Latest news with #BlueBull
India.com
23-05-2025
- General
- India.com
The Blue Bull Beast: 7 Facts That'll Wow You About Nilgai
Muskan Kalra May 22, 2025 Despite its name, the Blue Bull is not a bull at all—it's an antelope. The term 'blue' comes from the bluish-gray coloring of the adult males. Despite their size, Nilgai are fast runners and can leap long distances, helping them escape predators like tigers and leopards. Males are larger and have a bluish-gray coat with small horns, while females are smaller, brownish, and usually hornless. Nilgai are native to India, Nepal, and parts of Pakistan. They're one of the most commonly seen wild animals in northern India. An adult male Nilgai can weigh up to 300 kg (660 lbs) and stand over 1.5 meters (5 feet) tall at the shoulder—making it India's largest antelope. Nilgai are strict herbivores, feeding on grass, leaves, and crops. In agricultural areas, they're often considered pests due to crop damage. While Nilgai are protected under Indian wildlife laws, their growing population and crop raiding habits have led to conflicts with farmers, sparking debates over management and culling. Read Next Story
Indian Express
11-05-2025
- General
- Indian Express
How this man became the first person to adopt an elephant at Pune zoo
For over a decade, the Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park (RGZP) in Pune's Katraj has run an animal adoption scheme, allowing individuals, families, and organisations to sponsor animals for varying durations. The collected funds contribute to the animals' food, healthcare, and overall well-being. While many have supported the scheme, Prasad Suresh Joshi stands out. 'He has been a great asset to the zoo's adoption scheme,' says Rajkumar V Jadhav, Director, RGZP. Acknowledging his efforts, Jadhav says, 'We hope more people will follow his example. Our aim is to motivate people to adopt animals as a way of sensitising them to wildlife and promoting shared responsibility for animal welfare.' A spiritual consultant, Joshi first visited the zoo around 2014 to see the animals but ended up adopting one. 'For me, adopting Jaanki, the elephant, felt just like adopting a child,' he says. Joshi emphasises the importance of the adoption scheme, stating, 'We all have a responsibility to care for the environment, animals, and all living beings. While nature provides for some animals, zoo animals rely on human care. They need to be adopted and looked after, much like a child, which is why the adoption scheme is so essential'. Pointing out that he became the first to adopt an elephant at Katraj Zoo, he says, 'Adopting an elephant is more expensive than other animals, which is probably why no one had adopted one before me'. He has even helped another elephant get adopted. Since then, Joshi has adopted animals on special occasions — snakes during Naag Panchami and tortoises during Kurma Jayanti. 'What began as symbolic adoptions turned into special occasions, like my children's birthdays and more. I have adopted many animals over the years, such as Neelgai (Blue Bull), snakes, tortoises, etc. and encouraged my clients to do the same during their special events.' Over time, Joshi says he has built a small community of animal lovers who support his efforts and adopt animals alongside him. (Aarushi Prakash is an intern with The Indian Express.)
