Sunday 31 December 2017

NEWSLINK: 11-month-old tiger cub rescued, sibling dead

An eleven-month-old tiger cub was tranquilised and rescued by forest officials while its sibling was found dead on Saturday near Velugodu in Kurnool district. The whereabouts of the tigress were not known, according to Atmakur divisional forest officer C. Selvam. Mr Selvam told this newspaper the dead cub was found in an agricultural field at about 6 am on Saturday. The other cub was tranquilised and rescued at 3 pm. The tigeress with her two cubs had strayed into an agriculture field near Jamminagar tanda in Velgode mandal of Kurnool district on Wednesday. A wood cutter who sighted the big cats informed forest officials.

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NEWSLINK: Ranthambhore tiger strays into Bundi, officials on trail

A tiger of Rajasthan’s Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve (RTR) in Sawai Madhopur has strayed into Ramgarh Vishdhari Sanctuary in Bundi.


About 25 employees of RTR, Vishdhari sanctuary and Bundi wildlife department have been tracking the tiger, T-91, for the past one week, officials said.


“There is overcrowding of tigers at RTR due to which big cats often stray into other forest areas of neighbouring districts,” said VK Salwan, a former Indian Forest Services officer. “Like T-91, many tigers and tigresses have strayed into Vishdhari sanctuary in the past, and later returned to RTR.”

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NEWSLINK: Mastermind of Ghunghuti tigress, cub killing arrested in UP

The alleged mastermind behind killing of Ghunghuti tigress and its cub was arrested from Hapur district of Uttar Pradesh. The accused Suraj Raghuvanshi, a resident of Umaria district, was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh special task force (STF) in coordination with their Madhya Pradesh counterparts, said sources."During interrogation, he confessed to the crime and told the STF that he was hiding in Hapur to evade arrest," according to a release issued by the UPSTF. He has been handed over to the MP forest department for further interrogation , As Reported By TOI.

According to the Newspaper, Raghuvanshi is a contractual teacher at a government school in Umaria district where the big cats were killed.Initial probe had led investigators to a new poaching cartel which was targeting big cats for its canine teeth and whiskers. Nine suspects were arrested and interrogated after canine teeth and whiskers were recovered from their possession. They are residents of different villages surrounding Ghunghuti region, the corridor which has apparently turned into a death trap of tigers in recent years.They have reportedly confessed to their role in killing a tigress and its cub in one of the most recent cases.

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Wednesday 27 December 2017

NEWSLINK: Less Than 50 Asiatic Cheetahs Left in Iran

Iran has already suffered from the loss of the Asiatic lion and the Caspian tiger. Now we are about to see the Asiatic cheetah go extinct as well.”

Asiatic cheetahs are facing the threat of being extinct, following the United Nations decision to discontinue funding its protectorship.

Conservationists believe that fewer than 50 of these 'big cats' remain in existence – all in Iran. The problem is compounded by the Iranian government cutting the budget of its department of the environment, which has responsibility for protecting the country’s threatened animals.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) swept in to absorb the Asiatic cheetah conservation project. But, Anne Marie Carlsen, UNDP deputy resident representative recently announced that Iran will be required to reassume conservatorship, since the organization would not be extending its support beyond Dec.

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NEWSLINK: Outrage as fat lions and tigers perform at circus

A row has erupted in Russia over fat performing circus lions and tigers who have been fed on a diet of "junk food".


Videos of the overweight predators show them standing on their hind legs in a stunt for paying audiences.
The footage of the captive animals at Vladivostok Circus stoked complaints that one of Russia's top animal trainer's has abused the beasts.


Vitaly Smolyanets, 44, seen as a skilled lion whisperer, has angrily denied the charges, saying his animals are not obese and insisting they "feel excellent".

