Reptiles Magazine
With the 12 released, 40 more tortoises will soon follow.
February 17, 2021
The Indian star tortoise (
Geochelone elegans), one of the most beautiful tortoises in all of Asia, is sadly disappearing from the India landscape. Escalating illegal poaching of the tortoise has led to its rapid decline over the past 20 years. Though there are multiple reasons for the dwindling population, the primary culprits are poachers and smugglers seeking to fulfill the demand of the illegal international pet trade. The magnitude of the problem is staggering.
In recent years, roughly 25,000 star tortoises have been seized each year at Indian airports alone – an astounding number that still represents only a fraction of the tortoises poached from the wild. Once removed from the wild, the future for these beautiful animals is usually grim. However, this does not always have to be the case. This is the story of 51 tortoises saved from the black market and successfully returned to
How Wildlife SOS rescues elephants and sloth bears from the streets of India
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February 19, 2021 13:41 IST
A deep dive into how elephants and sloth bear two of the most exploited wild animals are rescued from Indian streets and rehabilitated by Wildlife SOS
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Sloth bears at the Wildlife SOS Agra Bear Rescue Center
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Wildlife SOS
A deep dive into how elephants and sloth bear two of the most exploited wild animals are rescued from Indian streets and rehabilitated by Wildlife SOS
Sloth bear and elephants. You would think they don’t have much in common! But the two herbivores share a common grievance brutality at the hands of men.
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Animals are so well adapted to Eco-Park surroundings that they even multiply freely without any artificial means. This is something that most wild animals cannot do in captivity. AFP
Eco-parks the ticket to afforestation
Thu, 11 February 2021
There is increasing reluctance on the part of industrialists to undertake afforestation as it is perceived to be a drain on their resources. This is a pity and a wasted opportunity. Not only is it essential for socio-economic reasons, but also to achieve carbon neutrality in their schemes and projects.
The Indian government has set up a Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) as a National Advisory Council for technical assistance and evaluation of compensatory afforestation activities.
Snake Found Curled Around Staircase Handrail in Delhi Bank, Triggers Panic Among Staff
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A four-foot-long checkered keelback, commonly known as Asiatic water snake, entered a bank in Delhi s New Friends Colony on Thursday, triggering panic among staff.
The snake was found curled around the handrail of the staircase leading to the basement, a bank official said.
The authorities immediately contacted NGO Wildlife SOS which rushed two trained snake rescuers to the location.
The snake has been released back into the wild. Though non-venomous, keelbacks turn aggressive when threatened, and may bite in retaliation or self-defence. Caution needs to be maintained while carrying out such rescue operations, Wildlife SOS co-founder and CEO, Kartick Satyanarayan said.
Elephant That Was Force-Fed Alcohol by Owners to Keep Her Under Control Is Now Free
An elephant that was once force-fed alcohol by her abusive owners to keep her “under control” has been rescued by an international animal charity.
Adorned with heavy ornamental gear, the 40-year-old Indian elephant, Emma, was forced to walk over 300 miles in poor health. The elephant was used by her owner for lucrative ventures ranging from begging, to religious processions, to wedding ceremonies, and to giving rides to tourists, Wildlife SOS India said in a statement.
At night, Emma was “tightly restrained,” which prevented her from lying down and having some rest.