
Customs rescue 403 tortoises from two passengers at Tiruchi airport
The officials intercepted the two passengers when they came to the airport to board a Batik Air flight. The officials found 403 live Indian Star tortoises from their trolley bags.
The tortoises and the passengers were later handed over to the Forest Department in Tiruchi to take action against them under the Wildlife Protection Act, a message posted in the X platform of the Trichy Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate said.
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Hans India
a day ago
- Hans India
6.3 ft crocodile ventures into village
Kendrapara: A 6.3-foot-long female saltwater crocodile was on Saturday netted by forest personnel from a pond in a village close to Bhitarkanika National Park in Kendrapara district, officials said. Locals informed the Forest department upon spotting the reptile in the pond in Endulapur village. The forest personnel took three hours to net the crocodile in the presence of the locals. After the reptile was rescued, the veterinarians conducted its health checkup. Later, it was released into the wild after it was found in a healthy condition, the officials said. Though the crocodile strayed into the village, it did not attack any human. It might have entered the pond during high tide, a forest official said. The population of crocodiles in Bhitarkanika has risen from about 96 in 1974 to 1,826 as per the latest Census. Earlier, the Forest department had sounded an alert of possible attack from saltwater crocodile in certain villages in Kendrapara district following reports that reptiles were sighted in the adjoining Brahmani river which is in spate. The crocodiles are from the Bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary's water-bodies and the reptiles often stray into the connected river system. The rise in water level has brought in its wake the crocodile menace, with reptiles reportedly on the prowl in the low-lying areas on the upper stream of the Brahmani river. 'A departmental alert has been sounded in villages that have come under partial flooding of the Brahmani river water,' Assistant Conservator of Forest (ACF), Manas Kumar Das, said. The crocodiles may attack people in villages under Rajnagar, Pattamundai and Aul blocks, the forest official said. 'With the river in spate, there are reports of crocodiles straying into water bodies in and around the places of human habitation. We have warned the residents not to venture into the flooded river and adjoining water bodies,' he said. Juvenile crocodiles used to stray in search of food and leave their original habitat. But due to their natural instinct, they return within a few days, said a crocodile expert.

The Hindu
a day ago
- The Hindu
T.N. Forest Dept. restores unused stretch of intertidal barren land along Uppanar River in Cuddalore
A community-based ecological restoration initiative by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department by roping in the local community, has helped restore an unused stretch of intertidal barren land with degraded creek edges along the Uppanar river near Cuddalore. A mangrove island with native mangrove species has now taken shape on the stretch. For years, the revenue land owned by the Kudikadu panchayat near Cuddalore SIPCOT remained an unused stretch of intertidal barren land with degraded creek edges and suffered from neglect due to growth of invasive species. The land was selected for the restoration process since it comprised low-lying, saline-prone areas with natural tidal influence, making it ecologically ideal for mangrove regeneration. An assessment of the site was conducted and the Forest department initiated restoration efforts by planting appropriate species of mangroves based on the region's salinity and tidal conditions. According to B. Iqbal, Forest Range Officer (FRO), Pichavaram Range, 'The invasive species of Prosporis juliflora was removed and a modified fish-bone canal system was developed to facilitate natural tidal flow and sapling survival across a total expanse of 25 hectares.' 'In addition, linear planting of native mangrove species was carried out along the canal and creek edges, with a total of 20,000 saplings. Key mangrove species, including Rhizophora mucronata, Avicennia marina, Exocoeria agallocha, Bruguiera cylindrical, Ceriops decandra, Kandelia candel, and Soneratia apetala were planted along the stretch. The entire plantation and their maintenance is being carried out by the local communities, ensuring community livelihood generation and stewardship,' he added. The fish bone model allows the water to reach every nook and corner of the field channels. This model has found success in earlier applications at Pichavaram. Considering the ecological significance and long-term conservation potential of this site, a formal proposal has been submitted under Section 26 of the Tamil Nadu Forest Act, 1882, to notify this area as Reserve Forest. This would ensure long-term legal protection to the restored mangrove ecosystem. According to government estimates, the mangrove cover in Tamil Nadu is at 44.94 square kilometres (sq. km.), out of which 7.73 sq. km. is in Cuddalore. Straddling the Vellar and Coleroon estuaries, about 21% of Pichavaram is occupied by waterbodies, 27% by healthy mangrove vegetation, 38% by mudflats with sparsely grown mangroves, and sand dunes occupied the rest of the area. According to Mr. Iqbal, to further strengthen local participation and protective mechanisms, steps have been initiated to form a Village Mangrove Committee (VMC) at Kudikadu. This committee will involve local stakeholders in protection, maintenance, and awareness activities related to the mangrove ecosystem.

The Hindu
a day ago
- The Hindu
For five tribal settlements in Munnar, proper road is a distant dream
In a stark reminder of the brutal realities faced by indigenous communities, L. Gandhi Ammal, a tribal woman from the remote Valsapettykudy tribal settlement in Anamudi Shola National Park under the Munnar Wildlife Division, writhed in pain for hours with no ambulance in sight — because there is no proper road. Injured on the way to the MGNREGS work, she was finally carried to the nearest hospital in Marayur on a bamboo stretcher by over 50 fellow tribespeople, trudging six kilometres through treacherous terrain. This ordeal unfolds as monsoon rains leave nearly 330 Muthuvan tribal families in five settlements cut off from basic services, trapped in isolation by the government's failure to build a proper road. According to Idukki block panchayat member C. Rajendran, there is a motorable road from Vattavada to Chilanthiyar and from Ollavayalkudy to Marayur. Between Chilanthiyar and Ollavayalkudy, which is a 13-km stretch, there are tribal settlements such as Valsapettykudy, Moolavallikudy, Vayaltharakudy, Swamiyaralakudy, and Koodallarkudy which are struggling for want of a proper road. One has to travel 103 kilometres to reach these settlements through the Munnar-Marayur route. Former Vattavada grama panchayat president R. Ramaraj alleged that officials from the Munnar wildlife division were obstructing the road construction intended for tribal settlements. 'People's representatives and local people tried to build a motorable road on the 13-kilometre stretch, but the Forest department opposed it. The five tribal settlements were isolated in the heavy rainfall. If the tribespeople need to visit other settlements, they must either walk several kilometres or travel over 100 kilometres via the Munnar route,' according to Mr. Ramaraj. Sources said the government had allotted ₹18.5 crore for the construction of a road connecting Chilanthiayar-Ollavayal through Valsapettykudy. 'However, the Forest department mandated that permission be obtained through the Parivesh portal for the road's construction. The funds were then redirected to another project,' they said. Mr. Rajendran said that due to the absence of a proper road, children in the five settlements had to be shifted to hostels at the age of five to attend school. 'If we construct a proper road, the children can live with families and reach the school through the government-arranged Vidyavahini project,' he said. Forest dept. version Meanwhile, Munnar Wildlife Warden K.V. Harikrishnan said the construction of a proper road connecting to the settlements would require 3.5 hectares of forestland. 'The Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) can provide one hectare of land for development activities. If more land is needed, the user agency of the project should submit an application to MoEF through the Parivesh portal for permission. The Forest department will not oppose the road construction,' said Mr. Harikrishnan.