fishing.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) conference, which is under way in Johannesburg, is to vote on whether to increase protection for the silky shark and three species of thresher sharks.
The decision would put them into the CITES "appendix II", which bans all trade in parts, unless under stringent conditions.
"The demand particularly for fins, for meat and gill plates is higher than ever," warned Andy Cornish, an expert on sharks at the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
"Many countries have no management whatsoever for sharks -- anybody can take whatever they want.
"Even in some countries that have regulations, they are not well enforced, and as a result, 25 percent of sharks and rays and their relatives are threatened with extinction."
Fiji, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, which rely on marine life for tourism, are leading proposals to have 13 threatened species of shark and rays given stronger CITES protection.
"Sharks are a vital ecological part of the ocean fabric and rays are keystone species, so we need to protect them," Dan Ashe, director of the US Fish and Wildlife Services, told AFP.
"Silky sharks, thresher sharks and the devil rays are being unsustainably harvested."
Fins are the most valuable part of sharks, with shark fin soup often consumed at prestigious banquets in China, Hong Kong and Singapore.
"Finning" -- slicing off shark fins while they are alive and tossing them back into the water to die -- has been banned by many regional fishing bodies, but still occurs in parts of south-east Asia.
In a high-profile attempt to curb consumption, China recently outlawed fin soup at state functions.
According to the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), sales of shark and ray meat rose 40 percent in the decade to 2011.
"The global trade in shark and ray parts and products is nearing $1 billion in annual value," said Amie Brautigan, WCS's sharks and rays expert.
In 2003, basking sharks and whale sharks were the first sharks put onto appendix II, and following the last CITES meeting in 2013, a total of eight species of sharks and all manta rays were included.
Rallying behind the need for more protection is South African shark attack survivor Achmat Hassiem.
Ten years ago, Hassiem, a lifeguard, lost half his leg when a great white shark attacked him in the sea off Cape Town.
He has since become a Paralympian swimmer -- and an advocate for conservation.
"I think movies that portray sharks as man-eating monsters do a huge disservice to sharks," the 34-year-old told AFP.
"As top predators in the oceans, they play a crucial role in the food chain. Without them, there is an imbalance that funnels right down to the coral."
If the CITES shark proposals are adopted, shark catching countries will be required to regulate fishing and issue export permits to ensure sustainability in the wild.
The conference in Johannesburg, which ends on Wednesday, is sifting through 62 proposals to tighten or loosen trade restrictions on around 500 species.
On World Animal Day, a sad news: Royal Bengal tiger Palash dies
13-year-old Palash died at 3.15am today. (TOI photo) NEW DELHI: Royal Bengal tiger Palash, who had been diagnosed with kidney failure, died in Mumbai's Sanjay Gandhi National Park early on Tuesday. The tiger succumbed to his condition today, which also happens to be the World Animal Day.
"Tiger Palash passed away this morning at 3.15 am. The Royal Bengal Tiger was 13 years old and had renal issues. It had stopped eating since last Wednesday," said Dr Shailesh Pethe, veterinarian at Sanjay Gandhi national park.
Palash's death comes shortly after Ranthambore's legendary tigress 'Machhli' died in August, aged 19.
"Palash had been in a critical condition for a while after he had a fit and the doctors found that his kidneys had stopped working. A blood test was conducted on Wednesday, which revealed that his serum creatinine value shot up to 31 mg, indicating acute renal failure," said Dr Pethe.
His condition deteriorated rapidly over last weekend and he had stopped eating since the past couple of days. He had been drinking only water and passing a lot of urine.
The big cat was brought to the national park from Madhya Pradesh a decade ago when he was about three years old. The average life expectancy of a tiger is about 15 years.
Palash had fathered four tigers - Yash, Anand, Laxmi and Puja.
"Tiger Palash passed away this morning at 3.15 am. The Royal Bengal Tiger was 13 years old and had renal issues. It had stopped eating since last Wednesday," said Dr Shailesh Pethe, veterinarian at Sanjay Gandhi national park.
Palash's death comes shortly after Ranthambore's legendary tigress 'Machhli' died in August, aged 19.
"Palash had been in a critical condition for a while after he had a fit and the doctors found that his kidneys had stopped working. A blood test was conducted on Wednesday, which revealed that his serum creatinine value shot up to 31 mg, indicating acute renal failure," said Dr Pethe.
His condition deteriorated rapidly over last weekend and he had stopped eating since the past couple of days. He had been drinking only water and passing a lot of urine.
The big cat was brought to the national park from Madhya Pradesh a decade ago when he was about three years old. The average life expectancy of a tiger is about 15 years.
Palash had fathered four tigers - Yash, Anand, Laxmi and Puja.
9 Nov 2016
Barring China, other member countries of CITES unanimous on curbing tiger farming for trade
DEHRADUN: At the 17th Conference of the Parties (CoP) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) which concluded recently at Johnesburg, the member countries India, Nepal, the USA, European Union and Lao' People's Democratic Republic overruled a proposal from China to do away with the decision to end tiger farming. China was alone in opposing the decision, which states that "tigers should not be bred for trade in their parts and derivatives."
