Great India plan for Bustard

A recovery strategy will be drawn up

Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) had directed Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan to have state – level recovery plans for the great Indian Bustard.

Gujarat principal chief conservator of Forests C.N. Pandey said, “We had met experts recently and have now prepared a draft report, which has been approved and is in the final stages”.

The MoEF had directed all bustard range stages to prepare state – level recovery plans to conserve the species. The proposed plan will aim at long – term conservation of both bustard species in Kutch in Gujarat. With this state-level initiative, it is expected that the conservation of and habitat restoration of Great Indian Bustard (GIB) will get a boost.

Officials in the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) said many vital and bio-diverse habitats such as grasslands and species inhabiting the Great Indian Bustard continue to remain neglected.

Officials said grasslands have been threatened for long from rising human pressures on the habitat, indiscriminate grazing outside traditional grounds, poaching, urbanization and several other factors. Several flagship grassland species of birds and animals including GIB, Lesser florican, chinkara, fox and wolf have been affected in various parts of their former range including Kutch (Gujarat, India). According, to BNHS, the Great Indian Bustard are found in six states in India currently and have populations of GIB and Lesser Florican in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh. In case of Madhya Pradesh, at present there are two sanctuaries for GIB and two for Lesser florican. In Maharashtra, the few remaining GIB are to be found at some locations in districts such as Solapur and Chandrapur. The situation in other Bustard range including Gujarat is also a cause of concern.

It is worth recalling that experts involved in the conservation of GIB had meet chief minister Narendra Modi and urged him to act and take measures to conserve the bird. According to experts GIB is facing threat through the reduction in the extent of undisturbed arid and grassland habitat, degradation and disturbance to existing habitat, hunting, lack of protection for many traditional “lekking” and nesting sites, lack natural grassland conservation in management and policy. Apart, from these issues there is lack of cooperation between departments and stakeholders in GIB habitats. Livestock overgrazing and disturbance by tourists and photographers, especially during the breeding season, have led to the reduction in the bird’s number.

 Courtesy: - Times of India  

Six – year wait ends, bustards to be counted this month

A census of the Great Indian Bustard will be held this month and officials of the state forest department are getting ready for this important exercise.

According to forest officials, the 2007 census had shown that there were 48 of these Bustards in Gujarat but data collected by other nature societies had reveled their population to be less than 30. Hence, all eyes are now on this census which is taking place after six years.  The officials said that the ‘direct sighting method’ will be adopted for the census in the Kutch Region ( Gujarat, India ) where the bustard is found.

This largest flying bird in the world is spotted mainly in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh. Some birds are also found in Pakistan, mainly in summer.

Officials said that a meeting of villagers and forest officials will be held to finalize the programme for the census. Separate teams will be set up and posted in pockets where sightseeing has been reported.

The census will be conducted in two phases – the first will be the primary round and the second will be the main final round. Officials said that according to the union ministry of forests and environment, the bird faces several threats to its existence, including threats from the rapid development of infrastructure taking place in Kutch (Gujarat). Domestic and stray animals are also among the major threats affecting conversation efforts for the bird.

Apart from these, collision with high tension electric wires, fast moving vehicles and other man-made structures continue to be a threat in the Industrial development zones near bustard inhabited areas. Deaths of Great Indian Bustard have been reported frequently from Kutch in Gujarat and Solapur in Maharashtra.

For the bird’s conversation, the Union ministry had asked the state government to undertake scientific studies of seasonal movements of bustards and their lifecycles, regular patrolling of bustard territories and setting up of local networks to monitor the fencing around core bustard areas. Removal of dogs and other nest predators with the help of the veterinary department has also been suggested.

It was in 2005 that Dr. Bharat Pathak, currently director of Gujarat Ecological Education and Research ( GEER ) Foundation had rushed to Velavadar Blackbuck National Park in Bhavnagar ( Gujarat, India ). He had heard of a bustard sighting there.

Courtesy: - Times of India. 

4th Global Bird Watchers' Conference from January 31, 2014

The 4th Global Bird Watchers' Conference, the annual event of Gujarat tourism department in coordination with forest department will be held for three days, from January 31.

To put water bodies in the state on the international map and attract tourists, Gujarat Tourism Department in association with various organization began this event in 2009-10 and it has become a regular event.

Officials said Gujarat is emerging as an eco-tourism destination; being host to wide range of pristine and hitherto unexplored destinations for nature lovers. The conference will not only showcase the destinations of Gujarat; but discussions will also be held on how to preserve these winged visitors who are facing many threats.

Officials said the objectives of the fourth conference were to promote Gujarat as a birding destination and project it as a eco-tourism destination. The conference aims to provide a platform for discussion by international experts on birds, birding and bird watching to promote tourism and conversation.

Also, the conference will discuss on the migratory route of birds from Europe and West Asia to the coasts, wetlands and islands in Gujarat. Officials said, that this time, the focus is likely to be Nal-Sarovar and nearby areas as the water body was recently declared a Ramsar site.

For Details contact, 00-91-281-2465237 || 00-91-281-2483878

Sasan Gir ( Junagadh, Gujarat ) named best protected area

Gir Sanctuary ( Junagadh, Gujarat )  has been recognized and awarded the best protected area by a Mumbai based wildlife magazine.

The awards were instituted in 2000, to recognize and draw national attention to the contribution of individuals working for the protection of wildlife and natural habitats in India.

