Nature Conservation in India News & Discussion

BajKhedawal · Post by **BajKhedawal** » 17 Aug 2015 07:12

Pranay wrote:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city ... 293536.cms

Seven Wild ass found dead in flood-hit villages of Gujarat
Vijaysinh Parmar,TNN | Jul 31, 2015, 01.06 PM IST

RAJKOT: In a worrisome news for wildlife conservationists, at least seven wild ass were found dead in flood-hit villages of Surendrangar near Little Rann of Kutch and forest department officials fears that casualty of precious wildlife may be more.

Heavy downpour four days ago in North Gujarat, Kutch and Surendranagar has flooded the Little Rann of and its surrounding areas-the habitat of wild ass populations-and the these areas are totally marooned.

"We have found seven Wild Ass dead in flood-hit villages near Wild Ass Sanctuary. These Wild ass were found dead in Zinzuvada and Akhrana village of Surendranagar district'' S M Saiyeed, Sanctuary Superintendent, Wild Ass Sanctuary, Dhrangdhra, told TOI.

"We have formed four teams to trace Wild Ass and other wild animals which might have stuck up in mud and floods in and outside of the sanctuary. These teams are tracing area of Dhrangdhra, Bajana, Halvad and Adesar'' S M Saiyeed added.

Wild Ass Sanctuary encompasses an area of 4953.70 square km. of the Little Rann of Kutch and the districts of Surendranagar, Rajkot, Patan, Banaskantha, Surendranagar and Kutch.

Easily spotted in big groups in the vast span of desert throughout the year, this population of wild ass is the only gene pool of Indian Wild Ass in the entire world and one of the six geographical varieties or sub-species surviving on the earth.

Besides Wild Ass, major wild animals in Little Rann includes Blubull, Hare, Wolf, Indian Fox, Hyena, wild board and desert fox among others.

According the latest census of Wild Ass, there are over 4451 Wild Ass in and around Sanctuary. The Wild Ass has expanded its territory and now they are found Sanand, Viramgam and Nalsarovar as their permanent residence.

OMG.....lets relocate the wild asses before the evil Gujarati's decimate the sole population of Indian gene pool, just like they are doing with the asiatic lions.

Rahul M · Post by **Rahul M** » 31 Aug 2015 22:40

http://www.indiatimes.com/videocafe/200 ... 44722.html

2000-parrots-wake-up-this-chennai-mechanic-every-morning-so-he-can-feed-them-breakfast

Neshant · Post by **Neshant** » 01 Sep 2015 08:26

But how the heck is he saving for his retirement or a medical emergency or his family or kids education if he's spending 40% of his income on birds?

There's a line between good sense and blind idealism and the guy is on the wrong side of that line!

Pranay · Post by **Pranay** » 04 Sep 2015 04:52

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home ... 737691.cms

Conservation project helps revive Mahseer in rivers
Meenakshi Rohatgi & Ananya Dutta,TNN | Aug 31, 2015, 05.50 AM IST

PUNE: A four-decade-old conservation project has enabled the return of Mahseer in Indrayani river. Experts say the endemic fish, which can only be found in clean waters, was not spotted in the river since the 1970s. However, after a successful project was initiated in 2010, the fish has been spotted again in its waters.

The Indrayani river conservation project is one among several projects, started by the state fisheries department and Tata Power in 1971, included setting up a Mahseer hatchery at Walwan, Lonavla. Till date, the hatchery has supplied 13.5 lakh fish to various states and has the capacity to hatch over five lakh eggs at a time. Over the last 40 years, more than 1.3 crore fertilised eggs have been obtained from the facility and over 7 million Mahseer fingerlings have been produced.

In 1970, C V Kulkarni, the director of fisheries in Maharashtra, collaborated with Tata Power employees S Moolgaonkar and S P Manaktala to start the conservation project. The first batch of 14,000 eggs was brought to the hatchery to be artificially fertilised. Today, the same hatchery breeds nearly 2.5 to 3 lakh fish every year.

"Each year, we supply between 25,000 and 50,000 fish to various states, including Karnataka, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Manipur," said Vivek Vishwasrao, chief of biodiversity, Tata Power. So far, the fish has been sent to 12 states.

The massive decline in numbers first came to the conservationists' notice in the 1970s. "The construction of dams in the river valleys had a lot to do with its decline. Mahseer breeds by migrating upstream. Structures, such as dams, began to block this process. There were also instances where the fish were killed in large numbers by detonating dynamite underwater for commercial fishing," said Shashank N Ogale, a senior fishery scientist, who spearheaded the Tata Power's Mahseer project.

Mahseer is a popular game fish across the world. The Walwan centre had once received a request for a batch of the fish from Laos. In addition, its use as a table fish lends it higher economic importance, said Vishwasrao. "The river is found to be very clean at spots where the fish is found because it requires high levels of dissolved oxygen in the water. It cannot survive in muddy waters," he added.

In India, six species of Mahseer are found, apart from three sub-species, said Ogale. The Walwan centre breeds two species- the Deccan Mahseer, found in Maharashtra and nearby areas, and the Golden Mahseer, seen in the northern and northeastern parts of the country.

"In its natural habitat, the survival rate of the fish is about 30%. But, here at the hatchery, we are able to provide optimal conditions for the eggs and achieve a survival rate of 60-65%," Vishwasrao said.

The fish breeds in clean shallow waters in rocky areas in the monsoon. The eggs stick to the rocky surfaces. However, the fish do not tend to the eggs once they've been laid and immediately return to deeper waters, he added.

On the other hand, the invasive species Tilapia, which competes with Mahseer for food, breeds more frequently. Moreover, the adult fish protect its young from predators. This has a direct impact on Mahseer numbers, Vishwasrao added.

Act of Mahseer, a public awareness campaign, was launched in May so as to preserve the fish. Over time, around 300 fishery scientists have also been trained to continue conservation efforts.

How the hatchery works:

The Lonavla hatchery has evolved the flow-through method, which involves keeping the eggs in flowing water to simulate conditions of the wild.

