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Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- General
- Hindustan Times
Valmik Thapar, veteran tiger conservationist, author, passes away in Delhi
New Delhi: Valmik Thapar, veteran tiger conservationist and author, passed away in Delhi on Saturday morning. He had been at the forefront of tiger conservation in India since the mid-1970s and had served on over 150 committees of both central and state governments. 'His influence has been expansive, and though today he works almost exclusively in Rajasthan, with the state government, he has been instrumental in the revitalisation of other parks such as Maharashtra's beloved Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve,' according to Sanctuary Nature Foundation. 'Thapar has also been vocal in eschewing the dogmatic view that all tourism is bad tourism, and is a leading proponent of innovative tourism that can benefit both parks and people. All this, he firmly believes, is only possible by knitting together a cross-sectoral group of like-minded people including scientists, activists, village leaders, forest officials, bureaucrats, politicians and the free press,' it added. Thapar authored 32 books, including four on Africa. 'Living With Tigers', 'The Secret Life of Tigers' are among those. 'Valmik, it's hard to believe you're gone. I still vividly remember seeing you for the first time in 1993 as a high school kid captivated by your powerful presentation on the plight of the tiger. That day, I raised my hand and asked, 'What can we do for tigers?' and your response—'What are you doing right now? Get your friends together and write to the Chief Minister so he can do all he can to protect the majestic tiger. Do what it takes to be heard'. That ignited something which never faded,' remembered Koustubh Sharma, conservation science director, Snow Leopard Trust. 'Years later, I was genuinely surprised to get that call from your deep voice, asking me to be in Delhi in March 2008 to receive the Carl Zeiss Award for Nature Conservation. To think you recommended me, a fresh out of university, for my first conservation award, speaks volumes about your generosity and belief in others. I cherished working several hours with you on your presentations. Working closely with you over the years, I learned so much about making powerful and impactful presentations. One of my favourite, funny memories is you calling frantically, convinced you had 'bacteria or whatever it is' in your computer and asking me to fix it!,' recollected Sharma. 'I was truly fortunate to know you and work alongside you. Your immense generosity with praise was unforgettable; I'll never forget you introducing me to the then Prime Minister and his Wildlife Board, showcasing the power of videos created with satellite imagery, and championing young conservationists to the high and mighty. You had strong opinions, but what I cherished most was your openness to changing them based on knowledge and experience. That I could challenge your views and see you smile, continuing the conversation, showed me you wanted to be heard, but also genuinely wanted to hear others. You truly were a force unmatched, an inspiration, a phenomenon. The world will miss you dearly, Valmik,' Sharma added. Thapar has inspired an entire generation of conservationists and students. 'Valmik was a fearless advocate for the tiger, taking the conservation concerns for the Indian tiger worldwide. he was also a keen student of tiger behaviour, and his various books on tigers shed enormous light on their behaviour and ways. he eloquently combined scholastic enquiry with passionate defence for wildlife at a time when the conservation movement was still young in India. He will be remembered for being the voice of an animal that cannot speak for itself,' conservation biologist Neha Sinha said.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Trail camera captures incredible footage of ultra-rare mountain creature: 'More elusive than the snow leopard'
Rare shots caught on trail cameras in Northern India have provided encouraging evidence that a special animal species is calling the western Himalayas home. In Himachal Pradesh, India, a Pallas's Cat — or manul — was documented walking along a mountainous trail, according to the Outdoors. The small wild cat is known to inhabit areas further north in Mongolia and China, but its habitat range may be increasing, which is a good sign for the sensitive species. Snow Leopard Trust posted the photos to Facebook, writing that "these small felines are perhaps more elusive than the snow leopard, which makes long-term studies difficult." Our colleagues in India recently documented the first photographic evidence of Pallas's cats (manul) in Himachal... Posted by Snow Leopard Trust on Friday, December 20, 2024 According to Outdoors, the researchers obtained footage of the animals from three camera trap sites at elevations reaching up to 13,500 feet. While the sighting of the small feline was a welcome surprise, finding it at such an elevation was not. Pallas's cats' thick fur coats and short, sturdy legs make them perfect mountain dwellers. They prefer to live at higher elevations, using their expert camouflage markings to blend in with their surroundings. Unlike other cat species, they have distinctive round pupils, which give them better eyesight to hunt in their preferred prowling times of dawn and dusk. Their wide-set and flat ears are another unique feature, allowing their outline to be less noticeable by skittish prey. Tracking and monitoring an elusive species is difficult at any elevation, but with the Pallas's cats' preferred terrain, documenting their lifestyles could provide an extra challenge. As conservationists documented in an article published on ResearchGate: "Additional ecological research is critical, but our inability to efficiently monitor the species across its vast range and reliably detect population trends and distributional changes is arguably the most important gap in our understanding." Luckily, with the advent of drones, filming species at higher topographies is now more feasible. Scientists have already used this innovative method to study snow leopards in Kazakhstan and Grévy's zebras in Kenya. Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. The Pallas's cat has chosen some great real estate to invest in and will hopefully make for a useful addition to its new ecosystem. India is home to many exotic cat species, including the Bengal tiger, fishing cat, Asiatic lion, and several species of leopard. It is even home to the world's smallest wild cat, the rusty-spotted cat. Although manuls are not an endangered species, they are reclusive by nature, and small communities are at risk of localized population decline. Some factors that contribute to their declining numbers are food source depletion, accidental capture, and loss of habitat. This makes the new photos all the more encouraging, proving that the Pallas's cat is adaptable and is spreading to new parts of the world. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