This year, among various categories, Gir Sanctuary ( Junagadh, Gujarat ) was awarded for the best protected sanctuary. Chief conservator of forests R.L. Meena received the award on behalf of Gujarat. C.N. Pandey, the principal chief conservator of forests said: “The award was recognition of the conservation efforts of the state and especially the people of Saurashtra who have protected lions as their family. It was because of this convection that the population of lions increased to 411 according to the 2010 census.”

Officials said that talk of relocating Asiatic Lions from Gir ( Junagadh, Gujarat ) meet vehement protests from local maldharis. Despite the wild cats preying on nearly 6,000 domesticated animals in the forests, satellite areas and villages, locals consider the lions to be a part of their family.

Gir Forest ( Junagadh, Gujarat ) was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1965 with the main area declared a national park. Gradually, more lion habitats in adjoining regions were also declared sanctuaries and ultimately Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary ( Junagadh, Gujarat ) was created in 2007.

Several ecological studies were also conducted to identify problems and prepare a conservation project. This was followed by implementation of the Gir Lion Sanctuary project in 1973 to resettle maldharis.

Courtesy:- Times of India

Caracal trapped in gando baval (Prosopis juliflora) rescued

The forest department rescued a female carcal (a wild cat known for its reclusive behavior) that had got trapped in gando baval weeds ( Prosopis juliflora ) in Jatavira Village of Nakhatrana taluka in Kutch district ( Gujarat, India ) on November 23. This is perhaps the first instance of a caracal being rescued after it got struck in wild weed.

Caracals usually venture out of their lair at night. There are around 50 of them in the state and are found only in Kutch. One of these wild cats was last spotted by the officers of the Gujarat forest department in 2006. The conservator of Forests D.K. Sharma said that the rescued caracal was female and around three years of age.

When the rescued animal was found on November 25^th had injuries on its front left feet. “ On getting information about it, officials rushed to the spot. After clearing the bushes, the caracal was brought to Nakhatrana ( Kutch, Gujarat, India ) for veterinary care. The services of two expert veterinary doctors were taken to cure the animal,” said Sharma. He further said that the animal had got stuck in thick thorny dry bushes while trying to capture a prey.

Deputy Conservator of Forests Pravinshinh Vihol said that the species is considered rare in India. It has also been listed in annexure – 1 of the CITES (‘Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora’, also known as the Washington Convention) and is also a schedule - ` animal under the Wildlife Protect Act.

According to Dr. Naveen Pandey, veterinarian f the Corbett Foundation who treated the rescued animal, said the paw of the caracals’ lift forelimb, had mild abrasion between the second and third fingers of the toe.

Courtesy: - Times of India

Wildlife Package

Tourists flock Gir Lion Sanctuary (Junagadh, Gujarat) on opening day of season

Dekho dekho kaun aaya? Sher dekhne India Aaya! The first day of the opening of the Gir sanctuary (Junagadh, Gujarat)  saw a historic rise in the number of people from the length and breadth of the country thronging the Gir National Park (Sasan Gir, Junagadh, Gujarat) to have a dekho at the king of Jungle – the Asiatic lion.

As many as 1,785 people visited Gir (Junagadh, Gujarat) – double the number last year – on the day the park was opened for visitors post monsoon on Wednesday. On October 16^th last year, when the sanctuary reopened, about 935 people had visited the park.

Abdul Kadir, a businessman from Kolkata came all the way to spend Eid holiday with the Asiatic Lion. He spotted six lioness and cubs in the Kardi in Gir Sanctuary (Junagadh, Gujarat). “I booked online and would have gone back happy had I spotted even one lion’.

Officials said the major attraction among tourists were the five cubs who are in lodged Devalia Interpretation (Sasan Gir, Junagadh, Gujarat) zone. It was during the wildlife celebrations that the forest department had named the male cubs as Shardul, Yuvraj and Vanraj, while the female cubs will be identified as Heer and Mallika.

Another tourist, Mahendra Gard, said, “We had relatives from Kerala who had come to visit Dwarka and Somnath. We decided to visit Gir first and were lucky to sight two lionesses. It was a great experience to see a lion in the green as the forest is still lush because of the extended monsoon.”
Local guide Hitesh Solanki said that he has never seen such a rush in his 13- year- long stint here. According to conservator of forest, R.L. Meena, the Amitabh Bachchan campaign had played a major role in increasing the tourist flow.

Courtesy:- Times of India

Foreigners take lion’s share in Gir’s (Sasan Gir, Junagadh, Gujarat) festive season e-booking

Till Friday 500 tourists from Abroad made bookings, against 398 Indians

It is as if foreign nationals were waiting for the best chance to book their tryst with Asiatic lions. Even since online bookings began on October 3, over 900 booking have been done and of these 502 were foreign nationals or from overseas.

Officials said that of the 900 bookings till Friday evening, only 398 are for Indian nationals and of theses, over 60% are from outside Gujarat. Officials said that the maximum bookings from within the state were for November 4 to November 8 – New Year to Labh Pancham – when business establishments are closed.

Officials said the forest department had launched online booking service precisely in order to facilitate foreigners and those coming from outside Gujarat for a visit to Sasan Gir (Junagadh, Gujarat). The department has launched the online facility and also facilitated payment by credit or debit card for visits to the Gir Interpretation Zones at Sasan and Devaliya (Gujarat). The Sanctuary reopens on October 15.

