Pune forest dept starts registration for waterhole census
The wildlife wing of the Pune forest department has started registration for volunteers for the upcoming annual waterhole census in the district. The census will be held on the night of May 12 in six protected areas under the wildlife division.
The registration will be free of cost and people can send their application to the department's official email ID at wildlifepune@gmail.com. The last date for submission of the application is set as May 7.
The census will be held at various locations--Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary in Junnar, Tamhini Wildlife Sanctuary in Pune, Mayureshwar Wildlife Sanctuary in Supe, Rehekuru Blackbuck Sanctuary in Ahmednagar, Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary in Solapur and Shrigonda tehsil of Ahmednagar district.
The activity will be held under the supervision of NR Praveen, chief conservator of forest and Tushar Chavan, deputy conservator of forest (wildlife), Pune forest department.
'The activity will be conducted at different waterholes inside the sanctuary areas. There are some existing watch towers or Machan. Based on the response from people, we will further expand the required facility,' said Snehal Patil, district forest officer, Pune department.
As per the data, last year the census was carried out at 86 locations across sanctuaries in the Pune and Solapur districts. Around 150 volunteers from across Pune participated in the waterhole census along with forest officials. At least 1,118 wild animals were spotted during this census, among which, Blackbuck was spotted in higher numbers as 451. Followed by wild boar at 278. Great Indian Bustard, monkey, sambar deer, and Bengal monitor are among the least spotted animals. The highest number of 726 animals were spotted in the Nannaj forest range in the Solapur district.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
an hour ago
- News18
Sindoor, Sophia: Rajasthan Names Great Indian Bustard Chicks After Milestones, Officers Of Operation
Last Updated: "By giving chicks these names, we are connecting the story of wildlife conservation with national courage," said Brijmohan Gupta, Divisional Forest Officer of Desert National Park The border state of Rajasthan is finding a unique way to honour the armed forces after Operation Sindoor – naming rare Great Indian Bustard (GIB) chicks born under a conservation project in Jaisalmer after key officers and significant milestones linked to the operation. 'By giving chicks these names, we are connecting the story of wildlife conservation with the story of national courage," said Brijmohan Gupta, Divisional Forest Officer of Desert National Park. This year alone, 21 chicks have hatched under the Project GIB initiative, including seven in May and the latest one on June 1. Operation Sindoor was launched early May 7 by Indian military to destroy nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir in retaliation to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. Subsequently, India responded strongly to Pakistan's attempts to target its military and civilian areas with drones, missiles and other weapons. THE NAMES The naming began with a chick born on May 5 being called ' Sindoor ' after the military operation. Others followed: 'Atom' (May 9) signifies the mission's strategic power; 'Mishri' (May 19) honours an undercover cyber intelligence officer; 'Vyom' (May 23) is named after Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and 'Sophia' (May 24) is dedicated to Colonel Sophia Qureshi, the two officers led the official media briefing of the operation. 'It's not just about saving a bird, it's about preserving the values that define us as a nation," Gupta added. THE GREAT INDIAN BUSTARD The Great Indian Bustard has been pushed to the brink of extinction due to habitat loss, poaching, and infrastructural threats like power lines. Presently, fewer than 150 remain in the wild, most of them in Rajasthan. To counter this crisis, Project GIB was launched in 2018 as a joint initiative of the Ministry of Environment, the Wildlife Institute of India, and the Rajasthan Forest Department. The breeding centres at Sudasari and Sam are equipped with AI-enabled surveillance, temperature-controlled incubators, and sensor-based monitoring systems. This advanced infrastructure ensures real-time tracking of egg conditions and chick health. Till date, the centres have successfully hatched and nurtured 65 chicks. The newly born chicks are being gradually trained in semi-natural enclosures to help them adapt to wild conditions. The eventual goal is their reintroduction into open desert landscapes, where their survival and breeding in the wild will mark a turning point in India's conservation journey. With PTI Inputs First Published: June 08, 2025, 12:44 IST
News18
an hour ago
- News18
Sindoor To Sophia: Rajasthan Names Great Indian Bustard Chicks After Key Officers Of Operation
