The Lok Sabha on July 26 passed the Forest Conservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which will exempt land within 100km of border that is needed for national security projects, small roadside amenities, and public roads leading to a habitation, from the purview of the forest conservation laws. Watch this to know more.

What is the Forest (Conservation ) Amendment Bill 2023?

<p>Yuan Meng, who was born in 2017 in the Beauval zoo in the Loire region of France, was cheered by visitors and zoo staff as he was driven under police escort to Charles de Gaulle airport for a 12-hour Air China flight to the Chinese city of Chengdu which took off in the early evening, an AFP reporter saw.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Trained for several days to get ready comfortably for the trip, the son of Yuan Zi and Huan Huan -- the first pandas loaned to France by the Chinese authorities in 2012 -- did not show much hesitation in climbing into his special cage filled with bamboo for his trip.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Everything went well. He said goodbye to his parents and his sisters, with tears in the eyes of his keepers," said Rodolphe Delord, head of the zoo.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-tourists-carry-baby-elk-in-their-car-in-yellowstone-park-appeals-visitors-to-protect-wildlife-600980">US: Tourists put baby elk in their car in Yellowstone National Park</a></strong></p>

<p>"He can now continue to live his good life. It's inevitably a moment of emotion, but all our animals born here are forced to leave one day. We're used to that," he added.</p>

<p>The panda was given a final farewell on the tarmac by French first lady Brigitte Macron before being loaded onto the cargo plane.</p>

<p>Macron knelt in front of the clear panes of the cage to say goodbye to the panda, who initially appeared more interested in sleeping but then languidly raised his head to acknowledge the presence of the French first lady, television images showed.</p>

<h2>'For his own good'</h2>

<p>Hundreds of fans of the black and white bear earlier braved morning rain outside Beauval zoo to bid farewell.</p>

<p>"It's still sad, we got attached to the panda. But we know he'll be better off there, for the good of the species," said Caroline Bernard.</p>

<p>Her daughter Lilou, nine, was less sanguine.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I cried, I am sad he is leaving. But I am trying to tell myself that he will be better off there. It's for his own good," she said, her eyes red with tears.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-health-day-2023-with-animal-to-human-diseases-on-rise-should-we-fear-another-pandemic-580005">World Health Day 2023: With animal-to-human diseases on rise, should we fear another pandemic?</a></strong></p>

<p>In Chengdu, the panda will be transferred to a panda reproduction centre, with the job of helping to keep his species in existence.</p>

<p>China has long deployed so-called panda diplomacy with friends and even foes ranging from the United States to Taiwan, gifting the animals to various countries, often to further its foreign policy aims.</p>

<p>Beijing only loans pandas to foreign zoos, which must usually return any offspring within a few years of their birth to join the country's breeding programme.</p>

<p>There are about 600 in captivity in panda centres, zoos and wildlife parks around the world.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE :</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Yuan Meng, who was born in 2017 in the Beauval zoo in the Loire region of France, was cheered by visitors and zoo staff as he was driven under police escort to Charles de Gaulle airport for a 12-hour Air China flight to the Chinese city of Chengdu which took off in the early evening, an AFP reporter saw.

Yuan Meng, who was born in 2017 in the Beauval zoo in the Loire region of France, was cheered by visitors and zoo staff as he was driven under police escort to Charles de Gaulle airport for a 12-hour Air China flight to the Chinese city of Chengdu which took off in the early evening, an AFP reporter saw. Trained for several days to get ready comfortably for the trip, the son of Yuan Zi and Huan Huan -- the first pandas loaned to France by the Chinese authorities in 2012 -- did not show much hesitation in climbing into his special cage filled with bamboo for his trip. "Everything went well. He said goodbye to his parents and his sisters, with tears in the eyes of his keepers," said Rodolphe Delord, head of the zoo. Also read | US: Tourists put baby elk in their car in Yellowstone National Park "He can now continue to live his good life. It's inevitably a moment of emotion, but all our animals born here are forced to leave one day. We're used to that," he added. The panda was given a final farewell on the tarmac by French first lady Brigitte Macron before being loaded onto the cargo plane. Macron knelt in front of the clear panes of the cage to say goodbye to the panda, who initially appeared more interested in sleeping but then languidly raised his head to acknowledge the presence of the French first lady, television images showed. 'For his own good' Hundreds of fans of the black and white bear earlier braved morning rain outside Beauval zoo to bid farewell. "It's still sad, we got attached to the panda. But we know he'll be better off there, for the good of the species," said Caroline Bernard. Her daughter Lilou, nine, was less sanguine. "I cried, I am sad he is leaving. But I am trying to tell myself that he will be better off there. It's for his own good," she said, her eyes red with tears. Also read | World Health Day 2023: With animal-to-human diseases on rise, should we fear another pandemic? In Chengdu, the panda will be transferred to a panda reproduction centre, with the job of helping to keep his species in existence. China has long deployed so-called panda diplomacy with friends and even foes ranging from the United States to Taiwan, gifting the animals to various countries, often to further its foreign policy aims. Beijing only loans pandas to foreign zoos, which must usually return any offspring within a few years of their birth to join the country's breeding programme. There are about 600 in captivity in panda centres, zoos and wildlife parks around the world. WATCH WION LIVE HERE :

France-born panda heads to China after an emotional farewell

<p>The first giant panda to have been born on French soil, Yuan Meng, received an emotional goodbye as it departed from the country’s ZooParc de Beauval, or Beauval Zoo, on Tuesday (July 25) morning. The male panda will take the long-haul flight back from the French capital city of Paris to Chengdu, the capital of the Chinese province of Sichuan.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>An emotional send-off</strong></h2>

<p>Yuan Meng, whose name means “dream come true” in Mandarin, was born in August 2017, in the Beauval Zoo, Loire region of central France. “Everything went well. He said goodbye to his parents and his sisters, with tears in the eyes of his keepers,” said Rodolphe Delord, CEO of ZooParc de Beauval.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He added, “He can now continue to live his good life. It’s inevitably a moment of emotion, but all our animals born here are forced to leave one day. We’re used to that.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ahead of his departure, hundreds of people lined up outside the zoo as Yuan Meng, the six-year-old panda, had his final breakfast of bamboo stalks, in the presence of Lu Shaye, Chinese Ambassador to France and Delord.&nbsp;The truck slowly drove by hundreds of people, waving flags, gathered to bid farewell.<br />
&nbsp;</p>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="fr">🐼 🇫🇷 Bon voyage <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YuanMeng?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YuanMeng</a> 🚛<br />
Le premier <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/panda?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#panda</a> né sur le sol français vient de partir du <a href="https://twitter.com/zoobeauval?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@zoobeauval</a> direction l’aéroport de Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle d’où il s’envolera aux alentours de 17h pour <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Chengdu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Chengdu</a>. <a href="https://t.co/QYVgSCHpvu">https://t.co/QYVgSCHpvu</a> <a href="https://t.co/CxZOuZFXDM">pic.twitter.com/CxZOuZFXDM</a></p>
— www.panda.fr (@pandas_fr) <a href="https://twitter.com/pandas_fr/status/1683742704218390531?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 25, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>“It’s still sad, we got attached to the pandas. But we know he’ll be better off there, for the good of the species,” said Caroline Bernard, who was there with her nine-year-old daughter Lilou, as per AFP.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“I cried, I am sad he is leaving. But I am trying to tell myself that he will be better off there. It’s for his own good,” said Lilou with tears in her eyes.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>About his journey</strong></h2>

<p>According to the zoo’s website, Yuan Meng left from there around 9:00 am (local time) and will be driven to Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport, with a police escort. Subsequently, the giant panda will take a special flight by China Airlines scheduled for 5:00 pm (local time) and land in Chengdu after 12 hours.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Caretaker Delphine Pouvreau and veterinarian Antoine Leclerc will accompany Yuan Meng to feed him bamboo and give him water during the flight. Zoo officials also said that they had been preparing the young panda for the long journey.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>China’s panda diplomacy</strong></h2>

<p>Yuan Meng is the son of &nbsp;Yuan Zi and Huan Huan, the first pandas loaned to France by the Chinese authorities in 2012. China has long deployed so-called panda diplomacy with friends and even foes like the United States and Taiwan, in a supposed bid for furthering their foreign policy aims.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Chinese ambassador to France, on Tuesday, said that France’s hosting of Yuan Meng strengthens relations between Beijing and Paris, as well as conservation efforts for the giant panda, which is classified as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).</p>

<h2><strong>Why is Yuan Meng leaving?</strong></h2>

<p>Once in Chengdu, the panda will be sent to a panda reproduction centre. In line with China’s policy where pandas are only loaned to foreign zoos who are expected to return any offspring within a few years of their birth to join the country’s breeding programme.<br />
<br />
According to the Swiss-based environmental group, World Wide Fund (WWF), there are around 1,860 giant pandas left in the wild, predominantly located in the Chinese mountains in bamboo forests. While there are some 600 in captivity in panda centres, zoos and wildlife parks across the world.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em><br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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The first giant panda to have been born on French soil, Yuan Meng, received an emotional goodbye as it departed from the country’s ZooParc de Beauval, or Beauval Zoo, on Tuesday (July 25) morning.

