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Time of India
a day ago
- General
- Time of India
On Global Tiger Day, Sundarbans fishing boats get GPS device for real-time distress SOS
KOLKATA: On the occasion of Global Tiger Day on Tuesday, at least five fishermen's boats in the Sundarbans will get a GPS-based SOS alarm system that will transmit real-time distress signals to forest department in case of emergencies such as tiger attacks. The system will also help foresters in tracking boats in case they enter areas where fishing is banned. It is a pilot project by Wildlife Trust of India, Bengal forest dept and Lokamata Rani Rashmoni Mission under Sundarbans Tiger Project. It will be launched on an experimental basis in the Kultali block under South 24 Parganas forest division now, said Dr Abhishek Ghoshal, manager and head, human-wildlife conflict mitigation at WTI. Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve director Nilanjan Mullick said it was a welcome move. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata "With the press of a single button, the device will generate an alert to Bengal forest dept and WTI, enabling emergency rescue operations through a speed boat. The speed boat is equipped with trained medical personnel, essential first-aid kit and life-saving medical supplies," said Ghoshal. According to Mullick, the GPS-powered system will also help them identify boats if they enter prohibited zones. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Dubai villas | search ads Get Deals Undo In 2024, at least seven cases of tiger attacks were reported from various parts of the forest when fishermen entered the mangroves on fishing trips. Some of the attacks, though, took place inside prohibited zones. "We will install the devices on boats that have BLCs (boat licence certificate). BLC holders are individuals who possess permits to operate fishing boats within designated zones inside the forest," said a source. "WTI's dual initiative of GPS-enabled alarm system and speed-boat based community support, combining technology, rapid medical response, and inter-agency collaboration, strengthens our ability to protect both people and wildlife," said Nisha Goswami, divisional forest officer, South 24 Parganas division. Under a similar project, camera traps, which have hitherto been used to estimate tiger numbers, will detect their presence and send real-time alerts to foresters to check man-animal conflict. The AI-powered cameras are likely to be provided by WTI in about two months once the monsoon is over. "Initially, we have plans to start a pilot project with 10 cameras that can be installed along nylon nets at vulnerable locations. These cameras will transmit live feeds with images to concerned officials on their mobiles whenever there is tiger movement near villages," Ghoshal had earlier told TOI. The project is supported by German Cooperation, KFW Development Bank and IUCN.
Time of India
a day ago
- General
- Time of India
Kaimur tipped as state's next tiger hub amid surging big cat numbers
1 2 Patna: As the world marks Tiger Conservation Day on Tuesday (July 29), Bihar has reason to celebrate as it has witnessed a remarkable surge in its tiger population in recent years, a clear sign of improving forest ecosystems and successful conservation efforts. According to the All India Tiger Estimation Reports, published every four years, the Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) in West Champaran had just eight tigers in 2010. This number rose to 28 in 2014, 31 in 2018 and an impressive 54 in 2022. The current population now exceeds VTR's optimal capacity of 45 tigers. Buoyed by this growth, the state govt has initiated steps to develop a second tiger reserve in the Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary (KWLS). Spread across 1,504 square kilometres, KWLS is set to be developed into another 'tiger-bearing landscape' in Bihar, said Gopal Sharma, former joint director of the Zoological Survey of India. In fact, the move to establish the Kaimur Tiger Reserve began as early as 2018 when then Kaimur district forest officer Satyajeet Kumar reported tiger sightings, along with pugmarks and prey remains. Tigers had not been observed in the region since 1995. Following these reports, a team of experts conducted a site visit and evaluated the sanctuary for designation as a tiger reserve, Sharma added. Samir Kumar Sinha, chief ecologist at the Wildlife Trust of India, welcomed the growing tiger numbers in Bihar's forests and urged for focused efforts to improve the habitat and prevent tiger migration. "If VTR has surplus tigers, some can be relocated to the proposed Kaimur Tiger Reserve," he said. Sinha also pointed out that the eastern fringes of the Kaimur forests, located in the Vindhyan hills, are well connected to Panna, Bandhavgarh and Sanjay-Dubri Tiger Reserves in Madhya Pradesh. "If the big cats find favourable habitats, they may move from one forest to another," he said. Environmental activist Mehta Nagendra Singh attributed the increase in the tiger population at VTR to heightened public awareness and stricter monitoring of mining activities around the reserve. "Minimising human-wildlife conflict has played a crucial role in this growth," he said.