Courtesy:- Times of India 

Lioness Laxmi’s lucky five in Zoo

Three Year Old Mother in Gir (Junagadh, Gujarat, India) has Given birth to a Record litter, all the cubs are healthy 

Five seems to be the lucky number for Laxmi. This three year old lioness in Gir (Junagadh, Gujarat, India) has given birth to a litter of five. Interestingly, Laxmi herself was one of a litter of five born to lioness named Shyama.

At her age, Laxmi should usually be learning the tricks of hunting, but she is already a mother and playing the role with tremendous ease. She is taking good care of the cubs and is protecting them from all kinds of threats of jungle life.

On May 17, 2013, Laxmi gave birth to five cubs in Gir Interpretation Zone at Devaliya (Sasan Gir, Junagadh, Gujarat, India). The cubs are now 75 days old and weigh between 3.5 and 4 kg. The cubs have begun to supplement the mother’s milk with meat as they have already developed teeth. “This is a remarkable feat as normally a lioness gives birth to 2 to 3 cubs and it is rather rare for all the cubs to survive. Laxmi deserves praise for her mothering skills well proved by the thriving brood,” said a forest officer.

Gujarat’s chief wildlife warden C.N. Pandey said, “Laxmi has inherited good genes. She was born on May 3, 2010, at Sakarbaug Zoo, Junagadh (Gujarat, India) to lion Daksh and lioness Shyama. However, her mother Shyama could raise only three of them. The rest died in their infancy. Laxmi has been able to achieve a record”.

“A lioness can feed only four cubs at a time. But Laxmi has been able to work around this biological limitation. 

This example illustrate that Asiatic lions are genetically strong and competent,” said Pandey. “The forest department continues to play a leading role in biodiversity conservation through dedicated management and support to nature with skill care. It is crucial that each and every individual of an endangered species is protected with proper skills and capability”.

“Birth to five cubs in a litter is extremely rare,” an official of the department said.

“We were not sure if Laxmi would be able to raise all five cubs. But she was to make a record in the known history of Asiatic Lion management. Laxmi, supported by the forest department staff, she has been able to ensure that all of her survive,” the official said.

Courtesy:- Times of India

Gujarat readies to clone its Lions

Sets up DNA Banks to preserve and improve Gene pool

Like humans, Asiatic Lions now have a gene bank with a cloning facility. In collaboration with the Gujarat State Bio-Technology Mission (GSBTM), the forest department has already collected 80 strains of DNA of the Asiatic lion.

The DNA banking of lions will not only be useful for further diseases and management related issues, but will also help to have healthy lion genes. An exclusive “Institute of Wildlife Genomics and DNA Banking” will be set up by the end of this year.

Akshaykumar Saxena, the GSBTM Director, says, “The institute is a joint collaboration of the forest department and the GSBTM, and will come up in Gandhinagar(Gujarat). We are already working on the project”.

The institute will help the department to overcome fears that the genes of the lions are deteriorating, as the institute will have a data bank of genes of different types of lions in Gir Region (Gujarat, India). Having lineage data will help the wildlife experts evaluate breeding stress and diseases susceptibility, say officials. The DNA bank will also have embryo transfer technology to supplement highly endangered species.

An official says, “The institute will help identify the cats with the best genes, which will be introduced at the gene pool centre set up at Sakarbaugh Zoo (Junagadh, Gujarat, India) and Rampara Virdi (Rajkot, Gujarat, India).

Once the institute is fully operational, various studies related to diseases and other management aspects of lions will be taken up. The genetic material stored in these banks will be used to increase genetic diversity. Material from DNA banks can be used to infuse small populations with new genetic material, increasing their chances of survival. Another goal of DNA banks is to increase the population size.

In 1999, at the Audubon Center for Research of Endangered species a domestic house cat gave birth to an African wildcat kitten that had been frozen as an embryo in a DNA bank. This was the first example of inter species birth. In 2000, the Center produced test-tube Caracal cats from sperm that had been stored in their DNA bank.

Officials say that the GSBTM is also in the process of collecting samples of cubs born at Rampara virdi (Rajkot, Gujarat, India) to study their genes. The GSBTM also plans to carry out a study of the Pestes Des Petits Ruminants Virus (PPRV).
Courtesy:- Times of India

Translocation animals outside home turf is high risk :- IUCN

New Guidelines May Hinder MP’s Lion Shifting Plan

The latest guidelines of the International Conservation of Nature (IUCN) on translocation of wildlife could prove to be a major roadblock for Madhya Pradesh’s lion dreams. The world’s oldest and most trusted global environment organization says shifting animals outside their indigenous range “is high risk”.

The guidelines, issued on July 12, warn, “There is a high risk of failure if the species originate from environments markedly different to the destination area. The risk is accentuated by the fact that the animals may be poorly adapted to the destination area”.

Gujarat has resisted Madhya Pradesh’s demand for Gir Lions for the past decade. The Supreme Court (Indian) had ordered translocation of lions to the Kuno Palpur sanctuary in its Aril 12 order after which Gujarat has filed a review petition.

Under the guidelines, shifting lions out of Gujarat would be classified as ‘assisted colonization where the species translocated is outside the indigenous range. The guidelines specify, “Translocations of organisms outside of their indigenous range are considered to be especially high risk given the numerous examples of species released outside their indigenous ranges subsequently becoming invasive, often with massively adverse impacts.”

IUCN cautions that suck translocation should be taken up only in cases where the risk is low and that the idea should be abandoned if there is any doubt. “If extinction of the species in the proposed destination area occurred long ago, or if conservation introductions are being considered for the first time, local communities may not develop a contact with a new species new to them, and hence may oppose the move. In such cases, special effort to counter such attitudes should be made well in advance of any release,” the guidelines said.