The first giant panda to have been born on French soil, Yuan Meng, received an emotional goodbye as it departed from the country’s ZooParc de Beauval, or Beauval Zoo, on Tuesday (July 25) morning. The male panda will take the long-haul flight back from the French capital city of Paris to Chengdu, the capital of the Chinese province of Sichuan. An emotional send-off Yuan Meng, whose name means “dream come true” in Mandarin, was born in August 2017, in the Beauval Zoo, Loire region of central France. “Everything went well. He said goodbye to his parents and his sisters, with tears in the eyes of his keepers,” said Rodolphe Delord, CEO of ZooParc de Beauval. He added, “He can now continue to live his good life. It’s inevitably a moment of emotion, but all our animals born here are forced to leave one day. We’re used to that.” Ahead of his departure, hundreds of people lined up outside the zoo as Yuan Meng, the six-year-old panda, had his final breakfast of bamboo stalks, in the presence of Lu Shaye, Chinese Ambassador to France and Delord. The truck slowly drove by hundreds of people, waving flags, gathered to bid farewell. 🐼 🇫🇷 Bon voyage #YuanMeng 🚛 Le premier #panda né sur le sol français vient de partir du @zoobeauval direction l’aéroport de Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle d’où il s’envolera aux alentours de 17h pour #Chengdu. https://t.co/QYVgSCHpvu pic.twitter.com/CxZOuZFXDM — www.panda.fr (@pandas_fr) July 25, 2023 × “It’s still sad, we got attached to the pandas. But we know he’ll be better off there, for the good of the species,” said Caroline Bernard, who was there with her nine-year-old daughter Lilou, as per AFP. “I cried, I am sad he is leaving. But I am trying to tell myself that he will be better off there. It’s for his own good,” said Lilou with tears in her eyes. About his journey According to the zoo’s website, Yuan Meng left from there around 9:00 am (local time) and will be driven to Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport, with a police escort. Subsequently, the giant panda will take a special flight by China Airlines scheduled for 5:00 pm (local time) and land in Chengdu after 12 hours. Caretaker Delphine Pouvreau and veterinarian Antoine Leclerc will accompany Yuan Meng to feed him bamboo and give him water during the flight. Zoo officials also said that they had been preparing the young panda for the long journey. China’s panda diplomacy Yuan Meng is the son of Yuan Zi and Huan Huan, the first pandas loaned to France by the Chinese authorities in 2012. China has long deployed so-called panda diplomacy with friends and even foes like the United States and Taiwan, in a supposed bid for furthering their foreign policy aims. The Chinese ambassador to France, on Tuesday, said that France’s hosting of Yuan Meng strengthens relations between Beijing and Paris, as well as conservation efforts for the giant panda, which is classified as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Why is Yuan Meng leaving? Once in Chengdu, the panda will be sent to a panda reproduction centre. In line with China’s policy where pandas are only loaned to foreign zoos who are expected to return any offspring within a few years of their birth to join the country’s breeding programme. According to the Swiss-based environmental group, World Wide Fund (WWF), there are around 1,860 giant pandas left in the wild, predominantly located in the Chinese mountains in bamboo forests. While there are some 600 in captivity in panda centres, zoos and wildlife parks across the world. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

WATCH | Paris bids adieu to Yuan Meng as first France-born panda heads to China

<p>In a bizarre incident, a group of tourists carried a newborn elk calf in their car in Yellowstone National Park, forcing the authorities to appeal to visitors to protect wildlife amid a spate of similar events taking place which have either endangered or killed animals.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Last week, a plea was issued by the park asking the tourists to drive carefully and abide by the safety regulations after several reports emerged of fatal collisions between animals and vehicles.</p>

<p>“In recent days, some actions by visitors have led to the endangerment of people and wildlife and resulted in the death of wildlife,” stated the park&nbsp;in its press release.</p>

<p>“The park calls on visitors to protect wildlife by understanding how their actions can negatively impact wildlife," it added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/experts-warn-worst-yet-to-come-days-after-cheetahs-die-in-indias-kuno-national-park-596689">Three cheetah cubs dead in India’s Kuno National Park, expert warns of higher mortality</a></p>

<h2><strong>Bizzare events that endangered animals&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>A newborn elk calf was put in the car by visitors on Memorial Day weekend and brought to the West Yellowstone Police Department. Later, the calf ran into the forest. Its condition is not known, said the park.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On May 28, two adult black bears, who were dark chocolate brown in colour, lost their lives after they were struck in separate vehicle collisions in the park, stated Yellowstone.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Additionally, an adult male black bear was hit by a vehicle near milepost 14 on US Highway 191 in Yellowstone's northwestern section.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Another adult male black bear was hit and killed by a vehicle at milepost 29 on US Highway 191 later in the evening, said the park.&nbsp;</p>

<p>One bison and one elk were also separately hit in the last few days, Yellowstone said.</p>

<p>"Last year, two visitors were gored by bison after getting too close to the animals," the park informed.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Afforestation in the Chinese capital attracts over 500 bird species</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/afforestation-in-the-chinese-capital-attracts-over-500-bird-species-595620/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<h2><strong>Speed enforcement</strong></h2>

<p>The park stated they would be “significantly increasing speed enforcement” on US Highway 191 where the speed limit is 55 mph. On most of the park roads, the limit has been kept at 45 mph or less, Yellowstone stated. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The park further appealed to drivers to carefully drive at night, stating that light is absorbed by the animal fur, &nbsp;which makes them harder to detect.</p>

<p>“Approaching wild animals can drastically affect their well-being and, in some cases, their survival. When an animal is near a campsite, trail, boardwalk, parking lot, on a road, or in a developed area, leave it alone and give it space,” stated the park, in the release.</p>

<main>
<section>
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In a bizarre incident, a group of tourists carried a newborn elk calf in their car in Yellowstone National Park, forcing the authorities to appeal to visitors to protect wildlife amid a spate of similar events taking place which have either endangered or killed animals.

In a bizarre incident, a group of tourists carried a newborn elk calf in their car in Yellowstone National Park, forcing the authorities to appeal to visitors to protect wildlife amid a spate of similar events taking place which have either endangered or killed animals. Last week, a plea was issued by the park asking the tourists to drive carefully and abide by the safety regulations after several reports emerged of fatal collisions between animals and vehicles. “In recent days, some actions by visitors have led to the endangerment of people and wildlife and resulted in the death of wildlife,” stated the park in its press release. “The park calls on visitors to protect wildlife by understanding how their actions can negatively impact wildlife," it added. ALSO READ | Three cheetah cubs dead in India’s Kuno National Park, expert warns of higher mortality Bizzare events that endangered animals A newborn elk calf was put in the car by visitors on Memorial Day weekend and brought to the West Yellowstone Police Department. Later, the calf ran into the forest. Its condition is not known, said the park. On May 28, two adult black bears, who were dark chocolate brown in colour, lost their lives after they were struck in separate vehicle collisions in the park, stated Yellowstone. Additionally, an adult male black bear was hit by a vehicle near milepost 14 on US Highway 191 in Yellowstone's northwestern section. Another adult male black bear was hit and killed by a vehicle at milepost 29 on US Highway 191 later in the evening, said the park. One bison and one elk were also separately hit in the last few days, Yellowstone said. "Last year, two visitors were gored by bison after getting too close to the animals," the park informed. WATCH | Afforestation in the Chinese capital attracts over 500 bird species Speed enforcement The park stated they would be “significantly increasing speed enforcement” on US Highway 191 where the speed limit is 55 mph. On most of the park roads, the limit has been kept at 45 mph or less, Yellowstone stated. The park further appealed to drivers to carefully drive at night, stating that light is absorbed by the animal fur, which makes them harder to detect. “Approaching wild animals can drastically affect their well-being and, in some cases, their survival. When an animal is near a campsite, trail, boardwalk, parking lot, on a road, or in a developed area, leave it alone and give it space,” stated the park, in the release. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

US: Tourists put baby elk in their car in Yellowstone National Park

<p>Translocating a wild animal in the hope of reducing potentially adverse man-animal interactions need not always yield effective results. The best example of this is the recent case from Kerala, where a wild tusker was translocated to a different region, after complaints of the elephant being a threat to the local people. Barely a few days after being tranquillized, hauled onto a truck and then transported a distance of more than 80 kilometres, the wild tusker has again begun to venture close to human settlements - now in the adjoining state of Tamil Nadu.&nbsp;</p>

<p>‘Arikomban’ (translates to ‘rice-tusker’) in Malayalam, earned the moniker for his raids on rice shops and settlements in the Idukki district in Kerala, where he originally belonged. There were also some claims that the wild tusker had fatally attacked a handful of individuals there, thus prompting those living in the region to demand for his relocation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It is often reported that wild elephants venture out into towns, raid crops and cause damage to property. However, this points to the larger issue of habitat destruction, towns and settlements coming up on forest fringes and natural vegetation not being available in abundance for wildlife.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While it is being claimed that this particular elephant killed a few people, there are no clear indications in this regard. However, the demands of the local people were taken cognisance of and the Kerala Forest Department planned to capture the wild tusker and turn him into a trained semi-wild elephant, a gruesome and painful process that takes months. Vehement opposition from activists and a court decision ensured that the only way ahead was to go for a translocation.</p>

