India Takes Action Against Posing With Big Cats

India Takes Action Against Posing With Big Cats

Thank you the CZA. Now lets have other zoo organisations around the world follow suit. There is too much of this. Pulling cubs deliberately for photos or deliberately for hand rearing using any old made up excuse. Zoo staff the world over could do animals a favour by keeping their own 'posing' photos private. Posting on Facebook and elsewhere does more harm than most realise.

Leave the cubs alone!

By Chetan R, Bangalore Mirror Bureau

CZA orders probe against three individuals who posted pictures of themselves holding tiger and leopard cubs on social media, besides a Bannerghatta zoo official and an NGO

The Central Zoo Authority (CZA) has taken serious note of the alarming trend of people posing with animals in Bannerghatta National Park and flaunting these pictures - which often go viral -- on social networking sites.
Clearly indicating its intention to clamp down on this fad, the premier body for zoos and zoo animals in the country has ordered a probe into individuals and an NGO in instances that are allegedly in gross violation of CZA rules. Based on a directive from their central body, which dashed off a letter on Thursday, the Karnataka Zoo Authority is probing three such cases. Such tactile association poses potential risk to the young wildlife, authorities warn. 

Wildlife activists in Bangalore first alerted the vigilance wing of the state forest department. The issue was also brought to the notice of the-now union minister Maneka Gandhi. Gandhi's People For Animals then took it up with the CZA. 

Under the scanner are an NGO, which allegedly facilitates pictures and selfies with wild animals, besides a forest official and individuals named in the complaint. 

In a directive to his counterpart in Karnataka on May 29, Bishan Singh Bonal, Member Secretary, CZA, ministry of environment and forestry, has stated, "Kindly cause an inquiry and take action as per the prevailing rule and regulations. Sub rule 5(6) of Rule 10 under Recognition of Zoo Rule 2009 (amendment 2013), reads, 'The curatorial -- The animals shall be handled only by the staff having experience and training in handling the individual animals'. Whereas, as per photographs, it seems that general visitors are allowed to pose for photography in violation of RZR, 2009 under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Your early action with status report is solicited." The whistleblower in this case is a 33-year-old MBA graduate Hari Krishna. Besides wildlife photography, he also runs adventure biking expeditions themed around nature and wildlife con
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http://www.bangaloremirror.com/bangalore/cover-story/Leave-the-cubs-alone/articleshow/35855127.cms

Lioness Kills Zoo Keeper

Lioness Kills Zoo Keeper

Photo by: http://www.flickr.com/photos/partsnpieces/383356682/

At approximately 17.30 on Tuesday, Harichand Ratna Gingwan, a keeper entered the lion enclosure at the Sanjay Gandhi National Park. His intention was to feed the animals within. Why it should be necessary to enter the enclosure to fulfil this purpose has not been made clear. Why there were no double doors on a carnivore enclosure was another major fault.

The six year old lioness 'Shobha' lept upon the keeper and killed him. Meanwhile her mate 'Ravindra' escaped from the cage and has not been located since. 'Shobha' stayed with the body of the keeper and she had to be tranquilised before recovery could take place.

The lions are part of a group of animals which are in the Safari area of the park during the day and caged in the evening.
Whilst one lion is still missing people in the area have been asked to remain in their houses.

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In transit or destination, Delhi is poachers’ capital

In transit or destination, Delhi is poachers’ capital

There is little connection between an ultraviolet-ray light sourced from Australia and clumps of fish meat with bones carefully picked clean, but together the two form a perfect gift for the Capital’s unusual guests — two baby crocodiles.


Poached from Tamil Nadu’s Hogenakkal Falls and rescued from the poacher’s luggage at Delhi’s Nizamuddin Railway Station, the baby crocodiles are being taken care of by the NGO Wildlife SOS here.


In the past one year, Delhi has witnessed several rare and protected species — dead and alive — brought in via illegal channels from across the country. The authorities have found nine leopard skins, four ‘sambar’ deer skins, 100 shawls made from shahtoosh (Tibetan antelope ‘chiru’ hair) and seven otter skins.



Several NGOs — along with the National Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Delhi Crime Branch, CBI and

>>>READ FULL ARTICLE>>>

Last Indian Dancing Bear Rescued

Photo By: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8770645@N05/

I previously posted this story amongst the links on: http://zoonewsdigest.blogspot.com/2009/12/zoo-news-digest-15th-20th-december-2009.html

There is a little bit more news on this important event including the first link here which shows video.

Dancing Bear Video

Last 'dancing' bear freed

Bear dancing ends in India

India's last dancing bear saved

Indian Zoo Breeds Endangered White Tigers

Sometimes I despair. Surely this next story is yet another case of mis quoting by an over eager newspaper reporter. Surely no serious zoo employee actually believes such rubbish. I quote:
"India’s Lucknow Zoo in Uttar Pradesh has initiated a program to breed white tigers and to take them off on the endangered list"
Endangered? Endangered?! They are on a list??

"They are a highly endangered species, especially the white tigers. White tigers are not found in the wild (except the Rewa region in Madhya Pradesh)."
Species? Species?!

The only common sense statement is "and are sometimes bred intentionally as exotic zoo animals despite the risk of birth defects."

THEN WHY DO IT? Breeding is irresponsible.

White Tiger Breeding is Not Conservation

onto the story....

Indian Zoo Breeds Endangered White Tigers

India’s Lucknow Zoo in Uttar Pradesh has initiated a program to breed white tigers and to take them off on the endangered list. So tiger Aryan and tigress Sona are being tended with utmost care.

[Renu Singh, Director, Lucknow Zoo]:"As you know in India, the population of tigers has reduced. They are a highly endangered species, especially the white tigers. White tigers are not found in the wild (except the Rewa region in Madhya Pradesh). They can only be found in zoological gardens. Our zoo's objective is to breed these endangered species. So, we are keeping them and looking after them. They are under observation."

This pair attracts many visitors.

The cubs born to Sona in the past did not survive. This time the zoo authorities are taking extra precaution in monitoring the breeding and the delivery of cubs.

White tigers get their color, including blue eyes and chocolate stripes, through an unusual genetic condition and are sometimes bred intentionally as exotic zoo animals despite the risk of birth defects.

The overall population of tigers has decreased in the country. India is losing about 200 to 300 tigers a year due to poaching and other development projects eroding the .....

http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/ns_asia/2009-08-11/820839445490.html

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