TOI has regularly reported on how both licensed and unlicensed guns are commonplace in villages around Kuno with the government making no effort to sensitize the people about lion translocation. Besides, in the early 1900s, African lions had been introduced here but the local populace had hunted them out of existence within a year.

The new guidelines say, “Multiple parties involved in most translocations have their own mandates, priorities and agendas, unless these are aligned through effective facilitation and leadership, unproductive conflict may fatally undermine translocation implementation or success.”   

Courtesy:- Times Of India 

48 lesser floricans counted at Black Buck National Park

Velavadar Grassland is an Ideal Habitat for their Breeding

The forest department has counted 48 lesser floricans, the critically endangered smallest bustards od the world. In Velavadar Blackbuck National Park (BNP) in Bhavnagar district. The counting was done on Saturday and Sunday.

According to assistant conservator of forests, BNP, D.P. Baghela, of the 48, 44 were males and four were females. Forest officials said BNP is the only grassland in north western Indian that has observed a steady population of lesser florican. Last year, 54 were counted here.

“This year we first spotted lesser floricans in first week of July. This grassland provides an ideal habitat for lesser floricans for breeding during monsoon and started leaving before winter,” Vaghela added.

Lesser florican is endemic to the Indian subcontinent and list under Schedule 1 species under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

“Degradation of grasslands in Gondal, Rajkot and Jamnagar earlier attracted lesser floricans. But they are seldom seemed here. Velavadar National Park is the only grassland in north western Indian where floricans are reported in good number, largely due to better grassland management and protection,” he said.Forest officials said earlier, lesser floricans were found in many parts of the region, but now these birds are found at very few places in the state.

Two years ago, researcher G.S. Bharadwaj of Wildlife Institute of India (WII) carried out a study on lesser floricans from across the country. They study observed that most of the potential florican habitat in the state were converted into cotton fields where large quantities of pesticides are being used, the greatest threat to floricans here.

“Lesser florican is best known for the leaping breeding displays by males during the monsoon,” an official said.




Courtesy:- Times Of India. 

Lions should be allowed to migrate naturally, says report

A report submitted by an NGO, Empower Foundation, to the forest department has stated that lions should not be trans-located and the big cats should be allowed to migrate naturally only.

The report has suggested that even if the need arises, the lions should be given a safe passage and should be given a natural corridor to any other place, but they should not be trans-located to Kuno Palpur in Madhya Pradesh, which will result into a failed translocation and extinction of the endangered lions from the new proposed habitat, a big loss to the wildlife.

The report has stated that lions are not present only in the Gir National Park, but over a period of time have migrated naturally hundreds of kilometers away to places like Amreli, Savarkundla, Liliya Porbandar, Paniya, Mitiyala, Barda, Una, Chhara, Sutrapada, Babariya, Kodina, Visavadar, Hipavadli, Jamvada, Jasdhar, Girnar, Bhavnagar and Palitana. The 1,412 sq km abode of Asiatic Lions has now spread across 10,500 sq km, thus mitigating concentration rick in one area.

Jalpesh Mehta of Empower Foundation said if an epidemic can kill all lions in Gujarat, it can also kill all the tigers in the Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra (Pench-Kanha-Bandhavgarh-Ranthambhor) and south India’s Karnataka – Tamil Nadu  belt (Mudumalai – Nagarhole – Bandipur – Waynad) as the distance is almost similar between Gir and other areas as compared to tiger reserves.

The report has further stated that Gujarat should stop using Gir Lions, in fact the Gujarat Government should communicate that they are found everywhere and should mention lions in Gir, outside Gir or in Greater Gir or Saurashtra region to correct the world’s perception on the issue.

Courtesy:- Times Of India

Sarus cranes flock to Dantiwada Dam(Banaskantha, Gujarat, India)

A large number of Sarus crane have flocked to Dantiwada dam site these days much to the delight of bird lovers.

“I was surprised to see a large numbers of beautiful cranes in the shallow water,” a professor in local R.R. Mehta Science College Dr. Suresh Prajapati said. He added that is was pleasure to see around 70 cranes feeding on fishes.

He said the dam located about 30 km from Palanpur in Banaskantha district (Gujarat, India) is an arid place and these cranes rarely come to such a place.

“In all we counted 73 adult cranes. It indicates that no breeding had taken place here and all had migrated from some other place,” assistant conservator of forests at Banaskantha N.M. Bhatol said. He said, “These birds are placed under a threatened category. It is great to spot them here in the arid land. Millet fields with shallow waters and generation of awareness to some extent has led to these birds arriving here”.

Prajapati pointed that in 2010 he had spotted hardly 10 birds at the site. A bird lover Nirdosh Gupta said Sarus cranes are spotted during pre-monsoon season when the dams having meager water in their shallow bottom are ideal place for picking fishes.

Courtesy:- Times Of India

Act before it’s too late for Great Indian Bustard, says experts

Conservation portal urges Gujarat CM to take action

Experts and conservationists believe that a project on the lines of Project Tiger has to be launched in order to save the Great Indian Bustard (GIB) that is threatened with extinction.

Prerna Singh Bindra, member of the National Board for Wildlife, said that Conservation India (CI), a wildlife conservation portal, has urged Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to take immediate measures for conservation of the threatened bustard species. “If action is not taken, this bird could become the first mega species to go extinct in the country since the cheetah. Only a ‘Project Bustard’ can save the species, just as ‘Project Tiger’ did for our national animal”, said Bindra.