<p>Finally, the tusker was translocated from Chinnakanal in Kerala's Idukki district to the Periyar Tiger Reserve (ferried a distance of nearly 80 km), close to the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border. The entire operation was carried out by the Kerala forest department, with police vehicles ensuring the smooth movement of the convoy and avoiding any untoward incidents along the way. While a hostile reaction was anticipated, those living in the regions close to the Periyar Tiger Reserve (where the elephant was being released) had even performed a traditional 'Puja' to welcome the new inhabitant of the wild.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Barely a few days after being released in the Periyar Tiger Reserve, the pachyderm ventured into the estates in the Megamalai range in Tamil Nadu's Theni district. Known to walk dozens of kilometres every day, wild elephants move across regions in search of food and water. Thanks to a radio collar around his neck, Forest department officials from both Tamil Nadu and Kerala have been able to monitor the elephant's location real-time.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Earlier this week, during the wee hours, the tusker got back to his old ways and ventured close to a ration shop in Megamalai and attempted to break open a window, possibly to get hold of the rice stored within. Later, the tusker is said to have ventured back into the forest. Images from the area showed the tusker's giant footprints in the vicinity of the settlements and the ration shop. Carrying on the moniker from Kerala, those in Tamil Nadu refer to the wild tusker as 'Arisi Komban' (translates to rice tusker in Tamil).</p>

<p>Forest Officials from Theni in Tamil Nadu told WION that the radio collar placed on the elephant's neck is operational and the movement of the animal is being tracked both by radio telemetry and GPS. Those staying in the region have been advised to not venture out unnecessarily and particularly have been advised against venturing out late in the evenings. We have forest staffers who are monitoring the elephant's movement round-the-clock and alerting those in the region, the official added.</p>

<p>Since the time the tusker ventured into the Megamalai region, the district administration has temporarily suspended tourism and increased the number of Police personnel at the checkposts that lead to Megamalai.<br />
<br />
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Translocating a wild animal in the hope of reducing potentially adverse man-animal interactions need not always yield effective results. The best example of this is the recent case from Kerala, where a wild tusker was translocated to a different region, after complaints of the elephant being a threat to the local people.

Translocating a wild animal in the hope of reducing potentially adverse man-animal interactions need not always yield effective results. The best example of this is the recent case from Kerala, where a wild tusker was translocated to a different region, after complaints of the elephant being a threat to the local people. Barely a few days after being tranquillized, hauled onto a truck and then transported a distance of more than 80 kilometres, the wild tusker has again begun to venture close to human settlements - now in the adjoining state of Tamil Nadu. ‘Arikomban’ (translates to ‘rice-tusker’) in Malayalam, earned the moniker for his raids on rice shops and settlements in the Idukki district in Kerala, where he originally belonged. There were also some claims that the wild tusker had fatally attacked a handful of individuals there, thus prompting those living in the region to demand for his relocation. It is often reported that wild elephants venture out into towns, raid crops and cause damage to property. However, this points to the larger issue of habitat destruction, towns and settlements coming up on forest fringes and natural vegetation not being available in abundance for wildlife. While it is being claimed that this particular elephant killed a few people, there are no clear indications in this regard. However, the demands of the local people were taken cognisance of and the Kerala Forest Department planned to capture the wild tusker and turn him into a trained semi-wild elephant, a gruesome and painful process that takes months. Vehement opposition from activists and a court decision ensured that the only way ahead was to go for a translocation. Finally, the tusker was translocated from Chinnakanal in Kerala's Idukki district to the Periyar Tiger Reserve (ferried a distance of nearly 80 km), close to the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border. The entire operation was carried out by the Kerala forest department, with police vehicles ensuring the smooth movement of the convoy and avoiding any untoward incidents along the way. While a hostile reaction was anticipated, those living in the regions close to the Periyar Tiger Reserve (where the elephant was being released) had even performed a traditional 'Puja' to welcome the new inhabitant of the wild. Barely a few days after being released in the Periyar Tiger Reserve, the pachyderm ventured into the estates in the Megamalai range in Tamil Nadu's Theni district. Known to walk dozens of kilometres every day, wild elephants move across regions in search of food and water. Thanks to a radio collar around his neck, Forest department officials from both Tamil Nadu and Kerala have been able to monitor the elephant's location real-time. Earlier this week, during the wee hours, the tusker got back to his old ways and ventured close to a ration shop in Megamalai and attempted to break open a window, possibly to get hold of the rice stored within. Later, the tusker is said to have ventured back into the forest. Images from the area showed the tusker's giant footprints in the vicinity of the settlements and the ration shop. Carrying on the moniker from Kerala, those in Tamil Nadu refer to the wild tusker as 'Arisi Komban' (translates to rice tusker in Tamil). Forest Officials from Theni in Tamil Nadu told WION that the radio collar placed on the elephant's neck is operational and the movement of the animal is being tracked both by radio telemetry and GPS. Those staying in the region have been advised to not venture out unnecessarily and particularly have been advised against venturing out late in the evenings. We have forest staffers who are monitoring the elephant's movement round-the-clock and alerting those in the region, the official added. Since the time the tusker ventured into the Megamalai region, the district administration has temporarily suspended tourism and increased the number of Police personnel at the checkposts that lead to Megamalai. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

India: From 'Arikomban' in Kerala to 'Arisi komban' in Tamil Nadu- A wild tusker's journey

<p>A Kenyan lion named Loonkiito,&nbsp;believed to be the world's oldest, has died after he was brutally&nbsp;impaled by Maasai morans (warriors) on Wednesday (May 10) night, according to local wildlife officials.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Loonkiito, who was 19 years old,&nbsp;died in the&nbsp;Olkelunyiet village, located in southern Kenya, bordering Amboseli National Park, while preying upon livestock. The village is famous for being the best place in Africa where tourists can get close to freely roaming wild elephants and other wildlife species.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Lion Guardians, a Maasai-operated conservation group, took to Instagram and informed about&nbsp;Loonkiito's demise, referring to him as the "oldest male lion in their ecosystem and possibly in Africa".</p>

<p>"It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of the passing of Loonkiito (2004-2023), the oldest male lion in our ecosystem and possibly in Africa. He died yesterday, on the 10th of May 2023 at 19 years old," read the caption.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"He was a symbol of resilience and coexistence. We at Lion Guardians feel privileged to have borne witness to his life and his legacy. In the following weeks and months, we hope to share the extraordinary story of Loonkiito’s life with the world."</p>

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<p>The king of the jungle was killed because he ventured too close to human settlement. A combination of factors, primarily the drought and lack of food in the forest led the lion to hunt livestock as a last resort.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"In desperation, lions often turn to take livestock," the group added.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-climate-tracker-south-african-rhino-poaching-drops-conservation-efforts-are-paying-off-509865" target="_blank"><strong>WATCH | WION Climate Tracker: South African Rhino poaching drops; conservation efforts are paying off</strong></a></p>

<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-climate-tracker-south-african-rhino-poaching-drops-conservation-efforts-are-paying-off-509865/embed" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/this-indian-state-is-opening-up-another-sanctuary-for-asiatic-lions-as-numbers-grow-exponentially-572574#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></p>

<h2><strong>Loonkiito was an aberration&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>According to experts, most lions do not live beyond 13 years in the wild, which made&nbsp;Loonkiito an anomaly. Though it is not confirmed by the Kenyan government if he was the oldest lion on the continent, his death has certainly made an impact and shows the increasing friction between man and animals.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/this-indian-state-is-opening-up-another-sanctuary-for-asiatic-lions-as-numbers-grow-exponentially-572574"><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;THIS Indian state is opening up another sanctuary for Asiatic lions as numbers grow exponentially</strong></a></p>

<p>Paula Kahumbu, a wildlife conservationist and chief executive officer of WildlifeDirect, told BBC she was pained by the death of&nbsp;Loonkiito.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"This is the breaking point for human-wildlife conflict and we need to do more as a country to preserve lions, which are facing extinction," said Kahumbu.</p>

<p>Notably, apart from Africa, the majestic big cats are only found in India's Gir National Park in the western state of Gujarat.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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A Kenyan lion named Loonkiito, believed to be the world's oldest, has died after he was brutally impaled by Maasai morans (warriors) on Wednesday (May 10) night, according to local wildlife officials.

A Kenyan lion named Loonkiito, believed to be the world's oldest, has died after he was brutally impaled by Maasai morans (warriors) on Wednesday (May 10) night, according to local wildlife officials. Loonkiito, who was 19 years old, died in the Olkelunyiet village, located in southern Kenya, bordering Amboseli National Park, while preying upon livestock. The village is famous for being the best place in Africa where tourists can get close to freely roaming wild elephants and other wildlife species. Lion Guardians, a Maasai-operated conservation group, took to Instagram and informed about Loonkiito's demise, referring to him as the "oldest male lion in their ecosystem and possibly in Africa". "It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of the passing of Loonkiito (2004-2023), the oldest male lion in our ecosystem and possibly in Africa. He died yesterday, on the 10th of May 2023 at 19 years old," read the caption. "He was a symbol of resilience and coexistence. We at Lion Guardians feel privileged to have borne witness to his life and his legacy. In the following weeks and months, we hope to share the extraordinary story of Loonkiito’s life with the world." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lion Guardians (@lionguardians_) × The king of the jungle was killed because he ventured too close to human settlement. A combination of factors, primarily the drought and lack of food in the forest led the lion to hunt livestock as a last resort. "In desperation, lions often turn to take livestock," the group added. WATCH | WION Climate Tracker: South African Rhino poaching drops; conservation efforts are paying off × Loonkiito was an aberration According to experts, most lions do not live beyond 13 years in the wild, which made Loonkiito an anomaly. Though it is not confirmed by the Kenyan government if he was the oldest lion on the continent, his death has certainly made an impact and shows the increasing friction between man and animals. ALSO READ | THIS Indian state is opening up another sanctuary for Asiatic lions as numbers grow exponentially Paula Kahumbu, a wildlife conservationist and chief executive officer of WildlifeDirect, told BBC she was pained by the death of Loonkiito. "This is the breaking point for human-wildlife conflict and we need to do more as a country to preserve lions, which are facing extinction," said Kahumbu. Notably, apart from Africa, the majestic big cats are only found in India's Gir National Park in the western state of Gujarat. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Wild lion Loonkiito, believed to be world‘s oldest, impaled to death in Kenya

The issue of human-animal conflict in the Kashmir valley has grown tremendously in the last few years, and that kept Kashmir's sole female wildlife conservationist Aaliya Mir extremely busy. Aaliya has been rescuing and rehabilitating wild animals for over 17 years.