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Tuesday 26 December 2017

NEWSLINK: Forest dept study to find out leopard count, movement pattern in Aravalis

Flickr - Rainbirder - Leopard.jpgThe forest department has proposed to conduct a study to find out numbers of leopard, hyena and other animals living in Gurgaon part of the Aravalis, the move coming in the wake of the recent rise in leopard sightings and incidents of man-animal conflict.As per the proposal, which was sent to the department's state headquarters in Chandigarh earlier this month, wildlife officials are planning to assess leopard distribution, prey density, and thereby establish a relationship between the prey density and the movement pattern of big cats in the region.These apart, the department also proposes to study variation in types of preys available across the landscape and most importantly, delineate the leopard corridor from Mangar Bani to Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary

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NEWSLINK: Profiling the tigers, genetically

P.t.altaica Tomak Male.jpgIn the ongoing tiger census, the Tamil Nadu Forest Department will be using DNA profiling to study the striped big cats roaming not just its four tiger reserves but anywhere in the State’s forest landscape.


The forest staff will be looking to collect the tiger scat in the tiger reserves and 15 forest divisions that will be later analysed with the help of wildlife forensics division. “Unlike other methods, DNA profiling will help to create accurate and reliable data of an individual tiger,” said Shekhar Kumar Niraj, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Project Tiger, Tamil Nadu.

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NEWSLINK: Instagram Takes Stand Against Wild Animal Selfies

From Monday December 4, if you try to publish or search for photos with a hashtag implying that you’re with a wild animal (#koalaselfie or #lionselfie, for example), you will be taken to a page with the following message:

Animal abuse and the sale of endangered animals or their parts is not allowed on Instagram. You are searching for a hashtag that may be associated with posts that encourage harmful behavior to animals or the environment.

“Starting today, when a person searches for a hashtag associated with harmful behavior to animals or the environment, they will see a content advisory screen […] The protection and safety of the natural world are important to us and our global community. We encourage everyone to be thoughtful about interactions with wild animals and the environment to help avoid exploitation and to report any photos and videos you may see that may violate our community guidelines,” said a statement released by Instagram on Monday.

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ARTICLE: Tracking the big cat — elusive, mysterious snow leopard of Ladakh

The urgent shout, the one we’ve been waiting for, comes from outside my tent somewhere. I’m half asleep, half dressed and cradling a cup of chai to warm half-frozen hands, but the words get my whole attention.

“Leopard! Leopard! Leopard!”
I scramble: Chai sloshes across my pants as I shove feet into socks, pull a sweater over my head, cram gloves and hat into pockets, unzip my tent with one hand and grab my camera and boots with another. I sprint in my socks to where Sonam, the tracker who shouted the alert, stands, head down, seemingly merged with the telescope. After a quick “jullay” (an all-purpose Ladakhi word for hello, goodbye and thank you), he steps quickly aside to let me look.

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Thursday 21 December 2017

NEWSLINK: Villagers relocated from tiger turf

DAK Panthera tigris 02.JPGThe much-awaited relocation of Raigoda village took place from the core area of Satkosia Tiger Reserve (STR) to Saruali, about 7 km away, on Wednesday.

Relocation of the tribal village, which was set up about 100 years back, will now pave the way for a full-fledged tiger reserve with the arrival of more big cats. Currently, there are two tigers in the reserve while there are plans to bring six more big cats from various parts of the country, said Forest officials.

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NEWSLINK: Jaguar at Phoenix Zoo receives advanced treatment for tumor

Jaguar head shot.jpgTo help get rid of a cancerous tumor on Caipora, the 12-year-old Jaguar, the Phoenix Zoo used an advanced method usually used by humans at battling the mass.


The tumor was found on her right hind leg during a recent physical examination of the big cat. After a microscopic diagnosis of the mass, it was found to be a fibrosarcoma tumor, which is very aggressive and usually found in house cats, not Jaguars.

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NEWSLINK: 4 Tiger Deaths in 45 Days, NTCA Slaps Notice on MP Forest Department

Panthera tigris sumatrae (Sumatran Tiger) close-up.jpgThe death of three tigers and a cub within a span of less than 45 days has jolted the Madhya Pradesh forest department with its conservation efforts under the scanner.