According to CI’s campaign paper, “Act Now! Or say Goodbye to the Great Indian Bustard,” there may be less than 200 Great Indian Bustard left in India. In Gujarat, 50 of the threatened bustard species are to found in Kutch.

The bird has already disappeared from more the 90 per cent of its former habitats. “What is worse, the 

meager remaining number is fragmented into small populations across several Indian states, making the bird even more vulnerable to extinction. If urgent and targeted conservations actions are not taken immediately, the bird will almost certainly go extinct within the next decade or two,” says CI co-founder Ramki Sreenivasan.

The Great Indian Bustard (GIB) is found in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The largest population of about 100 birds is in Rajasthan where it is the state bird.

The GIB is threatened with extinction because of the reduction in undistributed arid and grassland (its habitat), degradation of and distribution to its existing habitat, hunting, lack of projection for many traditional “lekking” and nesting sites, and lack of a management and conservation policy for natural grassland.

Apart from these issues, there is lack of cooperation between different departments and stakeholders in GIB habitats. Livestock overgrazing and disturbance by tourists and photographers, especially during breeding season, have also contributed to reduction in GIB numbers.

According to the campaign paper, there is a need for urgent and coordinated actions, including setting up of a secure and fully protected ‘lekking’ sites, where male bustards gather to attract females. Also there is a need to constitute a GIB task force in every state where these birds are to be found.

A full – scale ‘Project Bustard’ on the lines of Project Tiger needs to be launched for the threatened bustard species, conservationists say. The Ministry of Forests and Environment has demanded that the possibility should also be looked into.

Courtesy:- Times of India. 

No Drought of winged beauties

Despite the erratic rainfall and drying water bodies around the city, there is a silver lining. Ishwaria Lake on the outskirts of Rajkot (Gujarat, India) has literary turned into an oasis for thousands of wetlands birds. Spread over 40 hectares of wasteland at Madharpar village, Ishwaria (Rajkot, Gujarat, India) plays host to thousands of migratory birds from far away places like Siberia and Mongolia in winter and resident birds through out the year. the lake is a major attraction for bird lovers from far and near.

Courtesy:- Times of India

WORTH Flocking to Thol (Ahmadabad, Gujarat, India)

Paris of Sarus crane beckon bird-lovers.

If you thought, Thol (Ahmadabad, Gujarat, India) was only about migratory birds, another visit to this lake is due!. Flocks of majestic Sarus cranes have descended in the lake and near - by fields. there are at least 50 Sarus cranes here. No wonder then that bird watchers and shutterbugs are flocking to Thol (Ahmadabad, Gujarat, India) these days, braving the blistering heat.

Courtesy:- Times of India

Watch towers to deter poachers

Nalsarovar (Ahmadabad, Gujarat) also gets allocation for information network

Now on, the watchful eyes of foresters will be trained on the winged visitors from overseas that flock to Nalsarovar (Ahmadabad, Gujarat) every year. The state forest department has decided to set up watchtowers near the bank of three villages where poachers has been rampant. Officials have also decided to allocate special funds to set up an information network for Nalsarovar, a Ramsar site.

Official in Nalsarovar said that at meetings between senior officials on Monday, it was decided to have watchtowers in three sensitive villages – Darji, Ranagadh and Vekariya (Gujarat). These have sizeable population and notorious for the poaching of birds. In all, about 9000 people in these villages hunt and eat wild animals.

The meeting was held after two people from Ranagadh Village (Gujarat) were caught with 60 coots that had been trapper and whose legs and wings were broken to keep them from escaping.

These watchtowers will be equipped with closed circuit cameras and in order to prevent damage, one hidden camera will also be installed to catch poachers who will manage to find the visible ones.

Sources in the department said that against the sanctioned strength of 12, there are just six staffers – including the deputy conservator of forests and assistant conservator of forests. With just half the sanctioned strength, officials have to keep watch over 1.5 lakh winged visitors and thousands of tourists to the wetland spread over 120.82 sq km.

“There are only three guards to secure the highly sensitive site, which has communities known for poaching living nearby”, said a source. It was decided at the meeting that staff strength would be increased to ensure illegal activities are monitored efficiently. 

Courtesy:- Times Of India.

Vulture count on a rise thanks to Asiatic Lions

Vulture population may be on a decline across Gujarat but the number of these fast diminishing scavengers has surprisingly risen in Bhanvnagar (Gujarat, India) and Amreli districts (Gujarat, India). Interestingly, it is the lions that are helping these endangered birds make this region their permanent habitat.

The number of vultures in the 70-km coastal stretch from Mahua-Rajula-Nageshree (Gujarat, India) has steadily increased from an all time low of 87 in 2010 to 134 in 2013. In fact, the extremely rare Eurasian Griffon specie of vultures that were only winter visitors of Mahuva, are now seen throughout the year.  

Besides serious conservation efforts and people’s awareness, wildlife experts also attribute the increase to the presence of large number of lions in the revenue land in this region. Vultures feast on the animals that have been preyed upon by lions.

“Since these lions are out of forests area, they mostly kill domestic cattle and feed on them in open fields. Moreover, these animals are untreated and not administered Diclofenac, which is the sole reason for vulture’s decline. This helps vultures to have a healthy food chain, a critical aspect for their survival,” said Ruchi Dave, honorary wildlife warden, Bhavnagar district (Gujarat, India).