Meet Kashmir`s sole female wildlife conservationist who has spent 17 years rescuing wild animals

<p dir="ltr">The issue of human-animal conflict in the Kashmir valley has grown tremendously in the last few years, and that kept Kashmir's sole female wildlife conservationist Aaliya Mir extremely busy. Aaliya has been rescuing and rehabilitating wild animals for over 17 years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>She&nbsp;has become a household name in the Kashmir region after her videos of rescuing wild animals went viral a few years ago. She is Kashmir valley's first female wildlife rescuer and is also the programme head with Wildlife SOS Jammu and Kashmir.</p>

<p>Aaliya has been rescuing snakes, bears, birds, leopards, and other animals. However, her videos rescuing snakes from gardens, houses, schools and roads went viral and made her famous in the valley.</p>

<p>She faced&nbsp;a lot of challenges in the beginning as she was entering a profession dominated by men. And it was not the team she worked with but the people on the ground which were a challenge to her. The people never at first believed that she was leading the team and always ignored her till they would see her rescue the animal.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="pic" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5c8b061f-c21a-4ce8-ac22-bb07e9c57e50" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Unknown.jpg" /></p>

<p><em><strong>Photo credits: Idrees Lone</strong></em></p>

<p>''There are difficulties everywhere, but it also depends on the team you are working with. I can't be thankful enough to the almighty, that I have the best teammates and the working atmosphere was encouraging. The team did not make me feel that I am the only woman in the field. I feel blessed to have such a work environment. Everyone was supportive."</p>

<p>"The challenge is when we go among the local people, there you feel that the people listen to men more over women. But I have been able to make that impression through my work. The people always thought I was just a part of the team, and some would even tell me to go home, but when they saw that I was leading the team and saw me work, the mindset would change within sometime after that. I am thankful to Allah that I have been able to break the stereotype and change the perception,'' said Aaliya Mir, Project Head, Wildlife SOS Jammu and Kashmir.</p>

<p>Aaliya is a postgraduate in science and mathematics and started her journey into the wildlife as a student only. She later got married to a veterinary doctor which helped her in exploring the field more. Aaliya says the satisfaction of rescuing an animal and saving a life is what keeps her going every day.&nbsp;</p>

<p>''Every parent in the valley wanted their girl child to either become a doctor or go into teaching. It is considered nice for girls to go into these two professions and my family wanted the same for me. But fortunately, I got married to a veterinarian and through him I got a chance to explore this field. I started to volunteer, and it seemed that I was destined to do wildlife rescue. I got the chances, and I utilised them in the best possible way. I am so content by doing this work, at the end of the day you are happy that you have been able to save a life, no matter how small or big. This work gives me a lot of happiness and satisfaction, '' said Mir.</p>

<p dir="ltr">''Urbanisation is happening at a very fast speed and then development. We are not against development, but we are advocating sustainable development. We are not against tourism, but we support eco-tourism. I am supervising two research projects too; I don't only do rescue but also research. I am running two centres and supervising research projects in Kashmir. What we saw was due to tourism, there is a huge change in our environment, we need to handle tourism in a better way. Brown bear was a dream to see in the valley, but now you put out some waste outside and you will see a brown bear, why is this happening? Waste management is a failure, all wild animals get attracted to the waste. Leopards come as they see a lot of dogs near the waste dumps. That's why leopards are roaming in cities and not jungles. We are doing multi-cropping in the paddy fields and that's why wild animals like bears come to these areas." she added.</p>

<p>Aaliya was given a Wildlife Conservation award by the Jammu and Kashmir government for her exceptional efforts in conservation of wildlife. Aaliya is the first woman in the region to receive this award.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The human-animal conflict in the&nbsp;region has been on the rise, with&nbsp;2022 turning out as&nbsp;a year of record-breaking human animal conflict incidents in the region. Urbanisation and waste management are the main reasons for the rise of these incidents in the valley.<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:</strong></p>

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The issue of human-animal conflict in the Kashmir valley has grown tremendously in the last few years, and that kept Kashmir's sole female wildlife conservationist Aaliya Mir extremely busy.

The issue of human-animal conflict in the Kashmir valley has grown tremendously in the last few years, and that kept Kashmir's sole female wildlife conservationist Aaliya Mir extremely busy. Aaliya has been rescuing and rehabilitating wild animals for over 17 years. She has become a household name in the Kashmir region after her videos of rescuing wild animals went viral a few years ago. She is Kashmir valley's first female wildlife rescuer and is also the programme head with Wildlife SOS Jammu and Kashmir. Aaliya has been rescuing snakes, bears, birds, leopards, and other animals. However, her videos rescuing snakes from gardens, houses, schools and roads went viral and made her famous in the valley. She faced a lot of challenges in the beginning as she was entering a profession dominated by men. And it was not the team she worked with but the people on the ground which were a challenge to her. The people never at first believed that she was leading the team and always ignored her till they would see her rescue the animal. Photo credits: Idrees Lone ''There are difficulties everywhere, but it also depends on the team you are working with. I can't be thankful enough to the almighty, that I have the best teammates and the working atmosphere was encouraging. The team did not make me feel that I am the only woman in the field. I feel blessed to have such a work environment. Everyone was supportive." "The challenge is when we go among the local people, there you feel that the people listen to men more over women. But I have been able to make that impression through my work. The people always thought I was just a part of the team, and some would even tell me to go home, but when they saw that I was leading the team and saw me work, the mindset would change within sometime after that. I am thankful to Allah that I have been able to break the stereotype and change the perception,'' said Aaliya Mir, Project Head, Wildlife SOS Jammu and Kashmir. Aaliya is a postgraduate in science and mathematics and started her journey into the wildlife as a student only. She later got married to a veterinary doctor which helped her in exploring the field more. Aaliya says the satisfaction of rescuing an animal and saving a life is what keeps her going every day. ''Every parent in the valley wanted their girl child to either become a doctor or go into teaching. It is considered nice for girls to go into these two professions and my family wanted the same for me. But fortunately, I got married to a veterinarian and through him I got a chance to explore this field. I started to volunteer, and it seemed that I was destined to do wildlife rescue. I got the chances, and I utilised them in the best possible way. I am so content by doing this work, at the end of the day you are happy that you have been able to save a life, no matter how small or big. This work gives me a lot of happiness and satisfaction, '' said Mir. ''Urbanisation is happening at a very fast speed and then development. We are not against development, but we are advocating sustainable development. We are not against tourism, but we support eco-tourism. I am supervising two research projects too; I don't only do rescue but also research. I am running two centres and supervising research projects in Kashmir. What we saw was due to tourism, there is a huge change in our environment, we need to handle tourism in a better way. Brown bear was a dream to see in the valley, but now you put out some waste outside and you will see a brown bear, why is this happening? Waste management is a failure, all wild animals get attracted to the waste. Leopards come as they see a lot of dogs near the waste dumps. That's why leopards are roaming in cities and not jungles. We are doing multi-cropping in the paddy fields and that's why wild animals like bears come to these areas." she added. Aaliya was given a Wildlife Conservation award by the Jammu and Kashmir government for her exceptional efforts in conservation of wildlife. Aaliya is the first woman in the region to receive this award. The human-animal conflict in the region has been on the rise, with 2022 turning out as a year of record-breaking human animal conflict incidents in the region. Urbanisation and waste management are the main reasons for the rise of these incidents in the valley. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Meet Kashmir's sole female wildlife conservationist who has spent 17 years rescuing wild animals

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the latest tiger census data on April 9, which revealed that the population of big cats in India was 3,167 in 2022. Watch this to know more.

Indian PM Narendra Modi releases tiger census data: Details

IN PICS | Wildfire rages across mountain in Thailand's Khao Laem National Park

A new study by Australian researchers shows that the poorest around the world are bearing the burden of preserving wildlife. African cattle herders and farmers regularly see their livestock killed or their crops decimated without any compensation because cash from NGOs and wildlife charities is barely enough to cover compensation. Erik Njoka brings you this report.

World Of Africa: Humans encroach wildlife habitats

World Of Africa | Humans encroach wildlife habitats

Since pandemic related restrictions are lifted, there has been huge influx of motorist on Australian roads. This has led to an increase in wildlife accidents.

