State marks 50 years of crocodile conservation initiative
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Kendrapada: On World Crocodile Day on Tuesday, Odisha will celebrate 50 years of a pioneering programme that has become a national model for wildlife preservation. The journey began in 1975 with three distinct projects — saltwater crocodiles in Bhitarkanika, gharials in Satkosia and muggers in Similipal.
Odisha is the only state to host all three species.
"The main objective was to protect their natural habitats and boost their populations through captive breeding," said noted herpetologist Sudhakar Kar, who led the saltwater crocodile breeding programme with Australian expert H R Bustard in Bhitarkanika, India's second-largest mangrove forests.
Census data from Jan revealed there are 1,826 saltwater crocodiles in Bhitarkanika, 16 gharials in Satkosia gorge, and around 300 muggers across the state's rivers.
"This is one of India's most successful wildlife conservation stories," said Prem Kumar Jha, principal chief conservator of forests. The forest department will celebrate the golden jubilee with a weeklong series of events, including seminars, workshops, photo exhibitions and competitions.
The milestone honours the legacy of conservationists like Kar, B C Chaudhury and L A Singh. But success has brought new challenges. "We're now addressing human-crocodile conflict, especially in Bhitarkanika," Kar noted. Measures like barricades and warning systems have been implemented to ensure community safety.
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The Hindu
4 days ago
- The Hindu
Clarence High School releases picture postcards to mark 110th anniversary
This year, Clarence High School in Bengaluru turned 110 and to mark the occasion, four picture postcards were released in July. The postcards feature five people who were instrumental in structuring the framework of the institution. While one postcard bears the images of Alfred McDonald Redwood and Walter McDonald Redwood who founded Clarence High School in 1914, the others are of former principals Wilfred Wilcox and Arthur CA Flack, and a former KG coordinator Emma Horton. According to Retd Commodore Prem Reuben (Indian Navy), administrator of the school, the idea stemmed from an attempt to honour, 'the stalwarts of the school who have brought us to where we are'. 'People tend to forget history, and we felt this was one way to recall our past and get the younger generation enthused about its traditions and heritage,' says Commodore Reuben. 'They did the initial groundwork to set things in place; that was one reason we wanted to honour them.' Commodore Reuben says former principal Wilfred Wilcox came from a school in Ooty and rescued Clarence from shutting down, and in the course of time, improved its facilities and began the high school section. He adds that his team came across several interesting stories and anecdotes during their research pertaining to this commemorative project. Arthur CA Flackwas principal for almost 40 years and had a strong connect with the children. He used to take pains to teach them himself, says Commodore Reuben, adding that some of his students who are still in the city have wonderful things to say about him. 'I am told he walked into a class on substitution and though it was the Hindi period he was able to teach them, despite being a chemistry teacher and an Australian.' Commodore Reuben adds he heard only good things about Flack during his research, and says, 'He was a down-to-earth person who used to ride around on a cycle, moving on to a scooter much later.' He recalls how Emma Horton was associated with the school until the early '90s. 'She was iconic and she did a lot of good for the school, especially the kindergarten section. She was a member of the board and management, and Horton KG block is named after her.' 'The idea of these postcards was to spark curiosity among the current generation about the people who laid the foundation of the school,' says Commodore Reuben. While the cards are available at the postal department, Commodore Reuben says they are encouraging interested parties to collect the cards from school. 'The postcards are not being sold. Rather, we hope those who want them will make a donation towards a fee concession for deserving students whose families are struggling financially.' Each pack comprises four postcards. Clarence High School is onPottery Road, Richards Town. For details call 080-46334633
News18
08-08-2025
- News18
ANU is moving to kill Australian National Dictionary – this is why it matters
Agency: Last Updated: Melbourne, Aug 8 (The Conversation) Bonzer. Dinkum. Troppo. We love our distinctive words and phrases. We revel in the confusion they cause outsiders. We celebrate the stories behind them. We even make up a few furphies about them. What many Australians might not know, however, is that for nearly 40 years, a dedicated team at the Australian National University (ANU) has been hard at work uncovering these past stories — real and fictional — and keeping a close eye on the new ones. You'd be hard-pressed to find a more committed group of lexical patriots. Most everything you know, want to know, or have heard about Australian words comes from the Australian National Dictionary Centre (ANDC). From media, to academics, to everyday Aussies, we all rely on these quiet patriots — even if we don't always know it. But despite this work, and the central (and government-funded) role