Eggs are obtained from an adult female, aged three years and above

Eight trays are floated in a rectangular cement tank. Each tray can accommodate 30,000 eggs

The tank has a direct water sprinkling system that ensures the water is kept oxygenated, which is necessary to bring the eggs to maturity

Healthy eggs remain transparent while foul eggs turn opaque. The eggs are checked daily and foul eggs are individually removed using a dropper

Eggs hatch into 1-5 cm long fries in three to four days

Consignments that are released include fish aged between three to nine months. The remaining fish are released into the six lakes near the hatchery

Lonavla's weather conditions are ideal for breeding Mahseer. It needs temperature between 24 and 30 degree celsius to breed. Moreover, the water quality here is good. In the wild it only breeds between July and August. Here we are able to breed it in March as well: Vivek Vishwasrao, chief of biodiversity, Tata Power

Did you know?

Mahseer is an omnivorous fish that eats algae, insects and other fish

The Golden Mahseer can grow up to 2.75 m, around nine feet, in length and weigh up to 90 kg

Popular angling fish worldwide

Reintroduced in Melghat Tiger Reserve:

Earlier this year, 10,000 Mahseer were released into the Hira Bambai river, which flows through the Melghat Tiger Reserve. The fish was fairly abundant in the river. "Once, the fish was found in large numbers in the Tapi river, but now it has disappeared. We wanted to introduce it there but we thought that it will not be able to survive the dry season when the water levels drop. So we chose the Hira Bambai, which runs through a protected area," said Shashank N Ogale, project consultant, Maharashtra State Biodiversity Board.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 16 Sep 2015 04:48

India losing green cover faster than ever?
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 966695.cms

-- I thought that India was doing well in this department. e.g., this from Feb 2015
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/o ... 896830.ece
"India’s forest cover up by 5,871 sq km"

Pranay · Post by **Pranay** » 19 Sep 2015 17:47

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city ... 024915.cms

Asiatic lions sent to 53 zoos in 50 years
Himanshu Kaushik,TNN | Sep 19, 2015, 03.36 PM IST

AHMEDABAD: Gir sanctuary, the last abode of Asiatic lions, over the last 50 years of its existence, sent big cats to 53 zoos in US, UK, Sweden, Malaysia, France, Singapore, and other countries. Three lionesses - Heidi, Ruby and Indi - in London trace their origin to Gir.

The Zoological Society of London has now sought two more pairs of lions from the Gujarat forest department. The proposal is awaiting state government's approval. "Meanwhile, the state government has already cleared similar proposals to send lions to Prague zoo situated in Czech Republic," said J S Prajapati, deputy conservator of forest, Sakkarbaug Zoo in Junagad.

AP Singh, chief conservator of forests, wildlife circle, Junagadh, said, "We also maintain an Indian National Stud Book which contains records of all Gir lions in zoos across the globe. We have sent 130 lions, captured from the wild in Gir, to various zoos across the country too. As part of the 50-year celebrations of Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary, we have invited officials from all zoos across the country."

The stud-book maintains minute details about each big cat along with their names, date of birth and when they died. For example, Radhika (listed at 332 in the stud-book) and Anita (listed at 333) were born to Bijlee (a lioness) and Hemraj (lion) who were captured from the sanctuary in 1990 and 1994 respectively. The two were in Junagadh Zoo when Bijlee gave birth to Radhika and Anita on February 25, 1995.

... but so many individuals come up with so many reasons not to establish a second nucleus of free ranging Asiatic Lions in Kuno Palpur!!! Go Figure...

arshyam · Post by **arshyam** » 19 Sep 2015 18:18

This doesn't make sense. Capturing wild lions and sending then to zoos abroad? WTH? Why not send some to neighboring MP? At least they will still be in a wild habitat as compared to the zoos. And considering that the British played a singular rile in decimating the lion population in India (and tigers, leopards and what not) due to 'sport', the last thing we should do is to send lions we worked so hard to revive to London. They are welcome to come to Gir and see the lions if they are interested.

Bade · Post by **Bade** » 19 Sep 2015 18:55

This is the most idiotic of ideas to celebrate Gir Lions. It is one think to send them to faraway free ranging parks, but to zoos when the numbers are in decline already. Pathetic to say the least, and we had arguments made recently on how GJ does not want to part with their pride to neighboring state parks and want to keep the lions for themselves as part of the heritage.

Pranay · Post by **Pranay** » 21 Sep 2015 22:12

http://www.wsj.com/articles/wolfs-retur ... 1442787204

Gray wolves were largely eradicated from the contiguous Western states during the early 20th century, but have been on the rebound since federal officials relocated about 30 from Canada to Yellowstone National Park and central Idaho in 1995 as part of a recovery program. Since then, the wolves have increased in the West to an estimated 2,000 as of December 2014, with highest concentrations in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming but growing numbers in Washington, Oregon, and now California, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Along the way, there have been run-ins with ranchers, who have lost hundreds of cattle and sheep over the years in infrequent attacks. In eastern Washington, for example, the number of livestock killed by wolves has jumped from one calf in 2007 to 35 sheep and four cows in 2014, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Wolf-control advocates successfully lobbied for the animal to be delisted from federal protection in Idaho and Montana, where the states have now opened them to hunting. The wolves have also been delisted in Oregon and Washington, although they remain under federal protection in Wyoming.

After the arrival of a wolf code-named OR-7 in December 2011, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife convened ranchers, sportsmen and environmental groups to help come up with a management plan for the animal.

One topic discussed was how ranchers could protect their herds: environmentalists pushed for nonlethal techniques such as use of guard dogs and flashing lights, while cattlemen argued they needed a lethal option if all else fails.

“The few ranchers who do have problems with wolves could be put out of business,” said Kirk Wilbur, director of government affairs for the California Cattlemen’s Association. “The concern is less about how many wolves will be in California, and more with the potential impacts on individual ranchers,” he said.

Ms. Vardaman of the California Wolf Center suggested compensating ranchers for lost livestock could be one approach, as now happens in state like Washington. “It’s a win-win if we work together,” she said.

The agency included compensation in its preliminary version of the plan, along with lethal options, said Karen Kovacs, wildlife program manager for the agency’s regional office in Redding, Calif.

“What lethal control does seem to have an effect is at the local level, where you may have chronic depredation from a specific pack,” Ms. Kovacs said.