Wildlife accidents increased in Australia

<p>An Oxford University-led study has found alarming levels of toxic PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals” in the ice around Svalbard, Norway which pose a risk to the region’s wildlife, reported the Guardian. The Norwegian Arctic ice consists of 26 types of PFAS compounds which once the ice melts can be passed to ecosystems like Arctic fjords and tundra.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The PFAs refer to a class of around 12,000 chemicals which are often found in consumer products which resist water, heat or stains and are also called “forever chemicals” since they do not naturally break down over time. Additionally, these chemicals are linked to a number of diseases including cancer, liver disease, etc.&nbsp;Therefore, these contaminants, once passed on, can affect the entire food web from small organisms like plankton or fish to apex predators in the region like polar bears.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Notably, high levels of PFAs have been found in the polar bear's bloodstream, as per the report. The study found the levels of these “forever chemicals” in the ice, were higher than the United States advisory drinking water limits were.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>“As a polar bear, you have exposure to toxic man-made chemicals, and stresses from a changing habitat,” said Dr William Hartz, a lead author on the study, as per the Guardian. He also spoke about how this “washout of contaminants” occurs seasonally and some PFAs seem mobile during melts.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The lead author also noted the “doubling up effect” on animals as climate changes and ice melts since the climate has reportedly been warming up in Svalbard faster than the world average. The study also found high levels of TFA, a refrigeration byproduct caused by hydrofluoroolefin (HFOs) after chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), a potent greenhouse gas used for refrigeration, was phased out.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The HFOs, which are also greenhouse gasses once released, can turn into TFA, the levels of which the study finds have been increasing in the Arctic. Additionally, TFA and other PFAS compounds are highly mobile and can even move through the atmosphere to anywhere in the world. While TFA is said to be less toxic when compared to several other PFAs, its limited knowledge needs addressing, said the authors, as no one is fully aware of the damage these compounds might be causing to the environment.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>

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An Oxford University-led study has found alarming levels of toxic PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals” in the ice around Svalbard, Norway which pose a risk to the region’s wildlife, reported the Guardian.

An Oxford University-led study has found alarming levels of toxic PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals” in the ice around Svalbard, Norway which pose a risk to the region’s wildlife, reported the Guardian. The Norwegian Arctic ice consists of 26 types of PFAS compounds which once the ice melts can be passed to ecosystems like Arctic fjords and tundra. The PFAs refer to a class of around 12,000 chemicals which are often found in consumer products which resist water, heat or stains and are also called “forever chemicals” since they do not naturally break down over time. Additionally, these chemicals are linked to a number of diseases including cancer, liver disease, etc. Therefore, these contaminants, once passed on, can affect the entire food web from small organisms like plankton or fish to apex predators in the region like polar bears. Notably, high levels of PFAs have been found in the polar bear's bloodstream, as per the report. The study found the levels of these “forever chemicals” in the ice, were higher than the United States advisory drinking water limits were. “As a polar bear, you have exposure to toxic man-made chemicals, and stresses from a changing habitat,” said Dr William Hartz, a lead author on the study, as per the Guardian. He also spoke about how this “washout of contaminants” occurs seasonally and some PFAs seem mobile during melts. The lead author also noted the “doubling up effect” on animals as climate changes and ice melts since the climate has reportedly been warming up in Svalbard faster than the world average. The study also found high levels of TFA, a refrigeration byproduct caused by hydrofluoroolefin (HFOs) after chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), a potent greenhouse gas used for refrigeration, was phased out. The HFOs, which are also greenhouse gasses once released, can turn into TFA, the levels of which the study finds have been increasing in the Arctic. Additionally, TFA and other PFAS compounds are highly mobile and can even move through the atmosphere to anywhere in the world. While TFA is said to be less toxic when compared to several other PFAs, its limited knowledge needs addressing, said the authors, as no one is fully aware of the damage these compounds might be causing to the environment. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Study finds alarming levels of ‘forever chemicals’ in Norwegian Arctic ice, may affect wildlife

Poachers are a huge threat to Uganda's diverse wildlife. But over the past four decades, the country's wildlife population has boomed. Although, more needs to be done to save the declining species.

Wildlife population increases in Uganda

A year of drought, extreme temperatures and rising costs has hit the the animal kingdom hard with wildlife perishing from the effects of development, lack of funding and climate change.

Uganda tightens laws to save wildlife, Australian programme to train vets

<p>After the loss of significant numbers of wild birds from Avian flu, scientists have claimed that Earth is experiencing a new "Silent Spring."</p>

<p>The term 'Silent Spring' harks back to Rachel Carson's 1962 book that talks about pesticides, particularly DDT that killed birds. It said that the DDT caused egg shells to become so thin that adult birds killed them during incubation which led to nest failure and the deaths of thousands of birds. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Scientists claimed that a significant number of birds have died past year. &nbsp;The World Organisation for Health estimates claimed that over 50,000 birds died due to Avian flu since October 2021 mostly in Africa and Europe.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;WION Climate Tracker: Birds learning to adapt to climate change</strong></p>

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<p>James Pearce-Higgins, a renowned scientist said, "The last time we experienced such large-scale and rapid losses of wild birds in the UK would be the impacts of DDT on birds of prey in the 1950s and 1960s associated with the Silent Spring narrative, or the widespread declines of farmland birds during the 1970s and 80s as a result of agricultural intensification."</p>

<p>According to the European Food Safety Authority, there are some 3,5000 virus infections detected in 67 bird species across 37 countries in Europe.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/uk-scarlet-fever-on-significant-rise-with-10000-new-cases-what-is-scarlet-fever-and-its-symptoms-545009"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;UK: Scarlet fever on 'significant rise' with 10,000 new cases, what is scarlet fever and its symptoms?</strong></a></p>

<p>In Europe, the UK, Germany, France and the Netherlands reported the most number of deaths.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the US, the first case of Avian flu was reported in early January. Since then there have been 3,700 positive tests in the states, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The year 2022 has witnessed a lot of climate hazards causing damage worth millions and claimed lives of not just animals but humans as well.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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After the loss of significant numbers of wild birds from Avian flu, scientists have claimed that Earth is experiencing a new "Silent Spring." The term 'Silent Spring' harks back to Rachel Carson's 1962 book that talks about pesticides, particularly DDT that killed birds.

After the loss of significant numbers of wild birds from Avian flu, scientists have claimed that Earth is experiencing a new "Silent Spring." The term 'Silent Spring' harks back to Rachel Carson's 1962 book that talks about pesticides, particularly DDT that killed birds. It said that the DDT caused egg shells to become so thin that adult birds killed them during incubation which led to nest failure and the deaths of thousands of birds. Scientists claimed that a significant number of birds have died past year. The World Organisation for Health estimates claimed that over 50,000 birds died due to Avian flu since October 2021 mostly in Africa and Europe. Watch | WION Climate Tracker: Birds learning to adapt to climate change James Pearce-Higgins, a renowned scientist said, "The last time we experienced such large-scale and rapid losses of wild birds in the UK would be the impacts of DDT on birds of prey in the 1950s and 1960s associated with the Silent Spring narrative, or the widespread declines of farmland birds during the 1970s and 80s as a result of agricultural intensification." According to the European Food Safety Authority, there are some 3,5000 virus infections detected in 67 bird species across 37 countries in Europe. Also read | UK: Scarlet fever on 'significant rise' with 10,000 new cases, what is scarlet fever and its symptoms? In Europe, the UK, Germany, France and the Netherlands reported the most number of deaths. In the US, the first case of Avian flu was reported in early January. Since then there have been 3,700 positive tests in the states, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said. The year 2022 has witnessed a lot of climate hazards causing damage worth millions and claimed lives of not just animals but humans as well. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

'New spring': Thousands of wild birds die from Avian flu; UK, France, Germany among worst-hit

China issued an outright ban on hunting, trading and transporting wildlife, as well as the consumption as food, after public health experts suggested the Covid-19 pandemic could have originated from the supply chain. Well, NGOs and experts have warned that China now appears to be weakening its post-Covid restrictions on the farming of wildlife such as porcupines, civets and bamboo rats. Watch this to know more.

China's return to wildlife farming can risk global health

In a bid to treat wildlife injured by wildfires, vets train to treat the injured. A programme in Sydney is treating vets to respond to medical emergencies.

WION Climate Tracker | Vets train to treat wildlife injured by wildfires in Sydney

Research is shown that bringing back endangered species can revive the ecosystem. Watch further to know more.

WION Climate Tracker: Study: Bringing back endangered species can improve ecosystem

<p>A Kenyan journalist received an uninvited guest on camera while he was filming a piece to camera from a baby elephant orphanage in southern Kenya.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Alvin Kaunda was speaking on conservation of wildlife species. The video shows him standing among baby elephants. Despite being surrounded by the wildlife creatures, Kaunda appears to be at ease during his reportage.&nbsp;</p>

<p>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/dida-africas-largest-female-tusker-dies-in-kenya-530788">Dida, Africa’s ‘largest’ female tusker and iconic matriarch, dies of old age in Kenya</a></p>

<p>Kaunda was reporting for Kenya's Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) on the way baby elephants at the orphanage were being looked after.&nbsp;</p>

<p>What came next has set social media abuzz, with animal lovers leaving positive comments to the viral video. Suddenly, the baby elephant in the background started to tap on Kaunda's shoulder.&nbsp;It comes up from behind the journalist and put his trunk on his shoulder and face.</p>

<p>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/emperor-penguins-declared-threatened-species-by-us-due-to-existential-risk-528494">Emperor penguins declared threatened species by US due to existential risk</a></p>

<p>Taking a step ahead with Kaunda, who was seemingly calm, the elephant slowly moves his trunk to run it over the journalist's face and poking his nose.&nbsp;</p>

<p>By this time, the video shows the Kenyan journalist and his cameraperson bursting into laughter.</p>

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<p>This is not the first time when animals have been caught on camera interrupting humans, especially during the COVID pandemic when they had to work from home.&nbsp;</p>

<p>WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/world-business-watch-air-india-slapped-with-1215-mn-fine-for-delay-in-refunds-534628">World Business Watch: Air India slapped with $121.5 mn fine for delay in refunds</a></p>

<p>Meteorologist Paul Dellegatto was interrupted by his golden retriever while filming the evening forecast. CBS reporter Kim Powell was reporting the news from her home computer when her cat also walked right through the shot.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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A Kenyan journalist received an uninvited guest on camera while he was filming a piece to camera from a baby elephant orphanage in southern Kenya. Alvin Kaunda was speaking on conservation of wildlife species.

