
Camera traps spot rare vibrant creature in India forest. ‘Promising haven'
World Camera traps spot rare vibrant creature in India forest. 'Promising haven'
An organization in India saw a rare bird on their camera traps.
Screengrab from ENFOGAL's Instagram video
In forests of the far east of India, camera traps are giving an organization a closer look at their natural environment.
ENFOGAL, or Environmental Force At Grass Root Level, is a non-governmental group working out of the Ukhrul District of India. Their goal is to protect the environment through local initiatives with a focus on youth.
Part of that mission involved placing camera traps around the town of Shirui to see what they would find.
During recent checks of these traps, the organization made a discovery they are calling 'another breakthrough.'
'Once again, we have been fortunate to capture an image of a rare species thanks to the use of camera traps,' the organization said in a May 5 Instagram post.
A video shows people trudging through the thick forest, climbing up and over large branches and trees to reach the remote locations where the cameras were placed.
When they find the cameras, the organization members pull out a laptop, and a brightly-colored bird appears on the screen, the video shows.
The video shows a Blyth's tragopan, a rare bird from the same family as pheasants, partridges, turkeys and grouse, according to Bird Life.
'Shirui is truly emerging as a promising haven for bird enthusiasts, and it's heartening to see such precious wildlife being documented and appreciated,' the organization said.
Blyth's tragopans are listed as a vulnerable species, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, and their numbers are decreasing.
Males of the species have a gray breast and belly with a spotted back and bright yellow, orange or red faces, according to the IUCN. Females are more gray and don't have the distinctive vibrant head.
The birds are found in Bhutan, northeastern India, Myanmar, Tibet and China, according to Bird Life.
The species is considered vulnerable, and rare, because there is a small population that is geographically separated from one another, brought on by hunting and habitat destruction, according to the IUCN.
Shirui is in the eastern-most Manipur state of India, just west of northern Myanmar.
Irene Wright
McClatchy DC Email this person
Irene Wright is a McClatchy Real-Time reporter. She earned a B.A. in ecology and an M.A. in health and medical journalism from the University of Georgia and is now based in Atlanta. Irene previously worked as a business reporter at The Dallas Morning News.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
23 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Dozens of white rhinos relocated from South Africa to Rwanda
Seventy southern white rhinos have completed a journey of more than 3,400 kilometres (at least 2,112 miles) by truck and Boeing 747 from South Africa to Rwanda in what has been described as the largest translocation of its kind. Part of a rewilding initiative, the rhinos were transported in two groups of 35 – first by airliner then by road – from South Africa's Munywana Conservancy to the Akagera National Park in Rwanda, central Africa's largest protected wetland, the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) said on Tuesday. 'The final phase of the 3,400km journey involved the rhino being transported by truck in individual steel crates from Munywana to King Shaka International Airport in Durban,' the RDB said. 'They were then carefully loaded by cranes into a Boeing 747, flown to Kigali International Airport, and finally transported to Akagera National Park by road,' it said. The development board said the aim was to eventually rewild more than 2,000 rhinos 'to safe, well-managed protected areas across the continent'. The rhinos were released into the Rwandan park after their two-day journey and a veterinary team will monitor their progress in order to 'manage any stress associated with the move and to ensure each rhino adapts well to its new environment'. Described as 'the first rhino move by air of this scale', the rewilding initiative aims to support population growth for white rhinos and 'secure a new breeding stronghold in Rwanda'. White rhinos were once abundant across sub-Saharan Africa but their numbers have dramatically fallen due to large-scale poaching and hunting during colonial times. According to the International Rhino Foundation (IRF), rhino poaching in Africa rose by 4 percent from 2022 to 2023, with at least 586 rhinos poached in 2023. The southern white rhino, one of two subspecies, is now listed as 'near threatened', with roughly 17,000 individuals remaining, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The northern white rhino is considered critically endangered, with the number of remaining mature adults listed by the IUCN as two at most.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Five-star loos lead to 'toilet envy'