The wolf management plan is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

From today's article in the WSJ - elaborating on what i have posted earlier. The following comment posted by a reader in reply to the above article reflects my own experience while discussing the proposed move of a viable trial population of Asiatic Lions from Gir to Kuno Palpur - here in this forum and elsewhere.

Richard Bray 6 minutes ago
Wolves, there are facts and there is fear-mongering driven by ignorance and politics. As a former resident of rural south-eastern Idaho with many ranchers as friends, I have yet to have a discussion about wolves where those opposed weren't poorly informed, partially motivated by an extreme anti-government political agenda and partially driven by a general resistance to change.

The reintroduction of the wolves to Yellowstone has had an impact on the local Cougar and Bear populations, not to mention coyotes and foxes - the other predators in that environment. They have learned to adjust to each other over time.

The Wolves having the family pack - like the lions have their prides. The move of the lions to Kuno will have an impact on the existing predator dynamics in Kuno.

Kashi · Post by **Kashi** » 22 Sep 2015 06:21

arshyam wrote:This doesn't make sense. Capturing wild lions and sending then to zoos abroad? WTH? Why not send some to neighboring MP? At least they will still be in a wild habitat as compared to the zoos.

That would be ecologically sensible, since MP already has identified a suitable area for these lions. While, it is apparent that Gujarat is reluctant to part with lions because of losing the attraction of being the sole preserve of Asiatic lions, some of the reluctance may also be due to past experiences.

In 1970s, a few lions were relocated to Chandraprabha sanctuary in Mirzapur/Sonbhadra region of UP and they were later found poisoned.

Pranay · Post by **Pranay** » 22 Sep 2015 07:23

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asiatic_L ... on_Project

The Chandraprabha Lion relocation experiment... mistakes were made, lessons were learned - hopefully we move on from there.

Just like with the Cryogenic engines and the GSLV - some launches are not successful, mistakes are worked on and corrected and beautiful things happen...

The Chandraprabha relocation of 1957
The concept of reintroduction for purposes of conservation was accepted in 1956 by the Indian Wildlife Board during a meeting of their executive committee at Sasan Gir and the offer by the state government of Uttar Pradesh to host a second population in the Chakia forests was accepted. In 1956 one lion and two lionesses were captured from Gir, placed in the Sakkarbuagh Zoo in Junagadh for nine months and translocated in 1957 to the 96 square kilometres (37 sq mi) Chandra Prabha Sanctuary, newly established for the reintroduction, near Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. An enclosure was created with a 3 metres (9.8 ft) high barbed wire fence within the sanctuary in which the lions were temporarily housed before being released in the sanctuary. Initially the lions prospered increasing in number to four in 1958, five in 1960, seven in 1962 and eleven in 1965 after which the population died out inexplicably.

Johnsingh (2006) attributes the failure of the translocation to three causes – inadequate area, lack of systematic monitoring using scientific techniques and unrestricted movement of grazing animals throughout the sanctuary possibly leading to conflict with the herders.[1] Small size of area, the long period of captivity in Junagadh zoo, absence of education of the local villagers and lack of conflict resolution mechanism are also listed as contributory factors in Chellam and Johnsingh (1999).[7]

Pranay · Post by **Pranay** » 23 Oct 2015 18:11

The Lion Queens of India - Path breaking model for wildlife management and women empowerment in India

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-34594692

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwFSzq4MVOQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sX_oB5gdT7c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOOaxhpUTuE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfCsLhm8GfE

Pranay · Post by **Pranay** » 26 Oct 2015 18:41

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city ... 533392.cms

The Lions keep marching on... impressive spread to the east of Gir. Looking forward to when they recolonize the Velavadhar Blackbuck NP/Sanctuary north of Bhavnagar.

Gujarat's pride at Bhavnagar's doorstep
TNN | Oct 26, 2015, 08.59 AM IST

RAJKOT: Villagers of Khadarpar village near Bhavnagar city have been spending sleepless nights since a fortnight.

For the first time, lions have preyed on cattle and sheep in their village and badly mauled a mare.

"In the last two weeks, lions have killed two cattle and four sheep. On Saturday, a lioness attacked the mare at my farm. We are living under constant fear," said Deepsinh Gohil, a villager.

Gohil told TOI that he had purchased the mare of Kathiawadi breed for Rs 1.5 lakh a year ago. "The chances of her survival are slim," he said.

Villagers have started guarding their farms round-the-clock to save their precious cattle from the lioness.

Lions have been seen in coastal villages of Talaja and Ghogha earlier. Some weeks ago, a group of lions was spotted in Ghogha, which is just 20km from Bhavnagar.

Forest department officials said there are around 50 lions in Bhavnagar district, mainly near Mahuva and Palitana.

Pranay · Post by **Pranay** » 07 Dec 2015 19:05

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city ... 078411.cms

Transfer of lions to London zoo awaits govt nod
Himanshu Kaushik,TNN | Dec 7, 2015, 06.49 PM IST

AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat forest department has begun the procedure for getting final approval for transfer of lions to the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) zoo in London. The ZSL had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Gujarat forest department for transfer of a lion and a lioness before March 2016.

"We have moved the file for the final approval of the state government, the lions have also been identified. Once the state government gives its approval, the translocation will be done," said S C Pant, the principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife). He said that ZSL's new exhibits are opening by May next year and they want to have these lions included in the area.

According to chief conservator of forest A P Singh, the ZSL wants the lions to infuse fresh breed in the area and prevent the present gene from being affected by any genetic disorder.{This line of argument completely baffles me - Why are Indians in such a tearing rush to meet the deadlines of London Zoo - while coming up with all sorts of ludicrous arguments to stop the creation of a second home for these lions in Kuno}

ZSL is offering its expertise in the state to develop a lion enclosure in Sakarbaug Zoo. The ZSL officials had visited Gir in November. The officials had given a presentation on their exhibits in London Zoo and proposed to develop the same here in the limited area resources, looking at the number of lions kept in captivity at Sakarbaug Zoo.