MP houses 20% of the tiger population (308 as per 2014 wildlife census) of India in six tiger reserves –Panna, Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Satpura, Pench and Sanjay.

Now the state holds a dubious distinction with 30 tiger deaths reported in 2016 and 24 already in 2017.


The Umaria-Shahdol region has reported death of three tigers and a cub since November first week. An adult was found dead close to habitation on November 3 in Shahdol. This was followed by another in Umaria’s Ghunghuti area while the decayed body of a tigress was found in the nearby Kanchodar on December 11. One of its two cubs was also found dead the next day and second one is missing.


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Tuesday 19 December 2017

VIDEO: Vet climbed into a 30ft well to save an adult leopard

Approaching Leopard Closeup (18026534841).jpgResidents of Guwahati, a city in the East Indian state of Assam were used to a particular well in their locality not having much water. What they were not prepared for was, finding an adult leopard looking up at them from the murky bottom.


According to The Times of India newspaper, the cat fell into the 30ft well, while wandering the residential area of Borgaon in search of food. The seven-year-old female was clearly in a state of panic as she tried to move around in the small space and scramble to escape.

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VIDEO: Man allows family of tigers into his car before casually driving off to 'take them for a spin'

Forget a designer dog-breed. This wealthy animal-lover is eager to show off his family of pet tigers that he drives around in his Rolls Royce Phantom.


The Instagram video shows the tigers owner, Michael Zaretsky, sitting in the driver seat of his luxury car at his home in Russia.


A tiger then climbs through the car's window, over Zaretsky and into the backseat.

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ARTICLE: Big cats initiative

Big cats are in trouble, from lions in Kenya to snow leopards in the Himalayas.

Africa’s lion population has declined 90 percent in the last 75 years. Cheetahs have disappeared from more than 75 percent of their historic range. Fewer than 4,000 tigers remain in the wild.

Losing these majestic predators would create a devastating impact on our ecosystem. 

Sunday 10 December 2017

NEWSLINK: India's Tiger Population Has Increased By 1300% Since It Was Declared National Animal 44 Years Ago

Indrah the Sumatran Tiger.jpgIt has been 44 years since India got its national animal, the bengal tiger. It was a part of 'Project Tiger' an initiative launched by the then minister Karan Singh on April 1st that year to check the dwindling population of tigers in India.

At the time when Project Tiger was launched from Corbett’s Dhikala range the Bengal Tiger was literally facing extinction in its home turf with just 268 big cats in the wild according to the first nation-wide tiger census conducted in 1972.

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PHOTO: Leopard found dead, foresters say it fell from a hill

Himalayan Leopard.JPGA four-year-old male leopard was found dead on Friday evening in Bhango village near Raisina area.


A five-member district wildlife team led by veterinary surgeon Dr Ashok Khasa and wildlife inspector Sunil Kumar rushed to the spot after they received a tip-off that the dead animal was lying in the hills.


"We fled the spot after we found a leopard lying in the hills. Later, when we realised that it was dead, we immediately called up wildlife officials," said a villager, requesting anonymity.

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NEWSLINK: Isle of Wight Zoo mourns the death of white tiger Zena

The white tiger01.jpgZoo staff announced 'with heavy hearts' that she was put to sleep yesterday (Friday) due to age-related health issues.


The 21-year-old tiger arrived at the zoo from Longleat Safari Park, aged just three weeks old, after she was rejected by her mother. The zoo's chief executive, Charlotte Corney, took on the role of foster mum, caring for Zena and her older sister, Zia.


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NEWSLINK: Pugmarks of Royal Bengal tiger spotted in Poba RF

An Indian tiger in the wild. Royal, Bengal tiger (27466438332).jpgThe forest officials of Jonai, Assam claimed to have spotted pugmarks of a Royal Bengal Tiger in Poba Reserved Forest in the Assam-Arunachal boundary.

