Fall in eastern swamp deer population in Assam’s Kaziranga
The number of vulnerable eastern swamp deer in Assam’s Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve has declined to 868 due to flood, according to a statement.
A two-day census of the animal from January 10 revealed that there has been a “slight decrease” in the number from 907 in 2018, it said.
The latest eastern swamp deer count in the national park was 868, which included 173 males, 557 females and 138 yearlings. “The slight decrease in the population was mainly due to two floods in 2019 and 2020,” the statement issued on Tuesday said.
Cooped up in rusty & cramped cage, 14-year-old leopardess dies in Chennai zoo
The leopardess, ‘Jaya’ had died on Monday after it was squeezed inside the poorly maintained rusty cage at the zoo. The postmortem conducted by the veterinarians of the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS) said that the leopardess ribs were squeezed leading to the cut-off of oxygen flow to its lungs.
The Postmortem report of a 14-year-old leopardess at Arignar Anna Zoological park has revealed that esophageal rupture and pulmonary hemorrhage as the primary reasons for the death.
A zoo official, said: “Nasal swab samples of animals, including lions and leopards, were taken and 14 samples were sent to the National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases for testing. The samples of this leopardess were also taken but while releasing the animal the cage got jammed and the animal was squeezed inside. We could not rescue it.”
COVID-19 has affected the Zoo with 70 staff testing positive and the animals were also affected. According to staff in the zoo, during the pandemic of 2021, several lions had tested positive and two died of the disease. It may be noted that the Vandalur Zoo, which houses the Arignar Anna Zoological Park, is going through a deep financial crisis and a proposal for sanctioning ₹12 crore was presented to the state government.
👉 Gulfnews
Private forest at Vagheri being cleared for unauthorized project: Goa
Work on an unapproved project is presently under way in the densely forested area in and around the Vagheri hill in Sattari where large-scale clearing of bushes and trees has been undertaken. In addition, excavation work has been recently undertaken inside the forest leading to massive ecological destruction.
Officials of the town and country planning department said that no such proposal has been granted any approval in this area. Environmentalists have urged the forest department to take stringent action against those clearing the forest.
A road constructed in the forest by the wildlife division for North Goa is what facilitated private parties to take excavators and other machinery to the otherwise inaccessible forested areas. It was constructed by the forest department to facilitate the construction of a watch tower in the area, which had been recommended by the National Tiger.
Though the Union environment ministry notified a 1km eco-sensitive zone around the sanctuary, ecologically destructive activities continue at Vagheri. The forest department’s wildlife division for North Goa had put up a locked gate to restrain illegal entry of people and vehicles into this area. But, recently, the gate has been seen unlocked and this has helped the persons involved in the so-called ecotourism project to carry out the unauthorized work in the area.
👉 TOI
Odisha police seizes live pangolin, arrests one
The Special Task Force (STF) of Odisha police has seized one live pangolin and arrested one wildlife criminal in Bolangir district, police said on Wednesday.
“STF, with the help of Balangir forest officials, seized/ rescued one live pangolin near Baragaon, Balangir. One accused was arrested. Further investigation is on,” the STF informed through twitter.
The accused, identified as Ajit Kumar Budek of the same district, has been handed over to Bolangir forest officials for legal action at their end.
During the last one year, the task force has seized 10 live pangolins and 16 kg pangolin scales and arrested the wildlife criminals involved in the illegal trade.
Karnataka Forest department proposes to enhance rehabilitation package for families moving out of protected areas
The Karnataka forest department has proposed to the state government to enhance the rehabilitation package of families volunteering to move out from protected areas that have not been notified as tiger reserves from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 15 lakh.
The families which choose to move out of protected areas are given two options. Under the first option, the Karnataka government gives a financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh to the families that volunteer to move out of protected areas without the help of the forest department.
Under the second option, relocation is carried out by the forest department through construction of houses and other amenities under a Rs 15-lakh package.
Wildlife conservationist Giridhar Kulkarni in September 2021 had submitted a memorandum to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Vijaykumar Gogi and state Forest Minister Umesh Katti appealing to enhance the funding assistance from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 15 lakh under Option 1. He has also requested that the provision of the package should also cover people living in the buffer areas of the tiger reserves.
Environment India 