A Supreme Court order relocating an elephant to a care facility in Vantara has sparked public outrage in Maharashtra by putting the state government in a difficult position over issues of animal welfare and public sentiment.
Reliance Foundation's Vantara has pledged full cooperation with the Supreme Court-appointed SIT investigating allegations of legal non-compliance and animal acquisition irregularities.
Maharashtra minister Prakash Abitkar said efforts are underway to bring back elephant Mahadevi from a rescue center in Gujarat. The elephant was relocated following a court order due to health concerns. Local leaders are protesting the relocation and seeking her return.
'With just 2.4 per cent of global landmass, India houses six to eight per cent of planetary biodiversity and hence is a prime target of wildlife criminals.'
Vantara did not initiate or request the relocation of the elephant named Mahadevi from a monastery in Kolhapur to its facility in Jamnagar but served only as the 'court-appointed recipient facility', the NGO said in a statement.
A Supreme Court-constituted panel has asked the Union environment ministry to amend or withdraw the guidelines related to setting up zoos and safaris within tiger reserves and wildlife sanctuaries to discourage the use of wildlife habitats for tourism activities which are non-site specific.
The development follows a joint operation by Madhya Pradesh's State Tiger Strike Force, Rajasthan forest department, and Sawai Madhopur-based NGO Tiger Watch last month that led to the arrest of six poachers, including three from Rajasthan.
A video of a huge crocodile roaming a lakeside road on the IIT Bombay's Powai campus has sent shock waves. The reptile, prima facie came out from the Powai lake, and was seen resting on a nearby road on Sunday night. An animal rescuer said crocodiles crawling on the lake road is a rare occurrence given that they generally remain in the lake waters and avoid areas inhabited by humans. Founder president of RAWW (Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare) and honorary wildlife warden Pawan Sharma said the crocodile might be a female searching a nesting site to lay eggs. Local people and officials ensured that the crocodile remained safe. "It crawled into the lake on its own," he added. The Mumbai Range of Thane Territorial Wing is closely monitoring the situation and appealed to people not to panic but to remain alert and avoid areas prone to the presence of crocodiles.
One of the teams rescued two lion cubs that had fallen into an open well in Jasadhar Range of Gir East division during the cyclone's landfall on Thursday evening, the official said.
Kumki elephants, specially trained to manage wild herds, will be deployed in regions where rogue elephants invade farmlands and threaten human safety.
Thousands of people participated in a 'silent march' in Kolhapur on Sunday, demanding that 36-year-old female elephant Mahadevi (also called Madhuri), be brought back from Vantara wildlife rescue, treatment, and rehabilitation centre in Gujarat's Jamnagar district.
Mayhem prevails in Colombo after protesters enter President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's home; mysterious vandals set afire Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's private residence.
A Canadian man has been arrested for allegedly carrying a crocodile skull in his bag at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in New Delhi, the customs department said on Thursday.
Samantha explores the Australian wildlife... Kartik's BTS picture with Sreeleela... Aahana feels gratitude...
The World Photography Organisation has announced its category winners and shortlist in the Open competition of the Sony World Photography Awards 2023.
'The true measure of Project Tiger's success is not just rising tiger numbers, but our ability to ensure harmonious human-wildlife coexistence'
Citing poor attendance at the International Yoga Day event on June 21, the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) issued a warning on Monday, saying this month's salaries of the employees who skipped the programme without prior intimation would be withheld, but withdrew the order within hours.
Bollywood stars are celebrating #EarthDay by posting pictures and important messages.
A group of retired forest officers has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding the immediate scrapping of the 10,000-acre safari project in Haryana's Aravallis, arguing that it will harm the environment and wildlife. They highlight the "alarming destruction" of the Aravallis due to mining, quarrying, real estate development, and deforestation, and warn that the project could disturb aquifers crucial for water-starved districts. The retired officers also emphasize the importance of protecting the Aravallis, which is the only significant forest cover in Haryana, for its role in restoring humidity and rainfall in the region.