Avinash Basker, senior member of the WPSI said "The fact that there was no support for the Chinese proposal is a really encouraging sign. It shows that almost all parties are convinced that the breeding of tigers for their parts and derivatives is a serious conservation threat to __wild tigers."
According to sources, there are fewer than 4,000 __wild tigers remaining, with populations functionally extinct in some range states. The conservation of wild tigers requires action to end all trade in tiger parts and derivatives, and reduce and eventually eliminate demand for these products. Trade in parts and derivatives of captive bred tigers continues to be a threat, perpetuating the desirability of tiger products and stimulating poaching of wild tigers and other Asian big cats. Undeniably, wild tigers are doing best in range States where they are not considered a commodity and where they are not bred for trade in their parts and derivatives.
The delegation from Lao PDR elaborated on their government's intention to work with technical experts to phase out tiger farms. Lao PDR is the first of the tiger-farming countries to declare their intention to finally implement the decision to stop tiger breeding for trade.
Tito Joseph, program manager of Wildlife Protection Society of India said, "Lao PDR is home to transnational organized criminal networks that are exploiting weak legislation and enforcement. A significant investment of political and financial commitment to root out corruption and complacency is essential to turn words in to action."
He said, a number of decisions were taken at CITES conference that will review the efforts to improve legislation and enforcement. They will also put facilities that keep and breed tigers and other Asian big cats for commercial purposes under greater scrutiny.
There was support in principle for a proposal from India which encourages countries that make seizures of tiger skins to share photos of these with range states, to facilitate investigations into the origin of the skins.
Avinash Basker, senior member of the WPSI said "The fact that there was no support for the Chinese proposal is a really encouraging sign. It shows that almost all parties are convinced that the breeding of tigers for their parts and derivatives is a serious conservation threat to __wild tigers."
According to sources, there are fewer than 4,000 __wild tigers remaining, with populations functionally extinct in some range states. The conservation of wild tigers requires action to end all trade in tiger parts and derivatives, and reduce and eventually eliminate demand for these products. Trade in parts and derivatives of captive bred tigers continues to be a threat, perpetuating the desirability of tiger products and stimulating poaching of wild tigers and other Asian big cats. Undeniably, wild tigers are doing best in range States where they are not considered a commodity and where they are not bred for trade in their parts and derivatives.
The delegation from Lao PDR elaborated on their government's intention to work with technical experts to phase out tiger farms. Lao PDR is the first of the tiger-farming countries to declare their intention to finally implement the decision to stop tiger breeding for trade.
Tito Joseph, program manager of Wildlife Protection Society of India said, "Lao PDR is home to transnational organized criminal networks that are exploiting weak legislation and enforcement. A significant investment of political and financial commitment to root out corruption and complacency is essential to turn words in to action."
He said, a number of decisions were taken at CITES conference that will review the efforts to improve legislation and enforcement. They will also put facilities that keep and breed tigers and other Asian big cats for commercial purposes under greater scrutiny.
There was support in principle for a proposal from India which encourages countries that make seizures of tiger skins to share photos of these with range states, to facilitate investigations into the origin of the skins.
5 Nov 2016
Jia Jia, world's oldest-ever panda in captivity, dies at 38
Jia Jia looks on during her 37th birthday. (AFP file photo)
3 Nov 2016
World's oldest giant panda, 38, dies at Hong Kong theme park
World's oldest giant panda - Jia Jia (Reuters File Photo)
Wildlife through the lens of Rathika
Nearly a decade-and-a-half ago, hardly any Indian woman would consider taking up wildlife photography as her career, despite being a computer engineer and holding a degree in MBA. But Rathika Ramasamy dared in 2003, when she visited Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary in Rajasthan.
This renowned, award-winning photographer born in Venkatachalapuram in Tamil Nadu, clicks her pictures with the motto "Every time I press the shutter, it's one step closer to Mother Nature", and focusses on the importance of biodiversity conservation during her photography workshops throughout the country.
One of India's very few women wildlife photographers, an avid nature lover and bird watcher, Rathika is on her maiden visit to Port City to attend certain programmes on the occasion of World Photography Day (August 19).
Rathika had no formal training in photography but her interest in photography dates back to her school days when her father, an Army officer, gifted her the first camera when she was in class X.
Speaking to TOI, Rathika, who is settled in Delhi, said, "In those days, I used to flip through old foreign magazines on photography that I could get hold of in bookshops that sold old stuff. Such magazines were very costly. Then I often used to visit Okhla Bird Sanctuary near Delhi and watch the migratory birds for hours. Wildlife photography is much more than technical aspects. It's more about observation, nature study and anticipation. I needed to press the shutter beforehand, anticipating that the perched bird is not going to take to its wings. So to capture that moment of its flight, I need to press the shutter at the right moment, even before its actual flight."