ZSL officials will also give an insight on how to create awareness among tourists about the conservation of the lions in the region. The ZSL team has agreed to restructure the interpretation zone in Sasan.{Seriously!! Indians need to be taught on how to build lion enclosures in zoos and "creating awareness among tourists about Lion conservation" - How Patronizing!}

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city ... 060403.cms

Land of the lions in heart of London
Himanshu Kaushik,TNN | Dec 6, 2015, 04.06 AM IST

AHMEDABAD: Londoners can now stay within a whisker of Gujarat's pride -Gir's Asiatic lions. The Zoological Society of London (ZSL), as part of its international project to protect Asiatic lions in Gir, has created a mini Gir sanctuary in London Zoo with a lodging facility called the Gir Lion Lodge.

It needs mention that London Zoo has three Asiatic lions - Indi, Heidi and Rubi - which are the progeny of big cats sourced from Gir years ago. Two more lions from Gir will be sent to ZSL by March. Designed on the lines of Sasan Gir, the lodge is part of the 'Land of the Lions' project to be opened by ZSL in May 2016. Spread over 2500 sq mt, the exhibit includes lion enclosures that are a throwback to lion's original dwelling in Gir. A metre-gauge railway station outside the Gir sanctuary, local shopping streets and the famed man-lion harmony in Sasan's villages have been depicted in the highly realistic exhibit.

Emma Taylor, head of product development at ZSL, said the effort will give Londoners a chance to live with magnificent Asiatic lions roaring in the heart of London. "This will also fund our work for wildlife around the world," she said.

Interestingly, the lodge, bookings for which began this week, will remain open from May to December. Gir sanctuary in Gujarat ,which is home to 523 lions, remains closed from May to October due to rains.

Dr A P Singh, chief conservator of forest Junagadh, said, "The ZSL recently donated one lakh pounds towards the conservation of lions in Gujarat. The state forest department has agreed to give two more lions to ZSL to prevent inbreeding." {India's Lions and Indian Pride - Sold to the highest bidder!!}

member_29267 · Post by **member_29267** » 09 Dec 2015 16:54

I do not understand why the forest officials in Gujrat are doing this. The lions have to have the at most importance. If it makes sense to move them Kuno Barda then do it. Stop giving stupid reasons. I hope the supreme court forces them to comply with the reintroduction project at Kuno Barda.

BajKhedawal · Post by **BajKhedawal** » 28 Dec 2015 19:52

krishGAgain wrote:I do not understand why the forest officials in Gujrat are doing this. The lions have to have the at most importance. If it makes sense to move them Kuno Barda then do it. Stop giving stupid reasons. I hope the supreme court forces them to comply with the reintroduction project at Kuno Barda.

Its Gujarat not Gujrat - last I checked Gujrat was in Pakistan.

How about we introduce some overpopulated tigers to Kuno Barda and see if the locals are able to deal with them without poaching them out again.

But wait....evil, bania, rw, non-chorgress government wants to send them off to Cambodia, Russia, Banglades, Nepal for free....huh-hurmph.....

India has ‘too many’ tigers!

member_23367 · Post by **member_23367** » 02 Jan 2016 10:05

https://www.facebook.com/soumya.mohanty ... 2/?theater

Kashi · Post by **Kashi** » 22 Jan 2016 11:41

Trouble in Tibet

Rapid changes in Tibetan grasslands are threatening Asia's main water supply and the livelihood of nomads.

This has serious ramifications on our water supply via Brahmaputra and other rivers that flow into India from Tibet.

Prasad · Post by **Prasad** » 22 Jan 2016 14:46

The 'good' elephant and the 'bad' elephant

Taking a joyride atop an elephant (that costs a hundred rupees per head) at Dubare in Coorg, I observe the scrawny animal course the walkway as its mahout periodically pokes it with a sharp metal rod.

Professor Raman Sukumar, at the Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru, is a renowned biologist who has been studying behavioural aspects of the Asian elephants for over three decades now. Sukumar says it is not just humans who are struggling to cope with elephants entering into their habitations. Elephants too are figuring out how best they can cope better with the reality of greater human presence in and around their living spaces.

In regions like Coorg, where forests and plantations are located cheek by jowl, elephants inevitably enter places with large human presence. Prof. Sukumar takes a slightly different approach when he starts talking on his subject of expertise. “First of all, we must stop saying ‘the elephant is intruding…’ when we talk about human-elephant conflict. The truth is it is we who are intruding into the areas which were originally inhabited by elephants.”

“Hunter-gatherers and pastoralists are able to coexist peacefully with elephants in forested regions. It is we, the ‘civilised lot’, who seem to be having trouble, adjusting to the presence of these wild creatures around us,” he says. “And the reason simply is competition over natural resources: food and land.”

Two key reasons are driving elephants into human territory: the fragmentation and destruction of their habitat. Fragmentation for the sake of conventional development (roads, crop fields, expanding cities and industries); and destruction of their natural food resources by the growth of invasive species like Lantana Camara.

And of course, climate change is also a culprit. “The 1982 drought had driven a large number of elephants out of forests in Karnataka to Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh. The successive droughts in the last two years has again started driving elephants out of the forests to crop fields in search of better nutrition,” he explains.

“That is exactly what the elephants are doing as well. Looking for food in the forest means a lot of work, and established bulls mark out their territory in the forest, so although raiding a crop field has its share of risk, young male elephants have figured out that grains are more nutritious, easier to get and tastier to eat.”

Pointing below, he says four bulls had been spotted here and the residents of Podur village were living in constant fear. He tells me of an incident involving a middle-aged woman who, in the dark, crossed paths with an elephant. She was flung aside and trampled upon, suffering several fractures in the process. We drive down to the village, to the river bank where this encounter happened. We find a group of men sitting under a tamarind tree; surrounding them are several sacks of paddy grains. They are taking turns to defend the season’s harvest.

The Sanamavu Forests with patches of agricultural fields. ~Photo: Vidya Venkat
M. Rajappa, a paddy farmer, says there are several families in neighbouring villages that are living with extreme caution following the attack. About 500 acres of cultivated fields is under threat because of elephants, he says. He shows me some samples of grains crushed by the animals’ movement and rendered unfit for consumption.

“The elephants are very intelligent. They know that the river crossing is a place where people cannot chase them away easily, as it is difficult to run across it. So they choose this spot for their attacks,” Srinivasaiah says.