Recently, wildlife enthusiasts spotted 25 endangered vultures including two Eurasian Griffons, feedin on the carcass left behind by an Asiatic Lion near Rajula in Amreli District (Gujarat, India).

“Few days ago mi spotted eight vultures feasting on an animal killed by Lions. Such a sight is quite common now”. Said Jasubhai Mobh, a Maldhari living in Mobh Nesh near Khambha.

Lions are in good numbers in Mahuva, Rajula, Khambha, Jafrabad and Savarkundla (Gujarat, India) area and most of them are out of protected forest area. “There are over 75 lions in his 70 km area and most of them are in revenue area. We have often seen vultures eating the lion’s kill in these areas,” said Vipul Laheri, honorary wildlife warden, Amreli (Gujarat, India).

Notably, Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) has selected the Mahuva area as one of the six provisional Vultures’ safe Zone on the country.

Lions’ presence in this ‘vulture’ zone has helped these birds stay put. “Eurasian Griffon vultures have been observed throughout the year, which indicated that this area is non-disturbed habitat for vultures,” Dave said. 

Courtesy:- Times of India. 

Rare Indian blue Robin spotted in Gir Sanctuary (Gujarat, India)

It was a pleasant surprise for bird watchers Ashok Mashru and his colleagues on Dhuleti when they spotted the rare Indian blue Robin in Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary (Gujarat, India). 

According to Mashru, the bird was earlier recorded by renowned ornithologist Lavkumar Kachar in 1996 at Hingolgadh near Jasdan of Rajkot district when it was going to south Indian in autumn.

“It may be possible that Indian blue Robbin, which we spotted, was going back to North India. The species breed in Himalaya. By all chances, this is only the second time that it has been sighted in Guajrat after 18 years,” Mashru said.

Bird watchers say Indian blue Robbin may be a passage migrant. This specie commonly spends winter in hills of Kerala and Sri Lanka. 

Courtesy:- Times of India 

For Saurashtrians(Gujarat, India), “lions are like kin”

The people of Saurashtra(Gujarat, India) take care of lions as they would of their family members. If they spot a lion in the vicinity of their village, they take pride in the fact and protect it. These statements were made by the government in the assembly for the first time.

Minister of state for forests and environment Govind Patel – in response to a question from Nikol MLA Jagdish Panchal – informed the house that lions were found in many places of India, but they survive only in Gujarat owing to people’s conservation efforts.

“They are the pride of Gujarat and it was only because of the people of Saurashtra that the lion population grew,” Patel said.

“Even if lions attack cattle in villages, the villagers are tolerant of lions”.

Patel told the house that government has also created post of ‘van mitras’ who take care of the animal and keep a watch on the movement inside the sanctuary. He said 898 eco-clubs had been formed in the Saurashtra region.

Responding to a question Patel said that there were 411 lions – 97 males and 162 females – in the sanctuary. He further said that the state had created gene – pool centers. Five new cubs have been born in the last year at the Rampara Virdi centre. These cubs have been born to two pairs of lions captured from completely different areas and brought to Rampara to ensure that the genes different. These centre’s provide a shield against weakening genes of Gir Lions.

For example if the lioness was from Sasan (Gujarat, India), the lion would be from a far off area of Tulsishyam(Jungadh, Gujarat, India) or even Bhavnagar. The minister said that there have been no instances of villagers offering baits to lions in order to show the animals to visitors. However, he admitted that his department had penalized people caught on the spot to the tune of Rs. 93,000 to Rs 31,400.

Courtesy: Times of India.   

Of 92 lion deaths in last two years, 83 were natural

No incident of poaching: Government

A total of 92 lions have died in the last two years in Saurashtra region (Gujarat, India). Of these, 83 died natural deaths while the remaining nine died of accidental causes, like falling into open wells.

Minister of state forest and environmental Govind Patel told the House in a written reply to Lathi MLA Bhavku Unghad’s question. The government said that said that 46 lions each died in the year 2011 and 2012. The minister said that among the dead cats were 43 cubs, 20 males, while the rest were females.

The minister said that there was no incident of poaching in the any part of the state. He added that in 2011 five lions lost like in different kinds of incidents, while the number was four in 2012.

The death of 46 animals was normal as only 11 per cent of the animals are dying annually. The officer said that also there was a drop over the past few years in the number of accidental deaths. The forest department has begun a drive to cover up wells in and around Gir Forest (Gujarat, India). However, such incidents of death due to falling in a well were reported in the areas far away from the sanctuary.

The official added that of one looked at the figure more cubs have died recently. A study by Dr. V. Meena of the Wildlife Institute of India titled “Reproductive Strategy and Behavior of Male Asiatic Lions” revealed that survival rate of cubs was lowest in the first year of birth and gradually increases in second and third year, he added.

Courtesy: - Times Of India

Can Indian geneticists revive Asiatic cheetah?

A few days ago, when scientists inched closer to reviving an Australian frog species that has been extinct for the last 30 years, they also revived the world’s fascination for De-extinction – a concept that walks the thin line between science fiction and reality. Bringing to life species that have been wiped off the face of earth is a dream many geneticists have pursued for years.

“If India were to aggressively pursue it, there are at least three extinct species that can get a shot at coming back for the dead” says Sandeep Sharma of the Washington based Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute.

“High on the list is the Asiatic Cheetah that went extinction in India soon after Independence. The others are the pink-headed duck and the maintain quail. There are a few pre-historic species, too, but then it might get too ambitious.”