the ANU is meant to play in Australian history and identity, the ANU leadership is killing off the ANDC. The university has stated that the decision is a necessary part of reducing operating costs. Dictionaries and our national sense of self Dictionaries help define and reflect a nation's identity. When Samuel Johnson published his famed Dictionary of the English Language in 1755, many celebrated that he and a handful of assistants accomplished in nine years what took 40 French academics half a century. Dictionaries are especially important for colonial Englishes, such as those spoken in many countries, including Australia and the United States. At first, people looked down on these Englishes. In the US, Noah Webster was derided for his suggestion that Americans should assert their linguistic independence from Britain. US periodicals were openly hostile, jeering at Webster's 'vulgar perversions" and 'illiterate and pernicious" views of language. However, when Webster's American Dictionary of the English Language came out in 1828, it established the global importance of this new English. Mark Twain soon wrote, The King's English is not the King's. It is a joint stock company, and Americans own most of the shares. Australia's colonial English got off to a slow start — dismissed as 'the base language of English thieves" and 'crude, misshapen and careless". But by the late 19th century, Australians began celebrating their distinct words, in the Bulletin, in books like Sidney Baker's 'The Australian Language", and in dictionaries such as E.E. Morris's 'Austral English". Still, many called for a truly national dictionary to capture the way Australians speak. Australian lexicographer Peter Davies wrote in 1975: Vigorous cultures demonstrate pride and interest in their own languages and literatures by building great works in their honour. Constructing working and living monuments to Aussie English Finally, in the 1980s, Australians stopped taking their linguistic cues from Britain. With the publication of the Macquarie Dictionary in 1981 and the Australian National Dictionary in 1988, the language found its local voice. However, these works differ in how they approach Australian English. The Macquarie Dictionary describes the spelling, pronunciation and definitions of English words as they are used in Australia. The Australian National Dictionary (AND) grounds our words and their meanings in their historical and cultural contexts. The AND tells us where words have come from, when they were first used and how their meanings have changed over time. In short, the AND is a living, breathing and evolving record of how language is wrapped up in who we are as Australians. As linguist Don Laycock once wrote, 'there's no other dictionary quite like this one in the world". Its pages sing of 'boundary riders, larrikins, sundowners, fizgigs, diggers and other dinkum Aussies". Sidney J. Baker argued that if the 'Australian language [was] something to be reckoned with," it was because of these iconic characters. But the dictionary's first editor, Bill Ramson, was not as romantic as Baker. Ramson wanted an academic and historical work — he left the romantic side of Australian English to the rest of us. As an academic work, or more accurately, a monument to Australian English, the AND is unparalleled. Its second edition, released in 2016, contains the history of more than 16,000 words and phrases. Moreover, the second edition did the hard yakka to acknowledge the influence of Indigenous words on our English (words like 'yakka", from the Yagara language). But the AND is more than an academic resource — its insights inform media, education and everyday life. We (the authors) write and speak widely about Australian English, with hundreds of media appearances each year, and we've both authored high school texts exploring its history and use. Howard Manns recently developed an SBS program introducing newcomers to Australian English. Crucially, the AND's research doesn't just support this work — it makes it possible. 'The most unpatriotic thing ever'? When the Australian National Dictionary was first published – by Britain's Oxford University Press – some baulked at foreign involvement. In 1983, Australian publisher Kevin Weldon even called it 'the most unpatriotic thing ever", also objecting to it being edited by a New Zealander (Bill Ramson) and an English woman (Joan Hughes). History, of course, has vindicated them — and the many others, Australian or not, who helped create this cultural landmark. But Weldon was not necessarily wrong. In the end, it seems American-style managerialism will be the death of the ANDC. Weldon surely didn't anticipate that the 'most unpatriotic thing ever" — the killing off of the AND — would be an act by Australians at the Australian National University. In a statement, the ANU told The Conversation: 'This decision reflects the need to reduce recurrent operating costs while ensuring that core academic activities are sustainably embedded within Schools and Colleges". Cutting the ANDC isn't just a short-sighted administrative decision to save a few quid. It's the wilful disregard of Australian cultural heritage and the powerful work its scholars do to help us understand the past, present and future of Australians, our English and our identities. This dictionary centre is a national asset — once it's gone, we lose a living record of our national voice. (The Conversation) SKS GSP (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments First Published: August 08, 2025, 13:45 IST News agency-feeds ANU is moving to kill Australian National Dictionary – this is why it matters Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