The villagers have come up with their defence of firecrackers and balls of hay which they set alight. Is it working though? “[The elephants] respond to the sound of firecrackers like school-children respond to the sound of the school bell. They know that after it goes off, they can step out of the forest and attack the fields. The villagers fall asleep after they are done with the crackers,” Srinivasaiah explains. “Dogs are useful… they can bark and alert you of an elephant’s presence. But dogs are afraid of them too. They can go running back to their owners; the elephant comes chasing till the doorstep.”

From what I gather, there exist three views on how to handle the man-elephant conflict in India: Animals and humans need to stay in clearly-defined territories (if the animals do stray away, it’s the job of the wildlife authorities to put them back where they belong), humans should not live near forests where they know conflicts might happen or we should learn to somehow co-exist with our giant brethren.

The first option is nearly impossible to implement in places like Gudalur in Nilgiris district, which is close to the Mudumalai National Park. Here, the population has more-than-doubled in a decade (from around 40,000 in 2001 to more than 10,000 in 2011). A wildlife officer says there are about 600 elephants in this region.

“In the last one year alone, Gudalur has witnessed more than 10 human deaths due to man-elephant encounters. It is obvious that an increasing human population in a critical wildlife habitat is one of the main reasons,” says Tarsh Thekaekara, a Gudalur resident and conservationist at the Shola Trust. “The elephant’s food resources are shrinking. Each animal needs at least 100 sq. km. of forest space and food in it for foraging, but now that space is getting lesser and lesser. Where else can they go?”

So what’s the solution? Discourage people from settling here? But most locals, be it in Coorg or Gudalur, were reluctant to move elsewhere despite the constant threat of elephant attacks.

M. Ananda Kumar, a scientist at the Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF), believes the only feasible option is to prepare people to handle man-animal conflicts better and also deliver correct information to them. Kumar won the Whitley Award in 2015 (jointly) for his work on mitigating human-elephant conflict in Valparai, a plantation town in the Anaimalai mountain range of the Western Ghats. He came up with a crowdsourced information-distribution network that started out as a programme on cable TV and received tremendous response. “After the direct-to-home satellite TV services took over, we switched to SMS and WhatsApp to run our information services. Most of our messaging happens in Tamil, the local language, so more people can easily access the information,” he says.

What’s remarkable here, unlike in Hosur, is that the estate workers have been taught not to treat the elephants as threats. Raghunathan, who has learnt to interpret elephant calls, says the labourers have learnt that plantations are in the animals’ migratory way. Sometimes they are just playing with each other or asking us to make way for them to pass.

Silamban tells me of his tribal customs (the Muduvars) and of their divine regard for the elephant. They don’t worship it in the form of Lord Ganesha (as Hindus customarily do), though, but in its full form.

“Elephants never attack without a reason. I have seen so many tourists shout, jeer or use camera flashes within touching distance of the animal. That provokes them. Sometimes even strong smells that are alien to them, like perfumes, can set them off. We understand these things and conduct ourselves in a manner as to ensure that the animal would be comfortable around us,” he says.

That’s probably the lesson we need to take away. Perhaps there are no good or bad elephants. Just intelligent and stupid humans.

I know, I know, EJs and their attacks on hindu religious customs etc. 400% needs to be fought. However, at the same time, I also want to see reform within the hindu fold regarding treatment of animals. I went to the Dubare elephant 'camp' last weekend and the treatment of animals there can be called terrible at best. Haranguing young elephants by poking and scratching and pulling at their skin folds with crude metal spikes, using the traditional elephant goad (ankusam) by pulling it behind the ears etc. Not to mention, chaining their front legs and severely restricting their movements. Hobbling along, it was just pitiful watching them. The very same elephant that we worship is also tortured in this way. How can anyone see such stuff and remain quiet I do not know. Jr was happy seeing the elephants but shq was almost crying and wanted to leave immediately.

Why can't we switch from using elephants in these processions to human drawn thErs (raths) or motorised carts? People will come in droves to pull these thErs and carts. And get the temples to sponsor animal conservation activities! We need to move beyond the old foggies' thinking and think up new things. We can also combat EJs this way and pay our respects to Vinayagar this way. If we remain static, we are lost. Yes, it is traditional. The Sriranganathar temple elephant comes to Amma mandapam carrying a gigantic silver kodam to bring Kaveri water to bathe Ranganathar. Back when the route was through a mango orchard with a mud track for a road, it was ok. Now? It is a residential area with a tar road. Why continue the process and hurt the elephant? So many instances.

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 22 Jan 2016 15:48

Neshant wrote:But how the heck is he saving for his retirement or a medical emergency or his family or kids education if he's spending 40% of his income on birds?

There's a line between good sense and blind idealism and the guy is on the wrong side of that line!

what do you think most people produce kids for??

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 25 Jan 2016 20:38

http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0002697366
Tree frog thought extinct rediscovered in India

member_29172 · Post by **member_29172** » 26 Jan 2016 01:22

chetak wrote:
Neshant wrote:But how the heck is he saving for his retirement or a medical emergency or his family or kids education if he's spending 40% of his income on birds?

There's a line between good sense and blind idealism and the guy is on the wrong side of that line!

what do you think most people produce kids for??

Passing on their genes and keeping their ancestry alive or sometimes because they forgot to wear appropriate protection.

Pranay · Post by **Pranay** » 17 Feb 2016 19:01

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city ... 026490.cms

Breeding centres to help revive wolf population

Himanshu Kaushik | TNN | Feb 17, 2016, 05.56 PM IST
AHMEDABAD: The drastic drop in population of Indian wolves from 1,374 in 2000 to around 250 recently has become a cause for concern for wildlife experts in Gujarat. Today, there are only 1,500 of this species left in the country. The forest department in Gujarat is now set to develop special breeding centres for revival of the dwindling Indian wolf population.

Sources in the department said that the state government will make allocations in the budget for the breeding centres. According to a study, the population of wolves is estimated to be around 190 to 270 in Gujarat and 253 to 350 in Rajasthan. The study has recommended giving legal protection, paying compensation for loss of livestock and protecting the breeding habitat.

Principal chief conservator of forest S C Pant said that the presence of wolf keeps neelgai and wild boar population under control and thus saves the crop.

Realizing that the population of neelgai is increasing, the state government too is keen on the wolf revival programme. The population of neelgai in the past five years has increased by over 56% to around 1.86 lakh.