Indian geneticists have been attempting to clone the Asiatic Cheetah – a favorite animal of the Mughal emperor Akbar who reportedly has an army of 1000 cheetahs accompany him on his hunting expeditions. But efforts to recreate the majestic predator have encountered several roadblocks. “The biggest hurdle is procuring the cell-line of the cheetah and defining protocols for somatic cell transfer. Once this happens, we have a realistic chance of reviving the cheetah in India,” says S Shivaji of the Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hydrabad.

Somatic cell transfer involves creating a clone embryo with a donor nucleus in a laboratory and is considered as the first step in reproductive cloning. India has recently imported a few cheetahs whose cell lines, says Shivaji, CCMB is trying to get. After that, it would be a case of attempting again and again – success rates in reproductive cloning are just about 5% till an Asiatic cheetah cub is born.

Nobody knows when this might happen. “We are still not sure what factors combine together to create the 5% success rate,” says Shivaji.

De-extinction itself is a subject that has drawn diverse opinions. Those opposing it says that is a species went extinct over a period of time – Darwin’s theory of survival of the fittest propounds this is nature’s way of balancing itself – is it prudent to re-introduce it in an ecosystem where some other species may have taken over it role? Ulhas Karanth of Wildlife Conservation Society says it makes no sense at all. “De-extinction is unlikely to work because factors that caused the original extinction continue to operate”.

However, De-extinction proponents continue to be gung-ho about its prospects. “It should not be an either/or question,” says Ryan Phelan, executive director of Us NGO Revive & Restore which recently organized a much publicized conference on the subject along with National Geographic and TED. “It’s really an all one continuum. What’s good for extinct species will be great for endangered ones”.

If man does succeed in playing god, it might just be Jurassic Park all over again, hopefully minus the horror.

Courtesy: - Times of India.

Gir lioness baby – sits, feeds siblings

In display of Unusual Behavior, introduces cubs to meat early

There’s nothing like a sister’s love. A young lioness, baby sitting her three six – week - old step siblings when the mother is away hunting, has caught the eye of foresters in the Gir Sanctuary(Sasan Gir, Jamnagar, Gujarat, India) .

Experts say this is a rare sight in the wild – the three year old lioness not only watches over the cubs, but hunts for them as well.  Deputy Conservator of forests, Sandeep Kumar, who is documenting this unique behavior, says generally one and a half month old cubs are not exposed to flesh and blood. “They only survive on mother’s milk”, he says. “But in this case, we noticed that when the mother is not around, the sister not only takes care of the cubs but also gets them fresh meat and they seem to be doing well so far”.

Kumar adds that cubs first taste the meat when they are slightly older. “On a couple of occasions, the sister dragged the kill to the cubs and watched them eat,” he adds. To ensure that this premature weaning does not have any adverse effect, the foresters are regularly monitoring the health of the cubs.
 Even the mother has started hunting closer to home and bringing the kill to the cubs. She makes the kill before the cubs, but ensures that they are at a safe distance, which officials say may be a way of teaching them the first lesions of hunting.

Gujarat additional principal chief conservator of forests, H.S. Singh says, “Usually, the mother would not expose the cubs to blood before 12 weeks. At 12 weeks, they are given their first taste of blood and only after a while are they allowed to eat meat”.

“Lion cubs are nursed till about six months,” says Meena Venkatraman, who has a PhD in lion behavior from Wildlife Institute of India. “They may start to feed on tidbits of meat when the prides are feeding on a kill. This is usually around three months. However, tasting meat is not same as eating meat”.

Courtesy: - Times of India

Top 25 Photographs from the Wilderness #7

Top 25 Photographs from the Wilderness #7

Sharp decline in number of vultures, just 1043 left in state

Junagadh (Gujarat, India) Breeding centre starts Delivering results

The government appears to be doing precious little for improving the vulture count in the state. While their numbers have dropped to 1043 which is the lowest count registered so far, the government has so far spent only Rs. 19.70 lakhs for their conservation in the last two years.

The count recorded in 2007 was 2539 and ever since then, there has been a sharp decline. Their number was 1431 in 2008 and 1043 in May 2010.

In written reply to a question from Wakaner (Rajkot, Gujarat, India) MLA Mohammed Javed Pirzada, environment and forest minister Ganpat Vasava said that apart from an awareness campaign to conserve vultures, the government has also started a vulture breeding centre at Sakkarbaugh Zoo in Junagadh (Gujarat, India). In addition to this, the union government has banned the use of Diclofenac treatment by vets, especially on cattle.

Vasava claimed that the centre at Sakkarbaugh Zoo has started showing results in the form of a White Rumped vulture being bred successfully. Two vultures have been born there in the last 2 years.

Officials said that vulture conservation in Gujarat has got a major boost with the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) selecting Mahuva (Rajkot, Gujarat, India) and Ahmadabad among the six provisional Vulture Safe Zones (VSZ) in India.

A recent survey has indicated that the current state wide estimated population of ‘critically endangered’ Gyps vultures is 938, White- Rumped vultures is 577 and Long Billed Vultures is 361.

The survey has shown a reduction of 11.34 per cent in the population of Gyps vultures between 2010 and 2013. In 2010, there were 1,065 Gyps vultures. In the survey carried last year, 97 Egyptian vultures and eight Red headed vultures have been enumerated.

Courtesy:- Times Of India (Saturday, 23^rd February, 2013).

