3-Oct-2017: Centre has launched a six-year project- called SECURE Himalaya
The Centre has launched a six-year project to ensure conservation of locally and globally significant biodiversity, land and forest resources in the high Himalayan ecosystem spread over four states in India.
Protection of snow leopard and other endangered species and their habitats is one of the key components of the project which will also focus on securing livelihoods of the people in the region and enhancing enforcement to reduce wildlife crime.
The project - called SECURE Himalaya - was launched by the Union environment minister Harsh Vardhan in association with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on the inaugural day of the Global Wildlife Programme (GWP) conference here.
The SECURE - securing livelihoods, conservation, sustainable use and restoration of high range Himalayan ecosystems - is meant for specific landscapes. It include Changthang (Jammu and Kashmir), Lahaul - Pangi and Kinnaur (Himachal Pradesh), Gangotri - Govind and Darma - Byans Valley in Pithoragarh (Uttarakhand) and Kanchenjunga - Upper Teesta Valley (Sikkim).
Enhanced enforcement efforts and monitoring under the project will also curb illegal trade in some medicinal and aromatic plants which are among the most threatened species in these landscapes.
Besides India, representatives and wildlife experts from 18 countries are participating in the Global Wildlife Programme conference. Jha said that the Conference would provide a platform to build strategic partnerships among all the 19 nations and enable India to strengthen its enforcement mechanism to control wildlife trafficking.
Some of the issues that will be discussed during the Conference on Tuesday include leveraging partnerships to promote shared benefits on public-private partnerships and opportunities in wildlife-based tourism. The Programme is a World-Bank led partnership that promotes conservation and sustainable development by combating illicit trafficking in wildlife.
13-Sep-2017: Mouse deer reintroduced for first time in Amrabad Reserve, Telangana.
In a novel and unique initiative attempted anywhere in the country, the Telangana State Forest Department has re-introduced the endangered ‘mouse deer’ into the forests of Nallamala in Amrabad Tiger Reserve.
The release of these mouse deer into the protected enclosure of 2.4 hectares is aimed at improving the biodiversity. The Amrabad Tiger Reserve was chosen because these animals were earlier wandering in this area. The deer will gradually be weaned-off externally supplied food. Afterwards if they get a clearing by the field biologists, they will be released from their enclosure into the wild.
Also called ‘spotted Chevrotain’, it is one of the endangered species usually found in deciduous and evergreen forests of the country. It has its own family called Tragulidae. These animals are nocturnal in habitat and because of their small size they are called ‘smallest ungulates’ too.
Also called “Jarini Pandi” in Telugu, their number has been decreasing at an alarming rate in recent years because of destruction of habitat and poaching.
7-Sep-2017: Uninhabited Lakshadweep island Parali I vanishes, 4 others shrinking fast
A new study has revealed that one of Lakshadweep’s bio-diversity rich islands Parali I has vanished. Parali I island, part of Bangaram atoll, which was 0.032 km2 in 1968 has been eroded to an extent of 100%, resulting in its inundation. Additionally, four other territories in the sea are also shrinking.
A general trend in erosion has been noticed in almost all islands he studied. The magnitude of such events was higher in Parali group, evidenced by the complete erosion and inundation of the island Parali I. The magnitude of net erosion was higher in Parali I island (100%), which resulted in its inundation. Apart from Parali I, net erosion was higher in Parali II (80%), followed by Thinnakara (14.38%), Parali III (11.42%) and Bangaram (9.968%). The complete erosion and inundation of Parali I was pointing to the gravity of issues associated with coastal erosion within the atoll.
The study said the complete erosion and inundation of Parali I was pointing to the gravity of issues associated with coastal erosion within the atoll. Therefore, the results are indicative of the urgent measures to be implemented on each islet of the atoll to check further erosion. It is recommended to check the feasibility of a bio protection strategy using mangroves, in addition to the conventional physical protection measures.