The forest guards of Jonai Forest Range spotted the pugmarks during routine patrolling in the deep jungles of the reserved forest near Leku Beat Office recently.

Meanwhile, wildlife enthusiasts, including NGO Save Poba Reserved Forest are delighted with the reported spotting of the pugmarks of a Royal Bengal Tiger in Poba Reserved Forest. The NGO has been demanding the authority to declare the Poba Reserved Forest as a wildlife sanctuary.

However, the forest officials are allegedly not showing much enthusiasm on the reported spotting of the pugmarks.

Though big cat species, like leopards, leopard cats and jungle cats are found in the reserved forest, Royal Bengal Tiger is usually not found in it.

Poba RF is located in the outskirt of Ruksin town and adjacent to Daying Ering Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh.


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NEWSLINK: Threat to leopard population as Ninth big cat found dead near villages in Gurugram range

Alert lapord.jpgMystery surrounds the death of a four year old male leopard, whose corpse was found with injuries to his mouth and head in Gurugram.


Wildlife department officials have not ruled out foul play following the discovery of the big cat's body in an area between Bhango and Kharak village, near Raishina forest on Friday.


Shyam Sunder Kaushik, DFO wildlife Gurugram range, said: 'We have recovered the dead body of an adult leopard, which has been sent for a post-mortem. It will be clear only after the post-mortem whether the injuries were accidental or unnatural.'


Despite efforts by the wildlife department, leopards frequently prowl around the human population.


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VIDEO: Chinese man loses fingers while trying to feed tiger with bare hands

Tigergebiss.jpgPeople have been warned not to pet or feed wild animals at every zoo or circus, but it seems they never learn. An elderly man in China paid a heavy price after he tried to feed a caged tiger. In a painful video that’s gone viral from China’s Henan county, a circus tiger bit into a man’s hand when he put it inside the cage to feed the big cat.


The footage shows the man trying to feed not one but two tigers locked in the separate enclosures. As one moves away, the other hungry cat grabs his hand and keeps munching it even as one of the onlookers pokes the wild feline with big sticks to try and save the man.


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NEWSLINK: Scientists urge IUCN to uplist Cheetahs from ‘vulnerable’ to ‘endangered’

An international team of scientists has called for uplisting the Cheetah population – which has reduced by 11 percent than previously estimated in southern Africa – from ‘vulnerable’ to ‘endangered’ on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

Cheetahs are the fastest land animals in the world and one of the most fiercest predators known for stalking and tripping their prey and then biting its throat to suffocate it to death.


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ARTICLE: Tiger tourism: Cambodia's newest cash ploy

Panthera tigris5.jpgJust 20 years ago, Cambodia was a country that many travelers to Southeast Asia skipped over to get to Thailand, Vietnam and other regional rivals. These days, they are flocking to see the country's pristine beaches, picturesque pagodas and famed Angkor temple complex.

In 2016, international arrivals to Cambodia increased by an annual 5% and pushed past 5 million, a number that is expected to increase by 11.5% this year and signifies a massive boost from the total of roughly 1 million tourists who visited in 2004.

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Thursday 30 November 2017

NEWSLINK: Feds to investigate escape of tiger found prowling metro on Georgia interstate

Panthera tigris -Franklin Park Zoo, Massachusetts, USA-8a (2).jpgFederal authorities will investigate whether charges should be filed against an entertainment company and the owner of an escaped circus tiger found wandering the interstate south of Atlanta.

In an email, Georgia Department of Natural Resources spokesman Mark McKinnon said state officials have handed over the probe to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He said multiple states were involved and USDA oversees wild animal regulations.
The USDA will look at whether charges should be filed against Feld Entertainment, the owner of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey’s circus, and big cat trainer Alexander Lacey.