Great Indian Bustard (GIB) census starts in Rajasthan, India

The state level winter census of the Great Indian Bustard (GIB) started from February 10th in the state. The GIB is a bird which is on the verge of extinction.

Chief forest conservator, wildlife, Jodhpur, (Rajasthan, India) Govind Sagar Bhardwaj, has been appointed the nodal officer for the census. Only 100 Great Indian Bustard (GIB) is alive in the country and nearly 50 of them are in Jaisalmer(Rajasthan, India).

A workshop for the census was organized at a Hotel in Jaisalmer (Rajasthan, India) on Friday, in which six forest divisions, voluntary organizations and army jawans participated.

Deputy conservator of forests, ML Sonal informed the participants about the wildlife census. State wildlife board, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India member Rajpal Singh was the guest of honor.

Information about the preparations for the census, deputy forest conservator Karan Singh said that this time the transit lines have been increased and five new tracks have been laid outside the Desert National Park. A control room has been set up at the wildlife office. The team constituted for census work will be provided with a wireless set, head set, GPS, binoculars, etc. the census will be carried out on the scheduled track on camels and on foot.

Deputy forest conservator, Desert national Park, GK Verma, regional forest officer Pankaj Gupta, assistant forest conservator Rewat Singh Godara and regional forest officers also took part in the workshop. Assistant forest conservator (wildlife) VK Bissa, who conducted the workshop, gave a vote of thanks.

During December last year, a Great Indian Bustard (GIB) was poached; bit till date there is no clue of the poachers. Human interference is responsible for the diminishing numbers of these birds as it prevents the shy bird from breeding.

The state government and the center appear indifferent towards saving the bird. Although, a plan for GIB conservation has been sent to the center, but no action has been taken so far.

Courtesy:- Times Of India (Monday, 11th, February, 2013)

Roar of the cub club in Gir

Youth takes over Gujarat’s pride

The ‘cub club’ has taken over Gir Sanctuary(Junagadh, Gujarat, India) and surrounding areas in Gujarat, the last remaining home of Asiatic Lions in the world. More than a third of the 400- lions are now less than 3 years old. Of these, 50 percent have not even crossed the one year mark. This is a demographic that experts and foresters say will only help in conserving this unique animal that has come back from the edge of extinction.

The first census of lions by Gujarat, India in 1964 has shown that the numbers of the wild cat had dropped to precarious depths at just 177. According to the last census in May 2010, there are 411 lions in the state. Every year, some 70 cubs are born, but only 56 per cent live to see the third year of their lives. As present, 37 per cent of the population is below three years.

This number, however, is way better when compared with African lions. The website of the Kalahari Predator Conservation Trust (Botswana), quoting International Union for conservation of Nature (IUCN), states that food shortage, negligence and the takeover by other male lions results in only 20 per cent of cubs living to experience more than two years of their lives. About 27 per cent of all cubs die from the hierarchical invasion by another male lion.

Says HS Singh, additional  principal conservator of forests, “In Gir, the territorial battles seem to be happening at an older age, which has reduced the cannibalism and improved the survival rate of the cubs.” Not only within the sanctuary, are young cubs found elsewhere as well. Although they seem to be doing much better in Gir East and Gir west areas within the sanctuary. The wild cats had started moving out of the sanctuary about a decade ago. “Today, they are found in substantial numbers in regions like Amreli and Bhavnagar outside the sanctuary, but the numbers of cubs is comparatively less here,” says Sandeep Kumar, deputy conservator of forest.

A study by V. Meena of the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun,(India) called ‘Reproductive Strategy and Behaviors of Male Asiatic Lions’ revealed that the survival rate of the cub was the lowest in the first year of birth. It adds that cub survival depends on factors like infanticide (which results in death of 60% cubs), abandonment (13%) and other natural causes (26%).



Yadvendradev Jhala, research associate at WII says, “Thirty – seven per cent bus in the wild is a very high number. The forest department should not make efforts to save all these new born as it would mean interfering in the natural process in which the bad genes die and the best survive.”

Courtesy:- Times Of India (Monday, 11th, February, 2013)

Decline rate of vultures in India slows

Vultures may not be the most pleasant birds to contemplate, given their not so pleasant appearance and association with death, but they serve a vital role in an Eco - system by eating dead fish.

Throughout India, vulture populations have plummeted to less than one percent of what they were a few decades age, leading to an epidemic of unseen cattle carcasses and spawning an increase in the number of rats, feral dogs and human rabies cases for dog bites.

But they may be some hope for these much maligned birds: Their decline had slowed, stopped or even reversed in some areas of the Indian Subcontinent, according to a paper published on February 7^th in the journal Science.

The birds declined largely because ranchers started giving their cattle an anti inflammatory drug called diclofenac that the birds ingested when they ate the dead cattle, paper author and Cambridge researcher Andrew Balmford said. In 2006, following revelations that diclofenac was deadly to the birds, the government of India, Pakistan and Nepal banned the use of the drug for cattle.

Bangladesh followed in 2010, and in May 2012 the four governments reached an ‘unprecedented political agreement’ to prevent unintentional poisoning of the vultures from veterinary drugs, Balmford told OurAmazingPlanet.

Many ranchers have adopted an alternative drug that is safe to vultures, Balmford said, but the increase of other drugs in concerning, especially one that’s close in structure to diclofenac, Balmford said. Restrictions on these drugs are needed, he added.

Nevertheless, vulture numbers have leveled off in many areas, and increase elsewhere.

Courtesy:- Times Of India