Unlike portrait and landscape photography, where the subject, light, composition can be controlled to some extent, one has no control over wildlife and this aspect makes it even more challenging, avers Rathika. "Love of nature, a bond or connection with the __wild flora and fauna, immense patience for several days or weeks to get the perfect or desired shot by waiting and watching the movement of the wildlife, shooting from moving vehicles during safari, without getting down or going close to the animal are some of the requisites for wildlife photography," stated Rathika, who uses Nikon 800 mm long tele lens for most of her birdshots and Nikon 82 400 mm zoom lens for shooting other wildlife such as tigers.
While many of her photographs are amazing clicks of winged beauties, she is also equally adept at shooting wildlife such as tigers, elephants and deer. In fact, her personal favourite is the shot of a couple of elephants walking down the main road in Corbett National Park against a misty backdrop in winter. The click that captures both a tiger and a deer in one frame is another of her favourites. Rathika is now keen to click the colourful Himalayan Monal birds in Chopta Valley and leopards in a Sri Lankan National Park in the near future.
"Even though I have shot wildlife in African forests in Masaimara, I prefer shooting in Indian forests. In Africa, the concentration of animals is very high and all the time it's easy to spot some animals unlike in India. Photographers from all over the world throng these African forests and in other foreign locales but India is also a treasure trove of __wild flora and fauna that needs conservation," stated Rathika. Her works have featured in several national and international publications as well as exhibitions.
She is a member of Nikon's Professional Services and regularly conducts wildlife photography workshops across India, while her works have been showcased in photography exhibitions at India International Centre, New Delhi on the subject of 'Clean Ganga Campaign.' She had been a jury member for various national and international photography award competitions.
Appreciations, awards and accolades also poured in from all quarters for Rathika. She was selected as one of the top bird photographers in India by 'Birds of India' in 2008. In 2009, Doordarshan honoured her as the first wildlife woman photographer in India. She has been conferred The International Camera Fair Award for outstanding performance and achievements in wildlife photography. 'Uccelli in Natura', an Italian magazine on birds, featured her as the best bird photographer from Asia. This year, she has been cited as the best known woman photographer across the world on the internet.
This renowned, award-winning photographer born in Venkatachalapuram in Tamil Nadu, clicks her pictures with the motto "Every time I press the shutter, it's one step closer to Mother Nature", and focusses on the importance of biodiversity conservation during her photography workshops throughout the country.
One of India's very few women wildlife photographers, an avid nature lover and bird watcher, Rathika is on her maiden visit to Port City to attend certain programmes on the occasion of World Photography Day (August 19).
Rathika had no formal training in photography but her interest in photography dates back to her school days when her father, an Army officer, gifted her the first camera when she was in class X.
Speaking to TOI, Rathika, who is settled in Delhi, said, "In those days, I used to flip through old foreign magazines on photography that I could get hold of in bookshops that sold old stuff. Such magazines were very costly. Then I often used to visit Okhla Bird Sanctuary near Delhi and watch the migratory birds for hours. Wildlife photography is much more than technical aspects. It's more about observation, nature study and anticipation. I needed to press the shutter beforehand, anticipating that the perched bird is not going to take to its wings. So to capture that moment of its flight, I need to press the shutter at the right moment, even before its actual flight."
Unlike portrait and landscape photography, where the subject, light, composition can be controlled to some extent, one has no control over wildlife and this aspect makes it even more challenging, avers Rathika. "Love of nature, a bond or connection with the __wild flora and fauna, immense patience for several days or weeks to get the perfect or desired shot by waiting and watching the movement of the wildlife, shooting from moving vehicles during safari, without getting down or going close to the animal are some of the requisites for wildlife photography," stated Rathika, who uses Nikon 800 mm long tele lens for most of her birdshots and Nikon 82 400 mm zoom lens for shooting other wildlife such as tigers.
While many of her photographs are amazing clicks of winged beauties, she is also equally adept at shooting wildlife such as tigers, elephants and deer. In fact, her personal favourite is the shot of a couple of elephants walking down the main road in Corbett National Park against a misty backdrop in winter. The click that captures both a tiger and a deer in one frame is another of her favourites. Rathika is now keen to click the colourful Himalayan Monal birds in Chopta Valley and leopards in a Sri Lankan National Park in the near future.
"Even though I have shot wildlife in African forests in Masaimara, I prefer shooting in Indian forests. In Africa, the concentration of animals is very high and all the time it's easy to spot some animals unlike in India. Photographers from all over the world throng these African forests and in other foreign locales but India is also a treasure trove of __wild flora and fauna that needs conservation," stated Rathika. Her works have featured in several national and international publications as well as exhibitions.
She is a member of Nikon's Professional Services and regularly conducts wildlife photography workshops across India, while her works have been showcased in photography exhibitions at India International Centre, New Delhi on the subject of 'Clean Ganga Campaign.' She had been a jury member for various national and international photography award competitions.
Appreciations, awards and accolades also poured in from all quarters for Rathika. She was selected as one of the top bird photographers in India by 'Birds of India' in 2008. In 2009, Doordarshan honoured her as the first wildlife woman photographer in India. She has been conferred The International Camera Fair Award for outstanding performance and achievements in wildlife photography. 'Uccelli in Natura', an Italian magazine on birds, featured her as the best bird photographer from Asia. This year, she has been cited as the best known woman photographer across the world on the internet.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)