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NEWSLINK: Tigress found dead in CTR; 13th big cat fatality this year

Malay tiger.jpgA tigress was found dead in Dhela range of Corbett Tiger Reserve CTR ) on Saturday, taking the total number of big cats in the state which died this year to 13. Forest officials said that the tiger died during a territorial fight and the carcass was buried after the post-mortem. Amit Verma, deputy director of CTR told TOI, "The tigress died of ruptured lungs while fighting for territory"

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NEWSLINK: Big cats gain from India-Myanmar warmth

DAK Panthera tigris 02.JPGThe improved strategic relationship between India and Myanmar has a secret benefactor—the tiger. India, which is home to nearly 60 per cent of the world’s tigers in the wild, is set to sign a pact with Myanmar for tiger conservation and checking illegal wildlife trade along the border.

According to government sources, the Ministry of External Affairs has sent an official communiqué regarding this to Myanmar. A team of experts comprising government officials from Myanmar is expected to visit India in January 2018 to discuss the details of the agreement on tiger conservation.


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Tuesday 28 November 2017

NEWSLINK: Ringmaster who killed escaped Paris tiger says cage lock was cut

A circus owner who killed a female tiger he raised from a cub said the animal escaped to the streets of Paris after someone “maliciously” cut the lock on her cage.


Eric Bormann, an owner of the Bormann-Moreno circus, fatally shot the 450-pound tiger named Mevy near the Eiffel Tower on Friday. 

Furious animal rights advocates posted gruesome photos of the dead tiger on social media and called for a boycott of circuses using animals.
Bormann, who is also the lion tamer and ringmaster of the circus, told AFP that no animal had previously escaped in the 40 years of the circus because of a security system that uses cages within another enclosure. But one enclosure was open and the lock was cut on another when Mevy escaped, he said.


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NEWSLINK: Limpopo police launch search for escaped lion

A lioness aproaching towards us.jpgLimpopo police are searching for a lion that escaped from a trailer outside Tzaneen.


It’s understood that two of the big cats jumped off the trailer on Sunday but one of them was recaptured after it was injured.


The police's Moatshe Ngoepe says a search is underway for the other one.

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NEWSLINK: Lion snapped along rural Wainfleet road

African lion female.jpgThe back roads of Wainfleet are the last place one would expect to find a lion. But Saturday, it’s exactly what one resident found while driving down Garringer Road near Willson Road. 

And that person snapped a photo as proof of what they saw and it made its way to Facebook.
“A family member took this photo while coming home from work. This family member does not want to be involved in this, therefore I have brought it to everyone’s attention,” Greg Dawn, a relative who posted the photo, said in a statement.
Since Saturday, the photo has been shared nearly 1,000 times and received hundreds of comments.


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Thursday 23 November 2017

NEWSLINK/PHOTO: 2 more tigers dead in Nagpur division

Cathay.jpgThe forest areas in Vidarbha region are fast becoming death traps for the big cats, giving Maharashtra the dubious distinction of the state with highest number of tiger deaths. This year 23 tigers died in the state. Shockingly, this is the sixth tiger death in 33 days in Vidarbha region.


The state’s tally of tiger deaths is followed by neighbouring Madhya Pradesh, which has reported 21 deaths. The official figures of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) make these the 22nd and 23rd tiger deaths in Maharashtra, and the 95th and 96th in the country. Most of the deaths were not due to natural causes.

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NEWSLINK: Leopards attack three in Mandvi

IndianLeopard.jpgThree incidents of leopard attacks were reported from Mandvi taluka of Surat district on Wednesday night. Forest department has placed cages to catch the leopards at two of the total three places.

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NEWSLINK: Uttarakhand villagers set fire to farm land to keep prowling leopard at bay

Approaching Leopard Closeup (18026534841).jpgTo keep prowling leopards at bay, villagers in Uttarakhand’s Bageshwar district set on fire the crop residue on nearly four-hectare agriculture land adjoining the reserve forest area late Thursday night.