A Kenyan journalist received an uninvited guest on camera while he was filming a piece to camera from a baby elephant orphanage in southern Kenya. Alvin Kaunda was speaking on conservation of wildlife species. The video shows him standing among baby elephants. Despite being surrounded by the wildlife creatures, Kaunda appears to be at ease during his reportage. ALSO READ | Dida, Africa’s ‘largest’ female tusker and iconic matriarch, dies of old age in Kenya Kaunda was reporting for Kenya's Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) on the way baby elephants at the orphanage were being looked after. What came next has set social media abuzz, with animal lovers leaving positive comments to the viral video. Suddenly, the baby elephant in the background started to tap on Kaunda's shoulder. It comes up from behind the journalist and put his trunk on his shoulder and face. ALSO READ | Emperor penguins declared threatened species by US due to existential risk Taking a step ahead with Kaunda, who was seemingly calm, the elephant slowly moves his trunk to run it over the journalist's face and poking his nose. By this time, the video shows the Kenyan journalist and his cameraperson bursting into laughter. View this post on Instagram A post shared by WION (@wionews) This is not the first time when animals have been caught on camera interrupting humans, especially during the COVID pandemic when they had to work from home. WATCH | World Business Watch: Air India slapped with $121.5 mn fine for delay in refunds Meteorologist Paul Dellegatto was interrupted by his golden retriever while filming the evening forecast. CBS reporter Kim Powell was reporting the news from her home computer when her cat also walked right through the shot. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

WATCH | Baby elephant says hello as Kenyan journalist reports on wildlife conservation

<p>More&nbsp;than&nbsp;130&nbsp;endangered&nbsp;seals&nbsp;have been&nbsp;found&nbsp;dead&nbsp;on&nbsp;Kazakh&nbsp;beaches&nbsp;of the&nbsp;Caspian&nbsp;Sea, officials said Wednesday.&nbsp;"Carcasses of&nbsp;dead&nbsp;seals&nbsp;have been&nbsp;found," a spokesman for&nbsp;Kazakhstan's ecology ministry told AFP.&nbsp;His ministry said 131&nbsp;seals&nbsp;had been&nbsp;found&nbsp;dead&nbsp;on&nbsp;Caspian&nbsp;Sea&nbsp;beaches&nbsp;in the country's west.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Autopsies will be carried out and Kazakh environmental experts said soil and water samples from the area would be analysed.</p>

<p>The&nbsp;Caspian&nbsp;seal, the only such species present in the&nbsp;Caspian&nbsp;Sea, the world's largest inland body of water, was placed by the Kazakh government in November 2020&nbsp;on&nbsp;the list of endangered species threatened with extinction.</p>

<p>The&nbsp;Caspian&nbsp;Sea is bounded by five countries: Russia,&nbsp;Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Iran and Turkmenistan.</p>

<p>The seal population of the&nbsp;Caspian&nbsp;Sea has for decades suffered from over-hunting and the effects of industrial pollution.</p>

<p>Experts say there are now about 68,000&nbsp;Caspian&nbsp;seals, down from&nbsp;more&nbsp;than&nbsp;one million in the early 20th century.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:</strong></p>

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More than 130 endangered seals have been found dead on Kazakh beaches of the Caspian Sea, officials said Wednesday. "Carcasses of dead seals have been found," a spokesman for Kazakhstan's ecology ministry told AFP.

More than 130 endangered seals have been found dead on Kazakh beaches of the Caspian Sea, officials said Wednesday. "Carcasses of dead seals have been found," a spokesman for Kazakhstan's ecology ministry told AFP. His ministry said 131 seals had been found dead on Caspian Sea beaches in the country's west. Autopsies will be carried out and Kazakh environmental experts said soil and water samples from the area would be analysed. The Caspian seal, the only such species present in the Caspian Sea, the world's largest inland body of water, was placed by the Kazakh government in November 2020 on the list of endangered species threatened with extinction. The Caspian Sea is bounded by five countries: Russia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Iran and Turkmenistan. The seal population of the Caspian Sea has for decades suffered from over-hunting and the effects of industrial pollution. Experts say there are now about 68,000 Caspian seals, down from more than one million in the early 20th century. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

More than 130 endangered seals found dead on Kazakh beaches of the Caspian Sea

<p>A Cinereous vulture is a giant bird found in parts of Asia and Europe, known to live in large groups and&nbsp;capable of high-altitude flight for very long distances. What if one such bird is forced to be lonely and confined to a cage, owing to circumstances. That was exactly the plight of a vulture that was found in India's southernmost district Kanyakumari, back in 2017. The bird was found in an injured condition at a time when the&nbsp;southern peninsular India was being battered by Cyclone 'Ockhi'. The then juvenile vulture is said to have lost its way and sustained injury, thus necessitating captive treatment.</p>

<p>Over the last five years, the bird has been under the care of the Udhayagiri Zoo and was being treated by the forest department officials of Tamil Nadu. With the bird having fully recuperated and understood to be capable of living in the wild, the officials led by Supriya Sahu, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Environment &amp; Forests, Tamil Nadu took measures to re-wild the bird, by taking steps to rehabilitate it to its natural ways.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Considering the requirements and existing natural habitats of the Cinereous vultures in India, it was chosen that the bird could be rehabilitated in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, nearly 2,600kms away from Kanyakumari. Jodhpur offered a unique advantage of supporting a considerable population of this species, given how the city had dumping grounds where cattle carcasses were disposed, thus offering food for scavengers. With the nod from the relevant authorities in Rajasthan, it was decided to transport the bird.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">This week, a lone Cinereous <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/vulture?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#vulture</a> travelled 600kms by road from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kanyakumari?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kanyakumari</a> to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/chennai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#chennai</a> in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TamilNadu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TamilNadu</a> ,then <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/chennai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#chennai</a> to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/jodhpur?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#jodhpur</a> via <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/delhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#delhi</a> by <a href="https://twitter.com/airindiain?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@airindiain</a><br />
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After 5yrs of care in TN, vulture is being re-wilded in suitable habitat <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rajasthan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Rajasthan</a><br />
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Hats off <a href="https://twitter.com/supriyasahuias?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@supriyasahuias</a> &amp; team <a href="https://t.co/KExrOwws6B">pic.twitter.com/KExrOwws6B</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1588562294052909056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>However, moving by road or rail would have meant up to five days of travel and caused considerable stress to the bird. Hence, the bird was moved from Kanyakumari to Chennai via road, a distance of 600 kms. Thereafter, the bird was cared for at the zoo in Chennai and then taken on an Indian Airlines aircraft to Jodhpur, via Delhi. In all, the bird travelled a distance of 2,600 kms, this week, as part of the rehabilitation efforts.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In Jodhpur, the bird would be cared for at a local zoo and its acclimatization to the conditions there would be monitored closely. Very soon, the bird would be released into the wild and can join its feathered friends and family. As a matter of precaution and to study the efficacy of the re-wilding effort, forest officials would be tagging the bird to locate its whereabouts and keep a close watch on its health.&nbsp;</p>

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A Cinereous vulture is a giant bird found in parts of Asia and Europe, known to live in large groups and capable of high-altitude flight for very long distances.

A Cinereous vulture is a giant bird found in parts of Asia and Europe, known to live in large groups and capable of high-altitude flight for very long distances. What if one such bird is forced to be lonely and confined to a cage, owing to circumstances. That was exactly the plight of a vulture that was found in India's southernmost district Kanyakumari, back in 2017. The bird was found in an injured condition at a time when the southern peninsular India was being battered by Cyclone 'Ockhi'. The then juvenile vulture is said to have lost its way and sustained injury, thus necessitating captive treatment. Over the last five years, the bird has been under the care of the Udhayagiri Zoo and was being treated by the forest department officials of Tamil Nadu. With the bird having fully recuperated and understood to be capable of living in the wild, the officials led by Supriya Sahu, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Environment & Forests, Tamil Nadu took measures to re-wild the bird, by taking steps to rehabilitate it to its natural ways. Considering the requirements and existing natural habitats of the Cinereous vultures in India, it was chosen that the bird could be rehabilitated in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, nearly 2,600kms away from Kanyakumari. Jodhpur offered a unique advantage of supporting a considerable population of this species, given how the city had dumping grounds where cattle carcasses were disposed, thus offering food for scavengers. With the nod from the relevant authorities in Rajasthan, it was decided to transport the bird. This week, a lone Cinereous #vulture travelled 600kms by road from #kanyakumari to #chennai in #TamilNadu ,then #chennai to #jodhpur via #delhi by @airindiain After 5yrs of care in TN, vulture is being re-wilded in suitable habitat #Rajasthan Hats off @supriyasahuias & team pic.twitter.com/KExrOwws6B — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) November 4, 2022 × However, moving by road or rail would have meant up to five days of travel and caused considerable stress to the bird. Hence, the bird was moved from Kanyakumari to Chennai via road, a distance of 600 kms. Thereafter, the bird was cared for at the zoo in Chennai and then taken on an Indian Airlines aircraft to Jodhpur, via Delhi. In all, the bird travelled a distance of 2,600 kms, this week, as part of the rehabilitation efforts. In Jodhpur, the bird would be cared for at a local zoo and its acclimatization to the conditions there would be monitored closely. Very soon, the bird would be released into the wild and can join its feathered friends and family. As a matter of precaution and to study the efficacy of the re-wilding effort, forest officials would be tagging the bird to locate its whereabouts and keep a close watch on its health. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

India: In a first, vulture rewilded after five years of captive care

Conservationists from Wildlife charity World Wildlife Fund and the London Zoo are warning of a massive loss of global animal biodiversity. Their joint reports published on Thursday says that monitoring groups have recorded a drop in animal population.