Eight public toilets in the Chichester district will be refurbished after getting council approval. The plans follow the demolition and rebuilding of the old toilet block in Tower Street. The new Tower Street toilet, which opened earlier this month, cost more than £200,000 and has been said to be inspiring "envy" in other areas after receiving positive Google reviews. The cost of the latest scheme has not yet been revealed but will be made up of money from the Asset Replacement Fund and from reserves. Chichester District Council does not legally have to provide public toilets, but leader Adrian Moss said they were important to residents, adding that the Tower Street project had been "a triumph". Councillor John Cross added: "There is a bit of toilet envy going on with other district councils because our Tower Street toilets have been given a five-star rating on Google and other district councils want the same!" The toilets set for improvement are in Bracklesham Bay in Bracklesham, Pound Road car park in Petworth, Lifeboat Way in Selsey, Northgate car park in Chichester, Avenue de Chartres car park in Chichester, Hillfield Road in Selsey, Kingfisher Parade in East Wittering and Marine Drive in West Wittering. The council will now look for a contractor to carry out the work, which will be a phased approach over the next two years, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Follow BBC Sussex on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. Coastal public toilets reopened for summer season South East councils close dozens of public toilets Chichester District Council Local Democracy Reporting Service


Newsweek
9 hours ago
- Newsweek
Former Fosterer Begs for Home for 'Gentle' Senior Dog in Shelter 1276 Days
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A dog's former foster parent is pleading for help as the canine faces euthanasia, along with 30 others in a Georgia shelter. The DeKalb County Animal Services posted to several social media accounts the need for fosters and adopters to step forward, as "dogs are arriving faster" than they can find homes for. They currently house 506 dogs in the animal shelter, but their maximum capacity can only hold 475, the website states. One of these dogs at risk is 10-year-old Kerrawin. This senior dog's former foster parent, Amy Siceloff, has been championing for him. Kerrawin first came into DeKalb County Animal Services on December 12, 2021, or 1,276 days ago. "It actually turned out that he had an owner that no longer wanted to care for him, so he had known all of the comforts of a home and family before he then had to spend two years in the shelter before I pulled him out to foster," Siceloff told Newsweek via email. She never planned on fostering him, noting her "problem dog" at home and that she owns two cats, but she couldn't resist when she saw an urgent post for him in August 2023. During that one and a half years together, she quickly learned that Kerrawin was the "sweetest dog" who loved spending time with people, car rides and walking around the neighborhood. "I had to return him to the shelter after my resident dog attacked and injured him," she said. "They always had issues that I tried to work/train around, but it had escalated past the point of safety for anyone, myself included." Siceloff noted that Kerrawin was never the aggressor. She's now focused on finding him the perfect fight before his timeline is up at 8 p.m. on June 10. Photos of a 10-year-old shelter dog named Kerrawin who is at risk of being euthanized. Photos of a 10-year-old shelter dog named Kerrawin who is at risk of being euthanized. Courtesy of Amy Siceloff During his time with Siceloff, he had three online adoption inquiries, which all fell through, she said. She cannot understand why no one wants the senior baby. "Everyone that has met Kerrawin has noted how gentle and loving he is," she said. "...He knows basic commands, house trained, crate trained, nondestructive, and is quick to learn and respect boundaries." Siceloff has been visiting Kerrawin every Sunday and taking him out on much-needed shelter breaks. But her heart breaks knowing this could be his last chance. "Every dog deserves the chance to live, but Kerrawin has been especially hard for me as all the volunteers love him, along with literally everybody that meets him," she said. "I can't give up the fight to get him adopted now." Part of the shelter's Instagram post reads: "We need to find homes for at least 31 dogs by tomorrow at 8 p.m., as our team is faced with making the most difficult of decisions. We're urgently asking for help from anyone who can adopt or foster. Every dog who leaves the building will make a difference." Newsweek reached out to the DeKalb County Animal Services via email and phone on Tuesday for confirmation.