Timely action by forest officials, however, prevented the fire from reaching the forest area or damaging the trees.

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Wednesday 22 November 2017

NEWSLINK: Leopard enters Dhirenpara school, mauls four in melee

A leopard which had sneaked into a school building in the city's Dhirenpara area caused panic for about one and a half hours on Sunday, leaving four persons injured.


The leopard was eventually tranquillized and taken to the Assam State Zoo. The four people who were mauled were admitted to Gauhati Medical College Hospital and are reported to be out of danger.

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NEWSLINK: West coast hunters aim to capture suspected cat on camera

Some avid hunters on the province's west coast are determined to put all rumours to rest and record 
an image if what they suspect is a cougar.


Possible sightings have popped up on social media this fall with people claiming they saw a large black cat around Deer Lake in October.

Unlike some other reported sightings, Kirk Moore doesn't think he saw a black panther.


"I definitely seen a cougar," he told CBC News.

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NEWSLINK: Tiger killed by carnivore in buffer zone of Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve

In more bad news for tigers and animal lovers in Maharashtra, the state lost yet another tiger. The big cat was killed by another carnivore in the buffer zone of the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve. (TATR).


This has taken the number of tiger mortalities in Maharashtra this year to 15, which is at par with the highest toll recorded.

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Tuesday 21 November 2017

PHOTOS: Three Sunda Clouded Leopards Caught on Camera

Sunda clouded leopards aren’t just rare. They are also highly elusive. They are so elusive in fact that mere sightings of them can qualify as newsworthy occurrences. Thus the feat of a foreign photographer in capturing on camera a female clouded leopard walking through a forest with her two cubs has duly made the news internationally.


Photographer Michael Gordon caught sight of the big cats as they were nosing around a gravel road before disappearing into a bush in the Deramakot Forest Reserve in Sabah. He managed to take a short video clip of the animals. “Seeing it in daytime is nearly unheard of, and never with its young,” Gordon told the Reuters news agency.

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NEWSLINK: Epic India leopard rescue photo wins award five years later

FestiveLeopard.jpgAround 8 am on July 19, 2012, Anand Bora received a phone call saying a leopard was trapped in a well in a nearby tribal village in the western Indian state of Maharashtra.


Mr Bora was used to these phone calls - a teacher by profession, he is also a wildlife photographer who has documented several rescue missions carried out by forest officers.


He rushed to the village, Bubali, and photographed the three-and-half-hour long effort to save the tired and terrified animal from drowning.


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NEWSLINK: State forest department to promote solar fencing in Maharashtra

DAK Panthera tigris 02.JPGAfter the electrocution deaths of six tigers in just over a year, the state forest department will promote solar fencing of farmsteads to prevent animals from entering them.


Officials note that many farmers who illegally electrify their farm fences or put live wires near their fields claim that they do so to prevent crop depredations by wild animals. However, this leads to these animals being electrocuted on coming in contact with the live wires.

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Sunday 19 November 2017

NEWSLINK: Tiger mauls boy to death

A nine-year-old tribal boy was mauled to death by a tiger in Budhni forest in the district today, a Forest department official said.


This is the second such incident in the forest, located around 100 kms away from the district headquarters, in the last 25 days. In the first incident, a child was attacked and killed by a tiger.


The boy, identified as Shekhar Parate, had gone to the forest to collect woods when he was attacked, said Sehore Conservator of Forests Manoj Argal.


"We have provided an immediate financial help of Rs 10,000 to the family members of the deceased. We will provide a compensation of Rs 4 lakh to them shortly," he said.

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NEWSLINK: Second Lynx Killed At Borth Wild Animal Kingdom After 'Terrible Handling Error'

The Wales wildlife park whose escaped lynx was shot dead has detailed a “devastating” second death of a wild-cat following a “terrible handling error” that caused the animal to be asphyxiated.
Borth Wild Animal Kingdom on Monday issued a statement detailing the circumstances surrounding the “demise” last week of Nilly, an adult female lynx.