Time of India
3 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Experts call for sensitive narratives around human-wildlife interactions
Gorakhpur: Highlighting the rising instances of human-wildlife interactions as more than just headlines, a unique media roundtable titled 'Sahjeevan Samvad' was held at Gorakhpur Zoo on Saturday. Organised by Jagriti Enterprise Centre, Purvanchal's Bioregional Centre of Excellence, the session brought together wildlife experts, policy analysts, journalists, and environmental organisations including the Wildlife Trust of India, ClimateRise Alliance, Dasra, and Heritage Foundation. Environmentalist Asad Rahmani emphasized the importance of portraying animals like tigers not as symbols of glory, but as vulnerable beings needing protection, not myth-making. TNN
Indian Express
21-07-2025
- Indian Express
Why so many ‘snake rescuers' across India get bitten on the job
Deepak Mahawar was a popular snake rescuer from Madhya Pradesh's Guna district who on July 14 was seen riding a bike with a cobra slung around his neck. Although his video went viral on the Internet, the 42-year-old was bitten by the venomous snake. He died that night. Mahawar's is not an isolated case. Nobody is keeping a count, and only a fraction of stunts gone wrong make it to the media. But with daring acts of irresponsible snake handling in the garb of 'snake rescue' becoming a social media rage over the last decade, hundreds of 'rescuers' have suffered bites, many fatally. On July 6, 'sarp mitra' J P Yadav died of a cobra bite during a rescue attempt in Bihar's Vaishali. In May, another cobra rescue went wrong in Bihar when 'snake man' Jai Kumar Sahni died in Samastipur. In March, Santosh Kumar met the same fate in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, close to where another snake rescuer, K Murali, was fatally bitten by a Russel's viper last August. In 2023, Karnataka's 'snake' Naresh was carrying in his scooter's trunk a rescued cobra that killed him. In this long list of casualties, one of the most telling is the death of 'snake expert' Manish Vaishnav in Rajasthan's Pali in 2021. The 19-year-old died en route to a Jaipur hospital hours after being bitten by a cobra while addressing 'fans' on Facebook Live. Shortcut to fame, riches The irrational loathing for snakes — ophidiophobia — common among the masses is matched only by their reverence for snake rescuers (read handlers). 'I am a botanist by training and have worked on tigers for over two decades. But people are most impressed when I turn up for an occasional snake rescue,' said Dharmendra Khandal who runs TigerWatch, a non-profit in Ranthambore. Unsurprisingly, 'snake stunts' provide a path to instant visibility on social media, enabling influencers to rack up follower counts and as a result, enjoy big payouts. The biggest such snake influencer in India, Murliwale Hausla from Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, has a whopping 16 million subscribers on YouTube and 3.6 million followers on Instagram. The mid-range of the spectrum spans from Chhattisgarh's Kamal Choudhary (12 lakh YouTube subscribers) to Karnataka's Snake Hariha (2 lakh YouTube subscribers). Then there are many aspirants vying for the 1-lakh mark. Jose Louies, chief executive of non-profit Wildlife Trust of India, is censorious of snake rescuers who go to great lengths for financial gains. 'They tease snakes for viewership, even stage rescues. One video, for example, shows cobras (predator) and rat snakes (prey) together in a well. Shifting wild animals like that amounts to hunting under the Wildlife Act,' he told The Indian Express. Free for all industry Few states have specific regulations for snake rescue, that is, relocating a snake from a place where it poses a risk to people. Fewer are in a position to enforce those rules since forest officers often rely on volunteers to answer frequent rescue calls. 'There are just too many cases to attend to, particularly during the rainy season. Given our staff strength and the shortage of trained hands, we are forced to rope in private rescuers, knowing very well how some of them would milk those situations,' said a senior forest official in Madhya Pradesh. In 2018, Maharashtra issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for snake rescues, mandating training and documentation. Kerala made certification mandatory for snake rescuers in 2020, followed by Gujarat in 2021, Karnataka in 2022, and Odisha in 2023. So far, however, only Kerala with its technology-enabled, real-time response system — the SARPA App — has succeeded in keeping a tab on certified rescuers and blacklisting some of the unethical ones. Elsewhere, these rules have made little impact on the ground where self-styled 'rescuers' keep playing with fire. A high risk job Even while playing by the book, snake rescue is a high risk job. Of the four most venomous snakes of India, collectively referred to as the Big Four and responsible for a majority of snakebite deaths in the country, the krait (Bungarus caeruleus) is probably the easiest to handle. Known for its deadly neurotoxins, it can spring the occasional surprise but is usually docile, particularly in the daytime. The cobra (Naja naja) tends to follow the rescuer's movement, giving a fair indication of where it is headed. Not aggressive unless hassled, the roaring snake is capable of striking from a considerable distance. It usually contracts its hood — a visual cue — before lunging to strike. Vipers, on the other hand, are often aggressive without much provocation: there is no telling how they might behave. Lightning fast, the saw-scaled viper (Echis carinatus) is under 3 feet, and has a way of warning an adversary by rubbing parts of its body together, creating a 'sawing' sound. The muscular Russel's viper (Daboia russelii) can grow to double the length of the saw-scaled viper, and poses the biggest challenge for rescuers. It resembles a mighty helix poised to explode, and can reach up to 1.5 metres in a flash. Doing it right A simple snake hook and a pipe-necked sack are the best tools for rescuing a snake. These enable rescuers to lead the creature to a burrow-like opening, relying on its natural tendency to enter a dark space. Ideally, rescuers should not need to touch the animal at any stage. Teasing, displays and stunts with snakes are punishable under the Wildlife Act. While the availability of anti-venoms have improved, many rescuers bitten by snakes die during treatment. 