H S Singh, former additional principal chief conservator of forest, said, "We are only concerned with saving tiger, lion, elephant or rhinoceros. But efforts should also be made to save this species. During the British rule, there were reports of hunting of over 20,000 wolf in the state, but now the population has gone down below 1,500."

In order to keep the neelgai at bay, farmers resort to electric wire fencing which kills around 10 animals, including protected and herbivorous ones, every month. The farmers in Saurashtra like the presence of lion in the vicinity of their fields as it keeps the neelgai and the wild boar away.

Pranay · Post by **Pranay** » 23 Mar 2016 18:09

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city ... 519362.cms

TNN | Mar 23, 2016, 12.26 AM IST
Rajkot: A lioness which was about two-and-half-year-old was killed after being run over by an unidentified vehicle on Pipavav road in Rajula taluka of Amreli district during the wee hours of Tuesday. The sub-adult lioness was found dead on the road leading to Pipavav Port.

Forest officials said that that the accident occurred when the animal was trying to cross the road. Lions coming out of forest area on to the roads near Pipavan is not an unusual sight. Many times people have reportedly seen the big cats crossing roads amid vehicular traffic.

As soon as the accident came to light, forest department officials rushed to the spot and took custody of the lioness' body and sent it for post-mortem.

There are over 40 lions in the coastal belt of Rajula in Amreli. There have been reports of lions venturing on to main roads near Rajula and Pipavav quite often. According to the forest department, there are over 175 lions in Amreli.

Earlier, in January, a six-year-old lion swam a distance of around 500m across a creek, off Jafrabad coast in Amreli. They have also been spotted on the bridge over the creek.

Recently, the government had told the state assembly that as many as 310 lions including their cubs succumbed to natural and unnatural deaths in the last five years. Out of 310 lions, 25 had died due to unnatural causes.

It will be worth the investment in the long run if dedicated wildlife overpasses/underpasses are built at places where there is noticeable wildlife movement across roads. Not just in this case but across the country - especially where endangered species are involved.

Pranay · Post by **Pranay** » 06 Apr 2016 18:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/07/world ... ?ref=world

When saving a species is at the heart of the matter and the sole Mission Statement - the following is what organizations and countries do!! Logical enough!! Unlike the unfortunate legal/political/media drama that accompanies anything in India (Very sadly). Look at the unfortunate initiatives in India of trying to shift a few lions from Gir to Kuno Palpur, shifting some tigers to National Parks/Sanctuaries where tigers were poached clean, or reintroducing Cheetahs where they have been poached to extinction ...

Cambodia to Bring Wild Tigers From Abroad in Fight Against Extinction
By AUSTIN RAMZYAPRIL 6, 2016

A plan to fight the extinction of wild tigers in Cambodia would require importing the big cats from abroad, in what conservationists say would be the first transnational tiger reintroduction.

The last tiger seen in the wild in Cambodia was in its east in 2007, Un Chakrey, communications manager for the conservation group WWF-Cambodia, said on Wednesday. Poaching and the loss of habitat have wiped out tigers in Cambodia, and the species is considered functionally extinct there, with no breeding pairs, WWF-Cambodia said.

Under a plan approved last month by the Cambodian government, a small number of tigers will be imported and introduced to the Mondulkiri Protected Forest, the last place in the country a tiger was seen.

The first phase of the plan would call for two male tigers and five to six female tigers to be released, Mr. Un Chakrey said.

The tigers would most likely come from India, though Thailand and Malaysia are other possibilities, Mr. Un Chakrey said. They could be introduced as soon as 2020, he said.

The Cambodia program would learn from the experiences of India, which has had success in reintroducing tigers.

Next week, representatives of 13 so-called tiger-range countries across Asia will meet in New Delhi to discuss a plan to double the number of the animals across the region by 2022. The population in 2009 was estimated to be 3,200.

Studies in 2006 and 2010 indicated that tigers inhabited less than 6 percent of their historical range, according to the Red List of Threatened Species compiled by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.

Rahul M · Post by **Rahul M** » 06 Apr 2016 19:46

from a conservation POV it's a no brainer frankly.

member_29218 · Post by **member_29218** » 06 Apr 2016 20:21

One of the phenomenally successful tiger conservation projects that is seldom discussed is that of John Varty in South Africa, in the remote Karoo district, about 8 hours drive from Johannesburg, near a town called Philipolis.

He has created a private reserve bigger than Ranthambore, which is fully enclosed with electric fencing. He has bred tigers there for over 15 yrs and now has a healthy population of over 25 including the world's first white tiger that is genetically pure and is not in a zoo.

The area, while fenced is natural and large enough, with a river canyon and hills in it to provide a natural sanctuary for his animals to hunt, mate and live out a natural life. He has brought in large herds of prey animals for them to hunt for food.

The project has its critics but having met John personally, I am convinced he has his heart in the right place. He did visit China and India to offer his advice and help (he belongs to an old family that has been in animal conservation/hunting/game viewing for over 75 yrs). He did suggest that the Indian government fence the tiger areas in India to prevent poaching and human encroachment but they did not take his advice.

His aim is to return the tigers to their true native habitat in India/China when the conditions there are right. That hasn't happened yet.

This is the white tigress Tibo and her 3 month old cub. After driving around for days we finally spotted her and waited for over two hours. She called out to her cubs. One of the three slowly came out of the shrub and the next ten minutes were the most thrilling of my life as we watched the mother and cub play with each other. The several hour wait paid off. Taken with a 640mm equivalent lens from about 200 ft.

Aditya_V · Post by **Aditya_V** » 09 Apr 2016 11:53

Some pics from my Bandipur trip last month

IMG]http://i931.photobucket.com/albums/ad15 ... 7iuvu2.jpg[/IMG]

vishvak · Post by **vishvak** » 09 Apr 2016 20:42

Primus wrote:One of the phenomenally successful tiger conservation projects that is seldom discussed is that of John Varty in South Africa, in the remote Karoo district, about 8 hours drive from Johannesburg, near a town called Philipolis.

He has created a private reserve bigger than Ranthambore, which is fully enclosed with electric fencing. He has bred tigers there for over 15 yrs and now has a healthy population of over 25 including the world's first white tiger that is genetically pure and is not in a zoo.

