Full Coverage: Animals

13.05.2008 Indian zoos will soon be globally connected thanks to an agreement with the US-based International Species Information System. The world's largest online database on zoo animals has historic data for several thousands of species, enables better collection and sharing of information and makes animal exchange easier.

12.05.2008 Lax enforcement and profitability have emboldened rhino poachers in India and Nepal. The situation has left WWF-India extremely worried about the protection of this endangered species of large mammals. It has suggested a slew of measures to take on the criminal gangs engaged in the trade.

05.05.2008 Caribou may serve as an indicator species for global warming, says a biology professor. It seems that the timing of peak food availability no longer corresponds to the timing of caribou births.
From: Science Daily

01.05.2008 The vulture population in India has come down by 99.9% since 1992, says a new survey. A drug named diclofenac, used in treating sick cattle, is said to be the main culprit. If strict measure are not taken they are likely to disappear within a decade.

21.04.2008 Animal Angels Foundation, a Pune-based NGO in western India, works on the unique concept of using pets to bring about emotional stimulation among autistic children. This form of therapy has just begun to take roots and may eventually become part of mainstream healing procedures.

19.04.2008 Marine turtles are emerging as excellent indicators of the effects of climate change.

17.04.2008 Celebrated Indian wildlife filmmaker Mike Pandey feels that corporate groups should fund documentaries as part of their social responsibilities, which can be used to sensitise urban audiences on the need to preserve nature. He is of the view that most of the policies on environment protection in India remain on paper.

15.04.2008 A project funded by Wildlife Trust of India is helping prevent human conflict with the endangered Asiatic black bears in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir. It has also helped in increased participation of locals in conservation activities in this northern state.

10.04.2008 Despite the ban on hunting since 1991, rampant corruption and poor law enforcement have made it possible for poachers and forest dwellers to feast on some of India's endangered species. The craze for bushmeat is leading many creatures to near-extinction, says Shruti Ravindran

20.03.2008 Do you care for the tiger? Get involved with World Wildlife Fund-India's signature campaign Roar of the Tiger to save the rapidly depleting tiger population from extinction. The objective is to impress upon policymakers for greater efforts on tiger conservation through heightened public awareness.

20.03.2008 Tuoreet tiedot Intian tiikerikannan kutistumisesta eivät välttämättä merkitse lajin katoamista. Sen pelastaminen tietää kuitenkin monille ihmisille lähtöpasseja kotikonnuiltaan.

10.03.2008 La LAV risponde alle affermazioni di Avitalia e Una (Unione Nazionale Avicoltura) precisando che il bando al 2012 delle gabbie di batteria per le galline ovaiole è stato deciso dall’Unione Europea nel 1999 sulla base di evidenze scientifiche chiare ed inequivocabili sulle condizioni di vita delle galline ovaiole allevate nelle gabbie di batteria. "L’Italia è stata già deferita alla Corte di Giustizia Europea e ha subito una procedura di infrazione da parte dell’UE proprio per aver deciso di recepire la Direttiva europea permettendo l’installazione di gabbie convenzionali oltre il termine previsto dalla Direttiva" - ricorda la Lav.

03.03.2008 When local populace and officials work in tandem, the chances of any conservation efforts succeeding are more. This became clear when villagers in the hilly state of Uttarakhand in northern India and forest department came together to help protect wildlife in the famous Jim Corbett National Park.

28.02.2008 Metsien ja soiden raivaaminen sellupuu- ja öljypalmuplantaaseiksi Sumatran saaren yhden provinssin alueella aiheuttaa vuosittain kasvihuonekaasupäästöt, jotka ovat suuremmat kuin koko Alankomaiden vuotuiset päästöt. Lisäksi metsäkato tekee norsuista ja tiikereistä yhä uhanalaisempia.

21.02.2008 NEW YORK, Feb 21 (OneWorld) - Graphic images of animal cruelty and this week's record recall of U.S. beef have spurred fresh demands to expand a ban on killing sick animals for food consumption.

14.02.2008 Intian tiikerikanta on laskenut puoleen viimeisen viiden vuoden aikana. Salametsästys ja kaupungistuminen ovat kutistaneet kissapetojen määrän noin puoleentoista tuhanteen.

13.02.2008 The latest government census reveals that more than half of India's tiger population has vanished during the past five years. Wildlife activists blame poaching and urbanisation for the decline and say the authorities must do more to save tigers from humans.

12.02.2008 Cavalli trasportati dalla Spagna e dall’Est Europa su camion per 36-46 ore spesso senza riposo, senza cibo e acqua ed esposti a temperature che d’estate superano i 40° per essere poi destinati alla macellazione in Italia: è la denuncia della LAV che con un nuovo dossier e un video documenta il trattamento impietoso e il trasporto in condizioni spesso illegali, di circa 80mila cavalli vivi nel 2006 per la macellazione in Italia. "L’Italia importa l’84% dei cavalli vivi movimentati nell’UE" - afferma la LAV che segnala come "i consumatori italiani non sono correttamente informati circa l’esatta provenienza di questa carne e sono invece spesso convinti di comprare carne di cavalli locali".

12.02.2008 For bringing that elegance and glistening shine to a piece of fabric thousands of silk worms meet a cruel death. But Kusuma Rajaiah from Andhra Pradesh in southern India has now discovered an eco-friendly and humane way of producing silk without getting to indulge in the carnage of worms.

11.02.2008 Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have agreed to work together to crack down on illegal wildlife trade in the region. South Asia, home to rare and prized species, is one of the prime operating areas of international organised wildlife crime networks.