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First Post
05-08-2025
- First Post
Pets on the menu? Why Denmark zoo wants you to donate animals
A zoo in northern Denmark has asked the public to hand over unwanted pets, not for adoption, but to feed its carnivores. Chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs were listed as key parts of the predators' diet. The zoo also said it would accept a horse if certain conditions are met. The request, made on social media, drew strong reactions online, with some criticising it and others supporting the move as a way to maintain natural feeding habits read more Aalborg Zoo has listed guinea pigs, rabbits and chickens as animals they can accept. AI-Generated/Representational Image A zoo in northern Denmark has requested the public to give up unwanted pets, not to adopt them, but to feed its carnivores. Aalborg Zoo has listed guinea pigs, rabbits and chickens as animals they can accept. These will be put down and then used as food for the predators, the zoo said. ALSO READ | Why Australian zoo is facing backlash over putting down lions with a 'remarkable' bond It also said it will accept horses under 147cm in height, provided they have a pet passport. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The post met with strong reactions online. Some people have criticised the idea of using pets as food, while others have supported the move, saying it helps preserve natural feeding habits. So, what reason has the zoo given for asking people to hand over their pets? Let's take a look: Why Denmark zoo wants people to donate pets to feed predators On its website, Aalborg Zoo said the animals would be 'gently euthanised' by trained staff before being offered as food. Notably, the zoo accommodates predators such as the Asiatic lion, European lynx and Sumatran tiger. It explained that it wants to use donated pets to 'imitate the natural food chain of the animals.' It named chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs as key parts of the predators' diet. The post, which included a photo of a snarling lynx, also said the zoo would 'gratefully' accept live horses, as long as they meet the conditions. It added that 'nothing goes to waste' and invited pet owners to learn more through a web link, shown with an image of a tiger eating raw meat, which details how the pet euthanasia scheme works. Pia Nielsen, deputy director of Aalborg Zoo, was quoted as saying by The Guardian: 'For many years at Aalborg Zoo, we have fed our carnivores with smaller livestock. When keeping carnivores, it is necessary to provide them with meat, preferably with fur, bones, etc, to give them as natural a diet as possible. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Therefore, it makes sense to allow animals that need to be euthanised for various reasons to be of use in this way. In Denmark, this practice is common, and many of our guests and partners appreciate the opportunity to contribute. The livestock we receive as donations are chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs, and horses.' It named chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs as key parts of the predators' diet. Pixabay/Representational Image Rules for animal donations Aalborg Zoo has set clear guidelines for those wishing to donate animals. Guinea pigs, rabbits and chickens are accepted on weekdays, with a limit of four animals per donor at a time. For horses, the zoo has listed specific conditions on its website: The horse must have a valid passport It must be in a safe condition for transport The height of the horse must not exceed about 58 inches (147cm) It should not have been treated for any illness in the last 30 days This is not the first time Danish zoos have faced criticism over how they manage animal feeding and population control. In 2014, Copenhagen Zoo put down a healthy giraffe named Marius to prevent inbreeding. Despite protests and a petition, the zoo went ahead with the decision. The giraffe's remains were used for research and to feed predators like lions, tigers and leopards. ALSO READ | What does it take to relocate 50 African elephants? Fascinating images from Kenya zoo have the answer How netizens reacted to the post The zoo's recent social media post has drawn strong reactions. One user called it 'a terrible trend of indifference with animals in Denmark,' while another said, 'feeding pets is absolutely unacceptable.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Speaking to Popular Science, a zoo spokeswoman said that staff at Aalborg Zoo 'have fed our carnivores with smaller livestock' for many years. However, some responses were supportive. Several Facebook users appreciated the initiative and asked how they could donate their animals. The zoo accommodates predators such as the Asiatic lion, European lynx and Sumatran tiger. Pixabay/Representational Image One person shared their own story of giving away a rabbit, describing the experience as 'super nice and professional.' Signe Flyvholm, a Denmark resident who has been visiting the zoo for 40 years, told The New York Times the post encouraged her to offer her horse. 'She could make a difference by being used as food… She is a very loved horse,' she said.