The area, while fenced is natural and large enough, with a river canyon and hills in it to provide a natural sanctuary for his animals to hunt, mate and live out a natural life. He has brought in large herds of prey animals for them to hunt for food.

The project has its critics but having met John personally, I am convinced he has his heart in the right place. He did visit China and India to offer his advice and help (he belongs to an old family that has been in animal conservation/hunting/game viewing for over 75 yrs). He did suggest that the Indian government fence the tiger areas in India to prevent poaching and human encroachment but they did not take his advice.

His aim is to return the tigers to their true native habitat in India/China when the conditions there are right. That hasn't happened yet.

This is the white tigress Tibo and her 3 month old cub. After driving around for days we finally spotted her and waited for over two hours. She called out to her cubs. One of the three slowly came out of the shrub and the next ten minutes were the most thrilling of my life as we watched the mother and cub play with each other. The several hour wait paid off. Taken with a 640mm equivalent lens from about 200 ft.

[img>>]http://media.fotki.com/1_p,rtqrbkbrkfdr ... 013-vi.jpg[/<<img]

In all this chap has about 2 to 4 tigers 'wilded' as it is called. Rest is just total hype, almost a phenomena of propaganda created around it. Even wiki states there are issues with this project aplenty. What can this guy possibly teach Indian wildlife experts when we have multiple tiger parks within India.

Pranay · Post by **Pranay** » 14 Apr 2016 23:00

http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/indian-t ... on-1395609

Buoyed by increasing tiger numbers, India is actively considering a request by Cambodia to send a couple of big cats to help re-populate the tiger population in the country.

"India is willing to help those countries which have lost tiger populations and who want to re-introduce tigers," said environment minister Prakash Javadekar.

There are little over a dozen countries in the world where wild tiger populations can still found. However, since 2007, no tiger has been sighted in Cambodia which says that the animal is now extinct in the once war ravaged nation.

"We are speaking with India for two male tigers and a couple of female tigresses along with guidance on tackling poaching and better surveillance," according to Omaliss Keo, director in the department of wildlife and biodiversity, Cambodia, who is currently in India for the tiger conference.

Tiger relocations within India had been largely successful but any transport-national relocation will take some time and require careful planning, according to experts.

"While the idea of tiger reintroduction is most welcome, the preliminary ground work needs to be done on habitat revival for prey bio mass productivity. Also efforts are needed to step up and intensify field protection and build up frontline capacity of guards," said Dr Rajesh Gopal, Secretary General of Global tiger forum and former head of project tiger.

Dr Gopal was one of the handful of experts along with officials from the World Wildlife Fund who had gone to Phnom Penh for a meeting with Cambodian officials to understand a roadmap for the re-introduction of tigers in the country. Experts also say that it may take up to two years before conditions in Cambodia are created for tigers from India to be translocated.

Kashi · Post by **Kashi** » 18 Apr 2016 04:50

^^ Aren't the Indian (Royal Bengal tiger) and Cambodian (Indochinese tiger) different sub-species? How does it help to re-populate the Cambodian tiger population with a different sub-species?

Aditya_V · Post by **Aditya_V** » 18 Apr 2016 10:21

I think the news is Bum cum, we dont have any wild Tigers to export.

Pranay · Post by **Pranay** » 30 Apr 2016 22:46

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsvyTr_I76c

The extraordinary power of the Wild Boar and the Leopard on display...

Pranay · Post by **Pranay** » 20 May 2016 19:02

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city ... 353450.cms

Ahmedabad: The three-day leopard and sloth bear census will begin from Friday. The forest department has stationed 100-odd cameras across wildlife sanctuaries to record movements of sloth bears and leopards.
A senior state forest official said, "This year we have restricted the flow of volunteers and NGOs in Gir and nearby areas. Only local residents from Junagadh, Gir-Somnath and Amreli will be allowed to be a part of the leopard census in Gir Sanctuary and nearby areas. The decision to include locals was taken as our previous experience have taught us that volunteers from Ahmedabad, Vadodara and other parts of the state tend to be more interested in their personal photography than movements of the animal."

The sloth bear census will be largely reliant on camera traps as the animal's habitat is covered with adequate number of cameras. "Of the 100 odd cameras, 50 are in Gir sanctuary and 10 cameras each in Jambughoda, Ratanmahal, Soolpaneshwar, Balaram-Ambaji and Jessore sanctuaries. Apart from camera traps volunteers and forest officials will be keeping a close watch on animal movements," said the official.

Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (wildlife) JA Khan said, "We have deployed 6000 forest officials for the three-day exercise. We have also roped in retired forest officials, volunteers and NGOs to help in the census which will be conducted across Gujarat."

Pranay · Post by **Pranay** » 08 Jun 2016 18:08

http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20160607 ... ild-tigers

The same philosophy of life that has worked in the conservation of Asiatic Lions by Maldharis in Gujarat is at play with the Tigers/Soligas, etc.

There are people in India living with wild tigers
For the first time in over 100 years, tiger populations are rising – and indigenous peoples can take some of the credit

By Niki Rust 8 June 2016
In April 2016, there was a rare piece of good news about tigers. For the first time in over a century, the number of tigers went up. The latest global census counted 3,890 tigers, compared to just 3,200 tigers in 2010.
There are lots of reasons for this increase. But one key factor is that, in some places, people are finding ways to live alongside tigers.

India is home to around half of the world's tigers, and in several parts of the country, some local tribes co-exist fairly happily with tigers. That may sound surprising. After all, tigers sometimes kill people, so they might seem like the worst kind of neighbours. But people are living with them regardless.

What's more, these tribal communities might be helping the tigers. Survival International, a charity aiming to protect the rights of indigenous peoples, says "tribal peoples are the best conservationists and guardians of the natural world". That is a big claim, but they have evidence to back it up.

In December 2015, Survival International released data on the tigers living in the BRT Wildlife Sanctuary in India's Western Ghats. Between 2010 and 2014, the tiger population nearly doubled.

That population growth rate is markedly higher than the Indian national average. The tigers in question live in a forest alongside an indigenous tribe, the Soliga people.

