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(November 13, 2024) The following content is compiled from publicly available sources and does not represent the views of WCS-India. Reported species in seizure incidents may differ from actual occurrences due to challenges in verifying species identification, geographical differences, and varying levels of detail in local reporting. Please interpret this information within the newsletter with caution, as it may not always reflect precise or validated identification.  We collected and collated 42 illegal wi...

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(November 08, 2024) 25 out of 75 tigers in Ranthambore National Park missing over last year, say officials | The Hindu Ranthambore National Park has reported 25 of its 75 tigers missing over the past year, marking the highest number recorded within such a period. A committee has been formed to investigate potential park management lapses, with monitoring gaps and overcrowding issues identified as contributing factors. The committee will deliver its findings in two months, while efforts to reduce pressure on the ...

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(November 08, 2024) On October 24, 2024, the South Dang division of the Gujarat Forest Department, in collaboration with WCS-India, celebrated Forest Owlet Conservation Day. The event brought together frontline personnel from the Forest Department, local bird guides, and experienced birdwatchers from the Dang landscape. Kaushal Patel, Project Manager for the Forest Owlet Project, provided an insightful briefing on the natural history of the Forest Owlet and its critical conservation significance in the region. ...

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(November 06, 2024) We are deeply saddened to share the passing of Satish G. Nagathan, a cherished member of our WCS-India family. His dedication and expertise brought depth to a range of research activities including camera trapping, line transects, large-scale occupancy surveys, and social surveys across landscapes. Satish also used his creative skills and made a lasting impact on our Communications and Outreach efforts by creating compelling Kannada content that strengthened our connection with local communit...

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(October 29, 2024) The following content is collected from public information and does not represent the views of WCS-India.  We collected and collated 53 illegal wildlife trade-related data-points from various regions across India using open-source information. The highest number of wildlife seizure incidents were reported from Tamil Nadu (8), Maharashtra (6), and Odisha (6). Some of the reported wildlife species included Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles (Indian Flapshell Turtle, Indian Softshell Tur...

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(October 28, 2024) Tigress’ 400-km journey from MP to Chhattisgarh reveals two safe corridors A tigress traveled approximately 400 km from Madhya Pradesh’s Pench Tiger Reserve to Chhattisgarh’s Achanakmar Tiger Reserve, demonstrating the functionality of critical tiger corridors. This movement, identified by the Wildlife Institute of India, suggests that conservation efforts, including anti-poaching patrols and the NH-44 mitigation plan—an elevated highway with wildlife underpasses&mdash...

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(October 25, 2024) The Student Conference on Conservation Science (SCCS) - Bengaluru, held from October 21-24 at the J N Tata Auditorium, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, brought together students, post-docs, and early-career professionals in conservation from across the natural and social sciences. The event featured a range of conservation-focused workshops, plenary talks, student posters and oral presentations, and interactive activities. Members of the WCS-India team actively participated, en...

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(October 18, 2024) Tamil Nadu’s Valparai tops Western Ghats villages for richness of threatened fauna | The Hindu A GIS-based study by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) found Valparai, Tamil Nadu, to be the richest in threatened species among Western Ghats villages, with 98 species. Kerala topped the state-wise list with 354 species, followed by Tamil Nadu (274). The study mapped 512 species across 7,630 villages, highlighting the need for conservation efforts beyond protected areas, where many lesser-...

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(October 11, 2024) State Board of Wildlife approves proposal to declare Bengaluru's Hesaraghatta grassland into conservation reserve The State Board of Wildlife (SBWL) has approved the proposal to declare the 5,000-acre Hesaraghatta grassland as a conservation reserve, safeguarding the area's ecology and catchment zones. This decision follows a 2021 rejection, which was overturned after a court order. The restrictions are focused on reducing disturbance from visitors while safeguarding the local village...

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(October 10, 2024) Dr. Aaron Savio Lobo, Head of WCS-India's Marine Programme and Dr. Anant Pande, Senior Scientist and Senior Project Lead of the Ocean Giants project, attended the Bay of Bengal Strategy Meeting at Bangkok, Thailand from September 9th – 11th, 2024. The meeting was also attended by WCS’s Bay of Bengal country programme representatives from Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Thailand.  Several regional and transboundary issues pertaining to marine conservation such as bycatch re...

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