Page 2 - Wildlife

After elephants, monkeys found to call each other by 'name' in new study

After elephants, now monkeys have been found to make specific sounds to name each other, according to a new study. Researchers found that marmoset monkeys, native to South America, use specific vocal calls, called "phee-calls", to identify and communicate with each other. A study published in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution in June showed that wild African elephants addressed each other with name-like calls, uniquely invented for each individual. Calls meant for other elephants did get responded to. In this study, published in the journal Science, the researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel, recorded natural conversations between pairs of marmosets, as well as interactions between monkeys and a computer system. The team found that these monkeys used their "phee-calls" to address specific individuals. "They (the monkeys) also perceived and responded correctly to calls that were specifically directed at them," the authors wrote. They said that naming of

Assam govt to notify Poba Reserve Forest as wildlife sanctuary: State min

The Poba Reserve Forest, a rainforest located in the northeastern part of Assam, will soon be notified as a wildlife sanctuary, state Environment and Forest Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said. The proposed Poba Wildlife Sanctuary will encompass an area of 257.29 sq km, including the Poba Reserve Forest, Kabu Chapri Proposed Reserve Forest and the surrounding riverine areas, he said. Making the announcement on Friday, the minister said it is a testament of the government's commitment for conservation and sustainable development of the state's natural resources and biodiversity. Known for its rich wildlife, Poba Reserve Forest serves as an important migratory route for various animals, particularly elephants, as it connects the D' Ering Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary, Kabu Chapri Proposed Reserve Forest and Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, an official statement said. This corridor is the second significant elephant migration route from the north to the south bank of the Brahmaputra river

Officials expediting efforts to bring next batch of cheetahs by year-end

India has expedited efforts to bring a new batch of 12-14 cheetahs by the end of the year, with a delegation set to visit South Africa soon for ground-to-ground negotiations, officials said on Tuesday. PTI has learned that negotiations are also ongoing with Kenya, and a memorandum of understanding is being finalized. "We are actively engaging with South Africa on the matter. A delegation will visit the country in late September or early October to hold ground-to-ground negotiations. The next batch of cheetahs could come from either of these two countries," the official said. The 'Action Plan for Reintroduction of Cheetah in India' talks about bringing around 12-14 cheetahs each year from South Africa, Namibia, and other African countries for five years to establish a founder stock. "We have communicated to South Africa that we want to expedite efforts to bring another batch of cheetahs by the end of the year as per the recommendation of the Cheetah Project Steering Committee and in

Another Namibian male cheetah, Pawan, dies at Kuno National Park in MP

Namibian cheetah, Pawan, died in the wild at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday, an official said. The latest cheetah fatality at KNP was reported weeks after a five-month-old cub of African cheetah, Gamini, died on August 5. The male cheetah, Pawan, was found lying near the edge of a swollen nullah amidst bushes without any movement at around 10.30 AM on Tuesday, as per a statement issued by the office of the Additional Principal Chief Conservation of Forest (APCCF) and Director of Lion Project, Uttam Sharma. Veterinarians were informed and a closer inspection disclosed that the front half of the cheetah's carcass, including the head, was inside the water. No external injuries were seen anywhere on the body, as per the statement. The preliminary cause of death seems to be drowning. Further details will be provided after the postmortem report is received, it said. With the death of Pawan, KNP is left with 24 cheetahs, including 12 adults and as many cubs.

Sunderbans tigers count to rise in conducive habitat with no threat

The number of tigers in the Sunderbans is likely to rise in the next census as there is no threat of saturation and sufficient prey base in the 4,200 sq km area of the mangrove forest, a senior forest official said. The number of Royal Bengal Tigers in West Bengal's Sunderbans as per the 2022 census was 101. "The 2022 tiger census count of 101 is nowhere close to carrying capacity in near future... ," Chief Wildlife Warden Debal Roy told PTI. "On a terrain like the Sunderbans carrying capacity means the number of tigers per 100 sq km. If you keep in mind that Sunderbans has an area of 4,200 sq km and calculate, the carrying capacity of tigers will be far below than any saturation level," he said. Roy said the prey bass consisting of spotted deer is regularly replenished for the tiger population and the forest department is working on steps like anti-poaching, anti-trafficking and barring entry of fishermen, honey collectors, wood collectors and other villagers living in contiguous

International Tiger Day: Big cat mortality drops 29% so far in 2024

The year 2023 was the worst for the tiger population, recording the highest number of mortalities in a decade with 178 tigers dying

Over 2,500 people died in 5 years in human-elephant conflicts: Govt data

Human-elephant conflicts resulted in 2,853 human deaths during the past five years, with the number of fatalities reaching a five-year high of 628 in 2023, according to government data. Responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh on Thursday said "elephants caused" 587 human deaths in 2019, 471 in 2020, 557 in 2021, 610 in 2022 and 628 in 2023. The data revealed that Odisha recorded 624 such deaths during this period, followed by Jharkhand with 474, West Bengal with 436, Assam with 383, Chhattisgarh with 303, Tamil Nadu with 256, Karnataka with 160 and Kerala with 124. The minister said the management of wildlife habitats was primarily the responsibility of state governments and Union Territory administrations and that the central government provided financial and technical support under the centrally sponsored Project Tiger & Elephant scheme for the protection of animals, their habitats and corridors, addressing ...

