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Indian Express
19-05-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Two more snow leopard cubs, a vulnerable species, born in Darjeeling Zoo
admaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, also known as the Darjeeling Zoo, now boasts two new snow leopard cubs, continuing its status as the zoo with the largest captive population of the species in the world. 'The cubs are a month old. We are taking special care of them,' said Basavraj S Holeyachi, director of PNHZP, speaking to The Indian Express over the phone. 'This is good news. We have planned to ask Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to name the two cubs,' said Birbaha Hansda, state forest minister. At present, the zoo houses seven female and four male snow leopards, in addition to the two cubs. The cubs were born to Rare (female) and Namka (male) about a month ago. They are currently housed at Togbey Danra, an off-display conservation breeding centre located around 20 km from Darjeeling town. The births mark another success for the zoo's 'Conservation Breeding Programme' for snow leopards. The programme began in 1985, with the first successful birth recorded in 1987. In 2007, PNHZP was designated the coordinating zoo for snow leopards in India. According to authorities, a key element of the programme's success has been maintaining a wide genetic pool in breeding pairs. 'If those paired are closely related, there is a chance of developing disease. We were careful to use a wide genetic pool. Snow leopards brought to the zoo were not only from different parts of the country but also from zoos outside India,' said an official. The Conservation Breeding Centre (CBC) at Togbey Danra spans five hectares. It is designed to replicate the natural environment of the snow leopard, and breeding pairs are carefully selected. 'Five naturalistic enclosures of 1,000 square metres are there. A dry mountainous region has been artificially created within parts of the enclosures, closely resembling the snow leopard's natural habitat,' said an official. 'Once the female leopard is pregnant, special care is taken. She is separated and kept under CCTV surveillance 24/7. Regular blood tests and body weight measurements are conducted. After birth, both mother and cub are checked and closely monitored,' the official added. Snow leopards bred at the Darjeeling Zoo have been sent to zoos in Nainital, Shimla, and Sikkim. Snow leopards are listed as 'Vulnerable' on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, with an estimated global population of 4,000 to 7,500.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
13 people rescued after being trapped in Burger King bathroom during tornado in Missouri
VILLA RIDGE, Mo. – A small town about 45 miles southwest of St. Louis, called Villa Ridge, suffered damage when an EF-2 tornado damaged several buildings, including a Burger King. Villa Ridge has a population of about 3,000 people and sits between Interstate 44 and Highway 100 in Franklin County. Off the exit to Washington, Missouri, on Interstate 44, is a Burger King restaurant with a connected gas station next door. Across the way is a bank, another gas station and a rest stop for large trucks. See It: Plane Takes Off As Apparent Tornado Spins Near St. Louis Airport Video from Friday night shows the tornado illuminated in the background during the severe weather, where the sign for the gas station and Burger King sits off the interstate. The tornado ended up partially destroying the Burger King and gas station, trapping 13 Burger King employees and customers inside a bathroom where they were taking shelter. This Is What You Should Do If You Are Driving And There Is A Tornado On The Ground Gabriella Breeding, Burger King's general manager, was on the phone with employees trapped inside the building as she rushed to the store, also calling 911 on the way. She arrived about the same time as local firefighters, who checked the building and didn't believe anyone was inside. Breeding insisted people were in the building. When they heard people calling out and saw the light of a flashlight, firefighters were able to find and rescue all the people inside. None of the 13 people stuck inside were injured. Watch: Tornado Lashes Truck As Men Ride Out Storm At Rolla, Missouri Gas Station One of the employee's cars was totaled in the parking lot outside. Five semi-trucks were flipped over nearby. It's estimated the Burger King location in Villa Ridge will be closed for three to six months while the extent of damage is investigated and a determination is made about whether the building can be repaired or if it needs to be rebuilt entirely. During that time, the approximately 20 people who work at that Burger King location will be offered a temporary transfer to one of the chain's locations in neighboring cities. At least 12 people were killed in Missouri during the severe weather on Friday, the Missouri State Highway Patrol confirmed. The EF-2 tornado that touched down in Villa Ridge tracked 13 miles from Villa Ridge to Wildwood, Missouri, the National Weather Service article source: 13 people rescued after being trapped in Burger King bathroom during tornado in Missouri
Associated Press
21-02-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Iconic American Vistas Grace Postage Stamps
New Presorted Standard stamps display beautiful American landscapes SAN DIEGO, Feb. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the U.S. Postal Service released America Vistas, two new Presorted Standard stamps, at the San Diego Stamp Show. These two stamps, intended for use by business mail users, evoke the beauty, variety and vastness of our country's natural spaces. Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS, designed the stamps using art from DKNG Studios. 'For Presorted Standard stamps, we like to showcase broadly appealing imagery from across America,' says Breeding. 'These two paintings have a kind of Americana feel by displaying both mountains and the shore, both iconic to the American landscape. Because of their unique design style and use of color, the images come off as very fresh and engaging.' To the American mind, nature has been seen as a healing force. The landscape has often symbolized freedom, individualism and unlimited possibility. Perhaps that is why two favorite vacation destinations for Americans are the wide-open spaces and long vistas of the beach and the mountains. These stamps highlight both. Seen side by side, the two stamps form a pleasing pattern of spare, curving lines; triangular forms; and alternating colors. One stamp depicts a sandy shoreline at sunset, with a lone sailboat in the distance. The other is a nighttime mountain scene, featuring a small, secluded cabin overlooking a lake. The sweeping sky filling the upper half of the beach scene matches the lake in the bottom half of the mountain scene. The stamps share a horizon line at a halfway point in each design, which 'in turn helps to create a balanced composition, and a sense of calm in the art,' says Nathan Goldman, a principal with DKNG Studios. The American Vistas Presorted Standard stamps will be sold in self-adhesive coils of 3,000 and 10,000. News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtag #AmericanVistasStamps. Postal Products Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through the Postal Store at by calling 844-737-7826, by mail through USA Philatelic or at Post Office locations nationwide. For officially licensed stamp products, shop the USPS Officially Licensed Collection on Amazon. Additional information on stamps, First Day of Issue Ceremonies and stamp inspired products can be found at Please Note: The United States Postal Service is an independent federal establishment, mandated to be self-financing and to serve every American community through the affordable, reliable and secure delivery of mail and packages to 169 million addresses six and often seven days a week. Overseen by a bipartisan Board of Governors, the Postal Service is implementing a 10-year transformation plan, Delivering for America, to modernize the postal network, restore long-term financial sustainability, dramatically improve service across all mail and shipping categories, and maintain the organization as one of America's most valued and trusted brands. The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.