'Typically, a snake is agitated during a rescue and likely to deliver a higher quantity of venom if it gets an opportunity to bite,' Louise said. Vivek Sharma, a Jabalpur-based herpetologist, underlined the human cost of recklessness. 'Most of these rescuers are under 40, with limited education, and from a modest background. Many of them are the sole earners in the family, some have young kids. They fail to appreciate the risk they take,' he said. Given that it is impractical to police thousands of snake rescuers in the field, Khandal has a radical solution: 'A stiff penalty for filming and posting rescue videos will disincentivise the stuntmen and leave only the serious rescuers to do the job. This is a vital service in a country where 40-50,000 people die of snakebite every year.' Jay Mazoomdaar is an investigative reporter focused on offshore finance, equitable growth, natural resources management and biodiversity conservation. Over two decades, his work has been recognised by the International Press Institute, the Ramnath Goenka Foundation, the Commonwealth Press Union, the Prem Bhatia Memorial Trust, the Asian College of Journalism etc. Mazoomdaar's major investigations include the extirpation of tigers in Sariska, global offshore probes such as Panama Papers, Robert Vadra's land deals in Rajasthan, India's dubious forest cover data, Vyapam deaths in Madhya Pradesh, mega projects flouting clearance conditions, Nitin Gadkari's link to e-rickshaws, India shifting stand on ivory ban to fly in African cheetahs, the loss of indigenous cow breeds, the hydel rush in Arunachal Pradesh, land mafias inside Corbett, the JDY financial inclusion scheme, an iron ore heist in Odisha, highways expansion through the Kanha-Pench landscape etc. ... Read More
Indian Express
08-07-2025
- Science
- Indian Express
Three documentaries recently screened in Delhi showed the wonder and magnificence of nature
A frog that comes out of its underground, secretive life only for a few hours in an year, has a genetic legacy dating back to the time of dinosaurs; a species of bird that remains monogamous for life builds its nest entirely using saliva; and a group of bears that vanished from Kargil, in Ladakh, during the war, are returning after a decade. They are guests from our natural world who had a hall full of people enthused at Gulmohar Hall, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, during a series of documentary screenings on July 5. The event titled 'Scientists and their Wild Worlds' showcased three documentaries about these rare species and the struggles of researchers to bring forth scientific truths about them. It was organised through the collective effort of three non-profit organisations: RoundGlass Sustain, Wildlife Trust of India and Global Wildlife Fair. While 'A Living Fossil: The Purple Frog's Brief Life on Land' presents why the purple frog is an enigma to humanity, it also optimistically talks about a move to declare it as the state amphibian of Kerala. The local community fondly call it the 'Mahabali' frog due to the frog's behavioural similarity with the great mythological king Mahabali. Similar to Mahabali who comes out of 'pathala' or underground once every year to meet his citizens, the purple frog also comes out of its secret, underground domicile for mating. Jose Louies, CEO, Wildlife Trust of India, who managed to see the frog, noted the comment of a politician about the purple frog: 'It's not very beautiful to look at'. Louies pointed to the threat of extinction of the species due to habitat loss and climate change. 'The first step is to understand the habitat — where it is, and ensure habitat-level protection. Get local communities to support conservation. If you don't have local communities' support for any conservation effort, you may not be able to get it done,' he said, in the panel discussion that followed the screening. Another documentary, 'Science In Action: Niaz & The Brown Bears of Kargil', directed by award-winning filmmakers Bahar Dutt and Vijay Bedi, drew on biologist Niaz Khan's journey through the meditative mountains of Kargil, once torn by war. The brown bears, which nearly vanished with the war, are now returning after more than two decades. However, for the locals though these bears amplify the human-animal conflict and continue to be a source of fear. The panel discussion chaired by Megha Moorthy, editor-in-chief of RoundGlass Sustain, had Dutt, Louies and Mohit Aggarwal, founder, Global Wildlife Fair. They spoke about human-wildlife conflict, responsible tourism and the importance of implementing development projects, ensuring conservation and environmental safety. It was an evening of being sensitive to our surroundings and aware of our uncertain futures. As scientist Shirish Manchi in 'Echoes of Swiftlets: Exploring the hidden world of the Indian swiftlets' revealed in the documentary: 'Imagine that you are a 60 kg person and you have to spit 60 kilos of saliva. How much energy you would have to spend on that? Same thing happens with these birds. Two birds weighing 10 grams together, spit 10 grams of saliva.' With Ph.D scholar Dhanusha Kawalkar, they show us the lives of Indian swiftlets, who live in the Vengurla Rocks, an archipelago of Maharashtra. Indian swiftlets are of two kinds, white and black. The white swiftlets of Andaman and Nicobar Islands for instance, we are told in the documentary take 60-90 days to make their nests. This film was officially selected in the 5th edition of All Living Things Environmental Film Festival that was held in India and abroad from 22 November to 8 December, 2024. It was an evening where our eyes were filled with wonder for the miraculous and magnificent, far above the wisdom and understanding of man. Deepak Rajeev is an intern with The Indian Express