Last Updated: "By giving chicks these names, we are connecting the story of wildlife conservation with national courage," said Brijmohan Gupta, Divisional Forest Officer of Desert National Park The border state of Rajasthan is finding a unique way to honour the armed forces after Operation Sindoor – naming rare Great Indian Bustard (GIB) chicks born under a conservation project in Jaisalmer after key officers and significant milestones linked to the operation. 'By giving chicks these names, we are connecting the story of wildlife conservation with the story of national courage," said Brijmohan Gupta, Divisional Forest Officer of Desert National Park. This year alone, 21 chicks have hatched under the Project GIB initiative, including seven in May and the latest one on June 1. Operation Sindoor was launched early May 7 by Indian military to destroy nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir in retaliation to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. Subsequently, India responded strongly to Pakistan's attempts to target its military and civilian areas with drones, missiles and other weapons. The naming began with a chick born on May 5 being called ' Sindoor ' after the military operation. Others followed: 'Atom' (May 9) signifies the mission's strategic power; 'Mishri' (May 19) honours an undercover cyber intelligence officer; 'Vyom' (May 23) is named after Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and 'Sophia' (May 24) is dedicated to Colonel Sophia Qureshi, the two officers led the official media briefing of the operation. 'It's not just about saving a bird, it's about preserving the values that define us as a nation," Gupta added. THE GREAT INDIAN BUSTARD The Great Indian Bustard has been pushed to the brink of extinction due to habitat loss, poaching, and infrastructural threats like power lines. Presently, fewer than 150 remain in the wild, most of them in Rajasthan. To counter this crisis, Project GIB was launched in 2018 as a joint initiative of the Ministry of Environment, the Wildlife Institute of India, and the Rajasthan Forest Department. The breeding centres at Sudasari and Sam are equipped with AI-enabled surveillance, temperature-controlled incubators, and sensor-based monitoring systems. This advanced infrastructure ensures real-time tracking of egg conditions and chick health. Till date, the centres have successfully hatched and nurtured 65 chicks. The newly born chicks are being gradually trained in semi-natural enclosures to help them adapt to wild conditions. The eventual goal is their reintroduction into open desert landscapes, where their survival and breeding in the wild will mark a turning point in India's conservation journey.
The Print
18 hours ago
- The Print
Operation Sindoor inspires unique tribute from Great Indian Bustard conservation project
'By giving these chicks these names, we are connecting the story of wildlife conservation with the story of national courage,' said Brijmohan Gupta, Divisional Forest Officer of Desert National Park. Names like 'Sindoor', 'Atom', 'Mishri', 'Vyom', and 'Sophia' now resonate through the conservation centres at Sudasari and Sam, where science, strategy and national pride are working together to revive one of India's most endangered bird species. Jaisalmer, Jun 7 (PTI) To honour the armed forces following Operation Sindoor, a special tribute is taking shape in the border state of Rajasthan – rare Great Indian Bustard (GIB) chicks born under a conservation project in Jaisalmer have been named after key officers and significant milestones linked to the operation. This year alone, 21 chicks have hatched under the Project GIB initiative, including seven in May and the latest one on June 1. The naming began with a chick born on May 5 being called 'Sindoor' after the military operation. Others followed: 'Atom' (May 9) signifies the mission's strategic power; 'Mishri' (May 19) honours an undercover cyber intelligence officer; 'Vyom' (May 23) is named after Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and 'Sophia' (May 24) is dedicated to Colonel Sophia Qureshi, the two officers led the official media briefing of the operation. Operation Sindoor was launched early May 7 by Indian military to destroy nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir in retaliation to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. Subsequently, India responded strongly to Pakistan's attempts to target its military and civilian areas with drones, missiles and other weapons. 'It's not just about saving a bird, it's about preserving the values that define us as a nation,' Gupta added. Once found across India's grasslands, the Great Indian Bustard has been pushed to the brink of extinction due to habitat loss, poaching, and infrastructural threats like power lines. Presently, fewer than 150 remain in the wild, most of them in Rajasthan. To counter this crisis, Project GIB was launched in 2018 as a joint initiative of the Ministry of Environment, the Wildlife Institute of India, and the Rajasthan Forest Department. The breeding centres at Sudasari and Sam are equipped with AI-enabled surveillance, temperature-controlled incubators, and sensor-based monitoring systems. This advanced infrastructure ensures real-time tracking of egg conditions and chick health. Till date, the centres have successfully hatched and nurtured 65 chicks. The newly born chicks are being gradually trained in semi-natural enclosures to help them adapt to wild conditions. The eventual goal is their reintroduction into open desert landscapes, where their survival and breeding in the wild will mark a turning point in India's conservation journey. Gupta said the department's next focus is to enhance survival rates and reduce infant mortality. AI monitoring has already improved outcomes, allowing for early intervention and round-the-clock care. The team also involves local communities to foster a sense of shared responsibility for protecting this critically endangered species. PTI CORR/AG RT This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