WION Climate Tracker: World Wildlife fund highlights 10 priority areas

<p>The world's wildlife populations have decreased by more than two-thirds since 1970 as a result of forest clearing and ocean pollution, as per&nbsp;a report released on Thursday.</p>

<p>According to Andrew Terry, head of conservation and strategy at the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), "This "severe drop... warns us that nature is unravelling and the natural world is emptying."</p>

<p>Population sizes had decreased by 69% on average, according to a World Wildlife Fund (WWF) analysis that used data from ZSL from 2018 on the state of 32,000 wildlife populations comprising more than 5,000 species.</p>

<p>The main causes of the loss were deforestation, human exploitation, pollution, and climate change.</p>

<p>With a 94% decline in just five decades, wildlife populations in Latin America and the Caribbean were particularly heavily struck. According to the findings, between 1994 and 2016, one population of pink river dolphins in the Brazilian Amazon experienced a 65% decline.</p>

<p>"Nature was in dire straits and it is still in dire straits," said Mark Wright, director of science at&nbsp;WWF-UK. "The war is definitely being lost."</p>

<p>The report did provide a few vestiges of hope. Due to bushmeat hunting, the number of eastern lowland gorillas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Kahuzi-Biega National Park decreased by 80% between 1994 and 2019 while that of mountain gorillas close to Virunga National Park climbed from 400 to over 600 by 2018.</p>

<p>Nevertheless, the widespread decreases have led to frantic cries for more protection of the environment.</p>

<p>Delegates from all across the world will assemble in Montreal in December to work out a new global plan of action to safeguard the planet's flora and animals.</p>

<p>Increased funding for international conservation efforts is perhaps one of the biggest requests.</p>

<p>"We are calling on the rich nations to provide financial support to us to protect our nature," said Alice Ruhweza,&nbsp;WWF's regional director for Africa.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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The world's wildlife populations have decreased by more than two-thirds since 1970 as a result of forest clearing and ocean pollution, as per a report released on Thursday.

The world's wildlife populations have decreased by more than two-thirds since 1970 as a result of forest clearing and ocean pollution, as per a report released on Thursday. According to Andrew Terry, head of conservation and strategy at the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), "This "severe drop... warns us that nature is unravelling and the natural world is emptying." Population sizes had decreased by 69% on average, according to a World Wildlife Fund (WWF) analysis that used data from ZSL from 2018 on the state of 32,000 wildlife populations comprising more than 5,000 species. The main causes of the loss were deforestation, human exploitation, pollution, and climate change. With a 94% decline in just five decades, wildlife populations in Latin America and the Caribbean were particularly heavily struck. According to the findings, between 1994 and 2016, one population of pink river dolphins in the Brazilian Amazon experienced a 65% decline. "Nature was in dire straits and it is still in dire straits," said Mark Wright, director of science at WWF-UK. "The war is definitely being lost." The report did provide a few vestiges of hope. Due to bushmeat hunting, the number of eastern lowland gorillas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Kahuzi-Biega National Park decreased by 80% between 1994 and 2019 while that of mountain gorillas close to Virunga National Park climbed from 400 to over 600 by 2018. Nevertheless, the widespread decreases have led to frantic cries for more protection of the environment. Delegates from all across the world will assemble in Montreal in December to work out a new global plan of action to safeguard the planet's flora and animals. Increased funding for international conservation efforts is perhaps one of the biggest requests. "We are calling on the rich nations to provide financial support to us to protect our nature," said Alice Ruhweza, WWF's regional director for Africa. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

World's wildlife populations have decreased by roughly 70% since 1970, says WWF

<p>Wild salmons have been the latest casualties of British Columbia's month-long drought&nbsp;with thousands of their carcasses scattered along the river's banks.</p>

<p>Pink and chum salmon carcasses were stacked up nearby in a video shared online. Biologists said over 70 per cent of the dead fish on the creek bed did not reproduce.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Wild salmon often wait for rainfall as their cue to go up creeks and rivers since it means that the water levels will rise and make it easier to access their natal streams&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a conversation with The Guardian, William Houston said, "It’s just devastating to see this happen. River levels [are] low everywhere right now—not just in Heiltsuk territory. This drought is coast-wide right now. " He further added, "We see pre-spawn mortality on [an] annual basis. But never to this degree."</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/human-induced-climate-change-made-summer-drought-at-least-20-times-more-likely-study-finds-523077"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Human-induced climate change made summer drought ‘at least 20 times’ more likely, study finds</strong></a></p>

<p>The footage was captured last week. Hosuty claims that approximately 10 days ago, a light afternoon shower and a high tide gave the salmon a false signal to start. The creek dried up when there was no water, leaving the fish stranded.</p>

<p>Wild Pacific salmon must always die after travelling up winding creeks and streams. The remains are then redistributed or consumed by scavenger bears, birds, wolves, or any other animals that benefit the jungle.</p>

<p>Recent years have seen a drop in the population and a larger decline in wild salmon.</p>

<p>Since there hasn't been any rain along British Columbia's western shores in the last few weeks, numerous areas there are at level four of the drought, which the province believes will likely have an impact on society and the environment.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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Wild salmons have been the latest casualties of British Columbia's month-long drought with thousands of their carcasses scattered along the river's banks. Pink and chum salmon carcasses were stacked up nearby in a video shared online.

Wild salmons have been the latest casualties of British Columbia's month-long drought with thousands of their carcasses scattered along the river's banks. Pink and chum salmon carcasses were stacked up nearby in a video shared online. Biologists said over 70 per cent of the dead fish on the creek bed did not reproduce. Wild salmon often wait for rainfall as their cue to go up creeks and rivers since it means that the water levels will rise and make it easier to access their natal streams In a conversation with The Guardian, William Houston said, "It’s just devastating to see this happen. River levels [are] low everywhere right now—not just in Heiltsuk territory. This drought is coast-wide right now. " He further added, "We see pre-spawn mortality on [an] annual basis. But never to this degree." Also read | Human-induced climate change made summer drought ‘at least 20 times’ more likely, study finds The footage was captured last week. Hosuty claims that approximately 10 days ago, a light afternoon shower and a high tide gave the salmon a false signal to start. The creek dried up when there was no water, leaving the fish stranded. Wild Pacific salmon must always die after travelling up winding creeks and streams. The remains are then redistributed or consumed by scavenger bears, birds, wolves, or any other animals that benefit the jungle. Recent years have seen a drop in the population and a larger decline in wild salmon. Since there hasn't been any rain along British Columbia's western shores in the last few weeks, numerous areas there are at level four of the drought, which the province believes will likely have an impact on society and the environment. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Thousands of wild salmon found dead as British Columbia's river dries out

<p>Recently, 44 pilot whales discovered to be alive have been successfully pulled back into the water after being stranded on Tasmania's west coast.</p>

<p>Last Wednesday, over 230 pilot whales were reported to be stranded on the beach, but by the time rescuers arrived, over 170 had already perished. By Sunday, the death toll of stranded whales had reached nearly 200. They were chained together and towed out into the ocean, expected to float ashore.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/230-pilots-whales-stranded-in-the-same-spot-where-350-died-two-years-ago-518309"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Australia: Nearly 200 pilot whales die on Tasmania's west coast after being stranded</strong></a></p>

<p>Locals tried to save whales by covering them in wet clothes, but that didn't help much.</p>

<p>However, amongst 44 alive whales, two of them were discovered to be giant oceanic dolphins. The mammals were saved by towing them one-by-one into whalers off the coast with the help of state government employees, veterinarians, locals, and volunteers from the nearby area.</p>

<p>Nic Deka, the incident's controller for rescue, expressed her gratitude for volunteering to save the aquatic animals. Authorities in the region have issued a warning that carcasses might wash up in the following weeks and announced that surveillance planes would be flying over the area to keep an eye on them, The Guardian reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/whats-the-reason-behind-death-of-nearly-200-pilot-whales-on-tasmanias-west-coast-518650"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;What led to the death of nearly 200 pilot whales at a Tasmanian beach?</strong></a></p>

<p>The authorities have further requested people who see any whales stranded&nbsp;in the area contact them immediately.</p>

<p>Similar instance of mass stranding happened exactly two years ago. At that time, Ocean Beach had approximately 470 whales.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per experts, the reason for this mass stranding might never be discovered. But due to the heavy mass standing there, it is known as a "whale trap."</p>

<p>As per tracking satellite data, two of the saved whales are predicted to be swimming nearby.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Recently, 44 pilot whales discovered to be alive have been successfully pulled back into the water after being stranded on Tasmania's west coast. Last Wednesday, over 230 pilot whales were reported to be stranded on the beach, but by the time rescuers arrived, over 170 had already perished.