The news comes after the park on Saturday condemned a council decision to destroy a Eurasian lynx called Lilleth on Friday night after it strayed into a populated area after escaping from its Ceredigion enclosure on October 29. The park, who had failed to recapture it, said it in “no way agreed to or participated in” the animal’s destruction and was “devastated and outraged”.


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NEWSLINK: Lioness gives birth to stillborn cub in Chennai’s Vandalur zoo

Mala, a six-year-old lioness in Arignar Anna Zoological Park (Vandalur zoo) in Chennai, gave birth to a stillborn male cub on Monday.


This is the first incident of a lioness giving birth to a stillborn cub in the Vandalur zoo, an official said.


The cub was buried after a postmortem.


According to zoo authorities, the lioness mated with a nine-year-old lion, Siva, 104 days ago. The gestation period of a lioness ranges between 105 and 110 days.


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VIDEO: How This Dog Mom Protects a Leopard Cub From Cannibalism

People say it takes a village to raise a child. But in this case it takes two dogs, two cats, and a zoo to raise an endangered leopard cub.

Zookeepers in the Far Eastern Russian city of Vladivostok have paired a newborn Amur leopard cub with a canine foster mom. The golden retriever, named Tessa, already has her paws full with four pups of her own, but she cares for the newcomer with licks and love. Thanks to a healthy diet of Tessa's milk, supplemented with formula and rabbit meat treats by the zoo, the cub has already outgrown her adopted siblings.

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Thursday 16 November 2017

NEWSLINK: Nod for mineral prospecting near tiger corridor

Even as lack of connectivity between tiger reserves remains a big hurdle for re-population of big cats, the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has given an in-principle approval to Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC)’s proposal for mineral prospecting in Kathpal chromite mines which is barely 7.5 km from Similipal-Satkosia tiger corridor.Finding the proposed site close to the tiger corridor, the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) had sought comments of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).

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NEWSLINK: Will a New Family of Mountain Lions Soon Be Looking for a Hollywood Hills Home?

Iguaçu National Park - Puma.jpgThe recent news that an as yet gender-unidentified mountain lion has been discovered in the Hollywood Hills reminds us that, while we live in a very dense city, our urban landscape also includes a thriving wilderness. If the mystery cat is a female and if she mates with one of the better-known local mountain lions – such as the iconic P-22 – we could soon have a new family in search of a hillside habitat. It would be, however, a family without a “dad” since male mountain lions leave “mom” within days of mating.

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VIDEO: New lion attraction at zoo puts humans in big cage while lions roam free

Visitors to the Monarto Zoo can take a walk on the wild side. The Australian animal park now boasts of a new feature: Lions 360. It is a cage inside the lion's enclosure at the zoo where humans can see the big cats up close and personal.
The zoo is turning the tables on the traditional zoo experience. The lions roam free while the humans are locked up in a cage. Zoo workers say while the experience is frighting, it is absolutely safe- it has been tested by lions.

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Wednesday 15 November 2017

NEWSLINK: Rare big cat flees exile and returns 700 km to Vladivostok

Legendary wild Amur tiger back to city one year to the day after he caused panic stalking residents - despite being banished to faraway wildlife park.
'He went back to Vladivostok, crossed the Trans-Siberian railway, overcame our terrible roads, and eventually now seems to have chosen China.'

This amazing cat story involves Vladik, an endangered Siberian tiger, who is in love with Russia's eastern capital, Vladivostok.


A year ago we covered his escapades when he caused some fleeting terror in and near the city with frequent sightings as close as five miles from downtown.

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SIGHTIING, UK: Man’s shock as he sees ‘large black cat’ on A12

A man has described his shock at seeing a large black cat on the A12 in the middle of the night.


The animal, which ran across the road at around 12.30am on Tuesday morning, was “much bigger than a fox” and had a long, rather bushy tail.

