`Wildlife photography” good for tourism, says Chavan

Mumbai, Sep 21 (PTI) Taking a dig at the the estranged Thackeray cousins, who are currently involved in a verbal spat, Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan today said wildlife photography would boost tourism in the state. “People cannot be stopped from going into forests and taking pictures of animals. They can go abroad or travel anywhere in India (to do that). Taking pictures of good animals will in fact boost wildlife tourism in the state,” Chavan said, without naming anybody. The question asked to him was whether the proposed Gorewada wildlife project would enable `opposition leaders’ to travel there and click pictures. MNS chief Raj Thackeray had recently said that his cousin and Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray — who has a penchant for wildlife photography — should take pictures of potholes on Mumbai roads, rather than clicking animals. Mumbai civic body is controlled by Shiv Sena. Stung by the taunt, Uddhav said it was better to photograph “loyal animals in the jungle”, in a tacit reference to Raj who quit Shiv Sena few years ago to form MNS.

news source – http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/wildlife-photography-good-for-tourism-says-chavan/831792.html

National Parks of  India

Bandipur National Park Dampa Tiger Reserve Gorumara National Park Kaziranga National Park Melghat National Park Panna National Park Royal Chitwan National Park Tadoba National Park

Buxa National Park Dhrangadhra Wildlife Sanctuary Great Himalayan National Park Keoladeo Ghana National Park Mudumalai National Park Pench National Park Sariska National Park

Chilka National Park Dhudhwa National Park Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary Madhav National Park Nagerhole National Park Periyar National Park Sunderbans National Park

Wildlife park to come up in Nagpur district

Mumbai, Sep 21 (PTI) In a move that could boost tourism in the state, especially in the Vidarbha region, Maharashtra cabinet today approved setting up of an international wildlife park and zoo at Gorewada in the Nagpur district. Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan told reporters after the weekly cabinet meeting that state forest development corporation will develop the park on Private-Public Partnership (PPP) basis, and Rs 720 crore had been earmarked for it. “The project, which will include Gondwana bio-park, Indian safari and African Safari, River ride, and Gorewada Reserve will be spread over 28.37 hectares,” he said. A Special Purpose Vehicle will be formed in which 51 per cent stake will be held by the government. The decision was taken after the report by the Singapore-based consultant Bernard Harrison and Friends was submitted to the government. The Chief Minister said the objective of setting up the park was to preserve rare wildlife. Chavan said for the year 2011-12 and 2012-13, a provision of Rs 50 crore had been made for the project.

ews source – http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/wildlife-park-to-come-up-in-nagpur-district/831519.html

National Parks of  India

Bandipur National Park Dampa Tiger Reserve Gorumara National Park Kaziranga National Park Melghat National Park Panna National Park Royal Chitwan National Park Tadoba National Park

Buxa National Park Dhrangadhra Wildlife Sanctuary Great Himalayan National Park Keoladeo Ghana National Park Mudumalai National Park Pench National Park Sariska National Park

Chilka National Park Dhudhwa National Park Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary Madhav National Park Nagerhole National Park Periyar National Park Sunderbans National Park

Three held with leopard skin

Dehradun, Sep 21 (PTI) Three poachers were arrested and a leopard skin was recovered from their possession in Rishikesh near here, police said today.On a tip-off, the three accused were arrested yesterday from near Natraj Chowk by a team of Uttarakhand forest department and Wildlife Protection Society of India, they said.The leopard skin was also seized from the trio, police said.The three, identified as Deepak Sharma, Vinod Sharma and Keshav, have been booked under Wildlife Protection Act, they added.On being interrogated, the trio said that they had got the leopard skin from Mahesh Chauhan, a resident of Srinagar area of Pauri district.