280% surge in projects in wildlife sanctuaries, national parks in 2023-24

India saw a massive 280 per cent increase in the number of projects recommended in wildlife sanctuaries and national parks in 2023-24 as compared to 2022-23, according to the data presented in Parliament on Monday. Union Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh also informed the Lok Sabha that a total of 957.25 square kilometers or 95,724.99 hectares of forest area has been diverted for non-forestry use under the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980 over five years starting from April 2019. The minister said that 71 project proposals were approved in national parks and wildlife sanctuaries across the country in 2019-20. The numbers stood at 85 in 2020-21, 154 in 2021-22, 150 in 2022-23, and surged to 421 in 2023-24. Singh also shared that 8,731 requests for forest land diversion were approved between April 1, 2019, and March 31, 2023, amounting to a total of 95,724.99 hectares of forest area being set aside for non-forestry use. Madhya Pradesh saw the highe

Cheetah trackers in Kuno refuse to kill goats over religious beliefs

MP's Kuno National Park, home to 26 Cheetahs, employed around 30 villagers of Sheopur as trackers to monitor the big cats

Priyanka Gandhi urges Centre, U'khand govt to prevent forest fire incidents

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday urged the Centre and the Uttarakhand government to take steps to prevent forest fire incidents and make effective efforts with everyone's cooperation to save the Himalayas. Her remarks came after four forest workers were killed and four others injured while extinguishing a fire at the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary under the Civil Soyam Forest Division in Almora district of Uttarakhand. In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi said, "The news of the death of four employees who went to extinguish the forest fire in Almora, Uttarakhand and many others getting injured is extremely saddening. I pray to God for everyone. I request the state government to provide compensation and assistance at every possible level to the affected families." The forests of Uttarakhand have been burning continuously for the past several months and hundreds of hectares of forest have been destroyed, she noted. There are reports of forest fires in Himachal Pradesh as well, s

World Bee Day 2024: Celebration, history, themes, significance and more

World Bee Day 2024: This day is celebrated every year on May 20 to mark the birth anniversary of Anton Jansa. Check dates, history, significance and more

South Africa wants to preserve its wild animals by eating them more

It's also an opportunity to boost Black ownership of a wildlife-use sector that three decades after the end of apartheid is just 3.5% owned by historically disadvantaged South Africans

World Sparrow Day 2024: Date, History, theme, importance of small birds

World Sparrow Day aims to bring issues to light about the decrease in the sparrow population and the need for their conservation. The day promotes action for safeguarding and conserving sparrows

6 cubs born to cheetah Gamini, not 5, clarifies Minister Bhupender Yadav

African cheetah 'Gamini' has given birth to six cubs at the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh's Sheopur district, and not five as reported previously, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said on Monday. On March 10, Yadav shared the information that the five-year-old South African cheetah gave birth to five cubs at the Kuno National Park (KNP). In a post on his official X account on Monday morning, Yadav said, "Gamini's legacy leaps forward! There is no end to joy: It is not five, but six cubs! A week after the news of five cubs born to Gamini, it is now confirmed that Gamini, the South African cheetah mother, has given birth to six cubs, a record of sorts for a first-time mother." The minister also shared the visuals of cheetah Gamini's six cubs. With this, the cheetah count at the KNP has increased to 27, including 14 cubs. In March last year, cheetah Jwala (Namibian name Siyaya) had given birth to four cubs but only one managed to survive. Jwala gave birth to her seco

Born to be wild

Wildlife conservationist Romulus Whitaker's memoir is a captivating glimpse into his adventurous youth, brimming with a plethora of wild and unbelievable experiences

Cabinet nod to set up International Big Cat Alliance to save tigers

The Union Cabinet Thursday approved the creation of International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) to set up a global network to conserve tigers and other big cats. The India-headquartered alliance was conceived as a multi-country, multi-agency coalition of 96 big cat range countries and others to establish a common platform for conservation. Out of the seven big cats (tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, puma, jaguar and the cheetah), five -- tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard and cheetah -- are found in India. The Cabinet has cleared a one-time budgetary support of Rs 150 crore for the IBCA for a period of five years from 2023-24 to 2027-28. Acknowledging India's leading role in conserving tigers, other big cats and many of its endangered species, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had during his speech on Global Tiger Day, 2019 called for an alliance of global leaders to curb poaching in Asia. The IBCA aims for cooperation among countries for mutual benefit in furthering the conservation ...

Experts to conduct surveys on translocating cheetahs to 2 sanctuaries: Min

A team of African and Namibian experts will soon visit the Gandhi Sagar and Nauradehi sanctuaries in Madhya Pradesh to conduct surveys for translocating cheetahs to these places, Union minister Bhupender Yadav has said. The minister for environment, forest and climate change addressed a review meeting of the cheetah project at the Kuno National Park (KNP) in MP's Sheopur district on Monday. Yadav said Kuno will be established as an international tourist destination in the coming five years and the economy of this region will grow to around Rs 1,000 crore, that too without industries. "There are 21 cheetahs in the KNP at present and this area has great potential. Currently, eight cubs are roaming freely with the female cheetah in Kuno," Yadav was quoted as saying in an official release. He said a Cheetah Rehabilitation Centre has been started and it is also the area of biggest success in the world because cheetahs have been rehabilitated here (KNP). "A total of 10 forest areas were

Project Cheetah to protect wild life and promote development: MP CM Yadav

Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav joined Bhupender Yadav, Union minister for environment, forest and climate change, in a review of the project on Monday.

In a first, Alaskapox virus claims life of elderly man in US: 5 points

Alaskapox virus: Also known as AKPV, the virus is transmitted from small mammals and is related to smallpox, cowpox and mpox. Its symptoms include rash, swollen lymph nodes and joint or muscle pain

India home to 718 snow leopards, Ladakh highest with 477: Report

The highest number of snow leopards were recorded in Ladakh (477), followed by Uttarakhand (124), Himachal Pradesh (51), Arunachal Pradesh (36), Sikkim (21), and Jammu and Kashmir (9)