The man from Chelmsford, who did not want to be named, said the creature ran in front of his car on the A12 on the stretch of road between Ingatestone and Margaretting.

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Sunday 12 November 2017

NEWSLINK: Big cat remains on M25 Hertfordshire slip road?

Graphic designer Gavin Wybrow, 50, saw the road kill on his way to work at about 9am on Monday - he said the body was huge, had round ears, and sandy coloured fur.

The body was on the M25 slip road, leaving the motorway at Junction 24 for Potters Bar.
He said: “It’s only my opinion, I haven’t taken measurements or photographs, but it was weird and I am not mad.


"There was a huge mess of road kill and as I glanced at it, obviously I had to do this in a split second while driving, but it looked like a cougar or some cat.

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NEWSLINK: Cougar suspected of snatching pets from Seaside apartment complex

Seaside Heights Elementary School moved all student activities inside Monday after a reported cougar sighting.


Staff escorted students home and monitored crosswalks. Residents of Creekside Village Apartments are being warned their small pets could be in danger.


Superintendent Sheila Roley said a neighbor reported to Principal John McAndrews “that she believed she had seen a cougar in the neighborhood last weekend.”

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Thursday 9 November 2017

AZGFD treats orphaned 8-week-old mountain lion cub

 
 
GAME AND FISH NEWS
 
 
 
AZGFD treats orphaned 8-week-old mountain lion cub
 
 
PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department is caring for an approximately eight-week-old mountain lion cub found in the Cornville area. 

The cub was spotted by Cornville residents and reported to AZGFD on three separate occasions. Each time, the reporting residents did the right thing, leaving the animal alone, because the mother of a young animal is typically nearby. In this case, the mother never returned after two weeks and AZGFD biologists determined that in this situation, it was best to intervene.

The female cub was picked up from a nearby licensed wildlife rehabilitator and transferred to AZGFD on Friday, Nov. 3. To determine the overall health and condition of the cub, it was given a full examination by veterinarians at the Arizona Exotic Animal Hospital. The veterinarians found the cub to be in poor-to-fair health.

“Mountain lions are truly resilient animals, but this one likely would not have made it without human intervention and specialized care at the Wildlife Center,” said Mike Demlong, AZGFD Wildlife Education program manager. “When we received the cub, it was lethargic, severely dehydrated and emaciated. She needed help immediately. We’re currently doing everything possible to improve the health of this cub and give her the strongest chance for survival.”

Providing a fighting chance for wildlife needing a helping hand isn’t anything new for the AZGFD Wildlife Center, but such a rescue can often be costly. 

To provide better care for sick, injured, orphaned and confiscated wildlife, AZGFD is planning to build a new wildlife center at the department’s headquarters in north Phoenix. With limited funding available for the project, the department is seeking the public’s help. 

The public can donate to AZGFD’s ongoing “Be a Hero for Wildlife” donation campaign and assist many different species of wildlife in need by texting CRITTER to 41444 from any smartphone or visit www.azgfd.gov/WildlifeCenter.

“Helping injured wildlife — and especially baby wildlife — is the best part of my job,” said Demlong. “In regards to this mountain lion cub, I know I’ve made a difference. It’s rewarding knowing that we’ve taken an animal that was nearly dead and with time, good nutrition and care we’re able to turn it into a rambunctious, playful mountain lion cub.”

The cub will remain with AZGFD until a permanent wildlife sanctuary, wildlife park or zoo can be found to give it a forever home. Unfortunately, because it was orphaned it cannot be returned to the wild. Mountain lion cubs spend a year or more with their mom learning critical survival skills. This cub will not have that opportunity. 

In addition to donations, the public can also help keep wildlife wild by leaving baby wildlife alone. The situation with this cub is an exception, but in general baby wildlife is rarely orphaned or abandoned. One or both of its parents is likely nearby searching for food and will return.

For more information on Arizona’s diverse wildlife or the Wildlife Center, visit www.azgfd.gov.​​​​​​​