Security forces are on high alert along the India-Nepal border after intelligence reports indicated that over two dozen Pakistani and Bangladeshi nationals are attempting to infiltrate the area. The suspected infiltrators are believed to have reached Nepal amid a pause in India-Pakistan hostilities. The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), tasked with guarding the border, has intensified patrolling and increased checkpoints to verify the identity of individuals crossing the border. The India-Nepal border spans approximately 1,750 kilometers, touching five Indian states, including Uttar Pradesh.
One of the key attractions of the park, which houses a wide array of plant, animal and bird species besides ancient caves, the revamped toy train is set to provide an elating and exciting experience to visitors, especially children.
The annual Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards announced their winners and they are hilariously candid photos of animals in the wild -- from dramatic facial expressions to perfectly timed coincidences. The contest is about more than just silly photos. Founders Tom Sullam and Paul Joynson-Hicks started the competition to raise awareness about wildlife conservation. They hope the pictures encourage people to shop responsibly, be mindful of their water use, and speak out about environmental issues -- in addition to making people laugh. Scroll below to have a giggle!
Celebrities are already cooling off in style.
A 'man-eater' tiger that killed a woman two days ago was found dead in Kerala's high-range district of Wayanad on Monday and an autopsy on the dead cat revealed the presence of the victim's hair, dress, and a pair of earrings in its stomach, forest officials said.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar met senior Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, fueling speculation about a leadership change in the state. The meeting occurs amid reports of Shivakumar pressing for the chief minister's post.
The Kota police have arrested a 29-year-old man for allegedly molesting a minor girl after scaring her with a cobra he kept illegally at his home.
What are you looking at? Terry the grumpy giant turtle summed up the general feeling towards a year that has been particularly cruel to both travel and wildlife. A photo of him "flipping the bird" was recently named funniest animal photo in the Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards 2020. As the winner of the 2020 contest, Fitzpatrick won a safari in Masai Mara, Kenya, a Think Tank photography bag, and a Nikon camera. Scroll down to see some more hilarious images.
Everyone likes to see an animal doing silly things. This week the winners of the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards were announced, and they don't disappoint.
Former England captain David Gower said the mercurial Rishabh Pant performs what 'others can only dream of and takes incredible to another level.'
The ministry also said it remains committed to full transparency relating to the ongoing investigation and will follow all mandated protocols and norms in the larger interest of the highest standards of passenger Safety and convenience.
India is set to bring eight cheetahs from Botswana in two phases, with four arriving by May 2025. This follows the successful reintroduction of cheetahs to Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, with the population now at 26, including 14 cubs born in India. The initiative aims to boost cheetah conservation efforts and create inter-state collaboration for their protection. The project has already seen significant investment, with over Rs 112 crore spent on cheetah rehabilitation.
Dr Aniket Mule, consultant, internal medicine, KIMS Hospitals, offers practical advice to protect yourself from mosquitoes and water-borne diseases like malaria, dengue and chikungunya.
Jorhat has many attraction to offer for the discerning and offbeat traveller.
Anant Ambani, the youngest son of billionaire Mukesh Ambani and the first among three siblings to be appointed executive director on flagship Reliance Industries, will be paid Rs 10-20 crore salary annually plus a host of perks including a commission on company profits, according to a shareholder notice. While the richest Asian's all three children - twins Akash and Isha, and Anant - were inducted on board of the oil-to-telecom-and-retail conglomerate in 2023 as non-executive directors, the youngest of the three was in April this year appointed executive director of Reliance Industries Ltd.
'Jitni umar likhi hai, utni likhi hai. Bas yahin hai.'
Images that should keep you grinning for days on end.
'The speed at which an aircraft lands or takes off, even a single object can work as a bullet.'
The Natural History Museum's Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition just named the winner of this year's LUMIX People's Choice Award, and the perfectly-timed photo by wildlife filmmaker and photographer Sam Rowley is just too good to keep to ourselves. Selected from over 48,000 submitted images and 25 impressive finalists, Rowley's winning photo is called "Station Squabble," and it features two mice getting into a tussle over some leftover crumbs in the London Underground.