One possible reason for this conservation success is that the Soligas see the tiger as a deity. "We worship tigers as gods," one Soliga said at the time. "There hasn't been a single incident of conflict with tigers and Soligas or any hunting here."
"We have been the ones that look out for tigers," said another. "You remove us and you remove the tigers."

Pranay · Post by **Pranay** » 15 Jun 2016 17:53

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-36526308

India puts Gujarat lions on trial after three people killed
By Prashant Dayal
BBC Hindi, Gujarat
14 June 2016

Officials in India have "arrested" 18 lions as they try to find a man eater suspected of killing three people.
Forest officials in Gujarat state will test the lions' prints and excrement in an attempt to identify the killer.
The "guilty lion" will be kept in a zoo for life while the others will be released back into the Gir sanctuary, the officials told BBC Hindi.

Six attacks on humans have been reported recently near the sanctuary, the only habitat of the Asiatic lion.

Gujarat's top forest official, JA Khan, said that the lions had been "arrested" over the past two months and were now being held in separate cages while tests were carried out.
"We think we have pinpointed the guilty lion, but we are still awaiting the results of nine more animals," he said.

Innocent lions will be released back into the Gir forest

Six cases of lions attacking humans have been recently reported near the Gir forest
Wildlife expert Ruchi Dave told the BBC that the "tests" involved studying the pug marks and faecal matter of the lions.
"The officials are also studying the animals' behaviour. Man eating lions usually get aggressive at the sight of a human being," she said.
Another wildlife expert Revtubha Raizada said the man-eating lion would be caged for the rest of its life, as it was too unsafe to release it back into the wild.

Some experts feel that the thriving lion population in Gir forest is to blame for the "unusual" behaviour by the lions.
Govind Patel, the former chief wildlife warden of Gujarat, told the Indian Express newspaper that Gir could accommodate only 270 lions, forcing some prides to settle outside the boundaries of the sanctuary.

India's Supreme Court has ruled that Gujarat needed to relocate some of its lions to other states to avoid the possibility of disease or other disaster wiping out the entire population.

However the state has expressed reluctance and has not yet complied with the order.

member_29218 · Post by **member_29218** » 15 Jun 2016 19:38

vishvak wrote:
Primus wrote:
[img>>]http://media.fotki.com/1_p,rtqrbkbrkfdr ... 013-vi.jpg[/<<img]
In all this chap has about 2 to 4 tigers 'wilded' as it is called. Rest is just total hype, almost a phenomena of propaganda created around it. Even wiki states there are issues with this project aplenty. What can this guy possibly teach Indian wildlife experts when we have multiple tiger parks within India.

Hmm........ so Wiki is now gospel.

Repectfully, I would suggest you take a trip there and see for yourself if it is all hype or if there is some truth to his claims and more importantly if he is doing something worthwhile or not. If you read my original post, I did say that there are criticisms of the project, nothing is perfect anywhere.

One of the problems I find is that we become very defensive when anybody from outside India makes any suggestions to improve anything in India, it is automatically taken as criticism, especially when it comes from a white man. Granted there is enough history and reason for suspicion, but it would help to keep an open mind, especially when there is no vested interest and it comes from somebody who is an expert in the field.

There are two aspects to conservation, IMHO. One, most obvious, is to preserve the rapidly declining population of the species. Second, the equally important ability to allow some kind of visibility of the same as far as animal and wildlife lovers are concerned. Granted there are all sorts of issues with both and the larger the population of animals, the greater the visibility. However, if you only 'know' there are 70 tigers in a reserve but never get to see one, then it is hard to motivate people to aid in the continuation of the project.

I was in Nagarhole National Park (Kabini) last week, did three game drives, totaling over 9 hours. Some people reckon it is one of the better places to view a tiger in the wild in India. We did see some wildlife but no tiger. Not disappointed, I know you could spend a week and not see one, quite prepared for that. However, what got to me was that there was a tiger about 100m from us, on a wall (old ruins), but we were not allowed to go there, while in front of our very eyes, the local ranger took his buddies with long lenses right where the tiger was. There were half a dozen game vehicles all standing there, unable to go down the very road where the ranger's jeep was parked (as I said, about 100m from us, clearly visible on the road). The drivers and guides in our vehicles said nobody is allowed to go beyond where we were standing. All this while the ranger was parked for 20 minutes in the 'forbidden' area with his friends merrily taking pictures.

This is part of the problem. Conservation is side-lined when officials happily flaunt the rules.

Game-viewing in the vehicles provided is a whole different issue but will not discuss that here.

Lalmohan · Post by **Lalmohan** » 15 Jun 2016 20:41

kabini is good, i have seen tiger, leopard, dhole and nilgai there

Lalmohan · Post by **Lalmohan** » 15 Jun 2016 20:43

there is a natgeo or discovery programme on the south african tiger reserve. there are many (lion) reserves there too run on a similar basis. i say if he can help preserve the wild gene pool he is doing a good job

member_29218 · Post by **member_29218** » 15 Jun 2016 23:34

Lalmohan wrote:there is a natgeo or discovery programme on the south african tiger reserve. there are many (lion) reserves there too run on a similar basis. i say if he can help preserve the wild gene pool he is doing a good job

I've been to Africa five times in the past few years, planning to go there again in a few months. To my mind, it's only a matter of time before the animals are gone from the the wild. It will only be in private reserves that we will see them. This is an inevitable outcome given the long battle between humans and the rest of the fauna/flora on earth. It requires enormous political will and public interest to do something that will really change the equation.

The resource-rich nations have lost all their native megafauna (well, most of it anyway), the realization came too late. The resource-poor countries still have the wildlife but the pressure from their burgeoning human population is overwhelming.

I met with Nick Brandt (one of my idols) at the launch of his latest book 'Inherit The Dust' in NYC a couple of months ago. He gave a talk on the state of affairs in Africa, Kenya particularly. It was sad and sobering. Where there used to be elephants and rhinos a couple of decades ago are now flyovers and other concrete monstrosities where large groups of teenagers addicted to glue-sniffing congregate, like zombies with bottles of glue strapped to their faces. The animals are all long gone.

One hopes that private entrepreneurs can step in where governments cannot. From a nature-lover's perspective, any effort at conservation is welcome.