(March 31, 2023) 50 years of Project Tiger: PM set to release new census on April 9 | Hindustan Times India's environment ministry is set to announce the tiger population numbers for 2022, to mark the 50 years of Project Tiger, the country's flagship project to conserve the animal. To commemorate the anniversary, the ministry will also release a commemorative coin of INR50 and put out a document on evaluating the effective management of tiger reserves and a vision document for tiger conservation. ...

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(March 24, 2023) Trash disposal key to curb wildlife from straying into residential zones in Pune: Experts | TOI Experts suggest that an effective garbage disposal system is needed in fringe areas around Pune to prevent leopards and other wildlife from straying into residential zones while searching for prey. Piles of garbage attract hungry stray dogs and other animals. WCS-India's Director Dr. Vidya Athreya has suggested that the FD needs to reassess its capture and release policy, as animals are oft...

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(March 20, 2023) WCS-India kickstarted a two-day Vision retreat on World Wildlife Day. Most of the staff from the organisation´s 14 thematic programs, including the board members and external invitees, came together for the first time to co-develop the organisation's shared Vision and Mission. WCS-India´s work focuses on the conservation of a diverse range of ecosystems and species, from community conservation work in the Thar desert to tigers in the Eastern Ghats and dholes in the Western Gha...

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(March 17, 2023) Indian state to open new Asiatic lion sanctuary as numbers soar | The Guardian India's Gujarat state is opening a new sanctuary for its increasingly abundant Asiatic lion population, as the Gir National Park has been overcrowded for years. With around 400 lions in Gir and 300 in other parts of the state, conservationists have called for some of them to be relocated. The Gujarat government has now agreed to move some lions to another sanctuary within the state, Barda Wildlife Sanctuary. Re...

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(February 24, 2023) Despite efforts and funds, human-wildlife conflict in Uttarakhand is not contained | Mongabay Wildlife attacks in Uttarakhand, including leopards, tigers, and elephants, occur monthly. Leopard attacks on humans are typically the most frequent and severe. To tackle the issue, the 'Living with Leopards' programme was launched in four forest divisions over the past six years. While successful in Tehri and Pithoragarh, it has failed to significantly impact Pauri, a hotspot for leopard...

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(February 09, 2023) India needs strategy for conserving landscapes humans, wildlife share: Study | Hindustan Times A new study by eighteen scientists led by Bengaluru's NCBS and other conservation NGOs, including WCS-India, and academic institutions conducted a study that found that India needs a biodiversity strategy that includes conserving landscapes that humans and wildlife share since only 15% of the country's top conservation priority areas are covered under the protected area network. The scie...

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(February 07, 2023) Counter Wildlife Trafficking Newsletter November - December 2022 In Focus 13 seizure incidents involving illegal trade in exotic wildlife were reported from India between November and December 2022. Recovered animals included non-native and exotic primates such as the white-lipped Tamarin and Panamanian white-faced Capuchin, snakes such as the Kenyan sand boa and corn snake, reptiles such as iguanas and tegu lizards, tarantulas, and parrots. Access the media reports here: B...

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(February 03, 2023) Rare species seen during Asian Water Bird Survey 2023 in Kawal Reserve | The New Indian Express WCS-India, in collaboration with HyTiCoS, the forest department, and various volunteer groups, conducted the Asian Water Bird Census (AWC) 2023 in the Kawal Tiger Reserve. More than 340 birds of different species were identified during the census, including the rare peregrine falcon. Other birds spotted include lesser whistling ducks, Indian spot-billed ducks, northern pintails, open-billed sto...

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(January 27, 2023) Less Than 150 Great Indian Bustards And 700 Lesser Floricans Remain: Report | Deccan Herald There are less than 150 Great Indian Bustards (GIB) and less than 700 lesser floricans left in the wild. According to The Corbett Foundation, India needs to take urgent measures to prevent the extinction of these endemic bustards. Bustards need agro-pastoral landscapes and grassland ecosystems for their survival. The TCF explained in its annual report that deaths could only be prevented if upcoming...

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(January 13, 2023) Endangered 35 feet long whale shark rescued off Goa coast | Times of India A 35 feet-long whale shark survived a four-hour-long ordeal after getting entangled on a fishing net off the Goa coast recently. The crew on board cut the nets to set the endangered big fish free. "When they get entangled in a fishing net, they try to move way from rescuers, making the task a little difficult," said Dr. Anant Pande, Programme Head for marine megafauna at WCS-India. Read more here. ...

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