Recently, 44 pilot whales discovered to be alive have been successfully pulled back into the water after being stranded on Tasmania's west coast. Last Wednesday, over 230 pilot whales were reported to be stranded on the beach, but by the time rescuers arrived, over 170 had already perished. By Sunday, the death toll of stranded whales had reached nearly 200. They were chained together and towed out into the ocean, expected to float ashore. Also read | Australia: Nearly 200 pilot whales die on Tasmania's west coast after being stranded Locals tried to save whales by covering them in wet clothes, but that didn't help much. However, amongst 44 alive whales, two of them were discovered to be giant oceanic dolphins. The mammals were saved by towing them one-by-one into whalers off the coast with the help of state government employees, veterinarians, locals, and volunteers from the nearby area. Nic Deka, the incident's controller for rescue, expressed her gratitude for volunteering to save the aquatic animals. Authorities in the region have issued a warning that carcasses might wash up in the following weeks and announced that surveillance planes would be flying over the area to keep an eye on them, The Guardian reported. Also read | What led to the death of nearly 200 pilot whales at a Tasmanian beach? The authorities have further requested people who see any whales stranded in the area contact them immediately. Similar instance of mass stranding happened exactly two years ago. At that time, Ocean Beach had approximately 470 whales. As per experts, the reason for this mass stranding might never be discovered. But due to the heavy mass standing there, it is known as a "whale trap." As per tracking satellite data, two of the saved whales are predicted to be swimming nearby. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Australia: 44 pilot whales rescued and returned to sea at Tasmania's west coast

<p>During these dwindling days of summer, black bears and park rangers are in a fight over Canada's mountain fruit trees.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Black bears are drawn to fruit trees, so townsite residents have been warned to remove the trees. This has become the main focus of park staff including removing cherry trees as well as fruit bushes, which can lure bears in search of food ahead of winter.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/isolated-subpopulation-of-polar-bears-found-in-southeast-greenland-489104"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Can polar bears survive without Arctic ice? Scientists think so. Here's why</strong></a></p>

<p>Parks Canada in a statement said, "The continuous presence of bears in the Jasper townsite, often in residential yards just metres from people, is an unacceptable safety risk for visitors and residents." In addition, "Bears living in constant proximity to people and residences have an increased likelihood of gaining access to human food or garbage, and of accidental aggressive physical encounters."</p>

<p>Till now, at least 10 bears have been discovered in the region. The most recent one was of a black bear and her two cubs.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The bears are reluctant to leave as the fruit trees offer a high food reward for them, especially, when they are preparing for hibernation.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/after-getting-milk-can-stuck-in-its-mouth-veterinarians-rescue-polar-bear-in-russia-500660"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Russia: After polar bear gets milk can stuck in its mouth, veterinarians rescue it</strong></a></p>

<p>Till now, at least 20 fruit trees have been removed from the region. This isn't a new problem as with converting wildland for urban uses, the mammals are pushed towards human habitation.</p>

<p>The Guardian reported the municipality saying in its statement, "Removing the trees is a necessary measure from wildlife conservation and public safety perspectives."</p>

<p>The neighbouring Banff also struggled with the same problem, to reduce human-bear interactions and the municipality earlier by law banned fruit trees. But this plan was halted as it was difficult to remove existing plants, so it swapped fruit-bearing trees for native flora.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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<p>&nbsp;</p>


During these dwindling days of summer, black bears and park rangers are in a fight over Canada's mountain fruit trees. Black bears are drawn to fruit trees, so townsite residents have been warned to remove the trees.

During these dwindling days of summer, black bears and park rangers are in a fight over Canada's mountain fruit trees. Black bears are drawn to fruit trees, so townsite residents have been warned to remove the trees. This has become the main focus of park staff including removing cherry trees as well as fruit bushes, which can lure bears in search of food ahead of winter. Also read | Can polar bears survive without Arctic ice? Scientists think so. Here's why Parks Canada in a statement said, "The continuous presence of bears in the Jasper townsite, often in residential yards just metres from people, is an unacceptable safety risk for visitors and residents." In addition, "Bears living in constant proximity to people and residences have an increased likelihood of gaining access to human food or garbage, and of accidental aggressive physical encounters." Till now, at least 10 bears have been discovered in the region. The most recent one was of a black bear and her two cubs. The bears are reluctant to leave as the fruit trees offer a high food reward for them, especially, when they are preparing for hibernation. Also read | Russia: After polar bear gets milk can stuck in its mouth, veterinarians rescue it Till now, at least 20 fruit trees have been removed from the region. This isn't a new problem as with converting wildland for urban uses, the mammals are pushed towards human habitation. The Guardian reported the municipality saying in its statement, "Removing the trees is a necessary measure from wildlife conservation and public safety perspectives." The neighbouring Banff also struggled with the same problem, to reduce human-bear interactions and the municipality earlier by law banned fruit trees. But this plan was halted as it was difficult to remove existing plants, so it swapped fruit-bearing trees for native flora. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Canadian national park authorities advise people to remove fruit trees to keep bears away

What led to the death of nearly 200 pilot whales at a Tasmanian beach?

<p>A recent study revealed that over 1.1 million sea turtles have been illegally killed over the last 30 years. According to Arizona State University scientists, over the last ten years, at least 44,000 turtles have been illegally killed and exported annually across 65 countries, despite legislation designed to protect them.</p>

<p>The UN said that the global illegal wildlife market will be worth $23 billion annually, including trafficking and hunting.</p>

<p>Jesse Senko, the principal author of the study, said that the turtles were killed for their meat, their&nbsp;shells, and their parts were used to make jewellery, artifacts, and traditional medicines. Senko classified the species as critically endangered.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/worlds-smallest-and-endangered-sea-turtles-discovered-on-louisiana-islands-after-75-years-509129"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;World’s smallest sea turtles discovered on Chandeleur Islands after 75 years</strong></a></p>

<p>The researchers examined over 209 different peer-reviewed articles, reports, and surveys from conservation organisations to determine the extent of illegal turtle hunting. The study was published in the journal Global Change Biology, The Guardian reported.</p>

<p>According to the report, over 43,000 turtles were smuggled between 1990 and 2010, although Senko believes the data to be understated.</p>

<p>The study claimed that Southeast Asia and Madagascar are prime locations for illegal hunting. Vietnam holds the majority of the illegal sea turtle trade, and the two most common markets for illegal turtle items are China and Japan.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/dugongs-functional-extinction-in-china-due-to-habitat-destruction-a-wakeup-call-to-prioritise-efforts-509745"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Dugong’s functional extinction in China due to habitat destruction, ‘a wakeup call’ to prioritise efforts</strong></a></p>

<p>Senko said that as long as higher-income nations continue to want turtles as luxury commodities, developing nations will continue to supply them.</p>

<p>The report's estimation that illegal sea turtle exploitation has decreased by 28 per cent over the previous 10 years is one of the more encouraging facts in the report.</p>

<p>Senko said that this information can be used to know which turtles are being hunted and where. This could help pave the way for figuring out what steps environmentalists and lawmakers should take to safeguard sea turtle populations in the future.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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A recent study revealed that over 1.1 million sea turtles have been illegally killed over the last 30 years. According to Arizona State University scientists, over the last ten years, at least 44,000 turtles have been illegally killed and exported annually across 65 countries, despite legislation designed to protect them.

A recent study revealed that over 1.1 million sea turtles have been illegally killed over the last 30 years. According to Arizona State University scientists, over the last ten years, at least 44,000 turtles have been illegally killed and exported annually across 65 countries, despite legislation designed to protect them. The UN said that the global illegal wildlife market will be worth $23 billion annually, including trafficking and hunting. Jesse Senko, the principal author of the study, said that the turtles were killed for their meat, their shells, and their parts were used to make jewellery, artifacts, and traditional medicines. Senko classified the species as critically endangered. Also read | World’s smallest sea turtles discovered on Chandeleur Islands after 75 years The researchers examined over 209 different peer-reviewed articles, reports, and surveys from conservation organisations to determine the extent of illegal turtle hunting. The study was published in the journal Global Change Biology, The Guardian reported. According to the report, over 43,000 turtles were smuggled between 1990 and 2010, although Senko believes the data to be understated. The study claimed that Southeast Asia and Madagascar are prime locations for illegal hunting. Vietnam holds the majority of the illegal sea turtle trade, and the two most common markets for illegal turtle items are China and Japan. Also read | Dugong’s functional extinction in China due to habitat destruction, ‘a wakeup call’ to prioritise efforts Senko said that as long as higher-income nations continue to want turtles as luxury commodities, developing nations will continue to supply them. The report's estimation that illegal sea turtle exploitation has decreased by 28 per cent over the previous 10 years is one of the more encouraging facts in the report. Senko said that this information can be used to know which turtles are being hunted and where. This could help pave the way for figuring out what steps environmentalists and lawmakers should take to safeguard sea turtle populations in the future. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Study reveals more than a million sea turtles illegally killed over past 30 years

Habitat loss, illegal wildlife trade, human-wildlife conflict, deforestation and now adding to the list is climate change. Animals across the world are facing various threats with climate change only worsening the situation.

WION Climate Tracker: Impact of climate change on animals trigger concerns

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