News S0urce – http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/three-held-with-leopard-skin/830950.html

National Parks of  India

Bandipur National Park Dampa Tiger Reserve Gorumara National Park Kaziranga National Park Melghat National Park Panna National Park Royal Chitwan National Park Tadoba National Park

Buxa National Park Dhrangadhra Wildlife Sanctuary Great Himalayan National Park Keoladeo Ghana National Park Mudumalai National Park Pench National Park Sariska National Park

Chilka National Park Dhudhwa National Park Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary Madhav National Park Nagerhole National Park Periyar National Park Sunderbans National Park

Endangered Western Tragopan bird spotted in Kashmir

A recent survey by Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and state Wildlife Protection Department in Pir Panjal range has confirmed the presence of the critically endangered Western Tragopan (Tragopan melanocephalus) at two new sites in Poonch area of Jammu and Kashmir.

Daan-e-gir in Kashmiri, Western Tragopan is a schedule I species on the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act and listed as ‘Vulnerable’ by the IUCN Red List, the western tragopan is a medium-sized, brightly colored pheasant endemic to the western Himalayas and inhabits coniferous forests.

The survey was carried after interactions with locals revealed the possible presence of the Western Tragopan in the area. A team from WTI and assisted by locals, visited the areas in May to authenticate the information. During the survey, the birds were sighted at the Kalamund-Tatakuti and Khara Rakh areas of the Pir Panjal range.

“The bird is extremely shy and silent. But knowing that the best way to locate the species would be during its breeding season, when it becomes highly vocal, we returned in May,” said Riyaz Ahmad, the team leader and Assistant Manager, Species Division of WTI.

A victim of rampant poaching for its meat and plumage and habitat degradation and fragmentation, the western tragopan has previously been reported only from Kazinag range and Kishtawar National Park in the state. A few scattered records occur from Sud Mahadeo area of Jammu province.

“I was pleasantly surprised to note the tragopan’s presence in these areas. Unlike its usual haunts, the moist north facing coniferous slopes, the present sites are located on the south face of Pir Panjal along Poonch. The immediate step would be to gauge what numbers exist at these sites to effect conservation,”said Dr Rahul Kaul, South Asia Representative, IUCN SSC Galliformes Specialist Group and Chief Ecologist, WTI.

In addition to western tragopan, the team also sighted another threatened species in the region, the cheer pheasant (Catreus wallichii). Ecologically diverse and representative of western Himalayan forests possessing key species such as the markhor, brown bear and musk deer, the team has recommended Kalamund-Tatakuti for notification as a protected area.

News Source - http://www.kashmirdispatch.com/headlines/10063834-endangered-western-tragopan-bird-spotted-in-kashmir.htm

Wildlife Packages

1. Indian Tiger Tour
2. Family Wildlife Holidays
3. Indian Birding Tour
4. Elephant Safari Tour

Elephant calf rescued after falling headlong into ditch

‘He was stressed and exhausted'

December 2010: A five-year-old male elephant calf has been rescued after falling down a ditch in an Indian tea estate.

‘He was stressed and exhausted'
December 2010: A five-year-old male elephant calf has been rescued after falling down a ditch in an Indian tea estate.

The calf, near Bokakhat in central Assam and reunited with its natal herd by the Assam Forest Department and a Mobile Veterinary Service team from the International Fund for Animal Welfare and the Wildlife Trust of India (IFAW & WTI).

The calf was first sighted by local people in Lakhowjan Tea Estate, near Bokakhat in Central Assam. Following its screams, they found it trapped. Its herd was nearby and a passing tractor was reportedly attacked. The Assam Forest Department and IF:AW-WTI Mobile Veterinary Service were called to help.
‘Since the calf was upside down, he was stressed and exhausted from the efforts to free himself,' said Dr Anil Deka, IFAW-WTI veterinarian, who was at the rescue.

The ditch was widened with an excavator to heop free the animals, and wooden poles were used to help the young calf stand.

Rejoined its herd
‘Shots were fired in the air to keep the herd away till the rescue operation was over. Once freed, the calf headed back to its herd,' Dr Deka added.

This is the tenth displaced elephant calf to have been reunited with its natal herd by IFAW-WTI in northeast India. Several others that could not be reunited are undergoing long-term rehabilitation. These calves are hand-raised at the IFAW-WTI run Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) and reintegrated with wild herds in Manas National Park.

News source - http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/elephant-rescue.html

Wildlife Tours India offer information about the Indian Wildlife National Parks with India Tiger Tour.